Akok

[kansashusky]

Going into the season, I was probably most excited to see what Akok Akok could add to this team. He is a great kid, and I want to see him do well.

I think 8 games is enough of a sample size to form an opinion, and I just don't see how he can transform into a different type of player than his current 4 & 4 average..

He does not have the handle to take people off the dribble and score. His three point numbers have been great, granted he doesnt shoot that much. He typically gets bullied on the block by other bigs, and then gets taken to hole when he guards smaller players.

With the possiblity of Adama out, can he contribute more to this team?

 

[awfuldan]

Recently watched through Akok's Freshman year highlights courtesy of @tcf15 on YouTube. That version of Akok seemed more energetic and springy than this year's. I assume this is mostly due to the Achilles injury.

Hoping he can continue to improve as the season goes on. Was at the game yesterday and I saw James Doran take Akok aside to stretch him out on the ground for a few minutes while the game was going on, so it may be that he was dealing with some additional tightness yesterday.

Needless to say, if we are missing Martin and Sanogo for any extended period of time, Akok is gonna need to step up in a big way.

 

[CL82]

Going into the season, I was probably most excited to see what Akok Akok could add to this team. He is a great kid, and I want to see him do well.

I think 8 games is enough of a sample size to form an opinion, and I just don't see how he can transform into a different type of player than his current 4 & 4 average..

He does not have the handle to take people off the dribble and score. His three point numbers have been great, granted he doesnt shoot that much. He typically gets bullied on the block by other bigs, and then gets taken to hole when he guards smaller players.

With the possiblity of Adama out, can he contribute more to this team?

Akok isn’t the greatest banging against a traditional big, but he’s excellent with the weak side block. I’d also like to see how he does with dunking. Can he still get up there? If so I’d like to run a few plays for him. If you can get a couple of those a game that’s four quick points, maybe more if he’s fouled.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

last season, it seemed ridiculous the small amount of time that he played, unless there was a mutual understanding between coach and him to come back slowly.
this season, it seems ridiculous the small amount of time that he plays, unless there is a mutual understanding between coach and him to come back slowly.
he has potentially years left here, so i'll just assume that the 'slow roll' is the game plan. do i know that? no. is it possible? yes.
not everrone is kevin durant. in fact, no one is. that's why he is kevin durant.
it does seem, at times, and from the expression on his face, that akok is pleasantly surprised when he does a physical thing, and his body does not shatter into a million pieces. i like that look from him.
mebbe his mental state is akin to a first time car accident driver, or a first timer getting thrown from a horse, or a child falling off their bike for the first time. idk.
u ever a see a newer driver getting behind the wheel early after an accident? sumtimes, it's shaking hands city. we all learn at a different pace.
jury is out on who he is and what he may become. im certainly cheering for him, and hoping for the best.

 

[HooperScooper]

last season, it seemed ridiculous the small amount of time that he played, unless there was a mutual understanding between coach and him to come back slowly.
this season, it seems ridiculous the small amount of time that he plays, unless there is a mutual understanding between coach and him to come back slowly.
he has potentially years left here, so i'll just assume that the 'slow roll' is the game plan. do i know that? no. is it possible? yes.
not everrone is kevin durant. in fact, no one is. that's why he is kevin durant.
it does seem, at times, and from the expression on his face, that akok is pleasantly surprised when he does a physical thing, and his body does not shatter into a million pieces. i like that look from him.
mebbe his mental state is akin to a first time car accident driver, or a first timer getting thrown from a horse, or a child falling off their bike for the first time. idk.
u ever a see a newer driver getting behind the wheel early after an accident? sumtimes, it's shaking hands city. we all learn at a different pace.
jury is out on who he is and what he may become. im certainly cheering for him, and hoping for the best.

Hurley has continually said Akok is now fully healthy. Akok has said the same. Now are they not telling the whole truth? Definitely a possibility.

“I feel amazing compared to back in March,” Akok said. “My body feels incredible. I feel much healthier. Once I went home back [to New Hampshire] in May, that was the real turnaround. This summer is the most that I’ve felt, ‘I’m back.’”

Akok Akok, back at full strength, looks to make up for lost time and be a force with UConn men

Akok Akok has never been a man of volume. A conversation with him features an economy of words, a mellow tone, a certain mystique. And it was with such matter-of-factness that Akok declared to the …

www.courant.com

Alternate free access: Outline - Read & annotate without distractions

 

[87Xfer]

Hurley has continually said Akok is now fully healthy. Akok has said the same. Now are they not telling the whole truth? Definitely a possibility.

“I feel amazing compared to back in March,” Akok said. “My body feels incredible. I feel much healthier. Once I went home back [to New Hampshire] in May, that was the real turnaround. This summer is the most that I’ve felt, ‘I’m back.’”

Akok Akok, back at full strength, looks to make up for lost time and be a force with UConn men

Akok Akok has never been a man of volume. A conversation with him features an economy of words, a mellow tone, a certain mystique. And it was with such matter-of-factness that Akok declared to the …

www.courant.com

Alternate free access: Outline - Read & annotate without distractions

Could it just be as simple as there's a difference between being healthy and being back at your peak physical performance? When I had injuries as an athlete, the point of being fully healed / healthy was sort of the starting point for getting back to peak fitness.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I think he'll develop into a starting caliber player next year. It's just hard to find a rhythm playing 5 minutes a game. And two big lineups are a thing of the past, unless your 4 has perimeter skills. He should be the favorite to backup Sanogo next year.

 

[Kenny11]

Before Atlantis I thought Akok looked great.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Yes. He needs minutes and not as the 5. I posted in another thread. His per 40 minute numbers are impressive. He needs to shoot more, but part of that is his teammates not looking to get him the ball. He’s shooting 50% and .556 from 3. He’s rebounding at over 13 per 40 minutes, tops on the team. He blocks shots at a high rate and doesn’t turn the ball over.

I think Hurley has hamstrung him by playing him as the backup 5. That gives him defensive matchups he can’t handle. He’s a 4. Play him with Sanogo or make Whaley the 5. Play him with Johnson as the 5 if we have to.

 

[navery12]

I think it's time to move on from any expectations for Akok. He hasn't looked good in the minutes he's gotten this year. Don't think he has to be taken out of the rotation or anything, but give him his 10-15 minutes a game as the backup 4 like he has been getting and I'm good with that. But I have no idea what people thinking he needs to play more are watching

 

[bendm]

we don't have anyone close to a complete player on the roster. they all have extreme mixes of strengths and weaknesses. this is further compounded by the fact that our players' individual strengths dont really complement each other, and/or we can't take advantage of said strengths, especially in the starting lineup, given our roster construction.

 

[superjohn]

we don't have anyone close to a complete player on the roster. they all have extreme mixes of strengths and weaknesses. this is further compounded by the fact that our players' individual strengths dont really complement each other, and/or we can't take advantage of said strengths, especially in the starting lineup, given our roster construction.

I hear you but what does it mean to be a complete player? I would say Cole is a complete player. He runs the team well, plays very good D, is a really good scorer and shooter. I would say Martin is a complete player. He can play physical in the post and can play out on the perimeter, really good rebounder and athlete who can get out on the break. Sanogo dominates in the post on offense and is a good defender.

Pretty much every player will have some flaw(s) or things they're better at than other things, if they didn't they would be in the NBA. Even NBA players have strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Umami Zen]

IMO.. AA has no/limited lower body strength. The big dudes push him around with ease. He's got to have a role that allows for verticality and off-side/weak side D.. He is what he is. Not too dissimilar to Tyler Phommachanh. Not going to use his height/wing span to mix it up with the big boys.. Going to stay out on the perimeter.

Edit.Have no idea why the name after Tyler comes up.

 

[jibsey]

He can rebound snd block shots to some degree but he does not have the body to bang with BE players. I loved those summer posts showing how he “bulked up”. Sadly we need him now in this time of injury to Martin and Sanogo.

 

[bendm]

IMO.. AA has no/limited lower body strength. The big dudes push him around with ease. He's got to have a role that allows for verticality and off-side/weak side D.. He is what he is. Not too dissimilar to Tyler Phommachanh. Not going to use his height/wing span to mix it up with the big boys.. Going to stay out on the perimeter.

Edit.Have no idea why the name after Tyler comes up.

i absolutely love the guy and we need him to turn it around so he can be the starting PF on our champ team next year but at this point ive forgotten why/how he was a 5* recruit

even when he was his old springy self, he didn't display the defensive strength, rebounding, or face up shot blocking ability of your typical lithe and lanky 5* UK bigs e.g. Isaiah jackson, daimion collins, marcus lee, etc. even samson is bigger than akok and allegedly a better shooter yet he wasn't a 5*.

maybe he comps to wenyan gabriel but still not as good a shooter? i wish he had improved his 3 point shot in order to compensate for his injury.

 

[jdb50]

He is a 4. Play him with Whaley as he can pass and they were able to get the job done together in the past.

 

[mauconnfan]

Long way to go. Hope he finds his role but for now the impact isn’t a positive. Defensively weak, pushed out of rebounding position easily against bulkier players. Like kid hope he finds his way but I’m not confident in ‘21-‘22.

 

[HooperScooper]

“It was good for him to get a lob dunk, make some impact blocks, and you know he drove the ball, he played offense today,” Hurley said. “In the Bahamas, I think he was just a little frozen out there in terms of just trying to get into the flow of things.”

UConn men’s basketball forward Akok Akok finally steps up when his number is called

With UConn stars Adama Sanogo and Tyrese Martin out due to injuries, Akok Akok finally stepped up and made an impact on both ends of the court against Grambling State.

www.courant.com

Alternative free link: UConn men's basketball forward Akok Akok finally steps up when his number is called

 

[Palatine]

Akok is still knocking the rust off. It will take time.

But watch him run back to the defensive end after a made basket. It's pretty impressive.

 

[dennismenace]

I think he will be an increasingly important part of our team as the months go on. He has athleticism that seems back to normal and he played with passion even though a bit rusty as noted above. As long as he stays healthy I expect his confidence to continue grow and when he is on he can be spectacular in a different but somewhat similar way as Ajax. He is longggggggg with speed and great hops. He has intangibles and you expect to see OMG moments once he gets into action. Gotta love his character coming back from such a serious injury. I think he's rounding into shape at precisely the right time with Sanogo and Martin out.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I can't imagine another UConn player who makes me more happy to watch play basketball than Akok Akok.

 

[businesslawyer]

He is a 4. Play him with Whaley as he can pass and they were able to get the job done together in the past.

Huh? In 19-20, IW barely played until Akok tore his Achilles. In 20-21, Akok barely played.

 

[gtcam]

He is a 4. Play him with Whaley as he can pass and they were able to get the job done together in the past.

He is no way a 4 in Div1 high level basketball
He's a 3 and needs to be playing the 3 but on this team with Tyrese and DH's determination to give AJ as many minutes as he has - Akok isn't seeing those minutes. I would like to see Akok take some of AJ's minutes because I think he could put some points in the board with some mid range jumpers that are there for AJ but he refuses to take them. Akok still needs to work on playing D with his feet.

 

[NH Husky]

Think Rudy Johnson but hopefully a higher comeback ceiling.

 

[jibsey]

The 20 BE games will be war. What do we need? Rebounding. AJ, Akok, Johnson, Whaley. I liked what I saw last night.