Bear Down Wildcats

Alieberman wrote:Someone refresh my memory as I don't follow recruiting that closely.... freshman or transfer?

Irish27 wrote:Does anyone know if he is a good defender?

CatHoops wrote:With miller doing all the recruiting no info gets out. He's pretty much saying F the media and gonna start putting his team together. Pac12 will still go through Tucson!!!! Cohen = Jordan Brown

Irish27 wrote:Does anyone know if he is a good defender?

NYCat wrote:

CatHoops wrote:With miller doing all the recruiting no info gets out. He's pretty much saying F the media and gonna start putting his team together. Pac12 will still go through Tucson!!!! Cohen = Jordan Brown

Brown isn't coming to Arizona because of an assistant, and Cohen likely isn't coming now that Peters is being hired. The last assistant job will likely be a recruiter not another associate HC type assistant.

NYCat wrote:Wasn't really in the running before so I doubt there's a serious chance but anyway

TucsonClip wrote:I would be all about that.

TucsonClip wrote:I would be all about that.

NYCat wrote:

YoDeFoe wrote:Phony Bennett is a parody Tony Bennett twitter account, FYI. That tweet was playful, not vindictive.

ChooChooCat wrote:Blah.

goslingswagg wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:Blah.

That offers feels to me to be a pretty sobering look at the state of our program...I guess in our current situation he's worth an offer but man he looks to have very low upside and honestly pretty low floor too.

ChooChooCat wrote:

goslingswagg wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:Blah.

That offers feels to me to be a pretty sobering look at the state of our program...I guess in our current situation he's worth an offer but man he looks to have very low upside and honestly pretty low floor too.

I mean he's what I expected us to land, but I expected it to be a grad transfer eating a scholarship for a year and not a 4-5 year guy eating up a scholarship for that many years. I guess the best we can say is that you rarely even use the 13th scholarship, so if no sanctions come our way in regards to scholarships (if you believe what Arizona does) then as long as he provides a body in practice and gets good grades then he is not a net negative for our program.

In general unless it's a freak like Lauri, I am just over having a Euro big getting minutes on this team.

James Akinjo just finished his first official visit following his release from UConn, one that took him to Georgetown. The Hoyas were the first to see the four-star guard following his decommitment and while a commitment did not occur this weekend, it looks as if they are in a great spot. However, many others remain in the hunt.

This weekend, Tennessee will host Akinjo for an official visit. The Vols had invested much time and attention with Anfernee Simons this winter before he decided to hire an agent and jump directly to the NBA ranks. They quickly reasserted their attention with Akinjo as they have the chance to sell immediate playing time and the idea that he is the final piece missing for what could be a potential Final Four run next season. The Vols return seven of their top eight scorers from last year, one that brought them their first league title since 1979.

While Tennessee and Georgetown remain in a good spot, others on the West Coast should not be discounted. California, San Diego State, Gonzaga, Colorado, Oregon State and a slew of others remain involved.

However, keep a close eye on Arizona, as the Wildcats have an immediate need at the point guard spot, have scholarships to fill and the Rivals150 prospect has the chance to compete for a point guard-savvy head coach in Sean Miller. Arizona will host Akinjo on an official visit on the weekend of April 19, a source tells Rivals.

ChooChooCat wrote:

goslingswagg wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:Blah.

That offers feels to me to be a pretty sobering look at the state of our program...I guess in our current situation he's worth an offer but man he looks to have very low upside and honestly pretty low floor too.

I mean he's what I expected us to land, but I expected it to be a grad transfer eating a scholarship for a year and not a 4-5 year guy eating up a scholarship for that many years. I guess the best we can say is that you rarely even use the 13th scholarship, so if no sanctions come our way in regards to scholarships (if you believe what Arizona does) then as long as he provides a body in practice and gets good grades then he is not a net negative for our program.

In general unless it's a freak like Lauri, I am just over having a Euro big getting minutes on this team.

NYCat wrote:

James Akinjo just finished his first official visit following his release from UConn, one that took him to Georgetown. The Hoyas were the first to see the four-star guard following his decommitment and while a commitment did not occur this weekend, it looks as if they are in a great spot. However, many others remain in the hunt.

This weekend, Tennessee will host Akinjo for an official visit. The Vols had invested much time and attention with Anfernee Simons this winter before he decided to hire an agent and jump directly to the NBA ranks. They quickly reasserted their attention with Akinjo as they have the chance to sell immediate playing time and the idea that he is the final piece missing for what could be a potential Final Four run next season. The Vols return seven of their top eight scorers from last year, one that brought them their first league title since 1979.

While Tennessee and Georgetown remain in a good spot, others on the West Coast should not be discounted. California, San Diego State, Gonzaga, Colorado, Oregon State and a slew of others remain involved.

However, keep a close eye on Arizona, as the Wildcats have an immediate need at the point guard spot, have scholarships to fill and the Rivals150 prospect has the chance to compete for a point guard-savvy head coach in Sean Miller. Arizona will host Akinjo on an official visit on the weekend of April 19, a source tells Rivals.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:

goslingswagg wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:Blah.

That offers feels to me to be a pretty sobering look at the state of our program...I guess in our current situation he's worth an offer but man he looks to have very low upside and honestly pretty low floor too.

I mean he's what I expected us to land, but I expected it to be a grad transfer eating a scholarship for a year and not a 4-5 year guy eating up a scholarship for that many years. I guess the best we can say is that you rarely even use the 13th scholarship, so if no sanctions come our way in regards to scholarships (if you believe what Arizona does) then as long as he provides a body in practice and gets good grades then he is not a net negative for our program.

In general unless it's a freak like Lauri, I am just over having a Euro big getting minutes on this team.

He's at least a Matt Korcheck type, and I think you can use guys like that. I agree about the low upside part, but you can use solid rotation guys.

As long as he is a hard worker and willing to play tough on the glass and D, I'm ok with him.

ChooChooCat wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:

goslingswagg wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:Blah.

That offers feels to me to be a pretty sobering look at the state of our program...I guess in our current situation he's worth an offer but man he looks to have very low upside and honestly pretty low floor too.

I mean he's what I expected us to land, but I expected it to be a grad transfer eating a scholarship for a year and not a 4-5 year guy eating up a scholarship for that many years. I guess the best we can say is that you rarely even use the 13th scholarship, so if no sanctions come our way in regards to scholarships (if you believe what Arizona does) then as long as he provides a body in practice and gets good grades then he is not a net negative for our program.

In general unless it's a freak like Lauri, I am just over having a Euro big getting minutes on this team.

He's at least a Matt Korcheck type, and I think you can use guys like that. I agree about the low upside part, but you can use solid rotation guys.

As long as he is a hard worker and willing to play tough on the glass and D, I'm ok with him.

I think Korcheck was a better athlete than this guy is.

NYCat wrote:He's unskilled, undersized (6'8), he's slow, he's unathletic, he will ride the bench if he comes here - don't spin this.

PHXCATS wrote:

NYCat wrote:He's unskilled, undersized (6'8), he's slow, he's unathletic, he will ride the bench if he comes here - don't spin this.

We have so many guys beating down the doors to play here right now, smart to pass on potential of someone who wants to be here.

NYCat wrote:He's unskilled, undersized (6'8), he's slow/not very quick laterally, he's unathletic, he will ride the bench if he comes here - don't spin this.

In these modern positionless basketball times, he just doesn't have a fit. Just play a ball handler or two, a bunch of wings and one big.

NYCat wrote:

PHXCATS wrote:

NYCat wrote:He's unskilled, undersized (6'8), he's slow, he's unathletic, he will ride the bench if he comes here - don't spin this.

We have so many guys beating down the doors to play here right now, smart to pass on potential of someone who wants to be here.

The Rich Rodriguez strategy, no thanks. This is how you in trouble, by taking anyone you can get.

ChooChooCat wrote:

NYCat wrote:

PHXCATS wrote:

NYCat wrote:He's unskilled, undersized (6'8), he's slow, he's unathletic, he will ride the bench if he comes here - don't spin this.

We have so many guys beating down the doors to play here right now, smart to pass on potential of someone who wants to be here.

The Rich Rodriguez strategy, no thanks. This is how you in trouble, by taking anyone you can get.

That's fine if it's a grad transfer, but a 4-5 year guy....BLAH.

NYCat wrote:

PHXCATS wrote:

NYCat wrote:He's unskilled, undersized (6'8), he's slow, he's unathletic, he will ride the bench if he comes here - don't spin this.

We have so many guys beating down the doors to play here right now, smart to pass on potential of someone who wants to be here.

The Rich Rodriguez strategy, no thanks. This is how you in trouble, by taking anyone you can get.

goslingswagg wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:

NYCat wrote:

PHXCATS wrote:

NYCat wrote:He's unskilled, undersized (6'8), he's slow, he's unathletic, he will ride the bench if he comes here - don't spin this.

We have so many guys beating down the doors to play here right now, smart to pass on potential of someone who wants to be here.

The Rich Rodriguez strategy, no thanks. This is how you in trouble, by taking anyone you can get.

That's fine if it's a grad transfer, but a 4-5 year guy....BLAH.

Agreed. Not interested. Not worth investing time into when we should be going after wings/guards. Why are we not recruiting Emmitt Matthews, the other UCONN decommit? My nightmare with Lukas would be that Miller plays him at the 4, which given his height, might actually come to fruition. Miller has to realize the days of these guys playing the 4 at all are over, right?

goslingswagg wrote:I believe Akot should be a full-time 4, hence why I think another wing would be necessary. So when you look at Randolph, Smith, and Doutrive as being 2/3s, I think one more guy capable of playing the 3 would be a positive and somewhat necessary. Ideally, we get Akinjo + Grad Transfer PG + Matthews + a backup 5 Grad Transfer. That to me is a realistic scenario (provided we don't get Bwill) that would sufficiently cover this team's needs. Granted we're not currently going after Matthews but I wish we were.

That would mean the roster would look like:
PG: GT Point + Akinjo + Barcello
SG: Randolph + Doutrive
SF: Smith + Matthews
PF: Akot + Lee
C: Jeter + GT Big

That's a tourney team as long as the GT Point was decent - either Cremo or Amin or Chartouny or someone of that ilk.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

goslingswagg wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

We may disagree on that point. I see Akot as an option at the 4, but not to the degree you structure a roster around that idea. If we need extra wing minutes, I'd rather try to overrecruit PG and play multiple PG options (including Barcello, if ready) to fill out the perimeter.

Akot is our highest potential perimeter defender, and putting him at the 4 could handcuff that ability. For a team with a smaller 4, ok, adjust to it. When it's not needed, I don't like burying our best perimeter defender on the interior.