University of North Carolina Athletics
Kris Lang Quotes
October 12, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Oct. 12, 2001
Senior forward Kris Lang
On his role and position this season:
"I've already had the mind frame set that I am playing the five position. Jason Capel and everyone else is going to have to hold down the four. I've taken this responsibility of being the center and I don't think there's anyone else in the ACC that's a seven-foot, true center so I'll fit just fine here in the ACC.
"I think a lot of plays are going to be run through me this year. Nothing is really going to change, the plays are basically still designed for the four or five, it is not going to throw me off."
On how he will feel defensively as a center:
"I think it'll be a lot easier for me. I love to push around a lot and I won't have to run around screens as much with the Chris Williams, the Shane Battiers and the Terrance Morrises. Now, I can just push around with Lonnie [Baxter of Maryland] and Carlos [Boozer of Duke] and all those guys. I can run up and down the court and I'm very strong as well so I'm not worried about that at all. I just have to stay in good shape.
On whether or not the questions about this Carolina team are warranted:
"Well, every year I've been here there have been questions, it would feel awkward if we didn't have questions this year. All because we don't have the household names that everyone's used to like the Jason Williamses and the Juan Dixons, people question this team. There used to having a Jerry Stackhouse or an Antawn Jamison. I'm not worried at all. We have great team chemistry, it's the best I've had in three years. Everyone listens to each other and I think that is the key. If everyone's willing to listen, they'll learn from each other and we'll be just fine.
"Everyone is willing to learn. Everyone has worked had to get to where they're at. We are eager to learn and get back to practice."
On whether this team needs extra motivation:
"You should take pride every time you put on this jersey just to come to practice, especially for the games. They seat 22,000 here just to watch you play and even more watch on TV, it's a big honor."
On what he has improved most about his game this summer:
"Definitely my face-up game, all the way around it's just the face-up game. Everyone knows I've had the hook shot established and everybody knows that is going to be there so I really had to work on that all summer."
On Coach Doherty's relationship with the team in his second year:
"It's been a lot smoother. We know each other better. We know how he is going to respond, he knows how we're going to respond."
