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Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers men’s basketball summer work offers look at developing chemistry

The Scarlet Knights blended summer workouts, two weeks of Steve Pikiell Basketball Camp, and an early glimpse of the RaSheed Jones-Christian Gurdak combination.
Edward Blair II|
Feb 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Steve Pikiell in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Feb 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Steve Pikiell in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers men’s basketball spent July building more than its roster for the 2026-27 season.

From summer practices to two weeks of Steve Pikiell's Basketball Camp, the Scarlet Knights used the month to develop chemistry on the court and strengthen their connection with the next generation of players away from it.

Summer workouts begin the culture-building process

Rutgers kicks off July by going behind the scenes of summer workouts and notes that “the culture is being built”. The early practices of the summer have given Head Coach Steve Pikiell and his coaching staff a chance to start mixing in the returning players with the summer signees.

They continued work beyond regular team activities. The Steve Pikiell Basketball Camp hosted by Rutgers took place at the practice facility in two sessions: July 13-16 and July 27-30.

The summer camp was for boys 8-15 years old and had been instructed by the Rutgers coaching staff and current Rutgers players.

At the end of the second session of the program, the program thanked the campers for “two great weeks of learning, improving, and working together”.

Darren Buchanan Jr. brings energy to Pikiell’s camp

Returning forward Darren Buchanan Jr. of the Scarlet Knights was another player who made a strong impression during the camp. Buchanan stays engaged with children, remaining motivated by basketball, just as he did when he coached them at Rutgers.

Buchanan is a perfect fit for this new position, as he was able to influence young athletes beyond Rutgers' campus.

He founded Leg3ndary Experiences and has used his platform and NIL earnings to host basketball camps, back-to-school drives, and other community events in his hometown of Washington, D.C. His selfless actions merit a 2025 Musial Award A National Honor given to recognize and celebrate the very highest standards of sportsmanship and of extraordinary character.

Following the close of the second camp, attention returned to Rutgers’ work on the floor.

RaSheed Jones and Christian Gurdak develop early chemistry

Rutgers shared a clip on July 31 featuring the two-man game between incoming guard RaSheed Jones and center Christian Gurdak.

A single summer sequence of play does not make a season, but this sequence of play gave us a glimpse of a very powerful offense.

Jones arrives from Southern Miss after starting all 32 games during the 2025-26 season. He averaged 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 36.7 percent from the 3-point range and 80.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Gurdak, a 6-foot-10 transfer from Virginia Tech, appeared in 31 games and made 10 starts as a freshman. He averaged 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game while shooting 63.2 percent from the field.

Jones’ scoring and playmaking combined with Gurdak’s size and efficiency around the basket could give Rutgers a productive guard-big connection. Most importantly for a team consisting of many new pieces, these two have started timing months before the start of the season.

Rutgers’ summer priorities come into focus

Summer clips do not determine the rotation and neither do camp performances as they do not count towards Big Ten standings.

Rutgers’ July program allowed us a glimpse into the priorities of the team, in particular to focus on the development of chemistry between the team members, the establishment of leadership within the team, and the continued development of the desired team culture.

Stay up to date on the Scarlet Knights by bookmarking  Rutgers On SI.

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Edward Blair II
EDWARD BLAIR II

Edward Blair II is a journalist, sportscaster, news producer, and multimedia professional with experience spanning sports journalism, broadcast production, coaching, and digital media. He currently serves as a News Producer for KOTA Territory News in Rapid City, South Dakota, while continuing to contribute sports coverage across multiple platforms. Blair has covered professional, collegiate, and pro sports as a writer for Sports Illustrated's On SI network, including coverage of the Seattle Storm, Philadelphia 76ers, Illinois Fighting Illini, and other programs. He also wrote for Last Word on College Football, where he covered Michigan Wolverines football and college football storylines nationwide. He is a contributor to Rutgers On SI.

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