Nebraska basketball notes: Boden Kapke impresses, NBA Summer League ties, injury update

It reminded him of Josiah Allick.

Allick, a Lincoln North Star graduate, spent the final year of his well-traveled college basketball career with Nebraska in 2023-24. As the Huskers made their first NCAA tournament in a decade, Allick was a key role player providing defense, hustle and leadership.

Kapke has flashed a similar skill set, both as an Energizer Bunny in the dog days of the offseason and one of the vocal presences on a team still establishing its leadership hierarchy.

“The early returns on Boden, I just love that kid,” Hoiberg said.

Kapke began his career at Butler before spending last season at Boston College, where he averaged 10.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He transferred to Nebraska as the apparent replacement of Rienk Mast.

Centers in Hoiberg’s offense have a litany of responsibilities: screening, spacing the floor, dribble handoffs, passing from the top of the key. Kapke was intrigued by the system and his potential role in it when he committed to Nebraska, months before attacking the early stages of his NU career.

“He’s one of those guys that really, really wants to win,” said NU forward Pryce Sandfort, who was teammates with Kapke in AAU ball. “We kinda have a similar background in that when I came here I was not having a lot of success in wins at this level, so I know he’s super hungry. He’s super vocal and has a lot of energy, just plays so hard. So it’s gonna be really fun playing with him this year.”

Hoibergs head west

Hoiberg’s upcoming trip to Las Vegas is twofold: recruiting at an AAU event and supporting the former Huskers participating in the NBA Summer League. Mast will be there for his first action in an Indiana Pacers uniform, and Sam Hoiberg will play for the Phoenix Suns.

Allick and Brice Williams, who spent last year with the G League affiliates of the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons respectively, will be on rosters as well. Former NU point guard Jamarques Lawrence will participate in a showcase event in Las Vegas around the same time.

“It’ll be great to get out and see those guys and hopefully find a time where we can get them all together and go have dinner with them,” Fred Hoiberg said.

Sam Hoiberg reported to Phoenix on Monday to get some workouts in before summer league practices start. Mast, Fred Hoiberg said, had a handful of NBA suitors before signing with Indiana. Hoiberg spent four seasons as a player with the Pacers, the final two of which current Indiana coach Rick Carlisle was on staff as an assistant coach.

“Just felt Indiana, with some of our ties there, and I know they’re gonna be honest as they talk about his opportunity there,” Hoiberg said.

Hoiberg weighs in on five in five

The NCAA’s eligibility rules are on the verge of changing. Players, in all likelihood, will soon get five seasons of college if they enroll in a school in the academic year after their 19th birthday. Redshirts, both for development and injuries, will be a thing of the past.

It’s a seismic shift to college athletics, and Hoiberg is still grappling with its implications.

“The impact that’s gonna have on our game to have a whole pool of guys that are gonna have an extra year that have that type of experience — I don’t know what to think about it right now,” he said. “But it’s gonna add a whole new element to an already crazy system, but the No. 1 thing’s gonna be retention and trying to keep the guys that have done great things for our program.”

Kapke and Sandfort are the only seniors on Nebraska’s roster who would be affected by the change. Cale Jacobsen, Connor Essegian, Trevan Leonhardt and Kadyn Betts are all already entering the fifth years of their respective college careers.

No more redshirts will create an extra challenge for Hoiberg at the end of blowouts. The entire roster will be eligible to get onto the floor, and there likely won’t be time or space to get everyone into the game. Hoiberg hinted that getting minutes to players on the fringe of the rotation will be more important than those on the outside as the NCAA wades into uncharted waters.

Injury updates

Essegian, who missed most of last season with an ankle injury, is practicing without restrictions. Sandfort is participating in everything except live play as he finishes recovering from offseason hernia surgery. He’ll be a full participant next week if he feels healthy enough.

“It’s pretty rough seeing the guys play,” Sandfort said. “It definitely gets my engine going a little bit just standing over on the side.”