James Akinjo

[Fishy]

Vance can be a pretty good offensive player but he wouldn't be a real fit for what Hurley is doing, Sid and the guy coming in should be better by a wide margin.

A 6’8” guy who can shoot, pass and rebound is a fit for everything Hurley is doing.

Give him a coach who isn’t an indifferent jackass and see what he can do. (He just went for 18 and 12 against Iona a few minutes ago.)

 

[MDHuskFan]

A 6’8” guy who can shoot, pass and rebound is a fit for everything Hurley is doing.

Give him a coach who isn’t an indifferent jackass and see what he can do. (He just went for 18 and 12 against Iona a few minutes ago.)

Yeah.... to tag onto this, for anyone that looked at the shape/athleticism of Vance his freshman year.... please see the Eric Cobb Transformation. I salivate at a potential Small ball positionless lineup of AG, Jalen, T.Smith/Vital, Sid & Vance for short spurts

 

[Horatio]

I think the players that decomitted or transfered got replaced with equal talent for this season and next. Vance = Sid , Tarin Smith / Gaffney = Akinjo , Carlton = Enoch.
You can argue that Enoch is better than Carlton and Durham wasn’t replaced but then that’ll get cancelled out if we get any of the post guys we’re recruiting. Say what you want. I’m still gonna watch the guys that are gone but I don’t look at it as if any of those guys are better than what we have and may be getting.

 

[superjohn]

A 6’8” guy who can shoot, pass and rebound is a fit for everything Hurley is doing.

Give him a coach who isn’t an indifferent jackass and see what he can do. (He just went for 18 and 12 against Iona a few minutes ago.)

As I said I like Vance on offense but his foot speed isn't a great fit for our pressure defense. He would certainly be a help right now but going forward I think Sid and the guy coming in will fit better. I'm happy for Vance and the others that they left, they loved the program but they knew they weren't going to develop.

 

[tentoes4rings]

A 6’8” guy who can shoot, pass and rebound is a fit for everything Hurley is doing.

Give him a coach who isn’t an indifferent jackass and see what he can do. (He just went for 18 and 12 against Iona a few minutes ago.)

Of all the transfers, I always felt Vance was the guy that was going to really sting. Good size, great 3 pt potential, he would have brought an extra dimension to this team. I don’t blame the kid for leaving the previous administration, wish him luck.

 

[superjohn]

I think the players that decomitted or transfered got replaced with equal talent for this season and next. Vance = Sid , Tarin Smith / Gaffney = Akinjo , Carlton = Enoch.
You can argue that Enoch is better than Carlton and Durham wasn’t replaced but then that’ll get cancelled out if we get any of the post guys we’re recruiting. Say what you want. I’m still gonna watch the guys that are gone but I don’t look at it as if any of those guys are better than what we have and may be getting.

They are all good players, we knew that. It's why it was so dumb that people on this board were blaming Enoch and Vance. They all got the hell out of here for one reason, coach Ollie. I'll happily root for their careers but don't care about losing them. it was good for them and will be good for us. We have enough to win now and are going to win big pretty soon.

Glad we aren't stuck with MAL wasting a scholarship.

 

[MDHuskFan]

They are all good players, we knew that. It's why it was so dumb that people on this board were blaming Enoch and Vance. They all got the hell out of here for one reason, coach Ollie. I'll happily root for their careers but don't care about losing them. it was good for them and will be good for us. We have enough to win now and are going to win big pretty soon.

Glad we aren't stuck with MAL wasting a scholarship.

How many great HS guards who can’t shoot learn how to do so in college? (Serious question)

Broad generalization, but Seems like littles who rely on athleticism in HS get to college and struggle more with the increased size/speed of d1 ball. Beyond not being able to blow by people, they get less space on jumpers, in turn resulting in worse shooting %’s.

 

[KingAG]

How many great HS guards who can’t shoot learn how to do so in college? (Serious question)

Broad generalization, but Seems like littles who rely on athleticism in HS get to college and struggle more with the increased size/speed of d1 ball. Beyond not being able to blow by people, they get less space on jumpers, in turn resulting in worse shooting %’s.

Kemba is one that comes to mind

 

[Fishy]

I think the players that decomitted or transfered got replaced with equal talent for this season and next. Vance = Sid , Tarin Smith / Gaffney = Akinjo , Carlton = Enoch.
You can argue that Enoch is better than Carlton and Durham wasn’t replaced but then that’ll get cancelled out if we get any of the post guys we’re recruiting. Say what you want. I’m still gonna watch the guys that are gone but I don’t look at it as if any of those guys are better than what we have and may be getting.

You don’t replace Enoch with Carlton.

We had both and then one left...and we never replaced him. We had Jackson and Polley and then one left....and so on. Our front court depth is so bad because we lost players and never replaced them. (Or we replaced them with stretch recruiting.)

 

[MDHuskFan]

Kemba is one that comes to mind

Fair,Kemba seems more exception than the norm though doesn’t he. I meant this more referring to MAL. Kemba even as a Sophomore shot pretty damn terribly.

MAL isn’t a 1&done, 2 & done or potentionally not a next level player at all. Just wouldn’t write him off, players with his skill set seem to take a moment longer to develop. That being said, they also are accountable to develop their game & improve shooting.

 

[Fishy]

Fair,Kemba seems more exception than the norm though doesn’t he. I meant this more referring to MAL. Kemba even as a Sophomore shot pretty damn terribly.

MAL isn’t a 1&done, 2 & done or potentionally not a next level player at all. Just wouldn’t write him off, players with his skill set seem to take a moment longer to develop. That being said, they also are accountable to develop their game & improve shooting.

Unfortunately, he’s just not very good and he’s in a bad situation. His minutes are starting to dwindle - he played six minutes tonight. And he can’t shoot a lick - he’s something like 3-30 on threes in his career and his shot just looks brutal.

He’s fallen off the table - I’ll be surprised if he’s at Providence in the second semester and shocked if he’s there next year.

We’re lucky to have avoided that one.

 

[MDHuskFan]

Unfortunately, he’s just not very good and he’s in a bad situation. His minutes are starting to dwindle - he played six minutes tonight. And he can’t shoot a lick - he’s something like 3-30 on threes in his career and his shot just looks brutal.

He’s fallen off the table - I’ll be surprised if he’s at Providence in the second semester and shocked if he’s there next year.

We’re lucky to have avoided that one.

Can’t disagree at all. Where he was ranked with his skills set seemed like the greatest boom or bust. Unfortunately we know what side the fence he fell

 

[Burnsbros23]

Akinjo was very good tonight. Looks to have gotten much stronger. McClung also is going to be very good at Georgetown big east is way down they could have a nice year. Ayo dosumnu who we lightly recruited also looked great tonight.

As long as alterique stays healthy he will be great.

Vance and dad seemed to be a bit much. Maybe it was Ollie tho. He bounced around high school and AAU tho I’m guessing cause of dad.

Enoch under Hurley could of been really good.

 

[Chief00]

eh i watched it he wasnt "great". He made some good plays down the stretch. He will be a great player though

A Blaze recruit. A moment in a bottle.

 

[Chief00]

A 6’8” guy who can shoot, pass and rebound is a fit for everything Hurley is doing.

Give him a coach who isn’t an indifferent jackass and see what he can do. (He just went for 18 and 12 against Iona a few minutes ago.)

True, shooting and rebounding are difference makers.

 

[Chief00]

Akinjo was very good tonight. Looks to have gotten much stronger. McClung also is going to be very good at Georgetown big east is way down they could have a nice year. Ayo dosumnu who we lightly recruited also looked great tonight.

As long as alterique stays healthy he will be great.

Vance and dad seemed to be a bit much. Maybe it was Ollie tho. He bounced around high school and AAU tho I’m guessing cause of dad.

Enoch under Hurley could of been really good.

Good post - in particular the Enoch comment.

 

[CTBasketball]

Akinjo looked inspiring. He would have been sixth man off the bench for this team - I would rather have Tarin Smith because he’s a smarter basketball player and brings experience.

We’re gonna have a raw backcourt next year and Akinjo would have aided in that category though. But I think we need W’s now.

 

[Hoophound]

Akinjo looked inspiring. He would have been sixth man off the bench for this team - I would rather have Tarin Smith because he’s a smarter basketball player and brings experience.

We’re gonna have a raw backcourt next year and Akinjo would have aided in that category though. But I think we need W’s now.

Unless you mean “raw” as in awesome, I don’t see it. Yes, we lose Jalen and Tarin, but will still have Alterique, Christian and Brendon Adams along with freshmen Gaffney and Bouknight. No one is going to feel sorry for us with that backcourt. If we get another grad transfer at guard with some size, we’ll have an absolute embarrassment of riches. Don’t underestimate the one year jump we’ll see from Brendon Adams. Kid will be good.

 

[Pudge]

Enoch is the kid many here were wrong about. I agree with the comments ... his own self motivation was poor. But his size & skill set is visually awesome.

A career development coach - which is where Mack then Hurley fits a profile - would bring Enoch to draftable NBA talent from his raw talent. A Connecticut kid. We can dump on Ollie for a decade; weirdest arc of most any CBB I can think about. He lacked the full complement of being that college coach. I would think Mark Price or Terry Porter may be equally pegged. But ... Ollie was on a bigger stage.

 

[Ricker]

Against Central CT Akinjo was out of control, took some bad shots, and was as sloppy with the ball as Gilbert was in the last couple minutes of the Morehead State game. Didn't see Illinois. Confident they will both have great games. I wanted Akinjo but I do feel he has been 'replaced'. I thought Kisunas played great against North Carolina in the minutes I saw channel flipping. I have watched him a number of times at Brewster and posted my evaluation that he was an adequate rotation player but not the impact scoring player in the front court that we needed. On the other hand, he looks like he has added weight and power and will give Stanford everything that Jake Voskuhl gave us. His basket was running the floor on the break. Stats don't show it, but he conducted himself against UNC like he owned the defensive paint. UNC. Some rebounds went to teammates because he was keeping UNC rebounders off the glass. You need impact players around him but we did not 'replace' him for this year and he might have been just the power low post player this year's team needs, and the rotation player when our front court stars commit. Plus, he would still be here if our potential 5 stars move on to nba careers early.

 

[Paesano]

Why Akinjo wasn’t drawn to what Hurley was selling is a mystery, but I am sure playing time at GT was appealing

When he chose UConn, who were the other teams on his final list?

 

[JimHurley]

Very dumb post. Akinjo is great. Eventually, 1st team all-Big East good. He is not better than Gilbert. He’s played, what, 5 games over the past 2 years? Once the rust is gone AG will be All-American good. Also, no question/no debate: No Akinjo + Hurley >>>>> Akinjo + Ollie. I can live with his decommient no matter how good he becomes. Best of luck to the kid

 

[Mr. French]

James is a great player, AG is a great player. AG is 2 years older & 2 years removed from ball. To compare the two is wild.

This is on my MT Rushmore of dumbest posts of this season.

25 headed Mount Rushmore via the Boneyard.

 

[gtcam]

I know it's one game, but I am watching James Akinjo against Illinois, and he is great. He is a better version of Alterique Gilbert, don't hate me for saying it, just watch him play.

I don't know what or why you would say he is better than Gilbert I watched and he is good but not AG good - YET

 

[UConnRock]

I don't know what or why you would say he is better than Gilbert I watched and he is good but not AG good - YET

Nobody here has seen AG enough to make any determination about how good he really is. Classic boneyard where Akinjo looks good in 1 game against a bottom ranked team in the B1G and conclusive statements are made. Illinois was ranked only above Rutgers in pre-season predictions. Dosunmu put up 25 points on 9-15 shooting in a battle of freshman PGs, so Akinjo apparently need some work on defense.

 

[Towney007]

The trade was essentially Hurley for Akinjo.

I'll take Hurley over 100 Akinjo's. I'm literally not losing a lick of sleep over it and haven't even thought about the kid until this thread. Even had he come, he'd have been a disaster under Ollie. I'll guarantee we would have gotten nothing out of him.

 

[gtcam]

Of all the transfers, I always felt Vance was the guy that was going to really sting. Good size, great 3 pt potential, he would have brought an extra dimension to this team. I don’t blame the kid for leaving the previous administration, wish him luck.

His baggage and his father wasn't worth it
Yeah the kid could shoot the three but was a ghost defensively and hustled only when he felt like it
Attitude counts - if you saw him in practice or watched him during games when he was sitting on the bench you would understand what I am alluding to in the big picture
Blame KO if you want BUT the kid shares a huge part of what happened
I wish him no ill will but hope he grows up without relying on Daddy and stands on his own 2 feet and realizes that attitude plays a big part

 

[RedsoxCowboys]

I don't know what or why you would say he is better than Gilbert I watched and he is good but not AG good - YET

I like Gilbert too, but some of you make it sound like he is the best player to ever play at UConn.

 

[intlzncster]

Thanks KO!


Of course what's not mentioned is that he would have transferred out after year 1 so he could actually learn to play basketball.

 

[JB75]

The only bad thing about Ollie was that Akinjo decided to un-enroll at uconn. and let’s calm down saying he’s better than Gilbert - he might be - but give AG sometime to get his feet wet