Wichita State head coach Isaac Brown was introduced as the Shockers' head men's basketball coach with an introductory press conference on Monday afternoon. Director of Athletics Darron Boatright and Wichita State Interim President Rick Muma also spoke at the event to welcome Brown as the 26th head coach in program history.
 
ISAAC BROWN on…
 
... how it feels to be the first Black coach at Wichita State:
"I had some great influences in my life like John Thompson, John Chaney and Rob Evans, who is now a mentor of mine. I'm humbled. I'm excited about that. I'm just really excited to get started."
 
… how it feels to be an influence for his players:
"I just want to be a good influence for the young people, the basketball players, the young kids in the community, and just knowing that anything can happen in life and keep doing your best. I want to just be a good coach for this university. We have such a rich basketball tradition. When I came here as an assistant, my ultimate goal was to be a head coach somewhere some day. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be the head coach at Wichita State. I'm going to 110 percent every day. We've got a great staff and we're ready to get to work."
 
… the relationships with his players:
"In our first team meeting, we talked about those guys taking ownership of the team. I want it to be a players-first program. They're the reason we win. They're taking the shots, running up and down the floor, executing. The coaching staff tries to make sure those guys are organized and set for every game. This is a players-first program and I just want to do a good job with those guys."
 
… what the last few months have been like for him:
"I was just enjoying the challenge with it being my first time as a head coach. I just wanted to make sure I was prepared and doing everything possible to have these guys ready to play. I give it up to the players because they have executed and have done everything they needed to do on the court and off the court, taking care of themselves and the community. I'm juts excited about the opportunity."
 
… what the conversations were like with Director of Athletics Darron Boatright:
"Darron just made me feel comfortable the entire year. Going back to that Oklahoma State game where we had that conversation after the game, I felt pretty good. We visit two or three times a week, and there never was any pressure on wins or losses. He just talked about the overall program. I am just excited he has the confidence in me to get the job done."
 
… one thing he would tell his younger self:
"I felt like I had a lot of experience as an assistant coach, but I worked for three Final Four coaches, so those guys gave a lot of tasks throughout the years and I completed them, so I felt like I was ready for it. These guys have had my back. The players, the coaching staff are all like a family. Everybody's giving it everything they have on the court."
 
… if he has moved into the head coaches' office and why he didn't to begin with:
"I just didn't feel comfortable moving into that office as the interim coach, and I probably won't move into that office until the summer."
 
… the feeling he had after seeing the team's reaction to the news of his hiring:
"It was really exciting to know the players had your back like that. It made me feel really good that they were supporting Darron Boatright and our Interim President Rick Muma and the entire community. Those guys have backed us up this entire year, so it made it feel really special that your team supported you like that."
 
… the culture he has been trying to establish:
"When we found out we got picked seventh in the league, our returning players had a chip on their shoulder. It felt like we had a good basketball team and we had something to prove. Wichita State has a rich basketball history and tradition, and those guys wanted to continue that success. They've done a great job. They came in on day one and worked hard to make sure they were at the top of the league like we have been in years past."
 
… what it's been like to see everyone in the program step up to challenges this year:
"It's been so exciting. To see our guys come together through adversity and fight for one common goal is really exciting. I want to thank the staff again. Those guys give 110 percent every day. With a staff, you want guys you can trust, and those guys are like brothers to me. It's exciting these guys have an opportunity to win a championship."
 
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS DARRON BOATRIGHT ON …
 
… the biggest reason for removing the interim tag before the season ended:
"We planned on making this announcement early next week between the end of the regular season and the conference tournament, but to be honest with you, we moved it up a week because we lost a week of games and with the conversations going on nationally about us getting into the NCAA tournament, I didn't want another weekend cycle to go by without our being in the conversation in some form or fashion. We did it on Friday so we could still be at the forefront of the conversation even though we hadn't played in eight or nine days."
 
… if there was one moment where he knew his decision about the job:
"Well when you have someone like we did with Isaac, you want to see how the moment affects them. How they react when they step into the head coach role and they're the one leading practice or calling the timeouts. So you want to see how the moment affects them and if they're wired to handle it. I think I said it in another interview, his business card changed, but Isaac did not. He was prepared for the moment. Then you start to watch the success and prepare for conference games, it became clear. I spoke with Isaac several weeks ago and told him that not one game will get him this job and not one game will cost him this job. It's too important to let something that is that vulnerable make the decision. I know there's a lot of emotion after a big win or loss, but you have to judge the whole body of work, and that's what I tried to focus on. There was also a comfort factor of watching him become comfortable."
 
… if Isaac Brown's calm demeanor has impressed him:
"There's a lot of things going on in the world right now. Some of it can be controlled by people, and some of it can not be controlled by people. They all affect what goes on on a college campus, and in this case, a men's basketball program. That was one more thing to address with Isaac to see how he handled it with his team and how they responded. It was very positive. I think Isaac's maturity and career experience are differentiation points. I think so often times, coaches get an opportunity to be a head coach too early. Isaac has been very patient. He's a first-time head coach, but he's no spring chicken. He's been through some things. This is the way college basketball was built for decades and decades. We had assistant coaches get into the profession and their career path guided itself and hey worked their whole career for one shot. Sometimes those guys get a shot at 30 years old and they're not ready, and they get fired in three years, and we still don't know if they can coach or not. Isaac has maturity. The people he has worked under and the programs he has worked for have set him apart in my mind."
 
WICHITA STATE INTERIM PRESIDENT RICK MUMA … 
 
Opening Statement:
"Good afternoon. I'm really thrilled to be a part of the announcement of our next men's basketball head coach. In past conversations with Coach Brown, we both agreed that the most important thing for the program was to promote a healthy student athlete experience, where each student is not only a successful player, but also left Wichita State University with a degree. As Coach Brown said to me… "when the ball stops bouncing, they need to have something to fall back on." I couldn't agree more. It's time to solidify the future of this program with Coach Brown, who has proven himself to be a great leader, one that inspires confidence in the players, the athletic director and most importantly the university."