UGA basketball ready for new start

ATHENS — Basketball practice officially resumes nationally Friday, and the date comes with added importance in Athens as the Mark Fox era begins.

Expectations for the Bulldogs aren’t bubbling over, but players say this offseason has been more enjoyable than years past.

“It’s been a lot different,” junior forward Chris Barnes said. “Last year we had a lot of problems and issues off the court. People knew Dennis Felton wasn’t going to be here, and they didn’t want him here. But a lot of people have grown to love Coach Fox. They like him as a coach, as a person. He’s just taught us so much being here the last few months.”

The key to winning over the locker room was honesty, Fox said, because, “Some of the kids didn’t choose me; they inherited me.”

“We just try to be truly genuine,” Fox said. “We try to be honest with people. I don’t think there is any other way to do it. We are exactly who we are.”

Impressing his players off the court was integral for Fox, but on-court success is why athletics director Damon Evans hired him.

“I’d say if went undefeated, we’d be pretty successful,” said Fox, who said he isn’t in the business of predicting wins and losses. “We’re going to plan to win them all.

“What will I gauge success on this year? I think largely on how much we’re improving ... how hard we work and if we approach the game the right way.”

The Bulldogs return three starters: point guard Dustin Ware and forwards Albert Jackson and Trey Thompkins.

Fox said his offense, which will take time to implement, would work through “the hot hand,” saying his system can cater to inside and outside threats.

“We’re going to have to go through our mess-ups, our mistakes and things like that, but you have to do that to get better,” Ware said. “We’re going to have struggles, but over the year, we’ll pick it up.”

Success figures to run through Thompkins, the 6-foot-9 sophomore who played overseas at the Under-19 World Championships this summer.

The experience overseas gave Thompkins perspective through new coaching philosophies. Jamie Dixon, the head coach at Pittsburgh, guided the USA to a gold medal and said he was pleased with Thompkins’ “production and performance.”

“Trey is one of those guys who can play all roles, because he came back looking great after this summer,” Ware said. “He definitely can get up and down the floor.”

Ware and Thompkins make for a solid one-two punch, but depth is a concern. Ware is the only tested pointed guard on the roster. Last season Ware became the first freshman in eight years to dish out 100 assists.

“Coach Fox and the rest of his staff feel like I’m ready to run the offense,” Ware said. “I feel like I’ve put in the work and ready to do it and just ready to see what I can bring to the table and see what I can improve on and get better as the point guard of this team.”

Despite concerns about depth and the acclimation to a new scheme and philosophy, all involved with the program are ready to get started and prove Georgia can be relevant again in the SEC.

“We’re all excited just to get started, just for the first game to show everybody what we’ve been working on and what coach Fox has been coaching us to do,” Barnes said.

Added Ware, “It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a lot of good basketball.”