Drake's Tucker DeVries, Darnell Brodie receive hype, but they're all about the team

Drake men’s basketball leaders Tucker DeVries and Darnell Brodie underwent transformations ahead of the 2023-24 season.

Brodie upped his conditioning and lost about 30 pounds before playing the best basketball of his career in the 2022-23 season. He continued to focus on his mental and physical health this offseason and said he is in the best shape of his life.

DeVries, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, definitely worked on his basketball skills over the last few months. Even as one of the best players in the league, there are always things that DeVries can improve.

But his biggest step forward, according to teammate and roommate Conor Enright, was his cleanliness around the apartment.

“I always get mad at him for leaving his dishes in the sink instead of putting them in the dishwasher,” Enright joked after asking DeVries if he could share that tidbit with the Register. “But he’s been better this year. We’ve improved in our dish-cleaning abilities.”

Roommate drama aside, here is a look at how DeVries and Brodie prepared in the offseason to help Drake have another successful season.

Brodie returns 'home' for his final year of college basketball

The Bulldogs’ season opener against Lipscomb on Wednesday will mark the start of Brodie’s fourth season at Drake. But it’s his sixth year of college basketball, having participated in two seasons at Seton Hall before coming to Des Moines.

So, in the offseason, the 6-foot-10 forward needed to obtain a waiver from the NCAA. The process, Brodie said, was straightforward and, once approved, he solidified his decision to return for one last hurrah.

“It was a no-brainer,” Brodie said. “I won a (conference) championship here. I have a family here, and I’m home.”

Brodie has accomplished a lot of the goals he set for himself during his time at Drake, especially after recording his best season to date in 2022-23. But he saw more for himself, and so Brodie continued to work.

“My first year, I had an OK season and then I fell off mentally,” Brodie said. “Coach sat me down and he gave me goals, and every goal that he gave me I accomplished. This offseason, he gave me more. And I asked myself, ‘What can I do better?’ I took that personally, and I worked hard this offseason.”

His roster weight is the same as in previous seasons, which isn’t completely accurate at this point. Brodie, rostered at 275 pounds, said that he was around 260 pounds in the preseason, and he thinks he’ll cut even more weight after getting in a few games.

Brodie was increasingly mobile toward the end of his senior season, and the now-graduate student showed he can hit shots from all over the court as effectively as he plays in the paint.

There is a reason Brodie was among the conference players selected to the Most Improved Team in 2023. There is also no big secret behind his success.

“Just my work ethic,” Brodie said. “Me getting better as a person means I can do better for my team.”

DeVries puts aside preseason hype for the team’s success

Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2023.

Preseason Player of the Year ahead of the 2023-24 season.

Conference preseason first-team selection and selected as the 68th-best college basketball player by CBS Sports.

There is no shortage of preseason hype surrounding DeVries, the unchallenged top player on the Bulldogs’ roster, and those honors listed above are only a sample. But there is no ego that comes along with all these awards and honors, and DeVries cares more about the team’s success rather than his own.

“You know, winning brings those accolades for everybody on the team, and I think that’s everybody’s goal here,” DeVries said. “We’re here to win.”

DeVries wants the emphasis to stay on Drake’s accomplishments as a team. He also understands, though, that his heightened profile makes him a marked man by opponents. DeVries is up for the challenge.

In fact, he invites the competition.

“It’s hard, but it’s fun,” DeVries said. “I wouldn’t want it any other way. I’m embracing the challenge this year and just trying to be the best player I can be every night. I think I’ve put a lot of work to get to this point and I’m pretty prepared for it.”

And DeVries looks like he’s ready for the challenge.

The junior guard/forward combination player filled into his 6-foot-7 frame. He feels like, in year three, the game has slowed down for him. With Roman Penn graduated, DeVries wants to take on an even larger role as a facilitator and leader.

DeVries’ increased confidence and willingness to shoulder a larger responsibility has him poised for another impressive season, and with his individual success comes team success.

What comes after all that, well, DeVries isn’t concerned with the future right now.

“I’m focused on this year,” DeVries said. “I enjoy college basketball. I have a lot of fun being around this group, and once you leave college basketball, you can’t go back. And I think there’s nothing like college hoops. I don’t know if I’m quite ready to give that up.”

Accolades are great but don’t mean much come game time

The thing that stands out most about DeVries and Brodie is the pair’s maturity.

Both players have made leaps in their development; both players are considered among the best in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Yet, these two Bulldog athletes show more concern for Drake basketball’s success rather than where Drake basketball could take them next. Preseason picks don’t mean anything if the players and the team don’t live up to the hype.

DeVries and Brodie understand that better than most.

“We look at the (preseason hype) but at the same time we’re ignoring it,” Brodie said. “I’m in the best shape of my life. (Tucker’s) amazing on the court, and he’s probably one of the best players I’ve seen. But we need to prove ourselves every game.”

Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Tucker DeVries, Darnell Brodie prepped for Drake basketball season