00:00What has this been like for you, just absorbing this and the memories that have come back during this time?
00:05It's been so exciting, you know, walking around and seeing all the orange and seeing people just just happy.
00:11You know, I think Illinois basketball is a special place.
00:14You know, people love it here in the state of Illinois and around the country.
00:17But being here in Chicago, walking around, seeing the joy, seeing the gear, hearing the chance ILL,
00:23just it's an unbelievable feeling. I'm just going to enjoy this moment because I know how hard it is to
00:27get here.
00:28You know, we have a really good team, a championship roster.
00:31So I'm just enjoying it, having a really good time talking about it and everybody bringing up the memories
00:35and what Illinois basketball means to them. So it's a great time to be at Atlanta.
00:40D, I love that you are a coach and that you have stayed in this game for as long as
00:45you have.
00:46And I'm just so curious. We have so many more technological advances than we did when you were recruited.
00:52Do you have any explanation as to how Keaton Wagler has gone from being so under-recruited to where he
00:59is now,
00:59given what we have as far as recruiting these days?
01:04I mean, Brad and his staff have done an unbelievable job of identifying talent
01:08and guys that can come and play at Illinois and be very successful.
01:11I mean, he's an unbelievable talent.
01:13I mean, he's a Darren Williams-type point guard that has size and, you know, definitely was unrecruited.
01:19I mean, not unrecruited, but he wasn't recruited to the highest level that he's supposed to.
01:22So he plays with a chip on his shoulder.
01:24But we're able to get really good players at the University of Illinois because now we have the money to
01:28do it.
01:29And we have one of the best fan bases in the country.
01:32And when you come there and play there, there's expectation to make it to the Final Four, win Big Ten
01:36championships.
01:37So there's expectation.
01:38So to get really good players, you know, to come in and do what they do, it's been very exciting
01:43to watch.
Comments