Class of 2019 PF Akok Akok (CT) to UConn

[moqui]

Because we got Quincy, who I’m stoked about, I can live with not getting Akok (if that’s what happens), even if it’s disappointing. So I’m gonna give a positive spin here. I believe in our coaches and believe in their ability to develop talent. I think they can turn Marek into a really good power forward and more of an offensive force by his junior year, while getting him to bulk up at the same time (that may be his biggest challenge). His shot isn’t bad and he proved his mid range game in the tourney last season. If they work with him closely on his shooting and he works really hard on his own, what’s to say he can’t improve to where he’s both a PF who can slash through the lane and a good outside shooter? Akok improved a lot as a high school junior. Why can’t Marek do the same as a college sophomore? If he does that, we won’t need Akok for his stretch four potential. We’ll have Marek. And in 2020 we can try to land a instant impact PF.

of course we'll be ok and of course there are options at his position

but akok's potential is probably irreplaceable. he's 6-8 with a 7-3 wingspan. the average wingspan to height ratio is 1.01. the average in the nba is 1.05. akok's is 1.0875.

that kind of physical attribute is one in a million*. that physical structure combined with high level basketball skills is one in ten million*.

i am very happy with the roster we have going forward & with the guys we have coming in, but i'll put losing akok up there with arinze's injury in the lost opportunity category

*these are made up statistics

 

[shu 49]

Not an insider by any means, but I do know people connected to the program, and more so the coaching staff. And at the game last night was told Akok really likes Cuse and the potential of the program going forward but his "handlers" are really pushing him towards Uconn. And this is why he is struggling to commit. Sad that these kids can't just do what makes them happy.

It’s actually disgusting honestly. They are getting something somewhere to push a kid to the school. Look if he honestly loves uconn and Pitt more ok cause it’s his choice but wth if u force a kid there. Someone’s getting a bag and it ain’t him. Bs

 

[HoustonCuse]

It’s actually disgusting honestly. They are getting something somewhere to push a kid to the school. Look if he honestly loves uconn and Pitt more ok cause it’s his choice but wth if u force a kid there. Someone’s getting a bag and it ain’t him. Bs

Take it easy. We don't know any of that is true. Plus UConn can't afford to pay anybody. They had to throw their alumni and national championship winning coach under a steamroller just to avoid paying him his buyout.

 

[moqui]

Someone’s getting a bag and it ain’t him. Bs

haven't seen anything to indicate that is the case

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I find it bizarre that Guerrier makes it official and the narrative on Akok Akok immediately becomes "well, with Guerrier in the fold it's OK to lose Akok."

It doesn't make sense to me. There's nothing concrete that says we're out with Akok or that we lost interest because we have Guerrier. It's weird because all that's changed is a verbal commitment - Guerrier's supposedly been believed to be ours for a long time now. Now we have people buying in for some reason that UCONN is in the driver's seat, even though EVERY prediction they've made so far about Akok has been wrong.

Sports are dumb.

 

[DoctorBombay]

I find it bizarre that Guerrier makes it official and the narrative on Akok Akok immediately becomes "well, with Guerrier in the fold it's OK to lose Akok."

It doesn't make sense to me. There's nothing concrete that says we're out with Akok or that we lost interest because we have Guerrier. It's weird because all that's changed is a verbal commitment - Guerrier's supposedly been believed to be ours for a long time now. Now we have people buying in for some reason that UCONN is in the driver's seat, even though EVERY prediction they've made so far about Akok has been wrong.

Sports are dumb.

Agreed. So many folks here are resigned to making the best of things, now that we’re out of the AA2 sweepstakes...supposedly.
I’m good either way- recruiting being the inexact science that it is. We’ve struck out on players before who, once you saw them play, you wondered why we’d even bothered. And the opposite has of course been true w/ lower-rated guys that chose us and became stars here.
Again, the kid is still not pulling the trigger. If he’s a lock for the Mutts, then why the hesitation? Nothing about him indicates that he likes being dramatic, so...

 

[HOFCeluck]

Again, the kid is still not pulling the trigger.

Well he’s still not in the States yet right? That might be a reason.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Well he’s still not in the States yet right? That might be a reason.

Fair enough.
But that’s just the latest excuse from the BY. Remember when he wasn’t gonna take the Cuse visit, or the Pittsburgh one, or when he was certain to announce on Tuesday at 4 pm? Not saying he won’t, but what about this kid has ever indicated that he thrives on the attention? Something keeps holding him back.

 

[Scott11]

At the end of the day the important thing is that this class is excellent as is. I always thought the key for us was to get at least one out of 2 of AA or Quincy. Plus I’d be surprised if we didn’t make at least one more addition to this class in the form of a big. But the pressure is off and now the rest is gravy, even though the “gravy” could be a stud.
As far as Akok all indicators are not good as far as him coming to the hill. But stranger things have happened. Let’s relax and see what happens without panicking or taking boneyard cheap shots like UConn is dropping bags. It’s beneath us.
Recognize that the state of our program is so positive. Our present team is legit. We are about to be treated to a special season. We are totally set up for the future with high end talent. Our bubble watching days are over, we play for NCAA seeding now. After the bullshit NCAA sanctions we have reestablished
our rightful spot in the recruiting hierarchy. It’s a great time to be Orange. Enjoy it.

 

[shu 49]

haven't seen anything to indicate that is the case

Reason I say that is why are his people pushing him to uconn. What’s in it for them as appossed to letting the kid play where he wants. They are getting something out of it just not sure what

 

[HOFCeluck]

Fair enough.
But that’s just the latest excuse from the BY. Remember when he wasn’t gonna take the Cuse visit, or the Pittsburgh one, or when he was certain to announce on Tuesday at 4 pm? Not saying he won’t, but what about this kid has ever indicated that he thrives on the attention? Something keeps holding him back.

I don’t know what’s holding him back, and I don’t disagree that that place is populated by clowns, but I don’t think that’s going to matter ultimately.

 

[Melancer46]

I find it bizarre that Guerrier makes it official and the narrative on Akok Akok immediately becomes "well, with Guerrier in the fold it's OK to lose Akok."

It doesn't make sense to me. There's nothing concrete that says we're out with Akok or that we lost interest because we have Guerrier. It's weird because all that's changed is a verbal commitment - Guerrier's supposedly been believed to be ours for a long time now. Now we have people buying in for some reason that UCONN is in the driver's seat, even though EVERY prediction they've made so far about Akok has been wrong.

Sports are dumb.

Personally, I was saying before Guerrier even committed that I'd be happy with a class built around Guerrier and Goodine as the headliners and I still feel that way.

I don't think Guerrier's decision has impacted the Akok recruitment; it's just coincidence that we began to hear AA isn't really feeling us anymore shortly before Guerrier committed.

Obviously we'd all love to have both of them in the fold, but I'm personally pretty happy with where we are at this point. Surprisingly getting AA or Stewart would just be icing on the cake.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

As far as Akok all indicators are not good as far as him coming to the hill.

The thing is, what are the "all indicators?" The UCONN board that has whiffed on everything so far? Unless there are people that actually know things that haven't been written or said, I don't really find much compelling that's out there.

It's like Akok's has been the fake news recruitment. The only people that have been less accurate are doomsday prophesiers.

 

[normaliswear]

The thing is, what are the "all indicators?" The UCONN board that has whiffed on everything so far? Unless there are people that actually know things that haven't been written or said, I don't really find much compelling that's out there.

It's like Akok's has been the fake news recruitment. The only people that have been less accurate are doomsday prophesiers.

To me the indicator that he's not coming to cuse isn't the idiots posting over there, it's AA's social media. It's the same reason I felt so good about QG. QG followed all kinds of syracuse players and syracuse related stuff. AA follows almost no syracuse stuff while he does follow Uconn players etc. It's not an exact science and it could be a false indicator. But, in this day and age it seems to give you a pretty good idea where the kid's interests truly are.

 

[moqui]

Reason I say that is why are his people pushing him to uconn. What’s in it for them as appossed to letting the kid play where he wants. They are getting something out of it just not sure what

pre-existing connections

 

[moqui]

The only people that have been less accurate are doomsday prophesiers.

and they'll be right, eventually.

boneyard, i'm not so sure

 

[OttoinGrotto]

To me the indicator that he's not coming to cuse isn't the idiots posting over there, it's AA's social media. It's the same reason I felt so good about QG. QG followed all kinds of syracuse players and syracuse related stuff. AA follows almost no syracuse stuff while he does follow Uconn players etc. It's not an exact science and it could be a false indicator. But, in this day and age it seems to give you a pretty good idea where the kid's interests truly are.

That's fair enough.

Until Akok says something directly himself though I'm not inclined to believe anything. I'm not going straight to Chappelle's R. Kelley level burden of prood, but... almost.

 

[orangecuse]

of course we'll be ok and of course there are options at his position

but akok's potential is probably irreplaceable. he's 6-8 with a 7-3 wingspan. the average wingspan to height ratio is 1.01. the average in the nba is 1.05. akok's is 1.0875.

that kind of physical attribute is one in a million*. that physical structure combined with high level basketball skills is one in ten million*.

i am very happy with the roster we have going forward & with the guys we have coming in, but i'll put losing akok up there with arinze's injury in the lost opportunity category

*these are made up statistics

Wow, you're clearly infatuated with this guy, seemingly like some school boy enamored with the high school's most gorgeous babe.

A lost opportunity, yes, but up there with losing Arinze?!?! Arinze's torn quad against Gtown in the BET quarter was CRUSHING and severely hindered our legit chances for the FF and NC. So, quite the stretch in comparison. Arinze was a stud at the college level and a PROVEN commodity, vs. a slight of build prospect who hasn't done a thing yet. The potential may be there, but only time will tell.

 

[HoustonCuse]

The thing is, what are the "all indicators?" The UCONN board that has whiffed on everything so far? Unless there are people that actually know things that haven't been written or said, I don't really find much compelling that's out there.

It's like Akok's has been the fake news recruitment. The only people that have been less accurate are doomsday prophesiers.

I believe Jake posted here that we're not getting him (or IS). I could be confusing that, but I am almost certain I saw it here.

Edit: Yes, two days ago. That is a pretty good indicator.

Class of 2019 - G Quincy Guerrier (Montreal) COMMITTED TO SYRACUSE

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I believe Jake posted here that we're not getting him (or IS). I could be confusing that, but I am almost certain I saw it here.

Edit: Yes, two days ago. That is a pretty good indicator.

Class of 2019 - G Quincy Guerrier (Montreal) COMMITTED TO SYRACUSE

One more time - until Akok Akok says it, I'm believing nothing.

 

[MGDCuse]

The thing is, what are the "all indicators?" The UCONN board that has whiffed on everything so far? Unless there are people that actually know things that haven't been written or said, I don't really find much compelling that's out there.

It's like Akok's has been the fake news recruitment. The only people that have been less accurate are doomsday prophesiers.

The Myan calendar thing was all wrong. 2022 not 2012. And it's December 27th not the 21st. They're letting us have Christmas. Thought that was nice of them.

 

[MGDCuse]

It's a nice campus. Not sure that I would call it bucolic, but it's nice.

Since everyone else on this board is apparently gonna let this go, I'll bite. Explain bucolic please. I like to think I'm fairly intelligent and pretty well read, but have never heard of this word before now. And I've seen Akeela and the B like 4 times. I realize it's been 2 days and sure, I could have looked it up myself, but it's like the exchange between Hefe and El Guapo. If you say i have a plethora then i would like to think you know what a plethora is.

 

[GoCuse14]

Since everyone else on this board is apparently gonna let this go, I'll bite. Explain bucolic please. I like to think I'm fairly intelligent and pretty well read, but have never heard of this word before now. And I've seen Akeela and the B like 4 times. I realize it's been 2 days and sure, I could have looked it up myself, but it's like the exchange between Hefe and El Guapo. If you say i have a plethora then i would like to think you know what a plethora is.

I think it has to do with a nice countryside.

 

[jordoo]

The Myan calendar thing was all wrong. 2022 not 2012. And it's December 27th not the 21st. They're letting us have Christmas. Thought that was nice of them.

The thing with the Myan calendar is that no one knows what it was counting down to. People were just guessing.

 

[OrangeDW]

UConn did nothing with Ajou Deng.

And it’s small time and scrubby. Don’t go there.