Alabama had a 15- to 20-minute open viewing for men's basketball practice today (20 if you count stretching and such).
Here are some observations with the obligatory disclaimer – it's a short period of one practice, so someone who is shooting hot today may be cold on another and vice-versa.
So, here you go:
* Avery Johnson is possibly the nicest person in the world. Class act all the way. When the media arrived on the floor, he walked over from across the court and shook hands with every single person and thanked us for coming. When it was time to leave, he walked all the way across the floor and shook hands with every single one of us and thanked us again.
* Braxton Key, 6-8 freshman from Charlotte (Oak Hill Academy) finished first in the wind sprints before practice (back and forth cross-court several times). That's not to say he'd win a footrace, but usually the guys who finish first in drills in my experience are among the hardest workers and the guys who set a pace and example for others.
* During slow-and-easy catch-and-shoot drills (no defense) to open the portion of practice that we attended, they were shooting mid-range jumpers. Avery Johnson Jr. (sophomore transfer from Texas A&M, eligible this year), Bola Olaniyan (6-7 forward, fifth-year senior transfer from Southern Illinois), Key, Riley Norris and Nick King (junior 6-7 transfer from Memphis, eligible this year) all looked to have a good shooting touch. Jimmie Taylor, Dazon Ingram and Donta Hall, not so much.
* Next came three-on-three fastbreak drills. Ar'Mond Davis (6-6 swing forward, juco transfer) showed a nice stroke on the full-speed pull-up jumper from about 15 feet, hit a couple of those. He has a big vertical leap, can really get up there. King also knocked down a couple of pull-up jumpers. Taylor and Key were the most physical in boxing out and mixing it up for rebounds. Jimmie also had a nice, strong dunk to finish, as did Hall.
* Daniel Giddens, a 6-11, 235-pound center/forward from Ohio State who sits out this season under NCAA transfer rules, is a full-grown man. As Cecil noted (he got there late, coming from the Herb Jones commitment), he looks like what you'd expect someone who came from Ohio State to look like.
* Dazon Ingram was wearing long sleeves and a hoodie (top down). No idea why. Maybe just wanted to break more of a sweat.
* Key is wearing a clear protective facemask. He apparently broke his nose a few weeks ago and it's precautionary, should be off before the season starts.
Combinations on fast-paced five-on-five drills:
* King, Ingram, Giddens, Olaniyan and Key were out in a group early wearing crimson. Avery Jr. swapped in for Dazon at one point.
* In the greys to start out were Norris, walk-on Lawson Schaffer, Corbin Collins (Morehead State fifth-year senior transfer), Taylor and Davis.
* Another combination in crimson was Avery Jr., Brandon Austin, Key, Shannon Hale and Hall. Yet another was King, Ingram, Giddens, Austin and Hall.
* I don't think you can read anything into who was with what group. At no point did I get the impression that any particular group represented the starting combinations (especially since the guy who can't play this year was mixing with some of the guys you'd expect to start). Keep in mind how early this is.
* Overall impressions of five-on-five is that there aren't enough finishers at this point. Some good moves to the basket, some good looks, but lot of misses. Dazon is not a shooter but can penetrate and score.
* In shooting drills at the end of our viewing (big guys shot mid-range, wings/guards shot threes), Davis and Norris were knocking them down, same for Collins.
That's about it.
Here are some observations with the obligatory disclaimer – it's a short period of one practice, so someone who is shooting hot today may be cold on another and vice-versa.
So, here you go:
* Avery Johnson is possibly the nicest person in the world. Class act all the way. When the media arrived on the floor, he walked over from across the court and shook hands with every single person and thanked us for coming. When it was time to leave, he walked all the way across the floor and shook hands with every single one of us and thanked us again.
* Braxton Key, 6-8 freshman from Charlotte (Oak Hill Academy) finished first in the wind sprints before practice (back and forth cross-court several times). That's not to say he'd win a footrace, but usually the guys who finish first in drills in my experience are among the hardest workers and the guys who set a pace and example for others.
* During slow-and-easy catch-and-shoot drills (no defense) to open the portion of practice that we attended, they were shooting mid-range jumpers. Avery Johnson Jr. (sophomore transfer from Texas A&M, eligible this year), Bola Olaniyan (6-7 forward, fifth-year senior transfer from Southern Illinois), Key, Riley Norris and Nick King (junior 6-7 transfer from Memphis, eligible this year) all looked to have a good shooting touch. Jimmie Taylor, Dazon Ingram and Donta Hall, not so much.
* Next came three-on-three fastbreak drills. Ar'Mond Davis (6-6 swing forward, juco transfer) showed a nice stroke on the full-speed pull-up jumper from about 15 feet, hit a couple of those. He has a big vertical leap, can really get up there. King also knocked down a couple of pull-up jumpers. Taylor and Key were the most physical in boxing out and mixing it up for rebounds. Jimmie also had a nice, strong dunk to finish, as did Hall.
* Daniel Giddens, a 6-11, 235-pound center/forward from Ohio State who sits out this season under NCAA transfer rules, is a full-grown man. As Cecil noted (he got there late, coming from the Herb Jones commitment), he looks like what you'd expect someone who came from Ohio State to look like.
* Dazon Ingram was wearing long sleeves and a hoodie (top down). No idea why. Maybe just wanted to break more of a sweat.
* Key is wearing a clear protective facemask. He apparently broke his nose a few weeks ago and it's precautionary, should be off before the season starts.
Combinations on fast-paced five-on-five drills:
* King, Ingram, Giddens, Olaniyan and Key were out in a group early wearing crimson. Avery Jr. swapped in for Dazon at one point.
* In the greys to start out were Norris, walk-on Lawson Schaffer, Corbin Collins (Morehead State fifth-year senior transfer), Taylor and Davis.
* Another combination in crimson was Avery Jr., Brandon Austin, Key, Shannon Hale and Hall. Yet another was King, Ingram, Giddens, Austin and Hall.
* I don't think you can read anything into who was with what group. At no point did I get the impression that any particular group represented the starting combinations (especially since the guy who can't play this year was mixing with some of the guys you'd expect to start). Keep in mind how early this is.
* Overall impressions of five-on-five is that there aren't enough finishers at this point. Some good moves to the basket, some good looks, but lot of misses. Dazon is not a shooter but can penetrate and score.
* In shooting drills at the end of our viewing (big guys shot mid-range, wings/guards shot threes), Davis and Norris were knocking them down, same for Collins.
That's about it.
Last edited:
