ACC Can Wait, SMU's Lanier Has Different Focus
DALLAS – SMU men's basketball coach Rob Lanier leaned across the small table in a ballroom tucked away under the Gate D terminal at DFW airport. Despite the loud group of ESPN analysts going about their broadcast business just a few feet away, the Mustangs' second year leader wanted to drive home a point – talk about moving to the ACC might be fun, but it's not what's on his radar at the moment.
"It's all about this year and this team," Lanier said when asked at AAC media day about the impending move to the ACC. He then leaned toward Second Team All-AAC guard Zhuric Phelps and pointed a finger in his direction just in case anyone wasn't clear about whom he was about to speak.
"He may not be back with us next year if he plays to his capabilities," Lanier said. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."
Next to Phelps sat graduate forward Samuell Williamson. He too received a point and nod.
"He's a fifth year senior," Lanier said. "It doesn't do me or us any good for me to be talking to these guys what the future holds. I can deal with that in recruiting, but as far as our team is concerned, it's all about right here, right now."
Shortly after, a reporter asked if there is thought about leaving a legacy behind in the AAC. Lanier made it clear he has no interest in wasting precious breath on such ideas.
"For me it's about this group and family that we're building right now and what we can try to accomplish with them," Lanier said. "Whatever implications that might have if we get the job done, then so be it. That's my philosophy."
As far as AAC coaches are concerned, the Mustangs are halfway there. Despite finishing next to last in the conference this past spring, SMU is expected to take a significant jump as the program continues to be rebuilt.
"I haven't done a lot of building and rebuilding programs myself," Lanier said. "When rebuilding programs, that first year you wind up trying to weed out so much stuff that really It's really not until the second year on the job that you start laying down a foundation. I don't feel like that was the case here. I really feel like this is our second year."
A big part of that rebuild involves integrating a class of five transfers who rank No. 2 in the AAC. Oklahoma State forward Tyreek Smith and Tennessee guard BJ Edwards headline a transfer class that features three former 4-star recruits to help try to get SMU into the NCAA Tournament in the Mustangs' final AAC season.
"We established a culture and we brought 10 guys back that we wanted back because they really represent the way we want to build our program," Lanier said. "They were able to embrace the five newcomers and give them a sense of the way we want to do our business."
Still, getting to that point will be difficult. Despite the addition of Florida Atlantic, the respect Memphis drew last season and the rise of Tulane, the AAC is still perceived as a two-bid league. It's a barrier Memphis coach Penny Hardaway indicated could be an issue for SMU should the Mustangs take a bigger than expected leap in year 2.
"[The AAC doesn't] get a lot of respect," Hardaway said. "Maybe they think it's a two-bid conference now with us and FAU, but it needs to be a three-bid conference. I think we have other teams in this conference that are definitely worthy of that. Tulane, who to me could have easily been an NCAA team last year. Even Temple could have been and NCAA team last year. And you've got ECU up and coming and you're adding UAB and those guys. I think we've got enough good teams. We got deeper in our conference so to me, it's a 3-bid conference."
The first opportunity for fans to judge for themselves whether SMU has a team that might be able to generate a third bid for the AAC will be Monday, Nov. 6. The Mustangs open the season with Southwest Assemblies of God at 7:30 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN+.
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