Eastern Michigan hiring Stan Heath is more than about men’s basketball. It’s about bringing family home. It’s about creating tradition. And most importantly, it’s about changing the culture.

At least those were points that Heath touched on while speaking with Woodward Sports. During a conversation centered around his return to Ypsilanti, Heath, 56, touched on several things regarding his vision for the program.

In a nearly 20-minute discussion, Heath shared his vision for EMU’s men’s basketball program, how he plans to recruit, his vision for changing EMU’s basketball identity, and more. A tidbit that stuck out was his answer on the type of players he wants on his roster.

“[For] one, we have to fill some positions,” said Heath. “So we need a few more guards. We need to sew up our frontline with some bigs as well too.”

He followed up that statement by going more in-depth, stating he understands where the program is, and he’s looking for “gym rats,” guys the are coachable, hungry, and some toughness to them.

After leading the Lakeland Magic to the NBA G League championship, Heath accepted the vacant head coach position for EMU’s men’s basketball program.

To view Heath’s with Woodward Sports, click the video below.