At SMU, Andy Enfield has one of the youngest rosters in the ACC, a group that includes five true freshmen and two redshirts. But with the caliber of this year’s recruiting class — and a coaching staff that enjoys developing young prospects — Enfield is bullish on what his Mustangs can become.
“We’re trying to build SMU into a brand like some of the fellow conference members in the ACC,” Enfield told Hoops HQ. “More than half our team are freshmen. That was intentional. Our goal is to try to build this program with guys we bring into the program, develop them, and then fill in where we need to with the transfer portal.”
Returners Boopie Miller, BJ Edwards and Samet Yigitoglu give SMU a veteran core to build off last year’s surprising success in its first season playing in the ACC. Transfers Sam Walters (Michigan) and Corey Washington (Wichita State) should round out the rotation. But it’s the ceilings of freshmen Jaden Toombs, Jermaine O’Neal Jr., Billy White III, BJ Davis-Ray and Nigel Williams that really has excitement soaring in Dallas.
All five are considered NBA prospects, making the recruiting class a top-10 haul nationally. Even with Toombs, the group’s best player and a possible starter for SMU, sidelined with an injury to start the year, there’s a good chance that the Mustangs will be leaning heavily on youth to produce like veterans. “We would not have done this unless we knew we had some experienced guys,” Enfield said. “We have three starters coming back and the transfers we signed. We anticipate our veterans leading the way early and then the freshmen really helping us throughout the season, especially once they get some experience.”
A year ago, in SMU’s first season in the ACC and Enfield’s first in Dallas, the Mustangs leaned on transfers – including Miller, Matt Cross (UMass) and Kario Oquendo (Oregon) – and far exceeded outside expectations. Picked to finish 13th out of 18 league teams, SMU got off to a 19-5 start and had won five in a row before Miller suffered a foot injury. He missed the team’s next five games and the Mustangs went 2-3 without him.
They finished the regular season 22-9, in a three-way tie for fourth place in the conference. They blew out 14th-seeded Syracuse by 20 in the ACC Tournament in Charlotte before bowing out to Clemson in a tight quarterfinals loss, 57-54.
The stretch without Miller likely cost SMU a spot in the NCAAs. Instead, they played two games in the NIT – again without Miller – and lost in the second round to Oklahoma State. “We knew we had to have a cohesive team that would share the basketball and play team defense,” Enfield said. “They did a nice job with their chemistry and how they played together on the court, which is fun to coach and fun to watch.”
This year brings a different kind of fun – the kind that comes with heightened expectations and with the chance to grow young talent.
“I think you have to do a lot of teaching as a coaching staff,” Enfield said. “And we enjoy that part. That’s the fun part to me about coaching, I think our coaching staff embraces that. We actually enjoy that part of it, the development of young players.”
In an Oct. 25 home exhibition game against Oklahoma State, SMU played three of its freshmen off the bench. O’Neal Jr., the son of six-time NBA All-Star Jermaine O’Neal Sr., had the most impressive Dallas debut, recording 6 points, 3 rebounds and a blocked shot in his 13 minutes of action. The 6-foot-5 forward brings NBA-level athleticism to the floor, along with an advanced basketball IQ and tremendous on-ball defensive skills.
Toombs, at 6-foot-10 and 245 pounds, is the most physically advanced of the freshman class. He has touch around the rim and the ability to finish. SMU’s coaches envision him spelling Yigitoglu at center, but also playing alongside the 7-foot-2, 270-pound Turk, with Yigitoglu at the five and Toombs at the four. With Toombs expected to be sidelined for most of the opening month of the season, O’Neal Jr. could be in line to get more early minutes than Enfield initially planned.
Meanwhile, White and Davis-Ray, elite shooters, and Walls, a long, instinctive defender, will have more practice opportunities to impress the staff and earn minutes, though Enfield did not rule out redshirting one or more of them, despite the hype. “I think it’s important to realize your best basketball is ahead of you as a young player,” he said. “Everybody gets caught up now, caught up in the moment. But everybody has their own journey in this game. Some players need time to develop their bodies, their skills, their experience. We think all five of our true freshmen have the ability to become great players, but we also understand as a staff that each player is different. It’s important for them to realize that, too. There will be some ups and downs and some growing pains.”
That’s why Enfield and SMU will lean on their veterans out of the gate, especially opening night Monday against Tarleton State. And those older players also will have a key off-the-court role mentoring SMU’s future.
“I think you lead by example with your work ethic, how hard you work in the weightroom, your leadership skills on the court, especially when things aren’t going well,” Enfield said. “And they’ve done a terrific job.”
