DALLAS – Rob Lanier sees the work his players are putting in.
As the SMU men's basketball team prepares for the 2023-24 season, the second-year head coach has witnessed the strides his players have made in understanding and executing his system.
But it's more than that. He sees what players like Zhuric Phelps and Samuell Williamson are doing to take on leadership roles and help establish the culture the coach envisioned when he took over the program. He sees how the veterans are making sure the new additions understand the expectations of the program.
And with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. Monday at Moody, Lanier likes what he sees.
"I'm sometimes patient to a fault, but I'm particularly patient with guys who really care and work at it. I`m less patient with guys who talk about it but they don't really walk the walk," Lanier said. "You're talking about two guys who are really willing to put in the time. Sometimes, they put in so much time and they care so much that they want everything to happen right away."
This year's slate will feature plenty of opportunities for SMU to showcase its growth as six opponents made the NCAA Tournament, including Final Four qualifier Florida Atlantic, No. 15 Texas A&M, West Virginia, Arizona State, Memphis and possibly Virginia. Four other teams on the schedule reached the NIT.
To meet that challenge, the Mustangs will rely on a mix of new and returning faces. Lanier made a splash in the transfer portal by adding players like B.J. Edwards (Tennessee), Chuck Harris (Butler), Denver Anglin (Georgetown), Ja'Heim Hudson (Georgia State) and Tyreek Smith (Oklahoma State) who are expected to make an immediate impact. The group was ranked as the second-best transfer class in the AAC this offseason.
The entire SMU roster was available this summer when the team traveled to Spain to take part in a three-game exhibition travel event. During that trip, the Mustangs went 3-0.
"Practices have been good. We've got a few new guys so we're just building chemistry with those guys and just building a foundation for ourselves. That's what we've been focusing on this summer," Phelps said.
While the goal is to win games, Lanier is focused on continued incremental growth. He's seen his players doing all the right things that create an environment of success.
There is still work to do, but Lanier believes the team is up to the challenge.
"I don't think we played quite hard enough to the standard that we needed to reach (last year). But I think you're going to see more of that, and I think our fans will respond to that," Lanier said. "We're just going to be a more productive group. I think we've got a community on campus and just in the Dallas area that loves SMU, they're excited and they're waiting for us to explode and they're going to get a taste of it this year."
