With each question, Adia Barnes challenges Cats to learn more about their teammates, themselves

Adia Barnes stood at midcourt after practice. She paired off her players in groups of two to discuss the question of the day.

Do you think the image you have for yourself equals what others have of you?

It wasn’t an easy question, but that was the point.

“It was to get to know your teammate better and for the team to learn more about you,” Barnes said. “There are some personal questions and a lot of them make you think of your goals, your values. There is also value in saying it to the group because you are more accountable afterwards. It has helped a lot and I have learned a lot. One thing I’ve learned is that a lot of kids don’t hug their parents. That was so alien to me because I still kiss my mom every time I leave.”

Most of the questions Barnes asks are challenging. Others are simple, like this: What is your biggest pet peeve? (Barnes was quick to share her response: bad body language).

Forward Cate Reese said she’s learned a lot about her teammates and coaches — things she wouldn’t have known unless Barnes asked the questions.

“It definitely does help you,” said Reese, who will lead No. 7 Arizona (8-1, 6-1 Pac-12) against Washington State (6-1, 4-1) Sunday at noon. “I think it helps me to grow on the floor, but also off the floor. To be a leader in basketball, but also just in life. To make sure that I’m holding myself accountable, and I’m holding other people accountable. Because as a leader, you can’t tell someone to do something if you’re also not doing it. … I think all those different things have helped me come out of my shell even more and just be a good teammate.”

The questions are the latest team-bonding exercise given by Barnes. The Wildcats’ coach has taken her teams on retreats in the past, and the Wildcats have taken personality tests and even an etiquette class. Last year, players went through “The Program,” a military-style training course, and held “date nights” designed to get to know each other.

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The coronavirus pandemic has made it harder for the Wildcats to hold team-bonding or good-for-the-culture activities to help players grow as athletes and as people. That’s where the questions came in.

As part of the exercise, Barnes recently asked her players to give two compliments to each other — one basketball-related, and one from off the court.

“You know how hard it is to receive a compliment?” Barnes said. “We usually turn our heads or say, ‘Oh, no’ and deflect it. It’s really impossible to look someone in the eye and be genuine and not have them look away.”

Reese liked hearing everyone’s “strong suits on the court” and admitted that it’s easier receiving compliments about your performance.

“You get compliments all the time in basketball … it’s like, ‘good shot,’” she said. “You’re used to getting positive and negative feedback from your coaches and teammates throughout games and practice. I think that we handled it pretty well.”

Rim shots

• Barnes has won 75 games faster than any other coach in program history.
• Arizona’s Derin Erdogan was held out of the Cal game because of a sore back. However, she is part of the Wildcats’ traveling party this weekend.
• Barnes said Pullman is not an easy place to play and that Washington State is balanced and hard to guard.

“It’s going to be a really hard game,” she said. “They run a lot of different sets. They’re super-efficient on offense.”