Kofi Illinois visit

[Stinger92860]

We don’t expect Jalen to be God but maybe the best player or at least the best guard on the court once in a while.

Jalen is simply not a good shooter seems to lose focus too often.

 

[yukonfan4]

we all know the staff would rather land Kofi but they can't risk alienating Wahab in the process either. so assuming hurley is doing his level best to court both guys, then it's just a matter of who commits first, right?

so is that a yes? then it's a good thing Wahab is taking his sweet time to reflect. but based on their timelines the odds are Wahab will still eventually make a decision before Kofi does...

when that day comes hurley can't turn Wahab away imho. we'd all love Kofi but not getting either is just too big a risk (this becomes more clear with each passing game watching our pupu platter at the center position).

 

[the Q]

so is that a yes? then it's a good thing Wahab is taking his sweet time to reflect. but based on their timelines the odds are Wahab will still eventually make a decision before Kofi does...

when that day comes hurley can't turn Wahab away imho. we'd all love Kofi but not getting either is just too big a risk (this becomes more clear with each passing game watching our pupu platter at the center position).

Exactly. Either one is probsbly the day one starter. Unless hurley can get a decent big grad transfer.

 

[yukonfan4]

assuming we get kofi or wahab (fingers crossed/knock on wood etc.) hurley still needs to add a big man grad transfer for depth. carlton's ideal position is at center (of the bench)

 

[CL82]

I've been honest about Carlton since the beginning and posters I respect continue to overrate him. I've consistently said he needs to be a backup center but in all honesty he wouldn't get any burn on a good UConn team.

Back up to whom, though?

 

[superjohn]

Back up to whom, though?

When I say backup I mean for the rest of his career. backup to Kofi and others. I know we don't have Kofi yet but I'll be surprised if he doesn't come here, if that changes I'll start to panic a little.

If Carlton's anything other than an end of the bench guy we're in major trouble. If and when we fill up this class more Hurley has to be honest with him at the end of the season about his role and future.

 

[UConnStats]

I don’t think you can just recruit a couple of highly touted freshman and call it a day with this front court. We need an impact grad transfer at the 4 or 5 next year IMO.

Somewhere out there there is a Shonn Miller type of grad transfer. Hurley needs to be digging and preparing for that opportunity so he’s ready to pounce on it come the end of the season.

 

[superjohn]

I don’t think you can just recruit a couple of highly touted freshman and call it a day with this front court. We need an impact grad transfer at the 4 or 5 next year IMO.

Somewhere out there there is a Shonn Miller type of grad transfer. Hurley needs to be digging and preparing for that opportunity so he’s ready to pounce on it come the end of the season.

Kind of agree but I so want to get away from the grad transfer thing.

 

[CL82]

When I say backup I mean for the rest of his career. backup to Kofi and others. I know we don't have Kofi yet but I'll be surprised if he doesn't come here, if that changes I'll start to panic a little.

If Carlton's anything other than an end of the bench guy we're in major trouble. If and when we fill up this class more Hurley has to be honest with him at the end of the season about his role and future.

Agree, but that's the thing, isn't it? Kofi isn't here yet. So Josh is our bet option. For what it's worth, I think he can be more productive with another year of strength training with Sal.

 

[Stainmaster]

Kind of agree but I so want to get away from the grad transfer thing.

It's part of college basketball at all levels now. There's no escaping it.

 

[UConnStats]

Kind of agree but I so want to get away from the grad transfer thing.

I get that, but I really don’t see how you can be comfortable not bringing in some reliability and experience to the frontcourt. Bigs face the steepest learning curves. We've seen Kentucky have multiple 5 star bigs come in the past couple of years and not be ready to contribute. I'm not comfortable putting everything on (hopefully) Kofi and Akok.

 

[tcf15]

I get that, but I really don’t see how you can be comfortable not bringing in some reliability and experience to the frontcourt. Bigs face the steepest learning curves. We've seen Kentucky have multiple 5 star bigs come in the past couple of years and not be ready to contribute. I'm not comfortable putting everything on (hopefully) Kofi and Akok.

Maybe Cyril Langevine could transfer and get a waiver to play immediately

 

[superjohn]

Maybe Cyril Langevine could transfer and get a waiver to play immediately

Yes please. Would certainly make an exception for him.

 

[Walker11]

I get that, but I really don’t see how you can be comfortable not bringing in some reliability and experience to the frontcourt. Bigs face the steepest learning curves. We've seen Kentucky have multiple 5 star bigs come in the past couple of years and not be ready to contribute. I'm not comfortable putting everything on (hopefully) Kofi and Akok.

I haven't seen a better comp for Akok than Gabriel. Gabriel put up 4.5 ppg as a freshman and really started showing flashes in the post season of his sophomore year. I think it's going to be 2 years until we are good. If we want to get grad transfers, maybe less.

 

[UConnStats]

Maybe Cyril Langevine could transfer and get a waiver to play immediately

Haha I’m sure Hurley misses him, but I don’t think Hurley would try to do anything like that to URI. But it’s not like he’s one in a million. Someone is going to announce that they’re transferring that would be a good fit here, hopefully we figure out how to get a foot in the door early with one of them.

 

[Hi-Low]

Kind of agree but I so want to get away from the grad transfer thing.

If we have any hope of being a tourney team next year we need a viable impact grad transfer in the frontcourt. Can't expect even highly touted freshman to carry us all year & nobody on current roster is a legit presence.

 

[goskis2018]

I agree with this for the most part. AG still has problems trying to get too deep on O doesn't know when to back out and Tarin isn't the same guy who started the season for us he's regressed a bit but he's a 3rd/4th guy. I don't think the expectations we had for JA were crazy, heck the coaches picked him 1st team in the league. No one expects him to be God or not make mistakes but stupid, consistent mistakes are frustrating and he's full of them this year. I guess I ask why can't he be the guy who played the first 15 minutes rather than the guy who played the rest of the game, throwing stupid passes and getting caught up in the air with nothing to do? He should be more the first 15 minutes guy than the latter no doubt but we aren't getting that or even close. This team looked woefully lost when USF started playing hard on each end, but there was no one there to stop the bleeding not a player, not a coach.

Not good whether we speak of JA or anything else at this point.

People were predicting our backcourt to be one of the best in the country and alot of that was because people on this board had Jalen penciled in as an AA. Now that isn't being God but it's safe to say that some people severely overrated him in the lead up the to the season or he's fallen well short of some people's expections of a senior jump.

 

[auror]

Kind of agree but I so want to get away from the grad transfer thing.

Continuity is severely underrated in college basketball.

People see bad continuity as a symptom of a systemic issue, not a problem in itself. But it is a problem in itself.

Grad transfers can be good for talent infusions, but are bad for continuity. The most successful ones join teams with already good continuity in a bench role (see Kromah).

 

[yukonfan4]

The most successful ones join teams with already good continuity in a bench role

exactly, you said it yourself- a grad transfer to backup kofi or wahab is what most here are hoping for. granted some here are still holding out hope for both kofi and wahab but the consensus is that's very unlikely. hurley bringing in one grad transfer in his second year won't stop him from attaining roster continuity, that's a years long process by its very nature. i'd like some continuity when it comes to ncaa tourney berths and a grad transfer like shonn miller backing up akok and kofi/wahab can help get that streak started

 

[huskyrob1]

Jalen is simply not a good shooter seems to lose focus too often.

He shoots better in the 1st half usually, because he's not gassed yet. If he keeps hanging on to his shorts late in the game, NBA scouts won't give him the time of day.

 

[superjohn]

He shoots better in the 1st half usually, because he's not gassed yet. If he keeps hanging on to his shorts late in the game, NBA scouts won't give him the time of day.

NBA scouts aren't giving him the time of day for a whole host of reasons but yes Jalen isn't in great shape for a D1 bball player.

 

[WrenchFan69]

I don’t think you can just recruit a couple of highly touted freshman and call it a day with this front court. We need an impact grad transfer at the 4 or 5 next year IMO.

Somewhere out there there is a Shonn Miller type of grad transfer. Hurley needs to be digging and preparing for that opportunity so he’s ready to pounce on it come the end of the season.

#2 in the country in rebs/gm is a redshirt junior at Colorado State. Averaging 14.9/12.9

 

[CTBasketball]

If I’m Hurley, I’m pitching the idea of James Wiseman v. Kofi Cockburn showcase games next year. I’d be in Kofi’s ear telling him he could be a first round draft pick if he comes in here and works.

The matchups and playing time are here waiting for him.

 

[AntG168]

If I’m Hurley, I’m pitching the idea of James Wiseman v. Kofi Cockburn showcase games next year. I’d be in Kofi’s ear telling him he could be a first round draft pick if he comes in here and works.

The matchups and playing time are here waiting for him.

I’m sure Hurley has been using James Wiseman as an example of the AAC being a viable destination for top talent. Memphis and UConn can change the perception rather quickly if everything falls the right way

 

[6xChamps]

Idk if anyone saw Kofi’s instagram story but he’s filming something with the lights off and like black lights on, pure speculation that it could be a commitment vid.