Mike Rice was only fired by Rutgers six months ago, but will sit down with ABC's Robin Roberts Friday to tell her he is getting better.

The "Good Morning America" anchor will conduct Rice's first television interview since being fired as Rutgers men's basketball coach. He was caught on tape verbally and physically assaulting his players, calling them names and throwing basketballs at their heads and much more.

Friday, ABC News reported, he will tell Roberts he is changing himself for the better.

"I won't be perfect moving forward, but I've changed," Rice said in a preview for the upcoming "20/20" interview. "Having that taken away, your dream job... and having it done in such a visible way... and hurting the people closest to me... it changes a person."

ESPN originally aired the tape of Rice's abusive action on its show "Outside the Lines" and shortly after, Rice was fired. Furthermore, the school athletic director, Tim Pernetti, was revealed to have known about the tape and did nothing. He resigned as well.

Rice said he was born into a competitive family and was surrounded by relatives with NCAA Division I scholarships, individual awards, championships and even some Hall of Fame members.
Rice got the Rutgers job after three years of success at Robert Morris University. When he took over, the school was trying to fight its way out of last place. He told Roberts he was up for the challenge, but was not ready for the pressure and scrutiny that went along with it.

"The media were calling us the leftovers," Rice said. "It was the leftovers and the inexperienced coach from a small school in western Pennsylvania, so I had a chip on my shoulders."

Rice said he has made an effort to reach out to his former players to apologize to them for making them feel "embarrassed" to play for Rutgers. He said he brought shame to his players and to the school in general.

Rice was originally suspended three games and forced to attend anger management classes. When he was fired, Rice chose to keep up those classes as well as attend former NBA player John Lucas' treatment facility in Houston for athletes.

He said one of his toughest lessons was when he reached out to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and a young girl told him he was not better than a bully who had once made her cry.

The former coach said he is learning from lessons like that and may have even hinted he still wants to coach some time down the road.

"That was a hard lesson learned that's for sure," said Rice. "There is going to be a different message. There is going to be a different Coach Rice."

The full interview will air Friday on ABC News' "20/20" segment on Friday, Nov. 8 at 10 p.m.