RIP to ‘Paint touches’
The endless supply of examples of how different things will be for Wake Forest’s basketball program starts with Ismael Massoud starting … at center.
The assessment of Ismael Massoud given by Steve Forbes a month ago wasn’t all that glowing.
One might say, even, that it was #NotGoodDino.
“His percentages aren’t great right now because I don’t think he’s yet figured out … (the difference between) a great shot and a contested shot,” Forbes said of Wake Forest’s sophomore sharp-shooter on Oct. 22. “I think with Ish, he’s got to defend better. He’s got to guard smaller people sometimes, especially the 4 for us is a guard.
“What I think he can be is a weapon offensively. … He’s gotta defend better and his percentages have gotta go up, and his turnovers have gotta come down to get the playing time that he wants.”
What a difference a month can make.
Massoud, Forbes said Tuesday, will likely start today’s opener against Delaware State. In the past month he’s raised his 3-point and overall field goal percentages and gone from a negative-20 assist-to-turnover ratio to positive status.
As Forbes put it, Massoud “has a better understanding of who he is” and “of what we want from him.”
Oh. And what the staff wants includes Massoud starting the season as the Deacons’ center.
There’s so much different between Forbes and Danny Manning that literally every story this season could highlight a difference or two between Wake Forest’s current and former coaches. As much as you might enjoy that to start the season, it’d get old quickly.
One of the most-noticeable differences, though, will be Wake Forest’s five-out offense. It’s a system predicated on spreading the floor with shooters at every position, reading defensive overplays and allowing players freedom to play to their strengths.
“Being able to play in a more open-flowing offense for me and Ish at the 5, I think it’s going to cause a lot of problems for defenses,” junior forward Isaiah Mucius said. “It’s amazing. It flows perfectly, there’s no question about what you’re doing. It’s just playing off instinct, playing off of how you’re feeling.”
It’s not an offense that keeps a running tally on how many low-post entry passes and dribble drives get into the paint.
“We have a lot of freedom, it’s very free-flowing. We get the chance to be just like basketball players and not robots,” point guard Daivien Williamson said. “As long as we’re smart and making the right decisions, it’s an offense where we can do our thing and be very aggressive.
“Coach Forbes actually gets mad at us when we’re not aggressive. We’ve got the chance to go out there and just play free. Just go out there and have fun at the end of the day on the offensive end and every player wants to hear that.”
Based on Massoud’s skillset he showed last year, he should thrive in this type of offense — even as one of the least-traditional centers you’ve ever seen.
Now, part of this is a product of circumstance. Ody Oguama missed roughly three weeks because of mononucleosis and though he’s returned and will likely play this week, he’s still being brought up to speed.
His absence opened the door at the 5 position, and as for the other two logical choices: one is still recovering from a torn Achilles last year (Tariq Ingraham), while the other is a freshman who’s a bit of a developmental project (Emmanuel Okpomo).
In steps Massoud, the smooth-stroking Harlem native who spent time last season playing shooting guard.
“I think playing him at the 5 on offense has helped him,” Forbes said. “Playing the spread, he’s never been used in this manner before that we’re using him. And I think he really likes it.
“He had a big smile on his face the first couple of days that we did it, and then he’s gotten more and more comfortable.”
What a difference a year can make.
So excellent, Conor. This is the most excited I have been about Wake hoops since ‘08-‘09, for all of the reasons that you listed above. Forbes is the breath of fresh air the program needs.
Excited for new beginning and all those cliches. Wish I could watch today.