James Akinjo Leaving Georgetown

[superjohn]

His shooting percentages weren't great last year except for FT's, and his FG and 3 Point shooting numbers are off this year, but the kid sure had swagger from day one. I know it's a different sport, but if RE was asked he'd likely say Akinjo has "it".

And what do we do if Wahab enters the portal? His early stats look good.

Good lord, you're quoting Randy Edsall.

 

[UconnU]

We can't take any of their guys so it doesn't matter.

We can take their 2020 kids released from LOIs though right? I ask because I doubt Ewing will even be coaching GT next year. They have 2 kids coming in within that 70-100 range we do well in. Unfortunately they are both power forwards, our deepest position heading into next season. We need a guard.

 

[2north]

Reality mau, is that you don't really want any of those guys starting on a good UConn team. They are all role players. We need Bouknight level players. Now that's evaluating talent.

And pre injury, everybody knew Gilbert was really good. He was an AA for god sake.

However, those are really separate topics -evaluating vs signing vs coaching. UConn was a finalist for a lot of big time recruits, they just never got here.

 

[Kenny11]

Wow. I want to believe that it wasn't as bad that sounds, but it is hard to imagine otherwise.

The craziest thing I read was those players not showing up to hearings. I can’t believe they would be advised to no-show and if they were trying to hide it, it’s still very hard to believe Ewing, the AD and the whole school didn’t know about this.

 

[UConn Esq]

hahahaha - can you imagine? ESPN would have this on their front page in 5 seconds if this was us. No chance guys would play.

Georgetown players accused of burglary, assault

Georgetown players Josh LeBlanc and Galen Alexander received restraining orders resulting from accusations of harassment and burglary, while Myron Gardner was accused of sexual harassment and assault.

www.espn.com

Its on the front page for them too actually

 

[UConnRock]

You have to wonder how much of this is Akinjo and his people laying the groundwork for transferring without sitting out a full year. The public perception for Ewing and G'town looks horrible on multiple levels. He seemed like he had a good thing.

 

[freescooter]

Wow, not a good look for Ewing if this turns out to be the case. View attachment 48788

Sounds like an excuse rather than a reason to me. Hard to believe Ewing would do something like that. The rest of it though is what is horrible. Burglary threatening people assault. And it happened in September but nobody acted until now.

 

[Horatio]

No. We’re considered a Big East school for transfers, at least according to multiple posts in this thread.

It’s a hardship. His coach was disrespectful to his deceased mother. He should be able to play wherever he wants after that.

 

[pj]

We can take their 2020 kids released from LOIs though right? I ask because I doubt Ewing will even be coaching GT next year. They have 2 kids coming in within that 70-100 range we do well in. Unfortunately they are both power forwards, our deepest position heading into next season. We need a guard.

A guard would help for 2020-21, but we're recruiting power forwards heavily in the class of 2021, because Carlton, Whaley, and Polley will be graduating. Akok might be able to leave early too.

It wouldn't be terrible to get a class of 2020 big. The roster would be big-heavy but the logjam for minutes would ease up after the first year.

 

[freescooter]

It’s a hardship. His coach was disrespectful to his deceased mother. He should be able to play wherever he wants after that.

Oh please. How is that a hardship? I can get he doesn’t want to play at Gtown any more or for Ewing. But it is hardly a hardship.

 

[2north]

From Akinjo’s aunt. She was closely involved during his recruitment here.

 

[Horatio]

Oh please. How is that a hardship? I can get he doesn’t want to play at Gtown any more or for Ewing. But it is hardly a hardship.

Again, allegedly, his HEAD coach talked about
his deceased mother. If true, how is he supposed to play for that coach. It’s not repairable and therefore he has to play somewhere else. It can be viewed as a hardship, if true, especially in 2019.

 

[Kathy]

Oh please. How is that a hardship? I can get he doesn’t want to play at Gtown any more or for Ewing. But it is hardly a hardship.

Depending on what was said it could be bullying or intimidating behavior. That would be enough to consider hardship. He wouldn't be leaving for lack of playing time or I'm homesick or I made the wrong decision. I can see him getting a waiver.

 

[CL82]

You have to wonder how much of this is Akinjo and his people laying the groundwork for transferring without sitting out a full year. The public perception for Ewing and G'town looks horrible on multiple levels. He seemed like he had a good thing.

I don't think so. Right now it kind of seems like Ewing was an ass to Akinjo and then doubled down by linking his name with this mess. Hope that's not right.

 

[MDHuskFan]

People thought us firing Ollie was hard. Picture being GT and having to fire PATRICK EWING.....

 

[jibsey]

From Akinjo’s aunt. She was closely involved during his recruitment here.

Purely speculating but what if Ewing in a practice session said to Akinjo the following: “your mother if she was alive would not be proud of your effort out there JAMES!” Or something along those lines. Not completely horrendous but maybe he took it badly. If this is in fact true, yes come to Connecticut.

 

[Horatio]

People thought us firing Ollie was hard. Picture being GT and having to fire PATRICK EWING.....

It just seems to me that hiring alumni/ NBA players as college coaches doesn’t work out for anyone and always comes with Drama.

 

[BGesus4]

Purely speculating but what if Ewing in a practice session said to Akinjo the following: “your mother if she was alive would not be proud of your effort out there JAMES!” Or something along those lines. Not completely horrendous but maybe he took it badly. If this is in fact true, yes come to Connecticut.

Who wouldn't take that badly???
If he said anything along those lines, he's lucky he didn't get cracked in the face (prob helps that his is seven feet off the ground).

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Let me ask you a simple question....

do all the players you just mentioned exemplify where you EXPECT UConn basketball to be? or do you also say the the talent level just isn’t there to fit your narrative.

pretty good isn’t good enough for UConn, I’m sorry

Oh god.

 

[uconngb]

Purely speculating but what if Ewing in a practice session said to Akinjo the following: “your mother if she was alive would not be proud of your effort out there JAMES!” Or something along those lines. Not completely horrendous but maybe he took it badly. If this is in fact true, yes come to Connecticut.

I dare say that one James Calhoun probably said some pretty god awful things to his players in practice over the years.

 

[hthusky74]

It's got to be because of their "citizenship" or lack thereof. I'm sure the dirt will come out shortly,

 

[MuchoDogYears]

First off, if Hurley wanted Akinjo he would’ve gone after him hard when he took over UConn. Dan Hurley made it clear that he wants big, physical, athletic guards. Akinjo doesn’t fit. He won’t be pursued by Dan Hurley.

Second, it’s pretty obvious that Akinjo, himself having a down year and wanting to jump off a sinking ship, saw this as his opportunity to transfer and play immediately in the spring semester elsewhere.

That’s why he jumped into the transfer portal as soon as the **** hit the fan. This way he looks to the NCAA like he’s a victim of a program that’s disintegrating and my guess is that he’s betting that the NCAA will see it the same way and clear it to allow him to transfer immediately and play as soon as the next semester starts in January.

 

[businesslawyer]

You have to wonder how much of this is Akinjo and his people laying the groundwork for transferring without sitting out a full year. The public perception for Ewing and G'town looks horrible on multiple levels. He seemed like he had a good thing.

Seriously? Waivers aren't voted on by the public. The NCAA doesn't make decisions based on what decisions are discussed on bulletin boards based on the PR.

 

[businesslawyer]

First off, if Hurley wanted Akinjo he would’ve gone after him hard when he took over UConn. Dan Hurley made it clear that he wants big, physical, athletic guards. Akinjo doesn’t fit. He won’t be pursued by Dan Hurley.

Second, it’s pretty obvious that Akinjo, himself having a down year and wanting to jump off a sinking ship, saw this as his opportunity to transfer and play immediately in the spring semester elsewhere.

That’s why he jumped into the transfer portal as soon as the **** hit the fan. This way he looks to the NCAA like he’s a victim of a program that’s disintegrating and my guess is that he’s betting that the NCAA will see it the same way and clear it to allow him to transfer immediately and play as soon as the next semester starts in January.

Absent a terminally ill parent, I would be shocked to see the NCAA grant a waiver in the middle of the season. If they do one, they will be inundated by every kid whose playing time has gone down for a 5 game stretch.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

Absent a terminally ill parent, I would be shocked to see the NCAA grant a waiver in the middle of the season. If they do one, they will be inundated by every kid whose playing time has gone down for a 5 game stretch.

Even a year ago I’d have agreed with you. But the NCAA has really done a 180 on transfers since then.

Have they allowed mid-year transfers? None that I’ve heard of. But based on the trend they’ve been taking, I’m getting the feeling they'll allow Akinjo to be the first.