Quick Chat: Charles Mann
August 25, 2023 | Men's Basketball, The Frierson Files
 Quick Chat: Charles Mann
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
As he sat in the Georgia men's basketball team's film room, in a setup that's far nicer than the one he experienced as a Bulldog from 2012-16, Charles Mann Jr. drove home a key difference between players of his era and the eras that came before and immediately after.
As we looked around the upgraded and in-the-works men's basketball locker room, film and lounge areas, Mann was asked during a Quick Chat to name one thing he wished he'd had as a player. His answer was immediate: the opportunity to sign name, image and likeness (NIL) deals. Fancier lockers are great, but they'll never resonate like the chance to earn endorsement money.
Mann, who owns the school record for both free throws made and attempted and is fifth all-time at Georgia with 400 career assists, returned to his alma mater last year as new head coach Mike White's Director of Recruiting. Mann has a new title now: Director of Player Personnel.
During our Quick Chat, Mann talked about his new role on the team, the evolution of the game, eating better as he gets older, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: The team went to Italy while you were playing for Georgia, so how did this trip compare to that one?
Mann: My freshman year here, we went over there for a tour. We had a chance to be over there for about 10 days, so it was pretty much the same trip. The guys loved it, enjoyed it, and it was something new for a lot of these guys on the team. It was a good experience for them.
Frierson: Looking around the team's space here, there's a lot of change. What do you think when you see all of this progress?
Mann: It's huge. There has been a lot of renovation to the facility, to our locker rooms, Stegeman Coliseum as a whole — we're just making it a bit more modern and catching up with the age. We're making it new for the younger guys; we want to show them how important basketball here is at the University of Georgia.
Frierson: What's the one thing these guys are going to have that you wish you'd had?
Mann: NIL [laughs], NIL for sure. I think it's a little bit of everything. The NIL aspect, an improved arena to play in, a new locker room — it's a new Georgia, honestly. I'm happy just to be a part of it and to try to get this thing going again.
Frierson: When you watch the NBA these days, are you more amazed at what someone like Steph Curry can do shooting the ball or by the way a giant like Giannis Antetokounmpo can run and dribble like he's 6-foot instead of 6-11?
Mann: It's a little bit of both. I try to do a good job of not taking what they're doing for granted. The game of basketball, you've got to be very skilled, and those guys like Steph put in a lot of work in order to perfect their craft. We just see the game, we don't see the everyday workouts in practice and the time and hours they put behind it.
Even Giannis, these young athletes in high school are 6-10, 6-11, 7 feet, and they're doing that. I think the game is evolving and guys are more unique — and guys are a lot better than they were 20 years ago.
Frierson: Is the whole basketball world dying to see what happens with Victor Wembanyama (the 7-foot-4 NBA rookie from France)?
Mann: He's unique, there's never been anyone like him, to be that size and have the skill set that he does, which just shows the growth of European basketball. I'm sure everybody's excited to see him play. I know I'm excited, and I hope he prevails and accomplishes everything that he wants to.
He's young, he's going to have difficulties, and that's just part of being in the NBA. I'm excited to see how he grows and I hope he can stay healthy. Somebody at that size and doing what he does, health is a big concern. I think he's going to be special, though.
Frierson: What are you doing these days to feed your athletic or competitive drive?
Mann: All my life, I've worked out and been fit while playing sports. Each and every day, I try to work out. These guys around here keep me young and make me want to continue to look good and be able to compete with these guys. We play pickup at times, and I definitely lift and run. I definitely try to do something every day just to stay fit.
I want to live a long and healthy life, and staying fit is a big part of that.
Frierson: What is something you enjoy eating now that you usually avoided 10 years ago?
Mann: I've always been a weird and picky eater, I still am to this day, but I think one thing about me, I haven't been huge on vegetables in my life, but I am eating broccoli a lot more. If you would have told me that 10 years ago, I probably would have looked at you and said no way.
The older I get, the more I understand my body and what I need to put into it. I'm putting in more vegetables, and I'm also trying to eat more fruits and nuts rather than the cookies and candy. I've done more of that the last few months, and I've been feeling a lot better.
Frierson: What exactly does a Director of Player Personnel do?
Mann: Honestly, whatever is needed. Over my last couple of years in this industry, I went from an assistant coach to Director of Recruiting to Director of Player Personnel. It's just mainly being here for the guys. I've lived the college athlete life, I've had a lot of success, and my role is to be here for the guys. Whether it's basketball workouts or critiquing their game and trying to improve it, or any other questions they have about basketball or something off the court, I'm here to be a big brother to the guys.
They look up to me, they respect me, and I'm here for the guys on and off the court. I want to make sure they're good mentally, spiritually and with basketball, school, family and everything else. I want to help guide them toward reaching our goals and, more importantly, for them to reach their individual goals.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
As he sat in the Georgia men's basketball team's film room, in a setup that's far nicer than the one he experienced as a Bulldog from 2012-16, Charles Mann Jr. drove home a key difference between players of his era and the eras that came before and immediately after.
As we looked around the upgraded and in-the-works men's basketball locker room, film and lounge areas, Mann was asked during a Quick Chat to name one thing he wished he'd had as a player. His answer was immediate: the opportunity to sign name, image and likeness (NIL) deals. Fancier lockers are great, but they'll never resonate like the chance to earn endorsement money.
Mann, who owns the school record for both free throws made and attempted and is fifth all-time at Georgia with 400 career assists, returned to his alma mater last year as new head coach Mike White's Director of Recruiting. Mann has a new title now: Director of Player Personnel.
During our Quick Chat, Mann talked about his new role on the team, the evolution of the game, eating better as he gets older, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: The team went to Italy while you were playing for Georgia, so how did this trip compare to that one?
Mann: My freshman year here, we went over there for a tour. We had a chance to be over there for about 10 days, so it was pretty much the same trip. The guys loved it, enjoyed it, and it was something new for a lot of these guys on the team. It was a good experience for them.
Frierson: Looking around the team's space here, there's a lot of change. What do you think when you see all of this progress?
Mann: It's huge. There has been a lot of renovation to the facility, to our locker rooms, Stegeman Coliseum as a whole — we're just making it a bit more modern and catching up with the age. We're making it new for the younger guys; we want to show them how important basketball here is at the University of Georgia.
Frierson: What's the one thing these guys are going to have that you wish you'd had?
Mann: NIL [laughs], NIL for sure. I think it's a little bit of everything. The NIL aspect, an improved arena to play in, a new locker room — it's a new Georgia, honestly. I'm happy just to be a part of it and to try to get this thing going again.
Frierson: When you watch the NBA these days, are you more amazed at what someone like Steph Curry can do shooting the ball or by the way a giant like Giannis Antetokounmpo can run and dribble like he's 6-foot instead of 6-11?
Mann: It's a little bit of both. I try to do a good job of not taking what they're doing for granted. The game of basketball, you've got to be very skilled, and those guys like Steph put in a lot of work in order to perfect their craft. We just see the game, we don't see the everyday workouts in practice and the time and hours they put behind it.
Even Giannis, these young athletes in high school are 6-10, 6-11, 7 feet, and they're doing that. I think the game is evolving and guys are more unique — and guys are a lot better than they were 20 years ago.
Frierson: Is the whole basketball world dying to see what happens with Victor Wembanyama (the 7-foot-4 NBA rookie from France)?
Mann: He's unique, there's never been anyone like him, to be that size and have the skill set that he does, which just shows the growth of European basketball. I'm sure everybody's excited to see him play. I know I'm excited, and I hope he prevails and accomplishes everything that he wants to.
He's young, he's going to have difficulties, and that's just part of being in the NBA. I'm excited to see how he grows and I hope he can stay healthy. Somebody at that size and doing what he does, health is a big concern. I think he's going to be special, though.
Frierson: What are you doing these days to feed your athletic or competitive drive?
Mann: All my life, I've worked out and been fit while playing sports. Each and every day, I try to work out. These guys around here keep me young and make me want to continue to look good and be able to compete with these guys. We play pickup at times, and I definitely lift and run. I definitely try to do something every day just to stay fit.
I want to live a long and healthy life, and staying fit is a big part of that.
Frierson: What is something you enjoy eating now that you usually avoided 10 years ago?
Mann: I've always been a weird and picky eater, I still am to this day, but I think one thing about me, I haven't been huge on vegetables in my life, but I am eating broccoli a lot more. If you would have told me that 10 years ago, I probably would have looked at you and said no way.
The older I get, the more I understand my body and what I need to put into it. I'm putting in more vegetables, and I'm also trying to eat more fruits and nuts rather than the cookies and candy. I've done more of that the last few months, and I've been feeling a lot better.
Frierson: What exactly does a Director of Player Personnel do?
Mann: Honestly, whatever is needed. Over my last couple of years in this industry, I went from an assistant coach to Director of Recruiting to Director of Player Personnel. It's just mainly being here for the guys. I've lived the college athlete life, I've had a lot of success, and my role is to be here for the guys. Whether it's basketball workouts or critiquing their game and trying to improve it, or any other questions they have about basketball or something off the court, I'm here to be a big brother to the guys.
They look up to me, they respect me, and I'm here for the guys on and off the court. I want to make sure they're good mentally, spiritually and with basketball, school, family and everything else. I want to help guide them toward reaching our goals and, more importantly, for them to reach their individual goals.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
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