Former NC State assistant coach Takayo Siddle has been able to hit the ground running after being named head coach at UNC Wilmington on March 17.
At times it might feel like a swift walk because Siddle has had to deal with the coronavirus, but he’s been able to land former NC State center Ian Steere as a St. John’s transfer, and Pender (N.C.) High point guard JaJuan Carr. On Monday he hired assistant coach Kurt Kanaskie from Air Force, who is a former Virginia Tech assistant coach when James Johnson was the Hokies head coach. Johnson is now a Wolfpack assistant coach.
The 33-year-old Siddle worked under NC State coach Kevin Keatts for three years at UNCW (2014-2017), reaching the NCAA Tournament twice and finishing in first place or tied for first all three years in the Colonial Athletic Association. UNCW went 72-28 overall and 41-13 in the CAA, landing Keatts the head job at NC State.
Siddle was a candidate to replace Keatts in 2017, but C.B. McGrath was hired. McGrath was fired 19 games into his third season and the Seahawks finished 10-22 overall and 5-14 in the CAA.
Siddle took a few moments to describe what the transition has been like, what he learned from working under Keatts and some of his favorite memories in Raleigh.
How do you feel your time at NC State has prepared you for the adjustment in becoming a head coach at UNCW?
“When I went there from UNCW to NC State, I knew what I needed to work on. I needed to become more experience in recruiting and act as if I was the head coach on a daily basis. I was able to build more relationships and see a lot of kids.
“When I took over here, I was able to like some players because I had already seen them. Just having seen some of these kids and evaluating them, I feel comfortable.
“I was able to watch coach [Keatts] for another three years [at NCSU], and be at a new place and have success, I think that will help me a lot.”
The first few months when Keatts was hired at NC State, the Wolfpack landed recruits Lavar Batts, Allerik Freeman, Sam Hunt, Devon Daniels, Braxton Beverly and brought in C.J. Bryce, a former UNCW star. What do you remember of that transition period to a new school that will help you now?
“The same thing happened at NC State. I was prepared to do that. Your mentality is that you have to get to work right now and be relentless. You can’t stop until you get it done. I’ve taken that mentality here with me now.”
You have recruited players for Keatts and also Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann, when you were an assistant coach for him at Gardner-Webb. What traits do you look for in players when you recruit them?
“Athletic, skilled, a guy that can do it on both ends. When I say skilled, they have to knock down shots and the ability to shoot the basketball in my system. If you can’t do that, you have to be special on the glass, special with your energy and then just from an overall standpoint, you have to be tough. That is one thing I look for when I go out to recruit. You have to be tough.
“All the things I just said are important to me. I also learned that Coach Holtmann [current Ohio State coach] and he preached toughness, skill. With Coach Keatts, our rosters are very versatile where we are athletic and we got some skill mixed in as well. I think I have a combination from the both of them.”
How different is it recruiting as a head coach compared to as an assistant coach?
“The kids get more excited [when you call]. I’m getting the same kind of reception when I was an NC State assistant as I am as the head coach here at UNCW. It’s different than when I was an assistant coach at UNCW [in the past] than as a head coach. I get that excitement now when I say I am the head coach of UNCW. The conversations are a little different, but the players have been really receptive.”
Do you see NC State or Ohio State ever visiting UNCW?
“No, absolutely not. The only way it could happen is if neither of those guys aren’t coaching there. It would make more sense for us to play at NC State because it’s close. It would be a good money game for us, but not something I’m thinking about at all. It would have to be a couple of years from now, if anything.”
Will the style of play look identical to NC State’s style?
“It will look similar to NC State but we will tweak our offense to become tailored to our roster. I think I’ll press a lot more and get out into passing lanes more. Our pick-and-roll defense will be different. For most part, when you talk about tempo, we want to play that same kind of tempo.”
What is it like to know that the decisions you are making can affect a program for multiple years?
“I am a guy that likes to process things and look at them from a few different angles before I make a decision. I’ve always been like that. I learned that from coach [Keatts]. He takes a while to make a decision and is very calculated with his moves. I also learned from Coach Holtmann.
“I like to talk it over with my staff and talk it over with my athletic director. Whenever I gain all that information and all those opinions, whatever is best for the program, I’ll make that decision. I’ve always handled my business that way.”
Even though you had hoped to land the UNCW job in 2017, how much more prepared are you now?
“I thought I was ready then, but I feel different now. The three years I had at NC State, I was able to come in the door with no doubts. I felt extremely confident about this job and I got it. It prepared me more than anything that it all happened for a reason, both from a preparation standpoint and a career standpoint. I think the three years did wonders for me.”
What are some games or moments at NC State that you knew would help you be a head coach one day?
“The ACC Tournament last year when we came back and were down 18 [in the first half] against Clemson, and came back and won. I think about moments like that because our system and the way we gave confidence to our guys, I felt we could have done that more.
“That game, where we came back and won [59-58], it just helped me believe in the system a little bit more. It helped me realize how important it is to instill confidence into our guys. I think back to that game a lot. I was just sitting there and watching, and it was fun.
“Another game, even though we lost, was the Lipscomb game in the NIT [at Reynolds Coliseum]. You just sit back and watch all your work in building your system and player development. I couldn’t really say anything during the timeouts or after the game that we lost because it was such a great game to watch.
“We were throwing haymakers back and forth and they hit a buzzer-beater to knock us out, but that game made me even more committed to our system and our style of play because I got to watch it. Everything was clicking all at once. That was probably one of the most fun games that I was a part of.”
Will UNCW have a ping-pong table or ice cream after road wins, or will you switch up the traditions?
“What I want back and I looked into the locker room at UNCW, they took our ping-pong table out, the last staff did. It just doesn’t feel the same. They had put a bunch of couches and stuff. We’ll get rid of the couches and bringing the ping-pong table back. That is a staple and we have to have that.
“I think I’ll be suckered into the ice cream. I thought about going donuts, but it isn’t the same. I’ll stick with ice cream because that is what the fans will want.”
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