Buzz Peterson is a confident guy.

Dressed in a navy blue blazer, a light blue long-sleeved collared shirt and dark slacks, the second-year UNC Wilmington men’s basketball coach walked into his team’s media day with an infectious smile and an experienced swagger. “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” by Jay-Z might as well have been playing as background music.

He sauntered into Hanover Gym, Oct. 12, expecting to have all eyes fixated on him. And video cameras. And camera phones. Every move was documented by a quick hand on a notepad, a deft camera or a mobile phone Twitter application.

Peterson could have shared the attention by walking in with an entourage of assistant coaches. He walked in by himself.

Someone with Peterson’s background can’t be shy. He has a NCAA championship ring, Michael Jordan on speed dial and a growing Division I coaching resume. Entering his second year at UNCW, Peterson is wasting no time getting the Seahawks acclimated to his style. It must be a popular one, as eight talented high school seniors signed on the teal dotted line to come to Wilmington.

“I’ve never had a class this big,” Peterson said. “Did we intend to do that? No, we didn’t, but we felt like the guys we offered we could build around. We didn’t think they’d all come.”

Tanner Milson, a sophomore, feels more comfortable this season because he knows what to expect from his head coach. He imagines Peterson feels a similar way. “Obviously with bringing in these eight freshmen, he’s kinda bringing in the guys that he has envisioned,” Milson said.

If a roster overhaul wasn’t enough, Peterson also changed the team’s brand from Adidas to Jumpman, courtesy of his college roommate at North Carolina. “People ask me all the time, ‘Well how did you get that worked out?’ I tell them, ‘Hey, I picked the right roommate, you didn’t,'” Peterson said, and then chuckled.

Jordan appreciates the change. “He’s excited that we’re in ‘em,” Peterson said. “When I got the job he said, ‘Hey, I want to be able to take care of you with our brand Jordan stuff,’ so it was just a matter of time of getting everything worked out.”

Junior Keith Rendleman wasn’t a Peterson recruit, but he figures to be a leader on the young team this year. He’s worn the Adidas apparel, and now he’ll take the floor in new apparel. “No doubt everyone wants to wear Jordans,” the 6-foot-8 forward said. “As far as the gear, I love it. It’s really light… It feels like some of the best gear I’ve ever worn.”

As players like Rendleman and Milson fielded questions from several members of the media, Peterson stood off to the side near the bleachers that were folded into the wall. No longer was he the center of attention. He didn’t want to be.

Some players received chairs to sit in while reporters shuffled to and from subjects. The others stood in the middle of the court, talking among themselves. Peterson knows he’s popular, and he embraces that. He’s quick to crack a smile and shake a fan’s hand. But when the time is appropriate, a 6-foot-4-inch head coach fades into a role as spectator.

Confidence deferred.