Minnesota-native Amir Coffey had a lot of options going into his college basketball career including Michigan State, Arizona and many others. However, over the years, Gophers Richard Pitino and assistant Ben Johnson’s persistence never waivered, and they were finally able to welcome Coffey as a Gopher this season.
GopherHole’s Nadine Babu caught up with Coffey at the Gophers’ media day.
Q: How does it feel being so highly touted coming in? Do you feel like you can live up to those expectations and exceed them?
A: Um, I feel like I can make a pretty big impact on the team. We have all been working in the gym and getting better and working on our strength, dribble and shooting. So, I think we all can make contributions as a team on the court and just work as a team to be successful.
Q: Coach Pitino in his press conference talked very highly about you. He said you have a great basketball IQ and you’re a better defender than he thought you would be, and he actually said you were physically ready and put on some weight. How much weight have you put on? What have you been doing, and do you think you’re ready for the Big 10 physical play?
A: I think I put on twelve pounds since I’ve been here, since June. I think I am ready to play, but you never know until that first game. So, I’ll just keep working and trying to get better and wait until that first game to see what it’s like.
Q: Obviously, you had a lot of options, what made you decide to stay home?
A: I really like my relationship with the coaching staff. Of course I’m at home, but they really made me feel comfortable here. I’ve been talking for a while now with the head recruiter, which is Ben. He’s been talking to me almost every day since my sophomore year. So, over the years that relationship just built. There were a couple of guys on the team that I knew, so I just felt comfortable here and felt that we could do something special in a couple of years.
Q: So you looked at it as an opportunity to turn the team around?
A: Yeah. I mean of course everyone wants to win, and that’s what we keep in our minds when we are working everyday in the weight room, in the gym, and at practice. We just want to be successful, so we are working towards that.
Q: What are some of the key things that you’ve learned from Ben Johnson?
A: He’s taught me a lot. Since I’ve been here, he’s just really been working on me on my shot. He goes over film with me, over practices, and just little tips that he gives me day-in and day-out, he’s just really been helping me. So, he’s been working with me a lot, and I appreciate him for that.
Q: What do you think you need to do to become an all Big Ten freshman?
A: I think I just need to perform. You know, just do the best that I can in the games and help my team win and hopefully it just takes care of itself.
Q: Any specific things you’re trying to improve on?
A: Just keep adding on weight and improve on every aspect of my game like my shot, my dribbling, and my strength. Just keep working, and be the best that I can be.
Q: You’ve been waiting forever to finally go out and do this. How hard is it to wait now that you’re so close?
A: I’m very excited. Ever since I committed, I just have been waiting to move on campus and get started with my team. I’m just excited for this season.
Q: You come in here with expectations, but you played for a high school program that had some pretty high expectations as well. I just it’s a much bigger stage now, but you’ve been the go-to guy that was expected to do things before.
A: There are a lot of talented guys on the team, so I just think we need to keep continuing to work together. Since June, we’ve been bonding and building our relationship on and off the court. I feel like we can do it, just during the season keep working with each other.