Class of 2019 C Jon Bol Ajak (PA) SIGNED WITH SYRACUSE

[littlereg]

Time will tell... I agree with you about not putting all our eggs in one basket. That's burned us many times before.

I just think if we were going to take a project player, this is a poor class to do it. We will need a guy who is serviceable right away. That's why I made such a stink about losing Osunnyi (or however you spell it). Now I feel like we can't take a risk on a developmental big. We will need an immediate contribution in 2019 (unless Chewy is indeed planning to return).

I really like nearly so the guys we're pursuing in the 2019 class... and it's not that I dislike Ajak. He has potential. But he doesn't fill our 2019 vacancy.

Oh well... just my two cents.

I agree with you for the most part and I think that’s why we’re involved with many bigs. If I had to guess our board would look like this.
Stewart
Jones
Wahab
Ajak

The reason I believe jones is 2 is because we just offered.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Oh come on. All the guys we have offered this cycle are better than Osunnyi.

 

[JazzNC]

Oh come on. All the guys we have offered this cycle are better than Osunnyi.

I agree. I'm just saying that a developmental big was what we needed in the 2018 class (not necessarily Osunnyi). I was upset that we didn't land one. Now it's that much more important to land a guy that can contribute right away. I like Ajak's long term potential, but not what he can contribute as a freshman. That's why I'd say it would be disappointing for him to end up being our stud center recruit.

If ever there is a season we should be able to land a top notch center it's 2019. Chewy will be gone, and Sidibe is a question mark. If we can't sell a top center to come to SU with a realistic chance to compete for a starting job, that's a concern.

 

[NC_Orange]

Ah crap, another Arcidiacono at Villanova for me to despise for 4 years?

 

[moqui]

One thing I like about john is he has a very nice outside shot for a big. Not that JB is ever gunna let him shoot it out there or that he even should but he has a decent shot from long range.

the high screen is a staple of jb's offense and if he has a big who can hit from three he'll utilize it.
two decades ago, before 3 pt shooting centers were cool, jb was letting elvir ovcina hoist up 50 a year. and he wasn't even that effective at it.

 

[Cusesky8214]

the high screen is a staple of jb's offense and if he has a big who can hit from three he'll utilize it.
two decades ago, before 3 pt shooting centers were cool, jb was letting elvir ovcina hoist up 50 a year. and he wasn't even that effective at it.

A big guy that can hit the 3 when using the high screen like we do is huge. As we all watched this year with chukwu, that is non existent. No one needed to guard him out there.

 

[JazzNC]

Does anyone know what his 3 point shooting percentage is? His shot is more of a push/set shot. Decent touch, slow release. I'm far from convinced. I want a guy that can bang, and be a force. Also we seem to be enamored with foreign guys. Do the staff view them as harder working or more coachable?

 

[Cusesky8214]

Does anyone know what his 3 point shooting percentage is? His shot is more of a push/set shot. Decent touch, slow release. I'm far from convinced. I want a guy that can bang, and be a force. Also we seem to be enamored with foreign guys. Do the staff view them as harder working or more coachable?

Not sure what his stats are but I've seen numerous posts where they talk about his ability to knock down the outside shot. Here's a short clip of him knocking some down. It's a little goofy looking but it seems to work well for him and he seems confident taking it.

 

[Cusesky8214]

Here's a older video of him...hes definitely no stiff and a nice backup plan for us.

 

[Cusesky8214]

Knocking one down at the melo center

 

[Cusefan0307]

Does anyone know what his 3 point shooting percentage is? His shot is more of a push/set shot. Decent touch, slow release. I'm far from convinced. I want a guy that can bang, and be a force. Also we seem to be enamored with foreign guys. Do the staff view them as harder working or more coachable?

The kid has an offer from Nova and looked great at camp yesterday. He's also probably our plan D.

 

[JazzNC]

Here's a older video of him...hes definitely no stiff and a nice backup plan for us.

He has nice long term potential. I just don't view him as the stud center that can provide an immediate contribution. I really hope that we get a more college ready center.

I also bet Nova lands a far better center than Ajak. They appear to have cooled on him.

 

[721Comstock]

A big guy that can hit the 3 when using the high screen like we do is huge. As we all watched this year with chukwu, that is non existent. No one needed to guard him out there.

It's less "needing to guard him out there", and more "drawing his man away from the rim" vs. teams that play man D. But yes - if his man didn't follow him out as part of the double vs the screen, then it wasn't effective.

I know Frank tried to get the ball to him in the "and roll" part of that action, with mostly limited success, but IF he could do at least that much now and again, it could be hugely beneficial for our O.

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[moqui]

wouldn't be surprised to see us take 2 bigs in this class, especially if we land a likely one-or-two-and-done

 

[JazzNC]

I can't believe I'm writing this, but IF we can land Goodine, Girard and Guerrier (love Guerrier), Ajak all of a sudden doesn't sound too bad. Adding the triple G's would be an awful lot of offensive firepower. Ajak is already IMO a better athlete than Chewy. I think he might be able to get the job done on the defensive end.

Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have a more elite center that's closer to college ready. BUT I've been watching as much film as I can find on Ajak lately. He has bulked up (a little). He's stronger and has a better shot than Chewy does now. I'll keep watching film, but my stance is softening just a bit.

 

[Cusesky8214]

I can't believe I'm writing this, but IF we can land Goodine, Girard and Guerrier (love Guerrier), Ajak all of a sudden doesn't sound too bad. Adding the triple G's would be an awful lot of offensive firepower. Ajak is already IMO a better athlete than Chewy. I think he might be able to get the job done on the defensive end.

Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have a more elite center that's closer to college ready. BUT I've been watching as much film as I can find on Ajak lately. He has bulked up (a little). He's stronger and has a better shot than Chewy does now. I'll keep watching film, but my stance is softening just a bit.

He really does have some offensive skills that some bigs just dont have or take forever to develop. Yes he needs to work on stuff but he shoots from 3 pretty decent. Hard to teach a big guy that. Considering we seem to get bugs with little to no offensive skills and are only in to man the center of the zone, I'll take a kid that needs a bit of work but can actually put the ball in the hoop sometimes! He does look like hes bulked up some too and has a frame to build on. Yes I'd like to land the big fish but I'll gladly take a commitment from ajak. Especially if we land our other targets. (Q,JG3,Akok)

 

[JazzNC]

He really does have some offensive skills that some bigs just dont have or take forever to develop. Yes he needs to work on stuff but he shoots from 3 pretty decent. Hard to teach a big guy that. Considering we seem to get bugs with little to no offensive skills and are only in to man the center of the zone, I'll take a kid that needs a bit of work but can actually put the ball in the hoop sometimes! He does look like hes bulked up some too and has a frame to build on. Yes I'd like to land the big fish but I'll gladly take a commitment from ajak. Especially if we land our other targets. (Q,JG3,Akok)

I like Ajak's long term potential. He's got some nice aspects to his game. I don't think I'm quite ready to jump on board because I think we need to close on some of our other guys first. I was actually thinking that if we can land Goodine, Girard and Guerrier then we might be able to attract a Kofi, Wahab or Kai. But he's a good backup plan. I am more open to taking a risk on Ajak if the rest of the class is really solid.

 

[cusefan88]

Would they have enough scholarships to sign Goodine, Akok, Guerrier, Cockburn AND Ajak (maybe he's willing to RS)

 

[Consigliere]

Would they have enough scholarships to sign Goodine, Akok, Guerrier, Cockburn AND Ajak (maybe he's willing to RS)

The only way they wouldn't is if EVERYONE with eligibility remaining comes back for 2019-2020 including Battle. Or if Buddy is on scholarship and only Battle leaves. Or if Chukwu is granted a sixth year, uses it and only Battle leaves.

So in short...Yes.

 

[SU Dreaming]

want him and Wahab

 

[cusefan88]

The only way they wouldn't is if EVERYONE with eligibility remaining comes back for 2019-2020 including Battle. Or if Buddy is on scholarship and only Battle leaves. Or if Chukwu is granted a sixth year, uses it and only Battle leaves.

So in short...Yes.

Seems like it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring Ajak in if he wants to take a redshirt year.

 

[Consigliere]

Seems like it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring Ajak in if he wants to take a redshirt year.

Of course a redshirt still counts against the 13. I think the ideal is to have two true centers ready to play and a PF who can slide to the 5 if needed. For 2019-20 we have Sidibe. Akok can likely play the 4 / 5 role so, assuming he signs, we still need another center who can play right away. Stewart, Cockburn, Jones and Wahab all seem to be ahead of Ajak in the pecking order. Assuming we sign one of them and still have a 'ship to give, then yes, we can afford to take somewhat of a project particularly given Sidibe's health concerns. But a plug and play guy at the 5 is a primary concern and from what I have ready, Ajak is not that.

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[JoeySimz]

Niiiice