Joni Taylor Introductory Press Conference
Mar 24, 2022 | Women's Basketball
Joni Taylor met the media on Thursday afternoon in her first official press conference as the Aggies' new head women's basketball coach. You can watch the event and read quotes from it below.
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Q. Coach Taylor, second time you're replacing a Hall of Fame coach. My thoughts are: What did you learn? What are the dos and don'ts you've learned from following Andy [Landers] that you're going to use following Gary [Blair]?
COACH TAYLOR: I consider it to be an opportunity. I learned so much from Coach Landers and I have learned so much from Gary Blair, just from observing him and the lessons he's given me.
I think what's special about both of those men is that they understand it's about women's basketball and it's about growing leaders and it's about doing whatever is best for our game and our sport, and that's what makes them special. That's what I want to do. So it aligns with the way we both think.
And it's an opportunity for me to continue to enhance what he created here. I never walk into a situation thinking that "this is mine" or this is just about one person. This is about women's basketball and making sure that Texas A&M Women's Basketball is in the best position possible.
And so I know that that's the same goal that Coach Blair had and still has. And that is what I've continued to learn from watching great mentors and coaches like Coach Landers, like Coach Blair, who operate in the spirit of what's best for the sport and our game.
Q. Yes, second time you're following a ‘legend’. There is a school of thought that that's not the most envious position to be in. A, is that kind of overblown? Are there advantages to following those legendary coaches? And, B, if that is, why would you do it not once, but twice?
ROSS BJORK: And the last time, right? And the last time.
COACH TAYLOR: I can only speak from my experience. And I don't look at it as something to fear. I think it's an honor that I'm in the position to be at an institution that had a legend and that I have an opportunity to follow behind and learn from and continue to enhance what was created here.
And that has been my experience, and that is what I want to do. I want to be involved in a program that has that type of tradition and that type of history. So the fact that I have an opportunity to replace a legend is a great thing, and that's the way that I look at it.
Why would I do it again? Why not? Why not?
Q. Coach, what are some of the things that stood out to you about this program and this University that you're excited to be a part of now, as opposed to competing against within the SEC?
COACH TAYLOR: Well, obviously just being in the league for such a long time, when you come to College Station and when I have been on the opposing sideline, just the atmosphere, the experience that is here is something I've always appreciated and admired. The history, the product that's on the floor, it's always something that I've kept an eye on and watched.
And then, obviously, speaking to where we are now, having an opportunity to just talk to Ross [Bjork] and Kristin [Brown] and hear their vision for Texas A&M Women's Basketball. And the people here in the Bryan and College Station community, it just was something -- an opportunity I didn't think I could pass up. The commitment to women's basketball is clear, and that is something that I want to be a part of at the highest level.
Q. From what I've read, you had a great recruiting class coming into Georgia. Why would you leave that to come to Texas A&M and pick up the pieces here?
COACH TAYLOR: I'm going to say this. I think there are great pieces here. I don't want to say "pick up the pieces" like -- there's things that we all have to do, but I'm excited about the opportunity here. Confident in the staff that we're going to put together and our abilities to do the same thing here that we did at Georgia in terms of recruiting the right young ladies for this program.
And it's got to be the right fit. That's just one thing I can say is, it's really easy to walk into a room and identify talent, right? You can identify talent at this level very quickly. After that, where we really spend our time is identifying who they are as people. And so we spend a lot of time on that part of it and making sure it's the right people that we bring into this program. So confident in our ability to do that and excited to get started.
Q. Aside from what you look for in your players in building a team, what do you look for them on the court, the Xs and Os? What are some characteristics of a team you want to build around?
COACH TAYLOR: First of all, I can't believe they let you wear orange here. Is that allowed? Yes?
Q. It's a light orange.
COACH TAYLOR: Okay. No, in all seriousness, to answer your question, we love hybrid players. Like, positionless basketball is what we love. Whatever is in your wheelhouse, we're going to let you do. So positionless basketball, we love to move players around, pieces around.
So we look for players who can do multiple things. We want to be able -- everybody 1 through 4 that can rebound and go, let's push the basketball, push the pace. Those are things that we look for.
And outside of that is what other intangibles do they bring, right? Their effort, their attitude, their camaraderie with their teammates. We spend a lot of time watching how they interact with their teammates because that's all a part of it.
We want hybrid players who can do multiple things. Obviously, scoring the basketball is important. But also defending at a high level is important because that's going to be the cornerstone of who we are.
Q. So what struck me yesterday reading about you is the outpour that you received from your former players now -- now former players. So talk to us a little bit about the culture that you want to develop, the family-like atmosphere.
COACH TAYLOR: It is who we are, right? The atmosphere that we create, our family, Darius [Taylor] and I, my family, we created a family atmosphere. I told our players this morning, like, I'm not going to be in your personal business unless you put me in it. But if you put me in it, I'm in it. But I'm going to be around. I'm going to be available. We're going to go to lunch. We're going to grab ice cream. You're going to come to my house, not only when there's company in town and recruits. It is truly an open-door policy and availability.
And I think that creates a trust. I think that creates the ability for us to go out and coach hard and to demand hard things, right? We can do hard things, and we're going to be asked to do hard things. And that's the expectation, that's the standard. And once you have that relationship established, the other things fall into place.
The other piece of that is, we are very thorough in our recruiting process. And so those relationships are built in 9th grade, in 10th grade, in 11th grade, and 12th grade. So by the time you step on campus, we can get right to those hard things because the trust is already there, the relationship is already there.
Q. Ross, during the process of looking for a new coach, how quickly did you come to the conclusion that Coach Taylor was the right choice? And what did you see that made you decide that she was the right choice?
ROSS BJORK: I appreciate that. We had the opportunity to have a lot of time with our search. Obviously, with Coach (Gary Blair) announcing his retirement last fall before the season, it allowed us to really study the landscape of college basketball.
So really December and January was a lot of research, a lot of studying, a lot of talking to sort of experts, agents, consultants, our search firm, who's available, what's the market look like, what's the landscape of college basketball, where is everything going, and who is at the top of their game.
And the moment that we engaged with Joni [Taylor], we knew, okay, we need to meet her face-to-face. And then we walked out of the meeting, Kristin [Brown] and I, with her face-to-face and I said, Why won't we hire her? What's the process going to look like? We need to try to get this done.
And so she was obviously playing in post-season, so we did not want to interfere with that part of what she was going through with her team at Georgia. I didn't want them to lose on Sunday. But when that happened, it created the opportunity to get this done as soon as possible. And they were on a plane yesterday, and here we are today.
So we knew walking out of that room that, okay, this is the one and we need to make this happen.
Q. When was that?
ROSS BJORK: It was sometime before the women's NCAA tournament. So, again, we wanted them to focus on her task at hand.
Q. Coach, do you have a favorite Gary Blair anecdote or story?
COACH TAYLOR: I've got several, actually. I'll tell you one that really stuck out to me, though. So I was an assistant coach at this time. May have been 2013 or '14, but there was a water bucket challenge. There was all these challenges that were happening. There was a water bucket challenge. And it was really for anybody.
And so social media, you had to get ice dumped on you; like cold, freezing water dumped on you. And everybody was doing it. And the matching money was going towards -- I don't remember now, but a foundation or a really important cause.
And I'll never forget, someone challenged me. And I'm pretty competitive, so if you give me a challenge, I'm going to probably do it. I was also like, ah, man, should I do it? It's mostly for head coaches. Or cold water. And then as I was contemplating it, I was scrolling through social media and I saw Gary Blair.
And he stood there and he got, I think it was, two buckets of water, cold water, dumped on him and took it like a champ. I said, That's him leading the way once again. Because I don't know if that's what he wanted to do or not but he's all in. He is all in for whatever the cause is, whatever the movement is. And for him to stand there and do that, it honestly gave me the courage to go ahead and do it
And that is a small story. But, again, just speaking about his influence and how if it's great for the game and it's going to move our game forward, give attention to our game in the right way, he's on board with it. So that's just something that really sticks out to me.
Q. Post-season basketball is supposed to happen around here. Didn't happen, obviously, this season. So expectation-wise, what do you lay down from day one?
COACH TAYLOR: Well, I think it's about the process, right? We got to get back here and get into the gym and get to work. So it's about process.
So for me, I think everybody has goals. If you were to talk to every team in our league and every top program in the country, they're going to tell you their goal is to play in the post-season and to win championships and to win a national championship. But for me, it's about how do you do that?
So let's back up and talk about the details and the everyday process. Because if we all have the same goal, we all know that only one person is doing that, one team is doing that. So I am more day-to-day, process-oriented. And if we do the small things every day, they're going to lead to the big things that we all want.
So that's what we're going to do. We're going to talk about creating habits and building habits and doing that every day consistently, because I believe who you are in one place is who you are everywhere. That's what we're going to talk about, and that's how we're going to build it and keep going.
Q. I know that you're in the market of putting together your staff. Is there a GM at the Atlanta Dream that might be available?
COACH TAYLOR: You know, that's the million-dollar question. We talked about it. I think that -- we'll see. I don't know what we're going to do with our staff.
I think that Darius [Taylor] really has found his niche in terms of being in the front office. It's something that he really enjoys doing.
It also allows us to balance our family really well. When my season ends, his season starts. And so we're going to be Texas A&M gear for several months out of the year, and then we're going to be in Atlanta Dream gear the rest of the time. That's what you're going to see.
It is something, obviously, we have talked about because the possibility of doing that here is something that could happen. So I'm not sure.
Q. Obviously, Andy Landers is one of your mentors. Do you have other mentors or coaches you model yourself after? I know you talked in your introductory about defense and play hard. I just wondered other attributes when we say "What is a Joni Taylor-coached team."
COACH TAYLOR: Several mentors. I'm really fortunate to have been around a lot of great stewards of our game. Worked for Van Chancellor. When I was at Louisiana Tech, Leon Barmore was not the coach but he was around. That's a name that goes back just when you talk about the history of women's basketball and making an impact. And so I have been really fortunate to see and be around great people with great minds. A bit of all of that is what I bring into our style of basketball.
Who I know that I can call on, I tell you, Pokey Chatman has been wonderful for me in terms of reaching out and giving support. Dawn Staley is someone who I consider a mentor. I can always call her and get her on the phone.
I think that's what's really special about women's basketball, is that our community of coaches really supports each other, really supports each other.
And then really digging in from the defensive standpoint, when I got to Georgia, what Coach Landers was able to teach and show me. On our staff at Georgia, Karen Lange and Chelsea Newton came from the Vivian Stringer tree. And so when you add that mix of offense and defense into what we do, it's a really good blend of all those things. Those would be people that I consider mentors and my experiences everywhere I have been.
And just continuing to grow, continuing to learn. When we first got the job in 2015, I was sitting there talking to Robert Mosley about how we were going to play. And we had some struggles from the guard standpoint, and we talked about how we were going to do that.
And then I'm on the road recruiting, and there's an assistant coach who comes up to me and starts talking about Michigan offense because they were a two-guard system. We really studied Michigan men's basketball. And that's what we implemented when we first got started.
So I think it's a mix of what you have on your roster, but also the core of how you want to play.
Q. You spoke of the culture as far as the basketball program. But what is it about Texas A&M specifically that you feel is a good cultural fit? Obviously, there's a lot of culture, a lot of history, a lot of traditions.
COACH TAYLOR: I think it's very similar. Ross [Bjork] and Kristin [Brown] said it best, our core values align. That is extremely important for me. That's important for our family to be in an environment, to be in a community where core values are important and are at the top of operating with integrity, and just the standard. And so that's the first thing that drew me.
And then a tradition-rich program. It's very similar to programs that I've been a part of, in terms of the expectation for women's basketball. And the commitment to women's basketball, that is something that's extremely important to me. And so all those things lined up and made it an easy decision.
Q. Ross, when you were going through the process, I know Coach [Gary] Blair is not one to shy away from giving a lot of praise to his coaching colleagues. What are some of the things he had to say about Coach [Joni] Taylor and some of the things he noticed with her program while you were zoning in on her?
ROSS BJORK: Well, it was the 2021 SEC tournament and we obviously were SEC champions and we had to play them. That didn't go so well. And so obviously the competitive side, I mean, Georgia has 2-1 in the last three games against us. So obviously we saw -- we had a front-row seat.
When I talked to Coach (Gary Blair) on Tuesday night, he said, You are getting a great person. And Coach knows the game. He knows who the right people are. He knows who the right coaches are. He knows who can coach.
And to me that just speaks to Joni, her character, her experience. Being in the Southeastern Conference, experience matters. And so having Coach (Gary Blair) say that about her just means a whole lot to this decision that we made.
Q. Coach, I know that you played at Alabama. You went to Georgia. Probably thought you would stay there. Ross [Bjork] is sitting to your left. When I ask you this, is this a destination job? Or is there another place that might catch your eye? And if you do leave, I'll have this filed and I'll probably use it again.
COACH TAYLOR: Obviously, when we make decisions, they are life decisions. There are very few schools and universities that can even draw my eye. So this is a place, when Darius [Taylor] and I were talking and trying to make this decision, it was: Are we going to be in Athens in the rest of our life, or are we going to be in the Bryan/College Station the rest of our life? We are not people who want to uproot.
And so for us it's, again, about making sure that we align with the values and the standards of the people we work with every day and the culture of the University. So we have no intention of leaving.
ROSS BJORK: If I can add something, there is actually a perception that Joni [Taylor] was a graduate of the University of Georgia.
COACH TAYLOR: Yeah.
ROSS BJORK: That's what a lot of people thought. So what that tells you is, she and her family ingrain themselves into their community. And so, again, that means a lot here in Aggieland, that people are a part of the community.
So sitting down, listening to her talk about that piece of it, that was another big attraction for us, was people thought she was a Georgia grad. No, she played at Alabama, grew up in Mississippi. But she was a natural. And so that was another draw for us, is she's a natural fit here at Texas A&M.
Q. If we say "Roll Tide," do you automatically respond to that?
COACH TAYLOR: No, no. I used to, I used to. There's been some separation there.
Listen, I love the University of Alabama. It has shaped who I am. I still give back to the University of Alabama, to women's basketball. I cheer for them when we are not playing against them. But it is not automatic anymore for me to say "Roll Tide." Absolutely not.
Q. Roster-wise, obviously Kayla [Wells] and Destiny [Pitts] and some others, their time has come to an end. You look at the recruiting trail and trying to build this roster, what first thing is coming to mind for you?
COACH TAYLOR: Again, it goes back to the things that I mentioned earlier: Hybrid players who can compete at a high level and who are going to do things the right way.
And so, obviously, you have to score points in this league. But there's other things that also are as important as just the basketball piece. And so it's the totality of all those things.
Q. How about some contract questions? Did you have a buy-out in your contract? Are you paying for that or A&M? How many years? And also, Ross [Bjork], is it a little bit more expensive to get women's basketball coaches these days? There's a lot of job openings. I just wonder if you would address that.
ROSS BJORK: Look, I think the market right now is very, very challenging and fluid. And so, again, our pursuit was sitting Power 5 head coaches. That's who we talked to. And then we had an internal candidate here. And we engaged with Kelly [Bond-White] as well.
So the market is interesting right now in all sports, frankly. The movability of individuals, things like that, was all something we had to make sure that there was alignment, obviously. And so that was an interesting sort of process, if you will, to gauge that.
As far as the contract terms, I think you have experience here. We have to get approval from the Board of Regents. And so the meeting in May is when we plan to present contract terms to our Regents. Until they approve it, we can't disclose those.
Q. Did you buy out the other contract?
ROSS BJORK: Yes, as far as the buy-out, that is an obligation that Texas A&M will take care of.
Q. Following up on your Coach [Gary] Blair story, he has been very visible with the community activities. Could you share your plans for interacting with the fan base and the Bryan/College Station community?
COACH TAYLOR: We are excited about getting here and getting ourselves immersed. In Athens, we were very, very visible and we plan to be the same here. We've got a lot to learn. And, again, we want to lean into the Bryan/College Station community, to Aggieland, to show us the way.
But you're going to see us around. You're going to see my kids around, our family, our parents around. We're going to be recognizable and involved. And we want to help. We want to serve our community and do what we can to help. So absolutely.
Q. Who else besides your family did you ask about this position, about A&M, and about this community? Any mentors?
COACH TAYLOR: Obviously there are some people that I really value their opinion that I spoke to about it. Andy Landers was one of those people. Carla Williams is another person -- Dr. Carla Williams at the University of Virginia, who is somebody that when this became a really serious thing, I leaned into and got her advice as well.
transcript courtesy of Caption Pros
