New-Look Sooners Begin Preseason Prep

Photo by: Joshua R. Gateley

September 25, 2019 | Men's Basketball

Photos All Practices Are Open to Attend OU Releases Schedule Tickets

By: John Rohde

Tuesday afternoon was the first official day of practice for this year's Oklahoma men's basketball team, marking the earliest start to fall practice in school history.

Long gone are the days of Division I programs having to wait for the clock to strike 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 15.

"The old Oct. 15th (start) is way in the past," said smiling Sooners head coach Lon Kruger, who is about to start his 34th season as a collegiate coach and his ninth in Norman. "The first days now are a lot different than the first days years ago. Used to be first days were two-hand chest passes and dribbling (drills). … We've been going for three months."

OU concluded its series of summer workouts on July 31. Throughout June and July, programs were allotted four hours per week for on-court instruction and workouts. Teams that schedule an overseas tour are allowed 10 full practices in preparation.

Kruger (639-409) will be seeking his 24th postseason berth overall, adding to his 19 NCAA and four NIT appearances. OU is one of only 13 major-conference schools to reach the NCAA Tournament six of the last seven seasons.

Last year's team finished 20-14 overall and culminated with a No. 9 tournament seed despite having a 7-11 record in the competitive Big 12 Conference. The Sooners opened the tournament with a 95-72 domination of Mississippi at Columbia, S.C., before losing two days later to eventual national champion Virginia.

Gone from last year's squad are guard Christian James, who started all 34 games, led the team in minutes (33.1) and scoring (14.6), was second in rebounds (6.2) and steals (1.4) and third in assists (63), wingman Rashard Odomes (15 starts; 6.9 ppg; .527 FG; .375 3FG), center Jamuni McNease (11 starts; 4.7 ppg; 3.5 rebounds; 25 blocks) and graduate transfers Aaron Calixte (19 starts; 6.6 ppg) and Miles Reynolds (eight starts; 6.7 ppg).

All told, the Sooners lost 59 percent of their scoring from their eight departed seniors.

To counter this, OU brings in a recruiting class listed in the top 20 nationally by Rivals (No. 14) and ESPN (No. 20). Both websites listed the incoming class as second-best in the Big 12. Kruger said he believes the seven-member class is the largest of his coaching career.

The Sooners return three starters in 6-foot-9 junior forward Brady Manek (34 starts, 27.8 minutes; 12.2 points; 5.9 rebounds; 23 blocks; .469 FG; .358 3FG; .764 FT), 6-foot-7 senior forward Kristian Doolittle (32 starts; 29.1 mpg; 11.3 ppg; team-high 7.1 rpg; 30 steals; 1.6 assists; 17 blocks; .502 FG; .775 FT) and 6-foot-5 sophomore guard Jamal Bieniemy (17 starts, 25.3 mpg; 4.9 ppg; 2.4 rebounds; team-high 3.5 assists; team-high 47 steals; .403 3FG).

Who will join these three in the 2019-20 starting lineup has yet to be determined, but two prime candidates are heralded 6-foot-1, 198-pound freshman point guard De'Vion (DAY-vee-on) Harmon from Denton, Texas, and 6-foot-5 redshirt junior shooting guard Austin Reaves, who was forced to sit out last season after transferring from Wichita State.

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The Sooners held their first official practice of the 2019-20 season on Tuesday. All practices are open for fans to attend.

The left-handed Harmon excelled in the opening practice, particularly with his 3-point shooting from the corners. "I've been playing the best basketball of my life right now," Harmon said. "I just want to keep it there."

Kruger said Harmon has made "great progress since June. He knows much more clearly every day what his responsibility is as a point guard. He can do a lot individually, now he knows (what we expect as coaches), too. He can do a lot individually, but now he knows he can do a lot more than that."

Bieniemy and Harmon are not strangers, having played against each other in AAU ball together for nearly a decade, but they are teammates for the first time. "We've been knowing each other since second, third grade," Harmon said. "Just knowing each other, knowing how we play. The next month is going to be very important -- vital."

Bieniemy said of Harmon: "We've got a feel for each other, where we're supposed to be on the court. He's a competitor. It's something you don't notice until you play against him. He talks a lot. He gets everybody involved. He fires the team up on offense and defense, so he's helpful a lot."

"It's a good freshman class. Great attitude, great work ethic, good length, good basketball skills. All will progress at different rates, but love what they've done all summer and fall."
- Lon Kruger

Also in the mix for significant playing time are 6-foot-7 freshman forward Jalen Hill, Nevada's Player of the Year out of Las Vegas; 6-foot-5 junior guard Alondes (uh-LON-duss) Williams, a transfer from Triton College in River Grove, Ill., a late arrival who didn't join the team until the second week of August; and 6-foot-9, 220-pound senior redshirt junior forward Kur Kuath (KERR KWOTH), a transfer from Salt Lake Community College who played six games last season before being sidelined with a back injury and has been granted an additional year of eligibility as a medical hardship.

Other newcomers are 6-foot-7, 217-pound freshman forward Victor Iwuakor (eye-WOO-uh-kor) from Southlake, Texas; 7-foot-1; 220-pound freshman center Rick Issanza from Kinshasha, Congo; 6-foot-9, 250-pound redshirt sophomore center Corbin Merritt, a transfer from Daytona State; and 6-foot-8, 180-pound freshman forward Anyang Garang (ON-yong guh-RANG) from Adelaide, Australia, who is expected to redshirt this season to add bulk (he already has gained 15 pounds).

"It's a good freshman class," Kruger said. "Great attitude, great work ethic, good length, good basketball skills. All will progress at different rates, but love what they've done all summer and fall. The intriguing thing about this team with so many new faces so many new people, is to see who will assume what role as we go forward. That could be a lot of different combinations."

Though team leadership often lands on the point guard's shoulders, Kruger said he expects leadership to come from multiple directions. "It's not just one guy," Kruger said. "They all have to lead to a certain degree."

Bieniemy became quite familiar with the learning curve as a true freshman last season. "Last year I didn't really know too much and I was just trying to stay alive," he said. "This year, it's good to have my feet under me and just know what's going on."

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Jamal Bieniemy is one of three starters returning to this year's squad.

Bieniemy burst onto the scene with a 17-point outing in a 70-61 victory at Oklahoma State on Jan. 23, during which he shot 6-for-6 from the field, 3-for-3 on 3-pointers and 2-for-2 at the free-throw line, plus three steals.

"Jamal's been fantastic, probably different than anyone we've had from June to now," Kruger said. "He's very secure as a player, all about team. He's a great model to learn from."

Though he arrived late and started slowly, Williams has begun to turn some heads.

"The last couple weeks (he's been) much, much more comfortable," Kruger said. "Very skilled, very talented. He's a really, really good athlete."
Harmon said Williams is "super bouncy. He can jump out of the gym. He's going to rebound, he's going to hit open shots. He's going to score. I'm excited about what he's going to bring to the table for us. I think he's going to be a great asset."

Asked what he'll bring to the team, Williams said, "Energy. A lot of energy. Trying to score and give my teammates the ball. I've got to adapt and I've been trying to adapt real quick so I can be on the same page as my teammates."

The season commences Nov. 5 with a home game against UTSA. A challenging non-conference slate also includes away-from-home games against Minnesota (Nov. 9 at Sioux Falls, S.D.), Oregon State (Nov. 12 at Portland, Ore.), Stanford (Nov. 25 at Kansas City, Mo.), Butler or Missouri (Nov. 26 at Kansas City), at North Texas (Dec. 5), at Wichita State (Dec. 14), at Creighton (Dec. 17). Big 12 play starts Jan. 4 against defending conference co-champion Kansas State in Norman.

"We're a really good team right now, but we're not a great team," Harmon said. "How hard we practice has to become how hard we play in games. We're going to keep working to be a great team. In the five or six weeks before we start I think we'll get there."