Addressing the media during today’s annual SEC Men’s Basketball Summer Teleconference, second-year Georgia head coach Tom Crean previewed the upcoming season.

Practicing in the third week of their summer program, the Bulldogs are looking to rebound following an 11-21 overall mark in 2018-19—suffering the program’s most losses in a season in 67 years. Perhaps, what’s more, having lost five of its top eight scorers from a year ago, including three starters, while featuring nine newcomers, Georgia quite possibly could be one of the most inexperienced basketball squads in the nation for 2019-20.

Newcomer Anthony Edwards

One of the first things Crean mentioned was that “it hits [them] every day” that the team has nine new players. However, according to the head coach, the inexperience can be a good thing, as a lot of “teaching and learning” has resulted during the summer, and much competitiveness.

Specifically in regard to incoming guard Anthony Edwards, one of the most highly-touted recruits the program has ever signed, Crean admires the freshman’s attitude and competitiveness—while “he does some things that would shock you,” like when he recently recorded a 42-inch vertical jump “with no training.”

“He’s got so much natural talent, so much natural strength and ability,” Crean said of Edwards. “But at the same time, there’s a lot to learn. There’s a lot of new habits to create. But he’s doing a good job.”

Departed Nic Claxton

Nic Claxton, a player “no one [on the roster] can replace right now,” according to Crean, was recently selected in the second round of the NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets. Claxton, who improved from averaging 3.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as a freshman to 13.0 and 8.6, respectively, in his final season as a Bulldog last year, primarily credited Crean for his improvement.

“I thought [whichever team drafted him]—and I’m happy Brooklyn got him because one of the biggest things to me, for him, since we only had him for one year and I knew what path he could be on with another year with us—that he go to a real strong player development program,” Crean said of Claxton. “Brooklyn is on the upswing for a lot of reasons, and their player development is one of those reasons, because they make their guys better.”

Rule changes

Crean was asked about the few rule changes recently approved by the NCAA, particularly the three-point line moving back from 20 feet, 9 inches to 22-1¾, or the same measurement used in international play. Also, the shot clock will now reset to 20 seconds after a field goal attempt hits the rim and the offensive team rebounds the ball in the front court.

Crean said he's in favor of both changes, adding that, although Georgia struggled from behind the arc last season (only 6.6 three-pointers per game and a 32.2 three-point shooting percentage), his teams have generally been successful shooting the ball from long distance. As far as the change in shot clock, Crean said “anything that makes the game faster [he’s] for” and, in fact, he wishes the game would go from its current 30 seconds to a 24-second clock.