Sitting in a chair off to the side at McArthur Court, Garrett Sim stared vacantly into the media gaggle in front of him at center court.
He was next in line to speak to reporters; one of the last players to take questions before media day officially came to an end on Oct. 14. It was, of course, impossible to know what Sim was thinking.
Judging by the look on his face, perhaps it was something along the lines of, “Another one of these? Really?”
A junior this year, Sim is something of a veteran now on the Oregon men’s basketball team. He’s been through media days and the strange atmosphere that surrounds them. Yet, this gathering had a bit of a different feeling to it, with a new coaching staff and an uncertain future facing the team after a tumultuous offseason.
Sure enough, the first question Sim faced concerned the happenings of the summer.
“It’s been interesting,” Sim said. “But I think we’re all excited about the place we’re at right now. I think we’re all excited to get going with these new coaches, and we like the energy that they bring.”
Over the summer, a total of six players left the team, including center Michael Dunigan, as well as forwards LeKendric Longmire and Jamil Wilson.
For Sim, who along with junior Teondre Williams, is one of just two players left from the celebrated 2008 recruiting class, the losses were tough, but he knows the team must move forward.
“I’ll miss the guys that left,” Sim said. “But we have to move on. I think in the long run, things could work out pretty well.”
The Ducks did catch one major break during the offseason, as junior Malcolm Armstead chose to return to the program after seriously considering departure.
“Malcolm went through a stretch there that he had to decide whether he wanted to come back,” head coach Dana Altman said. “I think, ultimately, it was the people, our fans, that got him to come back.”
For his part, Armstead credited the newly hired head coach for inspiring him to stay.
“He made me really want to stay,” Armstead said. “Made me feel a part of something that I knew I should stay here.”
Armstead isn’t the only player who has taken to Altman’s style of coaching.
Sophomore E.J. Singler, another returning player from last season, calls Altman the complete package.
“He’s a great guy,” Singler said. “Great coach, but more importantly, he’s a really good person. I think he’s connected with each and every one of us really well, and he’s a great fit for Oregon.”
Clearly, Altman’s personality has meshed well with the team. What’s less certain is how players will respond to the style of play he emphasizes.
“We’re going to play an aggressive style,” Altman said. “We’re going to play a lot of guys … defensively we’ll do a lot of different things. We’ll press, we’ll play a lot of man, we’ll play some zone, we’ll do a lot of trapping.”
That aggression should carry over to the offensive side of the ball, as well.
“Offensively, we’ll push the ball,” Altman said. “If we don’t get the shot we want, we’ll be a little more patient in the half court … I think the fans will enjoy it. We’ll get up and down the court.”
To instill that fast tempo, Altman has often turned his own emotions up a notch.
“He’s a lot more fired up than Coach Kent used to be,” Williams said. “Just like with us working out in the weight room, and coming in clapping and doing all those types of things. I like it a lot.”
Altman, after all, feels most at home on the basketball court. It is where he will be spending much of his time as the Ducks prepare for the season to start, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“This is my 31st year of being a college basketball coach,” Altman said. “And, you know, I get excited every year at this time. I’m really excited. I know our players have waited to get started, and it’ll be a fun four weeks here getting ready for our opener.”
Yes, being back on the court was a gratifying experience for Altman. Except, he deadpanned, “not with you guys around me.”
When reporters finally left McArthur Court last Thursday, you could count Altman and Sim among those feeling relieved.
It was time to get to work.
[email protected]