Practice Report: LSU Basketball Begins Preseason Practice
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Head Coach Matt McMahon and his LSU Tigers held an open practice Wednesday afternoon as his program begins preseason work. This new era of LSU basketball appears to be trending in the right direction under McMahon, whose energy and organization was on full display on Wednesday.
It’s been a work in progress for this squad since McMahon took over, taking a roster from zero scholarship players to a full team in less than three months, but it’s clear the trajectory of this program is going up.
The energy of McMahon is unmatched. Starting off the day with a message to his team before they began stretching, he ran to the other side of the court and hit 7-of-11 threes to start practice with the team saying, “It’s what he does.”
Here are three takeaways from Wednesday’s practice:
Attention to Detail
McMahon spent the first 10 minutes or so of practice taking laps around the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Soaking in every piece of the moment while making sure everything was as precise as he wanted, he took roughly 10 laps around the court as his team went through drills.
It’s clear his communication skills are top notch. With a team that lacks continuity, which is a given considering it’s a completely fresh-faced squad, making sure his team is vocal throughout practice was a major takeaway. Throughout each drill, calling out each other's names was imperative for McMahon.
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Structure. Accountability. Perfection. Three words to describe the way McMahon coaches. If it isn’t flawless, it’s a redo. McMahon’s dual-personality ways were also on display. Walking around dapping players up to start practice then flipping the switch to coach-mode shows he’s not just bought in on his guys, but is invested in their success on the floor.
High-Energy
Despite it only being a 30-minute media viewing, it’s clear the morale of this team is on another level. Constant energy, vocality and hustle took over the arena. Led by Adam Miller looking like the leader we’ve come to expect, others began to follow in his footsteps.
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There’s a ton of length on this team, which led them to go through a flurry of drills to feed the paint. Capping off plays with powerful dunks to get the energy going was evident Wednesday afternoon.
Trio of Murray State Players Look the Part
KJ Williams is going to take on a major role for this squad. Running offensive sets through the big man highlighted the walkthroughs and his high IQ is something to watch. Williams possesses great size and strength for an SEC big man, standing at 6-foot-10, 250-pounds. Look for him to be a focal point of this team on both sides of the floor.
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Justice “Juice” Hill brings the energy to this team. A quick, twitchy guard, he showcased his tight handle in a myriad of drills, looking to be a primary ball handler for the Tigers this season. A bit undersized, standing at 6-foot, 175-pounds, it’ll be interesting to monitor his progression throughout the offseason. Not letting his size waver his confidence, it’s his speed that separates him from the rest.
Trae Hannibal has all the tools to take on a major role this season. Despite the Tigers having a significant number of guards, Hannibal understands McMahon’s scheme and it was made well aware Wednesday afternoon. One of the first to get each drill going while talking with his teammates, Hannibal is someone to keep an eye on as preseason practice continues.
