Wichita State basketball kicks off first team practice ahead of Greece exhibition tour

Before the first official practice for the Wichita State men’s basketball team in preparation for its foreign exhibition tour, Colby Rogers had a question for his new head coach.

“Where do you think my best shots are?” the sharpshooter asked Paul Mills in the coaches’ office at Koch Arena on Monday morning.

“I told him, ‘I don’t know. That’s what these 10 practices will be for,’” Mills said.

So the process of collecting information and identifying strengths and weaknesses began Monday afternoon at Koch Arena, where the Shockers conducted their first of 10 official practices ahead of their upcoming trip to Greece from Aug. 1-10.

Coaches have been able to work with players for a handful of hours during the summer before this week, but mostly in individual drills. Monday was the first chance for the coaches to conduct a practice closer to what the team will go through in September when the first practices of the season begin.

For a first-year coaching staff trying to transition six new players onto the roster, the 10 extra practices and three games the team will play in Greece are invaluable.

“Usually during the year you have to wait to play an exhibition game or play another Division I (team) to really get a feel,” Mills said before the team’s practice.

“I think the live competition, the officials, the lights, all of those things add to it. I think what it does is light a fire to build toward the future and have something in the back of your mind. Whether we play well or don’t play well, the goal is to get better. We’ll have something to compare to when everybody returns to school in August and September.”

With so many newcomers, Mills suspects the team will have plenty of motivation for its three games against Greek professional teams. Maybe none more so than Colby Rogers, who sat out last season at WSU as a second-time transfer.

Rogers, who was among the nation’s top three-point shooters at Siena in the 2021-22 season, hasn’t played in a game since March 2022.

“A little anxious because it’s been a year since I’ve been on the court,” Rogers said. “I’m excited to go to Greece and establish a rhythm, who we are as a team and an identity for ourselves. It gives us a head start in putting in our philosophies that we want to do as a team and it gives us a chance to build chemistry. I think it will be a good experience, play some pros, test where we’re at and go into the fall with a chip on our shoulder.”

After flirting with the transfer portal this offseason, Kenny Pohto returned for his third season with the Shockers in hopes of a bigger role — both in production and leadership.

He ultimately returned to WSU because of the dedication of Mills and the new coaching staff, which made retaining him a top priority when he was still in the transfer portal. Pohto said he was particularly impressed by player development coach Iain Laymon, who trained with him at 6 a.m. even when he was in the portal.

“The coaches really invested in me,” Pohto said. “That showed their commitment. They were talking to me every day, calling me every day. I think their plan for this year and all of the stuff we’ve been working on, that’s what I’m looking forward to. I’m excited. It feels like it’s going to be a really good year.”

While the team will certainly be focused on basketball during the trip, there are several days planned where the team will be able to relax and do some sightseeing.

“I know there’s a lot of history there and I’m excited to see some of the famous landmarks,” Rogers said. “I want to go shopping a little bit, get in the sun a little.”

Pohto, a native of Sweden, might be the only player on the roster who has already been to Greece. He said he took a vacation there last summer with friends. The best part?

“The food,” Pohto said without hesitation.

That’s exactly what Mills wanted to hear ahead of his first trip to the country.

“I don’t really have a beach body, so that’s not really me,” Mills said. “I’m sure the guys will like that. I’m probably looking forward to eating the most. My guess is Greece probably has some amazing food.”

As for the competition, WSU has yet to release the game schedule for their Greece trip. Mills mentioned the teams that WSU will play will also play other Division I teams during the summer months, so it will give the team a chance to see how they stack up against other competition.

For these early practices, Mills is more focused on teaching concepts and the style of basketball he wants the team to play, rather than try to install a myriad of offensive sets before the trip.

For instance, the court was covered in tape when the players arrived for Monday’s practice. The tape provided a visual aid for players to instruct them where to run during fast breaks to properly space the floor. Mills demands the middle of the floor be empty, preaching the wings to hug the sidelines to provide space for the ball handler and big man to operate.

“You don’t want them doing too much thinking,” Mills said. “Defensively, there’s concepts we have to nail down. But I kind of look at this in three phases. We’re still in Phase 1 and it probably takes six-to-eight weeks to feel comfortable with Phase 1. That’s what (this trip) will allow us to do and hopefully get into Phase 2 defensively. And then there are things we want to do offensively, but I don’t know yet because I’m not really sure about the package just yet. I have an idea of how we might utilize these guys, but I think these scrimmages will help sort that out.”

And what will make for a successful trip in his mind?

“No injuries and everybody is eligible,” Mills said. “They’re taking summer classes right now, and if we can handle our business there and we don’t get anybody injured, then it’s been a very successful trip.”