College Hoops

#IUBB Media Availability – July 28

#IUBB Media Availability – July 28


Below is a full transcript of the Zoom press conference with Indiana guard Tamar Bates on Thursday, July 28, 2022.
 
Tamar Bates
Q. On being a father…
BATES: First off, it puts me in a whole different state of mind. I’m talking as soon as I saw her, it’s kind of like just a flip switch. Now, everything that I’m doing, all the work that I’m putting in, it’s not just for me. I want to provide for her and my family. It’s like getting up, those early mornings, late nights and doing everything that I’ve been doing, I’m a lot more focused because I have a purpose, I would say.
 
It’s been beautiful in terms of and a navigating; it’s been pretty easy, because it’s two different things, basketball and being a dad. There are lessons in both of them that help me with the other. But you know, it hasn’t been too difficult, being a father and being a college athlete.
 
Q. On improvements on the court…
BATES: I would say first off, my body, like my overall strength, just the weight that I’ve put on. The goal was to get to 200 pounds and I hit that this summer.
 
Other than that, just on the court, I would say making plays with the basketball and not turning it over it over, being a guy to relieve some of the pressure, help them play off a ball and some of the offense — making open shots. You know, and then you know, passing the ball.
 
But I would say I’ve always been able to create my own shot and get to my spots but I feel like where I really need to improve is my ball handling, decision-making and being able to take on some of that leading guard role and help some of the other guys we have.
 
Q. On takeaways from year one…
BATES: I mean, I feel like the only thing that could really prepare you for college basketball is college basketball. The same goes for you go to the NBA and the next level.
 
So, I feel like just going through that storm, that just obviously just a stronger basketball player but I came out stronger mentally because I know it’s not — everything is not going to go my way personally this year or the team’s way, like how we kind of script it to so just going through that and figuring out, okay, that’s where I’m going to get my shots from and this is how things are going to go. I…

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