Notebook: Louisville Men's Basketball Returns to Summer Workouts
Louisville men’s basketball coach Chris Mack recently met with the media and provided plenty of noteworthy updates about the program, as the Cardinals began participation in coach-led workouts and progress through the 2020 offseason:
NCAA-permitted summer access begins
The entirety of the team began NCAA-permitted summer access on last Monday, which allows up to eight hours per week for weight-training, conditioning and skill instruction, with no more than four hours of skill-related instruction per week.
It was the team's first time back together since two members of the program tested positive for COVID-19, which prompted a two week hiatus from voluntary workouts.
“I don’t think it was a huge set back, I think we are ahead of the curve," Mack said. We are way behind if you compare us year-to-year where we would normally be, but we are all in this pandemic together.”
More: Louisville Easing Back Into Men's Basketball Activities
Incoming freshmen adjusting to campus
With concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, incoming freshmen D’Andre Davis, JJ Traynor and Gabe Wiznitzer are having to adjust to an alternative offseason on a new campus.
Davis & Traynor arrived back in June at the start of AD Vince Tyra's phased plan to return student-athletes back to campus, while Wiznitzer joined in July following his commitment and reclassification to 2020.
“They are excited to be here and get acclimated to a new place and to new people,” Louisville men’s basketball coach Chris Mack said. “They are doing as well as they possibly can.”
More: Louisville freshmen acclimating to new campus
2020-21 schedule in flux due to COVID-19
While most of the conversation of altering, postponing or cancelling the upcoming season has been directed to football, basketball has started to get grouped into the discussions as of late.
Despite that, Mack is confident that there will be some type of season for college basketball this year, even if changes have to be made.
“I don’t know what that is going to look like,” Mack said. “There is a lot of different scenarios that we are talking about as an ACC coaching staff in our weekly meetings.”
More: Men's basketball schedule facing several scenarios
Grad transfers standing out early in practice
While Mack has not been back around his guys for very long, two of the relative newcomers are already standing out to him in practice: grad transfers Carlik Jones & Charles Minlend.
"Carlik's really dynamic. He's a player that has a lot of swag, a lot of confidence," Mack said. "He really, really understands the game. He uses his body well, really changes speeds. He can really shoot the ball, as evidenced from his 40% three point shooting from a year ago."
"(Minlend)'s smaller than Dwayne Sutton but I think he gives us that type of mentality, that type of game," Mack said. He specifically points out the jack-of-all-trades nature that Sutton carried in his game."
More: Mack Impressed Early by Grad Transfers Jones & Minlend
Williamson taking necessary steps forward
While forward Samuell Williamson showed plenty of potential in his first season - finishing as a double-figure scorer three times and having five or more points in 14 games - but also plenty of typical freshman moments.
Mack notes that Williamson was slow to start both in games and practice last season, but so far in practice this time around he has been ready from the jump.
"What I think he's done a lot better ... is he's ready from minute one," Mack said. "Now we're doing a warm-up drill and Sam's out there dunking. I think he understands the intensity that's needed at this level."
More: Samuell Williamson's Intensity Takes Much Needed Step Forward
Withers' body making appropriate adjustments
Mack opted to redshirt the freshman for the 2019-20 season and have him solely focus on adding strength and weight to his body.
"(Strength) Coach (Andy) Kettler was able to keep Jae'Lyn in the weight room way more than any other player on our team," Mack said. "Those guys had to worry about being ready to play a game - being ready for the next practice and preparation for the next game. Jae'Lyn just had to worry about showing up to practice."
So far it's starting to pay off. Mack says that Withers has put on "20-25 pounds" since he first stepped on campus, and has previously stated that Withers has grown around an inch and a half during that time.
More: Jae'Lyn Withers Making Significant Strides in the Weight Room
Igiehon continuing to improve conditioning
Forward Aidan Igiehon's struggle to adapt to the game of college basketball in his first year have been well documented. The Dublin, Ireland native struggled to adjust to the intensity at the next level and the conditioning it required.
"That really held him back a year ago. He lost his wind very quickly," Mack said.
While Igiehon has a long way to go still, he has made noticeable improvements and in turn has elevated expectations for his sophomore year.
"I expect him to play more like a metal-eater around the basket. Play with reckless abandon. If he does, then he'll have an impact on our team like we expect him to," Mack said.
More: Aidan Igiehon Working to Improve Conditioning
Expectations for Johnson
Mack said the expectations for David Johnson are enormous.
The 6-foot-5 point guard flashed his potential in the second of the season in 2019-20.
Johnson averaged 8.9 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds in his 15 games. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) assists leader for freshmen in conference games last year.
Mack wants Johnson to be more consistent during his sophomore year.
“I think David gave everyone glimpses,” Mack said. “I expect him to be more of a talker and a guy that can lead versus just a looker and a guy that took instructions.”
Johnson’s breakout performance came against third-ranked Duke in Louisville’s victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Johnson had 19 points and seven assists. He was later named ACC Freshmen of the Week.
Mack expects growth from Johnson as he transitions from his freshman to sophomore year.
“He has to get much better defensively, he has to get more confident with his shot, he has to handle the ball,” Mack said. “He has to make better decisions with the basketball.”
NOA Update
Louisville seeks closure as it goes through the Notice of Allegations process.
Mack hasn’t been actively involved in it, saying he doesn’t worry about it.
“You can’t finish a race unless it starts,” Mack said. “I let Vince [Tyra], I let our attorneys and all the other people that are dealing with it deal with it.”
Practice Plan
Players are being eased back into practices led by coaches.
Mack wants his players to stay healthy during the return to athletic activities, so the coaching staff won’t push the athletes too hard, too early.
“I don’t think we can go 200 miles per hour minute one to minute 120 on the first day,” Mack said. “We are doing a lot of individual instruction. We are doing drills that require conditioning, but hopefully aren’t very harmful.”
During the Break
When campuses around the country were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mack participated in Zoom meetings with other coaches.
“We got together quite often as coaches and shared ideas, share philosophies,” Mack said. “It wasn’t just about X’s and O’s, maybe how to handle players, traveling. I thought that was really good.”
Mack said the meetings sparked ideas, which allowed coaches to analyze how they run their programs.
