Semi-OT: Akinjo Recruitment

[Fishy]

Seems to me Akinjo is set on being 'the guy', we'll see how successful he is at that day 1 as a freshman. Wouldn't be shocked to see him at Arizona as they're usually good and he'd slot right in at PG. He probably doesn't want to come here and be behind Adams and maybe Gilbert on day 1.

That's been a problem for us for awhile, guys will only come here if they'll be our only guy at that position. Seems other teams are able to get a stable of guys to want to come for some reason

How to pick out the dumbest guy in a thread...wait until someone explains away a lost recruit by blaming it on the kid wanting to be “the guy”.

 

[champs99and04]

I think unless we get a kid like Lecque and pull in a grad transfer who is certainly not DO but better than AA, next season could be as bad as this.

It's three years out that there is a realistic chance of decent things happening. But I totally agree that each year that passes the ability to regain prominence becomes more difficult.

If Adams leaves, then I'd agree that next season could be as bad. I maintain that the worst coaching job Ollie did at UConn - by far - was in 2016-17. That team had no business missing the tournament, much less finishing under .500 (I know you differed on this subject at the time, I'm interested to see if your perspective has changed at all). Last season, he had very little talent once Gilbert went down. Not so little talent that they should have finished 178th in the country, but I think they would have still been bad even under Hurley. The math in college basketball isn't that complicated - when you have a lot of underclassmen and not many four and five star players, you are going to be bad.

It'd be nice, but that's a big ask. We've got essentially the same cast of characters back from a team that went 14-18. Gonna need about 23-25 wins to get in the tournament. That's a ginormous turnaround in year 1.

Gilbert is the wild card to me. I feel stupid counting on him to be a big part of the team, but then again he's good enough where I'd also feel stupid not expecting him to be. Nobody knows if he can stay on the court and so we could either be talking about 2012 Robbie Hummel (all-conference type player) or 2011 Robbie Hummel (didn't play). The difference there is obviously huge. With Adams, Gilbert, Vital, and Wilson, I think they should be able to get to the tournament despite how raw they are up front. If another couple impact players are added on top of that, then you could be talking about a real team that's back in the national conversation right away. It will be interesting to see how things play out.

 

[champs99and04]

I will. Lecque very well could be a one year bandaid. Akinjo is a four year guy.

“I want to go into a situation where I’ll be playing a lot as a freshman because I want to potentially be a one-and-done,” Lecque said. “If I don’t have that situation I have no problem staying in my class.”

Don't get me wrong, I'd take Lecque 1000 times out of 1000. I'd just like us to get as many guys in the Shabazz mold as possible.

I obviously have no problem with kids wanting to get to the league as soon as possible, and I'd certainly hate to penalize him for honesty, but I would rather not hear the words one-and-done out of the lips of a high school player. Not to say he's going to be a headache or anything, but it makes me a little weary only because there is rarely any value in vocalizing it. The way this is framed makes it sound as if the only way he isn't a one and done is if his coach screws it up for him. Just worry about playing winning basketball and if you're good enough the NBA will find you.

Edit: And by no means are we in a position to be turning down that sort of talent even if he is hell-bent on being a one and done.

 

[Kembacity]

How to pick out the dumbest guy in a thread...wait until someone explains away a lost recruit by blaming it on the kid wanting to be “the guy”.

We'll see where he goes... If he goes to a pretty bare Arizona squad to start at PG, am I still your wordy, roundabout way of calling me dumb?

 

[jibsey]

Our point guard position is loaded with playing time. I don't buy that excuse. Ideally Jalen is not playing nearly 40 minutes, and an injury which is always likely only increases their PT.

 

[intlzncster]

We'll see where he goes... If he goes to a pretty bare Arizona squad to start at PG, am I still your wordy, roundabout way of calling me dumb?

If he goes to Zona, it might be because he wants to play 35min a game. Or a bunch of other reasons. Not because he wants to be 'the guy'; doesn't sound like that type of kid at all.

 

[mauconnfan]

If he goes to Zona, it might be because he wants to play 35min a game. Or a bunch of other reasons. Not because he wants to be 'the guy'; doesn't sound like that type of kid at all.

Or maybe Sean still has some of his budget left over?

Seriously would love to have him change his mind but that boat seems to have sailed so we will trust in Coach Hurley.

 

[the Q]

Maybe he goes to Zona because it's the best (proverbial) west coast program and is reasonably close to home compared to CT?

 

[Kembacity]

If he goes to Zona, it might be because he wants to play 35min a game. Or a bunch of other reasons. Not because he wants to be 'the guy'; doesn't sound like that type of kid at all.

Is 'the guy' why I'm being ridiculed for daring to have an opinion about the subject of the thread? What I mean by that is that he'd rather come in and play extensively off the bat, than come off the bench behind a group of returning guards. I don't mean that I think he's a selfish ball-hog with no intentions of team play

 

[Huskymagic]

And this shows there are positive and negatives to everything. The negative to getting one and dones is a lack of chemistry development. I want Lecque badly but if the team suffers in the future because he moves on quickly, the chances get smaller we get more Lecques because kids don't want to play for losing teams. Everything is a trade off.

If we get Lecque, other good players will follow including other elite point guards in the next recruiting class. That's how important it is to get a player of that caliber.

One year of Lecque will help us recruit other elite guys especially if he becomes a lottery pick and a one-and-done player. Akinjo is a good player but not a game changer for UCONN. Somebody like Lecque or Precious Achiuwa could be game changers moving forward. We just need one 5 star elite talent to open up the floodgates for future ones to say that UCONN is back.

I don't want to hear excuses about kids not wanting to play on bad teams. LSU gets guys, and they haven't done anything. UCONN is a national brand who plays a national schedule with recognizable stars in the NBA. UNLV has gotten guys. Auburn, Vanderbilt, and Alabama are getting some elite recruits lately. Yea conference helps, but this is UCONN we have a recognizable brand.

 

[the Q]

If we get Lecque, other good players will follow including other elite point guards in the next recruiting class. That's how important it is to get a player of that caliber.

One year of Lecque will help us recruit other elite guys especially if he becomes a lottery pick and a one-and-done player. Akinjo is a good player but not a game changer for UCONN. Somebody like Lecque or Precious Achiuwa could be game changers moving forward. We just need one 5 star elite talent to open up the floodgates for future ones to say that UCONN is back.

I don't want to hear excuses about kids not wanting to play on bad teams. LSU gets guys, and they haven't done anything. UCONN is a national brand who plays a national schedule with recognizable stars in the NBA. UNLV has gotten guys. Auburn, Vanderbilt, and Alabama are getting some elite recruits lately. Yea conference helps, but this is UCONN we have a recognizable brand.

UConn is a national brand, but LSU pays cash.

What would recruits rather have?

 

[businesslawyer]

If we get Lecque, other good players will follow including other elite point guards in the next recruiting class. That's how important it is to get a player of that caliber.

One year of Lecque will help us recruit other elite guys especially if he becomes a lottery pick and a one-and-done player. Akinjo is a good player but not a game changer for UCONN. Somebody like Lecque or Precious Achiuwa could be game changers moving forward. We just need one 5 star elite talent to open up the floodgates for future ones to say that UCONN is back.

I don't want to hear excuses about kids not wanting to play on bad teams. LSU gets guys, and they haven't done anything. UCONN is a national brand who plays a national schedule with recognizable stars in the NBA. UNLV has gotten guys. Auburn, Vanderbilt, and Alabama are getting some elite recruits lately. Yea conference helps, but this is UCONN we have a recognizable brand.

Like getting Drummond opened up the floodgates for the tons of 5 stars who followed him?

 

[BlueMAB]

Is 'the guy' why I'm being ridiculed for daring to have an opinion about the subject of the thread? What I mean by that is that he'd rather come in and play extensively off the bat, than come off the bench behind a group of returning guards. I don't mean that I think he's a selfish ball-hog with no intentions of team play

Then explain why he signed an LOI at UConn, to do exactly what you're saying he doesn't want to do.

 

[ctchamps]

Is 'the guy' why I'm being ridiculed for daring to have an opinion about the subject of the thread? What I mean by that is that he'd rather come in and play extensively off the bat, than come off the bench behind a group of returning guards. I don't mean that I think he's a selfish ball-hog with no intentions of team play

We knew what you meant. Your logic is flawed. The number of guards before and after his decommiting never changed. What has changed is the coach he wanted to play for will be fired.

 

[Huskymagic]

Like getting Drummond opened up the floodgates for the tons of 5 stars who followed him?

Weak argument. Recruits knew that Calhoun was retiring, UCONN was facing sanctions and no postseason, and UCONN was stuck in
realignment limbo with a neophyte coach. That affected recruiting big time, but guys like Kemba, Drummond, and Lamb had an impact on UCONN getting Hamilton, Adams, Purvis, and Gilbert due to 5 star talents like Kemba, Daniels, and Drummond being visible in recruits minds as recent 5 star talents who were successful at UCONN.

 

[ctchamps]

"Huskymagic, post: 2676894, member: 8007"]If we get Lecque, other good players will follow including other elite point guards in the next recruiting class. That's how important it is to get a player of that caliber.

Totally aware of this possibility. Difference between you and me is that I phrase things in possibilities. You phrase things in absolutes. When your absolutes don't happen you then blame the coaches because you couldn't possibly be wrong about your assumptions. You've created a wonderful universe of self deception.

One year of Lecque will help us recruit other elite guys especially if he becomes a lottery pick and a one-and-done player. Akinjo is a good player but not a game changer for UCONN. Somebody like Lecque or Precious Achiuwa could be game changers moving forward. We just need one 5 star elite talent to open up the floodgates for future ones to say that UCONN is back.

Snark on. I better take out flood insurance, snark off.

I don't want to hear excuses about kids not wanting to play on bad teams. LSU gets guys, and they haven't done anything. UCONN is a national brand who plays a national schedule with recognizable stars in the NBA. UNLV has gotten guys. Auburn, Vanderbilt, and Alabama are getting some elite recruits lately. Yea conference helps, but this is UCONN we have a recognizable brand.

Did I say self deception. L$U is dirty as they come. If you don't believe that than yes they haven't done anything. Brand is important, but on a list of things that are important it is low on the list. You should say you don't want to hear excuses that don't fit your narrative because when things don't work out you blame others instead of accepting that your opinions could be flawed. Pure definition of making excuses.

And yes I want Lecque, because he's a very good player who could help the team immediately and because he has the potential to assist UConn in the ways you list.

 

[Kembacity]

Then explain why he signed an LOI at UConn, to do exactly what you're saying he doesn't want to do.

No

 

[BlueMAB]

No

Well if you can't, then just admit it was a dumb post and move on.

 

[freescooter]

If this year taught anything it should be that while getting 5 stars is nice it is better to get good players who are going to stick around and play. That is the Villanova model and it’s what Loyola had. Last year’s Carolina team had actual upper classmen playing key positions as well.

 

[The Funster]

What happens one season recruiting wise does not have to be the model for successive seasons. Getting a 5* stud, even if he's a one and done will put UConn back in everyone's face again. Once that happens, there is a bigger pool of players interested in coming. Having choices is a good thing.

 

[HawkHusky]

Is there a deadline by which Lecque would have to reclassify?

 

[JMick]

Is there a deadline by which Lecque would have to reclassify?

When classes start

 

[tcf15]

 

[AntG168]

I’m over Akinjo. Never even knew him

 

[intlzncster]

So we can put to bed the "he wants to stay out west" meme. Basically, he's available. No idea what Hurley thinks.