Louisiana redshirt freshman forward Kobe Julien dribbles two balls during drills on the first day of Ragin' Cajuns basketball practice on Tuesday.

LAFAYETTE — With no restrictions due to COVID-19, longtime Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball coach Bob Marlin believes that his team is further along than in years past as the Ragin’ Cajuns held their first official practice on Tuesday.

“Today was a really good first day,” said Marlin, who enters his 12th season at the helm. “I felt like we are farther along than in the past, not having summer practice the last couple of years with COVID really hurt us. So I feel like we’re in a good position heading into the season.”

This season the Ragin’ Cajuns team will look very different.

The team experienced significant turnover as former Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year Mylik Wilson; All-Sun Belt Conference guard Cedric Russell, backup guard Devin Butts, and bench post players Jacobi Gordon and Chris Spenkuch all transferred out of the program.

To fill those voids, the Ragin’ Cajuns added four NCAA Division I transfers with Antwann Jones (Creighton and Memphis), Greg Williams Jr. (St. John’s), Jalen Dalcourt (San Jose State), and Jordan Brown (Arizona).

Not to mention, the team expects to see major contributions from two returning players but ones who have played very little. Redshirt freshman Kobe Julien has appeared in only eight games his first three seasons due to injuries, and junior guard Trajan Wesley who missed all of last season to a foot injury.

Despite the turnover, Marlin has already been impressed by the team’s chemistry during the 16 offseason workouts.

“It is a close group and they have worked extremely hard with communication and in the weight room,” Marlin said. “These guys have gotten better and have grown closer together. We’ve got a really great locker room and the chemistry is great right now. It’s one of the closest groups I have been around.”

Even though the group may not have a ton of experience playing together on one team, the players on the roster do have plenty of playing experience, with both Jones and Brown being part of teams that recently made runs to the NCAA Sweet 16.

“We’ve got some experienced guys,” Marlin said. “We’ve got two guys (Jones and Brown) that played in the Sweet 16 that transferred in. Both guys have good experience and score in basketball. It brings added size too. I think our interior game is going to be solid. We’ve got four guys that can really go and bang inside. At some point throughout the year that comes into play.”

Dalcourt is another transfer with experience after playing two seasons at two different junior colleges and then last season at San Jose State. The former Lafayette High guard is someone that Marlin believes can give the Ragin’ Cajuns points off the bench.

“Jalen reminds me of a couple guys that we had last year that could come in for us and get baskets,” Marlin said. “He’s more than a three-point shooter. He’s really good defensively. He’s an excellent rebounder. He brings energy every day.”

The Ragin’ Cajuns also added another local high school star to the roster in Carencro all-state forward Joe Charles. Marlin has been impressed by the quick growth the 6-foot-7, 195-pound freshman forward has displayed since arriving on campus this summer.

“Joe’s done a really good job,” Marlin said. “He came in June and was a little bit timid I would say as it comes to get in and mix it up. It’s one of those that you need to get hit, get knocked down and realize that ‘hey I can do this.’ He has come along like gangbusters since. We are really excited about what he brings to our team.”

The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns will open up the 2021-22 season at home on Nov. 9th against West Florida. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.