6/21/2024 basketball Edit

TKR TV: Rutgers Hoops HC Steve Pikiell talks first week of summer practices

Richie O'Leary • TheKnightReport

Publisher

Rutgers Basketball Head Coach Steve Pikiell talks with the media following the first week of summer practices ahead of a very exciting 2024-25 season.

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Steve Pikiell: “It’s been fun the first week for all of them but they're good leaders getting into better shape and you getting in better shape, and that kind of thing, but expect that this time of the year just trying to keep them healthy. And more importantly, and then there'll be better next week and by week six or seven will be will be better when they get a little break. And then we're back for 20 hours a week.

Q: So you mentioned leadership and you added a bunch of different seniors this offseason. What's that kind of been like that transition?

SP: “Yeah, I mean, they've been good. I mean, Jeremiah was here. I mean, I think our three veterans in Emanual, Jeremiah and J. Mike has been really good. So they've been the leadership to have veteran guys back. And then those other guys like Martini were captains at Princeton. So these guys have been around and have good leadership. They're figuring it out too. Everything's good, but they've been good. They've worked hard. They've taught in the weight room and in a good group, we have tremendous size, like we got size at every position, which we haven't had. And I think we got some real good candidates and are really good leaders.”

Q: Steve with Dylan when could he come back and how is he handling everything?

SP: “He’s great and as soon as he knee says it’s summertime right now so be smart and have his knee feel great and he will be back he’s a good player and soaking in everything he knows what's going on.”

Q: Coach, you talked about, five new players, five new seniors, five incoming freshmen, almost entirely a new roster. How do you handle the chemistry aspect of getting everyone to gel and play as a team when you have so many new players coming in?

SP: “Well, I think this is college basketball, every coach in America and I think there were 3800 Kids in the portal. So thankful the three toughest kids returned. Those kids are tough and happy with the four transfers, their veteran guys, player of the year Jordan, Tyson, elite scorer, Zach, a leader and a real physical guy. I think those guys have done a really good job and PJ, who did not practice today, is a really good shooter out of San Diego. I think they've been good leaders throughout and then every year you're gonna bring in your freshmen, excited about that. And it's just like any other year, getting together as much as possible. That is why the summertime is so important to try to do things every Tuesday called Team Tuesdays. This group so far has been really connected. And hopefully, it stays that way.”

Q: Obviously, last season wasn't what you wanted to do when it came to the transfer portal. How would you describe the way you changed the way you attacked this offseason?

SP: “Well, I mean, I think it's like anything people say to me all the time. There's new rules now. So things that happened to our program last year can't happen this year with grad transfer so that had nothing to do with us. rules change. But just having kids decide early on that they were going to jump in the portal helped us be in the portal earlier, earlier finding kids that want to be at Rutgers so I think everyone's trying to learn NIL the extra COVID year the portal and kind of try to figure it out. it's a new tool in recruiting, and I think we did a really good job we wanted to identify free throw shooters like guys that can shoot and then we wanted to identify guys that wanted to be here and those four kids really wanted to be here and to be here, they all can make, they all can make free throws, and you throw this and they've been, they've been good additions to a good additions to us, and, we had a lot longer in the portal, or in the portal to find kids.”

Q: Bryce Dortch, what have you seen out of him?

SP: “All the freshmen just have to get in better shape and learn college workouts. He is going through the same things. He kind of reminds me of Caleb McConnel a little bit with his length and his athleticism and I think he could end up being a really good defender down the road but right now the freshmen are just in survival mode and figure it out kind of mind. But all of them are unique. First of all, they are big physically and they all have different skill sets. Dylan Grant is extremely athletic with good size. Lathan is just huge and skilled. Obisuloy Ace is 6’’10 and does everything and Dylan’s not here right now but we all know what he could do with putting the ball on the deck. He is physical too. They all bring something new to the table. Bryce is certainly a defender right now at a really good length. He is really tall, so excited about all those guys' upsides and how big they are and they are coachable.”

Q: Can you talk a little bit more about Ace’s game? I know you recruited him for so many years, you have seen him play so many times, what is it like to finally see him in a Rutgers uniform?

SP: “He is just unique, he could play all five positions really. He obviously will not be wrestling with a lot of fives but he could handle the ball. He could be your point guard when he rebounds. I think he is going to be an elite rebounder and he is a really good playmaker, he makes plays for people and he has a great personality. So all the things I saw in the recruiting of him and a really good worker we are excited about what he obviously brings to the table.”

Q: True freshman center in Lathan Somerville, Emmanuel Ogbole coming back from last year, what have you seen in the center position so far?

SP: “We are excited, everybody is worried. It seems to be the theme. It's great. My first year they were worried about every position so now we are just worried about one position. Emmanuel is going to be the most improved player; he jumps as high as anyone we have had and that includes Cliff. He runs, Dave Van Dyke clocked him as the fastest guy on our team along with Jordan and Jordan is another guy that is a physical guy and he’s got good leadership skills too so I make sure I mention that. But then we go Martini and then we go Lathan and then Bryce could play some five as ball handling five at 6’’11 so our five spot is as versatile as it has been and I think it is going to end up being a really good spot for us we have two guys Lathan is a good three-point shooter, obviously Martini shoots threes, E is a huge rim roller and a leaper his physicality is just he hits people and enjoys it so I am excited about the improvements that we made. We are certainly going to miss Cliff. We will always miss his plays but we’ve added size in that position, especially Wolf. These guys are all bigger than Wolf was and their ability to shoot the three and make free throws changes that five spot for us too a little bit.”

Q: You still have that thirteenth scholarship have you given any thought of how you are going to use it?

SP: “The great part of college athletics now we could have five hundred scholarships now with the new rules there will never be thirteen scholarships I could have fifteen if I want, you're always looking it is always going to be one of those things were if I think we could add some true value I am not just bringing in guys right now I have a lot of playing time I have to make sure of. Tyson Acuff too is another guy another leader senior but I have to figure out twelve guys now and there are so guys that are going to play a lot of minutes so to keep thirteen happy and this day and age is a hard thing to do but if there is a valuable kid out there that we think can help our program but we are not very concerned. We actually have a really good walk-on that is 6’’10 that has helped us in practice too so we have fifteen bodies right now that I am excited about you know I do not spend a lot of time talking about number sixteen I know everyone else does but I like to talk about the ones we do have, but if something good pops up we are involved and there is some kids out there but you got to have NIL and there is a lot of things it is not just you have a scholarship, there are some schools with seven scholarships right now but there is a lot of other factors at this time.”

Q: With the guys like Ace and Dylan you could argue this is one of the most hype seasons we have seen, what is the message to you and your guys throughout the locker room?

SP: “Just work, we talked about work we talk about winning and each other and WWE is one of our things that;s what we talk about it is great to have. He is the number one point guard in the country and Ace is the number one wing in the country I don’t think we have had that here in a while and so we are happy about that but we like the pieces we surrounded them with I think Zach Martini’s huge impact I think Emmanuel, J Mike, Jeremiah our leading scorer from last year that continues to be a really good leader and so I think we have a chance but we got to keep working and the other part that you guys do not factor in is you have got to be healthy, and I know we did not have the year last year but we had a lot of guys not healthy last year and a healthy Mawot Mag would have changed our season last year just one guy never mind Austin Williams was hurt and Noah Fernandes missed games and all the others. So we got to be healthy this year. That is going to be a very big part of what we are trying to do.”

Q: Steve saw the wrestling belt at the end of practice. What is the story behind that and how does that kind of work?

SP: “Just a worker who had an awesome week this week we had a few candidates and E separated himself in the weight room and on the court and what he has done with his body but we had a few, J Mike had a great week, I think Zach Martini had a really good week so a couple other guys could have gotten it to but E got it for this week and hopefully someone new will get it next week.”