Emeka's live interview in 2nd half between minute 16 and minute 12

[upstater]

Emeka as always is incredibly impressive. He honed in on what makes the UConn program special not by speaking platitudes you've come to expect in such interviews, but by pointing out the people in the program and specifically detailing what they bring to the whole thing. It needs to be recorded and played for any recruit. More importantly Emeka seems destined for a serious leadership position somewhere, and I can't imagine why he doesn't have one already. I'm not talking about coaching.

 

[gsmooth]

Exactly. His interview was insightful not just BS platitudes. It definitely can be another part of the coaching staff's recruiting pitch for sure.

 

[Bazz2014]

We have incredible alums who are genuinely engaged with the program 20+ years on. That is special.

If I’m a recruit and I hear this interview, I’ve learned that:

- our alums are heavily engaged and available to the players. So in addition to getting coached by the best staff in the country, I can call up Mek, Rip, Ray etc. for a pep talk when I need one.

- you come to this school and commit to the goal of winning it all you are a legend for life. This program will always be home to you.

- the fan base is one of the best in the country and has been for decades.

Add all that to the Hurley pitch, who TF doesn’t want to play here?!

 

[housekeys]

- the fan base is one of the best in the country and has been for decades.

Exactly. We are not a "brotherhood "<snark>. We are more like a neighborhood.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The only downside today was that the game was on FS1, not Fox. If a national audience got to see that game and hear Emeka speak about how special (and unique) being part of the school is, recruiting would be unbelievably easy.

 

[Huskybass]

Emeka is one of the finest people on the planet. Period.

 

[HuskyHawk]

His choices were UConn and Stanford. Emeka is legitimately super smart and very well spoken. If he had wanted to go into TV they would be thrilled. He’s also handsome and has that killer smile.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

I always thought Okafor would make a great Senator.

 

[Dove]

I heart him.

 

[Poe]

What’s he doing these days?

 

[uconngb]

We have incredible alums who are genuinely engaged with the program 20+ years on. That is special.

If I’m a recruit and I hear this interview, I’ve learned that:

- our alums are heavily engaged and available to the players. So in addition to getting coached by the best staff in the country, I can call up Mek, Rip, Ray etc. for a pep talk when I need one.

- you come to this school and commit to the goal of winning it all you are a legend for life. This program will always be home to you.

- the fan base is one of the best in the country and has been for decades.

Add all that to the Hurley pitch, who TF doesn’t want to play here?!

Copper Flagg for one!

 

[superjohn]

What’s he doing these days?

I think he's just enjoying life in NYC with his wife and two kids.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

When I was a sophomore in high school I had an english teacher who tried to tell me he was stupid (he thought this of all athletes. He was jealous he had to go to eastern.). I proceded to print off about 20 pages of articles discussing Emeka's academics, business school etc and threw it on his desk the nest day and said: "read some facts then come see me."

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Didn’t Emeka graduate in 3 years from the school of medicine? (which is/was #1 in the country for public schools)

 

[aburks41]

Emeka is the man. Total coaches dream. Star player, academic genius, great human being. Love having him around the program

 

[rip7774]

Didn’t Emeka graduate in 3 years from the school of medicine? (which is/was #1 in the country for public schools)

I thought he was finance major.

 

[HuskyHoosier]

I believe he was also a Rhodes scholar. And he did all this without staying at a holiday inn.

 

[Mr. French]

Finance or some sort of business. Not medicine.

 

[uconnfan68]

Didn’t Emeka graduate in 3 years from the school of medicine? (which is/was #1 in the country for public schools)

3yrs, but business, not medicine.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I thought he was finance major.

I don’t know where I got medicine from. I thought I used to see stories about how he could be a surgeon if he wanted to. My brain must’ve made that up.

Here’s a cool article from that time that speaks to how great he was both on and off the court.

Okafor plays game with brawn and brain

WashPost: UConn star clearly one unique player

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Gurleyman]

He basically graduated in 2.5 years. Just kept one independent study course for the last semester to be considered a full-time student and be eligible (you don’t have to take the minimum 12 credits if you are finishing your degree).

His GPA was around a 3.8. Thought he was bright enough for a 4.0, but one of the stories I remember back then said he took a required calculus class for his finance major, where he took the option of just reading the textbook on his own and taking the final. He read it in a week and got a B on the test, but it saved him a semester’s worth of class time.

 

[superjohn]

He basically graduated in 2.5 years. Just kept one independent study course for the last semester to be considered a full-time student and be eligible (you don’t have to take the minimum 12 credits if you are finishing your degree).

His GPA was around a 3.8. Thought he was bright enough for a 4.0, but one of the stories I remember back then said he took a required calculus class for his finance major, where he took the option of just reading the textbook on his own and taking the final. He read it in a week and got a B on the test, but it saved him a semester’s worth of class time.

Nigerian/Nigerian Americans are excellent students.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Does anyone have the segment where he is interviewed? If not guess we'll hope it's on the replay

 

[huskyjawz]

Emeka as always is incredibly impressive. He honed in on what makes the UConn program special not by speaking platitudes you've come to expect in such interviews, but by pointing out the people in the program and specifically detailing what they bring to the whole thing. It needs to be recorded and played for any recruit. More importantly Emeka seems destined for a serious leadership position somewhere, and I can't imagine why he doesn't have one already. I'm not talking about coaching.

Is there a way to view/listen to this?

 

[AtlHusky]

I think he's just enjoying life in NYC with his wife and two kids.

I was most impressed by the fact that he looked just like he did coming out of college and not in his 40s. He's doing something right.