SE: Schoen, Henriquez-Roberts Excited to Be Back with K-State MBB as Graduate Assisants
Nov 05, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Mason Schoen always knew he wanted to get back to K-State; he just never thought it would be this fast. Jordan Henriquez-Roberts joked with K-State men's basketball head coach Bruce Weber about returning two years ago; now, it's a reality.
Two former Wildcats, who played for Weber at different times, Schoen (2014-18) and Henriquez-Roberts (2009-13) reunited with the program as graduate assistants this summer. Instead of shorts and sneakers, they'll be wearing suits and ties when K-State opens its season on Tuesday against North Dakota State in Bramlage Coliseum at 7 p.m., on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
"I'm ready to go," Schoen said. "I can't lie, I've been looking forward to it for a while now."
"I'm excited," Henriquez-Roberts added. "We've got a core group of veteran guys that have been part of a winning culture here."
Schoen and Henriquez-Roberts have as well. Each experienced extreme highs as players for K-State. Schoen was the only senior on the 2018 Elite Eight team; Henriquez-Roberts, the school record holder for blocks, won a Big 12 Championship his senior season and was part of the winningest class in school history.
Both said they relish the opportunity to help continue the program's success in a different way.
"Obviously, this entire university means a lot to me, so I'm just excited to get back to work and willing to do whatever it takes for us to be successful because we both had great and fun careers but, at the same time, now it's about the coaching side of things," Schoen said. "Our number one priority are the players and this team this year, and we're willing to do whatever it takes to have a successful season."
That just looks differently now.
Schoen and Henriquez-Roberts, along with first-year graduate assistant Nate Michael out of McKendree College, sit behind the bench at games. They cut film. They help scout. They assist in player development and on recruiting visits. The list goes on and on.
Graduate assistant life: It's the normal step from playing to starting a career in coaching.
For Schoen, who spent last season as a graduate assistant at Clemson, that's been his goal since before he played at K-State. His time as a Wildcat only enhanced that desire, too.
"Once I saw how the staff treated us and how much they taught us, I just knew that it's something I wanted to do for the rest of my life," Schoen said. "I wanted to try to have that same positive impact that these coaches have had on me on other players in the future."
For Henriquez-Roberts, he's always wanted to work with people. After a back injury ended his professional career, which included playing in Finland, Germany, Japan, Argentina, Panama, Uruguay, Vietnam, Mexico, and the G-League in 2017, he saw this as an opportunity to get his start helping student-athletes.
"Just because I've been in their shoes," he said. "I also feel that, whether it's on the player development side or coaching, in general, it's something I want to do, working with kids and helping them build their futures, helping them off the court as well, by any means. That's what it's about, helping kids grow, not just as basketball players but as human beings."
It should help both former Wildcats that K-State's roster is fairly familiar with them.
Schoen, for instance, played with eight current Wildcats. His last season on the roster, he was as much of a coach as he was a player.
"I would say the biggest thing I can contribute to this team is to be that bridge from the players and the coaches," Schoen said. "I developed that player-coach relationship with them, so coming back it was a smooth transition. They see me now as a coach because that's kind of who I was with them beforehand. I don't have to worry about them overlooking me. We have great guys on that roster who truly and genuinely want to learn and listen and grow and expand their game each and every day, which is huge. So, I'm very grateful to get the opportunity to work with them."
While Henriquez-Roberts is not quite on that level, he has returned to Manhattan every summer — or whenever his off-season landed — since he graduated. So, most of the Wildcats knew him well before he returned full time. He, too, has appreciated the players' willingness to learn from him.
"I appreciate them listening to me and them looking up to me, because it's not about me, it's about them," Henriquez-Roberts said. "I love that about being here. It means a lot to me, getting up every morning and knowing that guys want to listen. We've had success here. Coming back, knowing the success we had, me, Mason and Nate want to help continue that and build on that."
Henriquez-Roberts likened this season to the position his class was in after Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly graduated in 2011. Sure, a bulk of scoring was gone, but there also was a lot of experienced players who returned. It was just about stepping up, which Henriquez-Roberts said will be the key for this year's team.
"You have to step up and lead and have the younger guys follow it," he said. "I think the core group of guys know they have to lead, and we have the young guys that want to listen and get better every day, so I think it'll all start clicking really well once the lights are on and we're out there playing in Bramlage and on the road. I think it'll all fall in place together."
Mason Schoen always knew he wanted to get back to K-State; he just never thought it would be this fast. Jordan Henriquez-Roberts joked with K-State men's basketball head coach Bruce Weber about returning two years ago; now, it's a reality.
Two former Wildcats, who played for Weber at different times, Schoen (2014-18) and Henriquez-Roberts (2009-13) reunited with the program as graduate assistants this summer. Instead of shorts and sneakers, they'll be wearing suits and ties when K-State opens its season on Tuesday against North Dakota State in Bramlage Coliseum at 7 p.m., on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
"I'm ready to go," Schoen said. "I can't lie, I've been looking forward to it for a while now."
"I'm excited," Henriquez-Roberts added. "We've got a core group of veteran guys that have been part of a winning culture here."
Schoen and Henriquez-Roberts have as well. Each experienced extreme highs as players for K-State. Schoen was the only senior on the 2018 Elite Eight team; Henriquez-Roberts, the school record holder for blocks, won a Big 12 Championship his senior season and was part of the winningest class in school history.
Both said they relish the opportunity to help continue the program's success in a different way.
"Obviously, this entire university means a lot to me, so I'm just excited to get back to work and willing to do whatever it takes for us to be successful because we both had great and fun careers but, at the same time, now it's about the coaching side of things," Schoen said. "Our number one priority are the players and this team this year, and we're willing to do whatever it takes to have a successful season."
That just looks differently now.
Schoen and Henriquez-Roberts, along with first-year graduate assistant Nate Michael out of McKendree College, sit behind the bench at games. They cut film. They help scout. They assist in player development and on recruiting visits. The list goes on and on.
Graduate assistant life: It's the normal step from playing to starting a career in coaching.
For Schoen, who spent last season as a graduate assistant at Clemson, that's been his goal since before he played at K-State. His time as a Wildcat only enhanced that desire, too.
"Once I saw how the staff treated us and how much they taught us, I just knew that it's something I wanted to do for the rest of my life," Schoen said. "I wanted to try to have that same positive impact that these coaches have had on me on other players in the future."
For Henriquez-Roberts, he's always wanted to work with people. After a back injury ended his professional career, which included playing in Finland, Germany, Japan, Argentina, Panama, Uruguay, Vietnam, Mexico, and the G-League in 2017, he saw this as an opportunity to get his start helping student-athletes.
"Just because I've been in their shoes," he said. "I also feel that, whether it's on the player development side or coaching, in general, it's something I want to do, working with kids and helping them build their futures, helping them off the court as well, by any means. That's what it's about, helping kids grow, not just as basketball players but as human beings."
It should help both former Wildcats that K-State's roster is fairly familiar with them.
Schoen, for instance, played with eight current Wildcats. His last season on the roster, he was as much of a coach as he was a player.
"I would say the biggest thing I can contribute to this team is to be that bridge from the players and the coaches," Schoen said. "I developed that player-coach relationship with them, so coming back it was a smooth transition. They see me now as a coach because that's kind of who I was with them beforehand. I don't have to worry about them overlooking me. We have great guys on that roster who truly and genuinely want to learn and listen and grow and expand their game each and every day, which is huge. So, I'm very grateful to get the opportunity to work with them."
While Henriquez-Roberts is not quite on that level, he has returned to Manhattan every summer — or whenever his off-season landed — since he graduated. So, most of the Wildcats knew him well before he returned full time. He, too, has appreciated the players' willingness to learn from him.
"I appreciate them listening to me and them looking up to me, because it's not about me, it's about them," Henriquez-Roberts said. "I love that about being here. It means a lot to me, getting up every morning and knowing that guys want to listen. We've had success here. Coming back, knowing the success we had, me, Mason and Nate want to help continue that and build on that."
Henriquez-Roberts likened this season to the position his class was in after Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly graduated in 2011. Sure, a bulk of scoring was gone, but there also was a lot of experienced players who returned. It was just about stepping up, which Henriquez-Roberts said will be the key for this year's team.
"You have to step up and lead and have the younger guys follow it," he said. "I think the core group of guys know they have to lead, and we have the young guys that want to listen and get better every day, so I think it'll all start clicking really well once the lights are on and we're out there playing in Bramlage and on the road. I think it'll all fall in place together."
Players Mentioned
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