Phil Martelli talks newcomers in the frontcourt, Tarris Reed
Juwan Howard, Phil Martelli, and Co. won’t have a lot of depth in the frontcourt this year, but there is a lot of potential, especially among the two projected starters. Sophomore Tarris Reed will carry the load at center with Hunter Dickinson’s departure, and he’s improved dramatically. Seton Hall transfer Tray Jackson has added nearly 20 pounds of muscle to his frame, and he’ll also have a role.
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But many eyes are on Tennessee transfer Olivier Nkamhoua, who has hit the ground running since arriving at Michigan. Folks in the building say he’s been exactly what the program needed — a great culture guy with athleticism and great upside — and expect him to have his best year of college basketball in 2023-24.
“He’s a man,” Michigan associate head coach Martelli said on the Defend the Block podcast with Brian Boesch. “He’s a man on the floor, off the floor, in the locker room. He has a seriousness of purpose that maybe he didn’t have when he was 17, or maybe that any 17-year-old would have. He knows what he wants to do. He knows the joy of winning and he understands the preparation — it’s not just wanting to win, it’s preparing to win.
“He has not been afraid to speak up, and he’s not going to sit on the side. If he sees a guy going left when we need him to go straight, he’ll grab that guy. [It’s only been] two and a half weeks, but he has one of those work ethics that is legendary for the Michigan program. He’s going to get in the gym twice a day. He’s going to work; he wants to be coached. Even in a short period of time, he has created a real comfortable relationship with Juwan.”
He carries himself like a winner and an old soul, Martelli added, and he’s been great for the locker room. So, too, has Jackson, who comes in with a chip on his shoulder. The coach said Jackson doesn’t look 6-9 — maybe a little smaller — but he’s impressed in the early going.
“He’s got that lefty gait, that lefty jumper. He’s a terrific young guy to talk to one-on-one,” Martelli said. “We’re still trying to find out the right way to coach him. He’s had different coaches — Missouri, Seton Hall he had two different coaches. This is his fourth different coaching staff. You have to find out what’s the right way to connect.
“I think the biggest thing is with him that fans will appreciate is his versatility. He can come in and somebody will say, ‘today, he’s the small forward.’ But tomorrow, he could be the power forward. There were times at Seton Hall where he guarded the ‘5’ man. So, is he another candidate for small ball along with Olivier, along with Will Tschetter? I would say yes.”
Reed, meanwhile, has been “very strong” in the workout period, Martelli said. He’s been working directly with Howard to improve all aspects of his game, and it’s coming along.
“Tarris has improved. I’ll salute him the most and say he’s improved the most,” Martelli said. “His face-up jumper and his foul shot jumper have clearly improved. He did work when he was away from us in June, and now it’s continued into July and August.”
He’s also going to be even better defensively, Martelli added.
“He is, will be, and can be an elite rim protector which, just going back, is different than Hunter,” Martelli said. “Hunter was not going to be a rim protector. He was going to take up a lot of space. Tarris Reed, his body belies what he can bring athletically.”
If he can stay healthy and out of foul trouble, he could be one of the most improved players in the Big Ten.
