PG Makai Ashton-Langford (UConn Offer)

[RipCity]

Rankings aside, in 2017, a long and athletic PG is going to be more of a need for us than a small PG with range. Waters and Gilbert would be a pretty small backcourt. I bet they would manage to get by, but a MAL and Gilbert backcourt would put a lot more pressure on opposing backcourts.

MAL is a lot like his predecessor Adams. He's long and athletic, and in his next two years of HS/prep ball, he needs to work on his jumper. His defensive ceiling is quite high though, which is something Waters simply cannot boast. That being said, Waters' floor offensively is higher than MAL's because of his shooting ability.

Considering the likely Powell commit, we won't need a 3 point shooter too desperately, and we will need some disruptive length from our guards. For this reason, I would take Makai Ashton-Langford over Waters if I had the choice for UConn.

 

[PradaMane]

Makai has the upside to be as good as any PG in the class of 2017. But with that being said I was very disappointed in what I saw of him during the Mass Rivals game on ESPN. He wasn't able to control the game like a PG should, at this point in his development plays at one speed which is very fast. Before he gets to college I would like to see him learn to play at different speeds and control the pace of the game. Makai is a player who has reclassified and is really a 2016 recruit so I hoped to see a little bit more maturity from him running the PG. Luckily Uconn has a history of getting our PG's to play to their full potential, and I would be completely on board with having him here.

 

[Gurleyman]

Makai has the upside to be as good as any PG in the class of 2017. But with that being said I was very disappointed in what I saw of him during the Mass Rivals game on ESPN. He wasn't able to control the game like a PG should, at this point in his development plays at one speed which is very fast. Before he gets to college I would like to see him learn to play at different speeds and control the pace of the game. Makai is a player who has reclassified and is really a 2016 recruit so I hoped to see a little bit more maturity from him running the PG. Luckily Uconn has a history of getting our PG's to play to their full potential, and I would be completely on board with having him here.

In a lot of ways, you just described Kemba in HS (and freshman year at UConn). Blaney called him a "push guard" as a freshman, instead of point guard or shooting guard - all he knew how to do was push the ball as fast as he could no matter who was in the way. Everything else had to be taught.

Doesn't mean that everyone can do what Kemba did, but it does mean that with some combination of Adams and Gilbert still around, there will be a good chance for him to maybe take a role as a push guard off the bench as a freshman and then develop more point guard skills as his career goes on with our staff teaching him.

 

[PradaMane]

In a lot of ways, you just described Kemba in HS (and freshman year at UConn). Blaney called him a "push guard" as a freshman, instead of point guard or shooting guard - all he knew how to do was push the ball as fast as he could no matter who was in the way. Everything else had to be taught.

Doesn't mean that everyone can do what Kemba did, but it does mean that with some combination of Adams and Gilbert still around, there will be a good chance for him to maybe take a role as a push guard off the bench as a freshman and then develop more point guard skills as his career goes on with our staff teaching him.

Kemba was further along as a player than Makai was at this point I would say. Makai showed a very elementary ability to run a team, a half court slow it down game isn't in his favor. Which is fine for right now, because we have proven to be able to teach our PG's what to do, overtime.

 

[mauconnfan]

Kemba was further along as a player than Makai was at this point I would say. Makai showed a very elementary ability to run a team, a half court slow it down game isn't in his favor. Which is fine for right now, because we have proven to be able to teach our PG's what to do, overtime.

Kemba didn't slow anything down for a year and a half when he got here never mind HS. The kid will be fine.

 

[david]

Kemba didn't slow anything down for a year and a half when he got here never mind HS. The kid will be fine.

That's pretty harsh. I think we knew Kemba was going to be something special after the Missouri game in the elite 8 and the Kentucky game in December '09 where IMO he outplayed John Wall

 

[mauconnfan]

That's pretty harsh. I think we knew Kemba was going to be something special after the Missouri game in the elite 8 and the Kentucky game in December '09 where IMO he outplayed John Wall

Not harsh it was just reality. Not saying every moment he was in the game but for the most part there's no doubt he didn't "get it" until mid way through his sophomore year.

 

[tcf15]

#35 in updated ESPN rankings: http://espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/playerrankings/_/class/2017

 

[david]

Not harsh it was just reality. Not saying every moment he was in the game but for the most part there's no doubt he didn't "get it" until mid way through his sophomore year.

Wow, I thought you said kemba didn't 'show anything' until halfway through his sophomore year. It wasn't until this thread was bumped again that I realized you said 'slow anything'. My bad

 

[aceboon]

#46 in the latest Scout rankings, he was previously unranked

http://www.scout.com/player/185954-makai-ashton-langford

 

[husky99]

#46 in the latest Scout rankings, he was previously unranked

http://www.scout.com/player/185954-makai-ashton-langford

Love his game. Looks like a uconn player

 

[Chief00]

I will break down his game sometime soon - stayed tune.

 

[BUConn10]

I will break down his game sometime soon - stayed tune.

Quite frankly? Save it.

 

[uchusky32]

Quite frankly? Save it.

Now now, play nice boys!

 

[mdkhusky]

insider chief to the rescue!!!!

 

[Chief00]

insider chief to the rescue!!!!

Quite frankly? Save it.

Obviously, if one doesn't want to read it don't! Some don't have the capacity to benefit from such analysis anyways but others do. The remedial class is down the hall - not in Chief's classroom!

 

[boog204]

I will break down his game sometime soon - stayed tune.

finally!

 

[Danzz]

His outside shot is kind of odd. He shoots from chest high. Most of his made shots on the videos were made going to the rim

 

[selles]

His outside shot is kind of odd. He shoots from chest high. Most of his made shots on the videos were made going to the rim

As ace said earlier in the thread, his jumpshot seems to be his weakness at the moment. That said, this is the 2017 point I want. I agree with those who think Waters will be an excellent college point, but Makai seems like a much better complement to Gilbert because of his height. Plus we'd be well on our way to a Mass Rivals point guard pipeline, and that would be fantastic.

 

[nomar]

His outside shot is kind of odd. He shoots from chest high. Most of his made shots on the videos were made going to the rim

I'm withholding judgment, quite frankly, until I read Chief's full analysis. THE REMEDIAL CLASS IS DOWN THE HALL - NOT IN CHIEF'S CLASSROOM!

 

[Chief00]

One teaser to my full analysis - I have a bias toward guards who can shoot, unless they are willing to be a complementary player (i.e defensive stopper).

 

[ctchamps]

One teaser to my full analysis - I have a bias toward guards who can shoot, unless they are willing to be a complementary player (i.e defensive stopper).

I'm impressed that you can admit you have a bias. I do have some reservation regarding if you understand that bias implies subjectivity and preference versus objectivity and ability.

Edit: "versus objectivity and ability" wasn't clear. Not ragging on your abilities in this case. I meant ability of a player. You get enough heat from this forum regarding your ability. I took you to task in the past because I felt you were the ringleader for all the piling on that took place regarding JD. The last thing I'm going to do is pile on you! However, if I observe this forum is being led down the path ..................

 

[Danzz]

I'm withholding judgment, quite frankly, until I read Chief's full analysis. THE REMEDIAL CLASS IS DOWN THE HALL - NOT IN CHIEF'S CLASSROOM!

I'm not worthy of Chief's analysis. There I admit it; it is the remedial class for me. There is now way that I would understand the in depth intricate details of a player analysis by someone with Chief's superior knowledge. Hell, the guy is best buddies with Andre and I've never even hung out with a UConn player.

 

[nomar]

I'm not worthy of Chief's analysis. There I admit it; it is the remedial class for me. There is now way that I would understand the in depth intricate details of a player analysis by someone with Chief's superior knowledge. Hell, the guy is best buddies with Andre and I've never even hung out with a UConn player.

What a loser! I was just hangin' with my boys Scott Hazelton and Monquencio Hardnett last night. Marc Suhr was supposed to come but he couldn't make it.

 

[Chief00]

I'm impressed that you can admit you have a bias. I do have some reservation regarding if you understand that bias implies subjectivity and preference versus objectivity and ability.

Edit: "versus objectivity and ability" wasn't clear. Not ragging on your abilities in this case. I meant ability of a player. You get enough heat from this forum regarding your ability. I took you to task in the past because I felt you were the ringleader for all the piling on that took place regarding JD. The last thing I'm going to do is pile on you! However, if I observe this forum is being led down the path ...

I read your post twice and still I have no clue what you said - As for Jerome even he now acknowledges I was right about his approach to the game in college. True, he often played very hard but the lack of focus and effort related to game prep.