New Northwestern men’s basketball coach Chris Collins said today his main goal is fostering long-term success for the Wildcats before focusing on their first NCAA Tournament.
“We’re going to build a winner,” Collins said in a news conference at Welsh-Ryan Arena. “I’m confident. I’m in it for the long haul.”
In his first public remarks since being named to the post, Collins told reporters he wants to build his own legacy at NU. He comes to Evanston after 13 seasons as an assistant to Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. Doug Collins, Collins’ father and the head coach of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, attended the news conference.
“No matter what you learn, you have to be yourself,” Collins said. “You have to coach your own style.”
NU fired Bill Carmody after 13 seasons without any appearances in the NCAA Tournament. But Collins signaled making it to the Big Dance is not his top priority.
“It’s not about getting to one NCAA Tournament. It’s about more than that,” Collins said. “I understand there’s a lot of work to be done. I’m not afraid of that.”
NU announced the Collins hiring Wednesday, just 11 days after the job opened up. Collins was still on the Duke bench during the process, and he officially joined the Wildcats after the Blue Devils’ lost to Louisville in the NCAA Tournament.
“We were looking for four attributes in a new coach: institutional fit, recruiting, compliance, and success on and off the court,” Phillips said. “After a thorough, comprehensive and efficient search process, we have found someone with these attributes and more.”
— Rohan Nadkarni
Look for a complete recap of the Chris Collins press conference online later tonight.
