OT: Prediction Oriakhi/ NBA?

[mauconnfan]

Alex is one of those guys who could have been a very dominant college player whose strengths did not translate well to the NBA. Having an off year last year and an unknown this year may just result in him being an off and on dominant college player.

He's often said to have an "NBA ready" body. Translate that as "big and burly enough" to fight in the trenches in the NBA. No doubt about that.

But he doesn't have an NBA ready skill set or, I believe, NBA ready athleticism.

His skill set and athleticism work well at the college level because most of the guys he is playing against can't out muscle him and can't significantly out jump him, notwithstanding that he is not a big leaper.

In the NBA, that changes, and while he will be able to bang with anybody, his half hook, falling through the lane patented shot is going to get blasted out of the air.

Given that he did not add substantially to his offensive arsenal or otherwise improve his low block moves and back to the basket game in the 3 years we had him, I conclude that his development is, for the most part, maxed out or not ramping up quickly.

Conclusion - may get drafted based on size and strength alone, will be unlikely to see more than scrub minutes, likely not in the NBA in 5 years.

But I wish him luck, I like him, I think he got a bad deal last year, I think JC mishandled it, and if he ends up in the NBA, I count that in the Huskies in the NBA list.

I agree with a lot of your post but to think he will translate his big and burly self in to "fighting in the trenches" when he never did in college is way off. The big burly guy averaged about 6 boards a game despite the fact he was the biggest and strongest guy on the court.

NBA chances - I'm with super john (I know you can't imagine that!! lol) 0%.......no offensive skills, no footwork and doesnt have the Rodman attitude required to go with his skill set. Won't play an NBA game ever!

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

http://nbadraft.net/2013mock_draft

I usually disagree with most mocks but #37 seems a tab high right now but very close. I would pencil him in at #42. If anything happens to Flipster at Mizzou this year that # takes a big hit. On the other hand he could in theory get into the first round with 13.8/10.7 averages. I think Bowers however should get more looks than AO because he is a more polished offensive player for Mizzou thus knocking those #'s down. The AO video rap in the dorm on utube was alot of fun to watch and I loved it BUT the reality of the situation is it showed a mental lapse with such a public immature message. Just go take care of your business.

 

[sportsjunky1]

I think he'll wind up like Stanley Robinson and Ater Majok - late 2nd round pick who gets cut.

Its a utter shame about Stanley Robinson. I am Stanley's biggest fan and it kills me not to see him on a NBA roster. But to Alex, No shot! He better take a language course at Missouri to sharpen up on a Euro language.

 

[Tenspro2002]

"Alex Oriakhi struggled early, much of it because he wasn't used to getting the ball on the block, but Haith said he started to get used to it and finished the trip strong..."

That's the sort of you expect to hear about a "raw" incoming freshman, not a 3-year starter for a top-tier team. Pathetic.

 

[NOTaDIME]

Jeff Adrien struggled to get a consistent place despite playing well in the summer league and (I believe) the D League. Alex probably has a similar path.

Could he? Of course. He just needs to toughen up around the rim.

Not like we've ever had that discussion on here.

Jeff Adrien is twice the man AO ever will be.

 

[hooskies]

ever see AO make a bucket after being fouled?

...nuff said.

 

[husky91]

If he has a good year he could be a 2nd rounder. I'd be surprised if he makes a team.

 

[mets1090]

He'll be lucky to get drafted in the 2nd round and won't make the team. It takes him way too long to go up and finish a dunk, he can't absorb contact and finish strong, and he can't score consistently enough away from the rim so he doesn't offer all that much. He looks like he should be better than that but he hasn't shown it. Even if he has a good year for Mizzou and gets drafted I don't see any way he can contribute against NBA big men.

 

[EricLA]

I don't mean to spit on the grave (so to speak) of Alex Oriakhi, but this tidbit from his overseas trip with his new team is just too good:

"Alex Oriakhi struggled early, much of it because he wasn't used to getting the ball on the block, but Haith said he started to get used to it and finished the trip strong..."

I mean, you have got to be kidding me.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...8/trippin-missouris-haith-shocked-by-newcomer

I'm not quite sure what that means (the article). Granted I did not see a lot of games last year, but does the writer mean that the UCONN guards never got the ball to Alex in the post? The only way he could score was by getting rebounds and putbacks? They never practiced his post game in all his years at UCONN? I find that hard to believe. I tend to agree that he's late 1st rounder or early 2nd rounder. If the draft is weak as some have mentioned, There may not be that many quality bigs to go ahead of him.

It's a bit sad to me - Oriakhi and Coombs seemed like such a great story - they verbaled so early to UCONN, and I thought both (especially Alex) would be really good. Now they are gone along with Smith. I get the reasoning (and of course we will be fine without them), but I don't like it.

 

[huskiesnyc]

I think he'll wind up like Stanley Robinson and Ater Majok - late 2nd round pick who gets cut.

I still can't believe Ater Majok got drafted.

 

[Husk-E]

I still can't believe Ater Majok got drafted.

Yeah, seriously. I watched him in the summer league and he looked horrible. He was just standing around aimlessly like he had never played basketball before. It was kinda sad.

 

[joober jones]

Pretty much everything regarding Ater Majok was an enigma

 

[dapriest]

Pretty much everything regarding Ater Majok was an enigma

 

[coachRD]

It's his final year, with a change of scenery. Will he be drafted? Lottery> First Round> Round 2> or should he invest in Rosetta Stone?

I think Rosetta Stone is the most legitimate option for him (good way of putting it by you). While he is a big, strong body, he isn't "freakishly" big where a team will draft him to try and get lucky. He showed marginal progress in his career in terms of developing an offensive game and I think that lack of development, coupled with his "average" (in NBA terms) body will lead to him ending up overseas. Of course, with the right attitude, that is a pretty amazing way to make an extremely comfortable living!

 

[Robertelamin]

I don't see why any NBA team would bother drafting him when they could use a pick on a young international player with a lot of potential.

 

[husky91]

He was so cocky when he got drafted and I thought he blows, he'll never sniff the NBA.

Yeah, seriously. I watched him in the summer league and he looked horrible. He was just standing around aimlessly like he had never played basketball before. It was kinda sad.

 

[willinphilly]

Alex is one of those guys who could have been a very dominant college player whose strengths did not translate well to the NBA. Having an off year last year and an unknown this year may just result in him being an off and on dominant college player.

He's often said to have an "NBA ready" body. Translate that as "big and burly enough" to fight in the trenches in the NBA. No doubt about that.

But he doesn't have an NBA ready skill set or, I believe, NBA ready athleticism.

His skill set and athleticism work well at the college level because most of the guys he is playing against can't out muscle him and can't significantly out jump him, notwithstanding that he is not a big leaper.

In the NBA, that changes, and while he will be able to bang with anybody, his half hook, falling through the lane patented shot is going to get blasted out of the air.

Given that he did not add substantially to his offensive arsenal or otherwise improve his low block moves and back to the basket game in the 3 years we had him, I conclude that his development is, for the most part, maxed out or not ramping up quickly.

Conclusion - may get drafted based on size and strength alone, will be unlikely to see more than scrub minutes, likely not in the NBA in 5 years.

But I wish him luck, I like him, I think he got a bad deal last year, I think JC mishandled it, and if he ends up in the NBA, I count that in the Huskies in the NBA list.

Completely agreed. He's just not athletic enough for the NBA. He's not springy or quick and he's exceptionally methodical. Nor does he seem particularly intelligent (trying same stuff over and over again when it doesn't work). Think you're right, people just caught up to him.

 

[B1GEast]

2nd round pick

 

[jibsey]

in a word, no.

 

[CL82]

ever see AO make a bucket after being fouled?

...nuff said.

Yes, I think there was one.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Yes, I think there was one.

hahahahahhaha that was funny!! Thanks for the morning laugh. I didn't have to read much either! LOL