Asked this week what he’s been up to, McKillop deadpanned, “I’ve been on vacation for three months.”

Yeah, sure. And Lake Norman is a Great Lake.

Anyone who knows the veteran Wildcats’ coach knows that his mind is never far from the hardwood. And while he loves the competitions of winter as much as any coach or player, he also thrives in the 365-day-a-year process that is college basketball. He loves seeing the work of July and August manifest itself in February and March.

McKillop has been busy this summer. He’s spoken with alumni and fans, conducted his annual camp at Davidson and a clinic in Poland. While overseas, he watched Davidson sophomore Chris Czerapowicz play for the Swedish national team (20 & Under). And next weekend, McKillop and son Matt, a Davidson assistant coach, will join St. Joseph’s coach Phil Martelli and his two sons in hosting a father-son clinic in Helsinki, Finland.

Before then, McKillop has a short beach trip planned in which he will catch up on some reading. 

The selected book about former Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins is not about basketball, but will likely be a source for the upcoming season’s motivational speeches.

The season opens Nov. 11 against Guilford in Belk Arena (see story, Page 36). And while Davidson returns seven of its top eight scorers from last season’s 18-15 team, adjustments still have to be made. McKillop says he has been “simplifying our system, trying to analyze our system, what we need to eliminate, what we need to do to accentuate the talent of our guys. ... You’re trying to fit the system and strategy to the talent.”

A few Wildcat players have been working out on campus and playing pickup games.

Junior forward Jake Cohen, who is from Pennsylvania, has spent the summer working out near his home with players from Villanova. The tall and slender combo forward has bulked up a bit, too.