Josh Carlton C

[JimHurley]

No, you definitely can't. He was a top-20 recruit. By no rational definition is that a "project." He was a top-10 player in the Big East that year.

Well Zach Brown was also a top 20 recruit and many on here considered him a project. I just never thought Oriakhi found himself here. Always underwhelmed. Physically, he was one of the most built guys we've had and he just never grew into his body.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

No, you definitely can't. He was a top-20 recruit. By no rational definition is that a "project." He was a top-10 player in the Big East that year.

Just because your top 20 doesn't mean your not a project.

 

[JimHurley]

Diarra is Enoch's backup if there's no Bamba, if not the starter.

I'd think Diarra would backup Durham at PF.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Ehh, you can make a case either way. He never completely found his footing at UConn imo.

please just end it there... dont continue

 

[CallMeBruce]

Just because your top 20 doesn't mean your not a project.

It almost always does, but even if there are exceptions, Oriakhi obviously wasn't one of them.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I'd think Diarra would backup Durham at PF.

He's going to do both. I know you don't actually watch any basketball, but every team has guys who back up more than one position.

 

[JMick]

Diarra is Enoch's backup if there's no Bamba, if not the starter.

Diarra is going to play the 4... I doubt we see him at the 5 often if at all

 

[UConnSwag11]

It almost always does, but even if there are exceptions, Oriakhi obviously wasn't one of them.

He was a very very good rebounder and rim protector... Ran the floor and made FT's... agreed he want's a project and one of the better bigs we've had since '09... people are bitter the way he left the program... but back to josh, any videos of him playing?

 

[JimHurley]

He's going to do both. I know you don't actually watch any basketball, but every team has guys who back up more than one position.

I watch more college basketball than imaginable.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Well Zach Brown was also a top 20 recruit and many on here considered him a project. I just never thought Oriakhi found himself here. Always underwhelmed. Physically, he was one of the most built guys we've had and he just never grew into his body.

Zach Brown is not a top 20 player. He was early in HS because of his size, but scouts realized his game is super raw. Look at his 247 page, 85 composite and 111 by the site.

 

[JimHurley]

Zach Brown is not a top 20 player. He was early in HS because of his size, but scouts realized his game is super raw. Look at his 247 page, 85 composite and 111 by the site.

Yeah he fell way down. But he was highly ranked (20-25?) when he committed and was still considered a project.

 

[champs99and04]

Oriakhi being a project is one of the odder takes we've seen here. I mean, I suppose it's a subjective term, but if he was a project, so are 95%+ of college basketball players. Kid was a McDonald's all-American who contributed immediately as a freshman and was a beast at times as a sophomore.

 

[sammydabiz]

Oriahki, softest player to ever don a husky uniform

 

[B1GEast]

Oriahki, softest player to ever don a husky uniform

I think Riahki was a solid player, no hate from me

 

[huskyniner]

Oriahki, softest player to ever don a husky uniform

That's Oriakhi, national champ, to you.

 

[champs99and04]

Oriahki, softest player to ever don a husky uniform

People don't even mean it when they say things like this.

 

[sammydabiz]

That's Oriakhi, national champ, to you.

True, and so was Michael Bradley, still doesn't change my narrative about AO. Not trying to be mean, just calling it how I see it.

 

[BUConn10]

If Calton is our only big in that class then we are in trouble. For two years now Ollie has neglected the front court, and it's gotten thinner and thinner each year without any refueling. Now we lose Brimah and Facey and we have freshmen who still need at minimum 2 years to develop taking over for them. We could be in trouble if we don't get an impact guy who can contribute right away. I don't expect Enoch or Durham to be ready to be servicable starters on a contender by next year.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

If Calton is our only big in that class then we are in trouble. For two years now Ollie has neglected the front court, and it's gotten thinner and thinner each year without any refueling. Now we lose Brimah and Facey and we have freshmen who still need at minimum 2 years to develop taking over for them. We could be in trouble if we don't get an impact guy who can contribute right away. I don't expect Enoch or Durham to be ready to be servicable starters on a contender by next year.

Have you ever seen this kid play???And how do you figure Enoch and Durham aren't capable bits?

 

[UChusky916]

I watch more college basketball than imaginable.

Fooled me... never would have thought that.

 

[superjohn]

Oriahki, softest player to ever don a husky uniform

He was a goshdarn beast in the title game against Butler.

 

[UConnSwag11]

He was a goshdarn beast in the title game against Butler.

and texas away... and all our OOC games

 

[superjohn]

If Calton is our only big in that class then we are in trouble. For two years now Ollie has neglected the front court, and it's gotten thinner and thinner each year without any refueling. Now we lose Brimah and Facey and we have freshmen who still need at minimum 2 years to develop taking over for them. We could be in trouble if we don't get an impact guy who can contribute right away. I don't expect Enoch or Durham to be ready to be servicable starters on a contender by next year.

He hasn't neglected it. He has been all over Diamond Stone, Zach Brown, Bamba, Richards, Obiagu etc. He might whiff but it's not because he's not working hard enough or neglecting it. I also expect Durham to be a beast by next year, he's a McD's all-American type talent.

 

[JimHurley]

Fooled me... never would have thought that.

Find something to do other than quote my posts.

 

[superjohn]

and texas away... and all our OOC games

Yup, dominated the Maui Invitational.

 

[Matrim55]

If Calton is our only big in that class then we are in trouble. For two years now Ollie has neglected the front court, and it's gotten thinner and thinner each year without any refueling....

The hell? We're now projected to have at least four 4-star big men on next year's team, one of whom was a borderline 5-star (Durham). We also had a high 4-star C commit then had to cut bait b/c of off-the-court issues, and we landed last year's No. 1 postgrad PF.

Absolute nonsense to say the front court has been neglected.

 

[BUConn10]

The hell? We're now projected to have at least four 4-star big men on next year's team, one of whom was a borderline 5-star (Durham). We also had a high 4-star C commit then had to cut bait b/c of off-the-court issues, and we landed last year's No. 1 postgrad PF.

Absolute nonsense to say the front court has been neglected.

Relative to the talent we have been bring in in the backcourt, the front court is without a doubt lagging in terms of incoming talent. The only impact player we have recruited brought in is Durham and he will be eased into the game slowly with his injuries, leaving us with really only Enoch and Diarra as the big next year.

As it's currently constructed, our team produces all of its offense through its guards and the occasional wing player. We don't have a single big that we've seen play yet that you can just dump the ball to and let go to work. Our bigs only contribute in the form of rebounds, putbacks and lobs, that's it and very lacking for a team that has championship aspirations. I get that we won a title with Brimah but that's a bad example because (a) freshman brimah was a lot better than people expected or thought, his development has just lagged since, and (b) we had a transcendent college player with with great complimentary pieces. Carlton seems like a good 4 year project but seriously as of right now there is a huge void in our front court in the 2017-18 season, how can you possibly deny that? Especially for a team that wants to return to a final four.

 

[aceboon]

If Calton is our only big in that class then we are in trouble. For two years now Ollie has neglected the front court, and it's gotten thinner and thinner each year without any refueling. Now we lose Brimah and Facey and we have freshmen who still need at minimum 2 years to develop taking over for them. We could be in trouble if we don't get an impact guy who can contribute right away. I don't expect Enoch or Durham to be ready to be servicable starters on a contender by next year.

He neglected the frontcourt by adding Durham and Diarra in last year's recruiting class? And a top 50 big in Enoch the year prior?

 

[Matrim55]

Carlton seems like a good 4 year project but seriously as of right now there is a huge void in our front court in the 2017-18 season, how can you possibly deny that?

First: That's not what you said in the previous tweet.

Second: I can deny that because it's untrue. Enoch is a 4-star center who will be entering his junior year, while Durham & Diarra were both key parts for one of the best recruiting classes in the country.

Can you say "there will be questions about UConn's frontcourt in 2017/18" or something similar? For sure. But to go all chicken little with "there's a huge void!" or "Ollie's neglected the frontcourt!" is just a waste of pixels that has no bearing on reality.

 

[UChusky916]