In today's transfer portal landscape, a good indicator of a team is often what it has coming back.
Even without some outstanding newcomers, TU basketball was already in strong shape coming off a 16-15 season. There is a lot to build on.
Tulsa has a core group of six scholarship players returning who all got extensive playing time last season. With just those six players, Tulsa has a core group that is strong if any of that combination is on the court together.
"I feel like we addressed some needs in recruiting, but also, with the number of guys back, they've really improved, from weight, to strength, to conditioning, skill," said third-season coach Eric Konkol at a press conference Wednesday. "Really pleased with this group's mindset to keep growing."
But the biggest name coming back, Keaston Willis, will also be a welcome addition, since he only played in two games last season, averaging 12.5 points in 24 minutes per game.
"I would have loved to have Keaston last year, but if he played last year, we wouldn't have him with us this year," Konkol said. "He is so mature. He's been in so many situations.
"He's a guy that any time he misses you're shocked. You just can't believe it. He's got that type of shooting stroke. He's an even-keeled guy. He provides that calmness, that poise. He plays with a competitive edge, too."
Willis has career averages of 13.7 points and 3.4 rebounds while playing two seasons apiece for Incarnate Word and then at Louisiana Tech, where he played a season for Konkol. He has 300 career 3-pointers, shooting 37.3 from behind the arc. He averaged 12.5 points last season in two games, making 5 of 10 threes before re-injuring a metatarsal bone in his foot.
"That type of shooting we really missed last year, and we're going to use it every way possible this year," Konkol said.
The five other players are former freshman dynamo Tyshawn Archie, Matt Reed (20 pounds lighter), Isaiah Barnes, Jesaiah McWright and Jared Garcia.
Archie has drawn raves for his improvement after a really entertaining freshman season.
"His talent jumped off the page last year. Just a very, very young freshman last year, was thrown into that fire," Konkol said of Archie. "When Keaston Willis went down, it really elevated opportunities for other guys, and he was able to take advantage of that.
"He's got a gifted feel. Some things, you look at, and you're like wow, I can't teach that. He's just got a feel for it."
It is a far cry from having 11 new players a year ago and only McWright returning off a 5-25 team in 2023.
Yes, losing the talented and accomplished backcourt of transfer P.J. Haggerty and graduated Cobe Williams doesn't help. But Willis is a player who can certainly take up the slack for losing Haggerty. And grad transfer Dwon Odom looks to fill the role of Williams.
Odom, a 4-star transfer from Georgia State, and 4-star freshman recruit Jaye Nash figure to be the top two recruits who should be in the 7 to 8 man rotation.
Odom is 6-2 fifth-year combo guard who averaged 11.8 points, 5 rebounds, and 5.6 assists last season for Georgia State. He had two strong seasons at Xavier before playing well the last two seasons at Georgia State, sporting a 9.5 career scoring average. Not really a three-point shooter, but can score in many ways.
Nash and freshman big man Ian Smikle have impressed Konkol.
"Both of them come in with a number of things that are unique to freshmen," Konkol said of the 6-2 Nash and the 6-9 Smikle. "Number one, physically, they're imposing.
"They come in with some physical tools that make them look much older than they are. But even more so, and more importantly, mentally they're very, very tough. They're professional. They're every day guys. They've got incredible energy and enthusiasm. And they're extremely competitive. I can see both of those guys helping us this year."
Minnesota transfer Braeden Carrington should get a lot of playing time as well. He averaged 5.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in two seasons for the Gophers, and is known more for his defense. But he definitely can shoot the ball as well.
James Madison transfer Justin Amadi (6-7) and Smikle will help TU's inside game, and especially will get a chance with one of Tulsa's two returning inside players, Jared Garcia, out early in the season recovering from knee surgery.
Amadi averaged 7.6 points and 4.9 rebounds in three seasons at James Madison. He sat out last season due to injury.
Another big who is somewhat of an unknown, 6-10 juco transfer Tyler Behrand, will also get a chance to show what he can do, although he may be somewhat of a project. He spent the last 5 years in the Navy.
Three-point shooting should be improved this season. Along with Willis providing considerable punch from the outside, Archie, Carrington, Garcia and Reed are all guys that Konkol mentioned as having the green light.
"Last year, because we had a little bit of a lack of shooting from the perimeter, we were focused on being a little bit more dibble dominant, getting to the paint, trying to get fouled," Konkol said. "That was our best way of scoring.
"What we want to do this year with a little bit more inside-out, a little bit more side-to-side movement, and more assisted baskets. That's our goal."
With the improvement of the returning players, along with a strong recruiting class, Tulsa should be able to make the next step up in year three of the Konkol era. At the least, this team should compete this season for postseason tourney play in the NIT or NCAA.
