If
basketball championships are won with guard play, the Memphis Tigers’ abundance
of talent in the backcourt should have trophies already being engraved. The
mercurial Jeremy Hunt has graduated, but returning are senior Andre Allen (the
surprising spark plug of the Tigers’ NCAA tournament run in 2006), junior
Antonio Anderson (the free-throw-draining hero of last season’s Sweet 16 victory
over Texas A & M), and sophomores Willie Kemp (the incumbent starter at point
guard) and Doneal Mack (with Hunt gone, probably the Tigers’ top shooting threat
from three-point range). And, oh yeah, one Derrick Rose — late of Simeon Career
Academy in Chicago and likely a few months shy of being a top-10 NBA draft pick
— will squeeze his multiple talents into the mix.
Among
the reasons to be excited about Rose’s arrival is how seamlessly he seems to fit
into the backcourt rotation, even with the reputation for greatness he brings.
Unlike Dajuan Wagner — a similar high school phenom who arrived in 2001 with
expectations of a “one-and-done” college career — Rose doesn’t need to score to
impact a basketball game. As a senior last season at Simeon, Rose led his team
to a 23-point victory in the Illinois Class AA state championship game . . . and
scored exactly two points. The thought of a team with as many scorers as the
Tigers appear to have adding a distributor will have a few C-USA coaches
wrestling with their pillows. (Do yourself a favor this season when you watch a
Tiger game: instead of following the ball, keep your eyes on Rose. His instincts
for where the ball will be — and where it needs to go — are superhuman. And
don’t worry, the ball will find him. You won’t miss a thing.)
Anderson, for one, seems to have adapted to Rose’s game with ease, and actually
emphasizes the inverse. “He’s doing pretty good,” says Anderson. “He just has to
learn the offense.”
Among
the most compelling of coach John Calipari’s lineup variables will be the way he
manages minutes for Allen and Kemp, pure point guards who are going to have to
support and supplement Rose’s time on the floor. Allen has been invaluable the
last two seasons, averaging 18 minutes off the bench and dishing out almost
twice as many assists (220) as turnovers (118). And Kemp faces the possibility
of playing a reserve role after starting as a freshman (he averaged 21 minutes
per game) and being fully expected to start as a junior (when Rose will likely
be in the NBA).
Add Mack
and even Chris Douglas-Roberts (who can play shooting guard or small forward) to
this group, and the Tigers have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to
ball-handling and perimeter defense. Count on the leadership of Anderson and CDR
to defuse any internal conflict over playing time.
“Coach
came to me and Chris,” explains Anderson, “and told us, for us to be successful,
we have to cut back on our minutes a little bit. Not major minutes, but five or
six minutes a game to get the young guys in there. So when tournament time
comes, if one of us gets in foul trouble, they won’t be scared to get in the
game. We don’t mind that at all, because whatever it takes for us to win, that’s
what we’re gonna do.”
Calipari
recognizes — and celebrates — Anderson’s role in this backcourt troupe.
“Antonio’s the glue,” says Calipari. “To be the glue, you have to be
multidimensional. He leads us in minutes, he’s our best perimeter defender and
rebounder. He truly is a glue guy. Sometimes he’s making shots, but when he’s
not, you can leave him on the floor.”
Douglas-Roberts happens to be C-USA’s preseason selection for Player of the
Year, an honor bestowed upon two Tigers during the Calipari era (Antonio Burks
in 2004 and Rodney Carney in ’06). Standing 6’6″, CDR’s future as a pro may be
on the wing, but he’s proven to be a gifted inside scorer and led the Tigers in
free-throw attempts last season. Look for him to man the small-forward position
primarily, alleviating some of that logjam in the backcourt.
Before
the tip-off that opened the Tigers’ season November 5th at FedExForum, Rose and
Kemp each took a gum ball from a package offered by one of the statisticians at
the courtside scorer’s table. You have to believe that point guards who can
share a package of gum will be able to share the responsibility of running a
basketball team. Something to chew on, at the very least.