Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
StumbleUNLV Basketball:
Healthy Jasper looks to fill leadership void
Returning from knee injury, UNLV transfer taking on a bigger role
UNLV guard Derrick Jasper shoots free throws as his teammates wind down a practice at the Cox Pavilion with a stretch session. Jasper, who transferred from Kentucky and will have two years of eligibility remaining after this season, works out individually as he gets his left knee and leg back to full strength following microfracture surgery almost two years ago.
Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.
A Long Road Back
Viewing video requires the latest version of Adobe's Flash Player
As he prepares for his first season with the Rebels, guard Derrick Jasper talks about his road to recovery after microfracture surgery.
Derrick Jasper, UNLV junior point guard
- Age: 21
- Height: 6-feet-6
- Weight: 205 pounds
- Hometown: Paso Robles, Calif.
- High School: A county player of the year two consecutive seasons, Jasper averaged 21 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds as a senior for the Paso Robles Bearcats … was MVP of the adidas Super 64 in Las Vegas … he also visited Illinois, Memphis and Washington before signing with Kentucky.
- College: Started 27 of 34 games as a freshman at Kentucky. When he became a starter, the Wildcats won 11 in a row. Averaged 3.9 points and 2.9 assists, shooting 61.3% from the field … as a sophomore, returned after knee surgery to average 4.2 points and 5.5 boards.
- Favorite: meal; spaghetti … athlete; Jason Kidd … sport, if he didn’t play hoops; soccer … musician; Lupe Fiasco.
Sun archives
- 2008-09 season is Jasper’s time to heal (1-23-09)
- Jasper warming up to Vegas (7-17-08)
- Jasper officially becomes a Rebel (7-14-08)
- Ex-Kentucky guard Jasper excited to play hoops at UNLV (6-16-08)
The reports on Derrick Jasper’s progress, if not dominance, at UNLV pick-up games in recent months have been impressive.
They have come from Kevin Kruger and Curtis Terry, authorities on all hoop matters scarlet and gray who two years ago helped the Rebels reach their first Sweet 16 since 1991.
Terry talked about how Jasper, the 6-foot-6 guard who transferred to UNLV from Kentucky and mended a surgically repaired left knee last season, often drove strong over or through defenders.
“That’s really my game,” Jasper says after a recent workout. “I like to get to the basket and finish around the rim. I have to watch people taking a charge, too. Curtis is a competitor. I like playing with him.”
Kruger, son of UNLV coach Lon Kruger, glowed about Jasper’s defensive prowess.
“I really like to just smother people on defense, make it hard for people to score,” Jasper says. “I’ll read the scouting reports and try to (deny) people’s strengths.”
Two months before the start of the 2009-10 season, Jasper is the most compelling UNLV basketball player. He’s an unknown quantity who has dusted off his considerable skills, maybe even some rust.
When the season tips off Nov. 14 against Pittsburg State, it will have been 20 months since his last competitive action.
Yet, some close to the team believe Jasper warrants recognition as a contender to be the Mountain West Conference player of the year – forget newcomer of the year – because of how well he’s been playing.
Teammate Matt Shaw likens Jasper to Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Lon Kruger already calls Jasper a leader.
“I’m just excited to get out there,” Jasper says. “Everyone is playing real hard and I’m getting back to normal. I’m feeling in game shape. I’m real excited to play.”
The Leader
Last season, UNLV notoriously had no leader. Either a senior wasn’t equipped to assume that role or barked so much that it lost its effect, or youngsters weren’t ready to take that responsibility.
That won’t be the case this season.
Derrick Jasper, who will be directing the show from the point, will be the main man.
“I feel like I moved into that role,” he says. “We have a lot of young guys who are willing to learn. That makes it a lot easier for me. They really want to get better and they take advice well. I’m really anxious to see how the young guys improve.”
He hasn’t shied away from giving advice or tips to any Rebel over the past few months of pick-up ball and in individual workouts.
“Me being a vocal leader on this team, I want to make sure everyone knows it’s all about doing things the right way,” Jasper says. “You can’t just expect to win.”
From the fringes, Jasper, who practiced but didn’t travel as a redshirt, saw that last season.
UNLV won 17 of its first 21 games, flopped at TCU and Colorado State, and capped a 4-7 finishing stretch with an NIT defeat at Kentucky.
“We had a couple of bumps in the road throughout the season,” Jasper says. “It was just real frustrating watching us play sometimes, knowing we could do a little bit better. We just have to play hard. We can’t expect to win every game.
“Nothing is given to you. You have to work for it.”
Since Jasper first showed on the UNLV campus, Lon Kruger has seen a focused individual intent on returning to form. Kruger expects that leadership to carry over to the court.
“In every way, in everything he’s done, he’s shown those qualities,” Kruger says. “He’s very much a team-first guy. Whatever role he needs to do, the team being as good as possible is all he’s concerned about.”
The Swagger
En route to the Cox Pavilion via a narrow hallway, Jasper favors his left side – that left knee. Perhaps that’s what happens, subconsciously, when you’ve favored it for a few years.
Jason Kabo, UNLV’s assistant director of strength and conditioning, isn’t concerned. Maybe he’s just trying to get his smooth swagger down, Kabo says.
At the end of a television interview on the edge of the Thomas & Mack Center court, Jasper rises slowly out of a chair. He puts a hand on that left knee. Maybe for support, maybe out of habit. Maybe there’s an itch.
Ice will be his best friend for the rest of his life.
“As far as he’s told me and what he’s communicated with us, as a staff, it’s been feeling good,” Kabo says of Jasper and his knee. “When he first got here, he couldn’t even stand out of a chair without leaning on his good leg.”
Over the past 12 months, Jasper has shed 23 pounds and now weighs 205. His body fat is below 6 percent, the lowest of his life.
That leanness, Kabo says, means less stress on that left knee.
“We’re real happy,” Kabo says. “I focus my concern on how his body looks, and he’s on track, right now, for me.”
Since team workouts started Wednesday, Kabo is keeping an even keener eye on Jasper. The full-court workouts are mostly designed to hone the Rebels’ conditioning for the start of practice Oct. 16.
The next month is tailor-made for Jasper.
“That’s really what will determine everything,” Kabo says. It will lead up to Jasper being in tip-top shape for Pittsburg State.
“Yeah, I don’t see why not,” Kabo says. “He has the determination to do that himself.”
The Dunk
Jasper’s polite, soft-spoken manner belies the intensity with which he plays the game.
He hasn’t played one at full strength since his senior season at Paso Robles (Calif.) High, when the Bearcats so heavily depended upon Jasper’s exceptional blend of finesse and power.
He all but salivated when he watched UNLV practices last season or consecutive NBA Summer Leagues at the Mack and Cox.
“Watching everyone play and wishing you could be out there … it tears on you,” Jasper says. “It’s tough.”
Then came the dunk. Jasper had an arsenal of jams at Paso Robles. He executed several as a rookie at Kentucky, but that part of his attack evaporated as his knee pain increased.
That’s why that day last spring – or was it early this summer? – was so important. Jasper dunked. He doesn’t remember whom it was against. He doesn’t recall the situation or the court.
All that mattered was that dunk.
“I hadn’t dunked in forever,” Jasper says. “I was getting in there jumping and dunking like I used to in high school. The first one was in a pick-up game, just getting into the lane and dunking on somebody.
“It was like when I was in high school. My first break-away dunk. I was so excited. It’s all I could get, because I haven’t had any game-time action in a long time.”
Jasper becomes eligible with UCLA transfer Chace Stanback, a 6-8 small forward who often stood out in practice last season.
“Chace is a great player, a very good scoring option for us,” Jasper says. “Just two good players. We’re just trying to lead this team. We have potential to do some big things.
“But we have to continue to do things the right way, every day, off the court, on the court and in the classroom. We have to do everything the right way … and I think it’ll transfer to the court.”
Jasper doesn’t concern himself with statistical measures, how close he is to 100 percent or how many points, assists and rebounds he wants to accrue.
He has a simple vision – to rack up minutes on a healthy knee and victories.
“I don’t really have very many expectations of myself,” Japser says. “I’m just happy to get back on the court. I really just want to win a lot of games and be a leader for this team.”
Discussion: 22 comments so far…
Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy.
Post a comment
Never can get enough UNLV analysis and chatter? Then this is the stop for you. Join the Sun sports staff in The Rebel Room for your fix.
Breaking down UNLV football's spring practice
Follow the Rebels
Widgets
Jerry Tarkanian: Kentucky the class of the NCAA Tournament
Email Newsletters
To view/update your newsletter subscriptions and interests, please visit our Preference Center.
- Locally owned and independent since 1950; Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, best news website in the nation & DuPont Award for broadcast journalism
The season can't come fast enough. Great read, Rob!
Can't wait to see Jasper in a Rebel uniform. Sounds like a solid young man. Rob, thanks again for starting my day off with some information on UNLV basketball.
Do my eyes behold me right. In the first paragraph you say 2 seasons ago that UNLV made their first "Final Four" in 16 years. As much as I wish that were true it was the Sweet Sixteen. Just a typo I imagine. I am excited for this season though. I know a lot of the talent is unproven but we can never underestimate the value of a true leader and that's what Jasper will bring.
Montana, yes, Sweet Sixteen ... you win the prize. I put that in there to see if ... uh, no. :-) Good catch
Good write up. You guys are leaving the RJ in the dust when it comes to covering UNLV.
How about an update on Tre Willis? Has he recovered from off-season shoulder surgery?
Willis, along with Jasper and Stanback, is vitally important to our season. We'll need him to fill the scoring void left by the seniors who graduated.
Absolutely superb piece of writing.
Can't wait to be at the T&M this season.
@ NYR
The Las Vegas Review what?
ha ha ha, thx gents
newyorkrebel, we have documented Tre's past few months pretty well. He declined to have surgery. We wrote that a few months back. He did not want to miss a second of off-season (pick-up) ball with the fellas. That's pretty dedicated. He's a tough cat. Recuperation from shoulder surgery isn't an easy thing, either, so he opted to continue letting it heal itself. Hopefully, he said, he can avoid any future cortisone shots. Those do not sound pleasant. He was very optimistic.
Jasper and Stanback, yep, that's the duo.
Thanks MWCRob, we'll keep 'em coming.
Last add Montana, I had a bit of a brain (bleep) ... my mind was on the consecutive Final Fours.
Keep writing all and let me know if there's anything you'd like Tark to touch on.
Wow I can't stop thinking about what Lon will be throwing out as far as line-ups go...
How about this murderous starting line up for ya...
PG - Jasper
2G - Willis
SF - Stanback
PF - Shaw
C - Massamba (much leaner and meaner)
and talk about height, nobody under 6'4! Don't even get me started on that bench!
Great job, Rob.
From: Your favorite 4th floor sales dude! =)
ha! thanks John...
SMB, yep, the options are many. I got a feeling you're close, very close. I think Santee is going to get some run at PF. Kruger has said as much. As cut as Brice looks, Carlos Lopez's arrival will be invaluable in pushing Massamba. Lopez has many pluses -- as we have talked about plenty. Great spin moves down low, he'll take some pounding and just keep ticking, he has power (unflinching) moves to the rim, which was sorely lacking on last season's squad ... we are hearing fantastic things about Bellfield's conditioning, too.
Granted, at this time of the year everything is rosy. And after last season, precaution is a good thing ... still, the pieces fit much better this season.
I just want to give a shout out to Jason Kabo. He does a fantastic job every year conditioning our guys, and it sounds like he has done a great job with Brice, Oscar, and Derrick this year. Go rebels!
indiana, touche. Kabo and trainer Dave Tomchek deserve a lot of credit for the work they do.
Haha yeah but I hope they don't work them TOO hard!
Ahem...Wink Adams...cough cough
good call snyder, it's one thing to recover from major knee surgery or want to shed some baby fat and put on some muscle, something else entirely to turn into a mini-hulkster and throw off an already questionable jumper ... not to be too harsh, but facts "is" facts ...
Well done Rob. You're the only one to turn to when I need a Rebel fix.
You'd think the RJ and local television networks would give Lon and the program the props that are due. Not a single article from the RJ since June???? Now that I think about it, maybe it's a good thing as they'd probably butcher it.
Don't give me the b.s. basketball is out of season and the fans aren't interested. If I see another MMA article or Dana White expose, I think I'll puke.
Keep em coming Rob - you're the greatest!
haha, I don't know about The Greatest smitty ... thx, but Ali has that one wrapped up! :-) To us (and many, many, many fans) UNLV hoops is a year-round sport and that's how we'll continue to treat it. Keep checking us out...
And pop in anytime with questions about a player or the program, or if you've got anything you want me to ask Tark -- his columns are exclusively ours and he very much enjoys responding to our readers.
thanks again
Rob, ask Coach Tark what suggestions he has for the Rebel community, i.e. fans, boosters, etc. to apply pressure on the university to promote Larry Johnson into a role within the Athletic Department.
"Jasper doesn't concern himself with statistical measures, how close he is to 100 percent or how many points, assists and rebounds he wants to accrue."
Haha... do I sense a little bit of a friendly jab at an oft-interviewed player from last year?
(73% healthy....4 to 1 Asst:TO ratio)
Rob, when is the TV schedule going to be finalized? Currently there's only a handful of non conference games listed as being televised.
grayback, will do. Although his initial sentiment, I'm sure, has already been heard in certain offices and I think Tark got the response he was seeking, I'll follow up. thanks.
Jeff, nah, that really wasn't pertinent to any one current or former player. Really. It's just a reflection of his own attitude, in no relation to anybody else's.
As far as Tre'Von Willis is concerned, I like him a lot. I think he's a stand-up guy. When his shoulder started ailing, he rarely didn't answer me when I asked him how close to 100% he felt. People can read into that -- but, really, all he was doing is askin my own pesky follow-up questions. I like Tre'Von a lot.
Lenny, I'll ck into that TV sked for you man...
thanks to all
keep 'em coming -- you guys gotta keep Tark busy over the next few months!!! :-)
Very excited about this team. I think we will see a ton of hustle and hunger from this group. That's all I ask. Hunger and determination. Do these things well and it's so much easier to be a fan.Let's pack "The Mack" for this outstanding group of guys.
C'mon gang, they will "put up" so let's at least "show up". You will not be disappointed with these Rebels.