Why no Oriakhi

[mauconnfan]

@EdDaigneault
#UConn F Alex Oriakhi admitted he will have a decision to make about whether to return. He will sit down with his family to hash things out.

Coach thanks for getting me a ring but I think I'll go play with my boy Jamal Coombs-McDaniel at Hofstra and get 8 and 6 in the Horizon League or wherever they play........see ya don't let the door hit ya alex............

 

[Tenspro2002]

@EdDaigneault
#UConn F Alex Oriakhi admitted he will have a decision to make about whether to return. He will sit down with his family to hash things out.

I wonder if that's directly related to an anticipated postseason ban, or if he just feels JC and UConn isn't working out for him?

If it's the latter, much more disconcerting.

 

[selles]

Coach thanks for getting me a ring but I think I'll go play with my boy Jamal Coombs-McDaniel at Hofstra and get 8 and 6 in the Horizon League or wherever they play........see ya don't let the door hit ya alex............

We wouldn't have won a championship without him. We did win a championship with him. Show some respect.

 

[jorge34]

I wonder if that's directly related to an anticipated postseason ban, or if he just feels JC and UConn isn't working out for him?

If it's the latter, much more disconcerting.

Probably many factors would go into that decision. On the slim chance Drummond does return, it probably doesn't make much sense for AO to come back, because they didn't fit together well. If the APR does stick, again, it doesn't make sense for him to return. Now, if he thinks somehow coach did him wrong, and he would be better off somewhere else....he needs to grow up.

 

[housekeys]

Hey AD did basically nothing agreed........as a matter of fact AO deserved some of his minutes because AD was so bad but not because AO did anyting at all. They were both awful, soft and had zero impact on the interior against a very very small ISU team....so whatever the reason JC had I'm fine with it......there would have been no affect either way.....

No they were not awful. The whole team was awful up to and including the coaches. ISU was very good. It is not a zero sum game. Players have lapses. As a coach, you get mad. You sit them. You tell them what they did wrong. Then you put them back in. You try one player, then another. You continue this pattern until you get a good outcome. The problem was that AO was not given a chance. Both AO and AD are talented. They both deserve to be coached. Not punished. Yes, I know "you have no problem with this" but there are many fans who do.

 

[mauconnfan]

We wouldn't have won a championship without him. We did win a championship with him. Show some respect.

Respect?? PLease........the kid won a ring under JC and he's considering leaving?? Tell me you're joking........Are you a Husky or not? Proud to wear the uni ot not?? Listen to a stiff like Jamal Coombs-McDaniel or make your own mind up??........respect is AO not even considering jumping ship that's respect!!!

He owes JC after this disaster of a year quite honestly!!

 

[selles]

Respect?? PLease........the kid won a ring under JC and he's considering leaving?? Tell me you're joking........Are you a Husky or not? Proud to wear the uni ot not?? Listen to a stiff like Jamal Coombs-McDaniel or make your own mind up??........respect is AO not even considering jumping ship that's respect!!!

He owes JC after this disaster of a year quite honestly!!

I'm asking you to show respect, not him.

 

[mauconnfan]

I'm asking you to show respect, not him.

I knew that ........ if I didn't according to you too bad don't care. I have my opinion on what he owes the school and the team and I guess you have yours......we don't share the same......don't read mine!!

 

[housekeys]

I'm asking you to show respect, not him.

I appreciate you making this post, and I agree. The game did not go our way, but that happens. The players, both past and present do not need frustrated posters talk crap about them. I have my opinion, but in no way will I ever say anything bad about our players. I will always root for them and give them the benefit of the doubt. Always. Many of them made us proud last year. The freshmen give us hope for the future, and I take them in a heartbeat. And while I am critical of JC for not playing AO, I would not replace him with anyone. Mistakes happen. Players and coaches.

 

[djct1999]

The most difficult thing as a fan to me is that you never get the full story. So much goes on behind the scenes yet all we see is the game. The problem this year was there seemed to be a serious disconnect between the staff and some of our players. Not sure what it was or with who, but something never seemed quite right.

 

[AJC88]

We wouldn't have won a championship without him. We did win a championship with him. Show some respect.

I would show him some respect if he didn't call coach a mumu.

 

[caw]

Explain what he did to make the difference? Watch the game ace, I don't need anything to back it up.....he didn't deserve or earn anything these people want. If he did let me know what he did to make the difference and I'll get off my so-called "stance".....let's hear it!!

I don't know if AO did make a difference, or whether it was blind luck (having Roscoe on White is my opinion) UConn cut the lead with him in for the last 7 minutes. I guess the way I look at it is this; even if he didn't contribute anything, why not at least see if it works again. It makes zero sense to completely disregard the results of those 7 minutes.

What did he do to earn playing time, well, not much, but none of the bigs did. Heck if we are going by those standards, only Lamb, Bazz and Roscoe should have been on the court. Giffey was too foul prone and Boatright really did not have a good game. TO didn't do anything, AD and AO were both poor overall.

 

[defense]

I was really believing we would be a different team in the tourney based on the recent positive comments from AD and the fact they played a bit better in the BE tourney. Well, I was correct, but we were sure a different team in the opposite direction. How could Andre "Claude Raines" Drummond be the #2 high school recruit in the country last year? And, how could the "experts" project him to be a lottery pick in the NBA draft if he leaves? Baffling!

 

[The Funster]

was i the only one that noticed the exchange between coach and AO on the bench? AO looked like he was jawing back at coach and didnt wanna hear whatever he was being told. he didnt see the court after that.

Ding, ding, ding. Alex was taken off after an early defensive lapse and leaned back in his chair and looked away from Calhoun. You could make the argument that AO helped ISU get off to that hot start with his poor decisions. I like him but he regressed this year.

 

[AJC88]

I was really believing we would be a different team in the tourney based on the recent positive comments from AD and the fact they played a bit better in the BE tourney. Well, I was correct, but we were sure a different team in the opposite direction. How could Andre "Claude Raines" Drummond be the #2 high school recruit in the country last year? And, how could the "experts" project him to be a lottery pick in the NBA draft if he leaves? Baffling!

The scouts weren't wrong. The guy is a freak. Does he play hard and to his potential all the time? No.
The NBA largely drafts players based on potential. Sometimes this philosophy works. Dwight Howard being picked over Emeka Okafor is a perfect example of this. Sometimes it doesn't (see: 90% of high school to NBA players).

Now, I would hope that Coach will talk to him and say "You can go pro now and risk being out of the league in 5 years, or you can stay and work with me for another year and make a career."

I hope Andre makes the smart choice, but who knows.