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BYU's Atiki Ally Atiki dunks the basketball during team practice at the Marriott Center on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022.

Madi Allphin/BYU Athletics

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Newcomer Rudi Williams handles the basketball during a BYU practice at the Marriott Center on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022.

Madi Allphin/BYU Athletics

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The BYU men's basketball team gathers around Coach Mark Pope during a practice at the Marriott Center on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022.

Madi Allphin/BYU Athletics

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We interrupt the 24-7 BYU football news cycle to bring you … Cougar basketball.

The BYU men’s hoops team began its preseason practices Monday morning and its second practice was broadcast on BYUtv later that evening.

We’re still more than a month away from the first game, but it was interesting to see all the hard work already taking place.

Here are a few observations on the roster (with 12 new players) and the first day of practices.

• Senior guard Trevin Knell suffered from shoulder pain all last season. Knell tried all different kinds of approaches to get healed up but nothing worked. He had off-season shoulder surgery for a rotator cuff injury and will miss three to four months, which may make him available for a late-season run. In the meantime, that opens up opportunities for returned missionaries Dallin Hall and Richie Saunders.

• Practice began with some focus and concentration exercises and midcourt. Gotta get your mind right.

• Utah Jazz CEO of Basketball Operations (and former Cougar) Danny Ainge was in attendance and asked which number freshman Dallin Hall was wearing (30). So, no pressure. Also, a BYU photographer was introduced to Ainge and asked him his name. Probably doesn’t happen very often. Ainge could have just pointed up in the rafters where his No. 22 jersey is hanging. I would have.

• A totally unscientific observation based on just one practice, but the top 3-point shooters were Spencer Johnson, Saunders and Trey Stewart.

• There was a lot of high energy and tempo for the second practice of the day. Head coach Mark Pope told his team at one point, ” I don’t want to be a ‘stand in space’ team anymore.”

• Good hops from returned missionary Tanner Toolson for a couple of two-handed throw downs in a drill. Who says guys don’t have their legs until they’ve been back a year?

• Speaking of throw downs, Atiki Ally Atiki just took two huge steps down the lane and yammed it one-handed over a defender. Uh, wow.

• Sophomore power forward Fousseyni Traore worked on his conditioning this summer and looks like he’s dropped a few pounds. Don’t worry. He still has shoulders like a linebacker and elevates just as quickly.

• BYU ran a full court five-on-five drill where the offense has 11 seconds to go the length of the floor and get a shot up. Highly entertaining. Maybe The Tournament will adopt that strategy to go along with their Elam Ending.

• The media was handed a printed practice schedule that included development and weight room goals for each player. Coaches asked us not to share that info, but impressed with the level of commitment.

We’ll have more from the first day of practices in Wednesday’s Daily Herald, including words from Pope about getting things started.

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