MBB Practice Notes: LSU starts year two under McMahon

LSU men’s basketball began its 2023-24 season on Tuesday afternoon with practice No. 1. Head coach Matt McMahon enters year two at LSU and has put together a roster with talented transfers, promising returners, and a lot more hope behind it.

Here’s what I saw at practice and what to know about the men’s basketball team with about a month and a half left before the first game.

Injury report from McMahon

Sophomore forward Jalen Reed is day to day with a foot injury. His leg had been bothering him throughout the offseason. Not active in practice

Transfer guard Carlos Stewart missed last week with tendinitis but is good to go now.

Mike Williams got injured in the first minute of the first game in the Bahamas and missed six weeks during the offseason but is good to go.

Transfer guard Jalen Cook missed two months due to a hamstring injury but is full go to start practices

Overall

In the first hour of practice, the team went through several drills focused on passing, defense, communication, and playing with pace. The emphasis was on creating good habits and getting everyone to understand how to operate in practice.

I’ve seen practices ran by no Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland and Will Wade at the college level and this was different, but still very energetic. The veterans on this team do a great job of being loud and bringing energy early and often. You can tell these guys know how to practice with only two freshmen and two sophomores. Wade and McCasland were much more of the yalling type of coaches, while McMahon is still very intense but is more about bringing energy naturally and getting everyone on the same page.

After the first hour, the group started scrimmaging which helped us get a better picture of what the players can do.

Player by player thoughts

Derek Fountain

Fountain went through practice as a veteran with good energy. The passing and familiarity with how McMahon wants the offense run is what stands out. Didn’t get to see him shoot from the perimeter much. Still a quality scorer inside the arc.

Tyrell Ward

He shot the ball OK, with some comfortable stretches, but had a few shaky passes and flat out struggled as a creator/passer. As someone expected to take a step forward with the ball in his hands this year, I need to see him get more comfortable. Still has great length on the wing and good upside as a scorer.

Mwani Wilkinson

A veteran presence, he shot the ball well and looked to be in great shape. Defensively, he stripped Jordan Wright on a drive, but then lost the ball dribbling out of pressure. We’ve heard for three years about how good Wilkinson is over the offseason, but coming off of the injury he sustained last year, it’s now or never for Wilkinson to prove himself. At the very least, he’s a 3-and-D weapon for McMahon off the bench,

Trae Hannibal

Really impressed me with his leadership and intensity throughout practice. Didn’t get to see him shoot much, but I still don’t expect that to be an area of much improvement. He still has the athleticism to be a capable defender and attack the rim on offense.

Jalen Cook

The shooting is obvious. He’s a knockdown shooter off the catch and has excellent range off the dribble. Defensively, he’s not imposing at all and It’s a consistent issue dating back to the last two years. The offense is all that matters though, and he’s great on that side.

Will Baker

The shooting was what I thought it would be. He’s a legitimate pick and pop threat with 7-foot size which makes him valuable on any team. There’s flashes of athleticism that gives you encouragement for his defensive potential and offensive versatility. Ultimately, this team just needs him to maintain the offensive efficiency that made him excellent at Nevada.

Jordan Wright

Didn’t shoot the ball great, but I’m not worried about that. Has a really strong base and a good handle which is going to be valuable entering this season.

Daimion Collins

Unbelievable athleticism as we expected.his head is easily at the rim on dunks and his hands can get to the top of the backboard. The shot is still a work in progress, but has potential, making some in drills. He can slide past defenders on offense, but I need to see him be more efficient inside the paint. He missed a short put back then got his own rebound and was blocked by Corey Chest on the next shot.

Carlos Stewart

Had a couple nice finishes and a couple threes, but didn’t get many looks in the 5-on-5 period. He had a pick and roll pocket pass to Hunter Dean for a dunk. He’s going to be one of the key ball handlers on this team.

Hunter Dean

Very limited lateral quickness, was by far the slowest mover in drills. The jumper didn’t inspire much confidence either. He’s a rim running five and had a few nice finishes at the rim, similar to the film he had from George Washington.

Corey Chest

The upside is with his athleticism and motor, similar to what it was in high school. He has real long-term value as a result and is a welcome addition that gives this team more grit. The skills will need to develop significantly, but there’s no rush to play him in year one with the amount of front court guys McMahon has.

Mike Williams

Seeing Williams for the first time in person, I loved his fluidity on the court and the overall comfort with the ball in his hands. He shot the ball really well as well and I left practice encouraged that he could help this team this year regardless of Jalen Cook’s eligibility status.

The post MBB Practice Notes: LSU starts year two under McMahon appeared first on On3.