Mike Budenholzer

“We talk a lot about having high-character guys and high-IQ guys, and I think that's one of the characteristics of those types of people or players that if and when something doesn't go their way, their reaction usually is to come back and fight harder, dig deeper, do more.”

“My dad was a huge influence on me. He taught me how to play and a lot about the game. He was very passionate and intense. As I started coaching, he wanted to tell me about all of the presses and man-to-man coverages and big philosophical things.”

“Growing up in a small community where everybody knows everybody, it was a lot of fun. Great friends, great memories.”

“I think days like Wiffle ball and other things that we do throughout the year to hopefully get guys to maybe take a breath and enjoy each other and enjoy this process and enjoy the season. I would argue that it helps you heighten your focus when it's needed. You never know; us coaches will try anything.”

“When you make that transition to being a head coach, there's so much more you have to think of and consider. You're constantly thinking, 'How does this impact our culture? How does this impact us two, three steps down the road?' It's thinking big picture, and all of those things come with time. It's a great challenge.”

“The health and well-being of our players are a critical component of our ability to succeed.”

“If you have the right kind of guys who are pushing each other and at the same time supporting each other, it's pretty cool.”

“It's a tough job to be the owner in a rebuild, to be the GM, to be the coach. These are tough jobs.”

“We want, obviously, open, good threes. It's important to us.”

“Probably the No. 1 characteristic, if you want win championships, you've got to be great competitors. It's got to come naturally.”

“Getting swept is hard.”

“I've got all these memories of guys just trying to get steals and not being very solid or very good defensively. They have all these steals so they must be a great defender. I usually find it to be the opposite.”

“I remember as a really young child, watching his energy on the sideline and watching him get excited, his body movement, the way he reacted. It's fun to hear other people tell stories about my dad and the things he did in games and the way he'd get upset with officials.”

“I yell at myself all the time.”

“John Collins has been a great offensive rebounder since jump street.”

“To add a player in the draft is something we always look forward to.”

“My dream was to be an assistant college coach, maybe a head coach, maybe at a Division III school.”

“You never want to put yourself in a position where you can bring negativity to yourself or the organization and your teammates.”

“As an assistant you have lots of ideas and suggestions that might be perfect for that moment and time, but you don't think through all of the ramifications down the road. As a head coach it's about being conscious of the whole group and what's best for us long term. And that's on and off the court.”

“I think that coming to work every day and what we try and do and accomplish, there's a seriousness to it.”