Buddy Martin Blog: Tre Mann Could Blossom Into The Man. We’ve Never Really Seen 'Clyde's' Best Play

Can Tre Mann become "the man" for the Gators? Photo Credit: Shanna Lockwood

They call him “The Most Improved Player” in the SEC. He was, in fact, named the SEC Player of the Week just a few days ago. The versatile sophomore has been on fast track toward stardom. Is Tre Mann about to become The Man?

If Tre continues to blossom this March like the azaleas, he could still have a spectacular Spring -- despite Mike White’s team stubbing its toe Wednesday night in a painful 72-70 home loss to underdog Missouri.

Certainly, Mann did his part vs. The Tigers, going 9x11 from the floor with a 21-point night. However, at the other end, he let fifth-year senior Dru Smith blow by him to score the winning bucket in the final minute. Full disclosure though – Smith also beat Colin Castleton and Anthony Duruji on that play. What made it stand out is that Mann is one of the team’s top defenders.

Except that brief lapse on defense, Mann had been on a tear in wins over Georgia, Auburn and Kentucky. He was either first or second in minutes and points in his last four outings, averaging 18.2 points.

The Tre Mann we’ve seen this season over last is markedly different – bigger, faster, stronger and more connected. The 18 extra pounds of muscle gained in the weight room and the inch he’s grown in height have made him more formidable, but his heightened understanding of the game is even more impressive.

Mann is now literally capable of taking over a game with his dribbling, shooting, defending and passing. His decision to forgo the NBA draft last season was a wise one. And once he went back to the program, he was able to discern with more clarity what Coach Mike White expected of him.

Anybody who observed him while he was under the tutelage of Colt McDowell at The Villages Charter School might have seen this coming – if they truly knew what Tre was about. The affirming adjectives flow off the tongue of Coach McDowell, mostly about Tre as a “great person.”

Oddly enough, we’ve never seen the best “assist” Tre ever made. And it wasn’t even with a basketball. The story McDowell told me when I visited him at The Villages almost three years ago said everything we need to know about the then-17-year-old senior.

Colt’s young infant son Taylor, who had come to the gym with dad as just a toddler, started crawling in the stands as daddy became pre-occupied talking. Meanwhile on the floor, the observant Mann quickly stepped away from a shooting drill to rush up into the stands and rescue his little buddy before he tumbled out on the floor.

Tre Mann with his high school head coach Colt McDowell and son Taylor at The Villages Charter School

Quietly, Tre helped Taylor down, averting possible disaster, then deposited the child in the arms of his dad before returning to the court. “And he never said a word,” recalled McDowell.

Not even Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson had that kind of peripheral vision.

Since he wandered into the O-Dome as a skinny, reluctant and somewhat confused freshman last season, not really understanding what White expected, Mann has been transformed into a smooth, sharp-shooting guard who rebounds like a small forward and defends with zest.

Mann’s main flaw is turning the ball over too much because he takes risks. But his high school coach points out that’s part of the risk-reward ratio.

“Look at John Stockton – all-time assist leader, all-time turnover record-holder,” said McDowell. “Nolan Ryan? All-time strikeout leader, all-time record for walks.”

Colt McDowell with Tre and Nasir Mann

As for his own world, Coach McDowell was disappointed to learn that one of his players recently suffered Covid and that The Charter School’s program was shut down without finishing the season. It was also a sad time for Tre’s brother Nasir, a talented 6-4 senior on that team who is likely to receive “at least 15 Division I offers.”

Some of McDowell’s coaching is still kicking in even now. Tre’s decision to “hunt his shot” is exactly what you see when he glides down the key and hits a mid-range floater, or leans off-balance to land a wrong-footed bucket. He can take it to the rack or bury the three from the corner. Despite the difficult acrobatic shots, he ranks 9th in SEC field goal percentage.

Some have called Tre “The Silent Assassin” because of his laid-back disposition. Most all of my basketball paradigms are ancient history. But if I had to give Mann a nickname, I’d call him “Clyde.” For whatever reason Tre’s style reminds me of Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Clyde “The Glide” Drexler, both of whom I covered in person. Two cool dudes.

This has slowly evolved into Tre Mann’s team, not particularly a role he has relished, but one that he inherited after Keyontae Johnson’s tragic health setback. Mann has assumed that mantle with grace, becoming an even better player and learning how to lead as a teenager.

It all makes you wonder how much better Tre Mann might become if he stays at Florida another season. “Right now he just loves being a Gator,” said McDowell. “I don’t think he even knows what he’s going to do.”

As for the SEC and post-season, a lot will depend on Sunday’s showdown in Knoxville and if Florida can grab that coveted double-bye exemption for the SEC’s double round bye. "Clyde" may still have a little something to say about that.