In addition to be an awesome basketball talent packaged in the form of a long, 6-11 frame with athleticism and rare ability to move vertically and laterally, Jarrett Allen is a unique, thoughtful college freshman off the floor too.
Earlier this season, Allen, without hesitating, described his biggest adjustment in college basketball as learning to play hard with max effort all the time against better competition. Unsurprisingly, that's the thing his coaches have focused on with him since day one, and, unsurprisingly, Allen has taken it to heart and is implementing it.
"I told him after the game, I said, ‘You just played two games in three nights where you played harder than you’ve ever played in your life. So the way your body probably feels, there’s nothing wrong with that. You’re still a human being," said Shaka Smart this afternoon about Allen's constant effort and energy last night.
While the box score, from a shooting standpoint, didn't look as shiny as the one surrounded by gold stars at Kansas, the truth is Allen, from an effort standpoint, played more aggressively and harder than any game he's played at Texas, and probably ever too. His effort on the glass led to numerous fouls on OU's thin frontcourt, and the freshman set the tone for Texas to begin the second half when he fought for an offensive rebound, composed himself, and threw down a one-handed slam. Texas proceeded to go on a 10-1 run.
"He’s just more of a man now. He goes so much harder, the way that he’s going after rebounds… but what happens is you get tired more. I was watching him closely last night, and I thought he got tired even like two minutes into the game and then a couple of different times in the game he was getting fatigued, and I try to get him breaks when I can. But the reason is because he’s playing so hard," said Smart about his freshman big. "That’s why he’s getting tired more."
If Smart could, he'd play Allen all game.
"I think it’s very important for us as coaches and for our players to pay attention to their bodies, and to take as best care as we can whether it’s treatment or rest or all that kind of stuff because you have to have something in the tank in order to go hard," said Smart. "It’s going to be interesting to watch over the next several weeks because I was talking to his high school coach this morning, and this kind of reminded me they’re getting ready to start conference tournament play in the next like week or two. Just the difference between a college season and a high school season. But that has been a major area of growth for him, even when you compare it to the five games we played with the 18 and under team (USA Basketball this past summer)."
It's become clear that there is a definite connection between Smart and Allen. The former is getting the best out of the latter, who has scored 10 or more points in 10 of his last 11 games with six double-doubles.
"I think so… I get a real kick out of being around the guy," responded Smart when asked if he thinks there is a strong connection between Allen and him. "He’s just a unique kid. We had a TV show a little while ago and I was telling Lowell (Galindo) I can count on one hand the number of times that a player has apologized to me for a basketball play ever since I’ve been in coaching. And Jarrett comes up to me up during the game, last night he came up to me and said, ‘Sorry I missed that shot, coach.’ I said, ‘You’re good, Jarrett you’re going to make the next one.’"
"So he’s just a unique guy and I truly believe, again, his mindset is one of I want to grow, I want to get better, he doesn’t get too caught up in anyone else’s perception of him and that allows him to be much, much less weighted down than maybe other guys of that age and talent."
Smart's connection with Allen starts in a simple manner. Well, it might seem simple reading it, but in Smart's realm, it's not a given that a coach takes this type of approach with a player, particularly a one with the immense talent Allen possesses on the court.
"I think it starts with just treating him like a whole person because he has a whole lot more about him than just shooting a ball or rebounding a ball. He really values when you treat him as a person, and you sit down and have a conversation with him."
As Texas fans begin to nervously ponder the idea of life without Allen next season, Smart describes a young man that's never in a rush.
"One thing about Jarrett is he’s never really in a hurry. When we have a team meal or we’re in the facility and we get done in practice, he doesn’t mind just kind of sitting around and talking. On the road a lot of times they’ll be maybe three or four of us sitting at a table, and we’ll have philosophical conversations about different things that come up, and sometimes it has to do with basketball, and sometimes it doesn’t.
"I think one thing that hopefully he appreciates is we’ve tried to approach his growth and development in a holistic manner, and we know that if he’s having fun, and if he’s in a place where he feels comfortable, that’s when he’s going to be the most successful."
Right now, Allen is having fun. Sure, the wins and losses aren't where he and Texas want them to be. However, he's becoming more of a vocal presence on and off the court, and is playing his best basketball during the toughest stretch of competition he's ever faced.
When it comes to his books, Allen is excelling just as much, maybe more, than he is on the court.
"He had the best GPA on our team in the fall semester," Smart said about the former five-star prospect and McDonald's All-American. "He’s by all accounts enjoying the challenge of school, the opportunity to learn. Our academic advisor always puts our guys in one too many classes so they can kind of choose which one to drop, and Jarrett was having a hard time deciding which one to drop because he liked the classes that he was in. He’s just a unique kid."
While the personal accolades have started to roll in, Allen doesn't really pay them much attention. Instead, he sticks to being in the moment.
"I really believe he benefits from his own personality in that he doesn’t get too caught up in all the stuff that anyone else is saying or people trying to pull him out of the present moment. He’s really focused on what’s going on now and that’s really allowed him to grow and make progress," said Smart.
Smart was asked today if Allen's outlook and his connection with his head coach will weigh in the eventual and unavoidable NBA discussion.
"I don’t know. I think with Jarrett, again, he’s so good at being in the moment I don’t think he’s really worrying about that at this point. I think when the time comes to figure that kind of stuff out, he’s got a good group of people around him that can help him with that. But like anyone else, he wants to become the best version of him and I think he feels good right now that he’s moving in that direction."
So while some Texas fans start to worry about what's next for Allen, realize that he's enjoying every day of being a college athlete on and off the court, and doesn't get caught up in much beyond that.
*****
Another thing that Smart discussed today was sophomore guard/wing Tevin Mack.
"No. Nothing has changed," responded the Texas head coach when asked for an update on Mack's status, who was suspended indefinitely a day after Texas' home game against TCU.
Then, Smart was asked if Texas is better off without Mack.
"...Good question," he responded after a pause, and a bit of an uncomfortable grin knowing it was tough for him to address. "I think it’s my job as a head coach to always do the right thing for our program and also for the guys within our program. The guys that we have out there playing, that’s who we need to have in a game. Tevin is a very talented player. He has a lot going for him. But right now the guys that are wearing a Texas uniform are the guys that need to be wearing a Texas uniform."
You can see Smart's reaction to that question (15:48 mark), and his entire press conference below.
In the four games since Mack's suspension, Allen, Eric Davis, Jr., Andrew Jones, and Shaq Cleare are all averaging 10.8 points per more, including three players (Allen, Jones, Cleare) over 15.0 points per game. Prior to his suspension, Texas had just one player, Mack at 14.8 points per game, above 12.0 points per game and only three in double-figures on average.
Earlier this season, Allen, without hesitating, described his biggest adjustment in college basketball as learning to play hard with max effort all the time against better competition. Unsurprisingly, that's the thing his coaches have focused on with him since day one, and, unsurprisingly, Allen has taken it to heart and is implementing it.
"I told him after the game, I said, ‘You just played two games in three nights where you played harder than you’ve ever played in your life. So the way your body probably feels, there’s nothing wrong with that. You’re still a human being," said Shaka Smart this afternoon about Allen's constant effort and energy last night.
While the box score, from a shooting standpoint, didn't look as shiny as the one surrounded by gold stars at Kansas, the truth is Allen, from an effort standpoint, played more aggressively and harder than any game he's played at Texas, and probably ever too. His effort on the glass led to numerous fouls on OU's thin frontcourt, and the freshman set the tone for Texas to begin the second half when he fought for an offensive rebound, composed himself, and threw down a one-handed slam. Texas proceeded to go on a 10-1 run.
"He’s just more of a man now. He goes so much harder, the way that he’s going after rebounds… but what happens is you get tired more. I was watching him closely last night, and I thought he got tired even like two minutes into the game and then a couple of different times in the game he was getting fatigued, and I try to get him breaks when I can. But the reason is because he’s playing so hard," said Smart about his freshman big. "That’s why he’s getting tired more."
If Smart could, he'd play Allen all game.
"I think it’s very important for us as coaches and for our players to pay attention to their bodies, and to take as best care as we can whether it’s treatment or rest or all that kind of stuff because you have to have something in the tank in order to go hard," said Smart. "It’s going to be interesting to watch over the next several weeks because I was talking to his high school coach this morning, and this kind of reminded me they’re getting ready to start conference tournament play in the next like week or two. Just the difference between a college season and a high school season. But that has been a major area of growth for him, even when you compare it to the five games we played with the 18 and under team (USA Basketball this past summer)."
It's become clear that there is a definite connection between Smart and Allen. The former is getting the best out of the latter, who has scored 10 or more points in 10 of his last 11 games with six double-doubles.
"I think so… I get a real kick out of being around the guy," responded Smart when asked if he thinks there is a strong connection between Allen and him. "He’s just a unique kid. We had a TV show a little while ago and I was telling Lowell (Galindo) I can count on one hand the number of times that a player has apologized to me for a basketball play ever since I’ve been in coaching. And Jarrett comes up to me up during the game, last night he came up to me and said, ‘Sorry I missed that shot, coach.’ I said, ‘You’re good, Jarrett you’re going to make the next one.’"
"So he’s just a unique guy and I truly believe, again, his mindset is one of I want to grow, I want to get better, he doesn’t get too caught up in anyone else’s perception of him and that allows him to be much, much less weighted down than maybe other guys of that age and talent."
Smart's connection with Allen starts in a simple manner. Well, it might seem simple reading it, but in Smart's realm, it's not a given that a coach takes this type of approach with a player, particularly a one with the immense talent Allen possesses on the court.
"I think it starts with just treating him like a whole person because he has a whole lot more about him than just shooting a ball or rebounding a ball. He really values when you treat him as a person, and you sit down and have a conversation with him."
As Texas fans begin to nervously ponder the idea of life without Allen next season, Smart describes a young man that's never in a rush.
"One thing about Jarrett is he’s never really in a hurry. When we have a team meal or we’re in the facility and we get done in practice, he doesn’t mind just kind of sitting around and talking. On the road a lot of times they’ll be maybe three or four of us sitting at a table, and we’ll have philosophical conversations about different things that come up, and sometimes it has to do with basketball, and sometimes it doesn’t.
"I think one thing that hopefully he appreciates is we’ve tried to approach his growth and development in a holistic manner, and we know that if he’s having fun, and if he’s in a place where he feels comfortable, that’s when he’s going to be the most successful."
Right now, Allen is having fun. Sure, the wins and losses aren't where he and Texas want them to be. However, he's becoming more of a vocal presence on and off the court, and is playing his best basketball during the toughest stretch of competition he's ever faced.
When it comes to his books, Allen is excelling just as much, maybe more, than he is on the court.
"He had the best GPA on our team in the fall semester," Smart said about the former five-star prospect and McDonald's All-American. "He’s by all accounts enjoying the challenge of school, the opportunity to learn. Our academic advisor always puts our guys in one too many classes so they can kind of choose which one to drop, and Jarrett was having a hard time deciding which one to drop because he liked the classes that he was in. He’s just a unique kid."
While the personal accolades have started to roll in, Allen doesn't really pay them much attention. Instead, he sticks to being in the moment.
"I really believe he benefits from his own personality in that he doesn’t get too caught up in all the stuff that anyone else is saying or people trying to pull him out of the present moment. He’s really focused on what’s going on now and that’s really allowed him to grow and make progress," said Smart.
Smart was asked today if Allen's outlook and his connection with his head coach will weigh in the eventual and unavoidable NBA discussion.
"I don’t know. I think with Jarrett, again, he’s so good at being in the moment I don’t think he’s really worrying about that at this point. I think when the time comes to figure that kind of stuff out, he’s got a good group of people around him that can help him with that. But like anyone else, he wants to become the best version of him and I think he feels good right now that he’s moving in that direction."
So while some Texas fans start to worry about what's next for Allen, realize that he's enjoying every day of being a college athlete on and off the court, and doesn't get caught up in much beyond that.
*****
Another thing that Smart discussed today was sophomore guard/wing Tevin Mack.
"No. Nothing has changed," responded the Texas head coach when asked for an update on Mack's status, who was suspended indefinitely a day after Texas' home game against TCU.
Then, Smart was asked if Texas is better off without Mack.
"...Good question," he responded after a pause, and a bit of an uncomfortable grin knowing it was tough for him to address. "I think it’s my job as a head coach to always do the right thing for our program and also for the guys within our program. The guys that we have out there playing, that’s who we need to have in a game. Tevin is a very talented player. He has a lot going for him. But right now the guys that are wearing a Texas uniform are the guys that need to be wearing a Texas uniform."
You can see Smart's reaction to that question (15:48 mark), and his entire press conference below.
In the four games since Mack's suspension, Allen, Eric Davis, Jr., Andrew Jones, and Shaq Cleare are all averaging 10.8 points per more, including three players (Allen, Jones, Cleare) over 15.0 points per game. Prior to his suspension, Texas had just one player, Mack at 14.8 points per game, above 12.0 points per game and only three in double-figures on average.
