Nick King faked to his left before spinning back to his strong left hand, sinking a baby hook shot. Two possessions later, Kuran Iverson let out a disgruntled sigh with his arms in the air after watching King do the exact move on the ensuing reps at Wednesday afternoon’s practice.
Iverson did all he could to stop the 6-foot-7, 226-pound sophomore, but King, a bruising small forward, was relentless on the block.
The pair of sophomores have made significant strides this past offseason, and head coach Josh Pastner needs both to play meaningful minutes this season.
King, who saw the majority of his minutes last season at the four and five spots, is expected to spend most of his time on the floor on the wing, although Pastner hinted the Tigers may bring King down low for his exceptional rebounding.
King said the position he plays makes no difference to him; he just wants the scoreboard to be in the Tigers’ favor at the end of regulation.
“I’m not focused or having my mind set on playing one position,” King, a Memphis native, said. “I just want to do whatever coach (Pastner) asks me to do, and give the team the best chance to win.”
King’s versatility was on full display at Wednesday’s practice, which was open to the media and the Rebounders Club, a booster club for the University of Memphis men’s basketball team. King unleashed a litany of moves below the free throw before showing his extended range, sinking several mid-range and 3-point jumpers.
Iverson moved the opposite direction of King over the summer – toward the basket. The 6-foot-9, 205-pound sophomore spent last season playing on the perimeter, but Pastner and his coaching staff felt a move closer to the basket would allow Iverson to use his length and athleticism more effectively.
Iverson, a cousin of 11-time NBA All Star point guard, Allen Iverson, said he expected to play the point guard position when he arrived on the U of M campus last fall, but he is embracing the move to the paint.
“I like being in the paint more,” the Harford, Connecticut, native said. “I can make my move easier because I don’t have to start at the top of the key. I just told coach ‘I want to do whatever it takes to win,’ and that’s what I’m doing”
Iverson added that he could create shots for his teammates easier from high and low posts, and he always looks to make the extra pass to the open man.
Iverson, the tallest player on the Tigers along with junior forward Shaq Goodwin, said some parts of the transition have been tough, especially the high volume of physical contact. Players play much more physical in the paint, according to Iverson.
The position change has been the biggest story surrounding Iverson, but he said the biggest difference between this season and last is his level of comfort. He said he is “so much more comfortable and not nervous at all.”
Iverson averaged 2.5 points per game in 9.1 minutes per game. King played a tad more at 11.1 minutes per game, scoring 4.9 points per contest.
Pastner drew a fair amount of criticism from fans and media, who felt Iverson and King, more so King than Iverson, should have played more last season. Unfortunately for Pastner and the two then freshman, there simply were not enough minutes to go around with four experienced senior guards. Both players will, undoubtedly, get plenty of chances to prove their worth this season.
King and Iverson, along with sophomore forward Austin Nichols, who missed Wednesday’s practice with a shoulder sprain, and Goodwin, are the holdovers from the 2013-14 squad, a team that made the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Redshirt freshman Pookie Powell redshirted the 2014-15, but he was around the team.
Although Pastner admitted the Blue and Gray would rely heavily on the experience from those four forwards, he said everyone on the team must contribute for the Tigers to enjoy the most-possible success.
“Instead of putting it all on someone, it has got to be a team effort,” Pastner said. “It has got to be a full team to get the job done more than any individual.”
Pastner and his coaching staff got a sneak preview at their squad on a four-game exhibition tour through Canada in mid August. The Tigers finished the trip with 2-2 record, but neither Nichols, Kedren Johnson, Calvin Godfrey or Trahson Burrell played on the trip.
King led the team in scoring on the trip, averaging 17 points per game.
A scrimmage against St. Louis on Nov. 9, which is supposed to remain “secret” from the fans and press per NCAA regulations, will give Pastner one last look at his squad before beginning play on Nov. 12 against Christian Brothers at FedExForum.
