Smooth Flight — Milos Uzan Embraces All the Pressure That Comes From Auburn’s Full-Court D and Being Kelvin Sampson’s Next Point Guard

Milos Uzan knows what’s coming. And University of Houston’s new starting point guard welcomes it. In a game between the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the KemPom rankings, a game ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla regards as “a Final Four level game” (without any hint of hyperbole), the pressure will be on Uzan. Often literally. Auburn (No. 2 in KemPom) uses full court pressure as a defensive weapon and game changer, forcing turnovers that allow Bruce Pearl’s team to wreak havoc and get out in the open court.

“Most teams don’t really pressure good point guards,” Uzan tells PaperCity. “I think it’s just because good point guards know how to break it. We’ll see. We’ll see what they do and how they’ll fall back — or what they’ll do — if we can continue to break their press.”

The understated confidence is unmistakable. Uzan knows he’s a good point guard. His UH teammates do too. If the rest of the college basketball world needs to see Houston face off against Auburn at Toyota Center Saturday night in the Battleground 2K24 to be sure, so be it.

“I can’t remember a team that pressed me the whole game (at Oklahoma),” Uzan says. “Auburn does though. They try to face guard you. They try to force you into turnovers. Keep our poise and we’ll be good.”

Milos Uzan will be ready. Whether Auburn will be is another matter with a few Tiger players getting into a physical altercation on the flight to Houston that escalated to point where the pilot of the charter flight decided to turn the plane around and go back to Alabama. (Bruce Pearl’s team would have to take a second flight late Friday night to make the Saturday night showcase game at Toyota Center). Yes, this game already has a lot of drama around it.

Uzan’s transition to becoming Kelvin Sampson’s latest hand-picked point guard has been a much smoother journey. His first game as a Cougar? How about a line of eight points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, four steals, a block and two turnovers in 26 minutes? Yes, Milos Uzan didn’t mess around and he nearly got a triple double.

“I just see a natural point guard,” Mylik Wilson, the UH defensive terror who guards Uzan every day in practice, says. “Ball mover. I just love to play with him.”

For his part, Uzan comes away a little disappointed by his first game as a Cougar. While others coo over a stat line that flirted with a triple double, he sees opportunities left on the table.

“I should have got a double double last game,” Uzan says. “It just shows the guys around me. I’ve got so many weapons around me, it keeps the game simple for me. Just go out there and play hard.”

“I’m not surprised at all because he’s a high character kid who works really hard and he’s a really good listener. Milos is one of the most coachable point guards we’ve ever had.” — UH associate head coach Quannas White on Milos Uzan

The Kelvin Sampson Point Guard Tradition

Being the next Kelvin Sampson point guard at Houston — a very select group that goes from Galen Robinson Jr. to DeJon Jarreau to Big 12 Player of the Year Jamal Shead — will come with some bumpy days ahead. But this smooth takeoff from Milos Uzan is what a UH coaching staff that identified Uzan early in the transfer portal largely expected.

When you change your point guards less frequently than some people change their wives, you tend to be sure about the next one.

“I’m not surprised at all because he’s a high character kid who works really hard and he’s a really good listener,” UH associate head coach Quannas White tells PaperCity. “Milos is one of the most coachable point guards we’ve ever had. That’s high praise because we’ve had a ton of coachable point guards. All of our point guards who’ve come through the system.”

Uzan has never played with the type of talent he has all around him in Sampson’s elite of the elite University of Houston program. Playing in a backcourt with LJ Cryer and Emanuel Sharp, two of college basketball’s better shooters, helps open up the court and should give Uzan plenty of clean looks from distance himself. This is a player who is determined to prove that he is the guy who shot 41 percent from 3-point range as a freshman at Oklahoma rather than the shooter who struggled from three as a sophomore.

Having spent a good chunk of his lifetime doing shooting drills with his basketball coach dad Mike Uzan, Houston’s new point guard is certain of who he is. Even if the rest of college basketball might need a refresher course.

“Super confident,” Milos Uzan says of his shooting. “I mean me and (Coach) Q are in here getting up shots every day. I know I’m a good shooter. I struggled last year, but I’m a really good shooter.

“I’m not really too worried about what people said. I’m fine.”

And ready for all the pressure you want to throw at him. From Auburn’s full-court pressure. To everything that comes up with being the point guard for one of college basketball’s most important teams. All of it.

No. 4 ranked Houston plays No. 11 Auburn in the Mattress Firm Battleground 2K24 at 8:40 pm tonight at Toyota Center. The game is being shown on ESPNU. Rice plays Florida State in the opening game at 6 pm. For more information and tickets, click here.