Editor’s Note: Today we run the third and final interview from our series of conversations with UVa’s three assistant coaches, as we spoke with Orlando Vandross to get his perspective on the program winning a title in his first year as a full-time assistant as well as his get his thoughts on the season ahead, the changes to the recruiting calendar, and more. If you haven’t, check out the first two Q&As in the series with associate head coach Jason Williford and assistant coach Brad Soderberg.

What was the aftermath of the championship like for you? Those first few days, you guys went right to work so I’m guessing you really didn’t get to bask in the whole thing. What were those days after the championship like?

It was crazy. Obviously you’re excited to win a national championship but then reality kicks in that three to four guys could be leaving early so you’ve got to try and reload. I think a lot of meetings, a lot of research, a lot of phone calls, things of that nature, helped us figure out who was still available and who fit UVa.

Like every other player or coach, you dreamed of being on that stage and winning that game. What did it really feel like when you saw your team, your kids, go out there and get it done?

Surreal. That’s the only word I’ve got for it. Surreal.

Has it sunken in, even now? Is easier to believe now than it was April 9th?

That’s a great question. I think it sinks in more every day. I think every day it becomes more real that we won a national championship. For years, J-Willy and I would go to the Final Four in particular and watch those practices and talk to some of our friends in there. And we often wondered if we would ever have the opportunity to be a part of something like that, to be one of four let alone be the last one standing. So, I’d say it was surreal. It still is.

I know for you guys the idea going into last season was that, to win it all having an extra ball handler on the floor was imperative. I know that was a point of emphasis for Coach (Tony) Bennett coming out of the UMBC loss. This year because of all that you guys lost, you’re going to have to lean on your bigs more and that goes against that idea of what that extra guard means for you. You don’t have as much depth there. So, in your eyes what is the challenge this year in terms of not only coming off a title but just simply in terms of being a good team? When you look at this roster, what are the challenges that you see?

The challenges obviously will be ball handling in terms of, can we really mature and get some of our underclassmen and first-year guys like Casey (Morsell) ready to go? Even Kody (Stattmann), even though he’s a second-year, can we get him prepared to play at the level we have experienced in terms of our expectations? Basically, guys who have never been in major roles will have to step up and fill some shoes. I think the goal more importantly for us in this season—and this sounds like coach talk but it’s the truth—is just to improve daily. Daily improvement. Just go after it each day and improve each day. If we do that, everything will take care of itself. Our goal is that by the time March rolls around, we want to be one of those 64 teams that can be a tough out.

Guards are kind of your playground so to speak. When you look back at the year Kihei Clark had, what do you like about his development over the year and what stands out to you about where he started from and where he finished in Minneapolis?

I think he figured out how to find his own niche within the flow of things with the ‘Three Headed Monster.’ I think he did a great job of fitting in and latching on to Ty (Jerome) because he wanted to understand ‘How can I help this team?’ Obviously he listened to us as coaches but he really bought into how Ty made the transition after London (Perrantes) left. ‘How can I help take this program forward?’ I think he did a really good job watching and learning and just staying in his lane as much as possible, being consistent in his role, which I think is a real strength.

I know assistant coaches always defer to the head man when it comes to recruiting success. You have the kind of on-court success you had last season and you immediately get to work. You have success on the trail too with Justin (McKoy) and Tomas (Woldentensae) and then you build this 2020 class, though you obviously can’t talk about them specifically yet until they sign. Does anything change for you in recruiting coming off a national title? Is it just that folks are more likely to answer the phone or maybe some kids are more willing to take a look? What’s different now?

I think the change really comes down to this: Kids know now they can go to Virginia and win a national championship. I don’t have to say that anymore. They just know. In the beginning, I would sell our vision and talk about that being our goal. But now, that box has been checked. The banner’s right outside. You can do that here now. So, the key is that, yeah, we’re attractive but we still have to go through the process of finding the right fit for Coach Bennett and our program.

You no longer have to tell them, right, you just show them. I would imagine then that makes things a little easier in some ways. Have you noticed a different reaction from folks, be it recruits or coaches? Have you noticed anything different?

The one thing I’ve noticed is that I think they’re more receptive. It’s not a selling job anymore. It’s more of a conversation now and opening their minds to the possibilities and talking to them about what UVa can offer. You can get the best of all worlds here, from athletics to academics to whatever it might be. You can get all of it here at UVa.

Tell me this: What did you think of the NCAA’s changes to the recruiting calendar? Fan? Not a fan?

I think there has to be some changes but I also thought personally, internally, that we had it right in terms of the model. That being said, I don’t have enough juice to make that happen. What I will say, though, is that I understand changes needed to be made but I also feel that we had it right.

So, in essence, you liked the way it was but you feel like you want to take some time and get used to the way it is?

Right. I feel like I get that this is where things are headed, so I want to see where it takes us. First time with it, we obviously didn’t know how it would go and there were inevitably going to be some difficult moments as everybody tried to figure it out, some complications here and there. But we’ll see where this takes us and maybe the powers that be will reconsider. Maybe they take a look again to try and make it right.

If you had a magic wand, and you did have that kind of juice, what’s your ideal situation? Maybe keep the regional camps with more of the classic model? How would you tweak it?

Great question. When you talk to other coaches, especially when you’re out on the road in the month of July, lot of us still believe the AAU needs to be involved with the NCAA camps. If you’re going to do regional camps, somehow integrate AAU basketball so that we get a look at some of the best talent available within that region as opposed to just reaching for straws, so to speak, not knowing if these guys are going to show up. When you have a plan and the plan is executed, it makes recruiting a little bit easier when you know some of the kids and where they’re going. It helps us to be present and to be there more and to evaluate them. But if you don’t, you’re going to go on a bit of a goose chase.

You obviously can’t comment specifically on them but in the general sense, what do you think of your 2020 class so far and what do you like about the group? What do you think you might still look for with the spot you’ve got available?

I think what we have is that we’ve got guys that are going to come in and be ready to compete. I don’t know where that takes them. I can’t guarantee starting roles or minutes or what have you but we feel like we have added a group of guys that want to come in and compete and compete hard and let’s see where it takes us. I think, to answer the latter part of your question, that the need we have is going to define itself as we go through our season. I think Coach Bennett does a great job of not making rushed decisions, which is definitely a strength in my eyes because you can make a quick decision at the wrong time that really hurts you. I think that’s how in terms of recruiting it’s going to play out this year.

Last one. You were a part of this program for a long time before you were named a full-time assistant coach. Coming off of your first year, which ended with a national championship obviously and that’s a heck of a way for your first year to go, but looking back on it what was that first year like aside from just the title?

I think that’s a really good question. I think you asked earlier has it sunken in and yes, it’s slowly setting in. But I also remember my first year here, we were so close and took a tough, tough loss to Syracuse. So I always reflect back to that moment because, in my career to that point, that was the furthest I had ever been. And a part of me wondered if we’d get that close again and how long it would be. To see this program check off so many boxes this spring, from the loss the previous year to then the Elite 8 and Final Four and the championship, it almost sounds like a fairy tale. To actually see it come to fruition, it’s been really cool and really rewarding and so I have no complaints that’s for sure. We’ve done it all.

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