With a few games completed in the 2024-2025 season, we have a somewhat clearer picture of where Bryce fits into this rotation. Bryce is going to be thrust into the fire almost instantaneously, as he’ll be logging heavy minutes against elite talent in the Bahamas most likely. I’m hopeful he sees minutes in games three through five, but English is being deliberately slow in bringing him back, which I appreciate.
Here are my expectations for Bryce in 2024-2025.
Utilize His Strengths – Providence has many more three point shooters this year than last. This is important because it means that BHop’s dribble drive game will be more effective because the defense can’t clog the paint when he drives. If they double Hopkins on the drive, he can find Joseph, Barron, and Abdur-Rahim from deep. There are few players nationally who are as powerful as Bryce when he gets downhill. If the teammates of Bryce can be consistent perimeter threats, we’ve seen Bryce take over games when defenses try to guard him 1:1.
It’s been a year of seeing him play live, but people forget just how much of a chess piece Bryce is. He is one of the more unique players in college basketball. You don’t finish second in BE POY voting by accident. In that year he came second to Kolek, he averaged 16 and 9. Last year, prior to injury, he was on pace for another remarkable year also at 16 and 9. You can pretty much just pencil him in for a double double each night.
In parallel to this, I want Bryce to not feel as if he has to shoulder all of the load offensively the moment he returns. He can be a key cog in the starting line-up, but we’re setting Bryce up for undue criticism if we’re asking him to do what Devin Carter did last year. He also won’t leave this season healthy if we ask him to do what DC did. Bryce needs to trust his teammates to produce. Providence will be better for it in the short and long term.
Focus on His Skillset, not what the NBA is asking for – In Bryce’s first year under English prior to injury, he immensely struggled from the perimeter. I think it was a culmination of Bryce trying to show his range for his NBA prospects while also trying to fit into English’s four-out offense. Last year, Bryce was 19% from three. The shots weren’t dropping for him.
I hope Bryce’s shot making has improved and this becomes a non-factor and moot point, but if it doesn’t, it is on Bryce to go back to where he is most effective, even if it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing for NBA scouts. Note that he has shown the ability to knock down the deep ball, as he went 36% from 3 in an admitted smaller sample size the year prior under Cooley. The shot has always looked smooth and not broken. They just weren’t falling last year.
Additionally, I trust that English will pivot his offensive style if Bryce is struggling from the perimeter. There’s no need to limit his effectiveness just to try to prove a point. Bryce can be an All-American from the foul line in. He’s a double double machine without being a three point threat. No need to be cute.
Now, if he comes out and starts knocking down the three ball with some consistency, the rest of the Big East is in a lot of trouble. A lot of trouble.
Fit Alongside the Five Men – I’m curious to see how the staff plays BHop alongside Oswin, Essandoko, and Bonke. Hopkins is one of the better rebounders nationally for his size, and I think English can lean into this advantage by having one of those three playing alongside him in the frontcourt. They can become a menace on the glass and impose their will with second chance opportunities. Additionally, it’ll stress the opponents in the frontcourt and get them in foul trouble. Providence can throw waves of bigs at the opponent.
On the entire other end of the spectrum, I’d love to see BHop play a small ball five at times. A line-up of Joseph, Pierre, Cardet, Abdur-Rahim, and Hopkins creates a lot of mismatches offensively. Defensively, they can only deploy this when a team doesn’t have a gargantuan in the game, but Hopkins has played the five in spurts and could do the same here.
Summary
In summary, it is a testament to the Providence staff that we aren’t religiously checking on when Bryce will return. We’re all aware this team is immensely better with Bryce, but they can survive without him due to the depth on this roster. Last year showed, albeit with Devin Carter, they can win without Bryce, but the ceiling of this Friar squad is so much higher with a healthy Hopkins. I hope we don’t put too much on his plate when he returns, and I hope his Providence teammates aren’t too deferential to him. He’s an important piece to this team, no doubt, but Providence can win without asking him to go for 20 and 10 every night.
I can’t wait for Bryce’s return. The first game of him going for 18 and 11 is going to remind everybody nationally just how good Hopkins is. His ceiling is an All-American. The return is going to be a glorious scene for everybody in Providence.
Everybody loves a comeback story. Go Friars.
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