In his first news conference since re-joining Arizonaโs program as an assistant coach last week, Jason Terry said heโs become a โhugeโ Sean Miller supporter since issuing the February 2018 tweet in which he said UA should โclean house.โ
As Miller did earlier this week, Terry said the two have long since repaired their relationship.
โI can't recall exactly when it was but once I realized the impact my statement had made, I had to call him directly,โ Terry said. โI told him `Look I'm attached to this program as much as anybody. You know, I care about the tradition and history and all that.โ
โIt was an emotional tweet and I told him it was nothing personal towards him at all.
"So we repaired that that situation. Coach and I are definitely on the same page. I'm a huge, huge Sean Miller supporter of what he's done for our program. Heโs cemented his legacy in Arizona Wildcat history, and he will continue to build, and I'm just happy to be a part of that building process.โ
In a 25-minute conversation over Zoom while his wife drove him from Tucson to Phoenix โ โIโm not driving, so I donโt want to say anything about my wife, but I think sheโs lost,โ Terry said โ Terry also fielded questions about his NBA career, potentially valuable recruiting ties to the Pacific Northwest and why he agreed to take the job in the first place, among other things.
Terry earned a total of $108 million in his 19-year NBA career and now will likely be making about a quarter of a million for 80-hour workweeks at Arizona.
Is that worth it?
โMy passion from day one is for impacting lives,โ Terry said. โWe could say `coach,โ but at the end of the day it's about impacting these student athletesโ lives, giving them guidance, giving them somebody that has been there before that's done that, who's experiencing the things that they're going to experience, and then putting them in position to be successful, not only on the court but in life.
โAnd so that is my purpose. I'm a God fearing man and God has given me that purpose. And it's something that I've worked extremely hard for in preparation for this thing.โ
Terry noted that he has coached AAU girls basketball for 12 years during offseasons and called himself a โcoach through and through.โ
โMy family's gonna be like, `Ah, you want to go back to something you just retired from?โ โ Terry said. โBut it's in me. I mean, you know, coaching is something that you have to truly believe in. You mentioned the hours. Yeah, there's gonna be long hours, but the joy and the gratification I get when I see these young men become fathers, husbands, better sons. That's gonna be the ultimate joy. College graduates. That's where I'm going to get my gratification. And at the end of the day, if we hoist up another national championship into McKale then that'd be a great day.โ
Terry said he first approached UA associate head coach Jack Murphy about a year ago about possibly joining the UA staff someday. Murphy was a student manager during Terryโs senior season of 1998-99 and the two have stayed in touch since.
โI wanted to set up a breakfast and lunch with Coach Miller, and kind of talk about the future of the program and see how I could actively get involved and possibly start my career coaching,โ Terry said. โAt that particular time they didn't have a position open but we had a great dialogue. We expressed both our interest in how we can help each other in the program and that conversation led us to where we are today.โ
Terry is replacing Justin Gainey, who left in April to become Marquetteโs associate head coach.
Not only does Terry have significant ties to his Seattle hometown, but he said Friday that he literally โchanged the diapersโ of grad transfer Terrell Brown, his godson who will play for the Wildcats as a grad transfer next season after finishing up his Seattle U degree this summer.
โDidn't know that he would have an opportunity to play at University of Arizona,โ Terry said. โBut he was having a great career where he was at. He finished up in Seattle U and he graduates and gives himself an opportunity to showcase his talents at the highest level.
โI've always thought highly of him and his talents, and he's proven time and time again at whatever level has been that he's a winner. He can lead a team and yes, he has all the potential to take his game to the next level after this. So I'm excited and happy for the kid to get an opportunity to play somewhere where I had a great experience.โ
Terry said he had not talked with former UA coach Lute Olson since taking the job but that he intended to soon.
"Coach O and I have a great relationship and obviously his struggles with his health right now are well publicized," Terry said. "I haven't talked to him since I've gotten the job. But once I step foot in Tucson he'll definitely be the first guy to go visit. Right now, obviously under the circumstances (with) COVID, and not really wanting to put anyone at risk... but I'm sure as soon as this kind of passes, I'll be able to go meet him face to face, give him that big old JT hug. And we'll have a great conversation."
Weโll have more from Terry posted later today and in Saturdayโs print edition.
