In Miami’s second season under Coach Jim Larrañaga, the team won the ACC regular season title, the ACC tournament, and reached the Sweet 16 for only the second time in program history. With five seniors gone and dynamic point guard Shane Larkin declaring for the NBA draft, next season’s team will have a whole new look to it. I was able to catch up with signees Davon Reed, DeAndre Burnett, and James Kelly to get their thoughts on the past season and the future of the program.
**Reed and Burnett reflected on the team’s success this season.
Davon Reed: “It was just an awesome team. It surprised a lot of people, but I wasn’t surprised because I knew when I went down on my visit that Coach Larrañaga was going to do something special with the team. I’m very excited about the direction of the program.”
DeAndre Burnett: “They took it to another level. Miami basketball is looked at differently now as a team that can really compete with this coaching staff.”
**The three signees aren’t lacking any confidence when it comes to next season’s team.
Reed: “Just like this year, you can’t count Miami out. It will be a completely different team, but we’ll be back and ready. It will be Coach Larrañaga’s first full year with his own recruits and I think we’ll definitely make a lot of noise.”
Burnett: “I’m very confident. We have to go out there and play with a chip on our shoulder like they did this year.”
James Kelly: “I’m really confident because we have some experienced players and I feel we have a good motive to come in and work hard but I think it will take time for us to jell as a team or get on the same page, but I am confident that we will revisit the tournament again.”
**Reed, Burnett, and Kelly have been reaching out to each other and seem to have already developed a nice relationship.
Reed: “I’ve been keeping in contact with DeAndre Burnett. Recently I’ve been talking to James Kelly and Adonys (Henriquez) the 2014 commit. I try to keep up with them on a consistent basis and we seem to have something special already. I can’t wait to get down and start working with the guys.”
Burnett: “Me and James (Kelly) joke around on twitter a lot, Davon (Reed) too. All of us joke and talk on twitter so were gonna know each other well when we get in here, so were just gonna have to get familiar with each other on the basketball court, but that shouldn’t be a problem.”
Kelly: “I think we developed an okay friendship for right now and we know that we are there for the same goal and we all love the game. We have to work together, but our relationships are coming along good.”
**With the foundation set by this past season’s team, the three incoming recruits talked about what it will take for the program to become a yearly powerhouse.
Reed: “I think we just got to keep improving on last year. A lot of people who are being recruited are texting me and telling me they’re thinking about coming to the U.”
Burnett: “I still think we have a lot of talent on this team to win, especially with the new addition of Angel Rodriguez and the signings of me, Davon, and James. We just have to work on team chemistry and put the time in the gym, but we should be fine with the talent we have.”
Kelly: “We all need to know what our main goal is, which is to win everything. But we have to go in knowing nothing will be easy, we have to practice hard everyday, and always be mentally focused to go hard until that buzzer sounds or the clock stops.”
**All three know that they will be needed to contribute on next season’s squad, especially Burnett now that Shane Larkin has declared for the draft.
Reed: “I’m just going to step in and play my game. Whatever the coaches need me to do is what I’ll do. Whether it be a scorer, a playmaker, a lockdown defender, I’ll go out and play hard.”
Burnett: “My whole mindset has changed. I know for sure that I’m going to be a main ball-handler for the team. I know now that I have to still have that scoring mentality, but also bring the ball up and control the game. I should be ready.”
Kelly: “Coming in as a transfer and the experience I have, I feel I will have to fill the leader role as of making sure our team is on the same page and is working as hard as possible.”
**The versatile Reed broke down what was different about Coach L from the other coaches who recruited him.
“His personality is what really stood out to me. I remember it was the EYBL and Coach (Michael) Huger was the one who had been recruiting me till that point and it was one of the first times that Coach L had seen me play. After the game he was talking to me and before he told me all the good things, he was pointing out different things as though I was already one of his players. He was so upfront about my game and kept it real with me. From that point on, I felt like he was the leading coach in my recruitment,” said Reed.
**Reed will report to Miami on June 25th.
**Some people who have watched Burnett play have compared his style to former ‘Canes great Jack McClinton. Although Burnett fully respects McClinton’s achievements at Miami, the incoming freshman has his sights set on even bigger things.
“I know his (McClinton) game a lot and watched him play when he was here. He was a great player and did great things as an individual, but I’m looking forward to building something as a team,” Burnett said.
**The big news of the day was former Kansas State point guard Angel Rodriguez officially committing to Miami. Rodriguez, a 2011 graduate of Dr. Krop High School in Miami, was second-team All-Big12 last season as a sophomore, while posting 11.4 PPG and 5.2 assists. Rodriguez is known for his ball-handling and passing ability, which could be a huge asset for next year’s squad if he is able to receive a waiver to play immediately. Burnett, a 2012 graduate of Carol City High School in Miami, is excited for the opportunity to play with Rodriguez.
“Me and Angel competed three years in a row. We went at each other in high school and are very familiar with each other. I look forward to playing with him since we’re both Miami natives and we were two of the best guards in the area, so I want him in the same backcourt as me,” said Burnett.
**Dade County is often thought of as a hotbed of football recruiting, but Burnett takes special pride in playing for his city.
“I take so much pride in that. Every time I step onto the court, I feel like I’m doing it for Dade County. Up in Virginia, my whole mindset was to show them that there’s basketball players in Florida, not just football players. If we have success and I have success, then it will just show people that we can ball down here too,” Burnett said.
**Burnett commented on his brother, Dalvin Cook, who is a top football recruit at Miami Central. Cook recently switched his commitment from Clemson to Florida, but Miami is still in the mix.
“I’m with Dalvin everyday and I’m trying to convince him. He still has another year so I’m gonna make sure this Florida thing isn’t a sure thing. I’m gonna have him on campus a lot, so hopefully these guys can convince him.”
**Burnett will be reporting to Miami in two weeks, on May 15th.
**Reed and Burnett reflected on the team’s success this season.
Davon Reed: “It was just an awesome team. It surprised a lot of people, but I wasn’t surprised because I knew when I went down on my visit that Coach Larrañaga was going to do something special with the team. I’m very excited about the direction of the program.”
DeAndre Burnett: “They took it to another level. Miami basketball is looked at differently now as a team that can really compete with this coaching staff.”
**The three signees aren’t lacking any confidence when it comes to next season’s team.
Reed: “Just like this year, you can’t count Miami out. It will be a completely different team, but we’ll be back and ready. It will be Coach Larrañaga’s first full year with his own recruits and I think we’ll definitely make a lot of noise.”
Burnett: “I’m very confident. We have to go out there and play with a chip on our shoulder like they did this year.”
James Kelly: “I’m really confident because we have some experienced players and I feel we have a good motive to come in and work hard but I think it will take time for us to jell as a team or get on the same page, but I am confident that we will revisit the tournament again.”
**Reed, Burnett, and Kelly have been reaching out to each other and seem to have already developed a nice relationship.
Reed: “I’ve been keeping in contact with DeAndre Burnett. Recently I’ve been talking to James Kelly and Adonys (Henriquez) the 2014 commit. I try to keep up with them on a consistent basis and we seem to have something special already. I can’t wait to get down and start working with the guys.”
Burnett: “Me and James (Kelly) joke around on twitter a lot, Davon (Reed) too. All of us joke and talk on twitter so were gonna know each other well when we get in here, so were just gonna have to get familiar with each other on the basketball court, but that shouldn’t be a problem.”
Kelly: “I think we developed an okay friendship for right now and we know that we are there for the same goal and we all love the game. We have to work together, but our relationships are coming along good.”
**With the foundation set by this past season’s team, the three incoming recruits talked about what it will take for the program to become a yearly powerhouse.
Reed: “I think we just got to keep improving on last year. A lot of people who are being recruited are texting me and telling me they’re thinking about coming to the U.”
Burnett: “I still think we have a lot of talent on this team to win, especially with the new addition of Angel Rodriguez and the signings of me, Davon, and James. We just have to work on team chemistry and put the time in the gym, but we should be fine with the talent we have.”
Kelly: “We all need to know what our main goal is, which is to win everything. But we have to go in knowing nothing will be easy, we have to practice hard everyday, and always be mentally focused to go hard until that buzzer sounds or the clock stops.”
**All three know that they will be needed to contribute on next season’s squad, especially Burnett now that Shane Larkin has declared for the draft.
Reed: “I’m just going to step in and play my game. Whatever the coaches need me to do is what I’ll do. Whether it be a scorer, a playmaker, a lockdown defender, I’ll go out and play hard.”
Burnett: “My whole mindset has changed. I know for sure that I’m going to be a main ball-handler for the team. I know now that I have to still have that scoring mentality, but also bring the ball up and control the game. I should be ready.”
Kelly: “Coming in as a transfer and the experience I have, I feel I will have to fill the leader role as of making sure our team is on the same page and is working as hard as possible.”
**The versatile Reed broke down what was different about Coach L from the other coaches who recruited him.
“His personality is what really stood out to me. I remember it was the EYBL and Coach (Michael) Huger was the one who had been recruiting me till that point and it was one of the first times that Coach L had seen me play. After the game he was talking to me and before he told me all the good things, he was pointing out different things as though I was already one of his players. He was so upfront about my game and kept it real with me. From that point on, I felt like he was the leading coach in my recruitment,” said Reed.
**Reed will report to Miami on June 25th.
**Some people who have watched Burnett play have compared his style to former ‘Canes great Jack McClinton. Although Burnett fully respects McClinton’s achievements at Miami, the incoming freshman has his sights set on even bigger things.
“I know his (McClinton) game a lot and watched him play when he was here. He was a great player and did great things as an individual, but I’m looking forward to building something as a team,” Burnett said.
**The big news of the day was former Kansas State point guard Angel Rodriguez officially committing to Miami. Rodriguez, a 2011 graduate of Dr. Krop High School in Miami, was second-team All-Big12 last season as a sophomore, while posting 11.4 PPG and 5.2 assists. Rodriguez is known for his ball-handling and passing ability, which could be a huge asset for next year’s squad if he is able to receive a waiver to play immediately. Burnett, a 2012 graduate of Carol City High School in Miami, is excited for the opportunity to play with Rodriguez.
“Me and Angel competed three years in a row. We went at each other in high school and are very familiar with each other. I look forward to playing with him since we’re both Miami natives and we were two of the best guards in the area, so I want him in the same backcourt as me,” said Burnett.
**Dade County is often thought of as a hotbed of football recruiting, but Burnett takes special pride in playing for his city.
“I take so much pride in that. Every time I step onto the court, I feel like I’m doing it for Dade County. Up in Virginia, my whole mindset was to show them that there’s basketball players in Florida, not just football players. If we have success and I have success, then it will just show people that we can ball down here too,” Burnett said.
**Burnett commented on his brother, Dalvin Cook, who is a top football recruit at Miami Central. Cook recently switched his commitment from Clemson to Florida, but Miami is still in the mix.
“I’m with Dalvin everyday and I’m trying to convince him. He still has another year so I’m gonna make sure this Florida thing isn’t a sure thing. I’m gonna have him on campus a lot, so hopefully these guys can convince him.”
**Burnett will be reporting to Miami in two weeks, on May 15th.
