Class of 2023 PF Papa Kante (NY) Offered

[walsh2012]

He was denied admission to Michigan, by not scoring high enough on an English as a second language entrance exam -- that's why he's re-opened his recruitment. Right?

Coughs in Fab Melo

 

[grepal]

Tend to agree here. Early in the season, Hima showed that he was a good shotblocker, he had mobility, and he was an aggressive rebounder.

As the season went on, and Jesse emerged as a top flight scorer [which we generally don't have / feature in our system], then he got a disproportionally high volume of PT [>32mpg] compared to how our centers usually play. Some of that came at Hima's expense -- justifiably so, given the year Edwards had.

But I think Hima is better than the stiff he's being portrayed to be. His play early last year suggests that he could be decent, if asked to play the appropriate role.

I think so much bench time likely affected his confidence. Coach was famous for the quick hook if a bench guy messed up

 

[SUOrange44]

Tend to agree here. Early in the season, Hima showed that he was a good shotblocker, he had mobility, and he was an aggressive rebounder.

As the season went on, and Jesse emerged as a top flight scorer [which we generally don't have / feature in our system], then he got a disproportionally high volume of PT [>32mpg] compared to how our centers usually play. Some of that came at Hima's expense -- justifiably so, given the year Edwards had.

But I think Hima is better than the stiff he's being portrayed to be. His play early last year suggests that he could be decent, if asked to play the appropriate role.

I actually agree with this. There was a period after he had a solid outing at Virginia where he hardly got a chance for one reason or another and failed to show any of the promise that he had shown leading up to that point.

As the team is currently structured I would like to have a Center with offensive capabilities and it is not clear if Hima would excel more in the zone or whatever Red will run. However, the roster is not set and SU’s best teams have had a shot blocking presence. He is not a player I would give up on.

SUOrange44

 

[jgeorge322]

I think centers, more than any other position, can make big leaps.

 

[kcsu]

Please define “fine”… because I have a different definition I think.

Looking at the roster, we do not have a starting center. So if you’re defining “fine” to be a starting center, I completely disagree.

If we add a starting center who can play 25-30 minutes a game, I guess he can be “fine”.

I still think we should hope for better. Hima cannot do anything offensively and shows very little upside there. Are those the types of players we want in our program? I would rather force feed Carey minutes or see what Patterson has in the non-conference. I just don’t see it.

We played the 5 with Marek who was more a 1 than a 5. We player the 5 with Chewy whos best skill was prancing between the baskets. My point is that i believe Hima and or the kid from FSU can rebound and defend well enough for us to win.
Jesse was good and hes a loss for sure but he definitely had serious flaws against strong, physical 5s. Actually had trouble against the FSU kid.
Time will tell.

 

[Fly Rodder]

People are forgetting Hima’s foul rate.It’s very bad and made him nearly unplayable in conference games. He’s a very raw project.

 

[SUFan44]

We played the 5 with Marek who was more a 1 than a 5. We player the 5 with Chewy whos best skill was prancing between the baskets. My point is that i believe Hima and or the kid from FSU can rebound and defend well enough for us to win.
Jesse was good and hes a loss for sure but he definitely had serious flaws against strong, physical 5s. Actually had trouble against the FSU kid.
Time will tell.

You're moving the goalposts. You're now saying "or the kid from FSU"... that's a completely different argument. If McLeod can come in and play 25-30 minutes a game... OK. I'm not convinced he can but he has a better chance of doing that than Hima does.

Time will tell, yes. And clearly we have differing opinions which is fine. I just don't think Hima is good at all, even for a backup.

 

[UpstateSM]

If you're an advanced stats guy Hima's numbers in conference play were really, really bad

 

[Niastri]

I am going to take out the non-conference stats because a lot of that is meaningless, IMO.

16 games against ACC teams
7.1 minutes per game
0.6 points
1.4 rebounds
0.7 blocks
3-10 from the field. 30%.

Per 40 minutes - 3.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.9 blocks per game

Just for comparison's sake, here are Jesse's freshman year numbers (a full year before Hima's collegiate career arc):

13 games against ACC teams
6.5 minutes per game
2.3 points
1.8 rebounds
0.5 blocks
10-13 from the field. 77%

Per 40 minutes - 14.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 blocks per game

And for kicks, here is Bourama's sophomore season numbers - where he was very well diminished from the knee injury

14 games against ACC teams
9.0 minutes per game
1.2 points
2.1 rebounds
0.4 blocks
4-10 from the field. 40%

Per 40 minutes - 5.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.9 blocks per game

So per 40 minutes, Hima as a sophomore is worse offensively, rebounding, and better defensively than Sidibe at 50%, and much worse than Edwards' freshman year in every category but blocks.

He's not very good, even for a backup at this level.

You had me at 3.9 blocks per 40.

Can he set a decent screen? Can he catch the ball for an alley oop finish? Can he rebound?

He doesn't need to do much else if he can stay out of foul trouble and block 3 shots a game. Unfortunately, he fouls out almost twice per 40, so somebody else needs to come in and help him.

Enter: The Highlander

 

[Newhouser]

We played the 5 with Marek who was more a 1 than a 5. We player the 5 with Chewy whos best skill was prancing between the baskets. My point is that i believe Hima and or the kid from FSU can rebound and defend well enough for us to win.
Jesse was good and hes a loss for sure but he definitely had serious flaws against strong, physical 5s. Actually had trouble against the FSU kid.
Time will tell.

Wow cheap shot on Chewy. By the time he left he was serviceable and one of our better FT shooters. Way more intimidating at the cup than Jesse.

 

[pwong]

Interesting

 

[Sherman20]

Interesting

I really wish we were going full court press on Papa Kante. Sounds like Bama may have tampered?

 

[NYCCuse826]

I really wish we were going full court press on Papa Kante. Sounds like Bama may have tampered?

Can't tamper with someone who's not officially on the team. Oats as already shown doesn't care about the people he's bringing in. If it's true that Ann Arbor denied his admission because his English is poor, Alabama which doesn't have the same academic standards, will look the other way and work with Oats.

 

[Orangezoo]

 

[Cuse1055]

I think once we got Donnie we backed off.

 

[Orangezoo]

I think once we got Donnie we backed off.

Bama seemed to be really aggressive on Kante from the get go no matter what we did.

 

[kcsu]

Wow cheap shot on Chewy. By the time he left he was serviceable and one of our better FT shooters. Way more intimidating at the cup than Jesse.

I actually liked Chewy, but he did prance

 

[Sherman20]

Georgia Tech? Barf.

 

[721Comstock]

Georgia Tech? Barf.

That rap scene tho.

And TNT studios.

 

[Cuse'91]

That rap scene tho.

And TNT studios.

ATL rap scene jokes never get old.
Seriously, think with Donnie coming on board next season; we are done here, if we were ever even involved.

 

[50YRsofCuse]

Georgia Tech? Barf.

New coaching there and a couple (5-6) of good portal transfers (including Tafara Gapare whom Syracuse was interested in last year) going there next year

 

[DilemaCuse]

I think once we got Donnie we backed off.

That's a questionable strategy. Donnie doesn't get here until 24, and hasnt even signed a letter of intent yet, which you can still get out of. You always need to be adding and stacking talent especially in the now when you have scholarships available.

 

[Cuse1055]

That's a questionable strategy. Donnie doesn't get here until 24, and hasnt even signed a letter of intent yet, which you can still get out of. You always need to be adding and stacking talent especially in the now when you have scholarships available.

Yeah, just my thought. I have no idea if that’s really the case.

 

[Cheriehoop]

I actually liked Chewy, but he did prance

I’d take this type of prance or his 10 points and 18 rebounds against Duke. Always felt badly how his career was derailed by his horrible eye issues (detached retina etc) requiring numerous surgeries.

Paschal Chukwu dominates at Duke: ‘I just came to play’

The Syracuse center scored 10 points and grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds in the Orange win over Duke.

www.syracuse.com

 

[IthacaMatt]

You had me at 3.9 blocks per 40.

Can he set a decent screen? Can he catch the ball for an alley oop finish? Can he rebound?

He doesn't need to do much else if he can stay out of foul trouble and block 3 shots a game. Unfortunately, he fouls out almost twice per 40, so somebody else needs to come in and help him.

Enter: The Highlander

Hey, we could get 15-20 minutes each from the big Fla. State kid and Hima. Maybe Peter Carey gets some time, or maybe Maliq Brown plays the post for 5-10 minutes a game. You want to get his rebounding on the floor, and he is 6-10.