4-star PG Jalen Carey no longer considering Miami Hurricanes Basketball per report

[Matrim55]

give me a team around him and let him be marcus williams and i'll be happy

Nowhere near as great a passer as Marcus, but a much better defender & leader. Think of him as Taliek with a good jump shot.

I think we were in a position that we couldn't afford to wait for Carey and end up losing both him and Akinjo.

100% correct. KO did the right thing by taking the guy who signed on the dotted line first, and I'll maintain that POV even if Carey turns into a superstar.

 

[MadDogRevival]

Nice kid. Nice game. It's unfortunate that he won't get the math education at Syracuse that he would have at Connecticut, where on day 1 of your introductory course in Mathematics we start with a penetrating, in depth review of the most critical fundamental math skill required for success on the basketball court and also, really, in life in general.

Inequalities.​

4>1​

Class adjourned.

 

[superjohn]

I agree – just giving you my perspective since I've seen the kid live a good bit. I think he'll be really good, the type to be an important piece for a 30+ win team.

What I don't think he'll ever become is a first or second scoring option for a championship team. Which goes to the point that we really will need a dynamic shot-maker like Carey to either fill out our 2018 class, or start our 2019 group.

I'm not knocking Akinjo at all btw, and as I said at the time I'm glad we landed him even though it seems to have cost us Carey. He's tough, he's a gym rat, high IQ, very good passer, plays great defense, etc. Fans are going to love him.

But for the most part he doesn't just go out there and get buckets. So we still need a backcourt guy like that.

Would sure like that 6'3 or 6'4 combo who gets a ton of buckets. Good thing we have a lot of length at other positions because our guards look to be really tiny. What would you put Akinjo at? He looks about 5'9 to me.

 

[AntG168]

Would sure like that 6'3 or 6'4 combo who gets a ton of buckets. Good thing we have a lot of length at other positions because our guards look to be really tiny. What would you put Akinjo at? He looks about 5'9 to me.

If that. A grad transfer combo guard for next year would be ideal

 

[superjohn]

also aren't we over the scholarship limit with kisunas? he would take Larrier's so we would need Jalen to leave, correct?

Don't worry about scholarships, it always works out.

 

[intlzncster]

Nowhere near as great a passer as Marcus, but a much better defender & leader. Think of him as Taliek with a good jump shot.

This would be sick if true. I mean, consider what Taliek did without any semblance of a J.

100% correct. KO did the right thing by taking the guy who signed on the dotted line first, and I'll maintain that POV even if Carey turns into a superstar.

Absolutely, and given the state of our recruiting over the past 6 months, anyone who says otherwise is an idiot. There is no way not taking Akinjo immediately was the right move.

 

[Matrim55]

Would sure like that 6'3 or 6'4 combo who gets a ton of buckets. Good thing we have a lot of length at other positions because our guards look to be really tiny. What would you put Akinjo at? He looks about 5'9 to me.

I thought he was a little closer to 6-foot than that. He's not Tyler Ulis-type small out there, and seemed maybe a little bigger than Boat. And bear in mind that this was at age 15/16, so he could've grown/could still grow a little bit.

This would be sick if true. I mean, consider what Taliek did without any semblance of a J.

Yup. He won't be as muscle-y a finisher in the lane as Taliek could be, but he runs the team the same way and is the same type of competitor.

Absolutely, and given the state of our recruiting over the past 6 months, anyone who says otherwise is an idiot. There is no way not taking Akinjo immediately was the right move.

I guarantee you there will be multiple people saying that as Carey continues to climb the rankings (he's really good). You can probably already name them.

Anyway, I like getting guys like this, and Polley & Carlton & Kisunas and Matthews and Wilson, because when you have a core like that – guys who are more about the fundamentals rather than NBA potential – you're probably going to keep it together for a good long while, and you're not going to "lose dumb", for lack of a better description.

Last year's team lost dumb. We couldn't rotate defensively, and we couldn't rebound, and we couldn't protect the paint.

The year before, with limited but fundamentally sound players like Shonn, Sterling, and even Phil (as well as a dynamic playmaker in DHam), we didn't "lost dumb" as much. And on the season's last day we just lost to a better team.

I can live with that. And more important, having that kind of "doesn't beat itself" core means you can go out and recruit a wildcard talent and let him freelance, but understand that freelancing will come within some semblance of a structure. Basically: Kemba 2011.

I'm not saying this group will be that good. But I at least feel like I'm seeing a plan come together.

 

[80shusky]

Akinjo is going to be a fan favorite for sure. That said, I'll be shocked if he's as dynamic a lead scorer as Bazz or Boat.

We'll need to get a guy like Carey this spring, or in 2019 – a dude who just makes shots. Very glad we seem to have a balanced core in place first, though.

Maybe Emmitt is our shot maker? We've needed a sniper for a while.

 

[80shusky]

also aren't we over the scholarship limit with kisunas? he would take Larrier's so we would need Jalen to leave, correct?

Things happen.

 

[superjohn]

I thought he was a little closer to 6-foot than that. He's not Tyler Ulis-type small out there, and seemed maybe a little bigger than Boat. And bear in mind that this was at age 15/16, so he could've grown/could still grow a little bit.


Yup. He won't be as muscle-y a finisher in the lane as Taliek could be, but he runs the team the same way and is the same type of competitor.


I guarantee you there will be multiple people saying that as Carey continues to climb the rankings (he's really good). You can probably already name them.

Anyway, I like getting guys like this, and Polley & Carlton & Kisunas and Matthews and Wilson, because when you have a core like that – guys who are more about the fundamentals rather than NBA potential – you're probably going to keep it together for a good long while, and you're not going to "lose dumb", for lack of a better description.

Last year's team lost dumb. We couldn't rotate defensively, and we couldn't rebound, and we couldn't protect the paint.

The year before, with limited but fundamentally sound players like Shonn, Sterling, and even Phil (as well as a dynamic playmaker in DHam), we didn't "lost dumb" as much. And on the season's last day we just lost to a better team.

I can live with that. And more important, having that kind of "doesn't beat itself" core means you can go out and recruit a wildcard talent and let him freelance, but understand that freelancing will come within some semblance of a structure. Basically: Kemba 2011.

I'm not saying this group will be that good. But I at least feel like I'm seeing a plan come together.

I agree with a lot of this but we have to bring in some high 4 stars/5 stars. Some of these players will probably out perform their rankings but this is probably the lowest rated group of players we have had making up the majority of our roster.

 

[80shusky]

Let's hope we didn't outmaneuver ourselves.

I don't think we did. Had we waited on Carey and tried to hold off Akinjo and Akinjo went somewhere else we end up losing on both of them. Carey had a chance to commit to UConn before Akinjo did. He didn't. Carey is a nice player and a great pickup for Cuse. With his length, assuming he can play any kind of defense, he will be effective in the zone. He would have been a nice player for us as well. We could use a bigger guard who is a scorer. He's not a great three point shooter, but he is a scorer. We need that and a bigger guard. The important thing though is, he's not a point guard. Perhaps he can turn into one in college, but he hasn't been one in high school. Akinjo is a point guard. We need that more. We don't know how Gilbert's shoulder is going to hold up. If 2018 comes with Jalen Adams gone early and Gilbert injured or worse, we are going to need a point guard very badly. Assuming Vital stays around to play off guard/combo, we have that covered for 2018 along with Mathews and Sid who could probably play between the 2 and 3. We may not have a point guard.

 

[Matrim55]

I agree with a lot of this but we have to bring in some high 4 stars/5 stars. Some of these players will probably out perform their rankings but this is probably the lowest rated group of players we have had making up the majority of our roster.

Yeah, I'm with you. I'm just really encouraged that we're now in a better place to get that kind of guy, and if Jalen has the kind of year he's capable of that position will sort of recruit itself, you know?

 

[The Viking]

Reading his comments in articles after his decision, it was all about being a PG. He wasn't coming here with both Gilbert and Akinjo on the roster in 2018.

 

[husky429]

He'll end up here when cuse gets a massive tourney ban in this investigation, or boeheim retires. Id put money on it

 

[FASTEDDY]

Ollie was not going to put all his eggs in one basket on Carey and went forward with the Akinjo and Matthews commits. Boeheim gambled last year with his PG recruiting and missed out on Quade Green and had nothing left for PG recruits and ended up w/ a 3-star combo guard. Syracuse will be hurting at PG again this year even if they stay healthy. Boeheim did the same this year with everything focused on Carey and it will likely payoff this year. Whether Carey is successful at PG is to be determined.

Boeheim traditionally casts a much smaller recruiting net. Ollie, because of the less glamorous AAC schedule and a couple of mediocre seasons, casts a much broader net with more offers. Ollie's previous issue was that while he would cast a bigger net, he would still focus on just the big fish. That approach seems to have changed after getting burned with Diallo, MAL and likely others. Waiting on Carey may have pushed Akinjo and/or Matthews elsewhere. Waiting on Shittu would have pushed Kisunas elsewhere.

If either Shittu or Carey decided that UConn is their destination a scholarship would be found. But if a guard is looking for playing time and sees Gilbert, Akinjo, Vital, vs. Frank Howard and Howard Washington, Syracuse would have to be the favorite by far.

 

[MSGSeven]

I agree – just giving you my perspective since I've seen the kid live a good bit. I think he'll be really good, the type to be an important piece for a 30+ win team.

What I don't think he'll ever become is a first or second scoring option for a championship team. Which goes to the point that we really will need a dynamic shot-maker like Carey to either fill out our 2018 class, or start our 2019 group.

I'm not knocking Akinjo at all btw, and as I said at the time I'm glad we landed him even though it seems to have cost us Carey. He's tough, he's a gym rat, high IQ, very good passer, plays great defense, etc. Fans are going to love him.

But for the most part he doesn't just go out there and get buckets. So we still need a backcourt guy like that.

Nowhere near as great a passer as Marcus, but a much better defender & leader. Think of him as Taliek with a good jump shot.


100% correct. KO did the right thing by taking the guy who signed on the dotted line first, and I'll maintain that POV even if Carey turns into a superstar.

While I understand you're saying Akinjo will be a very good point guard for UConn, I think you're underrating his offensive skill set. He can shoot the three and from deep, he can hit the midrange jumper, he has a floater in the lane and can get take it to basket and finish through contact against bigger defenders. He is what KO called Bazz and Boat a three level scorer (3, midrange and finish at the basket). His game is much more Bazz than Taliek. He is going to have the ball in his hands and score a ton of points in a Husky uniform (well over a thousand if he stays healthy). Assuming Jalen and Larrier leave after this season, he most likely will be a top 3 scoring option next year along with Gilbert and Vital unless another player/s surprises offensively like Williams, Wilson, Polley or Matthews. I appreciate your input again just think you're undervaluing his offensive game.

 

[CL82]

Inequalities.​

4>1​

Class adjourned.

It's been a long time since I took a college math class, but I'm pretty sure that there is an asterisk missing after the 1.

 

[gtcam]

Good Luck to him
He wasn't coming here when KO landed his future PG (s)
Who knows - he may be back

 

[Bagel&Cheese]

No surprises with his decision based on everything I've been reading. I agree with many posts that we have a solid nucleus of recruits next year but we need to start pulling in Top 40 players. That's only going to happen by WINNING! This is a big year for Uconn. Go Huskies!

 

[JimHurley]

Bottom line is that he didn't want to compete for minutes here. So I'm fine with him going to Cuse. Nonetheless, best of luck to Jalen. Great player.

 

[James]

I agree with a lot of this but we have to bring in some high 4 stars/5 stars. Some of these players will probably out perform their rankings but this is probably the lowest rated group of players we have had making up the majority of our roster.

when you talk about akinjo and matthews, you’re talking about a couple of the biggest break out stars from this past spring/summer . These guys haven’t been properly evaluated , Matthews was coming off injury + growth spurt while akinjo is young for his class. Kid could have been 2019 but was peach jam mvp...

 

[Waquoit]

Sounds like the old Ollie v. Best scenario.

 

[Chief00]

Don't worry about scholarships, it always works out.

Approved.

 

[Chief00]

That alright we got this guy

I like my Oakland Soldier.

 

[Chief00]

I thought he was a little closer to 6-foot than that. He's not Tyler Ulis-type small out there, and seemed maybe a little bigger than Boat. And bear in mind that this was at age 15/16, so he could've grown/could still grow a little bit.


Yup. He won't be as muscle-y a finisher in the lane as Taliek could be, but he runs the team the same way and is the same type of competitor.


I guarantee you there will be multiple people saying that as Carey continues to climb the rankings (he's really good). You can probably already name them.

Anyway, I like getting guys like this, and Polley & Carlton & Kisunas and Matthews and Wilson, because when you have a core like that – guys who are more about the fundamentals rather than NBA potential – you're probably going to keep it together for a good long while, and you're not going to "lose dumb", for lack of a better description.

Last year's team lost dumb. We couldn't rotate defensively, and we couldn't rebound, and we couldn't protect the paint.

The year before, with limited but fundamentally sound players like Shonn, Sterling, and even Phil (as well as a dynamic playmaker in DHam), we didn't "lost dumb" as much. And on the season's last day we just lost to a better team.

I can live with that. And more important, having that kind of "doesn't beat itself" core means you can go out and recruit a wildcard talent and let him freelance, but understand that freelancing will come within some semblance of a structure. Basically: Kemba 2011.

I'm not saying this group will be that good. But I at least feel like I'm seeing a plan come together.

Some good points.