First off here is the schedule for PAC 12 media day with Bryce and Steve Alford schedule for 10:38 a.m. This will be a "live" thread for when they are talking.
Also the press room stream is here.
Second, yesterday was UCLA media day. Steve Alford starting off by saying this will be an annual tradition of hosting UCLA Basketball media on Wooden's Birthday.
A few notes:
GG is hurt. Out 6-8 weeks. Tony Parker has a strained toe. He could play now but they are being extra cautious.
Related to the four (and the loss of GG) Steve Alford said:
We are going to play him [Jonah] at the big guard spot, as well as the four spot. Again not numbering guys. But you know give him a little more versatility where we can go with a bigger lineup. And play him with Alex [Olenski] and a Center. And also play him in the stretch four spot and still having a four guard lineup. He's a guard.
Translated to reality. Jonah Bolden is our four. We are going to call him a guard but he is our power forward.
Hidden meaning in the quote: We can't play Thomas Welsh and Tony Parker together.
Bryce Alford and the players were also interviewed;
Bryce confirmed some things that fit the themes:
"Competitive in practice. . . . Ike inside is as strong as you can be. . . Alex can shoot the heck out of it. "
It is nice to have depth. It really helps in practice. Alex is a stretch four. Ike Okwarabizie is strong and raw.
Arron Holiday is fun to listen to as well. He is not as smooth as others but it is nice to hear someone mention "defense."
If I was a reporter I would always go to Tony Parker first. Parker mocks Jonah Bolden's hair style and calling him out for not shooting more after Tony passes him the ball because as he tells Jonah: "Look I've only got three assists to give man so when I give it to you that close you got to score."
Tony as always is funny. I wish Steve took the Senior Tony instead of Bryce but I think it is a lock that Tony would have cracked a couple jokes at Steve's expense.