Keion Brooks Jr., the touted Kentucky Wildcats transfer, tells a story to highlight the challenges of guiding a Washington men’s basketball team in dire need of fresh leaders while simultaneously learning to play with new teammates in new schemes, particularly UW’s trademark 2-3 zone defense.
“The other day, we were in practice — you know, we play a lot — and (Coach Mike Hopkins) said we’re going to go man-to-man,” Brooks said. “I beg him: ‘Coach, please, please, please play zone so I can get more reps at it and I can figure it out.’”
After just five weeks since the start Husky training camp, Brooks isn’t entirely comfortable with demands, responsibilities and nuances of Washington’s zone defense.
“It’s definitely a learning curve,” said Brooks, a 6-foot-7 junior forward who spent the previous three years at Kentucky. “Kind of got to unlearn what I’ve been taught for the past three years. The biggest thing for me has been watching film. Coach has provided me with some guys who look really good in it.
“Just to see what it looks like, it really helps. Then when you’re out there, you kind of start to feel it more.”
Ready or not, Washington’s training camp comes to an end 7 p.m. Tuesday following an exhibition against Division II Alaska Fairbanks at Alaska Airlines Arena.
It’s the Huskies’ only dress rehearsal in front of a crowd before the Nov. 7 season opener at home against Weber State and a chance to debut a revamped roster featuring seven newcomers and six returners from a team that finished 17-15 last season.
“What people are going to see is a team with a lot energy,” senior guard Jamal Bey said. “We have a lot of pieces who can do a lot of different things. I think we’re going to have a lot of energy on the court that gives the fans something fun to watch.”
Since the start of training camp weeks ago, there’s been a slow trickle of news emanating from the UW men’s basketball team.
Freshman guard Keyon Menifield Jr. created a bit of a buzz with an unexpected offensive onslaught during a closed-door scrimmage against Utah State on Oct. 15.
Brooks has impressed the UW staff with a scoring ability, particularly in the low post, that’s desperately needed for a team that lost 70% of its scoring from last season.
When asked which players to keep an eye on during Tuesday’s exhibition, Hopkins noted newcomer Franck Kepnang, a 6-11 junior center from Oregon, gives Washington size and toughness inside while junior center Braxton Meah, a Fresno State transfer, and freshman guard Koren Johnson have shown flashes defensively in practices.
“The guys who have been here and know us, you expect them to take another step in their development,” Hopkins said. “But the guys coming in, you want to help them along as fast as possible. That’s what preseason scrimmages and games are for, to get them on the court and see where we’re at.
“You want to see what translates from practice. You want to see different lineups and how guys play with each other. … Yeah, the game doesn’t count in the standings, but everything matters. We want to play our best every time we step on the court.”