Video Mike Neighbors Washington Head Coach Talks NCAA

[Wbbfan1]

 

[Wbbfan1]

Mike talks about UConn at the 13 minute mark. Wants the chance to play UConn at the F4, not before.

 

[nwhoopfan]

"Keep her from going left. She'll just go lefter." good stuff

 

[UcMiami]

Really enjoyable. Thanks for posting. I hope he continues to have great success.

 

[drweo]

Impressive coach. Respect for his players, for other teams, for the game. It was interesting to get another perspective on the NCAAT, preparing for it, dealing with it. Thanks for posting it.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Fun interview. Really liked the part about recruiting Osahor--"wrong place at the right time"

He's pretty funny. Nice easy going manner.

 

[augustaTC]

Terrific press conference, funny guy and great story about Osahor - and I was smiling every time I saw her touch the ball during last year's tourney. Have always liked this guy and his approach. Obviously has some staff ties now to UConn and a great deal of respect for the program. Used to think he'd be a great candidate to be the coach to follow the coach who follows Geno (an IMPOSSIBLE task that no-one can succeed at IMO!). Well worth watching. I'd love to see Husky vs Husky final.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Really complimentary comments about UConn. About their accomplishments and continued excellence of course. Also liked his comments about the openness of the UConn staff w/ other programs. Paraphrasing, but something along the lines of they don't care if you see the blueprint, because you can't replicate it.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Scott Rueck and Mike Neighbors are really good representatives of NCAA WCBB. I could listen to them all night. The queen is still the queen though. She sneaks up on folks. So I'd really like to creep into her head and find out what her major and minor thoughts are about that UConn match up. If we can execute against Miss Craftey's Plan we have it nailed. She's a great coach.

 

[oldude]

Mike talks about UConn at the 13 minute mark. Wants the chance to play UConn at the F4, not before.

There will be 63 teams that will all want to play UConn at the F4, not before....or maybe not at all...

 

[1-of-the-6]

Mike Neighbors is obviously a great guy and a very good coach. I loved the Osahor part, first time that I'd heard it. There are some neat videos about her, including this hilarious imitation:

 

[1-of-the-6]

And here's a nice post-game interview with her. Great kid.

 

[Plebe]

How can you not be a great kid when Vicky Osahor is your mom? I never get tired of this:

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Great interview. Great guy. It's easy to see why the other PAC-12 coaches respect him. Hope he is happy and stays in Seattle but there is a lot of talk about him heading to Arkansas in off season.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Mike had the good sense to hire Morgan Valley and Jasmine Lister.

 

[JordyG]

Nice guy. I too want to play Neighbor's team. I however want it anytime, anywhere. You can choose.

 

[Plebe]

Great interview. Great guy. It's easy to see why the other PAC-12 coaches respect him. Hope he is happy and stays in Seattle but there is a lot of talk about him heading to Arkansas in off season.

Neighbors is an Arkansas native and was the head coach at Bentonville HS before moving to the college ranks.

This article from December talks about how Neighbors got a new contract extension and, to the extent an unmarried person can, has laid roots in Seattle:
Mike Neighbors finds a home at Washington

“This is the first situation,” Neighbors said, “where I’ve been vested into a place for a long period of time.”

Maybe now the rumors and social media chatter about him leaving Washington after seniors star Kelsey Plum, Chantel Osahor and Katie Collier graduate next year, will subside.

“I got tired of hearing that,” Neighbors said. “I got tired of people saying, so and so and so in so are getting ready to do this and you’re the next head coach at so and so university. That wasn’t what I was thinking, but it was what people were saying so I wanted to stop people from having any argument with that.” ...

After taking over at UW in 2013, the Greenwood, Ark. native was linked to the Arkansas job the following year. “It’s my dream job and everybody knows that,” he said at the time.

Now, Neighbors offers perspective.

“When I didn’t get the second one, I was like maybe I need to rethink this dream job stuff and let’s get a good job,” he said. “Shortly after getting here, and getting into that role I wanted to make sure I was doing everything I could do to keep this job. I wasn’t worried about another job.”​

 

[JordyG]

The Pac 12 has more coaches that I respect than any conference in WCBB. Hey, how about Kelly Graves up in Oregon, Cori Close in Cali, Tara and Ms. Thorne?

 

[augustaTC]

Unfortunately Neighbors has had severe heart issues in the past. Not much you can do about genetics, but stress isn't good for a weakened ticker. He just seems so comfortable in his current position, I hope he hangs around for a while to smell the roses.

 

[1-of-the-6]

Here's Neighbors in the press conference following Plum's 57-point game against Utah. What he says should dispel any crazy ideas that anyone in the Washington program believes that Plum's scoring is selfish. And if they don't, then no one else should. Great quote, Neighbors about Plum:

"She's taught me way more about coaching then I've taught her about basketball."

 

[CL82]

I love when he talks about Geno being happy to share the template.

 

[OldAlum]

I really like these other Huskies - unless they are playing ours!

 

[Rayvin56]

How can you not like this guy? Great interview, lots of insights into his team--thanks for posting, WbbFan1!

 

[Plebe]

Here's Neighbors in the press conference following Plum's 57-point game against Utah. What he says should dispel any crazy ideas that anyone in the Washington program believes that Plum's scoring is selfish. And if they don't, then no one else should. Great quote, Neighbors about Plum:

"She's taught me way more about coaching then I've taught her about basketball."

I will really be bummed if Neighbors takes the Arkansas job. I know that's where he's from, but we like him out here in the Pac-12. There is nothing about his personality that says SEC to me.

 

[1-of-the-6]

There is nothing about his personality that says SEC to me.

Well, maybe his proclivity for "You'all's".

I love when he quotes his father, Papa Neighbors. Mike was asked what it was like this season, now that Washington could no longer sneak up on unsuspecting opponents. From his dad: "That's what happens when it's the deer that has the gun." And when talking about Kelsey Plum's work ethic, which is exemplary, he again quoted his dad, "Lots of people want to be rock stars, but no one wants to practice in the garage." Plum does.