As Michigan State transfer A.J. Hoggard walks around Memorial Gymnasium in his first summer session at Vanderbilt, he believes that there's more out there for him to do in the shadows of the historic gym than he did in his final season as a Spartan.

The 6-foot-4 guard seems to believe Vanderbilt is the place where he can show and unlock a higher level of performance as well as a path to his dreams.

Hoggard knows his numbers don't tell the story they need to, but he also isn't shy about where he wants to go. Vanderbilt's new transfer guard wants to fulfill his vision of playing in the NBA.

"The fast paced style the NBA style offense that, coach B [Mark Byington] runs and just being able to put yourself in that position before you get there," Hoggard told Vandysports.com in an exclusive interview when asked about what stood out to him about Vanderbilt. "That's the way you're gonna play when you go chase your dreams."

Byington is on board with that dream and ultimate goal. After all, if it's achieved it will be a feather in the cap of everyone involved.

The Vanderbilt coach enters Vanderbilt's summer session wanting more than just a feather in his cap, though. Byington feels that Hoggard's development can be much more than that for him and his team.

"I just think he’s a difference maker for us and giving us a guy on the court who’s seen every situation, who won’t flinch," Byington said. "I think he’s a difference maker. What I mean by that is it’s not always gonna be a difference in points or assists or whatever else but I think he has winning attributes and I think he can will a team in certain situations to get past challenges, to get past adversity.

"He’s a tough young man. He’s got that Philadelphia in him. He’s tough."

Vanderbilt's first-year head coach understands that a player like Hoggard is betting on him by coming to Vanderbilt, but feels as if his system offers evidence that Hoggard's bet was a logical one.

"I think you kinda see how successful the guards can be in our style and our fit and two things that really stick out are that we play an NBA style with the spacing and the movement," Byington said. We’re a heavy ball screen oriented offense, which is the same thing as the NBA. Also we’re fast paced and the NBA is a 24-second shot clock and they’re really pushing the ball up and attacking quickly which fits us too so I think he saw the style fit being the best transition for him from college to the NBA."

That message was clearly relayed to Hoggard through the process. Vanderbilt knows his goals don't end on West End.

Its staff doesn't want them to either.

"Just kinda talking to the staff, building a relationship with them since I entered the portal, having played them last year and just kinda understanding their goals and the things that they accomplished last season and the things that I'm trying to accomplish with coming here this season," Hoggard said when mentioning factors in his decision. "It kinda was just a good fit."

It's not only a fit in Byington's eyes, it's something that was needed for Hoggard's development.

Perhaps for his old school and coach's development, too.

"As great of a coach as Coach [Tom] Izzo is and as great of a run as he’s had at Michigan State I think both sides needed a change," Byington said. "I think he probably needed to hear a different voice and a different style and a different fit. It was probably the same thing at Michigan State for them but we’re excited to have him."

As the 6-foot-4 guard exits a senior year in which he averaged 10.7 points and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 40.7% from the field, he knows he needs to show more to get where he needs to go.

Hoggard has pinpointed two areas, in particular.

"Continue to be consistent across the board and win games," Hoggard said of what he needs to do to get to the next level. "You know, those two things are the biggest two things that point guards are tailored on so to go out there and do that every night on a consistent basis is what I'm looking forward to."

That was a direct result of what Hoggard heard from NBA personnel in the spring as he went through the NBA draft process before withdrawing and opting to use his final year of college eligibility.

As the 6-foot-4 guard enters his last ride at the college level, he understands that it will have to be one that puts him in a position to have a different outcome next spring.

He won't be able to withdraw this time.

"He knows he’s gotta work hard and get better," Byington said, "But he got great feedback from the NBA from this past year and I think he knows what he needs to work on but I think our style, fit and scheme will help him out, as well."

Regardless of result, it feels as if Byington is invested in his point guard, who he wants to be a tone setter for his group.

"My thing is to bring the best out in him," Byington said. "He just has an air of confidence around him that I want spread to the rest of the team."