Mawot Mag on cusp of potential breakout campaign for Rutgers hoops
Mawot Mag has had some bad luck with injuries throughout his career with the big ones being multiple dental issues which started even before college.
But head coach Steve Pikiell believes the Rutgers Men’s Basketball forward is ready to break out after having the best offseason of anybody on the team. His teammates think he’s taken the next step, too.
The 6-foot-7, 216-pounder has a good chance to play significant minutes in his third year with the program after Ron Harper Jr. signed a two-way contract with the NBA’s Toronto Raptors. Being able to stay on the court is a priority for Mag in order for him to show his improvement.
“Mawot can do things both offensively and defensively. I hope he can still stay healthy,” senior guard Paul Mulcahy said. “I think he can be really good.”
In this past Monday’s practice that TKR attended at the RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center, much of the focus was on defense, which is Mag’s bread and butter due to his length and size.
“It was really good,” Mag said of the summer workout session. “Everybody was really pushing each other. Everybody was talking. I think we got better.”
Manage privacy settings
Pikiell talked a lot in his press conference about his team’s defense and versatility. The Scarlet Knights have a chance to really be an elite defensive team in 2022-23. Rutgers is chock-full of taller players who can guard multiple positions.
“Mawot's had a great offseason and so has Jalen Miller, an elite defender in the league,” Pikiell said. “He can guard multiple positions too. So we'll have a chance to put (reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year) Caleb (McConnell), Mawot, and Jalen with Cliff (Omoruyi) and Paul and really guard people. The depth and versatility with this team is really good.”
Omoruyi is slated to be the starting center with Dean Reiber as the backup. Antwone Woolfolk, a freshman, is likely in the mix as well. But could Mag, who is from Sudan while also spending time in Australia, play some at the five spot as well?
“Anything is possible,” Pikiell said. “He’s tough enough to guard those type of guys,” Pikiell said. “I certainly don’t want him in a matchup with (Purdue center) Zach Edey (who is 7-foot-4). It depends on the game. We got a team where we can put a whole line-up for 6-foot-7, 6-foot-8 guys on the floor. That’s become more common in the college and pros. This group gives me more versatility. We’ll see what the games bring.”
Mag didn’t get a lot of chances to really have everybody see his development on offense during practice, but that was an emphasis in the offseason.
“Just learning and getting better everyday. I wanted to get better at every aspect especially shooting and defense with sliding my feet. I wanted to expand my knowledge,” Mag said. “I wanted to work on my weaknesses. Mainly, I wanted to do everything. There’s always room for improvement.
“It’s been really great. I’ve learned a lot from the veteran guys. I feel like now I can take what they taught me and pass it on to the younger guys. I think it’ll be a great year.”
With the likes of Geo Baker and Harper Jr. gone, Mag is trying to work his way in at becoming a leadership voice on the team.
“Yeah, that’s actually one thing I want to step into, a leadership role,” Mag said. “I want to lead our team and be a more vocal person on the court.”
Mag saw action in 28 games with two starts against Purdue and Seton Hall last winter. He had 13 points in a win over Nebraska and 12 against Purdue and UMass. November 7 can’t come soon enough in Mag’s eyes as he and his teammates have loft goals.
“I love it. I think we have the pieces to go to the tournament and win a national championship,” Mag said. “I can’t wait to go to war with these guys. The tournament is the expectation. We’re going to strive toward it.”
Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisNalwasky.
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel