Makai Ashton-Langford’s move from UConn to Providence left no hard feelings (Borges)

[huskymedic]

 

[AdamaNation]

Booooo

 

[B1GEast]

KO may not have any hard feelings, but the Uconn team would love nothing more than to run up the score. This will be personal for them.

 

[UCDaveD]

Lol @ no hard feelings. Suuuuuurrrrreeeeeeee.

 

[husky429]

This is an exhibition. Dont get your hopes up fellas. The point of this game is to raise money, test lineups and NOT GET HURT. That's it.

 

[Ts5034]

Even if there were hard feelings, do you really think Ollie would come right out and actually say it? I highly doubt it

 

[kansashusky]

I was at the KU MU charity game today and it was just like a regular season game. Wednesday will be like that too.

The loser will try to convince themselves otherwise. I hope we are ready to compete!

 

[auror]

So basically:

Glen Miller firing
Jalen still here and AG clock back a year.
Negative recruiting about who else we were going after.

Pretty much what we heard and expected.

 

[mauconnfan]

Glen Miller was an easy out for them. The real reason was in the article:

Langford also noted “we heard rumors they were recruiting other guards, on top of the other guards they already had. Those guys are dynamic.”

I would say there aren't hard feelings although KO didn't quite word it that way, he just took the very high road as he genuinely likes the family and kid. Doesn't mean they parted ways without any hard feelings. I will say this if he's here we don't get Anderson for a year, an experienced player I think will pay dividends and maybe not Akinjo. The staff did fine and bounced back nicely.

(Edit - how the heck does iMac change "parted" to "acted"?)

 

[pj]

Glen Miller was an easy out for them. The real reason was in the article:

Langford also noted “we heard rumors they were recruiting other guards, on top of the other guards they already had. Those guys are dynamic.”

I would say there aren't hard feelings although KO didn't quite word it that way, he just took the very high road as he genuinely likes the family and kid. Doesn't mean they acted ways without any hard feelings. I will say this if he's here we don't get Anderson for a year, an experienced player I think will pay dividends and maybe not Akinjo. The staff did fine and bounced back nicely.

You should never get too disappointed about losing a guy who doesn't think he's as good as the competition. He knows his game better than anyone.

 

[mauconnfan]

I was at the KU MU charity game today and it was just like a regular season game. Wednesday will be like that too.

The loser will try to convince themselves otherwise. I hope we are ready to compete!

I don't see it happening that way in this one. They will give the crowd some time to see Jalen, Alterique and Terry but it's more for seeing how CV and Anderson can play with the other guys. Seeing different lineups on the interior as well as checking to see who best fits at the 3 when Terry needs a break. Can Sid play in this one? Doubt it but would be nice for him mentally being part of the team. 3 guard lineups, 3 big men as KO will test all kinds of things and winning is not essential in this one. I doubt Cooley does anything much different.

 

[upstater]

I was at the KU MU charity game today and it was just like a regular season game. Wednesday will be like that too.

The loser will try to convince themselves otherwise. I hope we are ready to compete!

If the coaches aren't using this game to play some guys at the end of the bench and to mix lineups, they are doing it wrong. This is such a new team. Let's see how Polley battles Whaley when the lights are on. Let's see Diarra too. They need to give everyone a chance to play with the top guards. That's doesn't sound like a regular season game to me--maybe against a cupcake.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

Are we recruiting his brother? I mean if thats the case ofcourse Ollie would have nothing but good things to say about the kid and his family.

 

[awfuldan]

Are we recruiting his brother? I mean if thats the case ofcourse Ollie would have nothing but good things to say about the kid and his family.

I don't have an answer on the brother, but I agree with you, for sure. Also, can't forget that Ollie has had a lot of success with getting guys he lost initially to transfer here later in their careers (Purvis, Larrier, Wilson, etc). Not saying that's gonna happen here, but obviously it is possible.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

I don't have an answer on the brother, but I agree with you, for sure. Also, can't forget that Ollie has had a lot of success with getting guys he lost initially to transfer here later in their careers (Purvis, Larrier, Wilson, etc). Not saying that's gonna happen here, but obviously it is possible.

I thought the same thing, meant to mention it. The college basketball world is obviously crazy. Things go sour at Providence his freshman year he could easily be looking back at Uconn as a mistake and with a still welcoming and well wishing Ollie waiting with his arms open, I would imagine Uconn would be at the top of his list (provided he felt we were a good fit at that point in time).

 

[Stainmaster]

I thought the same thing, meant to mention it. The college basketball world is obviously crazy. Things go sour at Providence his freshman year he could easily be looking back at Uconn as a mistake and with a still welcoming and well wishing Ollie waiting with his arms open, I would imagine Uconn would be at the top of his list (provided he felt we were a good fit at that point in time).

Nope, bridges have been burned...simply Ollie and MAL were just trying to spin their way through a tough question.

 

[kansashusky]

I don't see it happening that way in this one. They will give the crowd some time to see Jalen, Alterique and Terry but it's more for seeing how CV and Anderson can play with the other guys. Seeing different lineups on the interior as well as checking to see who best fits at the 3 when Terry needs a break. Can Sid play in this one? Doubt it but would be nice for him mentally being part of the team. 3 guard lineups, 3 big men as KO will test all kinds of things and winning is not essential in this one. I doubt Cooley does anything much different.

I am sure everyone will play except Sid because he is currently ineligible. Also Alterique and Terry will probably only see limited minutes.

I know KO will test different lineups, and perhaps even platoon, but both coaches will play to win because they are competitive. This will feel like a regular season game that is competitive.

 

[kansashusky]

If the coaches aren't using this game to play some guys at the end of the bench and to mix lineups, they are doing it wrong. This is such a new team. Let's see how Polley battles Whaley when the lights are on. Let's see Diarra too. They need to give everyone a chance to play with the top guards. That's doesn't sound like a regular season game to me--maybe against a cupcake.

Everyone will play, but Jalen will still play the most. This is a measuring stick for us to see where we are at against a good team. Exhibition games against cupcakes are the time to mess with lineups. Ollie will play for keeps Wednesday.

 

[Hoophound]

When I was in college I was recruited by a lower level school than the one I attended. On my last visit he said very genuinely, “You’ll always have a place here if you need it.” and gave me a wink. He knew I wasn’t going there. I never forgot it. I never needed it, but I never forgot it. It is a great tactic because he was in my head for years. I ended up getting hurt my senior year of high school and my career never panned out. However, I considered transferring all the way up until my senior year of college just to go play there. Even several years later I investigated my eligibility as a grad student if I were to go there.

I like the “door is always open” policy because kids can be very uncomfortable at certain colleges and thrive elsewhere. If you are the one they view as Plan B, they may come running back if things aren’t as expected at School A and they know you’ll be there with open arms. Some kids are quitters and won’t work hard, but others just don’t feel right in certain environments and need a change. I tell my kids that when they go to college they need to dive in and get involved, make sure they know lots of people and can choose their friends rather than hang around with whoever they meet first. A basketball team is force fed to you. If it isn’t a good fit, a lot of these guys realize it week one and yet, it is also their social structure. It can be very lonely.

 

[rip7774]

I have followed recruiting for a long time and never really seen anything like this. Kid has an LOI signed. Committed for months. Some assistant gets canned (not a high profile guy that a Michael Beasley would follow to KState or Porter following pops to Mizzou) and he bolts in the spring, leaving the program totally scrambling. Less than a week later he's committed to a lesser program nearby?

So dirty on PC's part. Just no doubt in my mind about this. Just adds to the chip on KO's shoulder.

Whomever said he's scared to compete definitely hit nail on the head. Not UConn tough-minded guard material for sure. Will be interesting to see the career arc of Akinjo and MAL.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Can't wait until he transfers in

 

[gtcam]

Can't wait until he transfers in

To Southern, Central, Eastern or Western?

 

[tcf15]

 

[sammydabiz]

This is an exhibition. Dont get your hopes up fellas. The point of this game is to raise money, test lineups and NOT GET HURT. That's it.

You play to win the game (hello), period point blank.
Hurricane relief is secondary.... You want a championship at the end of the year, ya must maintain that mindset.
You can't play to not get hurt, it doesn't work that way, it's balls out or nothing. MAL will soon find out what a dumb mistake he made.

 

[nomar]

KO is smart enough to know to not burn any bridges.