Thursday afternoon, Boston College held a media event for men & womens basketball. Earl Grant, along with Donald Hand Jr., Fred Payne, Boden Kapke, and Chase Forte spoke for the mens program.

Earl Grant

BC has added eight new additions to this year’s team. With four incoming freshman, and four transfer, there alot of new faces. Coach Grant explains how they have integrated the new guys in with the returning players:

“We got a hybrid. You know, some guys who’ve been here that’ve been battled, and have seen a lot of good days, a lot of adversity. So we got to blend, you know, with the returners who understand our culture, who understand BC, who’ve been in tight games where we won, who’ve been in tight games where we came up short.” Grant continued, “Those are valuable experiences. So to have those guys back is very refreshing. But we knew we needed to go out and add some players to the returners to give us a boost. And we did just that. We went and got some talented players to help us get the program and the direction we wanted to go. And we’re really excited about the team that we put together.”

On if they have a chip on their shoulder, being the 2nd youngest team in the ACC:

“No, not really, because I don’t really feel that we young. I think a lot of people have built their teams with maybe multiple grad transfers. For us, we have the majority of our team are third year or fourth year players. So I’m not overly concerned about what everybody else has or what they got going … So we got to do what we can do today, stay in the we stand in the present moment, try to fall in love with the process. And we just gonna just chop wood every day. That’s what we’re gonna do.”

Speaking on the team’s strategy in the portal this off season:

“Yeah, you know, the way we did it was we really went early about who we wanted to prioritize in terms of returning to Boston College. We made it very evident early on that we want to retain some players. When we went into the portal, it was a little bit, I wouldn’t say, easier, but it wasn’t as complex, because before the portal opened, we had a good idea who was staying. We wanted to make sure we can build around who was staying, and that’s what we did. We did get bigger. We did get longer. We’re a lot more athletic, we’re deeper, we’re older, we’re better in a lot of areas. I’m not gonna sit here and try to put the carriage in front of the horse, because there’s some work we got to do. But we got a better team.”

“We wanted to make sure we added guys we could trust. You know, I would never change my stance. We’re still in the business of developing young people, I’m not changing that. They need a degree. They gonna really suffer if they don’t get a degree. When they leave out of these doors, they’re going suffer if they don’t have a degree. So you gotta develop them there. You gotta develop their character. You gotta be honest with them. You gotta hold them accountable. You gotta speak the truth to them. So we look for guys that we thought could do a good job academically, but also help us on the basketball court, compete and get to the NCAA tournament.”

“We wanted guys that were team, guys that were very unselfish, that could look in the mirror and say, it’s not all about me, like I’m a part of something bigger than self, that my teammates matter. The players before me mattered. Other teams on the campus matter. The student body matter like we wanted to find some people that fit, and so I think we did just that. We brought in unbelievable high character guys that are talented enough to help us win out of the portal, and then the guys who are returning. You know, they’ve developed. I’ve seen them mature as young men and developed, you know, as people and as players. And so we always gonna make sure that’s at the forefront of everything we do. The young man’s development is always gonna be important.”

On Louisville signing former G-Leaguer, London Johnson:

“You adjust to it, play the game, how it goes. I mean, that’s happening. So probably, we’ll be looking at the G league too. I mean, if that’s what everybody can take G-League players, then, I mean, you have to look at all of the areas where you can impact your program and add talent, you know. So I think that guy, both of those kids, were going to be in the class of 2026, so it’s different. It’s a game changer.”

On his personal views on letting professional players come down to the college level:

“You know, I’m not going to sit here and make my opinion on how I feel about it right now. If you want to know how I feel, just go listen to Tom Izzo on social media. You know, I think for the freshmen that are coming in in your program, they come in with the idea of a chance to grow and develop. So if you, if you bring in a 24 year old right on top of them. It kind of suffocates them, and so that’s a challenge, but I think we all adjust to it.”

“I still believe you got to have a hybrid model. Got to have some freshmen that are stable, that can weather the storm of a freshman year, maybe not playing as much as they want. If they do that, they’re going to get their rewards on the back end. But you do have to plug older guys, with them, when you need to. It never was a hybrid model for me. You know, we’ve got all young kids. We develop them, we plug a transfer from time to time over a period of 23 years of 23 of the 26 years of my coaching, we will build our program around freshmen that we develop, but now it’s starting to change. So we have to find a way to do a hybrid.”

On the changing world of college basketball, with analytics and AI being available:

“I’ve always been a feel guy. I feel what I feel. I see what I see. But now that we have more access to artificial intelligence and analytics, I feel what I feel, but then I pay attention to the numbers a little bit, so I may feel, hey, we ought to be playing these five guys the most, but if the numbers say when you play these five together, your team is more efficient, then I got to look at the numbers. And so it’s kind of a balancing act.”

“I think that’s a big one, because you see a lot of more three point shots, which I do believe. You know, had a conversation with Joe Mazzulla [Boston Celtic’s Head Coach] about this, because they shoot a lot of threes with the Celtics, three times 30 is 90, three times 20 is 60. So you know, if you can get good threes, and you got guys who can make them, you ought to be taking more. So I think that’s something that you see a lot and now in college basketball and in the pros, trying to get more quality threes if you can” Grant continued “… So I would say that’s probably a trend that I’m seeing more. Also see more position-less basketball. Put five guys on the floor. Don’t worry about their position.”

Boden Kapke

On Quinten Post comparisons:

“Yeah, to be honest, I try not to think about the pressure at all. I just try to focus on what I can control. That’s something I’ve been really working on this year, is my confidence, and I think part of it has honestly helped. I’ve been working on my spiritual journey as well, knowing that God has a plan for us, and if I put in the work, you know, whatever he hasn’t planned will come out. And I think that’s helped a lot with me. Playing freely. I think when I play free, that’s when I play on my best so that’s something that’s that’s helped with me a lot.”

Speaking on his previous recruitment to BC, before deciding to commit to Butler, and ultimately landing at Boston College in the portal:

“As coach grant mentioned, coming out of high school, I was obviously interested in BC. My family and I, it was a close decision where, we liked a lot what they had to offer. And it was honestly kind of a no brainer, when we got got back to that decision.”

Playing position-less basketball:

“I think, I think shooting the ball, obviously, is like the first thing that comes to mind, as well as a play making. I know we have, obviously, some options where I might be able to play with Jayden a little bit. I think that can create some mismatches and really help our team out.”

Chase Forte

Forte posted a screen shot of a text message he received on social media. With all the naysayers, and negativity surrounding his decision to come to Boston College, Chase explains the fuel it provides for him this season:

Y’all won’t hear from me again until this is proven wrong… and to the person who sent this stay on that side! #underGod pic.twitter.com/KpXXSok5ai

— Chase Forte (@CForteBall) October 20, 2025

“A lot of people look at us that way. We weren’t successful last year, or the team last year wasn’t successful. So obviously, when I came here, a lot of people said I made a mistake, but as a man, I’m always going to stay on the decision I made. I love it here. It’s home, and I feel like, God, put me here for a reason. That’s why I chose to come here.”

Chase elaborates more on his ‘chip on the shoulder’ mentality and how it aligns with BC:

“It aligns perfectly. That’s one of the main reasons why I came here. We, as I said earlier, we have a chip on our shoulder. I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder, everywhere I’ve been, even throughout high school at a triple my shoulder, so it aligns perfectly with me. Coach EG says it all the time, gritty, not pretty. That’s how I grew up. So that’s that’s what I stand on.”

Fred Payne

Payne’s freshman year was cut short due to a knee injury, and he spent the beginning last year battling back. He spoke on how he preparation for this season differs from last:

“I think my game improved a lot. I just come in 6 a.m., work every morning. Just keep watching film with my coaches and the GA’s. So I think that’s the difference between last year and this year. Last year I was coming in just trying to earn playing time. I was watching film, but I wasn’t as focused on film. I was just trying to play. This year I came in with the mindset that, you know you’re going to play, so watch film and kind of work on the things that you need to work on.

Donald Hand Jr.

Donald made waves around the ACC media circuit with his bold prediction that this years Boston College team would finish in the top five in the conference. He was asked if he still believed in that statement:

“Oh, for sure. We fear nobody. I believe in all my guys. We all work hard. We all show up at 6 a.m. These are guys who grew up playing AAU against. So there’s no difference. Like, they’re no different than us. They put their shoes on, they put their jersey on. So I’m standing 10 toes on that.”

Last year, Hand was awarded with Most Improved Player in the ACC, what are some things he is looking to continue elevating his game?

“Really just being more efficient. And it’s all about winning. I’m just really trying to win games. Find my teammates in the right spot, be in my gaps, being the MiG, just overall, just trying to be a more efficient player, be better for my teammates, helping them get open shots, help make the game easier for them. So just really win, no matter what it costs.”

After breaking out last year, Donald reflects on his progression at BC, and what Earl Grant has meant to him:

“You know, as a freshman, I wasn’t watching as much film, but I was always in the gym, but Coach always harped on me, like film is really important. It’s just as important as getting to the gym or he was like, take care of your body. So this is just the little things coach kept preaching to me. And like, my sophomore year, it was another jump. He was like, it’s a process. Like, it’s not gonna happen right away. And as a kid, you don’t really understand that.” Hand going on to say, “Then going into my junior year, I kind of broke out a little bit. And coach was like, you eat the fruits of your labor. Now going into this year, it’s just like, now you got to be more efficient. So everything coach grant has said, it has happened, and I love him for life. That’s my my favorite coach. That’s my guy.”