KENTUCKY 1989-90
players are not embarrassed, because they're not only playing in front of their fans, but their own personal communities, and I think it's essential that they get the opportunity to play if you go out there and recruit them. That's what we intend to do, which means they're going to have to be the two or three best players in the state,
Q. What are your priorities in recruit- ing? What do you tell the parents of a prospect when you make a home visit?
A, I tell all the members of the family  that I'm going to build and discipline their son into somebody who can stand on his own two feet when his college education is over with, and make him a successful person with any job that he encounters, I'm also going to make him the finest person he can be, So we're just going to build the base that is going to make a young man successful not only in four years here but in life as well.
Q, What message do you have to the  fans, who want so much to help you win?
A, I tell them that we appreciate their  help at games, We need their support, We need them to be vocal and enthusiastic about their job, which is rooting on the team. But that's all the help I need. I don't need any other help in areas outside of giving to the University. There are channels for their giving, financially and in spirit. They have to just stay within those channels. Any help that they can lend to the University of Kentucky helps UK basketball.
The SEC is not only an outstanding conference as far as athletic talent is concerned, you have some of the more colorful and bright coaches in the game. I'm looking forward to the challenge of competing against these outstanding people.
A young man here is not a Kentucky basketball
player for his four years. He's a Kentucky player for life.
Q, How important are Dr. Roselle and  CM. Newton to the athletics program at Kentucky?
A, In order to make anything go, it takes  a team effort. You need that coming from the top all the way down to the equipment manager. You need excellence at the top, people with the same beliefs that you have. Dr. Roselle wants Kentucky to be what it's always been, one of the premier programs in the country. He wants it done with a tremendous amount of integrity. We all agree, Dr. Roselle, CM. Newton, and myself, that that's the way it has to be done, or it's not worth doing.
Q, Have you had a chance to evalu- ate the talent you have returning?
A, Not really. I haven't really seen any of  them play, I've just evaluated them from a conditioning standpoint. I did not want to hold anything against the players, so 1 did not watch any film on them. I want to just go in with a clean slate, and see what they can do on October 15.
Q. How big a role with walk-ons play  this year?
A, Well, we're only going to have eight  scholarship basketball players. In a program such as ours, you have to play 10 people per game. We need at least two or three walk-ons to play, and another two or three to round out the squad. They'll be of great importance to us, and the significance of it all is that a young man just attending the University of Kentucky will have the chance to participate in the richest tradition in all of basketball.
Q. Why did you decide not to give the  third scholarship (allowed by the NCAA) this year?
A, I would rather save that scholarship  than give it to a freshman or sophomore who is going to be with you for a few years who may not be at your level, and who really will help you in the next year or two but down the road will not. I want to make that scholarship available to a player who is capable of not only competing at Kentucky, but who is also capable of being an all-star player.
Q. You had the opportunity at Provi- dence to compete against the Southeastern Conference. What are your impressions of the conference?
A, The SEC is not only an outstanding  conference as far as athletic talent is concerned, you have some of the more colorful and bright coaches in the game. With the addition of three or four other coaches in this conference, it's a great challenge for me to compete with these people. I think it's exciting basketball, it's athleticism at its best, it's run and gun basketball at its best, with very colorful people heading up the programs. I'm looking forward to the challenge of competing against these outstanding people.
Q, Compare coaching at Kentucky to  your years in the Big East.
A, Well, the Big East, like the SEC has tre- mendous basketball. The only difference fs that I've never seen such passion, such enthusiasm for the game as the state of Kentucky has to offer. It's just phenomenal the way an entire state backs a team. I've never seen anything the likes of it from coast to coast. It's great. A young man here is not a Kentucky basketball player for his four years. He's a Kentucky player for life. I think they're special not only during their four years at UK, but they're special until they decide to retire from their permanent careers. I think that's the way people look at Kentucky basketball players. It's a lifetime experience, one that they'll never forget.
Q. What will be the responsibilities of  your staff?
A, Ralph Willard, our associate coach, t has been a high school coach for 13 years, has been an assistant coach at Hof-stra, and at Syracuse when they went to the continued on page 14
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