After the first official men's basketball practice of the season, we got a chance to hear from De'Vion Harmon and Kevin Obanor. Here is what they had to say:
-Harmon is glad to be back in the Big 12 and joked that the transition isn’t as difficult because he “took a few L’s” in Lubbock as a member of the Oklahoma team.
“These people here are crazy…I love it. I’m having so much fun.”
-Harmon believes the Red Raiders are still finding their identity for the upcoming season.
“I think we're still finding our identity. I don't know that we exactly have one yet and I don't know if I want to have one yet. It's kind of a tricky question. That's a good question. I want us to find out who we are every day.”
-Harmon emphasized that they will always play hard no matter what. That is a given.
-It has been a huge transition for Harmon in regard to playing harder and the conditioning involved in Mark Adams’ defense.
“It’s been weeks, months, running and running and running just to get in shape for this defense.”
-Harmon has enjoyed seeing new faces and having a new roster to get to know better this year.
“These guys are great, and we enjoy being around each other. I love each and every one of my teammates. We have a lot of fun man and I think that's going to be one of the biggest pieces that translate on the court.”
-Harmon has been impressed with Pop Isaacs and is happy to see him return from injury. He feels like he’s taken Lamar Washington under his wing so far.
-Adams has been stressing trust this off-season and wants the guys to really spend time with one another and get close.
-Harmon has been impressed with how much Batcho has improved.
“He’s always blocking shots and running the floor.”
-Batcho also apparently wakes up at 4:30 every morning to get shots up and listen to music.
“I walked in the other day and there was music, loud…I look and peek my head in the door and its Batcho shooting. This is at 6:30.”
-Harmon has been working on his three-ball and his presence under the rim the most in the past couple of months.
“I’m excited man. I just can’t wait to get to work.”
-Obanor is cherishing every moment he can in his last year in college.
“I know that I’m going to play a lot more minutes and I know that I have a lot of people counting on me and more importantly on myself. Just really eating right, making sure that I'm doing the right things to invest in my body, what I eat, how I sleep.”
-Obanor is appreciative to have Steve Green on the coaching staff this year.
“It’s a privilege to have him as a coach and learn and picks up his brain to see things that he has in store for us on the offensive side.”
-Obanor is looking forward to being a main focal point of the offense this year but realizes he has to remain humble and be a leader for the team.
“I can’t get so caught up in the highs and the lows. I try to stay as humble as I can to know that God put me in a position. Who’s dream isn’t it to leave Texas Tech better than they found it? Playing in a Final Four in Houston, I don’t care about the crawl, you just do whatever it takes.”
-Obanor is extremely impressed with the growth Batcho has gone through and is happy that he’s back for another year.
-Obanor still talks to all of the former Tech players from last season, including Bryson Williams and Adonis Arms. He takes feedback from and from what they’re saying as well as experiences that the former players have shared with him and implements the lessons into his craft.
-This is Obanor’s favorite team he has even been on.
“We’re going to work hard and play hard. We’re not going to be selfish and we’re going to play winning basketball.”
-Obanor worked alongside NBA players Tobias Harris and Patrick Beverly in order to improve his game and learn from vets in the league.
-Harmon is glad to be back in the Big 12 and joked that the transition isn’t as difficult because he “took a few L’s” in Lubbock as a member of the Oklahoma team.
“These people here are crazy…I love it. I’m having so much fun.”
-Harmon believes the Red Raiders are still finding their identity for the upcoming season.
“I think we're still finding our identity. I don't know that we exactly have one yet and I don't know if I want to have one yet. It's kind of a tricky question. That's a good question. I want us to find out who we are every day.”
-Harmon emphasized that they will always play hard no matter what. That is a given.
-It has been a huge transition for Harmon in regard to playing harder and the conditioning involved in Mark Adams’ defense.
“It’s been weeks, months, running and running and running just to get in shape for this defense.”
-Harmon has enjoyed seeing new faces and having a new roster to get to know better this year.
“These guys are great, and we enjoy being around each other. I love each and every one of my teammates. We have a lot of fun man and I think that's going to be one of the biggest pieces that translate on the court.”
-Harmon has been impressed with Pop Isaacs and is happy to see him return from injury. He feels like he’s taken Lamar Washington under his wing so far.
-Adams has been stressing trust this off-season and wants the guys to really spend time with one another and get close.
-Harmon has been impressed with how much Batcho has improved.
“He’s always blocking shots and running the floor.”
-Batcho also apparently wakes up at 4:30 every morning to get shots up and listen to music.
“I walked in the other day and there was music, loud…I look and peek my head in the door and its Batcho shooting. This is at 6:30.”
-Harmon has been working on his three-ball and his presence under the rim the most in the past couple of months.
“I’m excited man. I just can’t wait to get to work.”
-Obanor is cherishing every moment he can in his last year in college.
“I know that I’m going to play a lot more minutes and I know that I have a lot of people counting on me and more importantly on myself. Just really eating right, making sure that I'm doing the right things to invest in my body, what I eat, how I sleep.”
-Obanor is appreciative to have Steve Green on the coaching staff this year.
“It’s a privilege to have him as a coach and learn and picks up his brain to see things that he has in store for us on the offensive side.”
-Obanor is looking forward to being a main focal point of the offense this year but realizes he has to remain humble and be a leader for the team.
“I can’t get so caught up in the highs and the lows. I try to stay as humble as I can to know that God put me in a position. Who’s dream isn’t it to leave Texas Tech better than they found it? Playing in a Final Four in Houston, I don’t care about the crawl, you just do whatever it takes.”
-Obanor is extremely impressed with the growth Batcho has gone through and is happy that he’s back for another year.
-Obanor still talks to all of the former Tech players from last season, including Bryson Williams and Adonis Arms. He takes feedback from and from what they’re saying as well as experiences that the former players have shared with him and implements the lessons into his craft.
-This is Obanor’s favorite team he has even been on.
“We’re going to work hard and play hard. We’re not going to be selfish and we’re going to play winning basketball.”
-Obanor worked alongside NBA players Tobias Harris and Patrick Beverly in order to improve his game and learn from vets in the league.
