SE: K-State MBB ‘Hit the Ground Running’ in Weight Room, Made Significant Gains During Offseason
Oct 02, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Nothing had to be said, although much was, at the K-State men's basketball team's media day last week about the gains the Wildcats made in the weight room this summer. All someone had to do was look around and see it.
Nearly every Wildcat looked noticeably stronger — arms bigger, shoulders broader and jerseys tighter. Nearly all of them were experienced with K-State strength and conditioning coach Ben O'Donnell, too. The two, he said, worked hand in hand.
"Guys were able to hit the ground running from Day 1 this summer," O'Donnell said, "which gave us a big advantage."
The results showed in sight and in testing.
Junior Makol Mawien, redshirt freshman Nigel Shadd and junior-transfer Austin Trice all put on 20 to 25 pounds of muscle, O'Donnell said, from their first weigh-ins.
"I was looking back at pictures of Mak when he came here on his visit, his official visit," O'Donnell said, "and he looks like a different guy."
Mawien also led K-State with 25 reps on the 185-pound bench press test — one of the many NBA Combine tests O'Donnell has the Wildcats go through each offseason. Senior guard Barry Brown did 21 reps this summer. Dean Wade was not far behind with 18, impressive not only because of the 6-foot-10 senior's long arms.
"I benched it twice (as a freshman)… small change," Wade said, slyly.
The bigger change, O'Donnell said, stems from the team's experience. Only two Wildcats — freshman Shaun Neal-Williams and Trice — were in their first summer with him. Most were in at least their third.
It's an overlooked part of having a veteran team like K-State does, with every starter back from last year's Elite Eight run. O'Donnell said he spent less time teaching this summer than any of his previous ones at K-State. Thus, his "hit the ground running" statement.
Maybe more important, O'Donnell added, was he hardly ever coached effort.
"I've had a couple of people ask me about a couple of the guys, the weight gain and all that, and it's been awesome, but they have done the work. They have done a really great job. It has made my job easy to where I don't have to come in and constantly coach effort," he said. "From what I was doing my first summer here to what we're doing now, from an intensity standpoint, from a weight standpoint and what the guys are able to handle, it's completely different. It's a significant change, and rightfully so. It should have been. It was a gradual progression year to year. As the guys get more acclimated to the movements and more proficient in techniques with certain lifts, we're able to progress them better. The guys have done a phenomenal job."
As O'Donnell did his best to deflect any credit, the Wildcats made sure to give him his due.
"Ben, he pushes you to the limit," Trice said. "He's a great coach. He's great at what he does, and he pushes you to get better every single day and that's what we've done throughout the summer and preseason, gotten better."
"He's been taking it to a whole other level," Brown added.
Comments like these were endless at K-State's media day — an obvious sign that O'Donnell's ability to motivate is one of his strengths. Even more, he does so in a way that parallels the messages being passed down from head coach Bruce Weber.
For instance, this off-season's theme has been the "pursuit of better." Before one workout, O'Donnell broke down the phrase by defining each word and putting it into perspective of what it means in the weight room. The moment is documented in the team's first episode of "All In," a new all-access show for the 2018-19 season.
"Ben's been working us hard," senior guard Kamau Stokes said. "He's not satisfied from last year."
"We have to be different. We can't do the same thing we did last year," Sneed added. "He's been putting it on us in conditioning, doing a lot of great, different things in the weight room, and that's his whole point. He's been grinding away, chiseling at us so we improve."
"We're going to be real durable. We're going to be the most in-shape team in the country," Stokes said. "We're trying to be the strongest team and Ben has done a great job with that."
"Strength is just going to carry over (in handling) bumps and bruises; being able to take a hit, give a hit out; be a little faster, a little more athletic; being able to spring up, block a shot, get a shot off, stuff like that," Brown added. "All the things (Ben) does definitely correlates to basketball."
Nothing had to be said, although much was, at the K-State men's basketball team's media day last week about the gains the Wildcats made in the weight room this summer. All someone had to do was look around and see it.
Nearly every Wildcat looked noticeably stronger — arms bigger, shoulders broader and jerseys tighter. Nearly all of them were experienced with K-State strength and conditioning coach Ben O'Donnell, too. The two, he said, worked hand in hand.
"Guys were able to hit the ground running from Day 1 this summer," O'Donnell said, "which gave us a big advantage."
The results showed in sight and in testing.
Junior Makol Mawien, redshirt freshman Nigel Shadd and junior-transfer Austin Trice all put on 20 to 25 pounds of muscle, O'Donnell said, from their first weigh-ins.
"I was looking back at pictures of Mak when he came here on his visit, his official visit," O'Donnell said, "and he looks like a different guy."
Mawien also led K-State with 25 reps on the 185-pound bench press test — one of the many NBA Combine tests O'Donnell has the Wildcats go through each offseason. Senior guard Barry Brown did 21 reps this summer. Dean Wade was not far behind with 18, impressive not only because of the 6-foot-10 senior's long arms.
?? Makol Mawien ??
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) September 22, 2018
? 25 Reps
? 185 Lbs
? @NBA Combine Pro Bench Test #KStateMBB #EMAW pic.twitter.com/PzEVfesQMj
"I benched it twice (as a freshman)… small change," Wade said, slyly.
The bigger change, O'Donnell said, stems from the team's experience. Only two Wildcats — freshman Shaun Neal-Williams and Trice — were in their first summer with him. Most were in at least their third.
It's an overlooked part of having a veteran team like K-State does, with every starter back from last year's Elite Eight run. O'Donnell said he spent less time teaching this summer than any of his previous ones at K-State. Thus, his "hit the ground running" statement.
Maybe more important, O'Donnell added, was he hardly ever coached effort.
"I've had a couple of people ask me about a couple of the guys, the weight gain and all that, and it's been awesome, but they have done the work. They have done a really great job. It has made my job easy to where I don't have to come in and constantly coach effort," he said. "From what I was doing my first summer here to what we're doing now, from an intensity standpoint, from a weight standpoint and what the guys are able to handle, it's completely different. It's a significant change, and rightfully so. It should have been. It was a gradual progression year to year. As the guys get more acclimated to the movements and more proficient in techniques with certain lifts, we're able to progress them better. The guys have done a phenomenal job."
It's not about us, it's about how we win. #KStateMBB #PursuitOfBetter #EMAW pic.twitter.com/grPV6jrwTH
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) September 25, 2018
As O'Donnell did his best to deflect any credit, the Wildcats made sure to give him his due.
"Ben, he pushes you to the limit," Trice said. "He's a great coach. He's great at what he does, and he pushes you to get better every single day and that's what we've done throughout the summer and preseason, gotten better."
"He's been taking it to a whole other level," Brown added.
Comments like these were endless at K-State's media day — an obvious sign that O'Donnell's ability to motivate is one of his strengths. Even more, he does so in a way that parallels the messages being passed down from head coach Bruce Weber.
For instance, this off-season's theme has been the "pursuit of better." Before one workout, O'Donnell broke down the phrase by defining each word and putting it into perspective of what it means in the weight room. The moment is documented in the team's first episode of "All In," a new all-access show for the 2018-19 season.
"Ben's been working us hard," senior guard Kamau Stokes said. "He's not satisfied from last year."
"We have to be different. We can't do the same thing we did last year," Sneed added. "He's been putting it on us in conditioning, doing a lot of great, different things in the weight room, and that's his whole point. He's been grinding away, chiseling at us so we improve."
The Wildcats hope their physical improvements carry over in a number of positive ways during the 2018-19 season, which starts with an exhibition against Pittsburg State on November 2. The regular season begins on November 9 with a home battle against Kennesaw State.?? ?? ?????? ?? ??
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) September 15, 2018
?? ?? ?? ?? ??
???? ???? ?? ??
?? ?? ?? ?? ??
?? ?? ?????? ????#KStateMBB #EMAW pic.twitter.com/kwexvokn72
"We're going to be real durable. We're going to be the most in-shape team in the country," Stokes said. "We're trying to be the strongest team and Ben has done a great job with that."
"Strength is just going to carry over (in handling) bumps and bruises; being able to take a hit, give a hit out; be a little faster, a little more athletic; being able to spring up, block a shot, get a shot off, stuff like that," Brown added. "All the things (Ben) does definitely correlates to basketball."
Players Mentioned
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