Freshman combo guard Bryce Thompson ‘loving it’ at Kansas: ‘I am adjusting well’
McDonald’s All-American Bryce Thompson has been on Kansas’ campus for three months now, long enough for him to determine he made the right college choice.
“It’s been great. I’m loving it here,” said Thompson, a 6-foot-5, 188-pound freshman combo guard from Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He chose KU over Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, North Carolina and others in recruiting.
“I am adjusting well, getting used to everything. We are putting in a lot of plays and different sets. I’m trying to keep up with the pace and just maintain,” Thompson added.
Thompson — he averaged 25.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals a game his senior season — has learned there are big differences between high school and major college basketball.
“Just getting used to the length, because we have lots of length (on the team),” Thompson said. “In practice, certain passes I was able to get in high school haven’t been open. I’m adjusting, doing my best to maintain and keep going.”
He gave an example of the difficulty in throwing an effective pass in college.
“I am driving … say I break my defender down at the top of the key. I get down through the paint. David steps up,” Thompson said of 6-10, 265-pound junior David McCormack. “Usually that’s an easy lob to his man. Now I’ve got to put a little bit extra (on pass) to make sure I get over his arm. He’s 6-9 and can jump out of the gym. Those passes are easy in high school, now a lot tougher. I’m able to adjust and make it happen,” Thompson added.
Thompson said his teammates have helped him adjust to college ball.
“Marcus (Garrett, senior guard) has done a good job taking me under his wing, making sure I know everything, know how to act in practice, know how to judge off coach’s vibe, how to make sure I’m on everything,” Thompson said. “Marcus has done a good job making sure my Ps and Qs are right,” he added.
He said playing for KU coach Bill Self has been about what he expected. Thompson’s dad, Rod, played for Self at the University of Tulsa.
“I mean it’s pretty similar,” Bryce Thompson said of the Self he knew on the recruiting trail compared to Self his coach. “He told me everything I was good at in the recruiting process. Now that we’re in practice he tells me what I need to get better at and how I can help the team win.”
Of Thompson, the No. 21-rated player in the recruiting Class of 2020 according to Rivals.com, Self said: “Bryce has been good. He’s advanced IQ-wise, has great feel. As far as helping a team win, being a little bit tougher than what you anticipate most freshmen being … he tries to guard, talks all the time and does some intangible things that this team will need because we’re not great at some of those things. I think he has a chance to impact us a lot early.”
Sophomore wing Tristan Enaruna has been impressed with the freshman as well.
“I think he’s showed his maturity right off the bat. He is really eager to learn, always goes hard in practice; listens to coach. You can tell he’s not afraid to make mistakes,” Enaruna said. “Because of that he makes a lot of good plays.
“He’s made a lot of big steps early on. He’s going to be very important for us. I think he’s shooting the ball really well. He has a good mid-range game off the dribble. He’s also doing a good job of relocating on the perimeter, being able to get himself in position where a lot of guys can get him so he can catch and shoot easily. He’s been knocking those down as well,” Enaruna added of three-pointers.
Thompson said he works on his shot on his own a lot.
Asked how many shots he takes a week, he said: “Let’s see. Let me do some calculating — so from 6,000 to 7,000, somewhere in there. Probably about 1,000 a day.”
ESPN.com’s Jeff Borzello recently included Thompson on his “newcomer impact rankings.” The list was made up of 80 freshmen or juco transfers or college transfers expected to contribute to their teams from Day One in 2020-21.
Thompson came in at No. 27 of the 80 players.
“The Jayhawks are going to need scoring punch after the departures of Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike. Thompson can fill it up in a hurry,” Borzello wrote.
Tyon Grant-Foster was listed No. 69 overall.
“Like Bryce Thompson, Grant-Foster will bring serious scoring punch to Lawrence. He’s the only junior college transfer in these rankings,” Borzello wrote.
This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 9:45 AM with the headline "Freshman combo guard Bryce Thompson ‘loving it’ at Kansas: ‘I am adjusting well’."
