Brad Underwood, Head Coach For Illinois Men's Basketball

Alrighty, welcome back in. It is that Gelb show Coast to Coast on the Infinity Sports Network. We opened up the show today, obviously talking a lot of March Madness. We also squeezed in some football too as Jamar Chase and T Higgins are going back and staying with Cincinnati Bengals on new deals. Diana Rossini did say that Cincinnati is also working to retain Trey Hendrickson and discussions are ongoing between the two sides. According to Diana Rossini, the Bengals are attempting to do what many in the league thought difficult, keep and pay.

All three of their stars, so we'll see if they're going to be able to do that. By the way, it's time to ask the pros. View the listeners get to ask us a question. It's brought to you by O'Reilly Auto Parts. Simply tweet your question at INF Sportsnet or at Zach Gelb using the hashtag askthepros. Be listening later in the show and we might answer your question. Think O'Reilly Auto Parts for all your car care needs.

Get guaranteed low prices and excellent customer service from the professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts. We do know that Illinois is going to be playing on Friday in the NCAA tournament. We don't know up against who yet as Texas and Xavier do have to do battle first and the winner will get the fighting Illini. Now joining us is their men's head basketball coach in coach Brad Underwood. Coach, always appreciate you jump on board with us. Congratulations on here. Your name called once again and thanks so much for joining us.

Yeah, I appreciate it guys. There's nothing better than hearing your name called on that selection show. So excited to be here.

Excited to keep playing. Yeah, the last few years and I'm not saying your group didn't have expectations this year, but you had higher expectations. You had a lot of guys. Obviously leave the program this past offseason after a few pretty dominant years.

This is a younger group. You play, you know, a good amount of freshmen to see this team as a sixth seed. I know you want to play longer into the year, but how do you kind of look back on what this group has accomplished so far?

Yeah, I've said all year. I thought the ceiling for this team was as high as any we've had. It's been a trying year from this standpoint.

We've had some some real bad sickness. And we've had a couple injuries and we had 11 starters miss games in league play, but I love this group. Again, we were a very old team last year coming off the Elite Eight team. We lost that group and for this group to stay together, never get splintered, keep fighting. We had games we didn't know who we were starting because we didn't know who we had.

So it's continued to grow. I've loved coaching this team. And like I said, we're healthy and it's exciting to be that as we head into the tournament. Obviously, no one wants injuries.

No one wants illness. But did it make this group, in your opinion, which we're going to see on Friday night in Milwaukee, just be a tougher team this year? I think so. I think it's helped us gain confidence. We've had multiple guys with 20 point games. I think we've got a lot of versatility.

In this group, I think that we're a team that is confident. Our bench guys have been really supportive and very, very good in terms of having to step into starting roles. Getting Merez Johnson back has sure helped.

He was playing terrific when he fell in the Michigan State game, broke his wrist. Now getting him back helps. It helps our front court depth. We've been a confident group all year. Now we're starting to put that confidence with continuity.

That's helping us. You mentioned Merez Johnson coming back. We saw him a little bit in the conference tournament play in two games. For you, how do you kind of evaluate where he is coming off that injury? Full go, all good?

Yeah, full go. The best thing about the Maryland game was Tommy was in foul trouble and Merez got to play a lot. He played 12 minutes in the Iowa game.

Eight rebounds impacted the game. There's nothing like basketball conditioning. He can run on a treadmill and get in a pool and do all that stuff.

But actually getting out there and slamming bodies and running up and down and having adrenaline was the best thing for him. He's been full bore in practice. We're excited about that.

Coach Brad Underwood here with us. How do you kind of prepare? You know that you're going to be playing one of two teams.

What's the work like this week leading into Friday not knowing yet who exactly you're going to be playing? Yeah, it's different. There's no question about that. You've been watching games on one team all last night and another team today.

Looking for similarities. Looking for things that we can carry over to practice with our group. Not get too specific.

We'll know Wednesday night at 10 o'clock when that game's over. And then it's one day prep. We've had some of that this year so it's not new. But again, it's more about us.

It's more about refining some things. We're getting up and down quite a bit which we need to do. It is what it is. So we'll figure it out on Wednesday night. Coach Brad Underwood here with us. Coach, you talked about how high of a ceiling you thought this team had going into the year. And why you were confident.

I don't think you would just say that just to say it. Why was there that initial belief in this squad before the season did commence? Well, even though our guys are freshmen, I think that there's extreme talent there.

You know, starting with Kaspers. He's had an incredible year. We knew what Will Riley could be. He's a guy that classed up. He's gained 22 pounds since he's been here. He's learned to play defense. You know, so his growth has been monumental.

Same with Mares. And so I've always thought our ceiling was high because our talent levels is really good. And it was just going to be growth. And then to lean on Ben Humerical's, Kylan Boswell, Trey White, three guys who are veterans. Even though they were new, those guys have been incredible in terms of what they've added to us. You know, so I was excited about the comfort that they would show once they got through a few games. Their leadership's been great. Trey got really sick.

Missed a bunch of time. And now we're seeing him play great. So yeah, it's just a team I've had a lot of confidence in because of their abilities. And then how hard they all work. So it's been a fun group to coach.

You know, when you got Kaspers, there was something special. This morning, you know, I see him in the top 10 and other mock draft. I see him in the top five for the NBA. Has he even surprised you how easy of a transition he's kind of made this look in the college game? Yeah, no doubt.

No doubt. I mean, we knew he was good. I think the one thing that has been on the defense side, you know, it was the European game is different. He's played at high levels for a long time. Played against great players for a long time. Practiced against great players.

It wasn't that part as much as I was. Just getting adjusted to, you know, our system. He's an unbelievable student of the game.

And it works at that as well. But, you know, defensively, he's been able to be way better than I thought. Just with different athletes, different guys he's played against.

So he's been sensational. I obviously had to want to play college basketball. But how'd you get him to Illinois?

Take us behind the scenes of that one. Yeah, you know, the world's a pretty small place, to be honest, in terms of the basketball world. And we've known about KJ for a long time. Jeff Alexander on our staff is literally in Europe. Seems like every month. You know, so we've known about him since he was 15, 16 years old.

Been involved with that process. We knew we needed, you know, a true lead guard. And, you know, it was right after the season was over last year. It was a quick trip to Spain to see him playing a tournament.

And then it just kind of went from there. But we've known about him for a long time. He's been on our map for a few years. For people that haven't seen him play, because, you know, a lot of people parachute into the sport this time of the year.

And they're going to hear whenever your team plays on Friday, oh, you have a potential top ten, top five pick in the draft. For people that haven't seen him play, how would you describe his game? He's a heady point guard. You know, he's a guy who can really score it. He's a great playmaker for others in ball screens.

He's very, very instinctive, which I think allows him to be great. I think that's one of the things they like for him at the next level. He's, you know, 6'5", 6'6", 215 pounds. So he's got legit size to him already.

He's, you know, he just turned 18 in the fall. But he has been, you know, he's a better than average athlete. You know, he's got great speed. He's a guy who can finish, you know, in the paint in a variety of ways. And then he's a terrific catch and shoot guy, or shoot off the dribble, excuse me. And that makes him very, very hard to guard, very appealing for the next level. Coach, there's so many different waves in basketball, right? One and done, you know, building guys three, four years. Now, year to year, you don't know what's going to happen with the transfer portal, name image and like.

There's things that I'm for, but it is a little bit of a Wild West. When you have a kid that's already projected to be in the top 10 of the draft, do you feel like this is just a one year thing, or is there optimism that maybe you get him back for another year? No, you're going to do what's best for the young man. I mean, there's no doubt that if the information that he starts hearing is that, I don't pay attention to the mock drafts. You know, if he starts hearing that, then he would be foolish not to go.

You know, and those are lifetime dreams. You've always got to make sure, and again, they've got to make sure that they're making the right decision based on him. Every individual is different.

And so it's a, you know, it's like when I had I.O. DeSouma, after his junior year, I told him he couldn't come back. There was no way I wanted him back in our program.

He had done everything he could do and put on 35 pounds. And so every player is different in that role, but we ultimately want them to achieve their dreams and goals. And that's what we're here for. So it seems like you don't really change your coaching that much, even if it's with a younger player. And I know this one I'm not talking about for this specific situation, but you always wonder how a style could work when you're relying on such youngsters. If you're asking a lot out of them, because right now there's so many different people in their ears and how they have it out to get out very quickly if they want.

Yeah, that's the hardest thing is making sure you have their ear. K.J. 's an unbelievable student of the game. He's an unbelievable young person in terms of character and a great teammate. I've been able to coach him, you know, in a lot of hard ways. I mean, and to make him better.

He wants that. Every young guy is different. And, you know, it's been fun to coach this group because they're all very different in terms of their personalities, but so receptive. And the true blessing with this group, of freshmen especially, they're great listeners. And that's really hard to find today.

I mean, I probably hit the jackpot in one year with this group. So they all want to learn. They all want to get better. And we've been able to push a lot of buttons to try to help them in those areas.

You've now, and I'll let you run, just one more question. Coach Brad Underwood here with us, Illinois, back in the NCAA tournament. They're a sixth seed and they'll get the winner of Texas and Xavier. This has now been, right, the last five years and it probably would be sixth straight if it wasn't obviously for COVID. You guys had a good team too. You guys really have this thing moving in the right direction.

Obviously, there's still levels to get to. You've won the conference tournament twice. You know, you want to go to a Final Four. You want to go cut down the nets and be the last team standing like every other team. But how about really the last four or five years and where this program is getting looked at and how people are expecting Illinois to do big things year in and year out?

Yeah, it's where it should be. You know, we took a hiatus from whatever, from success, whatever. This program has been outstanding in the history of college basketball. We sell out every game.

Our fans travel. I'm excited for them because of the success that we've been able to get this thing back to the level that they expect and that they know. Great administration. You know, coaches win games.

Administrators win championships. Are we trying to win a national championship? I strive for it every day. Can we do that at Illinois? Absolutely, we can. And, you know, those are the goals. When it becomes less of a goal or not the goal, then I'll go do something else. But that's what we're striving for here.

The Big Ten allows you to do that. But we've got a lot of really good things in place. I've had a great staff, great players. And the way I look at it, we're just back where we should be.

One more and then I promise to let you run. I know I just doubled up on that, but something else popped into my head, Coach Brett Underwood. Because I remember last year having you on and we were talking about Coleman Hawkins and also the relationship that you had, the leader he's been for your program. I know he wasn't back this year, but, you know, I have to ask you about the emotions that you saw of him last week. When you see a former player like that, you know, leaving your program and then going through things, obviously, just what did you make of the video last week, which was very emotional?

Yeah. You know, I love Coleman Hawkins. Nobody appreciates Coleman Hawkins more than I do.

And, you know, somebody who stayed four years with us, went through the ups and downs, the hard times. You know, I said it after watching Peyton Sanford at Iowa, you know, in tears. To me, that's what this is about. You know, Coleman went to my alma mater where I played at Kansas State and no one cares more about people, about winning, about pleasing people than Coleman Hawkins.

And then he's an ultra competitor. It saddens me that whatever the scenario was, and I'm not on social media, so I don't buy into any of that. But I know it's real, and it saddens me for our game.

The young people feel that. And, you know, I can't control that. I wish I could take everybody's phone away during basketball season and nobody ever look at it.

But I also know that's not realistic. But I do know how good a person Coleman Hawkins is, his family. I mean, shoot, he shows up at our game in Kansas City this year when we play Arkansas.

You know, he texts one of my daughters and said he's coming to our NCAA tournament game. He didn't play for us this year, but in my world he's still part of our family and achieved great things. And I couldn't be more excited for what his future holds, even though it was a tough moment for him. I know he'll come through and persevere through all that.

Well said. Hey, coach, good luck. We always appreciate it. Thanks so much for doing this. You got it. Thank you for having me. There you go. Coach Brad Underwood always enjoyed when we got a chance to catch up with him talking about Illinois as they will get the winner of Texas Xavier. And that will be in Milwaukee on Friday when you could see their opening round game.

And if you haven't seen Casper's Yacchonus, man, that's good. If they go on a run, that draft stocks only going to go up and up and up. And you heard him say it, right? If those are if that's the grade and I looked at two mock drafts, one Adam going to the top five and the other had him going to the top 10. At that rate, it's like as a coach, sure, you want him back, but you're not going to advise him to do something that's bad for his future. So we'll continue to see if that grade is consistent. I don't think he's going to need a big NCAA tournament grade to have that continue to be what's out there on him. Alrighty, let's take a break. 17 after the hour to Zach Gelb show on the Infinity Sports Network. We'll get to a few storylines to watch in the NCAA tournament when we come on back after these short messages.