SE: K-State MBB Focused on ‘Pursuit of Better’ in Offseason
Jul 27, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Last summer the theme for K-State men's basketball, written in black marker on its whiteboard, read: Start unknown, finish unforgettable. The message, in many ways, became reality. The Wildcats, picked to finish eighth in the Big 12, ended the 2017-18 season in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
So, after returning all five starters from last season, the Wildcats have taken in a different, more fitting message from their whiteboard this summer: The Pursuit of Better.
"We can't worry about expectations. We can't worry about destinations. We have to worry about getting better," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said. "If what we do daily is more important than the other stuff, we'll be fine. We'll take care of business."
"That one's been up there all summer and I guarantee everyone remembers that," K-State senior forward Dean Wade added of the message. "Everyone's bought into that this summer and really been working crazy hard."
Weber, known to find countless inspirational messages and quotes for his teams, has sprinkled in other complementary ones throughout this summer. For instance, earlier this week an Arthur Ashe quote was written below the team's "Pursuit of Better" mainstay.
It read: "Success is not a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome."
Its timing, emphasized on the team's last summer practice before going home for a few weeks, was planned.
"We're trying to get them to think about the process," Weber said. "We can't worry about March or April; we have to worry about the next three weeks when you go home and coming back and getting better, and being ready for non-conference. That's the big thing."
The overall message of the summer was not the only major difference from past ones, either.
K-State brought a much higher level of experience and maturity into this offseason than in years' past.
The Wildcats have two freshmen on their roster for the 2018-19 season, compared to five last season. K-State also returns 88 percent of the minutes played from a year ago and 93 percent of its points.
K-State's three seniors — Barry Brown, Kamau Stokes and Wade — headline this large bulk of returning talent. They bring in three years' worth of starting experience and a brand of leadership that follows what Weber's been preaching.
"We know (success is) not promised but we can control one thing and that's how hard we work this offseason, to really dedicate ourselves to basketball and hopefully get back to that spot we were in last year," Wade said. "But our main focus is just getting better every day. A small thing every day, that's going to lead to big improvements for us during the season."
Individually, Wade said every player took steps forward this summer.
The 6-foot-10 First Team All-Big 12 selection specifically named junior transfer Austin Trice, describing the 6-foot-7 newcomer as a "rebounding, dunking, defensive guy" who has already made "huge improvements." Wade also praised the progress made from sophomore guard Mike McGuirl. He said McGuirl's shown, on the court and in the weight room, that his 17-point NCAA Tournament performance against Creighton wasn't a "one-time thing."
Weber pointed to sophomore forward Levi Stockard III, who's lost 15 pounds from last season, as "maybe the most improved" player over the summer.
Junior Pierson McAtee said it's hard to single out one player who's made the biggest jump this offseason because everyone has gotten better. At least part of this, McAtee added, was because of a rule change from the NCAA that allowed college coaches to spend more time with their players in the offseason.
Previously, the NCAA limited players to eight hours a week of required activity in the offseason that included two hours of basketball instruction. This offseason, the weekly-hour limit remained the same but the basketball instruction cap was bumped to four hours.
"It's always nice to be able to have some more coaching, criticism, and just guys picking you apart, making you a better player and a better team," he said. "When you're going that long with your team, it has that kind of fall feeling to it. To get that practice feeling in July and go a little bit longer, as hard as that may be, it's going to be better for us in the fall."
Judging by the gains on the floor and in the weight room, Wade said this group has not shown any complacency after last season's run.
"I think we still have a chip on our shoulder," he said. "We got a taste of some success last year, but this is probably the hardest working summer I've ever been part of here at K-State. We've come in here hungrier."
Last summer the theme for K-State men's basketball, written in black marker on its whiteboard, read: Start unknown, finish unforgettable. The message, in many ways, became reality. The Wildcats, picked to finish eighth in the Big 12, ended the 2017-18 season in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
So, after returning all five starters from last season, the Wildcats have taken in a different, more fitting message from their whiteboard this summer: The Pursuit of Better.
"We can't worry about expectations. We can't worry about destinations. We have to worry about getting better," K-State head coach Bruce Weber said. "If what we do daily is more important than the other stuff, we'll be fine. We'll take care of business."
"That one's been up there all summer and I guarantee everyone remembers that," K-State senior forward Dean Wade added of the message. "Everyone's bought into that this summer and really been working crazy hard."
Weber, known to find countless inspirational messages and quotes for his teams, has sprinkled in other complementary ones throughout this summer. For instance, earlier this week an Arthur Ashe quote was written below the team's "Pursuit of Better" mainstay.
It read: "Success is not a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome."
Its timing, emphasized on the team's last summer practice before going home for a few weeks, was planned.
"We're trying to get them to think about the process," Weber said. "We can't worry about March or April; we have to worry about the next three weeks when you go home and coming back and getting better, and being ready for non-conference. That's the big thing."
The overall message of the summer was not the only major difference from past ones, either.
K-State brought a much higher level of experience and maturity into this offseason than in years' past.
The Wildcats have two freshmen on their roster for the 2018-19 season, compared to five last season. K-State also returns 88 percent of the minutes played from a year ago and 93 percent of its points.
K-State's three seniors — Barry Brown, Kamau Stokes and Wade — headline this large bulk of returning talent. They bring in three years' worth of starting experience and a brand of leadership that follows what Weber's been preaching.
"We know (success is) not promised but we can control one thing and that's how hard we work this offseason, to really dedicate ourselves to basketball and hopefully get back to that spot we were in last year," Wade said. "But our main focus is just getting better every day. A small thing every day, that's going to lead to big improvements for us during the season."
Individually, Wade said every player took steps forward this summer.
The 6-foot-10 First Team All-Big 12 selection specifically named junior transfer Austin Trice, describing the 6-foot-7 newcomer as a "rebounding, dunking, defensive guy" who has already made "huge improvements." Wade also praised the progress made from sophomore guard Mike McGuirl. He said McGuirl's shown, on the court and in the weight room, that his 17-point NCAA Tournament performance against Creighton wasn't a "one-time thing."
Weber pointed to sophomore forward Levi Stockard III, who's lost 15 pounds from last season, as "maybe the most improved" player over the summer.
Junior Pierson McAtee said it's hard to single out one player who's made the biggest jump this offseason because everyone has gotten better. At least part of this, McAtee added, was because of a rule change from the NCAA that allowed college coaches to spend more time with their players in the offseason.
Previously, the NCAA limited players to eight hours a week of required activity in the offseason that included two hours of basketball instruction. This offseason, the weekly-hour limit remained the same but the basketball instruction cap was bumped to four hours.
"It's always nice to be able to have some more coaching, criticism, and just guys picking you apart, making you a better player and a better team," he said. "When you're going that long with your team, it has that kind of fall feeling to it. To get that practice feeling in July and go a little bit longer, as hard as that may be, it's going to be better for us in the fall."
Judging by the gains on the floor and in the weight room, Wade said this group has not shown any complacency after last season's run.
"I think we still have a chip on our shoulder," he said. "We got a taste of some success last year, but this is probably the hardest working summer I've ever been part of here at K-State. We've come in here hungrier."
Players Mentioned
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