Coach On JR Konieczny's Commitment To ND: Going To Work Out Great
Indiana Elite head coach Mark Adams sees the fit between JR Konieczny and Notre Dame as a good one, which is why the summer league coach was happy to see the 2021 Indiana swingman announce his commitment to the Irish on Sunday evening.
“That’s great for him and great for his family,” Adams says. “I know they’re all excited and happy. You couldn’t ask for anything more really. I think it’s going to work out great for JR and his family and for Notre Dame’s family.”
Before talking about Konieczny’s talents on the court, Adams points to the intangibles.
“First, he’s a great teammate; I mean an extremely good teammate, good kid,” the coach explains. “He works, he’s always in the gym. He’s always working on his game. I love him.
“He’s got the height and he can shoot it extremely well. He handles the ball like he’s 6-2 and not 6-6 or 6-7. To be that tall, I’m really amazed how well he handles the ball. The main thing is he’s young for his grade, so he’s only going to get better.
“He’s a good defender. Some people might thing he can’t defend a smaller spot, but he can because he’s so long that he’s able to stay up and defend those 2 and 3 spots.”
The growth – both literally and figuratively when it comes to his game – should come naturally.
“He just needs to grow into his body,” says Adams. “Everybody needs to get a little better. Getting a little stronger and maturing into his body is basically it. Whatever position he’s going to be playing, he’s just going to have to get a little more strength to him. It’s about the only thing I can see.
“He’s only going to get better and better. I was extremely pleased with him last year and I’m looking forward to next year. I think Notre Dame is getting a good one. They got him early too, so that’s good for both of them.”
Konieczny also held offers from schools like Butler, Creighton, Iowa and Valparaiso.
Adams is confident Konieczny will fit in South Bend on the court, but also thinks he’d fit just about anywhere on the court.
“He’s extremely coachable, so he would fit into anybody’s system,” says Adams. “I think they’re going to love him. I think the fans are going to love him. I think he’s going to be a really good player there.”
But as much as he enjoys talking about Konieczny the player, Adams continues to circle back to Konieczny the person.
“He’s extremely nice. He’s a great teammate and just a great kid really. Extremely, extremely nice. I can’t say that enough. He’s just an extremely nice kid and a really good teammate.”