Johnson says TCU will have its most talented team ‘since I’ve been here’

Trent Johnson is not hedging his evaluation of his next men’s basketball team at TCU. In terms of ability, it will be his best.

"Are we more talented than we’ve been since I’ve been here? Yes, we are," he said. "Do I thinnk defensively we’ll be much better? No question. Will be rebound better? No question."

The fourth-year Horned Frogs coach talked about his team Thursday after a press conference to announce the new name of the renovated basketball facility, the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena.

"We’re more talented, and we should be better," he said. "But I’m also very realistic in that this next step is the hardest step. All this momentum and all this stuff is real good, but being able to get it done between the lines and winning games versus the people that have been beating us, that’s going to be the hardest thing to do. But we had as good a spring and as good a summer as we’ve had since I’ve been here."

The Horned Frogs are coming off their best showing in the Big 12 under Johnson, going 4-14 last season, winning their first conference game on the road and their first game at the conference tournament.

They lost their top two guards, including No. 6 all-time scorer Kyan Anderson, but added the top junior-college combo guard in the country last season, Malique Trent, and a strong shooter in Lyrik Shreiner. Forward Jalon Miller, an early signee, averaged 22.5 and 24.5 points in his last two seasons at Seagoville. Vladimir Brodziansky is a 6-foot-10 forward who the Frogs want to develop.

Johnson described each player briefly.

"Vlad has a dimension of he can score the ball, he can pass it," he said. "Malik has a really good feel, shoots the ball. Lyrik is learning the toughest position, so he’s got a ways to go. The thing I like about him and Vlad and Malik, they work. They really work. And Jalon Miller’s really talented. Really talented."

Their teammates have been impressed.

"I love them. They’re great," center Karviar Shephard said. "They’re hard-working, they’re dedicated, they want to be a part of this team, and they want to win. That’s all you can ask for in a teammate."

Next for Johnson is figuring out roles for the veterans and newcomers.

"There are going to be a lot of opportunities to score the ball, shoot the ball, a lot of opportunities to make good decisions," Johnson said. "That’s going to have to be all put together. I won’t have that answer until we come off some scrimmages against somebody behind closed doors."

The Horned Frogs open the season Nov. 13 in the new Schollmaier Arena.

This story was originally published July 31, 2015 at 9:52 AM with the headline "Johnson says TCU will have its most talented team ‘since I’ve been here’."