Ben Howland

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During his four years at Pittsburgh University, Coach Ben Howland transformed the Panthers into ferocious Big East contenders, earning the team back-to-back Sweet 16 berths and himself a National Coach of the Year award in 2002. He arrives in Westwood in 2003 to turn around a team that is still reeling from its first losing season in 55 years UCLA's team faces many obstacles; it has seen one of its players dismissed from school for academic reasons and key senior forward T.J. Cummings struggling to make the grade for winter eligibility.

Last August, UCLAlumni magazine sat down with Coach Howland to discuss the progress of his transition from Pittsburgh hero to Westwood newcomer. For Coach Howland, the 2002 season brings a new set of challenges and a fresh start for the beleaguered Bruins.
UCLAlumni: How was your first summer with UCLA?
Howland: Really hectic. We were recruiting, which is, you know, the most important part of the summer. So we were on the road most of the month of July, seeing kids, evaluating their talent and recruiting them. And at the same time, I was busy moving into a new house, trying to get my family settled in, and my kids into new schools.

A: What is it like for you to be here at UCLA?
H: It's very exciting. Having grown up out here and having had watched UCLA as a fan since my teens, it's really an honor and a privilege. In our profession, if you're on this side of the country, there's no question of who is the top dog out here - it's UCLA.

A: As the new head basketball coach, what does it feel like to step into Pauley Pavilion and see all of those hanging banners?
H: It says that we have the greatest history and tradition in college basketball here at UCLA, in terms of championships and in terms of winning. It's exciting to be a part of it. At a special reception last August, we had 60 former UCLA players attend, including Mike Warren '71, Lucius Allen, Lynn Shackleford '69, Keith Erickson, David Greenwood '79 and Baron Davis, along with our new coaching staff and Coach Wooden. It was really special. The pride in this program is unmatched.

A: Who are the coaches that you most admire?
H: The coaches that I played for are the ones I admire most - my high school coach and my college coach, Coach DeLacey and Coach McCarthy. The coach that I've tried to emulate the most in a lot of different respects is Coach Rick Majerus at University of Utah. He's been a real good friend and a mentor to me.

A: With the move to the Pac-10, do you feel like you'll have to employ a number of different strategies for this team?
H: Not really. The Big East is a very physical league, and is one of the top six conferences in the country just like the Pac-10. They both have great coaches and great players. But you know, basketball is basketball.

A: Were you able to work with your team at all in the preseason?
H: Well, practice is only allowed during the regular school year, so we're not allowed to work with any of our players individually once school ends. A number of players have been going to summer school, playing in a NCAA-sanctioned summer league, lifting weights and just taking care of business in general. When I got here in April, before they were let out in June, we were able to work with the players on the floor for two hours a week and no more than four guys at a time because of NCAA rules.

A: Is there anybody that we should be keeping our eye on this season?
H: Usually the best indicator of the future is the past. So based on the past season, I would say that Dijon Thompson (junior guard/forward) is going to be one of our strong players and Ryan Hollins (center) who came on at the end of the year and had a very strong finish to his freshman year. Cedric [Bozeman] (junior guard) got hurt but I expect him to be much improved, and I'm excited about coaching him.

A: And T.J. Cummings (senior forward/center) is definitely out for the fall?
H: T.J. won't be able to play this coming quarter. And he still has to do what he has to do academically or he might not be playing at all. He didn't get it done to play in the fall so it remains to be seen if that will happen or not. I'm optimistic, and we're supportive of him, but that's all I can say.

A: What principles have you learned over the course of your career that you want to apply here at UCLA?
H: The principles are very basic and very simple in terms of how we're going to play. We're going to play good defense. We're going to rebound. Those are points of emphasis. We're going to be a team that is aggressive offensively, that is unselfish and that knows how to play as a team.

A: You led your team to the Sweet 16 in your last two seasons at Pittsburgh. Have you set a goal or a minimum requirement for the Bruins this year?
H: This is a whole new program and a whole new team. We've got a lot of work to do in terms of implementing a new system and a new way of doing things. We've got to change the way that we play in order to improve our defense and rebounding. In terms of goals, I want this team to improve each and every day and each and every game that we play. If we play the best that we can and, God willing, stay injury-free, then at the end of the year hopefully good things will happen. This year we have a very rough schedule. It's among the top five in the country, I'm sure. We just want to beat every team that we play. Fear no one, but respect everyone.