Wisconsin’s transfers finding their rhythm as season draws to a close
MADISON — When Max Klesmit and Kamari McGee transferred to Wisconsin last spring, about 20 days apart, they joined a roster in need of replenishing. Johnny Davis and Brad Davidson had moved on, and while the Badgers returned three other starters, there were lots of minutes up for grabs.
From a coaching perspective, incorporating the two transfers was easy.
“It was kinda a seamless transition for both of them,” assistant coach Dean Oliver told BadgerBlitz.com. “Max, because he was an experienced player already, you could see early he was a high IQ basketball player. And Kamari was coming from a similar system, I think defensively and somewhat offensively. And playing the point guard position, he’s a high IQ player…They were a good fit right away.”
It may have been easy to integrate Klesmit and McGee into the locker room and into Wisconsin’s system. Still, it’s not easy to get thrown into the fire that is the Big Ten.
“It definitely was a rough start, I can tell you that,” McGee admitted. “I got knocked down, nah, I wouldn’t say knocked down,” he said, correcting himself. “But it was more than I was expecting.”
“It was a slow transition, slower than I thought it would be. I feel like I’m here now, locked in and ready…better late than never.”
McGee was largely a non-factor for Wisconsin early in the season. He didn’t appear in three of the team’s first seven games, and only logged double-digit minutes twice before the month of February. Over that stretch, he shot just 28.6 percent from the field.
McGee was slated to be Wisconsin’s backup point guard at the start of the season, but his minutes didn’t reflect that. When Greg Gard went to his bench, more often than not he would insert backup forward Carter Gilmore, or the true freshman Connor Essegian when he needed another guard on the floor. In the rare instances when Gard did rest Chucky Hepburn, who averages nearly 32 minutes a game this season, sophomore Isaac Lindsey was sometimes higher than McGee in the pecking order.
When asked if he’s played more or less than he thought he would, McGee was very candid with himself.
“I would honestly say maybe less,” the point guard reflected. “But then again that would go to my transition and being slow, you know, not actually adjusting right away. That’s on me, for not transitioning well.”
McGee’s minutes have been all over the place this season. He’s had recent games in which he’s logged over 20 minutes on the court. He’s also had several DNPs and games with minutes you could count on one hand.
“Some of it is matchup-based, some of it is how well he practiced throughout the week,” Oliver explained. “You have a really good week of practice, it’s hard to not play you. Some of it is what the other team’s doing. A lot of times teams have pressed us; Kamari’s done a great job of coming in and breaking the press, making sure that press isn’t affecting us, and also giving us opportunities to attack teams that try to three-quarter press.
“There's a lot of different factors that go into it, but the key is Kam’s always ready.”
With how much his minutes have fluctuated this season, it’s been harder for the point guard to find his footing. There’s also little room for error when he does pick up precious minutes.
“It’s definitely hard to get into a rhythm, it’s not easy at all,” McGee affirmed. “It’s good when you can come in and hit your first shot, see your first shot go down. Or you can come in and get a steal, make a defensive stop, that helps…But it definitely is hard; you have to make sure you stay ready.”
It certainly helps that the man gobbling up minutes ahead of him on the depth chart, Hepburn, is his roommate. They may not share the court often, but they share pretty much everything else.
“That’s my brother, that’s my guy,” McGee said. “There’s rarely a time when you see me and you don’t see him. That’s helped us on the court and off the court as well, we’re just great friends.”
In recent weeks, McGee has started to pick it up. In the Badgers’ first game against Michigan, he played 14 minutes, scored six points and provided an undeniable spark. The next game, he played 23 minutes while scoring a season-high nine points against Rutgers. Since the start of February, his efficiency has vastly improved — McGee is shooting 44.4 percent from the field over his last eight games.
Most recently, McGee was thrust into the starting role in Wisconsin’s second dance with Michigan. With Hepburn only managing 20 minutes and leaving the game with a knee injury, McGee was given the keys. Not only did he not crash, he steered the Badgers calmly and efficiently, logging 25 minutes and facilitating the offense in what would eventually be a heartbreaking loss.
“You see the confidence when he’s out there; he knows what he’s supposed to be doing now,” Oliver said. “That feeling out process is done, and now he gets it when he’s out there. He knows where guys are supposed to be, and he’s comfortable telling guys where to go…(He’s) kinda taken more of a leadership role when he’s on the floor.”
Now, McGee is staring down potentially the biggest game of his career. With No. 5 Purdue rolling into town, and Hepburn’s status still uncertain, McGee may be tasked with leading the Badgers against one of their toughest foes of the season.
“Whatever coach needs, whatever the team needs, I’ll fill that role if it’s needed,” he said confidently. Early in the season, McGee was still finding his groove. Now, “Killa Kam,” as he’s referred to colloquially, radiates a palpable liveliness and enthusiasm.
“I’ve always been an energy guy,” he asserted. “Just bringing energy, I feel like it’s fun. People forget, this is a sport, you’re supposed to have fun.”
Klesmit’s season has played out differently. With one more season of college basketball under his belt than McGee, Klesmit was a starter from day one. Initially, he was dubbed as a three-and-D player à la Davidson.
Despite being a starter from the jump, Klesmit, too, needed time to acclimate. He would play 17 minutes in one game, and 36 the next. 13 points in one game, and zero the next. His production was inconsistent, and not a core aspect of what Wisconsin did offensively.
“For Max, it was (about) building habits, finding your spots but playing under control at the same time,” Oliver said. “And also, when to take certain shots, shot selection is always a difficult habit to break from whatever role you had before to a different role with this team. So a lot of different small things, small adjustments…”
Klesmit would miss two games in January after taking an elbow to the mouth against Penn State. Before that injury, the sharpshooter was hitting threes at a 35.8 percent clip. Since returning to action on Jan. 28, he’s knocking down 43.2 percent of his shots from long range. It’s safe to say the junior has picked it up down the stretch.
“(I’m) just trying to be more aggressive, just trying to be a playmaker for the guys out there, whether it’s on the ball, off the ball. Just trying to be more aggressive, getting everybody involved, on both ends of the floor as well,” Klesmit offered.
“I think he’s seeing his spots more, and he can drive the ball and start creating some offense for us,” Oliver agreed. “He’s really come into his own.”
While Klesmit’s shooting has taken a step forward, his ever-improving defense is becoming hard to ignore. He’s been a solid defender all season, and never been a liability on that end. His defensive efforts have really started to come to fruition in recent weeks, however.
“We knew he could play some defense but I think he’s really grown throughout the year in terms of building habits. A lot of defense is great habits, and he’s built some really good ones,” Oliver said. “He’s stayed disciplined, and you combine that with his bull-headedness to want to be a great defender, that’s a lot of it.”
“You’ve gotta really want to be a great defender, and he does.”
Klesmit acknowledged the work he’s put in to become the defender he is today.
“I definitely had to work on it. High school, obviously, and my freshman year of college at Wofford, too,” he said. “It was a weakness of mine; I just wasn’t physically ready, physically developed enough to play good enough defense to be able to contain guys, shut a guy down and play team defense. So it’s something that I’ve definitely had to work and grow on.”
That work hasn’t been more apparent this season than in Wisconsin’s last game, against Michigan. Klesmit collected two steals to go along with two huge shot blocks late in the game that put the Wolverines on the ropes. One of his blocks was a picturesque, leaping denial of Michigan’s elite scorer Kobe Bufkin on a corner three, in which Klesmit seemingly came out of nowhere to send the ball into the seats.
Klesmit’s well-roundedness has become vital for the Badgers down the stretch, even if it’s not translating directly to wins. And while “obviously, you’d like to win more games,” as he put it, the experience of playing Big Ten basketball isn’t lost on him.
“It’s been awesome. I don’t know how else to describe it,” he said appreciatively. “It’s been a treat getting to see my family at these away games that we heard Matt Lepay calling when I was a sixth and seventh grader on the radio.”
“I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world.”
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