How does Nkamhoua find a consistent role?
John Fulkerson can relate to what Olivier Nkamhoua is going through.
Two years ago, the Tennessee basketball senior was the sophomore playing behind veteran teammates and struggling to match his practice play with his game play.
“I would like to think that I have had good practices, but then I came into the game and did not carry that over,” Fulkerson said.
Nkamhoua is struggling to take his practices into games for a Tennessee team that needs him if it is going to reach its high potential. The sophomore was the first reserve forward to play for No. 10 Tennessee (10-1, 4-1 SEC) in its 81-61 win against Vanderbilt (4-6, 0-4) on Saturday at Thompson-boling Arena.
Vols coach Rick Barnes praised the way the Nkamhoua practiced during its extended break between games after Tuesday’s game at Vanderbilt was postponed due to COVID-19 issues with the Commodores. He said Nkamhoua rebounded well and earned the opportunity to get the first crack at playing time.
“What was disappointing is what he had done in practice was exactly what he didn’t do (Saturday),” Barnes said.
Nkamhoua played less than two minutes before he was pulled.
He gave up an offensive rebound to Vanderbilt’s Clevon Brown on a Scotty Pippen Jr. missed free throw. Barnes immediately called for E.J. Anosike, who had been the first forward off the bench in Tennessee’s first 10 games.
Nkamhoua gave up another offensive rebound to Brown on the ensuing possession and committed a foul, stopping play and ending his stint.
“I’m disappointed that he didn’t carry it over because he is a guy that we think can help us a lot,” Barnes said. “But he is going to have to do it when the lights come on.”
Fulkerson battled the same issue as a sophomore, when he backed up Kyle Alexander and Grant Williams as established starters.
Nkamhoua is in a comparable position behind Fulkerson and Yves Pons.
“I think you have to take more steps mentally and lock in more mentally,” Fulkerson said. “It’s just always trying to do the right thing when you are out there.”
Nkamhoua has played in the first half of nine of Tennessee’s 11 games.
He typically has been the second backup big behind Anosike, while Uros Plavsic has occupied that role, at times.
Nkamhoua checked in at the 16:38 mark Saturday and had an uneventful first minute. Then he had the rebounding struggles that put him back on the bench. He did not play again until the final minutes of the second half when Tennessee led by 18.
“He had outplayed those other guys during the week,” Barnes said. “Uros had gotten hurt and missed a day, but that’s why we put (Nkamhoua) there because we felt like he had earned it.”
Rebounding has always been the key to Nkamhoua’s game. He was recruited to Tennessee to be a highlevel rebounder, which is a perfect fit on this Vols team.
He also gives the Vols a different look than Anosike as a taller, longer forward that provides matchup flexibility. He showed that with a strong performance against USC Upstate on Dec. 23.
But he hasn’t played more than four minutes in a game in SEC play, as he struggles to carry his practice performances into games.
Fulkerson is confident that Nkamhoua will figure it out.
Tennessee hopes he does because the play of its backup forwards will have a large say in how far the Vols will go this season.
“I think he will get it,” Fulkerson said. “He will definitely get it. He just has to have confidence in himself. We all have confidence in him — the coaches and his teammates. He just has to have confidence in himself. I know he will get it done.”