Oregon Women’s Basketball’s Kelly Graves: ‘We’re gonna bring a lot to the Big Ten’

Kelly Graves is excited for Oregon women’s basketball to join the Big Ten Conference.

Graves is entering his 11th season as the head coach of the Ducks and 27th season leading a Division I program. He sat down with Rick Pizzo of the Big Ten Network Friday.

“We’re gonna bring a lot to the Big Ten,” Graves said. “We’re excited about joining but I think people are kind of intrigued a little bit and excited about going to Eugene and seeing what the University of Oregon is about.”

Pizzo asked Graves about his view of the league over the past decade.

“It’s gonna be a challenge,” Graves said. “But I’m looking forward to it. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? I’m gonna have to be ready for it because it gonna be a heck of a conference.”

Part of the Big Ten’s success over the past few years was what Caitlin Clark was able to do at Iowa. But before Clark there was Naz Hillmon of Michigan, Megan Gustafson of Iowa, and Kelsey Mitchell of Ohio State. All of those individuals won Big Ten Player of the Year honors and are currently in the WNBA.

“When I first got into the business, there wasn’t a whole lot of interest in women’s basketball,” Graves said. “To see where we’re at now, we’re riding the crest of a big wave and I love it.

“I think we’ve been a part of it at the University of Oregon, when you look at some of the players that we’ve had. Some of the success that we’ve had, I think has played a part and I’m proud of that. But we still have a ways to go and I think the formation of this conference now with the 18 teams, we’re gonna set the standard.”

At the forefront of Oregon’s success in the past decade was three-time Pac-12 Player of the Year Sabrina Ionescu. Other recent All-Pac-12 Ducks include Endyia Rogers, Te-Hina Paopao, Nyara Sabally, Ruthy Hebard, and Satou Sabally.

“I’ve been blessed,” Graves said. “Really grateful to be part of this new journey.”