Notes and Quotes from Penn Press Conference – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/27/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
April 27, 1999
Scoonie Penn Quotes
On the decision…
“It was not that difficult of a decision to make. Once you look at the type of team that will be coming back and how close I am to graduating, that was when I decided to come back.”
“The coaches and I, we spoke about it. They were very helpful. They didn’t try to sway me one way or the other to make a decision. They basically let me do what I felt was right and stuck behind me on whatever I did.”
“I talked to family members. They basically did the same thing when I decided to come here from Boston College. They let me decide myself, but also saw the importance of me graduating.”
“I didn’t get too many people involved. I talked to my coaches, knowing that they would have the connections, the sources that have helpful information.”
“I spoke to (Coach Jim O’Brien) about it. He basically said do what is best for you and your family. He was helpful. He knew that I was not in the situation or need to rush it.”
“My teammates were very supportive. They told me that they wanted me back, but they didn’t hound me. They let me be.”
“I spoke to Coach O’Brien before (he left for vacation). He was happy. He asked if this was what I wanted and I said yes. But yes, he was very happy in my decision.”
“I was still wavering a little bit last week. I hadn’t gone to the coaches and said this is what I want to do yet. I decided on Thursday.”
On the NBA draft…
“I was not really sure as to where I was going to be placed. You never know with the type of guys that were coming out, what would happen. I tried not to get into it that much. I just tried to focus on myself and decided that it was in my best interest to come back to Ohio State.”
“When a opportunity like that (NBA Draft) presents itself. You can’t help to seriously think about it. A lottery pickthat may change my mind, but I feel that there were very few things that would have made me leave Ohio State.” “I am pretty confident that I can make it (in the NBA). People can say what they want to say, but I know what I can do and that is all that matters. I am pretty confident that I can play.”
On next season…
“I can’t make any predictions about next year. However, I will tell you that what happens next season, it starts now. Working out, getting in shape. It happens over the summer.”
“I feel I can improve every aspect. My shootingmy foul shooting. Also keep the chemistry going. Keep working as a team.”
“What gets me excited is the potential this team has. Right now I can’t say if we are going to make it to the final four, be on top of the Big Ten, but the potential we haveIt looks good. Last year, we knew we had the potential, but we were not so sure. But this year we know what we have. I look forward to it and I know Columbus does to. We will have some fun.”
On his education…
“It means a lot to me. I hope it means a lot to other people. Hopefully more than the basketball aspect. I think though that it comes down to the maturity factor. It took some time for me to realize how important education is. Growing up, you hear a lot about it, but do not realize the importance. As you get older and see the guys that head to the pros and you see how their lives turn out. After sports they do not have much to fall back on. It makes you think. I am so close, it would be bad for me not to finish.”
“I never thought I would have this much impact (on the team and in Columbus). I knew that I would make some of an impact, but nothing like this.”
“I will be the first in my family (to graduate from college). My education is something that you can never take away from me. So yes, that was a part in my decision. I would love to be that person.”
On the fans…
“All I remember seeing was when I first got here and there were 13, 000 to 14,000 people watching a losing team. This year, as we were heading to the Final Four, I was happy to see the support.”
Associate Coach Rick Boyages Quotes
“We didn’t have much involvement in the decision. We gave him some information that we had received from our contacts, but we basically left him alone this last month, letting him decide on his own.”
“You have to realize that we have been with Scoonie for four years now. It is special for us. When you get to this point in this business and a kid as good as Scoonie, you just wish him his best and hope that you can give him the best information.”
“He was somewhere in the pack. It is hard to say. I feel that he was right in the top five of the eight point guards that are coming out. It really depends on the program. Some programs stay away from the small point guards, but others want the whole package. It just really depends on the pro team.”
“He is very responsible, mentally strong and tough. He is mature well beyond his years so that doesn’t surprise me that that factors in for him than most student athletes.”
