Blue White Illustrated

M E N ' S B A S K E T B A L L T alor Battle isn't shy about acknowl- edging the excitement and emotion attached to his new career. Having retired from professional basketball overseas three years ago, Penn State's all-time leading scorer landed as a fi- nancial advisor back in his hometown of Albany, N.Y. Still hoping to get back into basketball, Battle formed a bond with head coach Patrick Chambers that paid off in September when assistant Kevin Freeman returned to Connecticut, opening an opportunity for Battle start a coaching career at his alma mater. And he is still in disbelief over his good fortune. "If I told you, you would think I'm lying," Battle said, days into his new job, "but I called my wife when I got down here, I was going to get some coffee at Star- bucks. I'm driving on Col- lege Avenue and I was maybe three minutes down the road, I'm listening to music and, out loud, I just yelled, 'I'm back! I'm back!' in the car to myself, I was just so excited." BWI's Nate Bauer sat down for a Zoom interview with Battle to learn more about the new gig and what he hopes to bring to the job for an ascendant Penn State men's basketball program. BWI How are you feeling? BATTLE I couldn't be more excited and grateful to Coach for the opportunity, because this place is home to me and I just love it so much. I know coaching is something I haven't done before, so I have a lot to learn on that front, but hav- ing been a student here, having played here, I can relate to the guys. And as a mentor and as a leader, I look forward to initially helping in that regard. I'm excited. I'm ready to get around the guys and just get to work and start trying to be a little piece of the puzzle. BWI What does it mean to have Patrick Chambers' confi- dence with this being your first coaching experience? BATTLE That's why I led with how I can't express my gratitude [enough], be- cause from his end, I'm sure it's not easy. I have no experience, so for him to go out on a limb and take a shot on me just shows the confidence, the type of per- son that Coach is, and that he's a be- liever in me. It's just an honor. I'm at a loss for words because I know that that's not easy. I'll be forever grateful for that. But Coach sees something in me that I can help with the guys, learn from him, and [Keith] Urgo, and [Jim] Ferry and everybody else to be an asset to the staff as they continue to build on that great success they've had. BWI Was there ever a second thought? Of maybe not doing this? BATTLE For me? No. Never. It was funny, because once it happened I was just sitting every night praying that I would actually get the offer and it would be me. I figured at that point, if I didn't, it would be hard to go back to trying to be a financial advisor. BWI Do you have aspirations beyond this for a coaching career and where you'd like this to take you? BATTLE It's early. I've got a lot to learn on the coaching front. I played, but I know playing is completely different from coaching. Right now, I'm the rookie and I just want to learn as much as I can about this side of the business from Coach Chambers, Coach Ferry, Coach Urgo, Ross [Condon], all of those guys. I just want to be a sponge and take it all in and understand this whole mo- ment. Then as time progresses, do I want to continue to coach? Forever. Do I want to leave here? Never. I guess that's the other thing on the other side. How many people get the op- portunity to start at a place that means everything to them? Like I told Coach, you bring me on, I'm not going any- where. I'm not leaving for the next job somewhere else. This is home to me, this place means the world, so I hope to be here for a long time. BWI Have you started to think about recruiting and that end of the job and what type of an asset you might be in that realm? BATTLE I've thought about it, but that's another part where learning comes into play. That is all new to me. When I'm recruiting, everything I speak is going to come from the heart. When I'm selling this place, there's nothing fake about it. I've walked it. What I'm telling you is what I believe wholeheartedly. So I think that will help and go a long way talking to families, but FEELING RIGHT AT HOME Talor Battle makes an enthusiastic return to his alma mater as an assistant coach WELCOME BACK Battle finished his career as Penn State's all- time leading scorer. He'll be making his coaching debut with the Lions this season. Photo courtesy of Penn State Athletics

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