George Washington University Athletics
Summer in the World's Most Powerful City
7/14/2021 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Revamped men's basketball squad grateful for head start on 2021-22
A year ago, James Bishop was back home in Baltimore, training as best he could and getting to know his new teammates via Zoom amid a summer that presented more questions than answers about what his first season in Buff and Blue might look like.
Those memories, Bishop said, have inspired a special appreciation for a more traditional summer in the World's Most Powerful City. Coming off a strong debut campaign, the playmaking guard is savoring every moment, on and off the Smith Center court, as one of the leaders on a revamped squad.
“We’re just thankful for this time, honestly,” Bishop said, shortly before beginning a recent individual workout under the direction of assistant coach Eric Atkins. “Because you see how valuable it is and how much you can learn, not just about yourself but about the team and the offense, during this time.”
Just past the midpoint of the summer, Head Coach Jamion Christian is encouraged by the group’s work so far. This time has allowed a talented crop of newcomers, headlined by high-major transfers Brendan Adams (Connecticut), Joe Bamisile (Virginia Tech) and Ira Lee (Arizona), to get a head start on learning to play together in the veteran coach’s system that wasn’t possible last season.
“There’s growing pains that you have to go through with every team and you can’t speed up the growing pains, so being able to be in there with them is just such an advantage,” Christian said. “Because you can see how these guys learn, see how they attack, and a team always grows fastest on the floor. Just the ability for those guys to be connected on the floor changes everything.”
Christian said the returners, particularly Bishop, Ricky Lindo Jr. and Hunter Dean, have done a good job leading the way, both by example and with their voices.
After transferring from LSU, Bishop showcased an ability to score and distribute as the primary ballhander, averaging 19.1 points and 5.1 assists per game to rank among the top five in the Atlantic 10 in both categories.
Looking ahead to 2021-22, he's ready to take the next step leading Christian’s attack, and to do it, he needs to learn how he can best set up his teammates for success.
“It’s been easy to get to know everybody and just to get to work,” Bishop said. “Because everybody wants to be here. Everybody wants to work. Everybody’s bought in on the same mission, which is trying to win a championship.”
The 10 total newcomers have brought a fresh perspective, in addition to their considerable talent, to the program.
Lee, a graduate transfer from Los Angeles with four seasons of experience playing in the Pac-12, has spent the summer adapting to both life on the East Coast and his role in Christian’s system while finding moments to share his wisdom with the rest of the group.
“So far, it’s been great,” said Lee, a 6-foot-8, 245-pound forward who is aiming to become more versatile by shoring up his ballhandling and perimeter shooting. “We’ve got a group of hungry guys, especially the young guys coming in. For me, it’s just exciting to see a group of guys that are willing to work and put in 110 percent effort day-in and day-out.”
That enthusiasm has seeped into every aspect of the team’s summer programming.
On the court, Christian has, as usual, mixed individual and team workouts. He’s a firm believer in the summer as a period for personal growth, and he empowers the student-athletes to be part of the process in planning out how to reach their goals.
Within team sessions, Christian has seen his vision for this group start to come to life. Thanks to an array of versatile and athletic options, he believes he has the pieces in place to fit his preferred style of play on both ends.
Right now, the coach is taking a careful approach to installing his system to avoid overloading the group, but he’s been pleased by the energy and focus within the sessions.
“I like how the guys enjoy being around one another in a competitive setting,” Christian said. “We’ve had teams in the past that have enjoyed being around one another in the dorm but didn’t enjoy being around each other in a competitive setting. This group of guys seems to like to compete with one another and compete against one another. That’s fun to watch.”
Off the court, the Buff and Blue have bonded over a couple backyard barbecues at Christian’s house, as well as an emotion-packed team visit to the World War II Memorial on Memorial Day.
As a team, they read James Kerr’s book Legacy, a deep dive into the culture of New Zealand’s uber-successful All Blacks rugby team, while continuing to work through the program’s leadership enhancement plan.
“We’re trying to keep it really simple and not overcomplicating it,” Christian said. “I just want these guys loving one another, working really hard and appreciating everything they have around them.”
That sense of gratitude comes easily on the heels of a most unprecedented season that changed almost every aspect of the program’s day-to-day operations.
A summer together beats a summer at home, and this group is determined to make the most of their time now with an eye on being ready to put their best foot forward in a fan-filled Smith Center later this fall.
“We’ve got a great group here,” Bishop said. “We’ve got a long way to go and we’ve got a lot of room to grow, but we’ve got a lot of talent. And I think if we continue to put the work in how we are right now, the sky’s the limit when November rolls around.”
