Photo by: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Santiago Vescovi Media Availability Transcript and Video
October 27, 2020 | Men's Basketball
Tennessee sophomore guard Santiago Vescovi met with the media via Zoom on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the Vols upcoming season and his offseason in Uruguay.
On what he was able to do back home to improve his game and how tough it was working out and finding competition to play against:
"In Uruguay it was way easier because COVID was a smaller thing. We had very few cases and by the time I was there we only had around 60 total active cases in the whole country, so that allowed us to be able to play five-on-five, practice, and do what we wanted in groups and it was safer than everywhere else in the world where COVID was a big thing. So, it was basically me working out by myself with the strength and condition coach I knew, and also playing five-on-five with guys that I knew, and I think that really helped us to grow along with just knowing that the environment was safe."
On if he was anxious to get back or if he was fine to wait it out if he had to:
"Both, because I was really anxious to get back, but at the same time I felt as if I was doing a good job in Uruguay because I knew I was working really hard. Also, in terms of COVID it was much safer staying in Uruguay because there were very few cases before coming here, but at the same time I also wanted to be with my teammates."
On how he thinks losing weight and trimming down will help him in his game this season:
"I really experienced a big change in my game and my body, and I have been feeling it during practice. I feel way quicker, I feel leaner also because I got leaner when I was working out back at home. I feel that is really going to help me first off from a defensive stand point, because I will be able to guard quicker guards, and also In terms of the offense I believe it will help me a lot because I am feeling better and I am quicker, and I can go by guys, so I think that is a big difference in my game."
On what the process was like waiting to get home during COVID and also waiting to come back to Tennessee:
"It was crazy. I remember it was spring break, so I went with John (Fulkerson) to a house somewhere else to chill out because of COVID and we knew it was going to be a big thing, so we realized we had to go back home. I realized I had to go back home the next day because they were shutting down the borders, so we had to drive all the way back to campus and we had to sign a lot of paperwork in the morning at six in the morning, and at 11 a.m. my flight was leaving, so it was kind of crazy."
On what made him change his hair color, and we he feels he can do to help the team more this season:
"First with the hair color, I was just in Uruguay and It was a long time in quarantine not doing much, and I was going to dye my hair white and then I stayed home a little longer, so everyone knew my idea was to come show off the white hair, but then they already knew because I stayed in Uruguay. It didn't have a big thing behind it, I just wanted to do something else. As far as this year, I believe my game has improved a lot. I really feel way better as I already stated, because I feel better physically, and also I am starting to learn the pace of the game more, and as Coach Barnes asks us, I try to play faster and every time I get the ball I just try to run the court and I feel I am doing a good job doing that, but I still think I have a lot of room to improve and that is what I am working on every day."
On how competitive the practices are now with the newcomers this year:
"They are really competitive, and that's what is going to make us be a really good team. Having the opportunity to compete everyday against each other is a good thing because we have a lot of talented players. Both the newcomers and people that have stayed are talented and I believe that is what is going to make us grow every day."
On what the biggest adjustment he made were when he started playing at Tennessee, whether it was the speed of the game or the athleticism of the opponents:
"It was both. The athleticism of the people I was playing against it was something I was getting used to every time I played more For the speed of the game as I said I am trying to play in a faster pace. Also, every time I play now I am starting to understand more what Coach Barnes wants from us and that is a really good thing because we all are on the same page."
On how much more comfortable he feels in running the offense, versus when he first got here back in January/February:
"I feel way more comfortable right now, as I mentioned we are starting to know more of the offense and what Coach Barnes wants from us. That is really good for me and all the team because we are on the same page and I feel really good about the offense we are running right now. Also, just running more every time and getting the pace even faster, is going to really help us."
On what he has been focusing on to improve his game on the defensive side of the ball:
"I have been working on one-on-one defense and trying to stay in front of the ball, and every time I think I am doing a better job. I had a talk with one of the coaches yesterday and this morning about it. He sent me videos of practice and I will tell him I am trying to be a better defensive player than last year, and he told me he saw a really good improvement and I think we just have to keep working on it."
On his reaction to Yves Pons coming back:
"I remember, I would say I appreciate him coming back and also I'm really glad that he is coming back. I'm really excited about him, and I think he's going to really help us on the court but also off the court, because I think he's a very mature player. He can help a lot of us, including the newcomers. I think he can guide them in the way we all want them to be. He has a lot of experience and I think he can really help us. I don't really remember how I found out [that Yves Pons as returning]. I think it was one of my parents saw it on the internet and said, 'Did you see that Yves was coming back?' They showed it to me and I was really excited."
On what fans can expect from Victor Bailey Jr. this year:
"I really think that Victor Bailey is, I don't know how to say it in English, but he's definitely going to be a big surprise that most of the people are not going to be aware of like how good he's playing right now. I think he's going to be a really big game changer for us."
On how he was able to get to campus and play and SEC game within 7 days last January:
"By the time that happened, I didn't realize it, but now looking a little backwards to what it was, I really think it was just crazy. At the same time, I would never regret what I did, because I think it really helped me in a lot of ways to improve, and I was just trying to help the team in any way that I could. I think that's going to give me a really big head start for what's coming next season. So, I think it was a really good decision for me to play."
On how much he worked on his 3-point shooting in Uruguay and how that has factored in to his freedom to shoot those shots in a game:
"I've been working a lot on my 3-point shot, either staying after practice just shooting with the managers, shooting the gun, or whatever I can do. I think that's going to be a big game changer for me, because I feel way better than last semester in terms of shooting. I think that's going to make the defense get closer to me and that's what is going to help me set them up so I can drive use well. I just feel way better shooting right now."
On if he considers himself a better shooter or passer:
"I would consider myself a mix between them. I've been working on my shooting speed, so I should be better now even though the guy is closer to me. I also think that my ability to shoot helps me to drive and get two people together. Then, I can be a good passer as well because I can really see where the defensive help is coming from. "
On if he enjoys making a 3-point shot more than assisting a teammate:
"To be honest, I really enjoy both of them, but if I had to choose I would rather give an assist to a wide-open 3-point shot rather than just shooting it myself"
On what the potential is for the team defensively:
"I think we have really good potential defensive wise. We've been showing it in practice. I think we have a really athletic and talented group, defensive or offensive wise, and I think we're going to do really good things on the defensive end."
On who he played with back home:
"When I was back in Uruguay, there was a lot of people in my situation. There were some people in Uruguay my age that are playing all around the world, and because of COVID they had to come back, so they didn't have anywhere to play or practice. So, we all got together and tried to figure out somehow to practice and play against each other."
On if he saw more Tennessee merchandise when he went back home:
"I brought stuff back, stuff that I just wanted to give to my family, but I didn't really see much Tennessee stuff back in Uruguay.
On each of the newcomers:
"Starting with Keon [Johnson], I think he's really athletic and he can also shoot the ball. I think he's really quick, strong, and he's also tall and long. He's a really good player. Jaden [Springer] is really talented. He's also athletic, but he just plays the way he feels and that makes him a really good player. His instincts are good. Corey Walker can really shoot the ball. He's also a big man, so he can really crash the board. Talking about E.J [Anosike], he's a unit. You cannot stop him going to the rim. I would rather just move to the side rather than staying in front of him. He's super strong, and he's really good at crashing the glass and getting offensive rebounds. He's also good at having the ball—he can read the defense and he can make good passes."
On the depth at the point guard position:
"I've been working a lot off the ball, too, but I also feel comfortable playing the point. We have a lot of people that can run the point. We have a lot of talented guards. I think that's really going to help us any time we're playing, because that's going to give us a talented player coming fresh from the bench every, and that's going to make us stay at the same competitive level throughout the whole game."
On how many games a week he was playing in Uruguay and how much he worked alone:
"We were playing probably three to four times a week, but at the same time the days we were not playing I had the opportunity to go by myself and shoot. My dad also would come and pass me the ball and rebound for me. If not, I would just work by myself. I would also go with a strength and conditioning coach that I knew from Uruguay, and he really helped me in terms of lifting weights and getting stronger over time."
On being on a road trip with (John Fulkerson):
"We went to South Carolina to stay at a place, it was John, a friend, and me. It was long, we had a five-hour drive, but at the same time it was fun because I really get along with John. I thought it was fun, but at the same time we got there and we had to come back, so it was super quick. I think we could have enjoyed it more if COVIDÂ didn't happen."
On various preseason rankings:
"To be honest I haven't talked to the team about that, and personally myself I haven't thought about that. I know we rank somewhere high, but I try not to think about it because I feel it's going to put pressure on us that is not needed. I know there are people that expect a lot from us and I know more people are going to come ready to play us, so we have to be ready for them."
On going through 2019:
"Definitely I feel 2020 is a more crazy year than I've ever been in, just because of COVID. We all have to wear masks, I didn't ever think about that in my life, but if we have to do that just to keep ourselves safe we're going to do it. In terms. Of my 2019, it was crazy too, but it was nothing compared to 2020."
On preparing with not knowing when the first game is:
"I don't think it messes with our preparation. We just focus on trying to get better every day. We all think about when we're going to start playing, but at the same time we would just focus on trying to get better every day. I think that's what we should do, everyday just get in, get the work done, and get better every day. So, it keeps us from thinking about when the season is going to start."
On his college experience:
"It's been a really fun experience, I know now it's different because of covid and almost all my classes are online, so I don't get to be around many people. At the same time, I think it's really fun coming everyday into Pratt or TBA for practice with my teammates. I think it's a really good opportunity, it's. really fun also spending time with them on and off the courts because I love my teammates."
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On what he was able to do back home to improve his game and how tough it was working out and finding competition to play against:
"In Uruguay it was way easier because COVID was a smaller thing. We had very few cases and by the time I was there we only had around 60 total active cases in the whole country, so that allowed us to be able to play five-on-five, practice, and do what we wanted in groups and it was safer than everywhere else in the world where COVID was a big thing. So, it was basically me working out by myself with the strength and condition coach I knew, and also playing five-on-five with guys that I knew, and I think that really helped us to grow along with just knowing that the environment was safe."
On if he was anxious to get back or if he was fine to wait it out if he had to:
"Both, because I was really anxious to get back, but at the same time I felt as if I was doing a good job in Uruguay because I knew I was working really hard. Also, in terms of COVID it was much safer staying in Uruguay because there were very few cases before coming here, but at the same time I also wanted to be with my teammates."
On how he thinks losing weight and trimming down will help him in his game this season:
"I really experienced a big change in my game and my body, and I have been feeling it during practice. I feel way quicker, I feel leaner also because I got leaner when I was working out back at home. I feel that is really going to help me first off from a defensive stand point, because I will be able to guard quicker guards, and also In terms of the offense I believe it will help me a lot because I am feeling better and I am quicker, and I can go by guys, so I think that is a big difference in my game."
On what the process was like waiting to get home during COVID and also waiting to come back to Tennessee:
"It was crazy. I remember it was spring break, so I went with John (Fulkerson) to a house somewhere else to chill out because of COVID and we knew it was going to be a big thing, so we realized we had to go back home. I realized I had to go back home the next day because they were shutting down the borders, so we had to drive all the way back to campus and we had to sign a lot of paperwork in the morning at six in the morning, and at 11 a.m. my flight was leaving, so it was kind of crazy."
On what made him change his hair color, and we he feels he can do to help the team more this season:
"First with the hair color, I was just in Uruguay and It was a long time in quarantine not doing much, and I was going to dye my hair white and then I stayed home a little longer, so everyone knew my idea was to come show off the white hair, but then they already knew because I stayed in Uruguay. It didn't have a big thing behind it, I just wanted to do something else. As far as this year, I believe my game has improved a lot. I really feel way better as I already stated, because I feel better physically, and also I am starting to learn the pace of the game more, and as Coach Barnes asks us, I try to play faster and every time I get the ball I just try to run the court and I feel I am doing a good job doing that, but I still think I have a lot of room to improve and that is what I am working on every day."
On how competitive the practices are now with the newcomers this year:
"They are really competitive, and that's what is going to make us be a really good team. Having the opportunity to compete everyday against each other is a good thing because we have a lot of talented players. Both the newcomers and people that have stayed are talented and I believe that is what is going to make us grow every day."
On what the biggest adjustment he made were when he started playing at Tennessee, whether it was the speed of the game or the athleticism of the opponents:
"It was both. The athleticism of the people I was playing against it was something I was getting used to every time I played more For the speed of the game as I said I am trying to play in a faster pace. Also, every time I play now I am starting to understand more what Coach Barnes wants from us and that is a really good thing because we all are on the same page."
On how much more comfortable he feels in running the offense, versus when he first got here back in January/February:
"I feel way more comfortable right now, as I mentioned we are starting to know more of the offense and what Coach Barnes wants from us. That is really good for me and all the team because we are on the same page and I feel really good about the offense we are running right now. Also, just running more every time and getting the pace even faster, is going to really help us."
On what he has been focusing on to improve his game on the defensive side of the ball:
"I have been working on one-on-one defense and trying to stay in front of the ball, and every time I think I am doing a better job. I had a talk with one of the coaches yesterday and this morning about it. He sent me videos of practice and I will tell him I am trying to be a better defensive player than last year, and he told me he saw a really good improvement and I think we just have to keep working on it."
On his reaction to Yves Pons coming back:
"I remember, I would say I appreciate him coming back and also I'm really glad that he is coming back. I'm really excited about him, and I think he's going to really help us on the court but also off the court, because I think he's a very mature player. He can help a lot of us, including the newcomers. I think he can guide them in the way we all want them to be. He has a lot of experience and I think he can really help us. I don't really remember how I found out [that Yves Pons as returning]. I think it was one of my parents saw it on the internet and said, 'Did you see that Yves was coming back?' They showed it to me and I was really excited."
On what fans can expect from Victor Bailey Jr. this year:
"I really think that Victor Bailey is, I don't know how to say it in English, but he's definitely going to be a big surprise that most of the people are not going to be aware of like how good he's playing right now. I think he's going to be a really big game changer for us."
On how he was able to get to campus and play and SEC game within 7 days last January:
"By the time that happened, I didn't realize it, but now looking a little backwards to what it was, I really think it was just crazy. At the same time, I would never regret what I did, because I think it really helped me in a lot of ways to improve, and I was just trying to help the team in any way that I could. I think that's going to give me a really big head start for what's coming next season. So, I think it was a really good decision for me to play."
On how much he worked on his 3-point shooting in Uruguay and how that has factored in to his freedom to shoot those shots in a game:
"I've been working a lot on my 3-point shot, either staying after practice just shooting with the managers, shooting the gun, or whatever I can do. I think that's going to be a big game changer for me, because I feel way better than last semester in terms of shooting. I think that's going to make the defense get closer to me and that's what is going to help me set them up so I can drive use well. I just feel way better shooting right now."
On if he considers himself a better shooter or passer:
"I would consider myself a mix between them. I've been working on my shooting speed, so I should be better now even though the guy is closer to me. I also think that my ability to shoot helps me to drive and get two people together. Then, I can be a good passer as well because I can really see where the defensive help is coming from. "
On if he enjoys making a 3-point shot more than assisting a teammate:
"To be honest, I really enjoy both of them, but if I had to choose I would rather give an assist to a wide-open 3-point shot rather than just shooting it myself"
On what the potential is for the team defensively:
"I think we have really good potential defensive wise. We've been showing it in practice. I think we have a really athletic and talented group, defensive or offensive wise, and I think we're going to do really good things on the defensive end."
On who he played with back home:
"When I was back in Uruguay, there was a lot of people in my situation. There were some people in Uruguay my age that are playing all around the world, and because of COVID they had to come back, so they didn't have anywhere to play or practice. So, we all got together and tried to figure out somehow to practice and play against each other."
On if he saw more Tennessee merchandise when he went back home:
"I brought stuff back, stuff that I just wanted to give to my family, but I didn't really see much Tennessee stuff back in Uruguay.
On each of the newcomers:
"Starting with Keon [Johnson], I think he's really athletic and he can also shoot the ball. I think he's really quick, strong, and he's also tall and long. He's a really good player. Jaden [Springer] is really talented. He's also athletic, but he just plays the way he feels and that makes him a really good player. His instincts are good. Corey Walker can really shoot the ball. He's also a big man, so he can really crash the board. Talking about E.J [Anosike], he's a unit. You cannot stop him going to the rim. I would rather just move to the side rather than staying in front of him. He's super strong, and he's really good at crashing the glass and getting offensive rebounds. He's also good at having the ball—he can read the defense and he can make good passes."
On the depth at the point guard position:
"I've been working a lot off the ball, too, but I also feel comfortable playing the point. We have a lot of people that can run the point. We have a lot of talented guards. I think that's really going to help us any time we're playing, because that's going to give us a talented player coming fresh from the bench every, and that's going to make us stay at the same competitive level throughout the whole game."
On how many games a week he was playing in Uruguay and how much he worked alone:
"We were playing probably three to four times a week, but at the same time the days we were not playing I had the opportunity to go by myself and shoot. My dad also would come and pass me the ball and rebound for me. If not, I would just work by myself. I would also go with a strength and conditioning coach that I knew from Uruguay, and he really helped me in terms of lifting weights and getting stronger over time."
On being on a road trip with (John Fulkerson):
"We went to South Carolina to stay at a place, it was John, a friend, and me. It was long, we had a five-hour drive, but at the same time it was fun because I really get along with John. I thought it was fun, but at the same time we got there and we had to come back, so it was super quick. I think we could have enjoyed it more if COVIDÂ didn't happen."
On various preseason rankings:
"To be honest I haven't talked to the team about that, and personally myself I haven't thought about that. I know we rank somewhere high, but I try not to think about it because I feel it's going to put pressure on us that is not needed. I know there are people that expect a lot from us and I know more people are going to come ready to play us, so we have to be ready for them."
On going through 2019:
"Definitely I feel 2020 is a more crazy year than I've ever been in, just because of COVID. We all have to wear masks, I didn't ever think about that in my life, but if we have to do that just to keep ourselves safe we're going to do it. In terms. Of my 2019, it was crazy too, but it was nothing compared to 2020."
On preparing with not knowing when the first game is:
"I don't think it messes with our preparation. We just focus on trying to get better every day. We all think about when we're going to start playing, but at the same time we would just focus on trying to get better every day. I think that's what we should do, everyday just get in, get the work done, and get better every day. So, it keeps us from thinking about when the season is going to start."
On his college experience:
"It's been a really fun experience, I know now it's different because of covid and almost all my classes are online, so I don't get to be around many people. At the same time, I think it's really fun coming everyday into Pratt or TBA for practice with my teammates. I think it's a really good opportunity, it's. really fun also spending time with them on and off the courts because I love my teammates."
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Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
G
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