Tom Crean instantly brings star power to the Georgia basketball program. Star power, but a reputation for winning that had lagged. It was clear from the moment when he was introduced as its coach on Friday – a moment that turned into a fillibuster of an opening statement – that Crean hopes to win big again, and do so at a program that hasn’t traditionally done that.

“The goal is to make this one of the most driven, energetic programs in the country,” Crean said. “That can compete and play for national championship. To play for conference championships. To compete for anything that’s put in front of it.”

Crean, introduced in a press conference in the team’s basketball facility, spoke for nearly a half-hour without notes. He talked about his career, his former players, the Georgia players he will inherit, his vision for the program on and off the court, and the man he replaced as coach.

And that was just his opening statement.

“I had a lot to say,” Crean said when told his opening statement was clocked at 27 minutes.

Georgia athletics director Greg McGarity, introducing Crean, said the coach had referred to the job as a “gold mine destination.”

Crean was asked about joining a school where football is the main sport, after coaching at Marquette (which didn’t have football) and Indiana (not very competitive in football.) He answered by pointing to his family (he’s married to the sister of Jim and John Harbaugh) and watching Nick Saban as a young assistant when both were at Michigan State. Crean said he was “excited” to be at a football school.

“It’s great. I’m in a football family,” Crean said. “Kirby (Smart) sent me a heck of a text last night. I know he’s on spring break with his family. It was one of those where I’m not deleting that.”

In his opening remarks, Crean said the “foundation” of success in Georgia basketball was there, based on the school itself and its success in other sports.

“It all falls under the umbrella of tremendous excellence that’s a part of this university,” Crean said. “I’ve paid attention from afar. I’ve been a fan from afar. When you’re a sports fan like I am, you’re spending a lot of attention on more than just basketball.”

Vern Fleming, the Georgia star player in the late 1980s, was one of Crean’s first favorite players, the new Georgia coach said at one point.

Crean name-checked former players at Indiana – Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller – but also players he inherits at Georgia, specifically forward Nicolas Claxton. He also mentioned Juwan Parker, the outgoing senior small forward who was in attendance at the press conference.

“I look at Claxton and watch him play throughout the year and say he is living proof who can be multidimensional on both ends,” Crean said of the sophomore-to-be, a 6-foot-11 blend of size and athleticism.

Crean also spoke about increasing fan support, including a “Midnight Madness” or “Georgia Madness” event to signify the beginning of practice. He said he wanted the atmosphere “inside the Steg,” as he called it, to be just like it is at Sanford Stadium for football games.

This was Crean’s first time in Athens since 1990, when he came for a game as an assistant coach at Western Kentucky. Crean took the job sight unseen after an interview on Thursday. Crean said he could do that by research online, both UGA’s facilities and potential places to live. His wife Joani did that to her satisfaction.

“If she’s happy, I’m happy,” Crean said.

Crean, who will turn 52 next week, was introduced one year to the day that he was let go as the coach at Indiana. Crean pointed that out in his opening statement, getting choked up as he discussed the impact it had on him and his family. Crean was there for nine years, after spending nine years at Marquette. He has a career winning percentage of .606, took Marquette to a Final Four and Indiana to three Sweet 16s.

Nine years appears to be a theme: Mark Fox was fired last Saturday after nine years as Georgia’s coach, finishing with five straight winning seasons. But there were only two NCAA tournament trips, which proved to be the undoing for Fox.

Crean paused during his statement to talk about Fox, who he has not spoken to yet since the coaching change. Crean praised the way Fox ran the program during his time, and pledged to build upon it.

“My respect for Mark Fox has always been high. And that is not going to change,” Crean said. “And as we continue to build this program, I hope there are opportunities to continue to credit him for bringing fine people into this program.”