Class of 2019 PF Akok Akok (CT) to UConn

[Zelda Zonk]

I hate UConn...but this post is, how can i put this, a little misplaced.
They are still UConn, and recent conference affiliation not withstanding, they won a NC just 4 years ago.
Let’s at least be real about our assessments re their program. If Hurley can turn it around, they’ll return to relevancy, probably in a Memphis, Gonzaga, or Butler-type of way. MBB is different. Make the Dance, and anything can happen.
Will they be the UConn of the OBE? Probably and most likely, NOT. But if he recruits well they’ll be in the conversation.

Point taken. Only 4 years ago? Wow. My memory sucks, I know, but it seems like much further away than that. My point, though. Is really about the conference and prospects going forward. I personally would not be geeked up to go play against smu, cincy, and Wichita state on the reg. And a player’s exposure just isn’t the same in that kind of conference, against that kind of competition. UConn in the big east was a different animal. SU, though, made a lateral conference move.

Hurley may be great, but for a kid expecting to play only a couple of years in college, I’d want less uncertainty in my college situation. Add to that the ugliness of the school suing the last coach or vice versa or whatever it is, and I’d just find UConn to be an unnecessary risk.

 

[jgeorge322]

that is far from a given

I mean he should be able to win in the ack right? One would hope so. But days of finals fours are over

 

[Cusesky8214]

I'm not saying anyone is wrong here but unless whatever sid did is something big then this seems like a non factor. So far nothing has been concrete on what he did but sources seem to think it's nothing major and he will be back playing in a reasonable time frame. Hopefully what sudreaming heard is spot on.

 

[kcsu]

The Deuce needs to sign with the Cuse. Time for Gmac to put a full court press on him. Throw JB in the back seat and head to the Granite State to close the deal.

 

[TexanMark]

Point taken. Only 4 years ago? Wow. My memory sucks, I know, but it seems like much further away than that. My point, though. Is really about the conference and prospects going forward. I personally would not be geeked up to go play against smu, cincy, and Wichita state on the reg. And a player’s exposure just isn’t the same in that kind of conference, against that kind of competition. UConn in the big east was a different animal. SU, though, made a lateral conference move.

Hurley may be great, but for a kid expecting to play only a couple of years in college, I’d want less uncertainty in my college situation. Add to that the ugliness of the school suing the last coach or vice versa or whatever it is, and I’d just find UConn to be an unnecessary risk.

SU made a lateral conference move in hoops, however it was a huge conference upgrade in just about everything else.

 

[normaliswear]

SU made a lateral conference move in hoops, however it was a huge conference upgrade in just about everything else.

It may have been a lateral move in hoops from Syracuse's perspective. But the conference they left that was such a hoops power ceased to exist once they left. Uconn traded a conference with Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville, Notre Dame, West Virginia, and Villanova for Tulsas and SMUs of the world. Uconn was once a proud program. But wether it was 50 years ago or 4... their elite level of success is entirely in the past. Their ceiling now is that of "Dangerous mid-major" and stepping stone program to better jobs if a coach does has success there. Their floor is a lifetime of competing with Tulane and East Carolina in games Noone will ever watch or care about.

 

[newmexicuse]

It may have been a lateral move in hoops from Syracuse's perspective. But the conference they left that was such a hoops power ceased to exist once they left. Uconn traded a conference with Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville, Notre Dame, West Virginia, and Villanova for Tulsas and SMUs of the world. Uconn was once a proud program. But wether it was 50 years ago or 4... their elite level of success is entirely in the past. Their ceiling now is that of "Dangerous mid-major" and stepping stone program to better jobs if a coach does has success there. Their floor is a lifetime of competing with Tulane and East Carolina in games Noone will ever watch or care about.

UConn is in a bad place right now, but eventually there will be conference re-organizations or expansions and they may well improve their lot down the road. Unlike many on this forum, I do not get particular pleasure in kicking the down programs of this world. I loved when there was a meaningful Cuse-UConn rivalry plus I would like to see ACC movement away from Tobacco road, so I hope they eventually get an ACC invite.

I would much rather shatter the dreams of a a Top Five ranked Uconn squad then to just kick em when they are down.

 

[Cusefan0307]

UConn is in a bad place right now, but eventually there will be conference re-organizations or expansions and they may well improve their lot down the road. Unlike many on this forum, I do not get particular pleasure in kicking the down programs of this world. I loved when there was a meaningful Cuse-UConn rivalry plus I would like to see ACC movement away from Tobacco road, so I hope they eventually get an ACC invite.

I would much rather shatter the dreams of a a Top Five ranked Uconn squad then to just kick em when they are down.

No.

 

[JOC44]

I would much rather shatter the dreams of a a Top Five ranked Uconn squad then to just kick em when they are down.

I’m good with kicking them while they are down.

 

[newmexicuse]

I’m good with kicking them while they are down.

yes, i also want to kick em while they are down, but that was not the point of my post.

 

[SUFan96]

Confused why people consider Akok to be a must get. While he has a high ceiling, at this point he is a raw, inefficient player (look at the AAU numbers). Also will be 20 before he even plays a college game, so will want to be out within a year or 2. Would be a great addition to an already great class; however losing him wouldn't be end of the world.

 

[dasher]

Confused why people consider Akok to be a must get. While he has a high ceiling, at this point he is a raw, inefficient player (look at the AAU numbers). Also will be 20 before he even plays a college game, so will want to be out within a year or 2. Would be a great addition to an already great class; however losing him wouldn't be end of the world.

The coaches, including the Head coach, think the kid is great. That is good enough for me.

 

[gmoney44]

UConn is in a bad place right now, but eventually there will be conference re-organizations or expansions and they may well improve their lot down the road. Unlike many on this forum, I do not get particular pleasure in kicking the down programs of this world. I loved when there was a meaningful Cuse-UConn rivalry plus I would like to see ACC movement away from Tobacco road, so I hope they eventually get an ACC invite.

I would much rather shatter the dreams of a a Top Five ranked Uconn squad then to just kick em when they are down.

UConn’s basketball team has been a disaster for a few years. They may still have some NCAA issues to deal with. Their football team has been bad for a long time, they have next to no football history and they are the worst FBS team in the county this year. Their state is broke and they owe huge sums of money to their current and past coaches of football and basketball. They aren’t very attractive right now.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

UConn’s basketball team has been a disaster for a few years. They may still have some NCAA issues to deal with. Their football team has been bad for a long time, they have next to no football history and they are the worst FBS team in the county this year. Their state is broke and they owe huge sums of money to their current and past coaches of football and basketball. They aren’t very attractive right now.

Most of that stuff won't matter to a HS kid

 

[Footey04]

Hopefully we don’t give up on him!!! Let’s keep the pressure on him! Think we still have a chance.

 

[moqui]

They are still UConn.

exactly. let's unpack that:

before calhoun, they were a permanent fixture in the big east's 2nd division. post-calhoun, with the sole exception of the last team made up of calhoun recruits, they've been middle of the pack or worse in the (inferior) american conference.

so, calhoun was calhoun. and uconn is uconn. and hurley is a mildly successful mid major coach who, when offered the opportunity to coach in the acc for more money & with a bigger budget - shrunk from the task.

 

[General Joe]

The coaches, including the Head coach, think the kid is great. That is good enough for me.

The same coach also though Kaleb Joseph and Chino Obokwo would be great players. We see how that turned out. I for my part really would love it if we just focused on Stewart, Qadus and Carrigan. We need to add a BIG to this class. Of course JBA is a Chino Obokwo type project. We need a guy that can play if Chukwu doesn't come back for a 6th year

 

[ssbriefcase]

The same coach also though Kaleb Joseph and Chino Obokwo would be great players

So JB said this? The coaching staff is right, a hell of a lot more than they're wrong, if you don't believe that it's not even worth a conversation.

 

[Scott11]

The same coach also though Kaleb Joseph and Chino Obokwo would be great players. We see how that turned out. I for my part really would love it if we just focused on Stewart, Qadus and Carrigan. We need to add a BIG to this class. Of course JBA is a Chino Obokwo type project. We need a guy that can play if Chukwu doesn't come back for a 6th year

Don’t agree with the majority of this post. The staff has been correct way more often than it has been wrong with respect to talent evaluation. One only has to look at last year’s remarkably underrated class.
Comparing Akok to Joseph and Chino is insane. AA is a 4/5 star talent who is far more highly regarded than the other two when they were recruited.
The staff is more than able to recruit all 4 of these guys at the same time. No reason not to keep pursuing all of them if there is any glimmer of hope.

 

[Cusesky8214]

AA is the real deal. NBA talent all day long. Probably a 2 year kid but depends on how much he develops. He has already put on considerable weight over the past 2 years and has the skillset most would kill for at his size and length. Out of all the guys we are recruting, he fits our style of play far better then anyone else.

 

[jdubs30]

Don’t agree with the majority of this post. The staff has been correct way more often than it has been wrong with respect to talent evaluation. One only has to look at last year’s remarkably underrated class.
Comparing Akok to Joseph and Chino is insane. AA is a 4/5 star talent who is far more highly regarded than the other two when they were recruited.
The staff is more than able to recruit all 4 of these guys at the same time. No reason not to keep pursuing all of them if there is any glimmer of hope.

Kaleb was a top 50 player wasn’t he?

 

[gmoney44]

Most of that stuff won't matter to a HS kid

I was referring to the OPs claim that they might make it off the island of misfit toys in the next round of conference musical chairs. Not that the can’t still pull a good recruit.

 

[albanycuse]

Most of that stuff won't matter to a HS kid

I think it matters that they’ve been under .500 the last couple years. Recruits see that.

 

[dasher]

The same coach also though Kaleb Joseph and Chino Obokwo would be great players. We see how that turned out. I for my part really would love it if we just focused on Stewart, Qadus and Carrigan. We need to add a BIG to this class. Of course JBA is a Chino Obokwo type project. We need a guy that can play if Chukwu doesn't come back for a 6th year

LOL You root for Syracuse and you are going to point out a couple of misses? And no one on the staff thought that Obokwo would be a great player. No one. Jb has a history of over 40 years. You have half a dozen posts. I hope you get a lot better.

 

[moqui]

i wonder if this pursuit doesn't end up being moot for all parties; i bet if given the opportunity, akok will grab one of the $125k g league tickets