RYAN ODOM: Just an honor to be here with you here at the University of Virginia. Really thankful for this tremendous responsibility that Carla Williams has given me and our staff to lead this program.
Long-standing tradition following someone like Coach Bennett and his staff and the way that they led this program over the course of his tenure.
Just really proud and humbled to be chosen to do that.
Really excited for these two guys right here, two guys that chose the University of Virginia for all the right reasons. Two great human beings, great representatives of our university. I'm excited to get to work with them. We're already working, but excited to begin to attack this season.
We know it's going to be a great season. The ACC is poised for a resurgence. We know that. Great coaches, great players, great leadership within this league. We're happy to be a part of it.
With that, I'll open it up to any questions.
THE MODERATOR: Questions for Coach.
Q. About my math, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, you got a total of 63 combined wins in year one under your tutelage. I know each step presents its different challenges. What kind of challenges and things that you have overcome in previous tenures that you are carrying over to this tenure at Virginia?
RYAN ODOM: They've all been a little bit different. I've moved around a little bit in the last four years. This is the third program for me, so when we first went into Utah State, we had two starters leave and move on. One actually -- actually three if you count Neemi. He went pro. But two that could have returned ended up moving on.
VCU, a little bit different. We had five starters and two graduates leave the program, so we had a six-man and some younger guys that hadn't played a ton to that date. Both teams -- one won a championship; the other one lost in the championship in the final.
Coming into UVA, we lost the entire roster basically. I think there were only four points remaining. You could see the progression over four years and the changes that have occurred. I think one of the things that I will lean on certainly is my staff.
I'm really proud of the staff that we've put together. I've been very fortunate in my career as a head coach, to have continuity, guys that have been with me for a while and understand the types of players and people that we're trying to bring into our program and our system. So I lean on them heavily.
As we approached April, we wanted to find guys that understood the place and wanted Virginia for all that Virginia could offer, but also, wanted high-level basketball and competitive basketball and wanted to compete for a national championship and ACC championships.
So I think we landed in a really good spot, you know, with the roster and the way that we put it together so far. Really proud of the guys that we have, and they've worked really hard so far in preparation for the season.
Q. You said that the ACC in your intro is ripe for a resurgence. Why do you believe that as a conference in its entirety, and what is it about this chapter of Virginia to go a little bit deeper into what you were talking about, about why this roster itself at Virginia will see an uptick as well?
RYAN ODOM: Yeah, I mean, I think you just look around. Obviously we know the players that are coming into the league, and we're familiar with them. Obviously you have some new coaches as well who have done great things at other places and have recruited really well. We have returning coaches that have built programs and done some tremendous things.
So I think it's pretty evident that this is going to be a good year for ACC basketball. You know, the investment has been there. I think, quite frankly, from all of the programs. I think it's going to be really competitive and exciting.
ACC basketball still has the best tradition of any basketball conference that has existed, and we can't forget that. You know, it looks a little bit different now. We have a lot more teams. We're spread out from coast-to-coast, but we are confident in where this league is headed and with the leadership that we have.
As it relates to Virginia basketball, we believe that we have good size and skill for the positions that we have put together. We have guys up front that can defend the rim. We have forwards that can score in and around the basket and from behind the arc, big guys that can shoot from behind the arc. We have size you can see here at the guard position, and strength, and we have experience in shooting.
Obviously our opponents will tell us what we're lacking as we begin to embark on this season as we begin to play, but I do like where we're at right now. I do like the camaraderie, the purpose that this group is playing with, the connectivity that I'm seeing, their willingness to be a part of something bigger than themselves and a genuine desire to play for the people that have come before us.
I think that's been our message so far in our time together, and these guys are really taking to it. They understand now what the tradition is at Virginia and what the expectations are.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, thank you. Questions for Dallin.
Q. All three of you on stage are new to the University of Virginia. When does new stop being new? When does it become familiar?
DALLIN HALL: I would say pretty quick for me, at least, at UVA. Coach Odom and his staff have created a familiar-like culture where we really rely on one another and the teammates that they brought in for me to play alongside have made it a really easy transition and made it start to feel like home. Just guys that I look to as brothers.
It's been feeling like home for a while now.
Q. Beyond basketball, you just said it's been feeling like home in Virginia. What is it about the team, the culture, the environment in Charlottesville and on this campus that is feeling like home even beyond basketball?
DALLIN HALL: Yeah, I think we just have a tremendous amount of respect for UVA as a program, and we're bought into getting it back to that championship level. We have a lot of love for each other, for the coaching staff, and for the community that has welcomed us with open arms.
We just want to give back, so we just have grateful hearts. We come to work every day. We have a great attitude. We have a lot of fun, and then we just seek to learn and improve. The whole while the community has just supported us, and we can already feel the excitement building.
THE MODERATOR: Dallin, thank you. Questions for Malik.
Q. Coach noted in his opening statement that you guys all chose Virginia for the right reasons. Why is that? Why does Virginia feel like home for you?
MALIK THOMAS: I think the coaching staff and Coach Odom have done an incredible job of being with -- they've connected us with the place, and it's just been great, honestly.
Just all the things that we've had going on in our past, just going to school for the right reasons, UVA, just a historic school that we play for each and every day. I just think it's been great just to connect with this place.
Q. When I asked Coach about Virginia, you were nodding your head when he said "playing for those that came before us." Just what does it mean to you to have that on your heart and in your mind of those players that have come through the program and why it's so important and why you agree with that statement that you are playing for them too?
TRE'VON SPILLERS: I think growing up as a kid, everyone wants to win at the highest level. UVA has done that with winning a national championship. I think the way we play, our style of play is winning basketball, because we share, we get up and down. It's just been great just seeing the culture that this city has to bring, just connecting with the people, the community.
We saw it with football a little bit about just how excited the people are about University of Virginia, whether that's football or basketball. We're just all excited to play for our community.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports