Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari took the podium on Monday to address the media in what he called a “summer roundup” of the hard work the team has put in over the last few months.
“This summer was so big on us setting the tone,” Calipari said. “I walked in with no team, no staff, no schedule. Now we’re talking about how we get a new team and get them to think together.”
The Head Hog said that while the team will focus more on specific plays and game plans in the fall, the last few months have been entirely focused on individual development.
“At the end of the year, my hope is they say, ‘I’ve never been a better basketball player,'" Calipari said. "That’s the best I’ve ever been. This is the best my mindset’s ever been; this is the best I’ve been as a teammate, I’ve got the best heart I’ve ever had.’”
Part of that individual development appears to be the implementation of entirely different roles in the team for key frontcourt players Zvonimir Ivisic and Trevon Brazile.
Calipari turns back clock on big men
The modern game of basketball seems to be entirely focused on versatility, particularly when it comes to frontcourt players. Freshman point guard Boogie Fland specifically mentioned this in the players’ portion of the press conference, and said he thinks one day the idea of positions will be eliminated entirely.
“If you look at the NBA, there’s a lot of threes being shot," Fland said. "There’s a lot of versatile big men putting it on the floor like [Nikola] Jokic. As far as the title of ‘point guard,’ it’s going to get to a point where there’s not going to be no titles. You’re either a hooper or you’re not.”
Likewise, big men who can stretch the floor and create have become all the rave, both in the professional ranks and, subsequently, in the college game. Sure enough, when you look at scouting reports on Brazile and Ivisic, both tout their offensive versatility as one of their biggest strengths.
Last season, Brazile shot 35.3% from behind the arc, and Ivisic was slightly better at 37.5%. Both were used in “stretch big” roles by their respective coaches. Judging by Calipari’s comments on Monday, it appears he’ll be shifting both players to new roles.
“I’m not letting [Zvonimir Ivisic] shoot any threes," Calipari said. "Big Z, 7-foot-2, he wants to shoot – no, no, no. You’re not shooting threes, so now he has to shoot twos. You know why? An elbow jumper, when you miss that, it’s kind of embarrassing.
“A three when you’re 7-foot-2 and you’re way out there? Ah man, he almost made that. No, you’re shooting twos and that means you’re going to get in the gym and get better or you’re going to be embarrassed all the time. And you know what? He’s getting better.”
Calipari just wants his guys to be at their most effective – even if it’s cool to see a seven-footer cashing in threes. It’s clear the Head Hog wants to see his big men in more of a prototypical role, focusing on blocking shots and finishing on the inside out of post-ups and pick and rolls.
That’s a role Ivisic flashed some elite potential in last season at Kentucky, and will look to build on this year in Fayetteville.
It appears Calipari has given the same advice to Brazile, who is taking it in stride and trusting his new coach’s advice.
“He would just rather see me take a mid-range shot because I’m going to make that more than I make a three, probably,” Brazile said. “His resume speaks for itself, so I just try to do what he says. This summer I feel like I’ve made a lot of progress with not shooting threes and just being what he calls an ‘attack dog.’”
For Arkansas fans, the prospect of a fully bought-in Brazile will be a joy to watch – and a headache for opponents to gameplan for. With Brazile's elite wingspan and athleticism, his ceiling as a shot-blocker has been on full display throughout his college career so far.
It seems that rather than being a stretch four like the role former Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman placed him in last season, Coach Cal wants Brazile to play to his strengths as more of a rim-runner focused on shot-blocking and operating out of pick and rolls. It likens back to an iconic player from Calipari’s tenure at Kentucky who went No. 1 overall and has turned into an elite player at the next level – Anthony Davis.
“What [Calipari] did at Kentucky with guys like DeMarcus Cousins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis," Brazile said. "It’s just undeniable.”
Brazile’s teammates have attested to his elite athleticism, with junior forward Adou Thiero telling a story from one summer practice where he left everybody stunned after an alley-oop.
“[Boogie] throws the lob and I’m like, ‘Who’s grabbing that,’ Adou said. "I just see TB up there, hands at the top of the backboard. I’m like, ‘oh.’ The ball went through his fingertips. He caught a bit of it with his pinky and ring finger. Then he dunked the ball. We all just stopped and looked at each other. We didn’t know he could jump that high.”
Calipari talks guard play, 'Attack Dogs'
On top of the bigs, Coach Cal gave insight into how his backcourt is looking for the upcoming season – a group he said he’s excited for.
“We have a few point guards, probably three or four guys,” Calipari said.
Out of core rotational pieces, that list definitely includes Johnell Davis, Boogie Fland and DJ Wagner – and possibly Karter Knox as well, despite his listing as a forward. Calipari touched on that group’s progress so far this offseason.
“Nelly lives in that gym," Calipari said. "He’ll work out two, three times a day. He can really shoot it. What I love is making him uncomfortable, because when he’s uncomfortable, he’s uncomfortable and you can see it. I can say to him, 'This is what you have to overcome. We’ve got to make you comfortable being uncomfortable, because now you can be an attack dog.'”
The Head Hog also said his trio of freshmen are adjusting well to the college game, though shot selection is something they’re still working on.
“Boogie (Fland) is better than I thought,” Calipari said. “Karter (Knox) and Billy (Richmond), both I’m trying to say, ‘Karter, you’re not settling on jump shots. Nope, not happening.’ And any time he drives and gets to the rim, I stop the practice. That’s what I’m talking about, why doesn’t he do that more? Because he’s uncomfortable. It’s easier shooting jump shots, I don’t need you shooting jump shots.”
