Christian colemans growth driven by andy kennedy and uab staffs’ belief in his game

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - July 17, 2024

Christian Coleman’s offseason progression began after a week off after UAB ended the 2023-24 season with a NCAA Tournament loss to San Diego State.  

Coleman, whose story from the journey from Walmart employee to college basketball was told many times, spent that week reflecting on his first season in Division I basketball.  That transitioned into a work routine that has him poised for a breakout season.

He’s extended his shooting range. He’s gotten stronger. He’s visibly more confident on the court. He’s developing into one of the better players in the American Athletic Conference. Most of all, he’s doing all of that without any shortcuts.

“He's put in the work,” said Aaron Johnson, the former UAB standout, who is in his second season as the program’s Director of Player Development. “I'm talking, even days where I tell him like, ‘Hey, let's take today off’. He is like, ‘No, you told me I gotta work every day, so I'm gonna work every day.’

For Johnson, the work toward helping develop Coleman’s game to another level began during the latter stages of last season. By that time, the 6-foot-8, 205-pound forward from Winnsboro, Louisiana was in the midst of putting together an impressive ending to his first season at UAB. Over the final seven games, he averaged 13 points per game and was in double figures in scoring in all but the final game. Andy Kennedy inserted him into the starting lineup during that time.

“It kind of clicked because I feel like coach AK, he kind of like started believing in me,” Coleman said. “At the beginning, I just had a feeling he wasn't kind of believing in me. Once Coach Kennedy started believing in me and stuff, I kind of like settled down and I felt more confident more. I played my game.”

Johnson didn’t wait until the season ended to go over the coaching staff’s offseason plan for Coleman. Johnson said he sat down with Coleman one morning during the AAC Tournament and started to map out what was ahead.

“I was just like, you know, these people are gone, these people are going to be leaving probably, and now we need you to step into a role of leadership, a role of shooting different type of shots and making plays for the team,” Johnson said.

Coleman went to work after his week off following the season with much of the emphasis placed on shooting the basketball.

“Definitely my jump shot,” Coleman said when asked where the focus has been. “I developed that a little bit more. It’s getting better. I already got the jumping ability. I already got the length, you know, all that. He was just mostly just telling me to develop my 3-point jumper. My mid-range wasn't bad last year, but he wanted me to get that better too. So, I was just really just focusing on it, the whole summer, mainly shooting.”

Coleman described what that process looks like.

“He had me come in and shoot like, I'd say like 500 shots a day, 1,000 shots a day, stuff like that,” Coleman said. “He had me get on the gun (shooting machine) a lot, had me do a lot of stuff with the ball, like driving the ball and taking shots, making sure I'm comfortable with doing it. Because if I'm not comfortable with doing that, I’m not going to able to make shots. He was just trying to make sure I get comfortable. And then he started making me do a lot of catch and shoot. He started working on my form. You know, he started working on my feet, getting my base wide. So, you know, that's really what kind of kept me getting my shot better.”

Coleman went through the 2023-24 season without a 3-point attempt. Johnson said during the first three weeks of summer practice that Coleman made seven 3-pointers. While it certainly won’t be his first offensive option, adding that consistent threat to his game is huge.

That type of step shows the work he’s putting in during the spring and summer.

“Literally from the time where I said I we’re back, Chris has never missed,” Johnson said. “He's never been late, he comes early. If we work out at 10 o 'clock, Chris will be there at 9:40. He'll get him a Gatorade bar, drink him some water, stretch and he’s ready. He's just developed a routine with a work mentality. He told me, ‘I'll never forget you told me you just got to work every day no matter if it's a good day or bad day, you got to work every day and you got to do it the next day and the next day.’ That's the type of thing that Chris has developed and that's setting him apart from everybody else.”

One thing that can’t be overlooked, according to Kennedy, is the way that Coleman and returning All-AAC forward Yaxel Lendeborg are pushing each other to get better during the offseason.

“I think it's really important,” Kennedy said. “Number one, they're friends. They support each other, they push each other, I think they're good complements to one another. Now, going into year two, there's a much better expectation (for Coleman). He's had a great offseason, as has Yax. I think Yax has continued to be capable of doing what he does, but he's really expanding his game too. He and Chris both have worked extensively on getting better from the perimeter, in their decision making, in their shot making. And I think they're both excited that they've got a running mate that they trust as they enter into this last year together.”

Obviously, time will tell how much the work pays off, but Coleman is off to a great start.

“I hope that he can have the type of season that I know that he's capable of, that he has shown capable of, because he really is what it's all about,” Kennedy said. “It's about, you know, maximizing an opportunity, having joy in the journey, and leaving here as what we say every day, as the best version of self. That’s for him and the rest of his teammates.”