Dear Deacon fans,
As a follow up to this morning's message, we want to answer a few of the most common questions our fans may have. Please see below for a Q&A with Ron Wellman and Danny Manning.
Go Deacs!
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Questions and Answers with Ron Wellman, Director of Athletics
Q: Was the buyout a part of the decision?
A: Danny’s continuation is based on our belief in him and his staff and the future of our program. Otherwise, we do not discuss contract details publicly.
Q: What progress did you see that led you to the decision to keep Coach Manning?
A: While we did not win as many of the games as we would have liked down the stretch, there were encouraging signs for a young team. The positive chemistry was evident, they displayed grit and determination and they continued to work hard in games and the practices I attended as well.
Q: Why do you believe Danny is the right person to lead this program?
A: I am encouraged by the future of the program and the commitment of our young players. But we’ve got to stop the attrition. The way for us to become a championship team is to become a veteran team. While there are a lot of transfers in today’s college basketball, we have to find a way to have a stable program despite the national environment. That is the formula for success for every one of our programs, that we experience our greatest success when we have a veteran team. Our best teams are dominated by upperclassmen.
Q: Why should the public believe that Danny is the right person to lead this program?
A: We have been 11-20 each of the last two years and those are not the results we expect. It has taken longer than we wanted, but we feel a good foundation has been set. Next year will be a turnaround year for us and I felt Danny was the best person to achieve that immediate improvement.
The players in the program have been very impressive off the court. In the classroom, they achieved over a 3.0 grade point average in the fall, the highest GPA ever for our men’s basketball program. They are good representatives of Wake Forest in the community. They commit a lot of time to charitable efforts such as the Special Olympics and Brenner Children’s Hospital.
Q: Do you feel you’ve lost your fan base?
A: Winning is important to our fans and we have fallen short. We have a loyal group of fans and I am confident when we start winning again they will be with us. The level of frustration we have seen from the fans is an indication of their passion for the program. They care deeply about the basketball program.
Q: Was John Currie a part of this decision?
A: As I said following the announcement of my retirement, this would be and was my decision.
Questions and Answers with Danny Manning, Head Men’s Basketball Coach
Q: How do you feel about your return next year?
A: I am excited for next season. We will have most of this year’s squad back. Nine of our top 10 scorers are back. We have 91% of our rebounds back and 92% of our minutes returning. We saw a lot of development from that group last season and can’t wait to see the progress they will make this summer. We like our incoming class and our transfers who are becoming eligible. I think the potential for this group is high and I can’t wait to get to work with them.
Q: Do you anticipate any players departing the program this offseason?
A: One of the best qualities about this group of players is how close they are. They love playing together and spending time together off the court. They know that they showed glimpses of their potential last year and are excited to put in the hard work to show what they can accomplish next season. As we have had talks with our players over the last week, each one has shown enthusiasm about what we can accomplish together next year. It truly is a team that is united, and I would be surprised if any of them decided to look elsewhere.
Q: What about Jaylen Hoard? Will he test the waters?
A: We have had discussions with Jaylen about going through the process and he has filed the paperwork to go through the evaluation process. For any player who has aspirations of playing in the NBA, the process is a valuable tool. I am glad we have players that are able to test the waters. If we didn’t have players at that level, we would be in trouble. NBA teams will give you blunt feedback about your strengths and weaknesses and what you need to do to be ready to play at the next level. Then it is up to you to take that advice and follow it. There were over 100 collegiate players this season who went through the process last spring and came back to school. They were better players this season because of going through that process. We support Jaylen taking this step and know he will receive great advice.
Q: What changes will you make to help the program move forward and improve?
A: I know sometimes people dismiss my calmness as a lack of passion or lack of interest in making changes. I have been around the game of basketball since childhood and I do not think lashing out emotionally solves many problems. An important part of being a leader is having the trust of your team. I tend to go overboard on keeping things internal rather than sharing things publicly, but there is no question that we need to improve. I think that will fuel our offseason. Sometimes having a chip on your shoulder and the hunger to get better can accelerate change. And we all have that passion burning in us after last season. As far as personnel changes or style changes, we will work through those when we see this whole group together on the court this summer and see how the pieces fit.
Q: Have you spoken with John Currie at all about the program?
A: We have spoken a few times briefly. I am eager to begin to collaborate with him on plans for the future of our program. Once things slow down and he takes over, I am sure we will be talking regularly.
Q: Do you have concerns with John Currie becoming the AD on May 1?
A: Any time there’s new leadership, you need to prove you’re worthy of doing the job. That is the case in college athletics, but also in any job. We are both passionate about Wake Forest Basketball and want to see the program enjoy success. Our interests are aligned.
