The DePauw: How did you get Brad Stevens to DePauw?
Bill Fenlon: I think the thing for Brad was the whole package. The opportunity to play at a pretty good program, the opportunity to be close to home, he was a Management Fellow here, he was a really great student coming out of high school and being in a strong academic environment was really important to him and his family. I think that we did with Brad is what we do with most guys we are recruiting is make them realize how good of a springboard DePauw is for what might be next.
I think it's easy to sell the kind of the experience you get in four years whether that's politically or socially or academically, but I think you know also what kind of opportunities you know our kids will get when they get out. I think it's something that Brad was you know as a as a young guy you know able to kind of wrap this brain around a little bit rather than you know probably better than a lot of kids again.
TDP: What kind of player was he?
BF: He developed into a really good leader. He had to make a lot of adjustments because he was a guy who let you know he's been really big scorer in high school, and that part of his game didn't really translate as well to the to the college game.
He was the guy who really helped us develop the more talented young players his senior year. He was a great leader and great captain for our group. He really was helpful - just kind of spring board. That group with those freshmen when he was a senior was the group that ended up about three possessions away form the Final Four and ranked as high as No. 2 and finished the season ranked No. 4 in the country. It was as good of a team I've ever had in my time here and it started Brad's senior year.
TDP: Do you see anything in his coaching today that relates to something you saw on the court in his playing days?
BF: When I watch Brad in his practice session and on the sidelines I think the fact that he was the guy who had to make adjustments and play different roles as a player makes him relate to every kind of guy. You can tell that that is a big part of what Butler does. Those kids really embrace being a positive part of the whole. When I watch them I can tell that those things are real core values of their program and I saw him develop some of those things at DePauw.
TDP: At his time here did he ever talk to you about coaching?
BF: We didn't really talk about coaching ‘til after he was at [Eli] Lilly. He got in touch with me and talked to me about that desire to make that move. We had a relationship with the Butler guys and he was able to gain an opportunity from those relationships.
TDP: When he was going through his transition from Eli Lilly to Butler did he ever reach out to you for advice?
BF: I encouraged him to take advantage of his opportunity. Most people say leaving Lilly was a big risk but the guy was 23 years old. That's not a risk. Eli Lilly wasn't going anywhere; I think the risk was not doing it.
What I told him at the time is that you don't want to do it 10 years from now when you have a mortgage, a wife, two kids, and car payments. You won't do it. You do it now and if you don't like it you still have a DePauw degree and Management Fellows experience, you'll be able to take that and do a lot of things with it.
The guy had a dream and he pursued it and I give him a lot of credit for that. Like a lot of our kids, when he was done at DePauw he had a lot of experience and confidence that he could do well in what ever he decided to do.
TDP: Did you get a chance to go to the Championship game in Indianapolis last year?
BF: Yeah I did. Yeah. I'm actually in Houston right now.
TDP: How often do you two communicate with each other?
BF: Our big thing now is texting. He's a big social media, email and texting kind of guy. We exchanged messages Tuesday so we're in pretty good communication. When it gets down to NCAA tournament time, time is really a premium for those guys so the last thing I'm going to be doing is calling up and bugging him especially this time of year.
We're friends. There are a lot of things he is doing that I have never experienced. I've never been a Div. I coach but at the same time I've been coaching 18-22 year olds for the last 30 years so when we talk, that is the stuff we are always talking about. I think we do value each other's input and when we have the opportunity to spend time together we are doing coach talk.
TDP: Your prediction for this weekend and the championship game?
BF: I think the Butler Bulldogs are going to guard VCU and win and I don't know what is going to happen in that other game but if you don't think Butler can win the national championship, you're not paying attention. How's that for a prediction?