Transcript of the full chat session with Coach Brian Wardle

[Da Coach]

Here are is a transcript of all the questions and answers from today's (6/25/15) chat session with SID Bobby Parker and Head Coach Brian Wardle.

I have adjusted the format slightly so that the appropriate answers follow each question. That is why the time stamps may appear slightly out of sequence.

Questions that are not attributed to anyone specific were among those that were sent to me prior to the chat.

Coach Brian Wardle joined the chat 10:49

da coach: Hi everyone! I am in the Bradley basketball office with Bobby Parker, and we'll have Coach Wardle here in a minute 10:50

Coach Brian Wardle: As always, I will serve as the typist for the coach. Until Coach Wardle arrives at 11, I am happy to answer a question or 2. FYI - This is Bobby Parker. 10:51

Question (from BradleyBraves): Good Morning Coach, did you already have a practice today?

Coach Brian Wardle: BP answering: I'm not sure of today's schedule, but for the coaches are allowed 2 hours per week of contact with the players during summer school. During the last 2 weeks of camp, they have conducted those contact sessions during the actual camp, allowing the kids to see how they do things. Typically Thursdays have featured open gyms for the guys, which are coach-free by NCAA rule. 10:55

Question for Bobby Parker (from t): any plans yet for open gyms or summer opportunities that fans & supporters can view the new Braves? 10:56

Bobby Parker: I will get some details from Brett Burchette and share once details are set, but I believe we'll do some of the events for at least season-ticket holders. Again, I'll get some details ASAP. 10:58

Question for Bobby Parker: Will Bradley be doing any kind of celebration for the 30-year anniversary of their 1986 undefeated MVC Championship and NCAA team, 20th anniversary of the 1996 MVC Championship and NCAA team, and 10th anniversary of the 2006 Sweet 16 team? 10:59

Bobby Parker: This season features several great anniversaries - 2006 Sweet 16, 1996 MVC Champion, 1986 undefeated MVC champion, 1965-66 first season as Joe Stowell's 1st season as head coach, 70 years resuming athletics after WWII. You are going to see some cool stuff throughout the year honoring those events and more. 11:00

Coach Brian Wardle: From this point forward, responses will be from Coach Wardle himself. Coach is sitting next to me, but needs some coffee after being joined in bed at 4 a.m. by his children during the early morning thunderstorm. 11:01

Question for Coach Wardle-: How would you describe your style of offense? 11:01

Coach Brian Wardle: Offense - We're going to get out and attack in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock, then flow into a continuity. Then out of deadballs and timeouts, we're going to run quick hitters to get a specific player the ball to score. We'll then flow back into continuity. Plays don't make plays, players do. We need to teach our players how to play the right way and not micromanage the offense. 11:03

Question (acbl): Will your player at Green Bay, Kiefer Sykes, get drafted? 11:03

Coach Brian Wardle: Sykes - We're hoping. He had 18 NBA workouts and I think there are four teams that really like him a lot. I've talked to him a couple of times the last couple of days and this is an exciting day for him. Whether he is drafted or not, he is in good shape to get a great look. 11:04

Question: How would you describe your defensive philosophy? 11:04

Coach Brian Wardle: Defense - We're 80 percent aggressive man-to-man and about 20 percent, we'll work in some zone from time to time. We keep it very simple from terminology for the guys, but pretty much 80-20 man-to-man and zone. 11:06

Question: We??™ve heard you have been making contact with local coaches. Do you consider it a priority to recruit local players? 11:06

Coach Brian Wardle: Local players - I think it is extremely important to develop relationships with local coaches and do your due diligence to build your relationships in your local area. When good players come along, you want to make sure you are in position to bring them in. 11:07

Question (DJ): Out of the new players, who looks like they have a lot of promise from what you have seen? I am curious with all the new players and I know it is early. 11:07

Coach Brian Wardle: New players - They have all shown flashes and bring strengths to the table, but they all have things to work on. None of them have gotten a point or a rebound for Bradley yet, so when that happens, I'll know more. 11:08

Comment (t): The Tradition luncheon was my favorite event, but not just me - I have bumped into many other fans since then who echo the same feeling - that it was fun, exciting, well planned, and exactly what we all needed to get a tremendous boost in our enthusiasm for the upcoming season. 11:07
Just wanted to give a big THANKS to you and Ken Goldin for arranging it. And if not too much trouble, do it again some time in the future. 11:08

Coach Brian Wardle: Luncheon - Moose was great and it was great to have him involved again with our program. 11:09

Question: You have done a great job recruiting a lot of new players to fill the depleted roster in a very short time. Will you continue to recruit overseas players, or was that a short-term strategy? 11:09

Coach Brian Wardle: Foreign players - We're going to continue to grow our international relationships, but those were the best players available at the time to fill our roster and we are excited to have them. 11:09

Question: With Mike Bargen, a former junior college coach, on the staff, do you plan to recruit junior college players very much, or only as a back-up plan? 11:10

Coach Brian Wardle: Junior college - I want to build this program with high school kids and freshman, but there is a time when you need to sprinkle in junior college players or transfers to balance your roster and bring strengths to your program. Mike Bargen is a very good coach. I didn't hire him to recruit JUCO. I hired him because he is a good coach and a good person. 11:11

Question (bu30): Coach - Will you be keeping an eye on Daeshon Francis (formerly committed to UWGB) at Midland CC 11:10

Coach Brian Wardle: Bradley Basketball will have their eyes on all talented players. 11:12

Question: What are the specific strengths that each of your assistant coaches bring to the team? 11:11

Coach Brian Wardle: Staff attributes - Jimmie Foster (toughness, relationships and has a proven track record devloping bigs and will focus on working with the wings, really everyone). Drew Adams (high energy, works with the guards). Mike Bargen (will work with the bigs a lot). 11:13

Question (DJ): What are you doing to try to get more students to the games? It has been tough with so many losing years and weak opponents at home. 11:12

Coach Brian Wardle: Students - I'm sure we have been pro-active to have the students involved. I hope with my age, energy and time on campus will help get the students involved. I'll be on social media, too. But students like FREE, TV and winning. Winning always helps. I'm aware of that and we're all going to do our best to get the Red Sea excited. 11:15

da coach: Chris Reynolds just dropped by- anyone want to ask him a question? 11:14

Question (BradleyBraves): To Chris Reynolds- how soon before Willie Wood's spot is filled? (Cross Country coach who just resigned)11:16

Chris Reynolds answered: "We are receiving applications, and there is no timeline" 11:17

Question: What are the differences you see now in the MVC versus the Horizon League? 11:15

Coach Brian Wardle: MVC vs. Horizon - The MVC is an overall stronger league from top to bottom and it's a basketball league, consistently a multi-bid league. As a head coach, you want to be in a multii-bid league. The Valley has great leadership with Doug Elgin and I am excited to be in The Valley. 11:16

Question (DJ): When will Joel Okafor and the foreign recruits be on campus? I am very excited for the international flavor on the roster. 11:17

Coach Brian Wardle: Foreign recruits on campus - Okafor is here on campus and the other three (Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye, Luuk van Bree, and Callum Barker) foreign players will be here for the second summer session (mid-July). 11:18

Question: Would you like to and is there any chance of trying to schedule games against Green Bay or Marquette? 11:17

Coach Brian Wardle: GB/Marquette - I think getting quality opponents into Carver Arena is our No. 1 priority and hopefully with my relationships with those schools, something could happen in the future. 11:17

Question: Wichita State will probably still be the team to beat in the MVC next season, but which other teams do you see challenging for the top 4 or 5 spots? 11:19

Coach Brian Wardle: MVC challengers - Evansville is going to be very strong, Northern Iowa. Loyola returns a lot. I just think from top to bottom, the league is going to be stronger from 1 through 10. I think overall, every team is going to be better than this last season and we are looking forward to being the youngest team in the league. 11:20

Question: How is it working with Athletic Director Chris Reynolds? Did you know him before you became interested in the Bradley job? 11:19

Coach Brian Wardle: Chris Reynolds - We have mutual friends before working together and it has been tremendous. He is a high-energy, passionate person and he is committed to moving all Bradley sports forward. And he's a tough act to follow at public speaking events. 11:21

Question: Will Coach Wardle have a radio show? When will it start? How long will the show be, and will he take calls? 11:21

Coach Brian Wardle: BP answering radio show question - There are some exciting prospects on the horizon, but I can't speak to the specifics yet. In the meantime, Coach Wardle has been a pretty frequent guest on multiple radio shows and you can expect to hear from him again next week. 11:22

Question (bu30): Coach - Are there any plans to red shirt any of the freshman? 11:21

Coach Brian Wardle: Redshirting - No decision will be made until after the exhibition games. Every decision I make for the program, I have to determine what is the best for the team and what is the best for the program. It's just that simple. 11:23

Question (t): Surely you know how intensely motivated all Bradley fans are to BEAT ISU, right? Hopefully that is always on your "to do" list! 11:21

Coach Brian Wardle: It is on the ???to do??? list 11:22

Question: Which coaches do you draw basketball knowledge and inspiration from? Who were your most important mentors? 11:24

Coach Brian Wardle: Coaching influences - I have a lot of mentors, a lot of guys that I call to pick their brains in the coaching business. I look for coaches who keep it honest with me. I like direct talk and I have 3-5 guys that I can lean on to give me those answers. 11:25

Question (DJ ): Who do you mold your coaching/mentoring style after? 11:24

Coach Brian Wardle: Coaching comparison - I'm more of a Tom Izzo type coach: very passionate, cares about his players, pushing his players to maximize their abilities and has no problems speaking the truth. I think being honest and not taking things too seriously is important. 11:26

Question: What are your goals for the team this year? In 2 years? In 4? 11:26

Coach Brian Wardle: Goals - This year our goal is to build our culture, get our culture right then build a brand of basketball with an identity our fans can get excited about on a daily basis. Future goals I'll keep private. 11:27

Question (markyw): Coach Wardle, can you tell me some things that have impressed you with the guys during summer workouts? 11:26

Coach Brian Wardle: Summer workouts - Their commitment has been really strong to getting in during the early mornings, to getting to places on time, to just the overall structure to summer school. The level of commitment has been an adjustment and they have lived up to the expectations. 11:28

Question (bu30): This is for Dr. Reynolds or BP - When will the times and opponents of Charleston Tournament be announced? Also, will there be tickets available through Bradley? 11:28

Coach Brian Wardle: BP answering - I wish I could give a specific date, but television dictates everything and those decisions typically are made later in the summer. I encourage anyone interested in traveling to Charleston to visit the tournament website for more information: http://espnevents.com/charleston-classic 11:29

Question: What are your thoughts about players being on social media sites, and sometimes posting statements and photos that could be seen in a negative or embarrassing light? Do you have any specific policies or rules? 11:28

Coach Brian Wardle: Social media - I ban social media during the season, but there are exceptions: for instance, Kiefer Sykes had a lot of followers and was very responsible with his social media actions. He built a lot of trust with me and really helped engage Green Bay basketball with our fans. 11:31

Question: Do you think AAU basketball is more of a good influence or a bad influence on players? 11:31

Coach Brian Wardle: AAU Basketball - I think there are positives and negatives to it. I will say, the commitment to fundamentals - shooting, dribbling and passing and just playing less games - would be better for the college game. 11:32

Question: Do you try to run some of your offense through your post players, or does it vary based on who is playing? 11:32

Coach Brian Wardle: Offense - I like ball movement and ball reversals will be a big emphasis. As our players develop, and hopefully we'll have a player who rises to elite status, I'm smart enough to get that person the ball a lot. If we have a LeBron, he'll get the ball a lot - and he can call his own plays 11:34

Question: How many players do you usually try to use in your playing rotation each game? 11:34

Coach Brian Wardle: Rotation - I'm going to play as many players as I feel we need to to win games. As every season progresses, I think you see playing time trimmed as players establish themselves. 11:35

Coach Brian Wardle: Rotation - production speaks in my locker room, not what year your are in school. I expect my veterans to out-perform my freshmen because they've been here, but if freshmen are producing more, they will play more. That's been my history. 11:36

Question: Would you be in favor of expansion for the MVC? Would you like to see more Horizon League teams added to the MVC? 11:36

Coach Brian Wardle: MVC expansion - I believe in a motto: ???if it ain't broke, break it???.  Basically, you have to be able to adapt and change with the times. I don't know enough about the MVC to know too much about that, but you have to be willing to change and adapt to stay ahead of the game. 11:37

Question: Are there any fan events planned this summer? 11:38

Coach Brian Wardle: Fan events - BP answering - Our external affairs team is working through several options. I do know, Bradley Athletics once again will have a presence in the West Peoria Fourth of July parade next Saturday. A few of the basketball players will be participating with department coaches, staff and student-athletes who are in town for the holiday. 11:39

Question: How did the Edgewood and St. Joseph's exhibition games come to be? 11:39

Coach Brian Wardle: Exhibition opponents - Dates and times worked out with a few programs and we got it done. The coaching circle is a big circle and everyone has a mutual friend here or there. Honestly with scheduling, dates and times are usually big deciding factors. 11:41

Question: Is one of the assistants considered a "recruiting coordinator"? 11:41

Coach Brian Wardle: Recruiting coordinator - One of my assistants is in charge of keeping us overall organized, but we're all recruiters 24/7. It never stops for us. (note: he declined to say which coach was the recruiting coordinator) 11:42

Question: Omaha & Belmont have both been mentioned as possibly joining the MVC at some point. Any thoughts? 11:42

Coach Brian Wardle: Omaha/Belmont: No thoughts. 11:43

Question: When do you expect to have 2016 recruits visiting campus? 11:43

Coach Brian Wardle: Campus visits - We've already had some unofficial visits and we'll begin a lot of official visits after July. (Note: later in the afternoon it was reported that 2016 recruit Koch bar was visiting) 11:44

Question: Who do you think will be drafted #1 in tonight's NBA draft? 11:44

Coach Brian Wardle: NBA Draft - Carl Anthony-Towns. One of those multi-named Kentucky players. 11:46

Coach Brian Wardle: I'm happy to be here and excited to build a winner here. Thanks for all the questions and we'll do it again some time. 11:48

Question (basketball nut): How are the guys that are returning progressing? 11:48

Coach Brian Wardle: Returning guys - They are getting stronger and they are in the gym a lot on their own, along with the 2 hours we get per week. 11:49

Question: How is Mike Shaw's injury coming? 11:49

Coach Brian Wardle: Shaw ??“ Turf toe injury. He's day-to-day, but he is continuing to work out. 11:49

Question (t): any recruiting trips planned to Europe? 11:49

Coach Brian Wardle: Europe - Not right now. Possibly. We have our July schedule tentatively completed. 11:50

da coach: Ok, thanks for all the questions. We'll wrap this up in a minute.... Welcome to Bradley Coach Wardle! And thanks for your time with the fans! 11:51

da coach: Thanks again to Coach Wardle and to Bobby Parker for taking the time to talk to the fans! 11:52

Coach Brian Wardle: Thanks everyone. We'll do it again. 11:53

da coach: Bye everyone! 11:55

DJ commented: Thanks again Coach Wardle! 11:57

[tornado]

..
Question (acbl): Will your player at Green Bay, Kiefer Sykes, get drafted? 11:03

Coach Brian Wardle: Sykes - We're hoping. He had 18 NBA workouts and I think there are four teams that really like him a lot. I've talked to him a couple of times the last couple of days and this is an exciting day for him. Whether he is drafted or not, he is in good shape to get a great look. 11:04..

Coach Wardle's player, Keifer Sykes went undrafted but he is keeping his NBA hopes alive...
The San Antonio Spurs like him and sign him as one of the first players for their training camp..

http://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/8/7/9119765/keifer-sykes-spurs-training-camp-contract