Huge Akok news....

[Pittnerski]

pulled out of Putnam Science Academy. Will enroll in college and eligible for spring semester.

UConn out of scholarships. We have one open and it was believed to be us vs UConn.

Georgetown, Providence and Cuse also have one open spot.

If we can land him mid year, I’m ready to anoint Capel recruiting king. This could get real fun, real fast!!!

 

[DiehardPanther]

pulled out of Putnam Science Academy. Will enroll in college and eligible for spring semester.

UConn out of scholarships. We have one open and it was believed to be us vs UConn.

Georgetown, Providence and Cuse also have one open spot.

If we can land him mid year, I’m ready to anoint Capel recruiting king. This could get real fun, real fast!!!

Eligible to play this Spring?

 

[Pittnerski]

Yes.

 

[Drew1208]

Woh that's crazy

 

[HOF Coach]

Richie Walsh reportedly saw Akok ducking into the Dirty O tonight. Richie said that Akok made the mistake of ordering large fries and thinks Akok will be there for hours trying to eat all of those fries.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

Would you want to blow a year of Akoks eligibility to throw him into conference play?

 

[Jeffburgh]

Would you want to blow a year of Akoks eligibility to throw him into conference play?

18 hours ago he was talking about going straight to the pros ... 5 months might be all you get out of him.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

Those 5-months might be enough to put this team at an NCCA Tourney bid level. Could be enough to push prospects for a handful of ACC wins to 8-10 ACC wins and 20-21 overall which should be enough for an NCAAT bid.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

If he is ready to step into conference play and contribute in a meaningful way then sure, why not. I would have serious doubts about it working out that way.

 

[DiehardPanther]

18 hours ago he was talking about going straight to the pros ... 5 months might be all you get out of him.

Exactly! He is rated as a 5 star by some services.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

I guess maybe you can convince the kid to stay another year? Get caught up to speed for half of this season and come out ready to make yourself a lottery pick in 19-20.

I'm not sure what message it sends to your kids who have been busting it since before the season started. But maybe I'm overplaying that part.

 

[Jeffburgh]

I guess maybe you can convince the kid to stay another year? Get caught up to speed for half of this season and come out ready to make yourself a lottery pick in 19-20.

I'm not sure what message it sends to your kids who have been busting it since before the season started. But maybe I'm overplaying that part.

I would guess that would be what HCJC would try.

 

[LeftCoastPanther]

Would you want to blow a year of Akoks eligibility to throw him into conference play?

Absolutely.

 

[FieldHouse12]

What message does it send ? How about Capel believes this team is only 1 piece away from making a serious run. I say it should show them confidence.
Hope this happens...not getting excited yet.

 

[Elsalvador]

You take Akok for one semester, rather than not. Who knows too, maybe he'll come back for 2019 too.

 

[DiehardPanther]

I guess maybe you can convince the kid to stay another year? Get caught up to speed for half of this season and come out ready to make yourself a lottery pick in 19-20.

I'm not sure what message it sends to your kids who have been busting it since before the season started. But maybe I'm overplaying that part.

The guys who really want to win and have a chance at the tourney will be happy.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

The guys who really want to win and have a chance at the tourney will be happy.

Yeah, probably doesn't matter under the current regime. Probably would have been an issue in prior years under KS when it was more like a gulag.

 

[MajorMajors]

Would he be a “one-half and done?”

Go Pitt.

 

[wbrpanther]

Eligible to play this Spring?

I questioned that on the pay board. My guess is yes, why not? He is not transferring from another University and we do have a scholarship available.

 

[wbrpanther]

Would you want to blow a year of Akoks eligibility to throw him into conference play?

He's not going to be anywhere for a full 4 years. If we could get him for the spring that would be much better than not.

 

[TheLogicalTake]

Hamidou Diallo did this a few years ago at UK. As long as he qualifies academically, he can play beginning in the Spring Semester.

This is the strangest recruitment I’ve seen in a while.

 

[DiehardPanther]

Hamidou Diallo did this a few years ago at UK. As long as he qualifies academically, he can play beginning in the Spring Semester.

This is the strangest recruitment I’ve seen in a while.

He shot up the recruiting rankings. His plan is to play in the NBA next year. He probably figures it is best to play against the highest level opponents to get prepared for the NBA.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

The guys who really want to win and have a chance at the tourney will be happy.

Who would lose minutes? Chukwuka and Brown most likely as they would become backups at the 5 with possibly some occasional extra PT if we use two bigs a little bit. If the latter happens, it would partly compensate for some of their lost minutes by taking a few minutes away from the Ellison/Toney combo.

Overall, I don't see it as a team morale problem. Perhaps it would convince Ilegomah to transfer which logically might be going to happen anyway if we bring in a couple of quality bigs (like Samuel & Wahab) for 2019 in the spring.

 

[joeydavid]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/247spo...l-in-college-at-semester-break-125285814/Amp/

 

[balboa10]

The guys who really want to win and have a chance at the tourney will be happy.

Who would lose minutes? Chukwuka and Brown most likely as they would become backups at the 5 with possibly some occasional extra PT if we use two bigs a little bit. If the latter happens, it would partly compensate for some of their lost minutes by taking a few minutes away from the Ellison/Toney combo.

Overall, I don't see it as a team morale problem. Perhaps it would convince Ilegomah to transfer which logically might be going to happen anyway if we bring in a couple of quality bigs (like Samuel & Wahab) for 2019 in the spring.

Cory Evans has him going to uconn.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Was going to post something on this but we already have a thread going. A little birdie told me that they really like our chances at getting Akok. We’ll see. It’d “change everything” for sure.

 

[Chescat]

Who would lose minutes? Chukwuka and Brown most likely as they would become backups at the 5 with possibly some occasional extra PT if we use two bigs a little bit. If the latter happens, it would partly compensate for some of their lost minutes by taking a few minutes away from the Ellison/Toney combo.

Overall, I don't see it as a team morale problem. Perhaps it would convince Ilegomah to transfer which logically might be going to happen anyway if we bring in a couple of quality bigs (like Samuel & Wahab) for 2019 in the spring.

The minutes wouldn't be that much of an issue IMO. So far it appears that
Capel has the current players thinking.....whatever is best for the team we'll
do. I could even see Chuka on the floor at the same time as Akok ; Chuhka
is more of a forward than he is a Center. Brown would still play, and Iggy,
George, Stevenson, and Davis would probably hardly ever get playing
time. Those last four players I mentioned are hardly getting time anyway.
They all could possibly transfer. I really like Davis, but the talent difference
between him and the other guards and wings is substantial. Stevenson
would get a lot of playing time at a mid level team, but where does
he fit on this team?

 

[Faix87]

Cory Evans has him going to uconn.

They apparently don't have the numbers so wonder what they would pull to get this done...

 

[balboa10]

Cory Evans has him going to uconn.

They apparently don't have the numbers so wonder what they would pull to get this done...

Lots of ways to do It. Hurley is a sneaky little dude.

 

[Pittnerski]

Wouldn’t put it past UConn and Hurley to have him “walk on” for a year.

I’m hoping if we can land him it’d be for 1.5 years and not just the conference schedule of 2018-2019 season.

Landing him immediately changes the recruiting perception. I mean we all knew Capel was going to get good players. But this is an elite talent.

 

[Purdue_Panther]

You are only getting him for the one semester and you absolutely take him. You show that Capel can get people drafted even when only working with them for a small time. You improve the team and hopefully if it goes well it helps recruit other one and dones to the team either next year or in the future.

 

[ThePanthers]

Rather have him for a few months than not at all.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Rather have him for a few months than not at all.

Yup. It’s like the NBA; he’s the rent-a-player we acquire to win it all...

The NIT, that is.

 

[ScrantonicityIII]

Likely to SU IMO.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

Would you want to blow a year of Akoks eligibility to throw him into conference play?

If he's that good eligibility doesn't matter since he'll be NBA bound before he uses it up!

"it's five o'clock somewhere"
Signed: Mr Buffett
Go PITT & CSU Rams!

 

[rickt113]

pulled out of Putnam Science Academy. Will enroll in college and eligible for spring semester.

UConn out of scholarships. We have one open and it was believed to be us vs UConn.

Georgetown, Providence and Cuse also have one open spot.

If we can land him mid year, I’m ready to anoint Capel recruiting king. This could get real fun, real fast!!!

Rumor is he will stay a semester than go Pro !

 

[mike412]

They apparently don't have the numbers so wonder what they would pull to get this done...

Bodies disappear in snowbanks in Connecticut all the time. Usually turn out to be unproductive UConn players.

 

[thebadby2]

Richie Walsh reportedly saw Akok ducking into the Dirty O tonight. Richie said that Akok made the mistake of ordering large fries and thinks Akok will be there for hours trying to eat all of those fries.

Was Sean Miller with him?