He doesn’t tell them about helping UD to the NIT the next year or being the team’s MVP as a senior, either.
The times Grant relishes the most — and those he draws from to help his players see the value of team success over individual exploits — came during his freshman year when he seldom got off the bench.
The Flyers roared to the Elite Eight in 1984 by knocking off LSU, Oklahoma and Washington before falling to mighty Georgetown, which would go on to win the NCAA title.
“When you’re a kid and have a chance to experience what we experienced my freshman year — I tell our players all the time, one of my best memories is that year, making that run to the Elite Eight, and I barely played and didn’t get into (some) games,” Grant said. “But having a chance to be part of that winning experience is something I’ll always cherish and remember.”
The way Grant has Alabama rolling, his current players may end up with some achievements they’ll be savoring a few decades from now.
The Crimson Tide are ranked 15th in the USA Today coaches poll and 16th in the Associated Press Top 25 and will take a 7-1 record into their first road game this year at 7 p.m. today against the Flyers.
Grant has built the program by assembling highly regarded recruiting classes, including the Rivals.com No. 5 group for 2011. ’Bama was the NIT runner-up last season and won the Puerto Rico Tip-off Classic this year, beating Purdue in the championship game.
“There’s a rich history and tradition here. ... What I’m trying to do is re-establish that and try to take the next step,” Grant said. “That’s the thing that excited me about the opportunity — the potential to take it to the next level.
“It’s certainly a place that can be one of the elites when you look at schools across the country that have great football, like Ohio State, that also have great basketball. We did it when we were at Florida. Ohio State does it. Texas does it. A lot of schools around the country accomplish it. My goal is to bring that kind of environment to Alabama.”
Grant, 45, spent 10 years on Florida’s staff before being hired as head coach at Virginia Commonwealth and winning three straight Colonial Athletic Association regular-season crowns. His stint there also included an NCAA win over Duke.
When UD had an opening after Oliver Purnell left in 2003, Grant wasn’t yet the Gators’ top assistant and didn’t get serious consideration for the Flyers’ job.
Asked if he ever aspired to be UD’s coach, Grant said: “I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve been with some great people at some great places. I believe there’s a plan, and I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity I have right now. I never look at it in terms of this or that. I’m kind of a guy who lives in the present and lives in today.”
He doesn’t anticipate being sentimental at tonight’s game. He said he’s got enough on his hands just making sure his players are ready for the Flyers and the typically rowdy atmosphere at UD Arena.
“It’s been a long time, but if it’s anything like when I played, it’s obviously one of the best home-court environments in the country — great fan support,” he said. “I would expect nothing different with the staff and team for the current year. We know we’re walking into a hostile environment.”
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