The Titans will welcome a brand new coaching staff as well as 13 new players in 2018-19. The sixth of the series "Getting To Know" features Special Assistant to the Head Coach Eric Devendorf, who hails from Bay City, Michigan, and starred at Syracuse University as a student-athlete from 2005-2009. He spent the last two years at his alma mater as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the basketball team as well as a mentor to the Orange guards. 

How Did You Find Your Way To Detroit Mercy?
"When I was at Syracuse, we played Texas Southern last year. Coach Davis and I kind of just exchanged numbers and kept in touch. We ended up seeing each other in the NCAA Tournament in Dayton and same thing, just kind of talked and chatted up a little bit. I saw he got the job here in the summer so I texted him and congratulated him and he just told me to keep my options open, he might have something for me. I didn't really think too much of it and later in the summer, in August, he gave me a call and offered me this position. I talked it over with coach Boeheim and the coaches and they said it was the right move for myself and my career, as far as moving upwards. That's how I got here, and I'm pretty excited about the opportunity."

How Difficult Was It To Leave Your Alma Mater?
"It was extremely tough. I was there for 15 years. I played there and spent two years on the coaching staff. It was a family atmosphere there and the community embraced me. I did a lot of stuff with the community and I knew everyone. It was definitely tough, but you have to go through change to be able to grow, and I think being here, it's definitely going to help me grow in my career."

What Appealed To You About Joining Coach Davis Here At Detroit Mercy?
"Just coach Davis' resume. He's an outstanding coach, obviously, he has been to the national championship game with Indiana, being with UAB and then winning tons of conference titles and winning seasons at Texas Southern. He just knows the game in-and-out, and me, being able to go from coach Boeheim to coach Davis is pretty awesome. Not a lot of people get to work with two great coaches in this business and I'm pretty grateful to go from one Hall of Famer to hopefully another. Just his knowledge of the game and besides that, just an awesome guy, really kind of like an open book as far as myself going in there, being able to ask him questions and throw stuff at him. I'm really happy about the decision I made."

What Have You Learned From Coach Boeheim and Coach Davis?
"Coach Boeheim, he's just a wealth of knowledge. Just sitting in the meetings before and after the games and during the week, all the stuff I get to soak up, from little details, from him tweaking the zone, in-game adjustments, and just being there, hearing the things he has to say about the game. Not a lot of people get to be in the presence of a Hall of Fame coach and learn the ins-and-outs of the game. Just super grateful to be able to soak that up and coming here with coach Davis, same thing; he's been in the game for 20-30 years. Just being able to hear his take on things and gain his knowledge from all the experience he's had coaching guys and hearing different perspectives on how guys go about things and trying to put it into my own little things. Just super happy to be able to learn from two great coaches."

What's It Like Being Back In Michigan?
"It's awesome. My mom and my sisters are actually like an hour and 15 minutes away in Bay City so not too far of a drive for them to come here or me to go there. It definitely helped me in the decision to come here, knowing that I'm familiar with the area and a lot of people around in the area, so it's pretty cool."

What Got You Into Wanting To Work In Athletics And Go Into Coaching?
"I knew that I wanted to stick with basketball, if it was playing or coaching, I just like helping out guys and helping out people. I think it's easier for the guys to relate to me because I've been through it at a high level. I know what they can run into as far as stuff on the court and off the court as well. I can kind of give them a heads up and knowing what's coming ahead and give them a few pointers on how to approach those before they come. Just whatever they need, I've been through it and I've been there so they can come to me. I think I do a pretty good job of relating to the guys and I think that's pretty important."

You Played In Both The D-League and Overseas. How Different Was Playing At The Professional Level?
"I mean, it's a business now. In college, you're definitely getting a lot more help as far as people just kind of beckon to your every call, especially if you're at a high level like Syracuse, they're going to get what you need, as far as on the court. When you're playing professionally, it's a business, there's money involved, and you've got to win games ASAP, and if you don't do that, they're looking to find the next guy that can. It was an awesome experience playing overseas. I was in numerous countries — Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Greece, Italy, to name a few. Just that experience alone, to be able to experience somebody else's culture, it's mind-opening. and I'm pretty grateful for that experience. It helped me with things coming back here and putting things in perspective and I am definitely grateful for the opportunity that I had there."

Who's The Best Guy You've Played With At Any Level?
"For me, one of the best guys I played with was Jonny Flynn. We were the starting backcourt at Syracuse for two years and he was the fourth pick in the NBA Draft for the Timberwolves. He got hurt early and that kind of ended his career early. Just as far as a competing standpoint, one of the most competitive guys I've ever played with. He was just an unbelievable talent. Just to play with him every day was pretty cool. And then you've got guys like Carmelo Anthony, I didn't really get to play with Melo, I played pickup with him, but guys of that caliber, there's so many. But for a guy that I played with a lot, Jonny Flynn really sticks out in my mind."

What's One Of Your Best Memories During Your Time Playing At Syracuse?
"I had a lot, but obviously the one that sticks out in my head is the six-overtime game against Connecticut in Madison Square Garden. It's the first game that people bring up to me when asking that, so I'd be wrong if I said something different."

When You're Not Working Or On The Court, What Are Some Things You Like To Do?
"I'm laid back. I've got two daughters, 10 and 8, I try to be with them as much as I can. Right now, they're still in New York, because I didn't want them to change schools after it started. Just a family guy, low-key, laid back. I'm just really trying to get everything going here. I am in the office early to late and then really just laid back and do it again."

What Are You Excited About This Season?
"I'm excited to get playing. We've been practicing for a while. I'm excited to see these guys go against some different competition, and I know they're excited to go against some different competition. They're probably getting a little bit bored playing against each other. I think we've had some excellent practices and I am just ready to see these guys go out there and put it out there on the court."