Kevin Keatts Interview

NC State head basketball coach Kevin Keats is now with the last coach the last time we spoke we were Clorox wiping headsets before and after you sat down with us on day one of the ACC tournament in Greensboro and since that time.

I think years from now is going to be one of those where were you type moments in American history that that those days March 10 March 11 March 12 I just got a start off by asking you where you and your team were the day that things got plugged plugged away from the ACC tournament that the plug was ultimately pulled when you guys were supposed to play in the quarters were jobs all banks will have a video on your right. I'll never forget that day. All you know we were what you think about this. We just came off a great way objects. I thought I guys played well when we had a little bit momentum and we were back at the hotel and early that morning. The next day care.

The possibilities, the ACC tournament will be counsel and all that started probably like 7 o'clock in the morning and call back by 1030 I think we got good news. We will go meet as a team at a scheduled job team meeting before we went over to watch the second half of the first game and there will Google play Duke. I want to say at 1230 edition. It was a tough day, because you also… Some seniors optionally wanted to play in the tournament. I thought we were playing good – but we came off the gray shaded by its workforce.

A good go back to the plan will get and we had another opportunity to play a very good treatment of what a tough day for our God is just the whole entire NCAA radiation was tough elected time. You know, I thought it was a crazy ideal you all is one of those for which they would postpone everything so the counselor but no only a few days after I realized it was the right thing to do.

How do you handle that with guys you grew so close with guys like Martell Johnson and CJ Bryce are you knew back to your days at UNC Wilmington. Especially for those of you think about this. CJ Bryce was the usual have a chance to go through 30 NCAA four years and you know he's a God who obviously followed us and, unfortunately, we got left out of the term of you before or he would have a chance of claim four straight NCAA Marco Johnson the same thing and it all and a couple others to the group talk about panic cutting reason Danny Dixon bulldozed as a fish, you guys are, they came to the machine they came to interesting to have the opportunity to play in the tournament.

We always feel bad for those guys but as that being said no. As I look around once we got back in an entire basketball season was over, and our son Philip therefore – but think about all of the young man or young women. It didn't get a chance to play in the spring sports validity fallacies. Jeff Goodman reported yesterday that there is ACC basketball codes set the proposed this week an idea that the ACC every ACC program faces in HBC you on Martin Luther King Day next year and you're one of those ACC coaches so I'm disinterested how supportive you would be playing in HBC you Nexium Al Qaeda yeah me II think I haven't seen it, will we will have a meeting tomorrow. I'm along with all my thing from Jeff report on there will be one of the things that we will talk about love him in support of anything that helps bring awareness to what's going on you in our country right now all is that the solution probably not just by yourself but that helps us give us a step further to know handle some of the situation we got going on. Then as a coach of all photos Kevin Keats with us NC State head basketball coach. It would just be a really neat thing is, you mention trying to bring attention to things that are going on right now because there are some like that are not in this country that just view MLK day is another day. You don't really understand the history of things, it seems like a really unique opportunity to bring people together bring communities together and maybe even teach some of your players to people in the community I community what MLK was all about and also about some of these causes that a lot of people were trying to represent today you absolutely no way we know we sometimes we take things for granted we don't understand the significance of things Martin Luther King Day and everything that he fall for.

I'm sure something is going on today in 2020 that he would be proud of. Know it's a lot of things that we have to do as leaders. I think we have to step out and and obviously take a stand against some of the stuff on I don't think it's the right time for us as head coaches to be silent on the sanded every hole in a coaching issue. She had to step out and they had to leave things, but I think is important because we have a platform and am forced to express how displeased we are with somebody inequalities and I think it's important that you know we share our feelings and and hopefully help change some of the vision and health was good but I have a society is so difficult about it coach I had this discussion with Will Healy last week Charlotte head football coach and he just said I didn't want to be one of those guys just put out a statement.

I wanted to act. I want to do the right thing by their just two things going on concurrently in this country right now. That seemed to contradict each other at times when you have the coronavirus which doesn't encourage for a lot of people to get together and to gather but then you have. These movements were people naturally want to come together in support of something bigger than themselves. So as a coach as somebody who has been in the homes of a lot of of parents, promising to take care of their kids. How do you kinda juggle those two things between wanting to strike the right chords for their for your players and and making sure that your supporting them also trying to make sure that those same players are safe. You know I I'm a coach, but I'm also an African-American coach and so you know I think it's important that you have to strike a great balance your life you would be pandemic that's going on and not just not happening in the United States of something happening across the world.

I think we have to be more responsible. Understand that if we want things you did normal get back to know more than we have to practice safe practices in that we have to wear a mask coverage and we can have gatherings because if we do as people were affected both Susan's counsel if we don't understand and will do the right thing. We don't listen to the people a lot smarter than us in that area. Then there's a possibility that you know sports could be in jeopardy. This year, when you talk about what's happening especially for a lot of their African-American young man that's a tough pill to swallow. All because as a coach and I said, father, coach after tell my kids you are 16 and 12 that unfortunately stuff like this is still happening 2020. That's a tough pill because my father fought for know somebody stays not to happen and I did the same thing for two years and then you take another step is know I've got a B versus good towards my players and not just the players who African-American everybody on our team because you were family. And when you look around and she wanted your other family member struggle because what's happening in society. That's not a good thing and so it's been a very busy time for me because I look back and know some of the things that I've had to go to African-American person and it's tough to tell somebody that hey will you help us spread the word. If you have been through it yourself. And so I understand where we understand we need a lot of help build this world into love when you realize that if you love someone else, no matter what color their skin do not, they will all be about a country and will move forward in the right direction very well said NC State head basketball coach Kevin Keats with us here on sports and try it. I wanted to transition things to your actual ballclub and what things are looking like this year. I was talking about a short while ago when you had it fired up at UNC W. It was strength in numbers truly where you're playing, 10, 11 guys more than 10 minutes a game. The last few years you haven't been able to do that NC state that when I look at that the players were coming in and the guys were coming back a backcourt. We still have Braxton Beverly and Devon Daniels around were excited to see what Josh phases at at point guard her keys became Hayes and on top of that you got Funderburk and Bates still in the pain. Do you feel like this is the team that you're to be able to play the way you did.

Stylistically, UNC W this time around. You have the depth to do so. That's a great question and I appreciate you saying that because a lot of people if you didn't follow our team to you and to W you would realize how employee in order for our system to be at its best. We like to have matter to God.

We can run in and out of the game similar to the way Florida State played this year that is said lastly I thought this class, you thought we would have that type of attainment. Unfortunately, there was the first time in my career as a head coach that we have so many different engines we have 20 guys were concussions. We had some medical injuries and so that prohibited us for plan know what I consider interesting basketball. I love the group that I have coming in my group is talented. We got a great mixture of some veteran Joshua played a lot of minutes and we got some freshmen that honestly have to come along very quickly for us to be successful, but hopefully we can get back to playing the way we want to play and explain horrible prison of the flooring. You guys have a chance to compete as hard as a candidate for the number 45 guys in the game and they compete because they can. I'm proud of what we are is a program when you look at us. We've been fortunate three years to win the lost three consecutive years starting June 3, 2021 seasons which I think is great. We got a lot of good things, but all were moving in the direction and the culture that I want us to be. You grew up in Virginia, you were in college. Around the time that Vince Carter was playing North Carolina and the marks get a story today for the athletic teams with us in our ago describing his college career in an oral history. It's crazy to think when the season ends abruptly.

While this is it for eight teams in the MBA including the Charlotte hornet and including the Atlanta Hawks, which means Vince's career in the only lineage in the MBA among active players back to Dean Smith is no longer in the league as well. The only guy who's played I think for decades for different decades in the MBA 90s to 2000 to 2010, and a little bit in 2020.

So this guys an ACC legend and you follow the ACC closely growing up. So I'm interested how crazy is it that that dude was playing in the MBA leading up to the pandemic still and on top of that, when you think of Vince Carter's time in college what comes to mind immediately. While I don't know personally what you almost feel like you do because you know it was a joy to watch play we played again the right way know he was. He was a leader as he started off in his career.

Honestly, you remember the highlight Dalton athletic you got to find a player how to grow and how to games involved in when you look at what he's done throughout his career. And to be able to still stuck on the floor and play at his age with guys who are 21, 23 years old, says a lot about the longevity so much for basketball because he done it the right way you look a certain guys not I don't collect the sample: I'm sure can talk to anybody that the been around them for long-term and the leakage of cold stroke is the type of guided know obviously is doing great in the locker room. Here is what I wish a lot of kids were today because you look at the guy was a leader and man, what a great career he said I wish you luck. But it's not over for him. I'm sure he got some busy building people get involved with all know when you guys like you will be successful in whatever they do you happen to be a heck of a basketball player at the same way you watch recruits and you try to see who would fit well in college, maybe to be an NBA player. I did the same thing when it comes to those in sports media.

We all can have an idea of what athletes to be really good at doing what we do and I know he went to Atlanta in part to be close to the Turner studios and everybody I know who's close to the MBA and is talk to Vince that that seems to be the next step for him and he could be really good at that. So I don't think I like what you just said I don't think were in a see the last of Vince Carter anytime soon and his connection to basketball but coach skeets this is good to hear your voice. Man I hope you and the family are safe and I look forward to a time we could talk a little bit more basketball hopefully will be talking about fans in the stands at PNC arena come November. Thanks for doing this will make sure you safeguard sounds great.

That's Kevin Kate's coach of the NC State basketball program is on twitter at coach skeets NC asked you coming up. Why Rob Manfred's job is it remotely in danger right now. This is the sports of your on the drive