Mean Green Start Official Practices

DENTON — Wednesday marked the first day of official men's and women's basketball practices for all NCAA DI programs, which means teams can now practice up to 20 hours a week. Though no schedule has been finalized for the North Texas men's basketball team or most programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season is now in full swing and the team is prepping to defend their 2020 Conference USA championship.

The Mean Green can build off their first regular season league title in 31 years and best league record (14-4) in program history as many familiar faces return to Denton for the 2020-21 season. Point guard and reigning C-USA Player of the Year Javion Hamlet is back along with fellow starters Zachary Simmons and James Reese.

Last season's six-man Thomas Bell, who scored 20 points in the Mean Green's 78-72 overtime victory against Western Kentucky on March 1 to clinch the league title, is back and now in his second-season with the program has shown noticeable improvement and understanding for how to make an impact.

Simmons, the returning captain and most veteran of the bunch, was a prime catalyst to the team's championship finish. Simmons was a steady anchor for the defense and became one of the team's best passers on offense and did so out of the post.

The Mean Green have added six newcomers to the team and all have shown to be potential impact players. Below are quotes from senior James Reese on each of the new guys.

REESE ON MARDREZ MCBRIDE
"A quiet assassin. He's very serious about his work and a great guy to have on the team and to be around."

REESE ON TERENCE LEWIS II
"T2 is a real dynamic player who hustle hards. He's quiet and unique. He's cut from a different cloth."

REESE ON RUBIN JONES
"Rubin is a cool cat. Everything about him is smooth. He also carries himself different. He's a mature freshman."

REESE ON MYKELL ROBINSON
"He's the most outgoing of the new guys. He fit in right away. He gets along with everyone real well and is really funny. A hard worker who is going to be a good player for us."

REESE ON ABOU OUSMANE
"Abou has a big New York personality. He's competitive and very emotional and works very hard. He always is doing more than what's expected of him and is getting in multiple workouts a day to be ready to help us compete."

REESE ON KEITH BARNES
"Keith is a real good hooper. And he's a good dude to be around. He's quietly one of the funniest guys on the team. He's a jokester."

Grant McCasland