This offseason, Lady Vols basketball added former Georgia assistant coach Isoken ‘Coach Eas’ Uzamere to its staff. On Tuesday, she met with the media for the first time to field questions.
Uzamere was asked about her recruiting pitch, why she’s joining Tennessee, coaching the Nigerian National Team and more.
Here’s what she said.
More From RTI: WATCH: Lady Vols Basketball New Assistant Coach Isoken Uzamere Speaks With Media
On what drew her to Tennessee
“I mean, the University of Tennessee, it speaks for itself. So obviously, that was the first thing that drew me to the job. It’s a powerhouse. It’s a university that obviously Coach Summitt built, and anybody that gets the opportunity, they will be chomping at the bit to get the job. So that’s what drew me. First conversation with Coach Kim, it was cool. Had a phone conversation, and obviously, perception is reality for a lot of people, and then when you get to talk to her, you make your own assumptions. And so talking to her, I mean, she was really straight to the point, fun, witty. So we kind of connected on some other things that I won’t discuss, but we kind of connected a lot. And then from there, it was beautiful.”
On what she knew about Kim Caldwell
“That press. I mean, having to coach against the press, everything, that was one of the things. And I’m a defensive-minded person, so obviously I’ve always admired from afar and everything that she’s done, and obviously how young she is and being so successful at that age. So that was one of the things that I admire about her, too.”
On what she noticed about Caldwell while coaching at Georgia
“Well, first of all, the preparation in itself is very different from how we prepared any other team in the SEC. It’s very, very exhausting to coach. So I understand as a player, our point guard was extremely tired. And so that was one of the things that we worked on, was just breaking that press. But she’s really intense, very straightforward in just a way that you respect, and obviously, a competitor. So that was one of the things that I noticed.”
On her first weeks on campus
“Crazy, crazy. No, it’s been overwhelming in the best way. Obviously, we hit the ground running, took the job at a time where the transfer portal, you guys know, is the Wild Wild West. So it’s been crazy. So took the job, flew out, had a lot of meetings, very specific about what we were looking for, and all that type of stuff. But it’s been really good too at the same time. The transition has been seamless, to be honest, because they’ve made it seamless. They’ve made it really easy for me to get acclimated.”
On her recruiting pitch
“Yeah, I think one of the biggest things, Tennessee sells itself, right? And so that’s what kind of got the interest there. And then obviously recruiting players with a chip on their shoulder. That was it. And just being honest with them, letting them know exactly what the standard is going to be, what we’re going to do and how we’re moving forward. And that was it.”
On balancing coaching the Nigerian National Team and recruiting with the Lady Vols
“It was insane. Obviously, just to get that opportunity, I’m truly blessed. I’m really excited about it and was really excited about it. But kudos to the staff because the time I took the job, I had already committed to do the Nigerian National Team thing. And then obviously, when I took this job, in my mind, to be honest, I didn’t think I would be able to do it. It was just like, you know, I got to make sure I prioritize what’s important right now. And obviously getting players, that was the importance. But when I talked to Kim, we talked, and it was very random, she was like, no, absolutely, you need to do this. She said, we’ll figure it out, we’ll get you back and forth or whatever you need to do. And obviously flying back and forth, I got some concealer on hiding these bags under my eyes because I’m still tired. No, but I was tired, but it was cool. But shout out to the staff because they made it so easy, the transit. Like, they made everything seamless, and everybody had to work that much harder. But it’s kudos to just them and how much they prioritize, obviously, self-growth in your career and everything like that.”
On Bill Ferrara and other assistants suprising her
“What’s so crazy is, okay, so going downstairs and we’re getting ready to have practice and everything, and then they headed upstairs and I was just like, welcome guys. No, it was awesome. And obviously, Bill was coming to see some of the players that he coached, so don’t let him just tell you that he just came to see me. He was coming to see some of the past players he coached. But it was really dope just how supportive they’ve been.”
On why she coached the Nigerian National Team
“Yeah, I’m from Nigeria, Edo State. Benin girl. Not that you guys know exactly what I’m talking about, but it’se so important to me. Obviously, the place where my parents grew up, and it literally defines every single thing I do, you know. Being Nigerian, I wear it proud. And so to be able to represent my country, like, just standing there when they were playing our national anthem, and just a surreal experience. So it was super, super special. I learned a lot, you know, so I’m excited to bring a lot of the things that I learned back here.”
On being on the sideline across from WNBA teams
“Man, blessed. That’s literally the word I can use. It was a blessing. It was awesome getting to scout against them, do scouting reports and get a lot of information in really quick. We had training camp for about a week with players who never — I mean, some of them have played together, but some players who’ve never played together, getting them all acclimated. So it was a blessing. So to be able to do that and then to be able to obviously do the scouts against the W, like, it was awesome.”
On what excites her about the Lady Vols roster
“Man, it’s crazy. So I’ve been looking at halftime speeches from like Coach Summitt and all of that. And she said a phrase and it was offense sells tickets, defense wins games, and then rebounding wins championships. And I think we have a little bit of all of that, a little bit of offense, a little bit of defense, a little bit of rebounding. So I’m excited for the 15, and they’re hungry, chip on their shoulder, feisty. So I’m excited about that.”
On bringing in Rylie Theuerkauf, Zhen Craft from Georgia with her
“It’s dope. Rylie and Zhen, obviously, you guys will get to meet them and see their personality. Great culture kids. That’s something that’s super important. But honestly, yes, I was the bridge, but it wasn’t a done deal, like wherever you go, I’m going. It really wasn’t like that. They had to make their own decision. So they came, they talked to Coach Kim, and they asked all the hard questions, and they loved it. Family came, family fell in love with it, so it was an easy yes for them.”
On Theuerkauf, Craft’s game
“Yeah, I think Rylie, it’s so funny, they call Rylie the Red Mamba. I don’t know if you guys know, but now it’s going to be the Orange Mamba. She grew up in Jersey, but played a lot of basketball and everything like that. And she got her name coined in one of those street tournaments and stuff like that, right? So she is just a lights-out shooter, chip on her shoulder, loves proving people wrong, like that type of player.
“And then Zhen has crazy IQ, does a lot that doesn’t show up on a stat sheet. But as a freshman, she was in at Georgia in all of our close games at the end of the games, defensive-minded. Really long, can run the floor. Both fit the system really, really well.”
On her style and Caldwell’s complementing each other
“Obviously, it’s no secret she likes to play fast, right? And, defensively, I think that we complement each other really well. I’m a defensive-minded coach. That’s what I love to do. I love to play defense. I worked for Coach Abe for quite some time, and if you know her, you know defense is a priority. And so that’s one of the things that I specialize in. I love defense. I love getting the stop, having a little screw loose when you play some defense. And I think we’re going to complement each other in that aspect.”
On saying players need a screw loose
“You have to be a little crazy. You got to be crazy, you know what I mean? And so when you’re guarding that ball, getting your chest in front of the ball, like, you got to sit, you got to get, I don’t want to curse, but butt to grass, like you got to really sit. You got to have some type of pride, like, you are not getting by me and you have to have some type of pride in that. And so when I say screw loose, that’s what I look for when I go recruiting. I’m looking at the defense and I’m like, yeah, she looks a little crazy. Like, yes, good screw loose, good screw loose.”
On Lady Vols players that embody that
“I would say Zhen for sure. Like most definitely. I think (Fatmata Janneh) has a little bit of a screw loose. Aaliyah (Moore) has a little bit of a screw loose. You guys get me in trouble if I don’t name everybody. I’m just going to name all 15. But like, we got a bunch. We got a bunch.”
On the addition of Fatmata Janneh, her recruitment
“It was huge. Super happy. I love her rebounding ability. She’s a rebounding monster. I love that she can do that. She does a lot of great things. But we just had a phone conversation, and honestly, signing everybody, the conversation was very honest, exactly what we look for. When you come to Tennessee, it’s not about you. That message is very clear. This is the house that Pat Summitt built. So it’s not about you at all. You’re coming for something bigger than yourself. And so that was really the message that we relayed over to Fats and to everybody was, you are coming to work. We’re going to work. And so she appreciated the honesty. You know, she has goals that she wants to get to, and I think this is the place that’s gonna get her to those goals. And that was also a part of it, too.”
On the menality that it isn’t about an individual
“I think it just points the finger to the bigger picture. When you come to a place like this, and we’ve had countless of staff meetings, and I’ve still had these moments where it’s just like, this is crazy. And when you come to a place like this, you understand this is the house that she built. You’re just living in it. So it’s not about the name in the back of your jersey. It’s not. It’s about Tennessee. You have alumni that take such pride in this place for a reason, and obviously, the fan base that takes such pride in it, too. So I think just making sure that they all understand that message, that when you come, you’re playing for each other, right? You have to be tough, you have to be selfless, and that’s what makes a really good team.”
On Pat Summitt’s impact on her basketball career
“I wasn’t that good. I wish she would have gave me a call and recruited me, but yeah, wasn’t that good. But it’s funny because just, I remember like that generation of like Shannon Bobbitt, Candace Parker, Nicky Anisike, Kelley Cain. Like, I remember watching. And so, I mean, yes, in short, yes.”
On reading Pat Summitt’s book
“So, just got started with reading the book. I’m not done yet, but it’s really interesting. I feel like I’m reading her diary, you know what I mean? A lot in the book is just like, It’s so intimate, so I appreciate how open that she is. And I think that one of the things that I’ve taken from it is how close the assistants were. And the team is only going to be as good as the bond that the assistants have. And so to have a lot of the assistants that’s worked with her for a really, really long time and to be able to have ultimate trust, I think that’s amazing. So that’s one of the things that I took from it. And just, you know her, and so when something was wrong, you know they knew, like, this is not Coach Summitt. And so to have people around you that obviously know you on the court but know you off the court, that’s amazing. And then also that death stare she talks about, talks about that death stare a lot.”
On being a recruiter as a player at Hofstra, having recruiting success now
“I think recruiting for me is very personal because you have to be able to pinpoint talent, yes, and then secure the talent, but have a spirit of discernment. Like, do they fit in the culture? Do they fit? You know, it’s a lot that has to do with it. And so for me, recruiting is important, and I think I’ve been really good at it because I’m authentic. What you see is what you get. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. And I think that players can read that. They can read real from the fake. So that’s one of the things that I think why I’ve been so successful in recruiting is honestly just getting to know people and being honest with them.”
On Bill Ferrara coaching her as a player at Hofstra
“Bill had hair. Like, so put a picture of Bill with hair, and then Bill now. No, I’m just kidding. But I’m not just kidding, but I’m just kidding. But Bill, he’s always been high energy, obviously. He’s always wanted to shoot the ball, like, just go, go, go, go, go. He’s always wanted to play at a fast pace, but he was one of the cool young assistants and everything like that.”
On Kennedy Fauntleroy
“Versatility, obviously, like stretches the floor and everything like that. So I’m excited about the player development and how much better she’s going to get. And that’s something that Kim has talked about in staff meetings, is every single player just getting three to five points better. And so already what she brings and her being able to stretch the floor, her being able to shoot, and everything like that, just continuing to move forward.”
On the team meshing together
“They’re excited. And like I said, during the recruiting process, we were super honest with them and what we’re looking for and everything. And then obviously, Kim was very intentional about who she wanted out of the portal. And so all of these players, we did talk to them, we were really honest, and then put them all in a group message and they’ve been getting along really well. But, gelling, it’s important that team chemistry with the coaches, with just the players, has been super important.”
