Leave it to Willis Wilson to defuse what could have been a tumultuous homecoming with his signature class and grace. He was wise enough to realize the questions were forthcoming, inquiries about his relationship with Rice and a union that ended unceremoniously on the Friday following the Owls' return from the 2008 Conference USA tournament. WTW spoke with Dan Wolken and did not reveal an axe to grind. He chatted with David Saltzman and did not offer an ounce of bitterness over his ousting 22 months prior. His mantra? He'd moved on.
WTW made his coaching debut at Tudor Fieldhouse on Saturday night serving as an assistant to Memphis coach (and Kingwood native) Josh Pastner. He returned without fanfare. He spent more than half of his life on South Main, first as a four-year letterwinner, then as an assistant coach and finally as the steward of a program he loved to the depths of his soul. He was a part of the opposition when the Owls fell to Memphis 80-68, but an outsider in semantics only.
Q: You've made it clear that what is done is done, but a significant part of your life was rooted here. Was there any sentimentality when you arrived or during the course of the evening?
A: In all honesty it's a move; it's time to move on to something different. I was here for 30 years, my whole adult life except for one year. It was a great experience. I've said many times that I was blessed to work with a lot of great people. Coming back here and seeing this facility, it's a great facility but it's a facility that this school has always deserved. I wasn't the first coach that was asking for a place like this. I talked to coach (Don) Knodel before the game and this is the same thing he was promised when he was coaching here.
So it's really not about anything for me right now other than basketball. I'm in a great place, (a) great opportunity with terrific people. I feel really, really fortunate.
Q: What has it been like serving in the role of an assistant after nearly two decades in charge of a program?
A: From a coaching standpoint it's been fun. It's a chance to breathe a little bit. I think over the years I've been able to use my eye to pick up things, a lot of subtle things, but all in all it's just a chance to step back and really enjoy the pace that things go at in terms of scouting every two or three games, in terms of day-to-day operations and having the chance to interact and be on the floor with players and not have to be distracted with all the things a head coach goes through. It's been fun. It's been really exciting.
Q: Has it been a learning process? Was it difficult to become reacclimated with this role?
A: It's not difficult to learn. The time off last year was really good, and it helped me solidify some of the things that I believe in terms of my philosophy with being back in coaching. The perspective that I have now just reinforces that as a coach, especially as a head coach, you have to do things the way that are comfortable for you. I don't try to impose my views or my will on Coach Pastner. It's his program, and he's done a great job of running it. My job is to be more like a GPS and kind of help him get to where he wants to go.
Q: You had an overdue opportunity to visit with several people who worked with you during your time at Rice, and you did so in this unique setting. What was that experience like for you?
A: The way things have unfolded for me, I was here (in Houston) for all of last year so a lot of people I've been able to stay in contact with. Obviously I didn't spend a lot of time on the Rice campus, and things have changed a lot in a short amount of time. The one thing I find really rewarding is to see the enthusiasm of the people that have been here for a long time over the facility. The other thing is just to see people take advantage of the opportunity because it's something that the school has deserved for a long, long time.
Q: Did coaching a game at Tudor Fieldhouse close the Rice chapter of your career and life?
A: I guess so. I'll be honest: I really wasn't looking forward to coming back here for a long time, and I took a little time just to think about it. Coming back it was a good experience all the way around, from the time I landed in Houston to being appreciated by a lot of old friends and people here in this community. That's been a good feeling. And to feel like I did have a positive contribution on the program, that's a good feeling.
But for me personally, in all candor, the chapter has been closed. Changes happen and I was ready for the change. The circumstances were unfortunate, but at the end of the day it happened when it did and I'm very, very comfortable with where I am and what I'm doing.
WTW made his coaching debut at Tudor Fieldhouse on Saturday night serving as an assistant to Memphis coach (and Kingwood native) Josh Pastner. He returned without fanfare. He spent more than half of his life on South Main, first as a four-year letterwinner, then as an assistant coach and finally as the steward of a program he loved to the depths of his soul. He was a part of the opposition when the Owls fell to Memphis 80-68, but an outsider in semantics only.
Q: You've made it clear that what is done is done, but a significant part of your life was rooted here. Was there any sentimentality when you arrived or during the course of the evening?
A: In all honesty it's a move; it's time to move on to something different. I was here for 30 years, my whole adult life except for one year. It was a great experience. I've said many times that I was blessed to work with a lot of great people. Coming back here and seeing this facility, it's a great facility but it's a facility that this school has always deserved. I wasn't the first coach that was asking for a place like this. I talked to coach (Don) Knodel before the game and this is the same thing he was promised when he was coaching here.
So it's really not about anything for me right now other than basketball. I'm in a great place, (a) great opportunity with terrific people. I feel really, really fortunate.
Q: What has it been like serving in the role of an assistant after nearly two decades in charge of a program?
A: From a coaching standpoint it's been fun. It's a chance to breathe a little bit. I think over the years I've been able to use my eye to pick up things, a lot of subtle things, but all in all it's just a chance to step back and really enjoy the pace that things go at in terms of scouting every two or three games, in terms of day-to-day operations and having the chance to interact and be on the floor with players and not have to be distracted with all the things a head coach goes through. It's been fun. It's been really exciting.
Q: Has it been a learning process? Was it difficult to become reacclimated with this role?
A: It's not difficult to learn. The time off last year was really good, and it helped me solidify some of the things that I believe in terms of my philosophy with being back in coaching. The perspective that I have now just reinforces that as a coach, especially as a head coach, you have to do things the way that are comfortable for you. I don't try to impose my views or my will on Coach Pastner. It's his program, and he's done a great job of running it. My job is to be more like a GPS and kind of help him get to where he wants to go.
Q: You had an overdue opportunity to visit with several people who worked with you during your time at Rice, and you did so in this unique setting. What was that experience like for you?
A: The way things have unfolded for me, I was here (in Houston) for all of last year so a lot of people I've been able to stay in contact with. Obviously I didn't spend a lot of time on the Rice campus, and things have changed a lot in a short amount of time. The one thing I find really rewarding is to see the enthusiasm of the people that have been here for a long time over the facility. The other thing is just to see people take advantage of the opportunity because it's something that the school has deserved for a long, long time.
Q: Did coaching a game at Tudor Fieldhouse close the Rice chapter of your career and life?
A: I guess so. I'll be honest: I really wasn't looking forward to coming back here for a long time, and I took a little time just to think about it. Coming back it was a good experience all the way around, from the time I landed in Houston to being appreciated by a lot of old friends and people here in this community. That's been a good feeling. And to feel like I did have a positive contribution on the program, that's a good feeling.
But for me personally, in all candor, the chapter has been closed. Changes happen and I was ready for the change. The circumstances were unfortunate, but at the end of the day it happened when it did and I'm very, very comfortable with where I am and what I'm doing.
Thanks for all the class, WW!