Luke Maye speaks with the media at Tuesday's media day in the Smith Center.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Media Day Q&A: Luke Maye, Kenny Williams
October 9, 2018 | Men's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL—The North Carolina basketball program held its annual preseason team media day in the Smith Center on Tuesday afternoon.
Head coach Roy Williams held a press conference to preview the 2018-19 season, players posed for photos, returning players conducted interviews with members of the press and the team posed for its annual team photo.
Below are highlights of question and answer sessions between the media and Tar Heel seniors Luke Maye and Kenny Williams.
Luke Maye
#32, Senior, Forward
On his success in the mile run
"I never really ran the mile run for time in high school, but I had always been pretty good at long distance. I just try to do the best I can and whatever Coach asks me to do I am going to try and do to the best of my ability."
On his journey at Carolina
"It has definitely been ups and downs. Thankfully it has been a lot more ups the last few years but just try to continue to grow and be the best player I can be on the court and the best teammate I can be on and off the court. Growing up, having an opportunity to play at this university was always really important to me and having done what I have so far, it means nothing as long as we don't finish the right way this year."
On playing the five
"I don't really hate anything about playing [the five]. Obviously just going into the situation and playing at a high level is what I am trying to do. It is a little tiring playing as hard as I do on both ends of the floor and having to play a little bit bigger guy on the defensive end. I have tried to condition myself as best I can and prepare myself for playing big minutes which I hope to play this year. The ACC is a tough league and I am going to have to do the best I can again whether Coach plays me at the four or the five I am going to do my best to help my team win. The game is changing a lot to more skilled shooting and beating people off the dribble. I think offensively and defensively I pose a challenge being a little bit quicker than most big men and being able to shoot it from outside. I think that poses as positives for myself."
On following up his All-America season
"I think I had a pretty good year. I think the biggest thing for me though is how we do as a team and we struggled as a team, not the entire year but towards the end and didn't finish how we wanted to and that is really what helped make my decision to come back and the want to win and the history behind this program. My first two years we had a great time and coach keeps telling telling us that's not always how it is and we saw that last year. Coming back with three experienced seniors I think is really important to finish the right way and I think that is kinda how I viewed last year. Not as a disappointment but as something that was left unfinished."
On growing as a leader
"I think I have grown as a leader. I wouldn't say they [Joel Berry and Theo Pinson] are extremely vocal leaders. Theo is definitely more outgoing and Joel leads a lot more by example. They are both incrideble players to play with and something that I will continue to remember and continue to instill in the younger guys in how they carry themselves. I think that is really important for me to continue to learn from others from my previous three years but to kinda have my own styley and my own way of getting guys to jump on board and buy into what we are doing."
On freshman Nassir Little
"I mean, he is a freak athlete and scores the ball really well and strong for coming in as a freshman. Every freshman has to adjust some to a different style of play and a different gameplan, and I think he is going to do a really good job. He is going to be a really good player for us and a good option as a whole."
On the freshman class
"I think they can really score and be really good defensively. Leaky is very skilled, very long and helps us defensively and rebounding. Nassir and Coby bring a lot to both ends of the floor. I think it is going to be a very exciting year for all of them and I am excited to see where their careers go."
On what stands out about this team
"I think the biggest thing that stands out is even though we have some upperclassmen, we know having a young team that we can continue to grow, continue to get better. Each day we come to practice trying to get better, especially on what coach preaches is really important for us. Having some experience at the top but then some young guys as well is a good mix for us. Hopefully it bodes well during the season."
Kenny Williams #24
#24, Senior, Guard
On how it feels to be a senior:
"It's weird. I feel like I just got here and I just put this jersey on for the first time. I feel like it happened 2 weeks ago. I mean it feels weird, but I am ready for it. I think the guys who have been here before me, the guys that I looked up to, prepared me for this moment.
On experiences at playing for Carolina basketball freshman vs now:
"I have had so many more experiences where I am like man I playing at North Carolina since then. Sometimes I still can't wrap my head around it. Just to be able to be here and put this jersey on and play at this university for this school has been big. Going back and looking back, honestly this whole thing has been a blur. I can't tell you what I was feeling and what I was going through my head at that moment because so much has happened since then."
On the improvement of the big men:
"He [Coach Williams] just wants them to give a little bit more. They definitely improved, I would say more so on the defensive end. Things like guarding ball screens and when we give them the ball in the post they can definitely score better. You know, he just wants more effort out of them. The effort plays, offensive rebounds, running the floor, things like that. Little things like that they can easily flip the switch on and turn around. It is just a matter of them getting in their head to do it.
On a team slogan for the year:
"I would say it's too soon, but honestly we haven't even thought about any type of slogan. I think that was more Theo's thing. We might have to call him and ask him, but we haven't thought about it yet about what we are going to be saying for the majority of the year."
On freshmen meshing with the team:
"I think we got a great chemistry going so far. I mean, they've all been open. They just been able to be themselves and we welcome that. They just fit in great in the locker room and on the court. They haven't come in and tried to steal the spotlight or anything. They just try to figure out how to fit in done it to the best of their abilities and they have done a great job with it."
Head coach Roy Williams held a press conference to preview the 2018-19 season, players posed for photos, returning players conducted interviews with members of the press and the team posed for its annual team photo.
Below are highlights of question and answer sessions between the media and Tar Heel seniors Luke Maye and Kenny Williams.
Luke Maye
#32, Senior, Forward
On his success in the mile run
"I never really ran the mile run for time in high school, but I had always been pretty good at long distance. I just try to do the best I can and whatever Coach asks me to do I am going to try and do to the best of my ability."
On his journey at Carolina
"It has definitely been ups and downs. Thankfully it has been a lot more ups the last few years but just try to continue to grow and be the best player I can be on the court and the best teammate I can be on and off the court. Growing up, having an opportunity to play at this university was always really important to me and having done what I have so far, it means nothing as long as we don't finish the right way this year."
On playing the five
"I don't really hate anything about playing [the five]. Obviously just going into the situation and playing at a high level is what I am trying to do. It is a little tiring playing as hard as I do on both ends of the floor and having to play a little bit bigger guy on the defensive end. I have tried to condition myself as best I can and prepare myself for playing big minutes which I hope to play this year. The ACC is a tough league and I am going to have to do the best I can again whether Coach plays me at the four or the five I am going to do my best to help my team win. The game is changing a lot to more skilled shooting and beating people off the dribble. I think offensively and defensively I pose a challenge being a little bit quicker than most big men and being able to shoot it from outside. I think that poses as positives for myself."
On following up his All-America season
"I think I had a pretty good year. I think the biggest thing for me though is how we do as a team and we struggled as a team, not the entire year but towards the end and didn't finish how we wanted to and that is really what helped make my decision to come back and the want to win and the history behind this program. My first two years we had a great time and coach keeps telling telling us that's not always how it is and we saw that last year. Coming back with three experienced seniors I think is really important to finish the right way and I think that is kinda how I viewed last year. Not as a disappointment but as something that was left unfinished."
On growing as a leader
"I think I have grown as a leader. I wouldn't say they [Joel Berry and Theo Pinson] are extremely vocal leaders. Theo is definitely more outgoing and Joel leads a lot more by example. They are both incrideble players to play with and something that I will continue to remember and continue to instill in the younger guys in how they carry themselves. I think that is really important for me to continue to learn from others from my previous three years but to kinda have my own styley and my own way of getting guys to jump on board and buy into what we are doing."
On freshman Nassir Little
"I mean, he is a freak athlete and scores the ball really well and strong for coming in as a freshman. Every freshman has to adjust some to a different style of play and a different gameplan, and I think he is going to do a really good job. He is going to be a really good player for us and a good option as a whole."
On the freshman class
"I think they can really score and be really good defensively. Leaky is very skilled, very long and helps us defensively and rebounding. Nassir and Coby bring a lot to both ends of the floor. I think it is going to be a very exciting year for all of them and I am excited to see where their careers go."
On what stands out about this team
"I think the biggest thing that stands out is even though we have some upperclassmen, we know having a young team that we can continue to grow, continue to get better. Each day we come to practice trying to get better, especially on what coach preaches is really important for us. Having some experience at the top but then some young guys as well is a good mix for us. Hopefully it bodes well during the season."
Kenny Williams #24
#24, Senior, Guard
On how it feels to be a senior:
"It's weird. I feel like I just got here and I just put this jersey on for the first time. I feel like it happened 2 weeks ago. I mean it feels weird, but I am ready for it. I think the guys who have been here before me, the guys that I looked up to, prepared me for this moment.
On experiences at playing for Carolina basketball freshman vs now:
"I have had so many more experiences where I am like man I playing at North Carolina since then. Sometimes I still can't wrap my head around it. Just to be able to be here and put this jersey on and play at this university for this school has been big. Going back and looking back, honestly this whole thing has been a blur. I can't tell you what I was feeling and what I was going through my head at that moment because so much has happened since then."
On the improvement of the big men:
"He [Coach Williams] just wants them to give a little bit more. They definitely improved, I would say more so on the defensive end. Things like guarding ball screens and when we give them the ball in the post they can definitely score better. You know, he just wants more effort out of them. The effort plays, offensive rebounds, running the floor, things like that. Little things like that they can easily flip the switch on and turn around. It is just a matter of them getting in their head to do it.
On a team slogan for the year:
"I would say it's too soon, but honestly we haven't even thought about any type of slogan. I think that was more Theo's thing. We might have to call him and ask him, but we haven't thought about it yet about what we are going to be saying for the majority of the year."
On freshmen meshing with the team:
"I think we got a great chemistry going so far. I mean, they've all been open. They just been able to be themselves and we welcome that. They just fit in great in the locker room and on the court. They haven't come in and tried to steal the spotlight or anything. They just try to figure out how to fit in done it to the best of their abilities and they have done a great job with it."