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"Coaches Series" - Hollis Price (UH Asst Coach / Special Asst to the Head Coach) Interview
89 Plays1 month ago
Welcome to the 4th in our offseason "Coaches Series" (episode #57) on the No Conference for Old Men Podcast.
2 of the 3 Old Men had the privilege to sit down and chat with Coach Hollis Price (UH MBB Assistant Coach / Special Assistant to the Head Coach). We cover things far & wide as we dive into coach's background, his journey as a player at OU & then playing professionally across multiple European leagues, how he transitioned into coaching w/ the NBA Developmental League, and then finally joining UH on Coach Sampson's staff. We bring a depth and insight into Coach's background / perspective that you won't find anywhere else!
- No Conference for Old Men is available for free via Spotify / Apple Podcast / SoundCloud & the GoCoogs.com website; we're also available via the Republic of Football Podcast feed from the folks at Dave Campbell's Texas Football as their only basketball-centric offering
- Intro / Exit music: Ground Zero provided by FreeBeats.io
- Please follow us on https://gocoogs.com/old-men/
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Hollis Price's Journey
00:00:06
@NoConfForOldMen
Welcome folks to another episode in our special off season coaches series on the no conference for little bit podcast today, where two of the three old guys have a special guest in university of Houston, men's basketball assistant coach and special assistant to head coach Hollis Price joins us for a bit of Q and a, and for fans that may not know, and hopefully I get this right.
00:00:24
@NoConfForOldMen
Coach, coach price has been at UH since 2014 as part of coach Samson's original staff, starting as director of player development and then transitioning to special assistant to the head coach in 2021.
00:00:25
Hollis
Thank
00:00:37
@NoConfForOldMen
before then progressing to the bench as assistant coach in 2022. But prior to joining us, Coach had already had an extensive playing and then coaching journey across Europe and the m NBA Development League.
00:00:48
@NoConfForOldMen
I'm not going to go into too much detail because we actually want to hear about the journey directly from Coach Price. But just before coming to Houston, Coach had spent the season as an assistant coach for the Texas Legends NBA Development League as his initial foray into coaching.
00:01:02
@NoConfForOldMen
And prior to that, Coach Price had spent nine years overseas playing professionally with stops in, get this folks, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Russia, and Lithuania, where impressively along the way, he was also honored as the MVP of the Lithuania Basketball League.
00:01:21
@NoConfForOldMen
Coach Price also received his bachelor's degree from Oklahoma while playing for Coach Sampson, leading his Sooners squad to a Final Four in 2002 as a junior, then following that up with an Elite Eight trip in his senior year with AP's second team All-American honors as well.
00:01:37
@NoConfForOldMen
Stellar background, and we're super excited for Coach to join the podcast. Welcome to the podcast, Coach Price, and thanks so much for taking time out from your busy schedule.
00:01:46
Hollis
Thank you. Thanks, Steve. Thanks, Tom. You missed something.
00:01:51
@NoConfForOldMen
I did.
00:01:51
Hollis
three Three-time champion, Big 12 champion, okay?
00:01:54
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh, there you go.
00:01:54
Hollis
Three times. <unk>
00:01:55
@NoConfForOldMen
There you go.
00:01:55
Hollis
yeah
00:01:56
@NoConfForOldMen
a That is awesome. that That is a huge achievement. Yes. Yes.
Q&A: Price's Journey in Basketball Coaching
00:02:01
@NoConfForOldMen
Sorry I missed that coach.
00:02:01
Tom Lidiak
Thank you.
00:02:03
@NoConfForOldMen
So we've we've actually gathered a bunch of questions from fans as well as amongst the the three of the old guys here. I wasn't sure if there's anything you wanted to say up front or we can go straight into the questions. Either way is cool.
00:02:16
Hollis
we We go straight. Yeah.
00:02:17
@NoConfForOldMen
All right, let's get into it.
00:02:18
Hollis
Yeah.
00:02:20
@NoConfForOldMen
So I gave a brief summary of your background coach, but maybe you can spend a few minutes providing listeners with your own perspective on your basketball playing and coaching journey. You know, what was it like back in your OU days playing under Coach Sampson? Also, really, at what point in your playing career did you come to realize that you eventually wanted to get into coaching and then really getting that first opportunity?
00:02:45
Hollis
So, you know, Coach Sampson, you know, he recruited me. the The head guy, what well, the lead guy in in the recruiting was Jason Rabideau.
00:02:58
Hollis
Coaches, I think all of his assistant coaches. is kind of behind him because he set the bar so high.
00:03:07
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:03:08
Hollis
But he did a great job recruiting me. And you know when coach wants somebody, you know he jumps in.
00:03:16
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:03:16
Hollis
And I think coach wanted me that bad. So he you know he started getting involved in the recruiting process. And it happened in, what, 1998?
00:03:29
Hollis
So I've been knowing Coach since 1998, probably 97. And we've we've been together since then. you know I got a chance. you know they They invited me out on a visit to Oklahoma.
00:03:44
Hollis
And was an unbelievable visit. it was a unbelievable visit And it was kind of scary at the same time because if I'm not mistaken, I think maybe two weeks before I got on a visit, it was a bad tornado that hit.
00:03:54
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:04:04
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh,
00:04:06
Hollis
So, you know i you know, not knowing anything about Oklahoma, I'm from New Orleans, so I didn't know anything about it.
00:04:10
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah. Right.
00:04:13
Hollis
And, you know, we get up, you know, we driving from the airport in Oklahoma City and,
00:04:17
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:04:20
Hollis
You know, to co Coach Rapp told me, man, we just had a tornado. I guess for some reason they didn't tell me that that happened.
00:04:28
@NoConfForOldMen
but They were afraid you weren't going to show after hearing that.
00:04:31
Hollis
so You know, and you know i I wasn't into the news, like watching the news at that time.
00:04:36
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:04:37
Hollis
And I guess it getting around like it should have been, like it is now.
00:04:40
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:04:42
Hollis
But, you know, we're driving into the city of Moor. And that's right before Norman, Oklahoma. And, you know, I'm i'm seeing all these buildings destroyed, but it was one building that wasn't touched and it was a church.
00:04:53
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:04:59
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh, wow.
00:05:00
Hollis
And, you know, i'm I'm looking at I'm like, man, you know, at that time, i' is I'm thinking in my head, I'm like, wow, this this is something, you
Transition from Player to Coach
00:05:07
Hollis
know, all of these buildings around this church, and it's the only building that's standing, nothing was touched on that building.
00:05:08
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:05:14
@NoConfForOldMen
Wow.
00:05:16
Hollis
So, you know, we get to Norman, and, you know, Norman is is jumping because it's a football weekend. You know, I got to meet my future teammates, Eduardo Nahara, who...
00:05:28
Hollis
was part of the reason why I signed at Oklahoma because, you know, I got to see them play pickup and, you know, I, you know, I just fell in love just watching him play.
00:05:40
Hollis
And I was like, man, I want to be with this guy, you know, and I had major schools recruiting me.
00:05:43
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:05:46
Hollis
But, you know, I, you know, once I got there and, and then what's crazy about, know, From 1998, fast forward now to 2025, the things that we did on our recruiting visit, we still do the same thing.
00:06:03
@NoConfForOldMen
hu
00:06:05
Tom Lidiak
you
00:06:05
@NoConfForOldMen
Really?
00:06:05
Hollis
You know, coach coaching by Coach invited us to his house because it was me, Kareem Rush, and Jared Hart on that visit.
00:06:15
Hollis
So it was kind of weird because I think I was the lowest ranked guy on that on that visit.
00:06:16
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:06:23
@NoConfForOldMen
Really?
00:06:23
Hollis
But I turned out to be one of the the best college players out of those guys.
00:06:29
@NoConfForOldMen
Uh
00:06:30
Hollis
You know, now Kareem made it to the and NBA. I didn't make it to the NBA, but my career was really good, you know.
00:06:36
@NoConfForOldMen
huh. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
00:06:37
Hollis
so But going back to to the the the same thing happened 2025 and 1998. ninety ninety eight Coach invited us to his house.
00:06:49
Hollis
Miss Sampson was on a barbecue grill. got cookies and all of that stuff. you know So we had a team meal at Coach House, similar to what we do now.
00:06:55
@NoConfForOldMen
Wow.
00:06:58
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:07:01
Hollis
you know We do the same thing now on our visits here when these guys come in town. So you know that when Coach talked about you know the culture had never change and all of that stuff, this been going on since I've been coaching.
00:07:15
@NoConfForOldMen
wow
00:07:16
Hollis
You know, since I went on a ah ah visit and that's way in 1998. So it's been a blessing, you know, just to continue.
00:07:27
Hollis
Be involved in basketball and and be involved. and And it showed that I chose the right coach. Because 20 some years later, I'm still with him.
00:07:40
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:07:40
Hollis
And, you know, not too many college players can say that they are working with the guy that recruited him. And now you're learning from one of the greatest coaches this game had has seen.
00:07:56
Hollis
is I'm in awe every day, you know, just watching him do what he do.
00:08:01
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:08:01
Hollis
You know, yeah he's 70 years old,
Coaching Philosophy and Experiences
00:08:03
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:08:04
Hollis
you know, and and he still have that same pop from 99, you know, my freshman year.
00:08:07
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:08:11
Hollis
So, you know, when when when he say do something, you know, and the guys, you know, they popped and stuff. I'm like, yo, I've been through the same thing that you're going through.
00:08:25
Hollis
So I know, you you know, I know exactly what what you're going through. You know, I've been there.
00:08:29
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:08:31
Hollis
And I probably had it a little harder than y'all, you know, because my freshman year, you know, i was I was all over the place, you know, but I try to make my ah try to make my mark with everything that I was doing.
00:08:40
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:08:45
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:08:46
Hollis
And, you know, I think I did at the University of Oklahoma.
00:08:51
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. So during, ah during that time, ah ah guess at what point in your playing career did you realize that, Hey, maybe this coaching thing is, is for you as well.
00:09:05
Hollis
i would say i would say probably my
00:09:10
Hollis
junior year.
00:09:12
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh, pretty early.
00:09:13
Hollis
Yeah, i would say my I would say my junior year.
00:09:14
@NoConfForOldMen
Holy cow.
00:09:16
Hollis
i you know and Because you know when you're in it, when when you're in basketball, you're not thinking about you're going to be a coach or not.
00:09:28
Hollis
yeah You're thinking, I'm thinking about, I'm thinking about playing.
00:09:28
@NoConfForOldMen
Right. Playing. Yeah.
00:09:31
Hollis
I'm thinking about that I'm going to make the NBA and and make money and play for a long time.
00:09:34
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:09:37
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:09:37
Hollis
Yeah, I'm not thinking forward, but you know, I had a few injuries, my but I've never had an injury during the season.
00:09:47
Hollis
I had injuries in the offseason, so I had a lot of time to reflect on because I couldn't work on my game in the summertime. So I had a lot of time to reflect.
00:09:59
Hollis
And i only had one season that I was able to work on my game, and that was my freshman year. Every every offseason, I had an injury that set me out for multiple months, maybe five, six months.
00:10:18
Hollis
So that set me by back. But, you know, I had time to reflect. And and I'm like, man, you know, if I can be half the coach that coach is,
00:10:29
Hollis
And the way that he motivates the guys and and get guys to play, how how hard they play for him, you know, then I think I could be a good good coach.
00:10:40
Hollis
Because, you know, when I came out, I thought I was playing hard until I saw until i saw my second, my sophomore year.
00:10:50
@NoConfForOldMen
okay
00:10:51
Hollis
So, my you know, you don't you don't you don't know until and I tell these guys now you don't know until you really go through it.
00:10:58
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay.
00:10:58
Hollis
My freshman year, I thought I competed hard. I started for coach as a freshman. But my sophomore year, I saw, oh, wow, um I am playing a lot harder than what I thought I could play.
00:11:13
Hollis
And i'd credit coach for that. 100% because I thought I was playing hard, but there's another level.
00:11:21
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:11:21
Hollis
there's There's your level of playing hard, and it's Coach Sampson's level of playing hard.
00:11:25
Hollis
There's no in-between where you can go.
00:11:28
Hollis
It's only Sampson and your level.
00:11:30
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:11:32
Hollis
To get on the court, you got to play at his level. So, you know, I found a way.
00:11:34
@NoConfForOldMen
Nice.
00:11:35
Tom Lidiak
Thank you.
00:11:36
Hollis
I gave in, and I got to his level, and that was the best thing that happened for me.
00:11:38
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:11:44
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. That's awesome. ah ah And then I believe you got your first coaching job through, ah ah Nahara as well.
00:11:52
Hollis
Nahara, it was.
00:11:52
@NoConfForOldMen
Coach. Yeah. So how how did that come about? So you'd finished playing, right?
00:11:56
Hollis
Yeah, I finished playing and and so i got ah got cut from a team. This was 2012.
00:12:07
Hollis
well Came home, I went to Oklahoma. I don't remember what it was for. And Nahara was there. but Oh, I'm tripping. that I know what it was. um um It was, I graduated.
00:12:22
Hollis
I went back and graduated. So I don't know how I can forget that.
00:12:23
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay. Okay. Nice. Yep.
00:12:26
Hollis
So, so Ed was there for some reason. I forget why why he was there. And he was the coach at, uh, with the legends.
00:12:35
@NoConfForOldMen
yep
00:12:35
Hollis
And this was 2012. And I asked him, i like, Hey, you know, I i was interested in a coaching. Um, Um, And he told me, he was like, man, I don't think you're at it.
00:12:48
Hollis
I still think you have some basketball in you. So he wasn't lying.
00:12:50
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:12:52
Hollis
I went back and played one more year, played one more year.
00:12:55
@NoConfForOldMen
and
00:12:56
Hollis
And then we went back. I went back to Oklahoma. And, you know, he was there again. And i told him, look, I think I'm ready. I think this is it.
UH Program Development and Success
00:13:09
Hollis
do want to coach. And he, you know, he he invited me down to Dallas. I stayed with him for a week. And he brought me through do everything. And he just wanted to see if I was serious about it.
00:13:23
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:13:23
Hollis
And I told him, look, I'm serious. i'm i'm I ran my race with basketball. you know, I'm, I'm done with it. I achieved everything that I wanted to achieve except making it to the and NBA, but I had a great career in Europe.
00:13:36
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, absolutely.
00:13:37
Hollis
So I was, I was, I was done with it. You know, I was done with it. So I was looking for something else in it, you know, you know, it when, when you say you have a brotherhood, you know, I had a brotherhood at Oklahoma, you know, the guys that I,
00:13:56
Hollis
I played with, you know, we still talk. And, you know, Ed, you know, wanting to play for him, wanting to play with him at OU, you know, I never thought that I would be his assistant coach.
00:14:08
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:14:08
Hollis
But he gave me that opportunity, and I'm forever grateful for it to him.
00:14:12
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. It, it, that was like the, the one year right before you joined the staff at Houston.
00:14:17
Hollis
Yeah.
00:14:17
@NoConfForOldMen
How was that? Like the initial move into coaching, was that a huge adjustment from playing? Cause you, you really hadn't taken a break, right? You.
00:14:26
Hollis
so So at that time, i was still in basketball shape.
00:14:31
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:14:31
Hollis
So I was, you know, i was still playing with those guys, with the the pros that we had. it would it was fun. You know, it it was it was different because the team that we had, we had a really good team. But when guys are playing really good,
00:14:50
Hollis
they're getting called up to the NBA.
00:14:52
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh yeah.
00:14:52
Hollis
So, so we have, we had some guys getting called up to the and NBA and you know, every time a guy get called up, we go on a losing streak.
00:14:53
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:14:55
Tom Lidiak
you
00:15:06
Hollis
yeah So, so I'm like, Oh man, what what is this? I'm not used to losing, you know, you know what saying?
00:15:10
Tom Lidiak
you
00:15:10
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:13
Hollis
So it it was different. Getting those losses was was real different. and And then now, all the analytics and stuff came into play.
00:15:24
Hollis
you know, we played the team Rio Grande Valley.
00:15:24
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:15:27
Hollis
And I'm not lying to you. That first half we played that team, this was the first time I heard about this three, threes or layups.
00:15:32
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm...
00:15:37
Hollis
This team shot for the first half, shot all of threes, all three-pointers. And I was... it It blew me away when I saw it. I was like, wait, what is going on here? This is not the type of basketball that I know and and play.
00:15:50
Tom Lidiak
was Was that Mike D'Antoni and the Rockets? It was like their farm team, wasn't it?
00:15:53
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:15:56
Tom Lidiak
Rio Grande.
00:15:56
Hollis
Huh?
00:15:56
Tom Lidiak
I thought Rio Grande was like a farm team to the Rockets.
00:15:58
Hollis
yeah it was It was the... It's the G League team now.
00:16:02
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:16:02
Tom Lidiak
Yeah.
00:16:03
Hollis
It's the G League team now. So it just blew me away. I didn't know what was going on.
00:16:07
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:16:09
Hollis
I'm like, that's a bad shot, but...
00:16:11
Tom Lidiak
Yeah.
00:16:11
@NoConfForOldMen
They keep taking them.
00:16:12
Hollis
You know, they shot so many, they shot so many, and they blew us out by 25 points, I think, because they shooting threes, we shooting twos.
00:16:17
@NoConfForOldMen
Wow.
00:16:21
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:16:22
Hollis
And that changed my mind about about everything once I got into that.
00:16:26
@NoConfForOldMen
Wow. Wow. So, you know, you were obviously part of the original team when coach Sampson came on board, all the hardcore fans and and ourselves as well, right? Obviously know what a critical part in building everything from scratch that you've been a part of here with coach Sampson.
00:16:46
@NoConfForOldMen
But I'd say the casual fan may not be as aware of your specific role with the team. And obviously we know it's evolved over time since you've been here, but maybe if you can spend a few minutes in at least give a high level idea of what it meant initially to be the director for player development, as well as what does it mean to be the special assistant to coach Samson?
00:17:09
Hollis
So, you know, when we first got here, you know, we couldn't give a ticket away and people come to the game.
00:17:17
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:17:18
Hollis
You know, coach, I know y'all probably seen the the videos on on social media coach walking through campus with the megaphone and going to classes.
00:17:28
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:17:30
Hollis
I was in the back somewhere. Passing out, passing out, uh, little trinkets, trying to get people to come passing out tickets, trying to get people to come to the game.
00:17:34
Tom Lidiak
Thank you.
00:17:40
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:17:41
Hollis
But it it was fun just building, you know. yeah
00:17:44
@NoConfForOldMen
ye
00:17:45
Hollis
it it was fun building in and being a part of something that, you know, we we knew what what could happen, you know, because we all believed in coaches, how how good of a coach he is.
00:17:53
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:17:58
Hollis
We just had to get the players. And and once we got the players and and those guys starting to believe, you know, even that team, even that team that won the 13 games our first year,
00:18:09
Hollis
we We thought eventually that team figured it out. We always played hard. You know, we had some games that we lost, but there wasn't a day that that those guys didn't play a butt off for for coach and and for us.
00:18:23
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:18:25
Hollis
You know, we just fell short. We didn't have the talent at the time. I think that next year we found a way and and we scraped up 21 wins, I think, if I'm not mistaken.
00:18:37
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:18:37
Hollis
And we were getting better. You know, wound up getting Galen Robinson, Damian Dotson, all of those guys. You know, the recruiting class kept getting better and better.
00:18:49
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:18:51
Hollis
But, you know, being a part the team, the coaching staff, it's what, three us now? Coach KC, Coach KC, Coach Kellen, and myself, four.
00:19:02
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, that's
00:19:05
Hollis
So we were the the four that was here.
00:19:06
@NoConfForOldMen
Uh huh.
00:19:09
Hollis
And, you know, it was it was trying times, but it was all something, you know, Coach always say, he has this ladder and he says, it's something, you know, that first step is failure.
00:19:25
Hollis
You know, we had the failure and now, you know, we're, we're, we keep climbing. We're we're not all the way to the top because we haven't cut down nets on Monday night.
00:19:35
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:19:35
Hollis
We were close to doing it, but we're, we're still stepping up, you know, but that failure, it helped us for this moment that we're in right now.
00:19:38
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:19:45
Hollis
And, know, i'm I'm blessed that i'm I'm a part of it and i'm that I was here from the beginning to see what it was and now what it is now because now, you know, we can't give away tickets like we were back
Coaching Under Sampson: Challenges and Strategies
00:20:01
Tom Lidiak
Thank you.
00:20:01
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah yeah
00:20:03
Hollis
then.
00:20:04
Hollis
It's hard to get a ticket now.
00:20:05
@NoConfForOldMen
It is.
00:20:06
Hollis
So that that is that's something that... that We are proud about, you know, the fans. We appreciate you guys for sticking with us.
00:20:18
Hollis
we're We're excited and we're excited for this team, what what they're going to bring as well.
00:20:23
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. it And we're super excited and appreciative of you and the rest of the coaching staff as well. I think, you know, as Tom hit, had mentioned before we got online here, right?
00:20:36
@NoConfForOldMen
We go way back to the 80s, right, when we were in school.
00:20:39
Hollis
Yeah.
00:20:40
@NoConfForOldMen
So, you know, we lived through 20-year drought, quite honestly, right, until you guys arrived.
00:20:45
Hollis
Yeah.
00:20:48
@NoConfForOldMen
And the heavy lifting that you guys and and the whole staff has done is just incredible and not something that we could have even imagined.
00:20:57
Hollis
Hmm.
00:20:58
@NoConfForOldMen
possible. So it's been, uh, uh, just awesome for us alumni and and fans. So thank you guys as well. so here, here's a question from Bill, who's not here today. Now, obviously you played for coach Samson at OU, and now you've coached under him as well.
00:21:15
@NoConfForOldMen
How is it different for you as you compare playing for the man as well as now coaching under him? Yeah. Cause the dynamics gotta be a little bit different.
00:21:28
Hollis
oh
00:21:30
Hollis
and The difference is you see a different side of coach Sampson, you know, a, as a player, you see, you, you see a different side of him at times, but he's intense.
00:21:41
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm. Yep. Mm-hmm.
00:21:45
Hollis
So you're walking on eggshells as a player, you know, you, you, you want to, you, you gotta to always stay on set because you never know what what you're going get.
00:21:49
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:21:55
Hollis
You know, as a coach, you know, you you see this side of coach where, you know, he kind of let let his guard down a little bit, but he's still intense every day.
00:22:06
Hollis
But it it's just a, it's a um friend factor.
00:22:14
Hollis
you You know, you're more like your colleagues, I should say.
00:22:14
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:22:17
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. yeah yeah yeah
00:22:19
Hollis
You know, are colleagues and you and you you still, you know, you got that that major respect for him. But it's just it's a different, different thing.
00:22:28
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. yeah No, absolutely. Now kind of transitioning go for you know, obviously you've spent the time on the coaching staff and beyond coaching.
00:22:41
@NoConfForOldMen
Right. yeah You know, culture is so important for this program in instilling that culture and to be able to instill it with kids that are coming in that haven't seen it. They can say they can handle it, but until they experience it, you know, it's a different matter.
00:22:56
@NoConfForOldMen
But it's really key for you as one of the assistant coaches to be able to communicate effectively. with these kids and they all come in different sizes, the shapes and personalities. And so just kind of curious in terms of the approach you take in making sure that you're able to get through to kids and reinforce the message and build them up when they need building up and keeping them accountable when they need to you know be kept accountable.
00:23:22
@NoConfForOldMen
How do you go about doing that? What's your philosophy?
00:23:26
Hollis
Well, my my thing is, and i hope that they they know it, because we always tell them, you know, and I ah tell them every time, I'm like, yo, everything you guys are going through, I've been through it, but I've been through it probably more harder than what you're getting.
00:23:43
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:23:49
Hollis
You know,
00:23:50
Hollis
it's pretty easy to get these guys to buy into our culture because of our head coach. Coach Sampson, it starts with him.
00:24:04
Hollis
you know we're We're just which is here to kind of help him out a little bit, but you know he gives us the the right to to get get on these guys and and and keep them going.
00:24:12
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:24:18
Hollis
going straight. And he he give us the confidence to do that. And, you know, I don't know what other coaches, how they practices are either, but I know how coach Sampson run his practice and I know what he want.
00:24:34
Hollis
So it's easy for me to get these guys right because I know exactly what he want and I know how he want it done. So, you know, it's going to be his way.
00:24:47
Hollis
Or the highway. And he tell, he tell you that he tell you that, that in different kind of way than what saying.
00:24:49
Tom Lidiak
with
00:24:54
@NoConfForOldMen
ye ah Yeah. Yeah.
00:24:58
Hollis
so So he, he, he will let you know.
00:25:01
Tom Lidiak
I've heard it. I was at a practice a couple of years ago and I, I, I heard it.
00:25:04
Hollis
Yeah. Yeah.
00:25:06
Tom Lidiak
Yeah. So, yep.
00:25:09
@NoConfForOldMen
So, so have you seen a change? i mean, you've seen, you know, coach coach back in the day when you were playing for him, right? Quite a while ago. And is he really taking the exact same approach in the here and now with the kids today?
00:25:25
Hollis
He does.
00:25:26
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:25:27
Hollis
You know, I think the only thing that that coaches changed, which is something that nobody would know. And he probably talked about it before.
00:25:38
Hollis
The only thing that changed because he was a big walker. So he always and we still we have a treadmill. We have a treadmill in our video room now.
00:25:49
@NoConfForOldMen
That's right.
00:25:50
Hollis
you know
00:25:50
@NoConfForOldMen
That's it. Mm-hmm.
00:25:51
Hollis
But Coach was a walker, and every time you know i would go to the, you know this is after class or something, he's getting ready. He's on a treadmill you know watching film of who knows what he was watching film, what game it was.
00:26:07
Hollis
you know I'm getting ready to go to the floor and he's in there. You hear the noise blasting or whatever.
Recruitment and Player Retention
00:26:14
Hollis
and you just i just peek in it and you know I know he got this little red... red He had a little maroon... This was at Oklahoma.
00:26:22
Hollis
Had a maroon sweatshirt on. you know He's sweating down and and you know I ah ah peek and say hi to him.
00:26:26
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah Yeah.
00:26:31
Hollis
What's up, Hollis? He say something and he get back walking with his head arms off fast. He
00:26:36
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:26:37
Hollis
You know, it it it was cool to see that. I think that's the only thing that changed. He don't do that more, but yeah he still have the the treadmill and in the film room.
00:26:41
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay.
00:26:47
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay. So I know you guys have always been nosed defensively throughout yeah all of coaches teams, but from a playing style perspective, have you seen an evolution right from the OU days to now and how, how do you compare and contrast the two?
00:26:54
Hollis
Yeah.
00:27:00
Hollis
Yeah.
00:27:04
Hollis
Okay, i and I said this before. it some I don't know where it was, but Coach has evolved. Once he got to the and NBA, his offense of brain just evolved. you know and And now he has so much stuff that it's just – you Like, I'm like, this is this is awesome.
00:27:30
Hollis
You know, when we got back, when we when we when he came back to college in 2014, this was when I saw, damn, this is different.
00:27:30
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:27:40
Hollis
This is a different Coach Sampson.
00:27:42
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay.
00:27:42
Hollis
You know, it it there's because, you know, and and at Oklahoma, we probably had maybe 10 plays or whatever.
00:27:44
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:27:51
Hollis
Now we got 100 and some
00:27:52
Hollis
So I'm like, you know, but but the stuff that he learned from the NBA was different, you know, and it's something that that is is needed now because the game has changed.
00:27:53
@NoConfForOldMen
Wow. Yeah.
00:27:58
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:28:03
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Mm
00:28:05
Hollis
I think defensively, you know, that's changed as well because back then when I played, we played a lot of three two Now we would go through, you would think it's a man to man, what we played because we we the principles were, we would go through with the whoever a cutting.
00:28:26
Hollis
So anybody can be at the top of the key. Well, the three guards can be at the top of the key, but now we are strictly man to man defense.
00:28:37
Hollis
you know and And I think that's something that came from the NBA, but you know like you say, coaches don't wanna coach defense But because he always coached defense, it's just human nature for him.
00:28:54
Hollis
it it it just happens.
00:28:54
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:28:55
Hollis
So, you know, our defense has been one of the top defenses in the nation for the past seven years, I would say.
00:29:02
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:29:03
Hollis
And this is something that, you know, that's his that' right up his alley.
00:29:08
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, most definitely. Now, obviously recruiting and player retention is the lifeblood of the program. Uh, maybe you could describe the role you play and how it's kind of evolved over time on the recruiting front as well.
00:29:23
@NoConfForOldMen
And we weren't sure if you're like responsible for specific, you know, player group when it comes to recruiting, or is it basically across the board?
00:29:25
Hollis
who
00:29:31
Hollis
No, I, I, I've recruited the, the two guys that I brought in was Mercy Miller and Cedric Lott.
00:29:38
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh, nice.
00:29:39
Hollis
I recruited those two guys. But, you know, our our assistants, you know, they do a hell of a job. and and getting to know these guys and and that's everybody.
00:29:52
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:29:52
Hollis
Once they come to campus, it's everybody recruit. So whoever's recruiting him, you know when they come to campus on a visit, it's our recruit.
00:30:05
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:30:05
Hollis
It's not just that one coach, whoever's recruiting. Now he may do all the heavy lifting, But once he get on campus, it's ours. He's ours.
00:30:16
Hollis
But you know we we tag team it just like anything else we do. you know Everybody's involved and it's it's been has been awesome you know every time somebody new come here, getting to know the guys that that that we have.
00:30:22
@NoConfForOldMen
cry
00:30:33
Hollis
think our players do an unbelievable job. of doing the recruiting when they do get on campus and and and taking care of these guys. Our guys, you know, they trust us.
00:30:47
Hollis
They trust Coach Sampson because he don't lie to him, you know, and I think You know, you asked about retention. You know, is it's amazing what we're doing.
00:30:58
Hollis
You know, I'm i'm at awe just seeing what we do.
00:31:00
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:31:04
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:31:04
Hollis
I'm at awe, but I'm not because I know what kind of people we have, what kind of coaches we have. And I know the players that we have and in the parents. You know, their their parents want you to tell them the truth, and we do that.
00:31:14
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:31:18
Hollis
We always tell them the truth.
00:31:18
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah Yeah, which is incredible. I mean, that's that's been a common theme as we've talked with each one of the the coaches here. Because, you know, quite honestly, when we talk about it on the podcast, we're we're shocked at, you know,
00:31:33
@NoConfForOldMen
such a great job that you guys are able to do from a retention perspective, especially as you look at even great programs like Baylor, right? Losing every player on their team from last season and in KU as well, right?
00:31:42
Hollis
Yeah.
00:31:46
@NoConfForOldMen
Both, you know, exceptional programs, but losing players left and right. And you guys just keep are able to, it's almost like a machine the way you guys have it going now, man.
00:31:50
Hollis
Yeah.
00:31:58
@NoConfForOldMen
It's incredible.
00:31:58
Tom Lidiak
Mm-hmm.
00:32:00
Hollis
Well, we do a good job, but we we have a good city that helps us keep these guys as well.
00:32:05
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:32:07
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, absolutely.
00:32:08
Hollis
Yeah.
00:32:08
@NoConfForOldMen
Absolutely. So now kind of looking forward to this upcoming season where we're running it back with three of the five starters returning again, plus three five star freshmen joining the team.
00:32:20
@NoConfForOldMen
How are the, ah how are the kids adjusting to their development plans this off season as we get ready for this upcoming season?
00:32:29
Hollis
It's been great. You know, it goes back to, you know, these guys being the best players on their team.
00:32:38
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:32:39
Hollis
And now they have to come back and start all over again. You know, so it's is it's a it's a iss a curve for these guys. But, you know, I think they're adjusting well. I think Kingston Fleming has been unbelievable.
00:32:56
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:32:58
Hollis
Chris Cienac has been great, you know you know, learning from Coach Kellen. You know, he he's he's been and good been good.
00:33:04
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:33:07
Hollis
You know, he he just got to keep coming, keep pushing himself.
Preparing for the Upcoming Season
00:33:11
Hollis
And, you know, he's not, you know, Coach Kellen not going to let up. And Isaiah, you know, he's still working his way back injury that he had. But, you know, we're excited for our three hour three freshmen that that has come in.
00:33:27
Hollis
and they're good. You know, they have some some big shoes to fill, but I think the the competitiveness in these guys, you know, where we should have a really good team again.
00:33:28
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yep.
00:33:40
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. And now that you're on the bench, is there particular position group that you've got responsibility for?
00:33:46
Hollis
Yeah, i'm I'm in charge of the guards now, you know, and, and you know, back, so I would say,
00:33:49
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay.
00:33:54
Hollis
I was with the guards before I moved to the big men. The last four five years, I've been month four years i've been with the bigs.
00:34:01
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay.
00:34:04
Hollis
last it Years before that, man, I've been there 12 years now.
00:34:11
Hollis
he Man. So so five years five years before that, I was with the guards.
00:34:15
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:34:18
Hollis
So so um'm I'm moving back to the guards.
00:34:21
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Okay.
00:34:22
Tom Lidiak
So coach, you when you say guards, is that point guards included with, okay.
00:34:27
Hollis
Yes, yes. All all the guards, i'm i'm in I'm in charge of those guys, yeah.
00:34:29
Tom Lidiak
All the guards. Okay. Chase working, Chase working with the guards too, or is he strictly a four or?
00:34:32
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay.
00:34:36
Hollis
chase Chase is actually, he's working with the four right now, but you know because he can shoot it so well, he probably going to flip flop.
00:34:40
@NoConfForOldMen
Wow.
00:34:44
Hollis
So you know that's that's you know it's just a scout report and see see where it goes.
00:34:44
Tom Lidiak
Okay.
00:34:45
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:34:45
Tom Lidiak
Mm-hmm.
00:34:52
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. No, that's exciting. I mean, especially this upcoming season with all the new pieces that you've got and the returning kids, uh, it's gotta be fun during the off season with all, it's like a puzzle is you're, you're trying to put together potential lineups and schemes.
00:35:04
Hollis
Yeah.
00:35:08
Hollis
and And that's what's crazy. Like you say, the puzzle, you know, we've we've been putting puzzles together, puzzle pieces together the last few years, set five, five, six years, because we lose four guys every year, seemed like.
00:35:11
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:35:22
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yep. yeah
00:35:23
Hollis
But we just keep getting better and better. Hopefully, you know, we could continue to do that that same thing.
00:35:29
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. I mean, we were talking with the other coaches as well. I think the other thing that has really struck us as we've followed the team, obviously huge success, ah ah as you put it right over the course the last decade, right?
00:35:42
Hollis
Yeah.
00:35:43
@NoConfForOldMen
But with different level or caliber of kids coming through each year, you guys have elevated in terms of the caliber of kids that you're bringing in. And so,
00:35:54
@NoConfForOldMen
Right now, you've got even more skilled players, right? Either faster, right? Better shooters, right? Longer. it's It's got to be really exciting each year because it's a fresh group of kids coming through that that you guys get to mold.
00:36:10
Hollis
Yeah, well, that shoot, I don't know about the shooting yet.
00:36:14
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:36:14
Tom Lidiak
yeah
00:36:14
Hollis
yeah but But I do know that last year team, was they had some unbelievable shooters. you know We had three guys, four guys, and 40%, 40-plus percent.
00:36:22
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:36:27
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:36:28
Hollis
So you know we we have some some things to work on.
00:36:29
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:36:32
Hollis
i think we're going to get there.
00:36:34
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:36:35
Hollis
But we're going to be okay.
00:36:37
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah. No, we're looking forward to it. think that's all the questions or prepared questions that we had. Tom, i don't know if you had anything else that you wanted to ask coach.
00:36:47
Tom Lidiak
Nothing in particular. I think Coach did a great job of answering every question that we that we had.
00:36:50
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:36:53
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, thank you so much. I wasn't sure if there's anything else, coach, that you wanted to to mention or highlight.
00:36:58
Hollis
No, i um it's up to
Future Career and Reflections
00:37:00
Hollis
y'all.
00:37:00
@NoConfForOldMen
All right. so So I've got one more fun question from Bill.
00:37:04
Tom Lidiak
Okay, I've got one.
00:37:04
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh, go ahead.
00:37:05
Tom Lidiak
you know you know Where could you see yourself in 10 years? you know In other words, what what what are your in goals, Coach?
00:37:09
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh, yeah. Yeah. Good question.
00:37:12
Tom Lidiak
Eventually, you know what level would you like to be at?
00:37:17
Hollis
You know, I thought my my goal was to, you know, possibly be coaching in the NBA, but it's so funny how the NBA is, uh, turning in things, you know, yeah things are changing, you can be the coach of the year one year, and then all of a sudden in the NBA, you're out of there.
00:37:38
@NoConfForOldMen
You're fired. Yeah, exactly.
00:37:39
Tom Lidiak
That was the Nuggets coach, wasn't it? Yeah.
00:37:41
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:37:41
Hollis
Yeah. So it's just, it's just weird to see that, you know, to see a coach win a championship and then a year later, you're all, you're out of there, you know, you know, I,
00:37:42
@NoConfForOldMen
It's crazy. Yeah.
00:37:53
Tom Lidiak
Yeah, the NBA, it's see it's easier to fire the coach than fire 12 players. You know, that's –
00:37:58
Hollis
I'm excited. I'm excited where I am now.
00:38:01
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:38:03
Hollis
You know, my son, you know, there he's he's starting to play basketball. So I'm yeah, I'm i'm getting to see a little bit of him play and and oldest son.
00:38:09
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh, nice.
00:38:15
Hollis
He's playing in Europe. So, you know, 10 years, who knows what I'll be doing.
00:38:17
@NoConfForOldMen
Wow.
00:38:22
Tom Lidiak
Yeah.
00:38:23
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:38:24
Hollis
hopeful hopefully winning some more games and and winning a few championships but the in those 10 years.
Conclusion and Farewell
00:38:30
@NoConfForOldMen
Nice. Nice. So Bill, who wasn't able to make it today, he had a question for you and he posed this question to coach Goldwire. right. And so it's basically, who's the better player on the staff, you or coach Goldwire?
00:38:45
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:38:48
Hollis
Okay, look.
00:38:52
Hollis
I'm the better player.
00:38:55
Hollis
But if if we're going to play right now, he will beat me right now because I tore my Achilles last year.
00:38:58
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:39:04
Hollis
But who knows? I don't know.
00:39:06
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:39:07
Hollis
Maybe I'll beat him. I don't know.
00:39:11
@NoConfForOldMen
Nice.
00:39:12
Hollis
ah
00:39:12
@NoConfForOldMen
Hey, now that was awesome.
00:39:13
Hollis
No. But.
00:39:15
@NoConfForOldMen
Thank you so much for the time, coach. It was a real pleasure. and Again, we're really grateful for you to be part of the staff. It's been an incredible ride and we're looking forward to this next upcoming season as well.
00:39:29
Hollis
Thank you, Steve. Thanks, Tom.
00:39:31
@NoConfForOldMen
All right.
00:39:31
Tom Lidiak
Yep. Yep. You're welcome.
00:39:33
@NoConfForOldMen
as So that's it for this episode the No Conference for Old Men podcast. Hope you all enjoyed it. And again, we'd really appreciate it folks would follow, subscribe, or collect our podcast, depending on your podcast platform of choice.
00:39:46
@NoConfForOldMen
We are also available via the Republic of Football podcast feed from the folks at Dave Campbell's Texas Football as their only basketball-centric podcast or at the gocougs.com website for those that prefer to digest the content that way.
00:39:58
@NoConfForOldMen
We appreciate the continued support from all, and please give us a follow on our Twitter account, No Conference for Old Men. And again, we are all in our monthly cadence now during the offseason, but please stay tuned as we're working to get some additional guests on before the basketball season kicks off.
00:40:13
@NoConfForOldMen
So please be on the lookout to download and listen as the next episode drops. Take care, everyone.