James Akinjo Decommits

[Excalibur]

He may be a good player somewhere, but I’m pretty sure he wasn’t going to reach his potential under Ollie.

I think this is a point many are missing. Lesser player than Akinjo under competent coaching staff > Akinjo under Ollie.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

Well whoever comes in won't have much more to with with than Ollie did. We'll see if talent it coaching really was the problem

 

[JMick]

We have been depending on grad transfers far too much lately. The occasional transfer is okay but rather see us get kids we can take time to develop. Hopefully with a new coach we won't face all the negative recruiting that we've endured these past two or three years.

this is probably the best time to take a few grad transfers. generally I don't like taking them but we may not have a choice if we want to be competitive next year

 

[auror]

Told ya.

Oh well. There will be other decommits from other schools:

Verbal Commits | Rhode Island Basketball Recruiting Scholarship Chart: Roster, Offers, Commits, Targets, Rankings

Has Hurley been on anyone who could fill the ship?

No, but that Jermaine Harris kid is a center? I'm intrigued.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Recruiting is about the relationship with coach more than anything. Kids need to feel comfortable. Ollie forms good relationships.

With certain players. But far too many have hated him and couldn't get out fast enough.

 

[Block C]

Now how does that work when he signed a NLI

 

[Stainmaster]

Now how does that work when he signed a NLI

The school will face a huge backlash if they don’t let him out.

 

[Robertelamin]

Now how does that work when he signed a NLI

I'm sure UConn will let him go just like MAL last year.

 

[Lefty2one]

This was easier to see coming than Vance Jackson transferring last year. I think most of the fanbase knew this kid would never set foot in Storrs.

 

[AntG168]

The school will face a huge backlash if they don’t let him out.

They’ll wait until a new coach is hired, so that he can be re-recruited

 

[UConn990411]

this is probably the best time to take a few grad transfers. generally I don't like taking them but we may not have a choice if we want to be competitive next year

I’d prefer to see the coach take a huge freshman class like Calhoun did after the 05-06 season, and hope that half of them develop.

They’re not going to contend next year no matter what. It’s time to start building the program with a deep recruiting class.

 

[deedougie]

I saw Akinjo play and he is a really good point guard. Leading the best team in Nor Cal this season. Its a loss but you can't force anyone where they want to go. UConn is facing a rebuilding task for sure.

 

[ZenConn]

I think this is a point many are missing. Lesser player than Akinjo under competent coaching staff > Akinjo under Ollie.

We don't know who will be the coach but hopefully the new coach will reel him back in.

 

[JMick]

I’d prefer to see the coach take a huge freshman class like Calhoun did after the 05-06 season, and hope that half of them develop.

They’re not going to contend next year no matter what. It’s time to start building the program with a deep recruiting class.

if we can grab some decommits and uncommited kids when coaches are fired that's the best case scenario. step 1 will be recruiting the players that are here that you want to keep. If Adams, Gilbert and Wilson all come back it will be a nice little core. I think next seasons recruiting will be the time to try and bring in a big class

 

[Danzz]

Losing him is a huge loss based upon the team makeup next season. Akinjo could have been a huge difference maker. Our only true PG is Gilbert and we know how shaky that is,.

 

[Danzz]

We don't know who will be the coach but hopefully the new coach will reel him back in.

Not likely, I'd bet that he already knows where he is going based upon his stock rising and it isn't UConn. He had an offer from Virginia.

 

[ZenConn]

Not likely, I'd bet that he already knows where he is going based upon his stock rising and it isn't UConn. He had an offer from Virginia.

Other fish in the sea then!

 

[MilliniumPrince]

What is this love affair with Hurley?

 

[Wordbomar]

Sid and Gilbert are going nowhere because they’d have to sit out another year and I doubt Adams is going anywhere because why would he want to sit one year and play one year when he has draft hopes and is already 22 turning 23. Those three are the only ones I feel good about being back for sure

 

[Matrim55]

What is this love affair with Hurley?

He's a local-ish guy who's turned around two programs in the past decade, raising both to new heights. He recruits the local area pretty well, his teams defend like hell, his players don't transfer, and he has a ton of UConn ties (Moore, Blaney, having Calhoun out to Kingston to talk to the team before each of the past two seasons). He's also been a head coach for almost 2 decades, and almost one decade at the college level despite his relative youth.

Remove his first, rebuilding year at Wagner and his first, rebuilding year at URI and his winning % is 66%, which is elite.

Would I take him over, say, Chris Mack? Probably not. But he's easily the best fit & resume of coaches who are potentially available.

 

[Dove]

James Akinjo...I hardly knew him.


Wait...I never knew him.

NEXT!!!!!!

 

[Padutch5]

This was easier to see coming than Vance Jackson transferring last year. I think most of the fanbase knew this kid would never set foot in Storrs.

I assume you all noted that his tweet was at 11 AM EST this morning. Assuming he is in Calif, where it was 8 AM I don't think he was surprised at this announcement.

 

[TheRealKBuks]

What is this love affair with Hurley?

he made URI the best team in NE right under our noses

 

[UConnStats]

He's a local-ish guy who's turned around two programs in the past decade, raising both to new heights. He recruits the local area pretty well, his teams defend like hell, his players don't transfer, and he has a ton of UConn ties (Moore, Blaney, having Calhoun out to Kingston to talk to the team before each of the past two seasons). He's also been a head coach for almost 2 decades, and almost one decade at the college level despite his relative youth.

Remove his first, rebuilding year at Wagner and his first, rebuilding year at URI and his winning % is 66%, which is elite.

Would I take him over, say, Chris Mack? Probably not. But he's easily the best fit & resume of coaches who are potentially available.

He’s a pretty damn good coach. The best in New England or the tri-state area. The only young guys that would tempt me more are Beard, Mack, and Keatts.

 

[CL82]

The school will face a huge backlash if they don’t let him out.

But it happens. I think Martelli did this at least once, if not more.