Wake Forest Athletics
5 Questions with BJ McKie
8/24/2020 12:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BJ McKie joined the Wake Forest men's basketball staff in early May, joining head coach Steve Forbes as they made the journey from East Tennessee State University.
This will be the 10th season of coaching for McKie, who joined Forbes' Buccaneer staff in 2017, where they earned an NCAA Tournament berth last season. He began his coaching career after a 12-year professional career that spanned the globe, playing in France, Germany, Italy and Cyprus. Before that he was a former All-SEC player at South Carolina, where he owns the record for most points scored (2,119) in program history.
McKie recently joined Deacon Sports Xtra for a Five Questions Feature.
What have you seen so far from the players in workouts?
McKie: "It's still early to tell. We have some good leadership, but have just been working out for a few days yet. The rotation isn't set yet (laughs). Guys are showing they are willing to learn and take in what we're giving them. They are taking in our offensive philosophy and coming in with an open mind."
How have you been able to establish relationships with the current crop of Demon Deacons during the Covid era?
McKie: "The last couple months, we've done numerous Zoom meetings with them and have been on the phone with them daily. We're working to build a relationship with them. It's just harder during this time. Normally, you'd have them on campus earlier in the summer and would have been able to work out with them. Our relationships have been great. The players have been responsive and have been working hard."
What was it like when the team finally returned to campus and you got to meet face-to-face?
McKie: "It was weird. When you don't see the familiar faces it is a little bit weird and a little odd. It has to be the same for the guys who were already here at Wake Forest. But after the first day, you see they were really responsive to what we were working with them on. The wheels started turning. We have to get back acclimated to coaching as well. It's been a great process, and I've enjoyed working with these guys so far."
A coaching change can understandably be tough for young student-athletes. How have they adjusted to the changes you and the staff are trying to implement?
McKie: "They've been very open to change. Our guys are gravitating to each other. No cliques have been formed. They seem like a solid group, and are really encouraging in our workouts. The communication has been great. Coach Forbes always says, 'A quiet gym is a losing gym.' Our guys have been very responsive about being talkative, communicating, and putting their best foot forward."
Although he never coached you personally, former Wake Forest coach Dave Odom also spent time at South Carolina, where you are the all-time leading scorer. Was there a relationship between the two of you ever established?
McKie: "He's a really great guy. When coach Odom was there, it wasn't really a process for jerseys to be retired. Coach Odom really helped establish the committee to get my jersey retired. I'm forever grateful for that. They had nothing in place and no process. That's crazy the way things end up working out."
This will be the 10th season of coaching for McKie, who joined Forbes' Buccaneer staff in 2017, where they earned an NCAA Tournament berth last season. He began his coaching career after a 12-year professional career that spanned the globe, playing in France, Germany, Italy and Cyprus. Before that he was a former All-SEC player at South Carolina, where he owns the record for most points scored (2,119) in program history.
McKie recently joined Deacon Sports Xtra for a Five Questions Feature.
What have you seen so far from the players in workouts?
McKie: "It's still early to tell. We have some good leadership, but have just been working out for a few days yet. The rotation isn't set yet (laughs). Guys are showing they are willing to learn and take in what we're giving them. They are taking in our offensive philosophy and coming in with an open mind."
How have you been able to establish relationships with the current crop of Demon Deacons during the Covid era?
McKie: "The last couple months, we've done numerous Zoom meetings with them and have been on the phone with them daily. We're working to build a relationship with them. It's just harder during this time. Normally, you'd have them on campus earlier in the summer and would have been able to work out with them. Our relationships have been great. The players have been responsive and have been working hard."
What was it like when the team finally returned to campus and you got to meet face-to-face?
McKie: "It was weird. When you don't see the familiar faces it is a little bit weird and a little odd. It has to be the same for the guys who were already here at Wake Forest. But after the first day, you see they were really responsive to what we were working with them on. The wheels started turning. We have to get back acclimated to coaching as well. It's been a great process, and I've enjoyed working with these guys so far."
A coaching change can understandably be tough for young student-athletes. How have they adjusted to the changes you and the staff are trying to implement?
McKie: "They've been very open to change. Our guys are gravitating to each other. No cliques have been formed. They seem like a solid group, and are really encouraging in our workouts. The communication has been great. Coach Forbes always says, 'A quiet gym is a losing gym.' Our guys have been very responsive about being talkative, communicating, and putting their best foot forward."
Although he never coached you personally, former Wake Forest coach Dave Odom also spent time at South Carolina, where you are the all-time leading scorer. Was there a relationship between the two of you ever established?
McKie: "He's a really great guy. When coach Odom was there, it wasn't really a process for jerseys to be retired. Coach Odom really helped establish the committee to get my jersey retired. I'm forever grateful for that. They had nothing in place and no process. That's crazy the way things end up working out."
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