As a part of LSU’s highly-touted recruiting class, good things were expected out of freshman forward Regis Koundjia. And they still are.
But success does not always come immediately and the development of the 6-foot-9, 215-pounder from the Central African Republic is still a work in progress.
Koundjia has started 15 of the Tigers’ 16 games and is averaging 4.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game, but his most noticeable struggles have come in shooting — especially in 3-point shots.
Koundjia shoots 36 percent from the field and is 6-of-30 on the season from 3-point range for 20 percent, but the forward said he does not let the misses bother him.
“I just don’t worry about it,” Koundjia said. “If I take a shot and I miss it, I just have to get back on defense and that’s what I try and do.”
Koundjia often spends extra time working on his shot, including rest periods during practice. They are shots he has made before and shots he knows he can make now. The trick is just getting them to fall.
“Regis knows he can shoot,” said point guard Xavier Whipple. “You can’t stop shooting because the only way you’re going to hit shots is if you keep shooting. I think his confidence will come because everything else is there.”
Whipple said Koundjia has the right form and that everything looks good on his shot. The most important thing is confidence.
“I think it’s gotten in Regis’ head that he doesn’t know when to take a good shot,” Whipple said. “It’s on his mind when he shoots. I think he’s going to get better with that.”
Koundjia brings a lot of athleticism and quickness to the Tigers when he is on the floor. At 6-foot-9, he is one of the tallest players on the team. He has long arms that spread to a wingspan of about 7 feet, Whipple said. He also is well liked by his teammates.
“[Koundjia] loves to play,” Whipple said. “We love playing with him, having a guy who loves to get up and down the court. Right now I think he is playing faster than he needs to. Sometimes he gets out of control. I think he will get better at that. Like I said, all the guys like him. He’s a friendly guy. Everybody gets along with him.”
Koundjia signed with LSU in last season’s early signing period. In his final high school year at Laurinberg Institute in North Carolina, Koundjia averaged 20.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists under coach Chris Cheaney. He also played soccer and ran track.
LSU coach John Brady knows the talent and potential is there with Koundjia. But he said it is impossible to predict a date for his development.
“I don’t have a crystal ball that says after 10 games this is where Regis is going to be,” Brady said. “I don’t have that sort of knowledge. Who does know the development of a player in terms of how fast he’s going to develop and where he is going to be? I don’t know.”
Brady said he and the coaching staff work with Koundjia every day to try and get him where he needs to be. Only time will tell.
“The only thing he’s not doing that he needs to do is make shots that I know he can make,” Brady said. “His high school coach told me he made those shots for him last year. Eventually he will [make those shots]. He’s playing hard, he’s trying to defend well and he’s trying to rebound. To say this is where he should be after 15 games, who knows that? God might, Jesus might, but I don’t.”