Video: Miller, Evans, Thiam Preview Fall Practice

With practices officially set to begin this week, Cincinnati head coach Wes Miller is already deep into team-building mode — a luxury that wasn’t always part of the calendar.

 

“Years ago, we used to use the first four weeks primarily for skill development,” Miller said. “Now you get into the team concepts much quicker. This fall period is so much more important for team development than maybe it was five, six, seven years ago.”

 

The Bearcats enter the season with a dramatically overhauled roster, and Miller knows that time is of the essence.

 

“There’s only so many days you get in October and November before the season starts,” he emphasized. “And when you have a new team, a lot of new faces, getting some of those things ironed out early is more significant than maybe it’s ever been.”

 

 

 

Newcomers: “You can feel their experience”

 

The new group includes a number of international and veteran players, each bringing something different to the table. Barcelona native Jordy Rodriguez is one that Miller praised for his experience and shooting ability. 

 

“Jordy is one of the great shooters in his generation … He played minutes in the ACB League, which is arguably the best league in the world outside the NBA.”

 

Miller added that Jordy “has a tremendous feel offensively"

 

"He moves without the ball really well … I think he has pretty good length and size for a guard. He’s going to continue to get stronger.”

 

Another recent addition was Brazilian national team wing Lucas Atauri.

 

“Lucas has played professional basketball in Brazil. He shoots it really well. He’s a really tough kid … a good on-ball defender … really good intangibles. You can feel his experience in practice," Miller explained. 

 

General Manager Corey Evans gave his evaluation of Atauri to give Cincinnati fans an idea of what to expect.

 

“Lucas went up and played in Canada at JamFest — shot 59% from three in that event. 6'4, 6'5, can play different spots, good athlete, tough … really shoots the basketball. A blessing in disguise getting a guy like that that late in the year.”

 

With players from Spain, Brazil, Canada, and more, this is the most international Bearcats roster in recent memory. Evans sees that as a strength.

 

“They’ve integrated into the university and city really, really well. The playing style in Europe or South America is very like-minded to what we wanted: versatility, basketball IQ, switchability, shooting.”

 

He noted that having players like Baba Miller, Moustapha Thiam, and Jalen Celestine already familiar with the U.S. game helped smooth the transition.

 

Freshman Standouts: “His grading was as good as anybody”

 

Freshman point guard Keyshuan Tillery is one of the most talked-about players in early workouts.

 

“His grading in the summer was as good as anybody on our team,” said Miller. “He had great moments this summer. He has a motor, a pop, and a charisma and confidence about him that’s infectious. I have a ton of confidence that, if he continues to work and grow, he can have a very successful freshman year here.”

 

Another young name to watch that has created excitement via the transfer portal is sophomore center and UCF transfer Moustapha Thiam.

 

“He classed up. He should be going into his senior year of high school right now,” Miller noted. “His ability to score back to the basket’s been very impressive … He can go over both shoulders, which is rare. The touch he has around the basket — you don’t see that much anymore.”

 

 

With experience evaluating talent at multiple levels throughout his career, Evans offered his own evaluation of Thiam,

 

“He would’ve been the second biggest, longest player at the NBA Combine. He’s invested so much into his body … Once he understands how good he is, he can go as far as he wants in basketball.”

 

Leadership: “We do have that guy — DayDay”

 

With so many fresh faces, the question of leadership came up. Miller pointed directly to veteran guard DayDay Thomas:

 

“We do have that guy. DayDay has been here three years … he understands what it means to play at Cincinnati … he understands playing in the Big 12. He has the right values and character. The team respects him. The coaching staff respects him.”

 

Miller also praised Baylor transfer Jalen Celestine for his natural presence and maturity.

 

 “He has a tremendous social awareness. He’s just one of those people that everyone gravitates to. He’s been through a little bit, so I think he has great perspective.”

Defensive Edge: “Buck is uber competitive, uber edgy”

 

One of the biggest shifts this off-season has come on the defensive end with the addition of West Virginia transfer Sincere “Buck” Harris. 

 

“We’ve been a much more competitive team, especially defensively,” Miller said. “That’s been one of the most encouraging things.”

 

“Buck is going to make it a confrontational thing on every defensive possession. He is uber competitive, uber edgy on that end of the floor. That’s been good for our whole team.”

 

 

Roster Versatility: “Not by chance”

 

When asked about roster makeup, Miller was direct:

 

“The versatility of the roster is not by chance. It’s by design.” 

 

Miller went on to explain that Cincinnati can now “go really big, or still not be totally small up front,” and emphasized a balance between “size, decision-making, strength and toughness around the basket, and shooting.”

 

New General Manager Corey Evans echoed Miller.

 

“All these players that we brought in have at least one superpower that we can pinpoint and say, ‘This is what this guy does.’” He added, “The European model is very fundamental-based, very skill-based, and it’s what we tried to reflect with the makeup of this roster.”

 

Basketball IQ and processing speed were two traits Evans, Miller, and the rest of the Cincinnati staff prioritized in recruiting this off-season.

 

“What that means to me,” said Evans, “is can these guys think in a quick, efficient manner? Can they play different spots? Can they pass it, handle pressure, and make the proper decision?”

 

Evans continued:

 

 “A hidden talent of ours is the passing ability of our big men,” pointing to Moustapha Thiam, Jalen Haynes, and Baba Miller.

 

“Their assist percentages have been super, super high. In practice, it’s been shown just how well they can be played through as connectors.”

Evans went on to praise incoming freshman Shon Abaev for possessing the same traits.

 

“Shon’s basketball acumen is through the roof for an 18- or 19-year-old kid. Keyshuan Tillery is the same way.”

 

 

Looking Ahead: “This is practice one of 30”

 

For a team with so many new faces, spanning seven years of age difference, and a blend of NBA-caliber skillsets and high-end maturity, the pieces are there.

 

“This is practice one of 30 before our first game. You start counting that down … making sure you’re prepared.”

 

As Miller and the Bearcats shift from individual development into full team prep, the foundation is already taking shape — faster, earlier, and more deliberately than ever before as Miller tries to get the Bearcats back to the NCAA Tournament. 

 

“There’s a lot of new, but I really like where we are right now.”