Maryland basketball kicks off the 2023-24 season against Mount St. Mary’s on Tuesday night in a 7 PM tipoff. With veterans Jahmir Young, Donta Scott and Julian Reese headlining the retooled roster, head coach Kevin Willard credited the team’s competitiveness and pointed to the leadership from his vets as what he loves most about the nucleus of his squad.
“Just how competitive they are. Again, a lot of young kids think they’re competitive and then they get to this level and they realize they’re not,” Willard said on Monday. “I think these guys, like they see what Jamir brings every day, what Donta [Scott] brings every day and I think these guys have come in and they’ve battled every day. It’s a very hard thing for freshmen to do, to come in and play and practice. I mean, we’ve been practicing since October 1st. So for a month to come in and practice at a really high level and compete every day. This young group and the sophomores have done a really good job of competing with the older guys.”
After battling the injury bug over the last six weeks, Maryland is nearing full health ahead of Tuesday’s tipoff as Willard looks ahead to see how the new and returning pieces gel together in game one.
“This will be the first time we’ve had close to a full roster. Our first few scrimmages, we were against Cincy, we had eight guys and against Virginia, we had probably eight and a half guys. So this will be the first time trying to figure out our rotations and things like that,” Willard added. “So I think the biggest thing is just kind of seeing how these guys react to different lineups on the floor because we weren’t able to do that whatsoever the first two games. We were kind of handcuffed with really just one lineup. So, having everyone out there against a veteran team that knows how to run their stuff, that’s the biggest thing I’m looking forward to seeing. When we get different lineups in there that we haven’t played with, how they react.”
More from Willard on his freshmen class, backcourt chemistry, the upcoming Asheville Tournament and more.
On physicality in practice
“I think a month of beating up on each other has kind of taken the physicality a little bit away from everybody. I think it’s a long preseason. It really is. But they’ve held their energy up extremely well for freshmen. The physicality, I think I’ve really toned that down over the last couple of weeks, but they’ve held their energy up extremely well.”
On Asheville Tournament next after season opener
“With the Asheville tournament being on Friday and us opening on Tuesday, that’s really the biggest hamper that we’ve had. Obviously I’d like to be opening up [Monday night]. We weren’t able to. So I think the biggest thing is these guys will get really a crash course in how quickly you have to get ready for a very good Davidson team and then getting ready for another game a day later. The fact that Mount has so many veterans and seniors, it’s going to be a good test for us right off the bat.”
On keeping Julian Reese on the floor
“I think he’s gotten a little bit older. I think he’s a little bit more mature. I think he understands his value when he’s on the court to when he’s off. We work with different pick-and-roll defenses this summer and this preseason, we worked with a couple of different post traps this year. But for the most part, I think it’s just him growing up a little bit and realizing some of his fouls are just frustration fouls. It wasn’t scheme related. It was more of a get tangled up with a guy, getting a shove. So I think he’s really grown. I think he, and again, I think he understands how much he means to us when he’s on the court.”
On Tony Skinn and Grant Billmeier opening as first-time head coaches
“Most assistants, once they get away from you, they don’t really want to talk to you anymore. No, I’m excited. I mean, I got Shaheen opens up tonight, too. I become very busy on ESPN+ and Peacock and all that stuff because most some of these early games aren’t on TV. I feel like I’m a father again, to be honest with you, because you have a great sense of pride when you see your assistants who worked hard to help get your program to where they are and now get their own program. And I’m always there. I get a text every once in a while, just about practice, or preparation, or a ref, or something like that. I’m going to be busy watching a whole lot of games, which I’m excited about.”
On the relationship between DeShawn Harris-Smith, Jamie Kaiser Jr & DeShawn Harris-Smith
“Off the court, they are close. I mean, they do everything together. They’re just three guys. I mean, you’d see the three of them on campus riding their scooters. I mean, they get here at the same time. They’re out shooting right now together. I think it’s been a little bit of a wakeup call about on the court because they’ve always played against each other. They’ve never really played with each other, but also had to battle each other in practice. So I think they’ve kind of, I think they’re all still trying to figure out how to practice, compete against each other, but do it in a way that helps them and it’s not hurting them. And I think that’s something that all freshmen kind of really struggle with. As you get older, you kind of learn how to practice and do it the right way. I think these guys are still trying to figure out how to do it, still everyone’s fighting for minutes. No one knows rotations right now so everything’s kind of up in the air. But off the court, they’ve been great. And again, this team is very close-knit team. It’s nice. They all kind of hang out together. I think that’s where Italy really helped us with that aspect of the game.”
On having the freshmen as the foundation of the program
“We’ll see. I’ll give you the honest answer. I mean, if anyone says they know what’s going to go on with their roster at the end of next year, they’re lying to you. I love this nucleus. I love this young group. Even the sophomore class I think has really gotten better. So I think the foundation is definitely there. But at the end of the day, the way the NCAA set up kind of some of the rules now, it’s just, you’re just not sitting there and thinking, alright, this is what you have and what you’re going to have next year. Unfortunately, just the way the NCAA has decided to do it.”
On how Jahari Long and DeShawn Harris-Smith mesh together
“Jahari was hurt for the Virginia game. Against Cincinnati, we played three guards at one time. It really worked really well ’cause it gave each, it gave Jamir and DeShawn a chance to kind of get some spot up threes and not have to work so hard. So Jahari gives those guys a chance to get in there and do that. They work well. We’ve been playing that lineup a lot together in practice. They’re both bigger guards. I mean Jahari’s almost 6-foot-6 and Deshawn’s 6-foot-5 so when you have them both out there, if Jahmir out there, if Jahnathan’s out there, if we put Jamie out there with those three, I mean it’s a big lineup that can be pretty good defensively, and pretty good rebounding wise. But they all, I mean, because of the injuries, they’re all still a little bit trying to figure each other out just because we’ve had so many injuries in the preseason.”
On where Maryland stands as a team defensively
“I’ve been in the top 25 in KenPom defense for like the last ten years or somewhat close to it. I think we were 32nd last year just because our tempo really hurt us. But I mean, for the most part, we should be a good defensive team. It’s kind of what I focus on a little bit. I give them a lot of freedom offensively, but defensively, it’s a way, especially in this league, keep you in games and keep games close. We’re not nearly as good a defensive team right now as we were last year at this point, but we’ll get there.”
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