Class of 2014 C Paschal Chukwu (CT) Verballed to Syracuse

[tee1222]

Eek. That article is all about his high school coach saying Chukwu never put up anything more than pedestrian numbers at Providence because they never fed him the ball. I'm not sure how much that will change at SU unless we constantly throw alley oops to him. Can't say I'd ever get tired of seeing a Joseph (or Battle) lob in transition for a Chukwu slam!

I really think he will get more looks in the open court with one of Joseph, Howard and possibly Battle. Pretty agile for 7'2! He has decent hands and finishes well. Still if he concentrates on defense, he's going to play once he's eligible.

 

[MSOrange]

I think it's him. I was talking to my dad about this, the tallest he can remember is Billy Smith (?) at 7-foot-1 (though Orangehoops.net has him listed at 6-11, so not sure how tall he actually was) and Fab at 7-feet.

Everybody's favorite guy Billy Celuck checked in at an even 7 feet also.

 

[HOFCeluck]

...as did national champion Craig Forth.

 

[Libero2]

I'm curious, does anybody know what his dream is? I assume it's playing in the pros but the article doesn't say. He just talks about us being able to improve his offensive game because of what happened with Rak.

In a way, I could easily see him being a one year player for us. At 7'2" if he displays the type of shot blocking we all expect, and any sort of offensive game, he could easily be a lottery pick after 16-17 season is done. I don't think it's to much to expect either after a year off to build up strength and muscle and work on his offensive game.

 

[reedny]

Eek. That article is all about his high school coach saying Chukwu never put up anything more than pedestrian numbers at Providence because they never fed him the ball. I'm not sure how much that will change at SU unless we constantly throw alley oops to him. Can't say I'd ever get tired of seeing a Joseph (or Battle) lob in transition for a Chukwu slam!

Not sure what Cooley's running at PC, but SU's a pick and roll team. And you have to like that offense for a big like Chukwu who can screen and get to the rim or stop and pop a short jumper with that high release.

 

[Toga]

Swede Halbrook - tallest player to ever play for Syracuse.

 

[Henny & Coke]

Paschal Chukwu’s high school coach praises 7-footer’s untapped potential, better fit in Syracuse system (DO)

Wow, very complimentary article about Chukwu.

Now, I realize that a player's past high school coach can be biased towards that player, but still, some of the comments Redgate had about Chukwu athletic/basketball potential as well as his potential fit at SU have me excited.

Love to hear about how Chukwu has good hands, a solid offensive game (if worked into the gameplan), and NBA-type potential. Also happy to hear his high school coach salivate at thought of Chukwu anchoring middle of SU's zone like the rest of us are.

Love to hear about how Chukwu is mobile for his size and will be running the floor.

Cautiously optimistic hearing about jumpers & pump-fakes on offensive end, as well as a soft-touch.

I agree with Redgate about how fact that when young players do not get into game for long periods of time, they are not able to "settle in" and get comfortable...get a feel for the game. Tho, I disagree a bit with him also knocking Providence too much about level of playing time/usage of Chukwu while at Providence...gotta remember, he was only a Freshman, playing behind a senior center.

Man, just excited in general about this development, for so many reasons:

- LOVE when JB takes a transfer...usually works out well for us. (Wes Johnson, Mike Gbinije, Kristof Ongenaet, Ryan Blackwell...)

- LOVE that Chukwu gets a chance to settle in for a year while at SU...practice with team, learn the zone, get time in weight-room & add bulk...before he can even play. Really think that is great for development...especially for a big man. AND that it gives the big man a chance to be a year older, a year stronger, a year more experienced. Great all around. I really love when players sit a season for us...either to redshirt or transfer into the program. Feel like it really helps in development.

- LOVE that Chukwu has some decent experience he's bringing with him too...notching some decent time while at Providence playing in a decent enough conference. And now he gets to sit for a year & really learn more, let it all sink in, before having the next 3 years to put all that learning into practice.

- Obv LOVE 7 feet, 2 inches anchoring the zone.

Great job, Hopkins, for keeping in touch with the high school coach & the kid. Great job to staff on getting this one done...even though other big time programs were involved. Welcome to SU, Paschal...the future is bright.

 

[reedny]

Wow, very complimentary article about Chukwu.

Now, I realize that a player's past high school coach can be biased towards that player, but still, some of the comments Redgate had about Chukwu athletic/basketball potential as well as his potential fit at SU have me excited.

Love to hear about how Chukwu has good hands, a solid offensive game (if worked into the gameplan), and NBA-type potential. Also happy to hear his high school coach salivate at thought of Chukwu anchoring middle of SU's zone like the rest of us are.

Love to hear about how Chukwu is mobile for his size and will be running the floor.

Cautiously optimistic hearing about jumpers & pump-fakes on offensive end, as well as a soft-touch.

I agree with Redgate about how fact that when young players do not get into game for long periods of time, they are not able to "settle in" and get comfortable...get a feel for the game. Tho, I disagree a bit with him also knocking Providence too much about level of playing time/usage of Chukwu while at Providence...gotta remember, he was only a Freshman, playing behind a senior center.

Man, just excited in general about this development, for so many reasons:

- LOVE when JB takes a transfer...usually works out well for us. (Wes Johnson, Mike Gbinije, Kristof Ongenaet, Ryan Blackwell...)

- LOVE that Chukwu gets a chance to settle in for a year while at SU...practice with team, learn the zone, get time in weight-room & add bulk...before he can even play. Really think that is great for development...especially for a big man. AND that it gives the big man a chance to be a year older, a year stronger, a year more experienced. Great all around. I really love when players sit a season for us...either to redshirt or transfer into the program. Feel like it really helps in development.

- LOVE that Chukwu has some decent experience he's bringing with him too...notching some decent time while at Providence playing in a decent enough conference. And now he gets to sit for a year & really learn more, let it all sink in, before having the next 3 years to put all that learning into practice.

- Obv LOVE 7 feet, 2 inches anchoring the zone.

Great job, Hopkins, for keeping in touch with the high school coach & the kid. Great job to staff on getting this one done...even though other big time programs were involved. Welcome to SU, Paschal...the future is bright.

The cool thing is ... Chukwu is coming right away. He can't play in games, but to have him in practice learning the offense and getting used to SU's P/R sets, taking feeds from the guards, getting used to moving his feet in SU's defensive system (which places a lot of responsibility and movement on the Center) ... it's all going to pay 7'2 dividends. Just having him swat shots in practice is good for the SU newcomers to get ready for the ACC.

 

[SUbear]

JB and Hop must know something.

Either the NCAA will allow us to have 11 scholarships moving forward (which means we could even start the sanctions this season),

or someone from the 2015-16 team won't be returning (due to graduation, transfer, or early NBA entry).

Just sit back and enjoy the ride. The numbers always work out.

There is one other scenario, though I do not wish for it, a player is ruled medically unfit to play, and that player would most likely be Coleman. I emphasize this would only be a possibility.

 

[Alsacs]

I love this commitment he seems like a perfect for th middle of the zone. Great add by the coaching staff as JB rarely takes transfers.

 

[Alsacs]

We need the appeal to get one scholly back and this commitment will have zero impact on the program. I hope the NCAA just reduces it from 3 schollys for 4 years to 2 schollys for 3 years. 12 schollys for what they got us for is crazy and should be chilling to UNC.

 

[orangefog]

We need the appeal to get one scholly back and this commitment will have zero impact on the program. I hope the NCAA just reduces it from 3 schollys for 4 years to 2 schollys for 3 years. 12 schollys for what they got us for is crazy and should be chilling to UNC.

I was hoping for the same thing. One less scholarship per year and one less year. However, I think this is going to be a very impactful commitment, in a very positive way. He is the anchor. I think many forwards are going to really like that SU has the huge guy in the middle to do the dirty work. It allows the versatile forwards to operate.

 

[OlsenRyan13]

Recent reports seem to indicate that the NCAA isn't going to come down on UNC as hard as originally thought. I think this actually bodes well for us, as people will realize that they definitely gave us punishments that were too harsh when compared to the UNC case. This should in turn benefit us in the appeals process, and because of this I would be quite surprised if we don't get at least one scholarship back.

 

[cuseincincy]

Recent reports seem to indicate that the NCAA isn't going to come down on UNC as hard as originally thought. I think this actually bodes well for us, as people will realize that they definitely gave us punishments that were too harsh when compared to the UNC case. This should in turn benefit us in the appeals process, and because of this I would be quite surprised if we don't get at least one scholarship back.

I t doesn't really matter "what people think" it only matters what the NCAA thinks. And it appears so far that the NCAA does not consider UNC's transgressions as bad as SU's because they were not relegated to the athletic department or athletes. I know it doesn't make sense to me either.

 

[TexanMark]

There might be a possibility where they've been told they are getting scholarships back on the appeal, but it hasn't been made public yet.

Just me...but bureaucrats (NCAA types) normally don't freely give out inside secrets...as they need to protect their job security...if the rumor is true it had to come from a highly placed source in Indy. I wonder if the UNC investigation has some play in this? If Cuse got hammered so bad...they almost have to hammer UNC even worst...by reducing the punishment it gives them more flexibility with UNC.

 

[TexanMark]

IMO:

Battle
Richardson
Roberson
Coleman
Chukwu

Off the bench:
Joseph
Moyer
Lydon
Diagne

Howard and Obokoh will have a hard time finding playing time.

Let's not forget that JB has shown a willingness to start 2 centers in the past. With the offense that his guards and subs can provide, I wouldn't be surprised if he did that here in order to make the zone as tall/good as possible.

Chino...IMHO looks like a bench player to me. Nothing wrong with that...maybe by his last year he can come in and play 6-8 mins a game.

 

[Ottoble]

I t doesn't really matter "what people think" it only matters what the NCAA thinks. And it appears so far that the NCAA does not consider UNC's transgressions as bad as SU's because they were not relegated to the athletic department or a pthletes. I know it doesn't make sense to me either.

But it was relegated to the athletes, it was created for them to stay qualified to play...other students only caught on and started taking these classes years later cause they were easy and it all kept going anyways. This has to be the most air tight cases of lack of institutional control ever. If UNC ducks this and stonewalls by claiming no one in the athletic Dept or admin had any clue that's even worse institutional control according to how SU was treated, not knowing their guys got pocket change for doing work. If silence saves them it also tells every school that cooperating with the investigation gets you the hammer treatment SU got while stonewalling saves you. They played guys that never took classes basically. I mean That's the C in NCAA.

 

[orangefan13]

BOOM.
http://www.syracuse.com/orangebaske...ce_transfer_will_attend_syracuse_reports.html

Seven Two in the middle of the zone ... great news, and not a moment too soon.

It'll be cray cray, with Chukwu

That should be his Jersey number or we could go with 100 his standing wingspan.

 

[orangefan13]

I don't know. Kind of see Roberson as a tweener. Not big enough for a 4, ball skills not strong enough for a 3. Just don;t see the potential that would make him an NBA first rounder.

You could be right but Roberson is really beginning to look like hes filling out. Sometimes That could be even more reason for him to jump as a Junior while the potential is there. Look at McCullough he was lacking alot this year but so much potential. Agree Grant was a great comparison. Roberson needs to speed and touch up his mid range shooting release to get inside easier imo.

Not sure what Cooley's running at PC, but SU's a pick and roll team. And you have to like that offense for a big like Chukwu who can screen and get to the rim or stop and pop a short jumper with that high release.

lydon and richardson have the potential to become shoot off the dribble types like dnic /devo/gmac/south.
moyer/roberson - Key word guys who can create from the HIGH post. to step outside and drive in.
chuckwu, diagne obokoh and coleman There is pick and roll, one on one and high AND low post potential.
battle, joseph and howard potential to beat point guards one on one and get to the lane, hopefully can score midpost not just create mid.
Ideally if you can run different sets for plays like that and ride guys all over the court then you have everything a offense could ever want. You wouldn't ever need a 6th man.

Until these kids are playing in college though, you never know how they will develop.

There is a big MYTH that we are runing with guys like Rak recently that we told them to stand down because we had better scorers. Rak was light years better as a sr then a jr. Yeah Rak WAS asked to do more as a senior but the lightness of his shot, his ability to go left, and even the speed he was playing at got significantly better as a senior. Rak got better as a senior, his entire senior scoring average was higher then his one single game high his entire jr year, if thats not enough proof then what is? I would have said the same thing if I were Rak or coach to help his draft status, but Raks skills became much better as a senior, and his offensive game was always a work in progress that is now maturing.

The day COULD come when one team all of a sudden has 5 go to mismatches even against other top 5 teams. It is possible. We could be that first team someday! If a team were to kill another team with 5 mismatches isolating all over the court it would SO intimidating, fun to watch. Like us beating indiana a few years back and oklohoma in 03, we would do that against all top teams.

 

[kcsu]

Great recruit for SU. Needed more than any other position. Worst case assuming Battle for some strange reason doesnt come to SU.

Joseph, Richardson, Lyndon, Diagne, Chu. with a very strong bench not to shabby

 

[Jasoncuse]

You could be right but Roberson is really beginning to look like hes filling out. Sometimes That could be even more reason for him to jump as a Junior while the potential is there. Look at McCullough he was lacking alot this year but so much potential. Agree Grant was a great comparison. Roberson needs to speed and touch up his mid range shooting release to get inside easier imo.

The problem in those comparisons (and why I don't think Roberson has much NBA value) is that both Grant and McCullough are taller, longer and more athletic than Roberson. I don't know his exact height, but he looks more like a 6'6" kid than a 6'8" kid. With such an ugly jump shot, no range and less athleticism than the others, how exactly is TR much of an NBA prospect? There are a ton of 6'6"-6'8" guys that can't shoot and aren't overly athletic. Even if he goes 15/8 this year, I'm not sure where he would fit in in the NBA...

 

[newmexicuse]

Paschal - welcome to the Cuse !!

Just watched his video for the first time. This kid has some talent & is very mobile. He appears to finish strong at the rim, and he also showed surprisingly good form on the mid-range J. Not to mention his D potential. He has some playing experience. I think this will be a great pick-up. Gotta figure that means Obokoh will be on his way out unless he makes HUGE strides this season. Whether or not we get a scholie reduction, it is hard to see where Chino will fit in & get opportunity down the road if he can't crack the rotation this season.

I also love the timing of his transfer announcement - we so baaaaadly needed some good news for the program.

 

[RF2044]

The problem in those comparisons (and why I don't think Roberson has much NBA value) is that both Grant and McCullough are taller, longer and more athletic than Roberson. I don't know his exact height, but he looks more like a 6'6" kid than a 6'8" kid. With such an ugly jump shot, no range and less athleticism than the others, how exactly is TR much of an NBA prospect? There are a ton of 6'6"-6'8" guys that can't shoot and aren't overly athletic. Even if he goes 15/8 this year, I'm not sure where he would fit in in the NBA...

You might be right about the NBA potential [or lack thereof], but the rest of your assessment of Roberson is largely off-target, IMO.

Roberson has terrific form on his jump shot -- it isn't "ugly." He has range out to three, and is quite comfortable from 17 feet. Adding consistency to his jumper will be a major determinant of whether he can get to 15/8 this year.

And he is athletic as hell. I agree that he is somewhere between 6-6 and 6-8.

 

[orangefog]

You might be right about the NBA potential [or lack thereof], but the rest of your assessment of Roberson is largely off-target, IMO.

Roberson has terrific form on his jump shot -- it isn't "ugly." He has range out to three, and is quite comfortable from 17 feet. Adding consistency to his jumper will be a major determinant of whether he can get to 15/8 this year.

And he is athletic as hell. I agree that he is somewhere between 6-6 and 6-8.

I agree, his form is pretty good. He needs some confidence. I think he measured at 6'7 at some camp.

 

[jordoo]

Has anyone found any highlights from his season at Providence?

I predict he will be an immediate impact player on when he is eligible in 2016.