All rights reserved. Indiana head coach Mike Woodson during the team's Hoosier Hysteria NCAA basketball season kickoff event in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021. "I wasn't able to come back and actually catch games because of the conflict of me playing my schedule in the NBA just never allowed me to come and catch a game. Woodson stayed in. I don't. "I feel like I've been around the world, and I've come back (to IU after) 40 years. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. Now I get to make people happy, by writing them a nice letter from coach, and showing them the side of him that I know, House said. This has been my life. I couldn't sell it no other way when I went to Atlanta. "I've spent my life here. There was Indiana's first win over then-No. 5 Purdue in what Jackson-Davis called probably the best victory weve had.. Boys & Girls Club T-Shirt (Small) $ 12.00. The release from Indiana follows: I relate to those guys. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. When cracks appeared to be forming throughout the season and shades of Indiana's old ways began rearing its ugly head, Woodson was often the mediator and reconciler. The Knicks selected Woodson with the 12th pick of the 1980 NBA Draft and he enjoyed an 11-year NBA playing career, averaging 14.0 points over 786 games for the Knicks (1980-81), New Jersey (1981-82), Kansas City/Sacramento (1981-82 through 1985-86), the LA Clippers (1986-87 through 1987-88), Houston (1988-89 through 1990-91) and Cleveland (1990-91). (AF), Woodson said he hasn't been well-received since he got to Bloomington, because a lot of fans who are Hall of Fame coaches from their mom's basement wanted a young, flashy successful college coach instead instead of an old man who's never once coached a college game. I was down because I was like, 'Wow, how can this be? - Indiana coach Mike Woodson said on his weekly radio show with Don Fischer on Monday night that senior point guard Xavier Johnson will not play on Tuesday against Iowa. "But I like the direction of where we are right now and where we are headed, knowing there is a lot of work that's got to be done.". January 27, 2023. In 2000, Knight was fired, leaving the fan base split. We've got to try to win a national title because that's what it's all about. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. Somebodys got to coach the team.. I go to 29 different (arenas) to play NBA basketball, and IU is all over the place. Share. This time, it was IU that didnt show the level of interest Woodson hoped for. I'm going to try to do the best job that I can possibly do to get us back on top.". Early in the second half, when No. "If I was going to stay, that would be the first thing I'd fix,'' Woodson said. They exploited it and they took advantage of it and they hit shots, so credit to them.. We left our game in West Lafayette, Woodson said. I just kind of quietly went about my business as a coach and I was still able to come back here and be a part of Indiana University. I had a chance to do some things that I hadn't done because I was coaching all those years. Don't miss out on any of our exclusive football, basketball and recruiting coverage. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler). You've got to find players and people around you that believe in what you do. I just think Indiana basketball is still as big as ever. I'm going to bring every one of them back, starting next month. Pin. I've said that for many, many years. "I could have stayed in the NBA, I've lived over half my life in the NBA. "I took this job for one reason and one reason only: to come back here and win Big Ten titles and national titles," Woodson said at last weekend's Peegs.com golf outing. Mike Woodson has named Anitra House as assistant to the head coach. Other coaches were mentioned, too. "I was like, 'Take me to the court.' "To answer your question, I'm looking to push this team and put a competitive team on the floor that's going to make our fan base so happy. Woodson approached her to join his staff just weeks after taking the job. At least once a week there is great news about the direction of the program. House was Woodson's tutor at Indiana during his playing days, and with her help he became the first person from his family to earn a college degree. Hes started to bridge the gap, inviting Knight to practice and Isiah Thomas to Hoosier Hysteria. 3 University of Kansas on Dec. 17. Then somebody sent me this book: 'Prepare to Win: A Lesson Learned at Knight School.'". Its a secretary role, but one that is critical in keeping the mens basketball office functioning. Once I got up there and got with Tom (Thibodeau), I was back in my comfort zone. Woodson was the MVP after playing in only six league games that season. As a senior in the 1979-80 season, he was named the Big Tens most valuable player, despite undergoing mid-season back surgery. In his first year, Woodson guided the team to a nine-win improvement, an NCAA Tournament win, built the top-rated defense in the Big Ten according to KenPom (22nd, nationally). Woodson said that after everyone listened to his silky smooth voice during all his press conferences that he got all sorts of requests from people asking him to record voicemail message for them, or recording jingles for their Tik-Tok videos ''but I didn't know what that was,'' Woodson said. I'm an average nobody. Despite undergoing back surgery in December and missing seven weeks, he was honored as the Chicago Tribunes Silver Basketball Award Winner following the season. (AF) (Actually, that's true too, amazingly. That was kind of disheartening over all these years. He mostly took in the game on the sideline with his hands folded under his chest. Among the All-Stars hes mentored are Ray Allen (Milwaukee Bucks), Kenny Anderson (Atlanta Hawks), Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks), Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons), Sam Cassell (Milwaukee Bucks), Derrick Coleman (Philadelphia 76ers), Baron Davis (New York Knicks), Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers), Richard Hamilton (Detroit Pistons), Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks), Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers), Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks), DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers), Shawn Kemp (Cleveland Cavaliers), Jason Kidd (New York Knicks), Kenyon Martin (New York Knicks), Dikembe Mutombo (Philadelphia 76ers), Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers), Paul Pierce (Los Angeles Clippers), Julius Randle (New York Knicks), Glenn Robinson (Milwaukee Bucks), Derrick Rose (New York Knicks), Amare Stoudemire (New York Knicks),Antoine Walker (Atlanta Hawks), Ben Wallace (Detroit Pistons) and Rasheed Wallace (Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks). While on the surface Woodson could've just been holding his cards close, in his own mind he said he always felt at ease, no matter the situation. He'll find good Italian food in Bloomington, he'll get that Bob Knight statue built, he'll win a lot of games and he will teach Trayce Jackson-Davis how to shake and bake with that right hand. But every year I was right there rooting. But I'd like to think the players we've brought in will be very instrumental in us moving forward. In 1991, after playing a decade in the NBA, Woodson was content with stepping away from the game. "It's a lot of work in college, it is," Woodson said. In the Playoffs, he piloted the Hawks to back-to-back Game 7 wins in the first round over Miami in 2009 and Milwaukee in 2010. Above is the full Q&A. For the past three Januarys, the couple have left Chicago and set up house in a Bloomington extended-stay hotel. I put some film together based on his play here at Indiana University. Woodson then earned the head coaching job with the Atlanta Hawks, followed by New York Knicks. Woodson, left, has worked with some top NBA coaches including his time as an assistant for Doc Rivers with the Clippers. Because coaching is hard. Im going to play golf.. Man, Woodson responded. "If we could walk into a Big Ten title, man, it would be one of the most beautiful things that can happen to this program. Mike Woodson's house Atlanta, Georgia (GA), US Like Tweet Share Pin The retired American basketball player and current head coach of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks lives here. "Unfortunately we've had our ups and downs over the years but I'm still there rooting. "But coming from a big family taught me values. Coaching is tough. "When I'm recruiting kids, it's all about family to me, man. Indiana was that way. After securing a sweep of in-state rival Purdue for the first time in a decade, No. "When I first got my coaching gig in Atlanta, I had just won an NBA title (as an assistant) with Larry Brown in Detroit. Mike Woodson has said he believes his father worked himself to death trying to take care of him and his 11 siblings on the near northeast side of Indianapolis in the '50s and '60s. Indiana coach Mike Woodson gestures during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Iowa, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, in Bloomington, Ind. Woodson responded immediately, scoring 27 points in an upset win against Kentucky the weekend after Knight's punishments were announced. I just wasn't ready to walk away. During his coaching career, Woodson would quietly come back to Bloomington whenever he could. Thirty to 40 of Woodsons friends and family attended Tuesdays game, including longtime writer Bob Hammel, whom Woodson exchanged pleasantries with in the press room, bringing back memories from the programs past. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. He had already endeared himself with the fanbase during his four-year IU playing career in the 1980's, and his return back to where it all started only strengthened that implicit trust and loyalty. His team also ended nine-game losing streaks to Purdue and Michigan and his staff landed the fifth-best recruiting class in the country according to 247Sports. In 1996, he got his first assistant coaching job with the Milwaukee Bucks, which eventually led him to become an assistant coach under Larry Brown for the 2004 NBA champion Detroit Pistons. "Scott was on the plane the next day. That's the only thing that I'm selling here as a head coach. "I was a little down because after I gave my coaching speech to all the guys, I sat them down in the locker room and I asked guys to raise their hands that were going to commit to me and this university and this program and my staff. If you don't come ready to play, you can be beaten by anybody in the Big Ten, let alone just in college in general.". "So I had to do some damage control I had to start setting up meetings with the parents and the players. He grew up in inner-city Indianapolis and then spent four years in Bloomington as a great player for Bob Knight. IU head coach Mike Woodson speaks to a crowd of IU fans at a Peegs.com golf outing on May 20, 2022, at Pfau Golf Course in Bloomington, Indiana. Right after I got here I ordered some spaghetti with marinara sauce and got egg noodles with ketchup. Its good, Woodson said, To be back home., Postgame Discussion: Indiana vs. Iowa Tweet. The board, the 1,092nd of his career . "But my loyalty and my feelings toward the basketball program have always been stronger than ever. I dont want no part of coaching.. There was a time when "Siri, call Lindsey's cell'' actually didn't work. But Im here.. "We had our struggles early with that young team. I knew what that high was all about. Im the coach, I gotta get them ready to play. A relationship that began in 1976 whenMike Woodsonfirst came to the IU campus will be rekindled as Anitra House will assume the role of Assistant to the Head Coach for the mens basketball program. Even losing my dad at an early age, I just basically watched him work himself to death, trying to take care of his kids. "A week later, we'd had some communications within that week. WOODSON:"Well, I think the main thing is, I think what's been missing, that I've talked to players my age, players who came before me or after me, is that they were left out. How long has being the IU basketball coach been your dream? We just have to come in tomorrow and work.. "So I'm grateful and honored that this university put this team in my hands. All my ties had always been here at Indiana University, always. Who is Mike Woodson? . "It wasn't a knock against the young kid, but I showed film of what he couldn't do. I think when you're recruiting players you've got to put them in the best positions to be successful. Homes - Celebrity - Sports - Basketball Links: en . I'm an IU grad.'. Why give up the glitz and the glamor of the sports' highest league to instead recruit and coach a bunch of 18 to 22-year-olds? My thing was, 'Golly, I just wish they would have given me an opportunity to coach them.'. How Mike Woodson met Anitra House Two things you have to know about Mike Woodson: his humble upbringing, and his rich loyalty. Mike Dean Woodson was born on 24 March 1958 in Indianapolis. 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