If Turner Battle is as good a coach as he was a basketball player, the Bulls are heading in the right direction after the defection of former assistant coach Chris Hawkins to Tulane.
Just two years after graduating, Battle, the 2004-05 Mid-American Conference player of the year, has joined the Bulls staff to replace the very assistant coach who recruited him all those years ago.
"I think while he was here he was a very good leader," said Bulls head coach Reggie Witherspoon, who recruited Battle as part of his first recruiting class. "One of the things about Turner is that he's always been very good at helping people around him become better at what they do well. He's never just been about being a great player himself, he's always been about helping people."
Battle believes one of his biggest assets is that he is so relatable to the players since he has played with a good portion of them.
"I know the guys well. I've played pickup with all of them. The situation is perfect," Battle said. "I'm comfortable. I know the system. I played in the system. I can relate to the players from a player's stand point."
While Battle is happy to be a Bull once again, he did not expect to be coaching so soon after graduation. Taking this job effectively ended his professional basketball career, and Battle says he wrestled with the decision for nearly two weeks before finally committing to the Bulls.
"It is a little bit (bittersweet to retire from professional basketball), but I think everything happens for a reason," Battle said. The opportunity that I have here is kind of hard to pass up. I'm still playing, I'm just not playing professional basketball. I'm still playing pick up."
Battle says that the hardest part of his new job has been the recruiting aspect. The long hours and all of the traveling have taken some getting used to, but he calls on his experience as a player being recruited less than ten years ago to his advantage.
"It's different being on the other side of the phone, talking to parents and players instead of coaches talking to me," Battle said. "It's weird but it also helps me (that I just went through the process) because I can start a conversation talking about my experience. I talk about my experience here and my experience when I chose a college that helps me out that way."
Battle admits that it will be a surreal experience the first time he steps back on to the Alumni Arena court for a home game. He is also prepared for the ribbing from players when the fans inevitably begin the familiar "Tur-ner Bat-tle" chant. However he is quick to stress that this is a new team and a new era compared to when he played just two years ago. Even when he goes up against the same Ohio Bobcat team who stole the MAC championship from Battle's senior year squad with .09 of a second left, it will just be a regular game.
"The past is over. I just want to concentrate on the guys we have now," he said. "Ohio is a different team now. We just have to try to win the game."
Battle believes that his leadership skills and his experience as a point guard have led to his quick ascension in the college coaching ranks.
"If I would have played shooting guard, or small forward if I was a little taller, I don't know if I'd be coaching right now," Battle said.
Though Battle's only prior coaching experience was this past season at Sweet Home High School, he believes he paid his dues in his four-year career at Buffalo.
"People may think (I didn't pay dues), but I paid my dues by playing for four years," he said. "I was always a coach on the court. I really don't worry about what other people think too much. I just worry about what my players and coaches think and try to do what they tell me to do."
While it may have happened earlier than he would have liked or even expected, Battle always felt that his career calling was in coaching rather than playing.
"That was always my dream to one day become a coach," Battle said. "I never thought it would come this quick, but that's what I always wanted to do."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
