CellularSouth All-Century Team Press Conference

Pete Boone

This is a red letter day for Ole Miss Basketball. We’ve previously had a Team of the Century in football, and now with 100 years gone by, it’s time to recognize those athletes that have meant so much to Ole Miss Basketball. Derek (Horne) can get a little more into the process of how the team selection was. I think it was a great process. The fans were involved. We were able to look at players that not only contributed statistically to Ole Miss, but meant a lot to Ole Miss fans and family. We are excited about the selection that we have. There is going to be some of events that Derek will talk about leading up to the date that we will recognize them on the court. It’s been a lot of fun. We have had a good time with this because we have such a great selection.

Derek Horne

As Pete has stated, it has been a great run and a lot of fun to compile this because 100 years of basketball is a great accomplishment. Earlier this year, our media relations department compiled a lot of press releases and all, so there are a lot of stories on the web site about the activity. What we decided to do is to have this fan vote, and we selected this team by not only using the fan vote, but using the athletic administrators and M-Club alumni officials to make sure that we capture the essence of this team. What we are going to do next Friday is have a reception not only honoring our All-Century Team, but other members of basketball because there are other people who contributed a lot to Ole Miss basketball. Saturday (Feb. 21) we are going to have activities during the game and at halftime to really showcase these individuals for not only what they have done, but the contributions that they have made to basketball. Now for the moment of truth, we are going to run through the names of the All-Century Team. They are as follows: B.L. “Country” Graham, Cob Jarvis, Denver Brackeen, Joe Gibbon, Jack Waters, Don Kessinger, Johnny Neumann, Coolidge Ball, John Stroud, Elston Turner, Sean Tuohy, Carlos Clark, Rod Barnes, Gerald Glass, Joe Harvell, Ansu Sesay, Keith Carter, Rahim Lockhart and Justin Reed.

We are glad that we did get members of all spectrums of our storied history at Ole Miss. We are glad to have the opportunity to have a diverse group of people to be involved in this All-Century Team. Like we stated before, we are going to honor our All-Century Team, but we really want to honor all those who have made contributions to Ole Miss basketball, but to the University as a whole.

Andy Kennedy

This is a great list of names. Some of them are with us today. Coolidge (Ball) looks like he could help us Saturday in Baton Rouge. You could really help us if you saw our first game. This is a lot of great players. I really hope that we can build off of that lineage of talent. That is what we are trying to do now and bring pride to the University. What a great honor100 years and to be selected as one of the all-time greats in the history of the program. I would like to be the first to congratulate you. We are going to continue to work hard to build upon the foundation that you guys have laid.

Gerald Glass

It’s a great honor. Some of these guys I grew up watching play. It’s an absolutely great day, and I’m proud to be on this team. My time spent here was great. I really enjoyed the program, and just congratulations to the rest of the guys here.

Coolidge Ball

It’s a great honor to be selected to this first 100 years team. I was so excited when I found out that my name was on there, so it’s a great honor. We are looking forward to all the activities that come with this. I enjoyed my career here. I love the University, and I’m so glad that I stayed in the state to play basketball.  It’s just my heart here at the University.

Keith Carter

I just want to echo what these guys said. It’s a big honor to be a part of this. Not growing up as an Ole Miss fan, it didn’t take me long to figure out that there are a lot of great people in this basketball program. Coach Graham used to come to all of our practices when I first got here, and just hearing stories from him. A lot of the guys throughout the yearsSean Tuohy telling stories, and sometimes more than what you wanted to hear. There are good people here, and I was fortunate enough to play with a couple of guys on this list. It’s such a big honor. Hopefully at the reunion we will have a lot of these guys come back.

Q: Talk about being a part of Ole Miss basketball even after you left the program.

Coolidge Ball

To be a part of Ole Miss basketball is great. This is where I wanted to be. My wife grew up here in Oxford and Lafayette County, and I stayed close to the program. I love being close to the game, and I got season tickets. I’m just enjoying it. It’s a great place to be here in Oxford.

Keith Carter

That is what helps build your programwhen guys from the past come back and give support. Coach Kennedy has done a really good job of getting everybody back in the program. Coach Barnes and Coach Evans did the same. You look at a Duke or a Carolina, and there is a lot of pride in those programs. That’s what we want to have at Ole Miss. That comes with the current team and the things they are doing, and from the guys that have been here before. I feel like once you come to Ole Miss and you are a part of this basketball tradition, it is in your blood from now on. It’s going to be great to see a lot of people and get everybody back on campus, so hopefully we can continue to help this program move on into the next 100 years.

Gerald Glass

My road to Ole Miss was a different road. I attended another university. I was recruited by Ole Miss out of high school, and I really wanted to come here and play four years here. Coach Hunt decided to sign other players, so I decided to go to Delta State. I ended up being here anyway, and I had the best time. The people in the program are great. I enjoy coming back, and I appreciate what the University has done for me right now by allowing me to come back and finish. I want to set an example for these guys and let them know not to waste time while they are here and take care of business academically while they are here. I just thank them for that, and I appreciate all the help they have provided me over the years.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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