Could Wichita State basketball play two centers at once? Why players believe it’s possible
On the day after 6-foot-11 center Jacob Germany committed to the Wichita State men’s basketball team, Kenny Pohto, last year’s starting center who was still in the transfer portal, wanted clarity from new head coach Paul Mills.
The big man from Sweden was still considering a return to the Shockers but wondered if the coaching staff had already moved on by recruiting a center with four years of starting experience at UTSA.
“Is he taking my spot?” Pohto asked Mills.
“You had to clear it up with Kenny and say, ‘No, no, no. You guys can share the court. This is how you two would work together.’ There are definitely some possibilities.”
Pohto was intrigued by those possibilities and removed his name from the transfer portal to return to WSU for his third season.
Mills doesn’t subscribe to traditional playing positions. He doesn’t believe it matters if Pohto or Germany is the power forward or center if they can both pass, rebound, cut, defend, screen and play the type of basketball the first-year coach is looking for — even if they have played almost exclusively as their team’s center in their college careers.
It’s too early in the process to be able to promise anything for the upcoming season, but playing the pair of 6-11 big men together does seem like something that will happen at least some of the time for the Shockers.
“We’ll see how it plays out,” Mills said. “Sometimes what you think in your mind doesn’t necessarily equate to production on the court. I think we’ll get some answers in Greece.”
WSU is halfway through its 10 official practices leading up to its foreign trip to Greece, where the team will play three exhibition games against local professional teams during its trip from Aug. 1-10.
That will be the first opportunity for Pohto and Germany to show what they can do together against another team. Both players have not only fully embraced the idea of sharing the court together, but also going up against one another every day in practice.
“Iron sharpens iron and that’s going to be huge for us this offseason to be able to go up against each other and battle as two good bigs,” Germany said. “I think if we do play a lineup of us together, it would be dangerous. You see it in the NBA how important bigs are now in the game of basketball. Me and Kenny sharing the court together could be a scary sight for other teams.”
The appeal is obvious: Pohto and Germany are above-average rebounders at both ends and could significantly boost WSU’s second chances on offense and end possessions on defense. Pohto excelled as a play-making hub at the top of the key in the second-half of last season, while Germany has also shown some high-IQ passing ability.
But the biggest obstacle, especially for a Mills-run outfit, will be the spacing on offense. Simply put: Would the Shockers be able to operate in the half court if defenders don’t have to respect the outside shot from Pohto or Germany?
That seems to be an important mission this summer for the new staff: restore the confidence of Pohto, who has the ability to knock down 3-pointers but shot just 3 of 29 beyond the arc last season, and develop a 3-point shot for Germany, who is 1 for 16 on triples in 106 career games.
“I’ve been shooting a bunch of 3s so far this summer,” Germany said. “I’ve definitely been working on expanding my game.”
Instead of shooting 3-pointers at UTSA, Germany instead opted to float in the 17-foot range for spot-up jumpers. When he arrived at WSU, Mills had a simple math equation for him.
Germany was shooting 30% on long 2-point jumpers for 0.60 points per shot. If he just stepped back a few more feet and shot the same percentage on 3-pointers, his efficiency would dramatically increase to 0.90 points per shot. The early returns from recent practices have been promising, as Germany gains confidence as a pick-and-pop weapon.
At UTSA, Germany was asked to lead the team in points on a losing team with little to no spacing, which played a role in his subpar 95.6 offensive rating (above 100 is desired). At WSU, Germany won’t be asked to carry the scoring load and should have more space to operate.
“These last four years, I kind of had to put up a lot of points, but going into this year, my whole mindset is being whatever this team needs me to be,” Germany said. “I like to think I have a versatile game. I can stretch the floor, I can catch lobs, I can get up and down the floor. I think I fit pretty well with what they’re trying to do here and I’m excited for the season.”
This story was originally published July 26, 2023 at 7:00 AM.
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