How Olivier-Maxence Prosper has found the right balance on offense for Marquette this season

When Olivier-Maxence Prosper attacked the rim last season, it felt like anything could happen.

The 6-foot-8 forward was still learning how to harness his length and twitchy athleticism for the Marquette men’s basketball team. Sometimes his forays resulted in a highlight dunk. Other times, his mind seemed to be racing too fast and he would either mistime his footwork for a traveling violation or hoist up an awkward attempt with a flail of arms and legs.

This season, Prosper is more under control and confident around the basket, and he will look for more scoring opportunities when the Golden Eagles (12-4, 4-1 Big East) face Georgetown (5-11, 0-5) on Saturday at Fiserv Forum.

Last game: Marquette flips switch at halftime against St. John's

Olivier-Maxence Prosper feature: Prosper part of rich tradition of Montreal hoops

That improvement is a result of focused drills with MU assistant coach DeAndre Haynes.

“I just realized that I needed to get my balance better driving to the paint,” Prosper said. “I’m still not even there yet. I’m still working on just getting in the paint, getting off two feet. Using my pivots more.

“Coach Dre’s been helping me a lot with that. We’ve just been working a lot in the gym, since the off-season. Still to today, in the season, just working on that. Getting on balance when I drive. It’s helped me a lot. Shot-faking and all that stuff.”

Marquette offense taking advantage of O-Max Prosper's versatility

Prosper is averaging 15 points per game, but digging inside his scoring numbers can show how much the Montreal native has gotten better.

MU’s offense features heavy doses of pick-and-roll action on the sides of the court between point guard Tyler Kolek and big man Oso Ighodaro.

Prosper is often on the other side of the action, with his defender drawn into helping against Kolek and Ighodaro. That means if the ball gets swung to Prosper, he is in the advantageous position of shooting or driving by his scrambling defender. He can also cut to the basket if an opponent turns his head too long.

Prosper seemed to make all the right decisions on Tuesday night when he scored 25 of his 29 points in the second half of MU’s 96-85 victory at St. John’s. He was 4 for 5 on three-pointers.

“He did a great job cutting, offensive rebounding and being ready to shoot and attack closeouts,” MU head coach Shaka Smart said. “Those are all things he can do well. I’m not surprised when he rises up and makes an open three.

“The three-ball going in, it’s certainly an EGB (energy-generating behavior). Whether it comes from him or whether it comes from David Joplin or Kam Jones. I thought he was rewarded with making threes by really playing the right way and playing with aggressiveness.”

Prosper also scoring around the basket and getting to line

Prosper is shooting a respectable 17 for 47 (36.2%) from beyond the arc after finishing 19 for 60 (31.7%) last season in 32 games.

But where all that work on staying balanced has helped most is around the basket. Last season, Prosper was 51 for 82 (62.2%) on shots at the rim. This season, he has bolstered that to 60 for 79 (75.9%). On a couple of his baskets against St. John’s, Prosper stopped on a drive, gathered himself and then dropped in reverse layups.

“A lot of teams are disciplined teams,” Prosper said. “They try not to foul. But if you play off two feet, you shot fake, you pivot, it gives you more options to score.”

MU boasts one of the most efficient offenses in the nation, but the Golden Eagles are not adept at getting to the free-throw line. The team’s free-throw rate (free-throw attempts divided by field-goal attempts) of 28.4 sits at 248^th in the nation, per college basketball statistical website KenPom.com.

Prosper is by far MU’s best player at getting to the charity stripe, with his 76 attempts way ahead of 37 trips by both Ighodaro and Kolek.

“He did an awesome job showing the ball,” Smart said after Prosper went 7 for 8 on free throws against St. John’s. “Got guys up in the air. Got to the foul line. Did a great job showing the ball, pivoting. That’s a hard thing to deal with. People jump at fakes.

“So he did a really nice job of that. Proud of his progress in that way. Dre’s done a great job working with him on balance. They work on that every day.”

Prosper a big part of Marquette's stellar starting lineup

Last season, Prosper started the first seven games before Smart made a change because the lineup wasn’t working as well as the coaching staff wanted. Prosper eventually worked his way back into the opening group.

But this season, MU’s starting lineup of Prosper, Kolek, Ighodaro, Jones and Stevie Mitchell is one of the best units in the nation. According to hoop-explorer.com, they have an adjusted net rating (points scored per 100 possessions minus points allowed per 100) of 39.3.

That is the top lineup among the 47 that have played 200 or more possessions together. Arizona’s lineup of Kerr Kriisa, Courtney Ramey, Pelle Larsson, Azuolas Tubelis and Oumar Ballo is No. 2, but far behind with a 32.4 net rating.

Prosper’s improved play is a big factor in that unit’s potency.

“I felt like since the off-season, I felt the connectivity we had on this team and just the brotherhood, I knew we were capable like we’re playing right now,” Prosper said. “We never come into the season thinking, oh, we’re not going to start well or whatever.

“We felt like we were the best team in the Big East. We feel like we we’re the best team in the Big East. And we’re not surprised by how we’re playing right now. Because of who we are and the way we train and the way we practice since the summer. And it’s all building up to now.”

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Marquette Golden Eagles basketball O-Max Prosper Shaka Smart offense