Cal Basketball: How Matt Bradley Wants to Change His Game This Offseason

While dealing with restrictions of pandemic, Bradley trying to shift to shooting guard

For several weeks after the shelter-in-place order went into effect, Cal basketball star Matt Bradley felt like a prisoner in his own house. Didn't we all?

“At first I wasn't sure what to do,” he said. “There was a week or two where I just stayed in the house and did pushups or whatever.”

Not the ideal offseason scenario in which to improve his game. To work on his ballhandling, for instance, he was limiting to dribbling a basketball around his house.

“Definitely during this time it’s a little bit difficult to focus on what you want to improve on,” said Bradley, who understands the COVID-19 pandemic has been much more serious than merely an inconvenience for almost everyone.

Now that it’s a bit safer to leave the front door, Bradley takes hikes or treks to a vacant park nearby where he can hoist up shots.

“Being able to at least shoot the ball, get in the (outside) air, dribble around a little bit, get a sweat going. It feels good,” he said.

Bradley’s offseason goal is to transition from more of a small forward role to off-guard. At 6-foot-4, he and his coaches believe he can be more effective matched against a shorter opponent than he is at small forward, where often he is defending a player who stands 6-6 or 6-7.

To make it work, Bradley is trying to improve his flexibility, his quickness and his ballhandling.

“So I had to change my game a lot but I think a lot of that has to do with just my body,” Bradley explained. “You’ve just got to devote time to it, just stretching and doing other things.”

Recently, Bradley has solidified his friendship with teammate Grant Anticevich, the Bears’ 6-8 rising senior from Sydney, Australia. While sensitive to social distancing recommendations, the two have spend time together on outdoor courts.

“He’s my workout buddy,” Bradley said. “I’m starting to get annoyed by how much we’re around each other.”

Bradley says he’s always considered Anticevich “a close friend,” but the relationship has grown.

“Him just being there, he feels more like a family member . . . in the good ways and the bad ways,” Bradley said. “It’s like my brother. If he’s in my face 24/7, I get a little bit annoyed, that’s all. He’s a good guy. I love him.”

And does this work both ways?

Probably so, Bradley concedes.

“I don’t know . . . you’ve probably got to ask him. I’ve heard I can be annoying sometimes.”