April 16, 2009

Question:
Luke, when did you first start to know that you would have a chance to play professional after coming here before and worrying am I ever going to play with the NBA, could be a possibility for me?

Luke Harangody:
I think at the beginning of last year, you know, when the coach talked about it, my parents came up here. It never really hit me until then. People start saying things and you start to wonder, yes, maybe I do have a future in the NBA. You know, I never thought I could play at Notre Dame. You know, it’s a long transition to make. You know, it’s exciting stuff.

Question:
You always talked after games being a team guy, I should have done more for the team, how different is it going to be now for you going forward where maybe you have to be a little selfish for you. You can’t be hanging out with the guys in the weight room or going out with the guys while you are on campus. You have to really look at what you want to do in the next coming weeks as far as professionally.

Luke Harangody:
This is a new territory for me. But, you know, one of the best things is that with the team I have, the teammates I have, I told them this week what I was going to do and they have been so supportive, not only the team’s leader but the guys that are going to be on the team next year and, you know, I wasn’t very surprised at that because I know we have some of the best guys in the world here, in the country. So that has been great for me, but I realize I have, you know, to move on and I have to be a little selfish and I put myself in that position.

Question:
Luke, I know you have a lot of things to find, but if the overall majority indicate you will be a first round draft pick, will that be a definite decision or would you still have to think about things?

Luke Harangody:
That’s a good question because there’s so much that if I would go in the first round and who would draft you and when they would draft you. So right now, I really couldn’t answer that question.

Question: Do you have any idea in what you heard so far what, if anything, that they indicated to you, you know, first, second?

Luke Harangody:
You know, I heard a number of things so far and interesting, you know, you talk to these people and some say first, you know, late first as coach said, some say early second, you know, some say middle second round. So, you know, as coach said, I think you are not going to really be able to tell until, you know, late June or middle of June.

Question:
Is there one thing that you think that you have to prove the most, biggest question mark for you going in?

Luke Harangody:
I think a good question mark for me is my height and athleticism and I think I could show teams that I am a little more athletic than they perceive me on TV or, you know, in person.

Question:
Knowing about the difference if you are in the NBA next year, how different do you see that being than being back on campus, you know, making money? It’s got to be a totally different world whichever way you go.

Luke Harangody:
Yes, definitely, and, you know, I thought about it a little bit if I did go. I lived in a dorm for the past three years and this is the first time I will ever be living on my own, so that was a little weird to think about. You know, what ever happens just to leave these guys on the team, you know, whatever happens, you know, that would be tough because you are never going to have this experience again.

Question:
I want to give you a chance to talk about just what Notre Dame means to you and how special this place has been in the last three years?

Luke Harangody:
You know what, I talked to some of the guys last night at the banquet and I think it was a sad night to see the seniors going and that just brought back so many memories I have had with them at Notre Dame, what a special place it’s been to me, talking about everyone that has been involved, you know, it’s just been such a great experience. This decision for me is hard because to leave all this, you know, would be, you know, I realize I’m never going to have this again and, you know, just be around this special group of people.

Question:
Did you ever dream about the players as you were growing up, the NBA players and trying to go to the NBA?

Luke Harangody:
Yeah, I think when you are a kid shooting around at the park, every kid dreams of playing in the NBA and obviously I did and this has always been a dream of mine. So I mean for me, it’s neat to be standing up here and announcing this decision today.

Question:
Luke, we had talked once and you had said something to the effect that your parents would kill you if you didn’t get that Notre Dame degree, what were their feelings basically when you put your heads together and said I want to try this? Did you have their blessing 100 percent?

Luke Harangody:
Oh, definitely. They were behind my back 100 percent and they have always been with every decision I made and I thank them for that greatly and if I do decide to go, my mom said you better get back there and get that degree and I am going to do that. As the coach said, I’m not going to take anything out there. I am going to stay and finish out the semester.

Question for Mike Brey:
One question for Mike. If you were an NBA scout right now sitting at that microphone, what does he still need to work on? You had said something earlier in the year about (inaudible) guarding the big man. Do you see a lack of that?

Mike Brey:
I think he can improve in that area. The one thing is he’s going to be a 10, 12 year NBA player wherever he goes whether it’s this year or next. Again, I think the harp for him is going to be a little bit like college. He will shock people again at that level. There’s too much good stuff going on there but certainly on the defensive end, he’s made some strides. You know, he certainly can make strides and especially some of the length and quickness he will have to guard at that level. But the one thing about him, you know, the engine runs high every day, you know. In that league, sometimes they can’t get guys to do that and he really does that. I think the rebounding statistics translate a lot of times from this level into that, you know, not necessarily the scoring but the rebounding does and I think he’s shown he can rebound with anybody. You know, so it’s, you know, I think when he gets out there, people will be pleasantly surprised. When you get him on your floor in your practice facility and you put him up against two or three other guys and let him go to work, he will be very impressive. The one thing that I feel good about is, you know, he’s gotten better here every year. You know, he’s improved. You know, he stepped out and shot the ball this year. He handled the basketball. How many centers you know go the length of the floor with the basketball, allowed to do that, play it in and make plays. He’s become a better basketball player and passer, you know. So I think that is an area that is enticing and I think it’s an area for him that he sees if he does come back he, you know, he can get better in our program as he has each year.

QUESTION:
Luke, we talked last night about (inaudible.) Last night your parents provided counsel. When it comes to deciding here is where I am in the draft, here’s first round, second round, et cetera, who do you go to to try to figure that out?

Luke Harangody:
I think that’s an easy answer, you know. I think with Coach Brey going through this whole process, he’s going to be great to talk to. He’s been great so far, you know, very understanding. I don’t think a lot of coaches dealing with this kind of situation would be so helpful and I’m grateful for that. So, I think I’m just going to continue to keep talking with him.

QUESTION:
Do you have anything set up already as far as the next couple of weeks, what is sort of your plan or does that start once the semester ends?

Luke Harangody:
Right now it’s up in the air what I am about to do, you know, going to work out somewhere. So that is a decision we have to make.

Question for Mike Brey :
Mike, as far as his involvement in the team as far as talked last night about that, how do see that playing out?

Mike Brey:
We had our first team left yesterday and he was part of it and a voice and I want him in there. We have some other workouts before the semester ends and I certainly want him part of it and plugged into to, you know, to finish this semester. I think that is important for him to be around it and he valued that. And then he will make some decisions what he wants to do when the semester ends to get in shape and what will be a home base maybe to work out of. That is probably the next step to make. Where is your home base to work out as you get around to these teams. There’s a lot of ways to get feedback. There’s an advisory committee that comes out of the NBA office. We submitted some information and I get some information back there. And certainly direct contact. Last year at this time, Danny Ferry and John Paxson were great to talk to when we talked about it a little bit and we decided those guys are great resources and, you know, I feel I have very good rapport with guys as far as getting feedback and again, I don’t know if you are going to have enough concrete information until maybe the week leading up to that when it’s all scrambling and these guys have been through three weeks of workouts and the process and the predraft camp is gone through, you know, you are going to have some more concrete stuff to say here is where we are, here are things, now we got a decision to make, you know. So, but there’s plenty of time to go to that point. Right now you have to attack it, just go after it and get in shape. He needs some rest. We played to April 1st and I think now he’s getting back into the rhythm, you know, back into the workouts.

Question for Mike Brey:
You have been through this three times before you are pretty comfortable with how this process works. It’s your prospective well, I’m not going to worry about it until next year?

Mike Brey:
Yes, I am even more comfortable with the process now because of the NCA being more flexible and letting the NBA teams fly these kids in. There’s been much more communication between the NCA and NBA to do this. It was tricky other times to keep guys’ eligibility and to make sure they understood the rules and not do to much with an agent because all those guys are circling and want to get involved. The NCA has made it much cleaner to do it and maybe less worries from the head coach because you can go through the process. Again, I guess there’s probably half of me plan and gets excited about our team with him and half of me is the realistic guy that has been through this and said if he knocks them dead and he’s gone, you know, Tyrone Nash, Jack Cooley, Mike Broghammer, how do we play without him but again, we’re going to know when we start summer school June 23rd who our squad is going to be. Our freshman are here for summer school, so moving forward that becomes an important six weeks, you know. We are going to know what our group is by then.

Question:
Luke, how do you factor in playing for your senior year into that ?

Luke Harangody:
It would definitely play a large role in my decision. Obviously I will go as planned, you know, to come and play for Notre Dame, that would be great. Once again I talked about my teammates. I don’t think I am going to see that core of guys again ever in my career.

Question:
Luke, not to put you on the spot because you still have a heck of a lot of time, but what is the one thing if you heard your mind would be resolved and I’m not coming back? Is it somebody guaranteeing you a certain spot in the draft, a location of the team, the one thing that you need to hear to move on?

Luke Harangody:
The next two months that is an interesting question. You know, obviously people talk about being a first round, the guarantee and everything but, you know, as coach said, I’m just going to go in this thing full blast and listen to what people have to say and then worry about that decision later. There are still a lot of things that go into where you go, which team you play for. I don’t think there’s a certain thing right now if I heard something or somebody, some NBA person mentioned, I don’t know if it would sell me right now. There’s a lot of things we have to figure out. If I was number one pick in the first round, I would definitely go there.

Mike Brey:
One of the things I talked to him about when we started talking about this and we did weekly for the last month of the season, you know, I said if the Atlanta Hawks are going to guarantee they are taking you at 19, I am going to be the first guy to shake your hand. You know, I was kind of in a top 20 mode. Which, you know, now getting that guarantee solid before June 15th is going to be the goal if you can get to that. But you know what, the first round could be the, you know, the team like he said in need. One thing that happens in the league if you look the late first round guys get traded a lot of times. Those are things that you all got to, you know, get a feel for as we move forward but, you know, again that was the first conversation I had with him and I can remember I told him the story, I said Troy Murphy and I were going through it and he said coach, I really think I got to go and I said you do have to go because you are going to be in the top 15 and we’re proud of you and, you know, we’ll lead the parade, you know, congratulations. So I have been down that road before and I have been down two other roads where guys, you know, were smart enough not to stay hanging out there on draft night, Torin Francis and Chris Thomas and came back to school and probably was good they came back because they had major surgery. They both have their degrees. They are playing in Europe making a good living.