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

[Deano]

Any updates on this kid?

Sounds like he could be a project and don't think staff wants to invest in that. I for one have seen enough of those.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[jordville]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[orange79]

"...near the top of my list". How encouraging.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[littlereg]

Back up option and he seems sorta okay with it

 

[JazzNC]

No thanks... lots of better options.

 

[jordville]

 

[jordville]

 

[jordville]

"With offers in hand from basketball powerhouses like Georgetown, Syracuse and Villanova, the rising senior’s talent is evident. The 6’10 big can create shots for himself, and displays a mature presence in the paint with both his footwork and his ability to finish."

 

[Cusesky8214]

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.

 

[Cusefan0307]

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.

Why not? It's 2018. not 1998.

 

[Cusesky8214]

Why not? It's 2018. not 1998.

U know how we do with JB at the wheel! I'm not saying I agree with it but it is what it is. P

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[STEVEHOLT]

wow thats one ugly shot..and it also takes him about ten seconds to release it. but what do I know..I thought Coleman was going to be a force.

 

[NYCorange]

wow thats one ugly shot..and it also takes him about ten seconds to release it. but what do I know..I thought Coleman was going to be a force.

I actually think it looks pretty good to be honest. Although in the first few clips I thought that his little jab step was part of his shot windup and was horrified.

 

[JazzNC]

His game reminds me of that other big we recruited Majur Majak. Both beanpoles, raw, with limited offense (other than dunks and a set shot). It would be ok to take a guy like this IF we also brought in a better center that's more college ready. He's a major project who IMO looks years away from any meaningful contribution. We need a bonafide center. I understand the need for rim protection in our system, but we can do better. At one point he was ranked as a top 100 guy, and now he's hovering around 300. That decline is not irrelevant, but reflective of a disappointing year. Center IMO should be the number one recruiting priority in this class. With Chewy likely gone after this season and question marks surrounding Sidibe, we need a big that we don't have to spend 3-4 years developing.

 

[Cusesky8214]

He actually looks to have put on weight and muscle...I wouldn't call him a bean pole. He definitely didnt have the best spring/summer but he is not a bad contingency plan. Just gunna have to wait and see how this all shakes out with our main targets...the longer this goes on the more I think this might end up being our guy. Like I mentioned before, he actually has a very serviceable 3 point shot for a big and hes not afraid to take that shot. I'm not trying to convince anyone that hes the man or even myself for that matter but I'm ok with it if this is who our guy is. We have had worse and I see the upside here. Hopefully bourama steps up and we have time for someone l ik le john to develop his first year or two. Also peep the shorts in this pic...hard to tell but lm pretty sure they are cuse shorts?

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[JazzNC]

He actually looks to have put on weight and muscle...I wouldn't call him a bean pole. He definitely didnt have the best spring/summer but he is not a bad contingency plan. Just gunna have to wait and see how this all shakes out with our main targets...the longer this goes on the more I think this might end up being our guy. Like I mentioned before, he actually has a very serviceable 3 point shot for a big and hes not afraid to take that shot. I'm not trying to convince anyone that hes the man or even myself for that matter but I'm ok with it if this is who our guy is. We have had worse and I see the upside here. Hopefully bourama steps up and we have time for someone l ik le john to develop his first year or two. Also peep the shorts in this pic...hard to tell but lm pretty sure they are cuse shorts?

I like your optimism. I wish I shared it. With Chewy likely leaving and Sidibe a question mark we need to do better than Ajak who IMO is several years away. I'm not saying he's a bum. I'm not saying we shouldn't take him for depth. I am saying that if this is the "stud" big man recruit we get for 2019, that is profoundly disappointing and cause for concern.

We will have a vacancy and a chance for a four or five star stud to step in and contribute right away. Coming away with Ajak at roughly #300 would be a big time bummer. We needed to land a developmental Big in 2018 to be ready for 2019. Not a developmental Big in 2019.

C'mon... pedal to the metal. We need a GOOD big man recruit. LGO!

 

[Cusesky8214]

I like your optimism. I wish I shared it. With Chewy likely leaving and Sidibe a question mark we need to do better than Ajak who IMO is several years away. I'm not saying he's a bum. I'm not saying we shouldn't take him for depth. I am saying that if this is the "stud" big man recruit we get for 2019, that is profoundly disappointing and cause for concern.

We will have a vacancy and a chance for a four or five star stud to step in and contribute right away. Coming away with Ajak at roughly #300 would be a big time bummer. We needed to land a developmental Big in 2018 to be ready for 2019. Not a developmental Big in 2019.

C'mon... pedal to the metal. We need a GOOD big man recruit. LGO!

I get what your saying and I agree with some of it...recruiting is funny and hasn't been very kind to us lately. Time will tell how this is going to shake out. We are in it with some pretty darn good options now just have to close but it seems like some of these guys are in no rush to make a decision so we might be waiting awhile to see how our big situation turns out. I do like that we have options this time around instead of the eggs in one basket thing. I will say that ajak might end up being a lot better then what his recruiting ranking is. One bad spring/summer and he drops considerably seems strange. He seems to be having a good camp this week.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Jiminy Christmas, Jameer Nelson is really getting desperate to find a place to play if he's in a showcase like this.

Time to hang it up, grandpa.

 

[JazzNC]

I get what your saying and I agree with some of it...recruiting is funny and hasn't been very kind to us lately. Time will tell how this is going to shake out. We are in it with some pretty darn good options now just have to close but it seems like some of these guys are in no rush to make a decision so we might be waiting awhile to see how our big situation turns out. I do like that we have options this time around instead of the eggs in one basket thing. I will say that ajak might end up being a lot better then what his recruiting ranking is. One bad spring/summer and he drops considerably seems strange. He seems to be having a good camp this week.

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 all of 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.