Pac-12 Media Day: Oscar da Silva and Jerod Haase

Stanford is predicted to finish fourth in the Pac-12 and senior forward Oscar da Silva and freshman Ziaire Williams are preseason first-team honorees, but the expectations within the program are higher still than those respectable picks by media members.

Head coach Jerod Haase and da Silva spoke with members of the media Thursday during a virtual media day about the team's development this offseason, exciting freshman class and dealing with COVID-19. Here are the top quotes from da Silva and Haase.

Oscar da Silva

Why is it that this program can now absorb the loss of Tyrell Terry to the NBA and still be a Pac-12 title contender?

"I think the fact that that is true is pretty cool. I've seen it morph into this position where we are right now over the past three years. It gives me a lot of pride. I'm sure it gives the coaching staff a lot of pride to be able to build a program over the past few years where you have high level guys coming in every year and your team gets more and more competitive season after season."

In what ways have you become a better player?

"I think this time away from everybody gave me a chance to figure out new ways to connect with people and also realize how important it is to have personal connections, and be in touch with my guys. Coming back now it has given me more appreciation for the privilege of us being together and spending time together. I think it has made me a better teammate in trying to connect with guys and spend time with guys because that obviously got taken away from us over the summer."

What are your early impressions of Ziaire Williams?

"Great guy. We're having a lot of fun; he's fun to be around. He's a good-spirited kid. Obviously on the court he's really, really gifted. He moves really well. He can shoot the ball, he can handle it and pass it really well. He's a really, really great overall player and we're happy to have him."

Coach Haase has said there will be a few guys who share the point guard responsibilities. How has that been working out on the court and who has stepped into that role?

"I think it's working out well. It gives us a lot more flexibility while also decentralizing the point guard spot a little bit and having less pressure on the point guard. Obviously Daejon (Davis) has assumed more of a point guard role than he did last year and I think he's doing a phenomenal job ... and then Bryce (Wills) is playing point guard as well and doing a good job.

"We have Michael O'Connell, the freshman, who still has to learn a lot but is really, really gifted and knows how to play. So is Noah (Taitz), the other freshman. I think the committee approach is a good fit for the personnel we have."

Jerod Haase

What kind of impact will Ziaire Williams have?

"I think he will have a tremendous impact in a lot of different ways. Obviously he's really talented, but he's not a one-dimensional player. He has the ability to shoot the basketball, penetrate, make plays for others — I think he has really good instincts offensively and on the defensive end as well.

"Last year we were very successful and efficient on the defensive end of the floor. We're going to put someone in there with Ziaire who has length, who has instincts and plays hard. I think he will impact the game in so many ways for us."

On reducing turnovers in practice: "It certainly has been no lack of emphasis. The guys understand how important it is to value the basketball. But I am a little bit stubborn too because I do believe that attacking the basket and getting to the paint is a good thing and when that happens you're going to put the ball in jeopardy a little bit more.

"I also believe in sharing the basketball and having a selfless team, and when you do that you're going to get some turnovers but you gain the benefit from multiple guys being able to showcase their strengths and playing as a team.

"We are ... being aggressive and sharing the basketball and with that sometimes you're putting yourself in a situation to have more turnovers. Having said that, I do think our guys are capable ... and we're capable of developing a game plan to limit them and also gain the benefits of playing the aggressive way we're playing."