For fourteen seasons from the late nineties throughout the aughts Jim Larranaga led George Mason when the Patriots were consistently one of the most feared mid-majors in the nation. During his tenure, the Patriots earned five tournament bids including making the Final Four as an eleven seed and upsetting Villanova in the first round as an eight seed.
Since Larranaga’s departure to Miami, George Mason has moved from the CAA to the A-10 with mostly uninspiring results: only one season with a conference record above .500 and no NCAA or NIT bids.
In need of a shakeup last offseason George Mason hired Kim English, a thirty-two year old with no head coaching experience but an impressive assistant heading resume with stops at Tulsa, Colorado and most recently, Tennessee. Since Ernie Nestor was hired in 1988, English was the university’s first hire with no previous head coaching experience, a roll of the dice that so far has paid off promising dividends.
At first glance, a 14-16 overall record with a 7-9 finish in conference play doesn’t look like much, but Kim English’s first season ended with a KenPom efficiency rating of #113, its best in a decade. There’s also a retention and clear influx of talent, both in signing high school recruits and transfers.
George Mason’s most important player is Josh Oduro, a 6’9 235 senior big who is one of the three players to stay with the Patriots after previous head coach Dave Paulsen was fired. Testing the NBA waters after earning an A-10 All-Conference First Team selection, Oduro was a force for George Mason, averaging 17.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks while shooting efficiently, averaging rates of 56.8 2p%, 29.2 3p% and 70.1 ft%, a significant improvement compared to his shooting rates combined in his previous two seasons (52.2 2p%, 17.4 3p%, 59.4 ft%).
Coming over from Tennessee has helped develop a talent pipeline from the Volunteers’ roster. After two seasons playing sparingly in Knoxville, Davonte Gaines started all but one game for the Patriots last season, averaging 10.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and efficient three-level scoring, averaging just 1.0 turnovers per game with 51.6 2p%, 40.2 3p% and 76.1 ft% shooting ratios. The 6’7 181 Gaines is a fearless slasher whose athleticism and body control allows him to score off the dribble and attack the basket. After averaging 10.9 points-per-game his first season in Knoxville, incoming grad transfer Victor Bailey ostensibly lost his spot in the rotation last year, averaging just 6.9 minutes-per-game in SEC play. Originally a four-star recruit by Oregon, Bailey will be counted on as a shooter (shot 36.5% from three across his first three seasons) and is a candidate to start.
A more likely candidate to start is sixth-year senior Devon Cooper, entering his second season in Fairfax after playing his first four seasons at Morehead State. Scoring over 1200 points in his career, Cooper is a lights out shooter, making 2.6 threes-per-game last season at a 40.9% clip, with about two-thirds of his shot attempts from beyond the arc.
It would be remiss discussing the breadth of George Mason’s talent without mentioning its trio of incoming high school graduates. A spring early enrollee after finishing his high school career at the venerable IMG Academy, Justyn Fernandez is the program’s third highest ranked recruit of all-time, according to 247. The 6’5 200 wing is a physical freak with speed, athleticism and elite leaping ability that not only launches him to finish at the rim with force, but also rise over defenders with his smoove shooting form. Picking George Mason over nineteen high-major programs, Fernandez is looking to make a major impact in his freshman season, possibly to the tune of a starting role.
A three-star recruit who picked George Mason over four high-major programs, the 5’10 164 Devin Dinkins averaged 17.8 points and 3.4 assists per game for Gonzaga Prep, earning him a Washington Post All-Met First Team selection. Dinkins will compete for the starting point guard role along with returning junior Ronald Polite (averaged 4.9 points, 1.4 assists in 16.4 minutes-per-game). If Dinkins can produce outside the arc more efficiently than Polite (a career 18.5% shooter from three) his spacing will certainly help his case to start from day one.
The younger cousin of 2020 first rounder Zeke Nnaji, Elvis Nnaji spurned Arizona (his cousin’s alma mater), along with Marquette, Xavier and Minnesota to sign with George Mason. The 6’9 forward is a versatile athlete who should develop into a rim-protecting, switchable defender whose athleticism flashes three-level scoring potential. Projected for more of a depth role this season, do not be surprised if Nnaji is a key starter in a year or two.
A pair of incoming grad transfers will provide needed frontcourt depth. Starting his career at Hutchinson Community College, incoming grad transfer Saquan Singleton played both forward positions the last two seasons at New Mexico, averaging 6.2 points, 3.7 rebounds. 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.5 blocks across forty-six total games, starting in thirty. More of a slasher than a shooter, Singleton will need to work on his free throw shooting yips (48.1 career ft%) if he wants to be counted on during late-game situations.
Originally a three-star recruit by Virginia Tech, Ginika Ojiako played just 464 career minutes across three seasons, but his per-40 numbers (11.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.2 blocks) classify Ojiako as more of a throwback, low-post big with solid rim protection, a more than adequate profile for a backup big.
6’10 216 sophomore Blake Jones and 6’8 230 junior Malik Henry are both looking to parlay end-of-the-bench frontcourt rotation roles to more consistent playing time in 2022-2023. A native of Australia, Blake Jones is a stretch forward, with 70% of his field goal attempts last season from three while all of Malik Henry’s field goal attempts were from inside the arc.
With 60% of their scoring returning, three incoming transfers and three incoming high school recruits, there’s good reason why George Mason is projected in the top-half of most A-10 preseason polls. Early in the season, the Patriots will have a few opportunities to impress in their out-of-conference schedule, visiting Auburn on opening night, hosting Toledo on December 3rd and three games in the Paradise Jam where they will face Boston College in the first round, Belmont or Tarleton State in the second round and one of Buffalo/Drake/Howard/Wyoming in the final round.
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