Leadership roles available in early days of Wichita State’s summer basketball

Malcolm Armstead, after a one-season display of confidence, passed the leadership role to Fred VanVleet, who set a national standard for three seasons. So that’s the recent history of leadership at Wichita State basketball, and it’s full of victories.

Nobody seems to know who’s next.

That is one of the tasks of the summer for the Shockers — developing a leader or two who can help this team-in-transition through a challenging schedule. All of WSU’s new players reported for summer practices and classes in early June. WSU gets 10 full practices in association with its August trip to Canada and has started using them, in addition to small-group workouts and weights.

So far, leadership is a group effort and that is fine with coach Gregg Marshall.

“I wouldn’t say we have a clear-cut leader at this point,” he said said. “You can talk about it, or encourage, as much as you want. It’s ultimately got to come from them.”

Much of what the five newcomers are hearing is familiar to fans. Defense comes first, with rebounding and limiting turnovers close behind. Junior transfers Daishon Smith and Darral Willis and freshmen C.J. Keyser, Austin Reaves and Steven Solomon hear it every day. Reaves is recovering shoulder surgery and likely won’t practice until August.

“We’re learning from the guys that have been in this program,” Smith said. “They’re putting us on their shoulders to tell us what’s right, what’s wrong, what Gregg Marshall is looking for.”

Often in his tenure Marshall’s tenure, leadership came from point guards who were willing to speak up — Joe Ragland, Armstead, VanVleet. There have also been plenty of lead-by-example types, such as Toure Murry, Tekele Cotton, Ron Baker and Evan Wessel. All those kind of roles are in flux for a group without a scholarship senior and without the consistent effort and team-first behavior of Baker, VanVleet and Wessel for the first time in four years.

Junior center Shaq Morris, entering his fourth year in the program, takes care of the big men. Senior guard J.R. Simon, a walk-on who’s earned the trust of coaches in his three seasons, owns more experience running the system than anyone on the roster. Junior Conner Frankamp is no longer the new guy in the backcourt after almost two seasons of practice and 28 games as a Shocker. Freshman C.J. Keyser lived with juniors Zach Brown and Rashard Kelly when he arrived and they tutored him on the ways of a college student and athlete.

“Shaq is a big leader out there — big guy, big voice,” Willis said. “Rashard, he’s a really a good guy — me coming in and not knowing the plays, he’ll tell me when I’m playing defense that I’ve got to go there or I’ve got to go here.”

The newcomers say all of the upperclassmen are providing guidance in different measures and in different situations.

“I definitely see a lot of leadership from the older guys,” Keyser said. “J.R. has been a leader since I first got here. Shaq is always vocal. In the locker room, he’s always helping the bigs.”

Smith, one of several candidates to play point guard, is learning the program, while knowing that his spot is traditionally regarded as one where helping teammates is required. More than than the others newcomers, leadership is part of his job description. He has a DVD player in his apartment and spends off hours watching games from last season.

“Point guard is being the next guy under the coach,” he said. “Being a leader is what the coach is looking for. I must know everything and be an extension of Gregg Marshall on the court.”

Tennis time — WSU’s tennis teams will play in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Kickoff Weekend, a national qualifier for the nation’s top 60 teams.

It is the third trip since 2014 for the men’s team and the fourth invitation since 2013 for the women.

The third-seeded WSU men will play second-seeded Utah State in Fort Worth on Jan. 28. Top-seeded TCU and fourth-seeded Pacific complete the bracket. The second-seeded WSU women play third-seeded TCU in Stillwater, Okla., on Jan. 28. Top-seeded Oklahoma State plays fourth-seeded Cornell.

The winner of the four-team brackets advance to the ITA Division I National Indoor Team Championships in February.

Last season, WSU’s women defeated Minnesota and lost to Texas A&M. WSU’s men lost to Ohio State and defeated South Carolina.

Worth noting — Outfielder Keenan Eaton is leaving WSU and plans to sign with Colorado Mesa University, an NCAA Division II school. Eaton, from Parker, Colo., played in 56 games in two season and hit .228 with one home run.… Pitcher Chase Williams signed with the Milwaukee Brewers are being picked in the 35th round. Williams went 5-10 with a 5.84 ERA in two seasons with the Shockers. Reliever John Hayes, a 25th round pick by Detroit, also signed. Hayes recorded 10 saves with a 6-6 record and a 4.59 ERA in two seasons.

This story was originally published June 18, 2016 at 1:35 PM with the headline "Leadership roles available in early days of Wichita State’s summer basketball."