OTF Q&A: video clips from Longhorns basketball open media practice

[Gerry Hamilton]

44 minutes ago, GQ03 said:

I mean I like Dillon Mitchell but his game hasn't evolved much since he left Texas. He's really good defensively, a hellacious athlete, solid passer and rebounder but terrible shooter from pretty much any distance including fts. Do you like their backcourt of Ellis, Jackson & Yessofou that much over ours? I don't see how their frontcourt even with Mitchell matches up with Matas, Punch & Spears.

They get a Rick Pitino bump from me, plus the talent.

Mitchell in year five in CBK as a tremendous defender, solid rebounder and terrific fit with Pitino to go with the rest of their team would be pretty big.  

Quinn Ellis is very good at 6-4/6-5. As coveted as any player in portal or internationally that came to states. It allows Ian Jackson to play off ball too. Yessofou is 17/18 a night. Big backcourt of grown men IMO 

Their international guys will be the key… on interior. Texas definitely has the advantage on them, and anyone save 2-3 teams.

It’s mainly Rick Pitino bump with a talented team over the course of a season. He’s won 30 games two straight seasons, and this may be “his type of team” moreso than the prior two years. Guy is just tremendous. 

 

[Gerry Hamilton]

34 minutes ago, GQ03 said:

I guess my question would be was there anything that surprised or excited you today watching them work out? Also, do you think Sterling might be even better than the staff initially thought? He & Ogden's (and Lewis for that matter) shooting could be really open things up for our post players.

I think Sterling is the best pure shooter on the team. He will be a solid role player long term. Offensively he belongs in high-major ball. He has total control of his game, and most importantly knows who he is. 
 

Defensively, that’s where he will need time. 
 

Texas likes where he can go in time. Not sure how much we see him in meaningful games this season if team is healthy. 

 

As far as what was seen during the practice. Was very structured continued install practice. It wasn’t get ball off rim and go, and attack a matchup type practice. They ran offense 95%+ of time. Was a lot of ball screen defense structured teaching. 
 

Nothing surprising to me outside of what I had reported on summer workouts. If there was one key takeaway… Marcus Spears Jr. will be even more of an impact player than I thought. Not so much in minutes as the third big, but scoring the ball. He should have a few big games this season, and wouldn’t be surprised if he averaged 11-12 ppg after he gets comfortable in games. He still going to make 17 year old mistakes, but he’s picking things up quickly and competed very well against Punch. His first step is not only quick for his size, but he covers so much ground if he has a downhill angle. Defenders are instantly in a recovery position with a fouling angle. He competes physically. He played off the weak side offensive glass very well yesterday. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

34 minutes ago, Califashorn75 said:

They couldn't find a pic of Mantas?

lol it looks funny for sure 
 

 

[Gerry Hamilton]

BTW, not worried in the least about Isaiah Johnson taking over a team running task full time. He’s just damn good, and knows how to play (as one would expect with Chris J being papa). Complete control of his game. He changes speeds so well. Reads the game very well. 
 

When Goosby or Lewis is in team running spot, when Johnson is getting rest, teams will very likely turn up the pressure until Goosby/Lewis shows they can get into half court sets with correct timing. Especially with Goosby being a freshman. That’s one area I would attack early in season from an opponent standpoint. Not saying Goosby/Lewis won’t be fine… but looking for an area to test the Horns - that’s one for me. Goosby has the ability/feel and smarts to play team runner in spurts for sure, but he will be tested by older and physical players - as he should be. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

For the freshman guards/wings … one of the toughest adjustments is when they have ball in hand and are defended in an iced ball screen scenario.

The ball screen iced by college bigs and experienced guards … that’s just so different from anything they have played against. All the drills in the world can’t simulate that. Maybe Isaiah Johnson was best prepared for that as a freshman because he worked in paps gym space against NBA players, but those bigs at a Texas can take your space and then you have to see over high-major arm length and do so without leaving your feet and getting in trouble. And the pass is a difficult one due to distance of pass a lot of times. That’s a hidden adjustment for young guards/wings. Have to learn to fight for your space in a live situation when the game is still moving fast. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

10 hours ago, ATX16 said:

Who impressed with their shooting? 

Any surprises physically?

I don’t make too much in a structured workout setting in terms of % of makes and misses. 
 

Nothing really different for me. Texas should be in that 35.5%’ish range shooting the 3 over course of season. If they get to 36% on season, huge for this team. 
 

Isaiah Johnson was 37.8% in year one in CBK, can see similar. Mikey Lewis was in the 37.% area. See similar. Elyjah Freeman was 34.%’ish at Auburn. Can see slight bump to 35.5%’ish in second year of high major ball. Amari Evans will make the decent second year jump. Should be in the 32-33% range. And has to be. Ogden and Sterling can really knock down catch and shoots, but won’t play big minutes year one. Goosby has the ability to be a 34-35% guy as a freshman. 
 

Texas will very likely be similar to Arizona last year, however. Not a high volume of 3’s as a team. They will live at FT line, push in fast execution transition offense because they will be an elite rebounding team, play off the wings angles on penetration and take higher percentage 3’s off that in half court. That Arizona team led nation in FT attempts per game among the high-majors, and only made 200 3’s on the season (but at 36.0%). Texas is very similar IMO