Teammates call Illini's Paul multifaceted 'freak'

Posted November 12, 2009 10:00 pm

By Lindsey Willhite

If Bruce Weber sticks with the lineup he used in Illinois' final exhibition game, then freshman guard Brandon Paul will start in his college debut Friday against SIU Edwardsville.

That makes this the last chance to tell the legend of Brandon Paul while he's more a Paul Bunyan than a real person with strengths and weaknesses.

Demetri McCamey, tell us about the time in a fall scrimmage when the 6-foot-4 Paul dunked over 6-10 center Stan Simpson. From a flat-footed start.

"He was just standing under the rim and jumped straight up," said Illinois' junior point guard. "He's just a freak athletically."

Dominique Keller, tell us about the days when the 2009 Warren Township graduate owns the Ubben Practice Facility floor.

"He just hits about 10 3s in a row," said Illinois' lone senior. "Tip dunks. Playing the passing lanes and getting a couple steals. Just his athleticism is crazy. He'll catch offensive rebounds and just straight up and dunk like nothing happened."

OK, freshman forward Tyler Griffey: Testify about your roommate. Try to work in the word "freak" if you can.

"He's a great roommate," Griffey said. "Actually, he's a neat freak. So am I. So our place is totally clean. We'll empty the trash and it'll be only half-full."

So Paul fills up baskets and empties receptacles at rates no one expects from an 18-year-old.

What negatives could there possibly be with the first Illinois Mr. Basketball to join the Illini since Dee Brown in 2002?

Well - he's still 18 years old in a few basketball regards.

"Some days, I might not be as focused as I should be and I might start slacking a little bit," Paul said as the preseason dawned. "Sometimes I might get a little excited and take a couple ill-advised shots, but I like to think I'm working on that a lot."

While McCamey won't ever lose his role as Weber's primary foil during practice, Paul's inconsistent play siphons some of Weber's ire.

"(Brandon) has his days where he'll just be mediocre," Keller said. "Not that he'll be mediocre. It's just he'll have a day that's nowhere near his good days. I think that's what drives Coach Weber - you know how he is.

"If he sees you do something, he wants to see it every day. And when you don't give it to him, he's going to get it - one way or another. That's probably why he's so hard on Brandon."

Fortunately for Paul and the Illini, he doesn't need to be brilliant on a daily basis as the nation's 23rd-ranked team embarks on its quest for the program's first NCAA Tournament wins since 2006.

Power forward Mike Davis (11.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg) returns after earning second-team all-Big Ten honors last year. Junior center Mike Tisdale (10.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg) is stronger and better.

Fellow freshman guard D.J. Richardson, who ranked No. 35 to Paul's No. 49 in the national Class of 2009 recruiting rankings, has been more consistent and accepted more initial responsibility.

Then there's McCamey, a third-team all-Big Ten pick last year who dropped 10 pounds and added 10 pearls of Deron Williams' wisdom during the off-season.

"Now he's got like 5 or 6 percent body fat and he's 'swole,' " McCamey said with a laugh. "One time I tried to call an offensive foul while he was here playing pickup. He told me that was just a grown-man move and kept on going."

Actually, McCamey learned from Williams' metamorphosis at Illinois - when he showed up for his junior year leaner than before and it paid off with second-team All-America honors and a trip to the NCAA title game.

"I look at it, like, 'Whoa, I can do the same things,' " McCamey said. "I just need to get my body trimmed down and hopefully produce like Deron did.

"He showed me some (motion offense) schemes and things like that. But the last trip he was here, we were talking about the leadership role more than anything else."

So if McCamey plans to lead and Richardson plans to defend and Davis leads the Big Ten in rebounding and Tisdale leads in 15-footers by a 7-footer, then perhaps Paul can be the "X" factor.

And his legend can be made at a pace of his choosing. For example, what might happen when Paul gains a measure of consistency?

"I think he'd be a pro," Keller said. "A 6-5 guard. Athletic. Can dunk on 7-footers. Can rebound as well as big men we have. Real long on the perimeter. He can guard real good guys; can keep them from getting into the paint. And he's real fast; can run the court.

"There's no reason why he couldn't be a pro."

Illini at a glance Coach: Bruce Weber (152-57, 7th year at Illinois; 255-111, 12th year) 2008-09 record: 24-10 (11-7 Big Ten, tied for second); Lost to Western Kentucky in NCAA first-round Starters returning/lost: 3/2 Projected starters PF Mike Davis* 6-9 220 Jr. Second-team all-Big Ten pick improved his handle and his range C Mike Tisdale 7-1* 235 Jr. Competing at USA Basketball World University trials made him tougher PG Demetri McCamey* 6-3 200 Jr. Leaner, meaner and touted as one of the Big Ten's most improved players SG Brandon Paul 6-4 195 Fr. Inconsistent rookie with effort, but athleticism, offensive skills are rare SG D.J. Richardson 6-3 185 Fr. This Top 40 recruit is a bigger, more-skilled version of Chester Frazier Reserves SG Alex Legion 6-5 200 Jr Weber will give every chance to build confidence and be consistent shooter PF Tyler Griffey 6-9 225 Fr. Emulates Davis in practice, though one-handed jumper is even better F/C Dominique Keller 6-7 230 Sr. Gregarious leader and streaky scorer, but needs to be a big rebounder C Richard Semrau 6-10 245 Jr. A solid shooter and rebounder lost coaches' confidence in Big Ten play PF Bill Cole 6-9 215 Jr. Terrific shooter and passer, but lack of a defensive position will limit play G Joseph Bertrand 6-5 185 Fr. Knee injury has special athlete a step behind and contemplating a redshirt PG Jeff Jordan 6-1 185 Jr. Must sit first 2 games after playing in unsanctioned summer tourney C Stan Simpson 6-10 230 r-Fr. Didn't play in either exhibition as he gets himself together academically PG Bubba Chisholm 5-11 180 Sr. Hometown fav as walk-on whose appearances guarantee victory 2009-10 schedule Friday SIU EDWARDSVILLE 7 p.m. Nov. 17 NORTHERN ILLINOIS 7 p.m. Nov. 21 * PRESBYTERIAN 7 p.m. Nov. 24 * WOFFORD 8:45 p.m. Nov. 27 * vs. Utah (at Vegas) 9:30 Nov. 28 * vs. Oklahoma St./Bradley (at Vegas) 7/9:30 p.m. Dec. 2** at Clemson 6:15 p.m. Dec. 5 BOISE STATE 6:30 p.m. Dec. 8 VANDERBILT 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 W. MICHIGAN 1:30 p.m. Dec. 19 vs. Georgia 6 p.m. Dec. 23 vs. Missouri 8:30 p.m. (at St. Louis) Dec. 30 NORTHWESTERN 8 p.m. Jan. 2 vs. Gonzaga (at UC) Noon Jan. 5 IOWA 8 p.m. Jan. 9 at Indiana 7 p.m. Jan. 12 PENN STATE 8 p.m. Jan. 16 at Michigan St. 2:30 p.m. Jan. 19 PURDUE 8 p.m. Jan. 23 at Northwestern 7 p.m. Jan. 27 at Penn State 5:30 p.m. Jan. 30 INDIANA 1 p.m. Feb. 3 at Iowa 8 p.m. Feb. 6 MICHIGAN STATE 8 p.m. Feb. 9 at Wisconsin 6 p.m. Feb. 14 OHIO STATE Noon Feb. 20-21 at Purdue TBA Feb. 23 at Michigan 6 p.m. Feb. 27/28 MINNESOTA TBA March 2-4 at Ohio State TBA March 6/7 WISCONSIN TBA March 11-14 Big Ten tournament (at Indianapolis) *-Las Vegas Invitational **-ACC/Big Ten Challenge

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