Last Year: 3-29; Twelfth (2-18) in the Pac 12 Conference, No Postseason
Head Coach: Mark Madsen (First Year; previously was 70-51 at Utah Valley, with no NCAA Tournament appearances
Projected Starting Lineup
| G Devin Askew – 6’3″, 198 – Senior |
| G Keonté Kennedy – 6’5″, 180 – Senior (5th) |
| W Jalen Celestine – 6’7″, 215 – Junior |
| W Jaylon Tyson – 6’7″, 215 – Junior – awaiting NCAA waiver approval |
| F/C Fardaws Aimaq – 6’11”, 245 – Senior (5th) |
Projected Starters’ 2022-23 Stats
Devin Askew: 15.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 0.7 spg – 37.8% FG in 13 games played
Keonté Kennedy: 9.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.8 apg, 1.2 spg – 38.1% 3FG @ Memphis
Jalen Celestine: 7.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.5 spg – 34.1% 3FG in 2021-22
Jaylon Tyson: 10.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.4 spg – 40.2% 3FG @ Texas Tech
Fardaws Aimaq: 11.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.3 bpg – 44.3% FG @ Texas Tech in 11 games played
Experienced Reserves
| G Jalen Cone – 5’11”, 175 – Senior (5th) |
| F Grant Newell – 6’8″, 220 – Sophomore |
| F/C ND Okafor – 6’9″, 235 – Sophomore |
| F Monty Bowser – 6’7″, 195 – Junior |
Experienced Reserves’ 2022-23 Stats
Jalen Cone: 17.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 0.8 spg – 40.0% 3FG @ Northern Arizona
Grant Newell: 8.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.9 spg – 39.7% FG
ND Okafor: 3.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.7 bpg – 43.4% FG
Monty Bowser: 3.8 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.3 spg – 33.3% FG
Freshmen
| W Rodney Brown – 6’6″, 180 – Freshman |
| F/C Devin Curtis – 6’11”, 220 – Freshman |
| G Vladimir ‘Vlada’ Pavlović – Freshman |
There is no delicate way to express how bad the California Golden Bears were at basketball last season. They were, regardless of injuries or talent level, absolutely awful. Cal ranked 361st out of 363 Division I teams in FG%, 332nd in rebounding, 360th in assists and dead-ever-loving last of all in points per game. It was a catastrophic failure, sure to be remembered for years around Berkeley, and it cost head coach Mark Fox his job.
Enough of all that, now. The Golden Bears have been revitalized, and it’s time to look towards a brighter future.
It all started with one of the most audacious coaching hires in years, a choice which has, so far, produced exactly the intended results. When Cal hired Mark Madsen, a former All-Pac 12 big man and NBA Champion – who just happens to be a popular former star at archrival Stanford – to be its next head coach, notice was served to the rest of the country that the Golden Bears were serious about rejoining the hunt.
The player affectionately known as ‘Mad Dog’ joined the coaching ranks soon after retiring from his NBA career, which helped to bring the Lakers two NBA titles and the world unspeakable joy when Madsen had his celebratory boogie on the trophy party’s main stage. He actually was an assistant at his alma mater before rejoining the Lakers in the same capacity, and eventually Madsen returned to the college landscape to accept his first head coaching job at Utah Valley. All he did in four years there was go 70-51, with two WAC regular season titles and a run to the semifinals of the NIT last year.
Things haven’t been going quite perfectly at Stanford, where head coach Jerod Haase’s seat has been warm for a solid couple of years, and many assumed that it was a matter of time before Madsen gained enough experience for the Cardinal to tab him as Haase’s replacement. Given the doldrums they had sailed into, though, Cal decided they would rather rock the boat and poach the coach. Now, the historic Stanford-Cal rivalry has become magnitudes spicier – and Madsen has wasted no time whatsoever in reshaping Cal’s roster. There are just four returning members of Fox’s last rotation, and Madsen has brought in new talent to take over and compete for positions all over the court.
If not for injuries to three of their best players, things could have gone at least a bit differently for Cal last year. Devin Askew, the team’s leader in scoring average last year, had been in the midst of a breakout campaign when the injury bug bit him. Abdominal surgery ended his year after just 13 games, but during that baker’s dozen, Askew began to consistently show the talents which made him a 5-star recruit just three years ago. After originally playing for Kentucky and then Texas, Askew went home to California, where he was a prep star for powerhouse Mater Dei in Santa Anna. At each stop, Askew has shown off his playmaking skill and creativity off the bounce, but his roles and efficiency have varied greatly. A big point guard who can get into the lane and to his spots as he chooses, Askew was head-and-shoulders above his teammates last year in being able to manufacture his own shots. He had the ball in his hands almost all the time, and coughed up nearly as many turnovers as he handed out assists. It must be said, Askew was the target of considerable defensive attention since there were precious few other players on the floor who had to be guarded, and coming into last year, he had been solid with the ball, posting a 117:76 ratio in his previous stops. He’s a capable outside shooter, but streaky, and is by far best from the perimeter when he’s able to catch and shoot. Last season, despite the abilities he showed, was asked to do too much. Now healthy, with talented options around him, Askew should settle into a co-starring role and have his most effective season yet.
This will be the second time around for Fardaws Aimaq and Mark Madsen. The first time that he played for Madsen, Aimaq was named WAC Defensive Player of the Year twice, won the league’s Player of the Year award, and averaged an absurd 16.9 points and 14.2 rebounds over his two seasons at Utah Valley. Aimaq was so dominant that he tied Kentucky’s National Player of the Year, Oscar Tshiebwe, with a best-in-the-country 27 double-doubles in his final season in Orem, UT. Last season, Aimaq transferred to the radioactive meltdown which Texas Tech became, and he never really got untracked. After badly injuring his foot before the season began, trying rehab and then play through the pain, and ultimately shutting it down after just 11 games, Aimaq is hungry to show what he can do with a healthy season at the high major level. “We’re not going to pigeonhole ‘Daws and put him only in the post because that wouldn’t utilize his full skillset. He’ll be on the perimeter some, he’ll be in the post some, he’ll get some rolls to the basket, he’ll be able to handle the ball some in certain actions, going into handoffs, pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop, things of that nature,” says Madsen, the coach who knows Aimaq as well as anyone. “He’s a strong passer…has a strong post-up game…Daws is truly one of those guys, when you talk about professionalism, Daws is at the top of the list.”
The son of an Afghan father but born & raised in Richmond, British Columbia, Aimaq began to show his shooting range at Utah Valley, and though he didn’t get the healthy minutes to show off that jumper, Madsen can’t wait to unbox an even more practiced version of his talented, experienced big man. For his career, Aimaq has made 27 triples at a 41% clip; and he’s made 61% of his tries near the rim the past couple of years, per Bart Torvik. Besides his exemplary work on the boards – he converted 77 putback buckets in his two seasons as a Wolverine, per Hoop-Math – Aimaq is comfortable with the ball, whether backing his man down on the block or feeding an open shooter on the wing. He’s a mobile pivot with legit size and strength who can rotate over to block shots his opponents thought outside of his reach, and Aimaq works hard to get end-to-end. Strongly motivated and healthy this season, Aimaq is ready to stack some wins and show out for the NBA scouts who have been following his career with great interest.
Expectations weren’t especially high for Grant Newell, but he was quite reliable in his rookie year, even as seemingly everything around him fell apart. He scored in double figures seven times last season and posted a pair of double-doubles, showing that he can score both from the perimeter and closer to the basket. Unfortunately, just like Askew experienced, and especially after the star guard was injured, Newell saw all kinds of defensive attention once the opposing scouting reports started to say ‘cover #14’. With so few of his teammates helping out much, Newell was considerably overmatched most nights – but he kept showing up and playing hard. “Grant had games where he really injected energy into the game with really great 3-point shooting, physicality and finishing inside,” Madsen says of the young forward. “He’s got versatility. He came off ball screens last year, finished at the rim. We’ve only seen that continue to expand this spring.” Newell, from Chicago hoops powerhouse Whitney Young, spent a postgraduate season at IMG Academy in Florida, but was out with back and hip injuries almost all year – making his trial by fire last season that much more impressive. With solid size and the skills to play either forward spot, Newell should be seeing the floor often again as a sophomore, and hopes to show off more of the shooting range that made him such an attractive and versatile prospect.
Monty Bowser barely played as a freshman, but last year, as Fox threw just about everyone but the training staff into the action in search of a few buckets, Bowser flashed some skills. With good length and size, Bowser can score from distance and shot 93% at the free throw stripe – at a time when each free point converted was like water in the desert to the Golden Bears. He’s not going to leap over the backboard any time soon, but Bowser can stretch opposing defenses, and Madsen wants to see Bowser lean into that role. “Smooth shooter. He’s also a guy who has a great strong mid-range game. It comes off his hand and it’s a beautiful shot,” Bowser’s new coach said, discussing his new roster with Fan Nation’s Cal Sports Report. “As he expands out more in volume from 3, I think his game will take off. The stroke is there. I’ve encouraged him, ‘Every time you’re open from 3, you let it fly.’”
There are few players in the nation who can create for themselves more effectively than Jalen Cone
ND Okafor, Newell’s freshman classmate, is quite the physical specimen in the lane. He wasn’t quite a natural at creating his own shot last year, though, and played 13 minutes behind virtually the only post scorer Cal had, departed German pivot Lars Thielmann. There were moments when Okafor showed his considerable potential, though. The Nigerian newcomer (by way of Ireland, Canada, and the NBA Latin America Academy in Mexico) was the team’s 2nd-best per-minute rebounder, and easily the top per-minute shot blocker. With the brawn and rebounding instincts to be an impact player without needing many plays run for him, Okafor should be a quality lob threat after setting picks for Askew and Cal’s other talented guards.
Askew won’t be the only playmaker or scorer this season, nor less the only guy who can create his own looks. There are few players in the nation who can create for themselves more effectively than Jalen Cone, a guy who can just flat-out get buckets. A Top 100 prospect coming out of high school, Cone spent his first two seasons at Virginia Tech. As a Hokie, Cone averaged 8.4 points and hit 101 triples at a 41% rate, but came off the bench as a microwave scoring reserve. There was a chance for Cone to be the guy at Northern Arizona, and Cone took it, becoming the littlest Lumberjack – and the highest-scoring. Cone ranked third and sixth, respectively, in the Big Sky in scoring average in his two seasons playing in Flagstaff; and after finishing second in made triples two years ago, Cone led the league with 96 deep balls last season. Rival coaches won’t be shedding any tears now that he’s moved on to Cal.
| Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks) |
| -11.8 – Average Score Margin (349th) |
| .739 – Assists Per Turnover (351st) |
| 43.7% – Team Effective FG Percentage (361st) |
| 29.8% – Team 3FG Percentage (350th) |
| 4.7 – Steals Per Game (335th) |
“Not a traditional point guard, but somebody you can put into a ball screen. One or two dribbles. If you go under it, he’s lights out. And in transition, he’s so fast, you have to locate him coming off screens,” Sacramento State coach David Patrick told 247 Sports of Cone. “A scoring rocket whether in the starting lineup or coming off the bench.” Cone is a capable playmaker, and at times (especially in transition), he can be exciting to watch while whipping passes across the court or through tiny spaces in the lane. Cone has committed more turnovers than the dishes he’s served for his career, though, and even if Madsen views him as instant offense as the Golden Bears’ 6th man, his new coach will need Cone to add to the offense, without subtracting too much. If Cone can play his cleanest season, he should be an instant fan favorite – and a real irritant for Pac 12 defenses.
One of the players who got hurt last year for Cal was rising junior wing Jalen Celestine, who had knee surgery prior to last season and never made it back onto the court. Now, healthy, Celestine should be an important piece – and his new coach is eagerly anticipating the chance to utilize the versatile Celestine. “Great shooter. A guy who can get to the rim in different ways,” Madsen says of Celestine. “He’s got a spin move, he’s got a Euro step, he’s got the same-hand, same-foot finish. He can go to the block and post-up a smaller guy. He’s really being diligent in terms of the training room, coming back from injury. We’re very, very excited for Jalen.” Celestine was going to be Cal’s leading returning scorer last season before the injury. Now that he’s back, Celestine can cover up or down opposing lineups. He’s a guy who carries a 63% career mark on shots around the rim with his length and willingness to play with some physicality. Celestine is bouncier than many Golden Bears the past couple of years, and can really scoot; paired with Newell, Celestine could give Cal a big, intriguing 4-out lineup around Aimaq which still features three players who are comfortable operating in the post. If he can continue to be a strong defender – and nudge his 3FG’s up a bit from the 34% he shot as a sophomore – Celestine will see minutes all over the court.
Similarly versatile on the perimeter is Keonte’ Kennedy, a Coloradoan who grew up in Texas and now, as a graduate student, will be joining his fourth college program at Berkeley. Kennedy is an athletic, physically strong guard who can shoot the ball – and he’s not shy about taking it to the rack, either. On a quite talented Memphis team last year, Kennedy started 12 of his 25 games and had been enjoying the best season of his career from the land of trey before a broken hand ended his season prematurely. Kennedy has had trouble staying healthy for each of his seasons, and wants to finish strong with the Golden Bears. An abrasive, high energy defender who can also guard bigger players, Kennedy uses his long arms and terrific close-space quickness to stop opposing drives, and he has 101 steals in 90 career games played so far.
“The basketball IQ, the passion for the game, the desire to continue to improve and expand his game. And Keonté is a lock-down defender. He’s a guy who can guard multiple positions,” says Madsen of the veteran Kennedy, whose versatility he loves. “He has the ability to bring the ball up the court. If you go really small, you could play him at some 4.” A devastating straight line driver, Kennedy has made 64% of his shots around the rim over the years, per Bart Torvik – and has thrown down 41 dunks so far. If he can pick up where he left off last year, shooting 38% from downtown, Kennedy is going to play all kinds of minutes for Madsen.
Possibly this team’s best individual talent, Jaylon Tyson is a former Top 50 national recruit who has transferred twice now, despite playing a total of just 39 collegiate games. As such, he will need a waiver approved by the NCAA in order to play for Cal this year, and lately the governing body has not been handing out many approvals for such players. Once he is able to take the floor in Berkeley, Tyson will bring a physical style of play to the wing for Madsen. Though he is highly comfortable in the lane – he ranked eighth in the Big 12 in rebounding average last year for Texas Tech – Tyson is also an accomplished shooter. He knocked down 43 triples at a 40.2% rate last winter, and the Golden Bears can’t wait to see Tyson in live action.
| Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on |
| N – San Diego State – November 25 |
| N – Ole Miss – December 16 |
| @ Butler – December 9 |
| N – Tulane / Bradley – November 22 |
| vs Santa Clara – December 2 |
While Madsen was filling in his new roster with veterans, he also managed to snag some promising rookies. The new coach didn’t have to work particularly hard to reel in Rodney Brown, Cal’s highest-ranked freshman. Recruited by the previous coaching staff, Brown has pledged and re-pledged to the Golden Bears. He hasn’t come to Cal just because of a slick pitch – Brown is a serious student-athlete who has spoken of the full experience he’s about to embark upon at one of the nation’s best universities. And, of course, he can hoop. “Rodney Brown, he’s an explosive player. He’s one of those guys who can go into a game and make five 3’s in a half, to get to the rim and attack the rim,” says Madsen of Brown. He is a rangy 6’6″ right now, but Brown is athletic enough that he should be able to add more muscle mass without slowing down. A dangerous outside shooter with a clean release, Brown is also a solid passer and defender. Despite the veterans which have been added, Brown should be able to play immediately because he does a little bit of everything.
Madsen’s second in-state freshman is Devin Curtis, a long and longer post prospect. Though he needs to get stronger, Curtis has attacked the weight room with a vengeance since arriving on campus this summer. “He’s already gotten with our strength coach and put on 10 to 12 pounds of lean muscle. That’s impressive,” says Madsen of the effort Curtis has already shown. Earlier in his prep career, Curtis had dealt with both injury and a serious bout of Covid, but he’s gotten back on track and is developing nicely. Curtis is a modern big who can swat a shot inside and then drain a deep jumper on the other end. As he gets stronger, Curtis should be able to handle the physicality of high major bigs and cause them a few matchup problems. Madsen’s third rookie is Serbian-born playmaking guard Vladimir Pavlović. “Vladimir’s talent, character and basketball IQ make him a great addition to our roster,” Madsen declared upon his signing. “His size and athleticism are key advantages at the guard positions and he plays the game with a high motor that’ll make his teammates better.” Pavlović has been in the US for a couple of years now, and prepped in New York.
The Golden Bears have burned the tape from last year, and are ready to make their own names. Madsen has brought an air of solidity to what was something of a rudderless ship by the end of last season, and Cal has a measure of confidence again. If Tyson is able to play, Cal will have real mismatch potential for Madsen to experiment with. As great as Tyson’s potential seems, though, a return to monsterish form from Aimaq could actually make the biggest difference this year. If everyone is healthy, the Golden Bears have some burgeoning stats, and their big man should shine the brightest.
“I want to play fast. I want to play up-tempo,” Madsen said at his introductory presser. His last Utah Valley team ranked and 48th in Evan Miya’s True Tempo stat – and the Wolverines threw down 151 dunks as a team. When exciting basketball is also winning basketball, players take note. “It fits right into my game,” Askew enthused about Madsen’s intention to push the pace. “So I’m super excited.” It’s been awhile since most folks were “super excited” about Cal hoops, but that has changed. And as the wins start to pile up, Madsen should give the Golden Bears and their fans plenty more to get excited about.
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