Last Thursday, the Wake men’s basketball team opened their practice to the media for the first time. Here are my main takeaways, along with some notable quotes from head coach Steve Forbes.
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- The team captains for the 2022-2023 season are Daivien Williamson, Jao Ituka, Tyree Appleby, and Andrew Carr. Though three of the four played for other programs last season (all except Williamson, who transferred in from ETSU prior to the 2020-2021 season), Forbes said that the captains “have, for the most part, done everything we’ve asked them to do on and off the court.”
- Floor spacing and a high volume of three point attempts will be a big part of the Deacs’ offense. During the live period, the first four baskets were threes made by four different players. Williamson, Ituka and Appleby all shot between 34% and 41% from three last season. In Forbes’ two years at the helm, the Deacs have averaged 25.5 and 24.6 three point attempts per game, a huge jump up from the 18.8 they put up in Danny Manning’s final season.
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- This team’s guards will be fun to watch. Behind the experience of captains Williamson, Ituka and Appleby, the Deacs will have a fast-paced, dynamic backcourt. However, with all three guards listed at 6-1, the squad will be undersized at the 1 and 2 positions.
- Ituka looks to be the physically strongest guard on the team. Forbes complimented the offseason work he did, saying that Ituka “has a good body but really leaned it out.”
- Appleby has elite speed and is maybe the fastest player on the team. Forbes described the Florida transfer’s speed as “a fart in a skillet.”
- Freshman Bobi Klintman is off to a strong start with the program. He joined the team late after participating in the FIBA U20 European Championships with the Swedish national team, but seems to be progressing well. He had a few nice buckets during the live period and moves well for his size (6-10, 225 lbs.). “He picks things up quickly,” Forbes said. “He’s got a high IQ. He’s another guy that could get into the paint, he’s a really good passer.”
- Coach Forbes said after practice that rebounding will be one of the areas of concern for this team. Davion Bradford and Andrew Carr should shoulder a lot of the responsibility on the boards. Matthew Marsh will also be an important piece of the frontcourt — he’ll need to increase his production from last year (2.8 ppg, 16 rpg) to give the Deacs some depth.
- Redshirt junior Damari Monsanto has lost over 20 pounds during the offseason according to Forbes. He looks much slimmer and faster on the court than last season, and has the upside of becoming a prominent scorer on the wing.
- Coach Forbes said that the transfer players are gelling well into the program and that there aren’t any issues with team chemistry. “It’s been pretty flawless with that,” he said.
- Cameron Hildreth did not practice yesterday but is expected to return soon per Forbes.
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