Men's Basketball | 11/3/2026 5:59:00 PM
By
Paul Suellentrop
Lob passes. Unexpected passes. Passes with the laces in the right spot to save the shooter a split second ahead of a defender. E.P.A. (early pitch ahead, which is Shocker talk for a pass that starts a break).
Passing is the topic of conversation for Wichita State men's basketball as it begins the season as the favorite to win the American Conference. The addition of point guards
Jahari Long and
Jordan Frison – both willing and accurate passers – will change the look of the offense.
"It took a while to get used to always being ready for the ball," center
William Berg said. "It's a good problem to have. Their passing ability makes everything easy."
The Shockers open the season vs. Cal State Northridge at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday (ESPN+) at Koch Arena.
Last season, passing ranked behind getting
Kenyon Giles the ball and, sometimes, offensive rebounding. That approach worked because of Giles' brilliance, the attention he demanded from defenses and a devotion to chasing rebounds.
This season, the Shockers offense will look different with two legit point guards and good scoring options. The burden won't fall on Giles to play 40 minutes (he played 38 or more 15 times last season) or score 20 points regularly.
"They're elite playmakers," Giles said. "Jordan's one of the best lob throwers I've ever seen. Jahari, he just knows how to swing the ball, and he does of good mixture of finding his shot."
Frison, a 6-foot senior from Tennessee-Chattanooga, averaged 16.7 points and 4.1 assists last season. His assist rate (assists divided by the baskets made by teammates while in the game) of 29.5 percent ranked No. 98 nationally in Ken Pomeroy's statistics.
Long, a 6-foot-5 graduate transfer from George Mason, averaged 12.2 points and 4.0 assists last season. He posted a Pomeroy assist rate of 23 percent.
Together, they give coach
Paul Mills his best situation at point guard in his four seasons at Wichita State. Long and Frison are scorers who cannot be ignored by the defense. That opens passing lanes and creates open shot for teammates.
"We haven't had guys that can pinpoint the pass," Mills said. "A lot of people can see others, but very few players can actually deliver. Jordan and Jahari can actually deliver."
Teammates figured that out during summer workouts. They can tell a story about an opening nobody saw except Frison, a dunk served up by Long or a pass that hit their hands in exactly the right spot.
"It's like 'Man, how did he make that pass?'" forward
TJ Williams said. "(Frison) made a pass (in early fall) from the top of the key to the corner with his left hand. I was like 'How did that get there?'"
Long deflects some of the praise for accuracy. He sees passing as a season-long team-building exercise.
"I'm just trying to find an open guy," he said. "They're all great scorers. With me being able to find them, make the game easier, it's exciting. I think it helps because, come March, everybody needs to be confident and flowing."
When Long and Frison pass, teammates rarely need to reach or scoop to catch the basketball. That accuracy can give the shooter just enough time to take a shot unobstructed by a defender.
"I try to hit people in there," Frison said. "Wherever you show me where you're ready, where your hands are, I try to hit you exactly where that is."
Both Frison and Long can operate the pick-and-roll. Frison's timing on lob passes makes him a favorite of the big men. They see their effort setting screens and running to the hoop paying off.
"You're rewarded for doing that screenwork," forward
Dillon Battie said. "That makes me play 10 times harder. He just sees it. He throws it up there and athletes like myself go get those and it makes it fun."
The combination of two point guards helps returner
Michael Gray Jr., slot into his comfortable position as a shooting guard. The addition in late summer of Giles provides another scoring threat to torture defenses. Frison and Long can play together because they can shoot.
The depth presents many combinations to Mills, who especially appreciates the fast-break skills offered by Long and Frison. The Shockers, Mills said, are at their best when a rebounder can pass the ball to Long or Frison near halfcourt. They push the ball to attack a retreating, unorganized defense.
"If we can get decisionmakers on the backside of disadvantage basketball, we've been able to watch a lot of dominoes fall," he said.
Giles will likely play 28 minutes instead of 38 many nights. He may score 14 points instead of 24. He is eager to play with less of a burden and make those 28 minutes full-go. Working with Long and Frison, he believes, will allow him to be at his best when the Shockers need him the most.
I'm getting so many open threes because those guys are putting so much pressure on the rim," he said. "It's fun. I can tap into more of what I want to do. I want to play more defense. So, I've got more energy. This gives me an opportunity to add value to a winning team."
Point guards almost always add value to a winning team. Long and Frison make the Shocker roster deeper and more dangerous in a way the fans haven't seen in years. They, teammates believe, will deliver.
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
Season tickets are on sale now, and season ticket renewals are available as well. To purchase, visit
GoShockers.com/Tickets, dial 316-978-FANS (3267) or stop by the Shocker Ticket Office, located inside Charles Koch Arena, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
