Wake Forest Athletics
Building Lasting Relationships is Foundation for Steve Forbes
5/8/2020 9:33:00 AM | Men's Basketball
He's been on the job just one week, but Wake Forest fans have already heard new men's basketball coach Steve Forbes talk about his humble roots in Lone Tree, Iowa, driving a scooter to work for an entire season and his favorite stop for a morning cup of coffee.
"Sometimes we'd even talk about basketball every once in a while on the show," said Bobby Rader, host of The Morning Monster on 640 WXSM in Tri-Cities,Tennessee, the East Tennessee State station.
Forbes is a coach who is comfortable in his own skin and it's that nature that has allowed him to build great relationships and build winning teams en route an incredible 260-77 record as head coach.
That also made it even more difficult for him to say goodbye to his team at ETSU after accepting the job at Wake Forest — a task that was made even tougher given the social distancing required in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. He met with them in a virtual Zoom conference call.
"I'd always envisioned it as me standing in front of them, and that would be extremely hard," Forbes explained in a press conference he conducted with the local Johnson City media earlier this week. "But I think they deserve that. They deserve for me to hug them and tell them everything is going to be ok. It's a happy-sad day. I don't regret anything, but it was very impersonal, just looking at the computer screen. I couldn't look at any of the players. I just couldn't do it. I told them how much I loved them and remembered how much we'd accomplished together.
"Just because I'm wearing a different color shirt, doesn't change the way I feel about them. Those were a tough few minutes."
He's planning on bringing a lot of ETSU with him with much of his staff from ETSU joining him in Winston-Salem. Forbes is scheduled to announce the addition of assistant coaches Brooks Savage and BJ McKie, along with director of basketball operations Frank Davis, and strength and conditioning coach Mike Starke.
"Family is not just something I talk about, it's who I am," Forbes said. "That's why you will see my staff with me at Wake Forest."
He's hopeful that the short three-hour drive between old home and new will enable him and his family to carry forward valuable friendships hatched over the last five years in Johnson City.
"We've made a lot of friends, and they will be friends for life," Forbes said.
A strong connection was built during those five years in Tennessee with the local media. Forbes spent time Tuesday evening, answering questions and saying his farewells.
"Not many coaches would do this after they leave for another job, especially with everything going on right now," WCYB reporter Heather Williams said in a tweet. "Been in the business 25 years, I haven't seen many do it. Much respect for coach Steve Forbes."
The impact at ETSU, in the media market and with the fans was nearly immediate once Forbes hit the scene in 2015.
"He understands, much like here at ETSU, the program needs a little bit of fire, and he's going to bring that," Rader said. "It was immediate. When you have someone come in with a little bit of fire and you're talking a good game on hiring day, that's good, but you have to follow up on that. And he did. He grabbed 24 wins that first year, and that hadn't happened in awhile.
"That's about as slow as you're going to see him go. Once the threat from the pandemic lifts, he's going to be out and about, meeting and greeting."
Forbes wrapped up the nearly 30-minute chat with a word of thanks.
"I can't tell you how much I respect you guys," he told the group. "I've really enjoyed my relationship with you guys. I've been able to be myself, which you can't put a price tag on. We've had a lot of good memories. You guys can hit me up anytime. I appreciate everybody and hope our team made your winter nights a little more fun.
"I hope you all come see the Demon Deacons play. We're going to get after it. I think you guys know me well enough to know we're about to put our stamp on this thing."
