Watch: Wes Miller breakout session media availability and recap
As Cincinnati prepares to tip off its third season in the Big 12, Head Coach Wes Miller met with the media Wednesday and delivered a candid, wide-ranging discussion on everything from offseason rule changes to team identity, roster depth, and what it really takes to compete in the nation’s toughest league.
Below is a breakdown of everything covered during Miller's breakout session with local media.
New NCAA Rule Changes
Coach Miller didn’t hold back when asked about the NCAA’s recent rule changes, including the addition of the continuation rule and limited coach's challenges.
“I think I’m one of these guys that… you want to preserve the things that have made college basketball unique, but at the same time, you gotta continue to modernize our game,” Miller said. “That’s a delicate balance.”
While he supports modernization in principle, Miller took issue with how the rules are being applied.
“I wouldn’t say that I love the rule changes… I actually think they make the game even more difficult for the referees.”
As for the coach's challenge rule, Miller wasn’t convinced it offered meaningful value:
“You’re only able to challenge a handful of things that they were actually reviewing on their own anyway… I like the idea of challenging, but I don’t necessarily like the way the rule’s been unrolled.”
Miller on Preseason Rankings
Despite last year’s team being ranked and this year’s not, Miller brushed off any concern about preseason expectations.
“Internally, whether it’s personally or within our locker room, it matters zero. The only thing that matters is us trying to improve our team every single day.”
Miller acknowledged the buzz is good for the sport—but emphasized that winning starts with daily work, not outside noise:
“The fanfare, people talking—that’s great for college basketball. It’s great for Cincinnati basketball if we’re in that conversation. But what’s really important… is that everything is just about our improvement.”
Big 12 Lessons Learned
Now in his third season in the Big 12, Miller reflected on what he's learned from competing in the conference.
“There’s just a mad dash and sense of urgency to assemble a competitive roster… but now that I’ve coached in the league for a handful of years, you start to learn the intricacies.”
“You start to see the details that go well beyond just having Big 12-level players… I think there’s just a lot more clarity at this point than there ever has been.”
Cincinnati's Identity
One of Miller’s strongest themes was the kind of personality he seeks in players: tough, edgy, and contagious competitors.
“Having some players that have a certain type of edge that’s infectious—that helps everybody’s edge.”
He singled out new transfer Sincere Harris as a prime example:
“There’s a guy whose competitive edge and competitive spirit is as good as anybody in college basketball… and it has an effect on the rest of the roster.”
Miller also praised Kerr Kriisa’s fire:
“They’re both alphas… and that edge is important for our team.”
And in a revealing moment about his own vision for the program, Miller connected it to the city's DNA:
“People in our community are hardworking people. They want to see a competitive edge and a competitive energy. I feel like I relate to that, and I feel like we have a couple guys—I think we have a roster full of guys—that relate to that.”
Day Day Thomas and Player Development
Asked about veteran leadership, Miller reflected on how far players like Day Day Thomas have come since their early days in the program.
“Three years ago we were there [at Kilgore College] and he could barely say two words, he was so shy. To where he is today in this environment… those are the rewarding things as a coach that have nothing to do with basketball.”
International Roster- "It wasn't the goal, it was the result."
Cincinnati boasts its most international roster ever, but Miller made clear this wasn’t a pre-planned strategy.
“We set out to find the right players for Cincinnati basketball… It just so happened that there’s a number of international guys.”
He added that international recruiting has been part of his blueprint for over a decade:
“For 12 or 13 of my 15 years [as a head coach], we’ve targeted the international market as a way to separate ourselves in recruiting.”
Scheduling strategy
With the Big 12 trimming its conference schedule from 20 to 18 games, Miller had room to add non-conference matchups like Louisville, Clemson, and Georgia, while retaining key local rivalries against Xavier and Dayton.
“You want your schedule to help prepare your team for league play and give you the best opportunity on Selection Sunday. I believe on paper, we’ve done that.”
When asked about using scheduling to aid recruiting, Miller was blunt:
“That’s not been a primary focus… If it works out that way, it’s a bonus.”
Addition of big man coach Mamadou N'Diaye
Being a first year staff member following the departure of Drew Adams to Indiana, Miller praised new big man coach Mamadou N'Diaye for his work with the team’s big men:
“He played in the front court at a really high level… so he’s got an interesting way of relating—not just because of his coaching experience but because of his playing experience.”
Final Thoughts
Miller wrapped up his appearance by underscoring the culture-first, edge-driven identity that he continues to build at Cincinnati.
“I value that competitive character a lot. I believe Cincinnati values that. And I believe our locker room reflects that more than ever right now.”
Cincinnati enters the 2025-26 season with renewed clarity, a chip on its shoulder, and a roster built in Wes Miller’s image—competitive and hungry.
What sets this team apart isn’t just depth or experience—it’s personality. From the alpha energy of Kerr Kriisa, to the relentless defense of Sincere Harris, to the emotional maturity of leaders like Day Day Thomas, the Bearcats are leaning into a cultural edge that reflects both their coach and their city.