Pryor on Fire
TAMPA, Fla. (January 25, 2024) – After a few weeks of extraordinary basketball — the tip of the iceberg, perhaps? — USF junior Kasean Pryor wants to make one thing perfectly clear.
“I’m really just an ordinary guy,’’ Pryor said.
On most non-game nights, you’ll find him at home, cuddling with his beloved pet, a black-gray Maine Coon cat named Meelo. He’ll groove to some music, maybe even the bass-baritone soul of Barry White, a new favorite because Pryor has been constantly told his melodious deep voice sounds similar to the iconic 1970s vocalist. Maybe he’ll play the Call of Duty or NBA 2K video games against some buddies.
But when it’s time for business?
“That’s when Kasean comes out of his Batcave and becomes a superhero for a few hours,’’ said Pryor’s father, Sean, a former Oregon State player who was a professional in France and Puerto Rico. “He’s somewhat unique.’’
To say the least.
As the surging Bulls (12-5, 5-1 American Athletic Conference) prepare for Saturday afternoon’s Alumni Day matchup against the UTSA Roadrunners (8-12, 2-5) at the Yuengling Center, Pryor has led the charge, helping USF to victories in 10 of its last 11 games.
Pryor, the reigning AAC Player of the Week, has three consecutive double-doubles. He’s averaging 12.7 points and a team-leading 7.1 rebounds while shooting 83.5 percent from the free-throw line. He’s tied for the team lead in steals (22) while leading in blocks (15).
In six AAC games, he’s averaging 18.3 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting a startling 92.9 percent (39-for-42) from the free-throw line. In Wednesday’s 75-69 comeback victory at Temple, Pryor was 4-for-5 from 3-point range, including the long-range dagger with 25.9 seconds remaining.
According to OptaStats, Pryor was the only NCAA Division I/NBA/WNBA player over the past quarter-century to have a game with 25-plus points, 5-plus steals, 5-plus blocks, 90-percent free-throw shooting (minimum 15 attempts), and one or fewer turnovers.
“He’s putting up some crazy numbers,’’ USF guard Chris Youngblood said. “And it’s helping us win.’’
Pryor is a 6-foot-10, 210-pound guard/forward/center — “let’s just call him a hybrid,’’ his father said — who’s comfortable and confident while bringing the ball up against pressure or shooting from beyond the 3-point arc. He’s a ferocious rebounder and a poised free-throw shooter.
Statistics only scratch the surface.
With bleached blonde locks flowing out of his tightly wound headband, a left-arm filled with tattoos (“Fear God’’ is the largest one), animated facial expressions, fun-loving dialogue with fans, hyperkinetic hustle, and a go-go-gadget reach that often leads to a flock of blocks, steals, and deflections, Pryor has quickly become a crowd favorite.
He’s viewed with curiosity and amazement, maybe the same way Florida Gator fans once regarded an emerging Joakim Noah. Kids and adults alike seek him out for autographs and selfies. Pryor happily obliges.
“Shoot, Kasean should be a fan favorite for sure,’’ Bulls coach Amir Abdur-Rahim said. “But as I tell him all the time, be a fan favorite for the right reasons. Be a fan favorite because, man, you empty the tank every night. He has a tremendous personality. All credit goes to him because he puts in the work, so he gets the rewards.’’
Pryor, whose first name is pronounced Kay-sin (like Jason), said he’s having the time of his life.
“At the end of the day, I guess I’m fun to watch,’’ Pryor said with a smile. “When I bring the energy and the fans bring their energy, it gives me even more energy. It’s pure passion on my part. I’m playing every play like it’s my last one.
“Fans are a huge reason why we play. If somebody comes to see us play, I’m giving them everything I’ve got — all the time. People keep saying a lot of eyeballs are on me now, like I should be scared or they’re wondering how I’ll react. Bring it on. I love it. I want to be known as a great player, but even more, I’m a performer.’’
Kasean Pryor can’t sneak up on anyone. He’s the first player you notice on the practice court. Seasoned basketball observers can’t take their eyes off him. A few trips up and down the court, and first-time fans usually have the same question:
Who is that guy?
What’s more, where has he been? And how did he get to USF?
Bullish On The Bulls
Kasean Cree Pryor, the son of a basketball coach, has lived all over — Chicago, New Mexico, Detroit, Phoenix, Idaho, and even Florida’s Panhandle, when he played last season for Northwest Florida State College, the junior-college national runners-up.
He still considers Chicago as his hometown.
“So when Kasean is 11, we’re at a Chicago Bulls game,’’ said Pryor’s father, who has stepped away from college coaching to work as an area manager for Amazon’s Phoenix location. “His favorite player is K.D. (Kevin Durant), who’s there that night with Oklahoma City.
“After the game, I’m talking to Stacey King (Bulls television analyst) and I look around. Kasean is gone. Where is he? Pretty soon, he pops back up and says, ‘I just took a picture with Kevin Durant.’ No big deal. He somehow got on the floor, got past security, and found Durant to get a photo with him. That’s Kasean. He knows what he wants. People tend to gravitate to him and respond to him.’’
When his father’s nomadic career took him to coaching stops at Chicago State, New Mexico Highlands, and the Michigan junior college circuit, Pryor’s basketball desire kept growing.
He entered high school as a 6-foot point guard.
By the time he enrolled as a Boise State freshman, he was 6-10.
“I’m used to handling the ball because I was always a guard,’’ Pryor said. “I grew long as a tree, but I kept my cat-like instincts and my coordination. When I grew into this bigger body, I didn’t lose my handle. I can do things a lot of big guys can’t do.’’
In two Boise State seasons, Pryor said “things never took off.’’ He was behind older, more experienced players and the additional COVID season kept him log-jammed down in the rotation.
“It might have eventually worked out, but I felt like I was wasting my potential,’’ Pryor said. “I always had the goal to play at the highest level (NBA). I felt like I needed to go back to square one and get all my fundamentals down. I didn’t jump to the bright, flashy place. I needed to work. So I bet on myself.’’
Pryor went to junior college, far from the bright lights, where television cameras and reporters rarely ventured. But in retrospect, that’s where his game truly arrived.
“I hadn’t played much in nearly two years, so my game needed to rediscover its rhythm,’’ Pryor said. “It was the gym and straight back home all the time — zero distractions. I was in the middle of nowhere and that can humble you pretty quickly. But I had the bigger goal in mind and I feel like I achieved that.’’
Pryor averaged 14.8 points and 8.0 rebounds at Northwest Florida State, located in the Panhandle town of Niceville, and he earned first-team junior-college All-American honors.
Pershin Williams, Abdur-Rahim’s assistant at Kennesaw State last season, alerted him about Pryor. “Man, you would love this kid at Northwest Florida.’’ Abdur-Rahim checked him out and realized he knew the father, Sean Pryor, from the coaching and recruiting trails.
Abdur-Rahim quickly discovered that Pryor’s recruitment was blowing up because of maximum exposure during Northwest Florida’s drive to the JUCO title game. But when Abdur-Rahim got the USF job, he returned with renewed vigor.
Pryor, already a fan of Abdur-Rahim’s approach, liked USF from the beginning. Despite overtures from NC State, New Mexico, Miami and Kentucky — among others — Pryor trusted his initial instinct and signed with the Bulls. Pryor’s father said he has been delighted with the decision because he believes Abdur-Rahim and staff will fully develop his son’s game.
“I told Kasean, ‘People see you for who you are, but I’m looking at you for what you can become,’ ‘’ Abdur-Rahim said. “Somebody recently texted me and said, ‘Man, you let Kasean rebound and dribble it up the court at 6-10?’ You’re darn right I do … because he’s capable of doing it.
“If you look at the way the (NBA) game is being played, there are bigger skilled guys doing a lot of things. If you want to be a pro quarterback, you’re not going to go somewhere with the triple-option. If you want to play in the NBA, you go with somebody who allows you to do what the pros do. Now we coach him hard. We hold him accountable. And he has met us where we need him to meet us. After responding to that, I think that’s why Kasean is really starting to play well.’’
Unlimited Future
So where does Pryor go from here?
Anywhere he wants to go, really.
It depends on him.
“I’m not here to play around,’’ Pryor said. “I’m really blunt. I want to win here at USF, then I want to go to the NBA. It’s pretty simple. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get there.
“When people meet me off the court, they always say, ‘Wow, you seem different.’ They don’t expect low-key and quiet. In a way, I’m two different people. I’m a nice, chill guy. But when you get between the lines, there are no friends out there. I’m basically playing as hard as I possibly can. Now I have this platform at a big-time program and it’s all out in front of me. I want to continuously show how much I love this game and show everybody what I can do. And if I can have a little fun by going all out for the fans, I’m definitely going to do that.’’
So far, it has been a winning formula.
“This dude (Pryor) is not your typical player,’’ Youngblood said. “When he sticks to the team principles and executes the small stuff, when his natural talent comes out, he can be downright dangerous.
“He just needs to focus on where he is right now and don’t look too far ahead. It’s all going to take care of itself. He has everything going in the right direction.’’
Pryor is very particular about certain things.
It includes the way he looks on the court.
His natural hair color is dark brown, but he was more blonde as a youngster. He dyes the top of his hair into a bleached blonde color — reminiscent of his youth — and he often gets FaceTime styling tips from his mother, Trisha Segura, who lives in Chicago.
It includes the way he shoots his free-throw attempts.
He holds the ball in both hands, staring at the hoop, frozen. Then there’s one bounce, a squat, and a release. He takes his sweet time. Optimally, the whole process requires around eight seconds. Impatient opposing fans usually do a countdown.
“Kasean is a unique player and a unique person,’’ his father said. “He’s not your typical microwave product. But if you invest in the kid and you understand the special gifts he has, you’re going to see the blessings. The evolution of Kasean coming into his own has been a beautiful thing to watch.
“He hasn’t had the easiest path. He has lived in a lot of different places, so he has had to make a lot of new friends. It helped him mature and grow, but he’s really an introvert and a homebody at heart. When he gets on the court, a different side of him emerges.’’
Pryor’s father said USF has proven to be the ideal place for his son.
“Coach Amir does a great job of pushing the right buttons not only with Kasean but all of the players,’’ Pryor’s father said. “I appreciate how Coach Amir holds Kasean accountable on both sides of the court and he’s not going to let him slide with being mediocre. Kasean plays with a little attitude and that’s good because you need a chip on your shoulder to win. Coach Amir makes sure that comes out in the right way.
“I see the bond and the trust that has been built. I believe that’s a huge factor in elevating Kasean’s play at both ends of the court. I can see his confidence and his happiness growing.’’
Abdur-Rahim said he’s pleased with Pryor’s development, but there’s still much to accomplish.
“I coach Kasean harder than anybody,’’ Abdur-Rahim said. “Simply because I know what he means to our team, but I also know where he can go. It’s a scary word — potential — but he has so much untapped potential. If we can get it out of him here, it’s going to help our team — which it has — but he’s going to change his life and he’s going to change his family’s life.’’
In the quiet moments — far from the cheering crowds and the bright lights — Pryor sounds like he understands the process.
“It’s incredible,’’ Pryor said. “Coach Amir allows me to be who I am. The freedom that he has given me has allowed me to grow. I’m getting the opportunity to show who I am and who I can be. I’m just loving it.’’
And the USF fans are loving him right back.
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The South Florida men’s basketball team is led by Amir Abdur-Rahim, who was named the 11th head coach in program history on March 29, 2023. Abdur-Rahim was named the 2023 Mid-Major Coach of the Year (Hugh Durham Award) after leading Kennesaw State to its first-ever Division I NCAA Tournament berth in 2022-23. Abdur-Rahim’s Kennesaw State team set an NCAA record as the fastest team to ever reach the NCAA Tournament after a one-win campaign, accomplishing the feat in a span of just three seasons. He was also named the 2022-23 NABC District 3 and ASUN Coach of the Year after leading Kennesaw State to both the regular season and tournament titles, and a school-record 26 wins.
USF has retired three numbers in its history: Chucky Atkins (12), Charlie Bradley (30), and Radenko Dobras (31). The Bulls have earned three NCAA tournament bids, appeared in the NIT eight times, and won the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
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