How Sullivan Absher and His Notre Dame Teammates Build Brotherhood and Chemistry Through Offseason Basketball Battles at the Joyce Center
At the heart of any great football team is a sense of brotherhood—an unbreakable bond that transcends position groups, class years, and backgrounds. For Notre Dame offensive lineman Sullivan Absher and his teammates, that brotherhood isn’t just forged on the practice field or in the weight room. It’s built in quieter moments, in shared laughs, and in unexpected places—like the basketball courts of the Joyce Center during the offseason. While football remains their primary focus, these spontaneous pickup basketball games have become a tradition, a release, and a proving ground for camaraderie and team chemistry that ultimately pays dividends once the pads come on in the fall.
Sullivan Absher, a towering presence on Notre Dame’s offensive line, has always been more than just a physical player. His energy, charisma, and leadership qualities are well-known within the program. But it’s in these casual hoops sessions that his personality truly shines. A North Carolina native, Absher brings a fierce but fun-loving competitiveness to the court—something that echoes his playing style on the gridiron. Though he may not be mistaken for a point guard anytime soon, his presence on the hardwood adds another layer to his role as a unifier and motivator within the locker room.
Offseason basketball at the Joyce Center has evolved into more than just a hobby for the players. It’s an unstructured, yet deeply meaningful part of their team-building experience. There are no coaches, no whistles, no game plans—just players competing, talking trash, celebrating ridiculous shots, and pushing each other in ways that feel both competitive and lighthearted. These games serve as a mental reset from the intensity of their daily workouts and meetings, allowing players to let loose while still engaging in a physically demanding activity.
For Absher and many of his teammates, basketball is a shared language. While not everyone on the team has a polished jump shot or flashy handles, the level of effort and competitiveness remains sky-high. It’s not uncommon to see offensive linemen battling for rebounds against wide receivers or defensive backs trying to shut down tight ends on the perimeter. Every possession is a chance to prove something, but the stakes are unspoken—bragging rights, laughs, and the pride of outdueling a teammate in a different sport.
These games also provide an opportunity for younger players to integrate themselves into the culture of the program. Freshmen and transfers who may still be finding their footing within the football environment are welcomed into a space where personalities can emerge more organically. There’s no pressure to remember a playbook or execute a blocking scheme—just an open court and a chance to compete. Sullivan Absher, a natural leader by example, is often one of the first to encourage new faces to join the action. For him, these games represent more than recreation—they’re a way to build trust.
The Joyce Center itself holds a special place in Notre Dame’s athletic history. While most associate it with the storied basketball programs of the university, for the football team, it doubles as a symbol of unity and shared identity. The courts have become a venue where different position groups intersect and where rivalries take on new meaning. Linemen who rarely cross paths with skill players in actual football practice find themselves locked in one-on-one matchups, learning more about each other with every possession. That kind of interaction, while subtle, fosters a deeper understanding and respect that translates directly to on-field cohesion.
Absher’s presence in these games is emblematic of his role within the program. He’s not just a player going through the motions; he’s a glue guy, someone who brings others together. His booming laugh after hitting an unlikely three-pointer, his willingness to dive for a loose ball, and his enthusiasm after a teammate throws down a dunk or nails a buzzer-beater all add to the atmosphere. In those moments, the distinctions between scholarship stars and scout team grinders vanish. They’re just teammates, athletes, and friends.
These offseason sessions also provide a surprising amount of insight for coaches, even if they’re not in attendance. Word travels quickly in locker rooms, and reputations are built through these games just as they are in the film room. Players who hustle, play unselfishly, and elevate those around them gain credibility among their peers. For someone like Absher, who already commands respect through his work ethic and performance on the field, these traits only become more pronounced when showcased in a different setting.
The physical benefits of offseason basketball shouldn’t be overlooked either. Though it’s not a substitute for weight training or conditioning, basketball is a dynamic workout that improves footwork, endurance, agility, and spatial awareness. For offensive linemen like Absher, those skills directly translate to pass protection and movement within the trenches. Maintaining lateral quickness, reacting to movement, and maintaining balance under pressure—all key aspects of basketball—are also crucial on the football field. In that sense, these games are both recreational and developmental, offering value beyond the fun.
But perhaps the greatest benefit is the mental one. College football is a grind. From the moment players step on campus, their lives are governed by rigorous schedules, film sessions, practices, team meetings, and academic responsibilities. The pressure to perform is relentless. Pickup basketball gives them a rare pocket of freedom—an unsupervised, judgment-free environment where they can decompress, bond, and rediscover the joy of sport. It’s a chance to reconnect with the simple act of playing, without the weight of expectations.
Sullivan Absher understands the importance of balance. A student-athlete at one of the nation’s most demanding academic and athletic institutions, he knows the value of finding joy in the process. Whether it’s in the trenches on a Saturday in South Bend or on the basketball court on a quiet Tuesday night in the offseason, Absher’s energy is the same—infectious, competitive, and uplifting. He doesn’t just play to win; he plays to connect, to motivate, and to build the kind of bonds that last well beyond the final whistle.
The relationships formed during these offseason basketball sessions often carry into the fall. Players who’ve battled against each other in pickup games develop a new level of appreciation and understanding. That translates to stronger communication on the field, tighter cohesion in the locker room, and a more resilient team overall. When adversity hits during the season—as it inevitably does—those moments of shared joy and competition off the field become a source of strength and unity.
Notre Dame football, for all its national prestige and historical weight, still thrives on the small things. The team meals, the post-practice conversations, the friendly jabs, the laughter echoing through an empty gym—those are the moments that build culture. And culture, more than any scheme or star recruit, is what sustains winning. Sullivan Absher gets that. His leadership isn’t always loud or publicized, but it’s visible in the way he shows up for his teammates—in every weight room rep, every classroom session, and yes, every offseason pickup game at the Joyce Center.
As Notre Dame continues its pursuit of national prominence under Marcus Freeman, it’s players like Absher and habits like offseason basketball that form the bedrock of the program. They may not show up on stat sheets or highlight reels, but they matter—immensely. Because football, at its core, is still about people. And when those people genuinely like each other, trust each other, and push each other even in the most casual of settings, it creates something powerful.
In the end, those pickup games at the Joyce Center are more than just a way to pass the time. They’re a microcosm of what Notre Dame football is striving to be—competitive, connected, joyful, and relentless. And at the center of it all, you’ll find Sullivan Absher, setting screens, grabbing rebounds, cheering for his teammates, and quietly helping build a culture that could carry the Irish all the way to greatness.
