Recruits this weekend
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well had talked about this guy awhile back, Udoka Azubuike 6 ft 11 260 # 27 player by rivals. coming in this weekend for his visit, I would like to see us get this guy, big and bulky, not for sure how well he runs the floor, and with the shorter clock and if we play at the faster tempo hope he has good stamina, but would love to get him think he would be a good addition, solid. Says Ku is his only visit AT THIS POINT but we all know that will change sounds like though we could be in fairly decent position right now, but again that could change very easily. Would be a good haul if we could land him and Bolden both but we shall see. Then there is Lightfoot, coming in be here Thursday, not quite sure how to read this, not real sure how serious of interest we actually have in him 6 ft 8 could be wrong but wouldn’t he be playing the same spot as Carlton? Not really sure just how much he could help us, contribute, interesting recruit. Although Coach Self must be seeing something, had our in home with him and now he is coming to visit. # 118 by rivals but that could change who knows. So what you think guys? A post from another site, a poster says lets sign somebody or are we going to sign anybody in the early period this time? he wigging out, LIKE ALWAYS not a good idea to sign somebody, anybody just for the sake to say HEY we signed this kid, or that kid early, we ACTUALLY have no control over 18 yr olds thinking, if they wanna sign early then they sign early, all we can do is bring them in show the campus, the facilities, meet the coaching staff, other players that’s already here, then its up to them right? but to sign somebody just to be signing somebody? ummm- - - maybe not so much. ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY. thanks guys, and as usual my Jayhawk brothers are the best
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I think Lightfoot is the least viable option. He seems like a Stanford or Utah type player to me. Arizona has also been involved being the home school and all.
Having Azubuike here this weekend is big I think. He’s wide open according to his brother so there’s no telling if we make a great impression on him that he could commit shortly after. Maybe we will be his only visit…
I don’t think that impacts Bolden’s decision because he’s flat out said he wants to play PF.
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I’d like to see us put on a full-court sales press to get a commitment from Udoka this weekend!
He has no other visits scheduled and his mentor seems to understand Self’s offense generating out of the post.
I hope we aren’t playing him against other recruits… always trying to find a “better deal” out there. Udoka has amazing potential to be a force that is nowhere else in college basketball, and only a couple of NBA post guys have his girth and force.
What is really great is we should have him for at least 2 years. He is worth the investment and he will provide one more example of how Kansas develops bigs.
This is the guy we need to sign FIRST! Self knows he needs 3 bigs and so is pressing harder for bigs to sign. That is great news except if he signs a bunch of secondary targets first. Then we will be like we usually are… circling the airport at the last second trying to sign an uber talent.
Udoka continues to grow on my want list and is quickly passing up EVERYONE! I haven’t had this much enthusiasm for a big since we signed Embiid!
Udoka is raw, but he has gifts FEW or NO other bigs out there have. His size and power is over the top. And he has plenty of athleticism to go with his size. He has great springs for a guy weighing 260!
Udoka needs more offensive development, but why won’t he still dominate immediately? Stick him down low and lob the ball in and let him do his thing. No one can stop him. No one!
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Some other KU boards don’t seem to be that excited Azubuike is coming or that he could be a legit option.
They seem to think his handler’s influence will keep him in Florida. The belief has been that FSU coaches placed him here in the states, got him into school etc… I believe some of his AAU teammates are signed or playing for FSU as well…
I think there is more too it with the fact that he’s saying he’s wide open to anyone & we are his only scheduled visit to date. FSU is hard on Devan Huell which is a guy I’ve mentioned as possibly having an influence on where Azubuike may go. There also hasn’t been much word of FSU’s contact with him lately so I’m thinking we have a great chance.
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Azubuike is probably picking between KU and FSU. No, he’s not being leveraged against other bigs in this class because KU needs 3 of them this class. Bolden is the guy who could come in and play right away and the only big KU has a realistic shot at who that is true about. I know KU is in on Harry Giles, but I just don’t see him playing outside of NC for college. Azubuike and Schnider Herard are guys who probably wouldn’t contribute much as freshmen, but would be ready to do so in their 2nd years. Mitch Lightfoot is the fallback plan for KU should Self need one this year with the bigs.
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Great follow up guys, that’s why I LOVE this site, meaningful comments, not just off the wall B.S I think the perfect scenario would to be land all 3 Azubuike, Bolden, & Herard. I do realize that probably not going to happen, but if we could get 2 out of the 3 then hell ya. Does anyone know though how he gets up and down the floor? I mean we know we are going to be pushing the ball quicker, so like this year if Cheick is eligible then no problem, because we know he can get up and down, but what about the 3 we are after for NEXT year? how do they handle the quicker pace? I mean Azubuike would be awesome, but yet if he has trouble making the transition then may not be as beneficial. just curious guys. Like has been said I believe he is a 2 even possibly 3 yr player, Scheinder is definitely a 3 yr I think, now Marques might be a push but I have no problem with having the other 2 around of 2 to 3 yrs. Also read that we now have 2 2018 high profile prospects visiting for late night anyone know who they are? man going to be ALOT of big time recruits on late night. I agree about Giles I don’t feel there is any way he is coming out of Carolina BUT who knows. ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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@jayballer54 To answer your question, Azubuike isn’t going to be a pacemaker the way Diallo should (I’m losing my patience NCAA), but he’s no Josh Smith either. I think his foot speed is comparable to Jahlil Oakafor’s (not his footwork, mind you). He doesn’t seem to be carrying a lot of extra fat on his frame and when he was younger (and lighter), he actually had pretty good speed for his size, so if it were an issue, I think Hudy could right-size him. Even at 280, he’s got great hops for a big man.
If Azubuike couldn’t contribute much his freshman season, I don’t think it would be due to a lack of athleticism in any capacity, but rather due to his very low BBIQ. In particular, I think he’ll struggle with teams that play small ball when it comes to defense. Still, even armed with just a power game, he should be able to score in the half court because he’s bigger and stronger than most NBA 5s these days, let alone college kids. Imagine Tarik Black with Cole Aldrich’s height and length.
As for Giles, he may yet be key to our recruiting season. If he hurries up and picks Duke along with Wenyen Gabriel (as expected), that should kill any shot they’d have at Bolden who, as @BeddieKU23 mentioned, wants to play the 4 (a spot K really likes to fill with 3s anyway). The only way that would backfire is if K tries his hand at forming a super-group the way Calipari did last season. Given how that ended up backfiring (hurt the draft stock of his returning players, scared off several recruits, and alienated fans somewhat when he both failed to deliver on the promise of a perfect season, then later claimed his goal was to get 7 guys drafted, which he also failed to do), I doubt K is going to go Cal’s route (plus he’s not so arrogant as to plant the notion of going 40-0 in his fanbases’ heads). Either way, Bolden probably has a better opportunity to OAD at KU than at Duke, and since that’s what he wants to try, I think he’ll wind up here (but I doubt he’ll wind up an OAD).
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Just saw tonight that Self offered a 6’9" Juco 2016 power forward, Emmanuel Malou, from Yuba College.
Never heard of this one before.
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ya, that’s a new one on me too, also just saw where our in home visit is with Malik Monk tonight also, but I think he is a wrap for Arkansas
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@HighEliteMajor If he can do half of what he’s doing below against a good D, I say sign him:
He doesn’t appear to be your typical Juco/filler type guy. Seems to have real skill and good athleticism too.
In the bad news category, it looks like he’s been recruited by ISU for a long time and I can’t blame them. He looks like a perfect replacement for Georges Niang.
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Giles to Duke is just a formality, everyone knows it. Can’t see Bolden picking them after that happens so again it will become a 3 team race now fighting Bama & UK… It seems like we go through this same crapshoot every year with 10-15 players. We should know more coming up soon especially if Bolden makes the 1st of 2 visits he had scheduled previously.
Gabriel on the other hand I think is less certain than we think to end up a Blue Devil. I still think its the most likely scenario for him but Maryland has been making a very strong push for him. And if you look at their roster, they seem to have the most readily available situation for him to play meaningful minutes as a freshman. You just never know if Gabriel is going to want to play behind Giles. Ever since Diamond Stone committed its sent the Under Armour/Maryland AAU connection to new heights. They are now a destination school.
The other reason I’m getting the feeling that Gabriel might be going to Maryland is Duke’s now of all of a sudden interest in Javin Delaurier #44 ESPN, PF from Virginia. One of the highest risers in the rankings this summer I see Duke has offered & is getting an official visit. Not sure if Duke was always involved but it seemed like Texas and a few others had a good hold of him but now Duke comes calling. And we all know Duke doesn’t extend many scholarships without putting a full effort to get them. This may be the deer in the headlights type offer for the kid where he just takes what’s been given to him. If they were certain Gabriel was coming to Duke I’m not sure Coach K leverages by going after Delaurier.
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“In the bad news category, it looks like he’s been recruited by ISU for a long time and I can’t blame them. He looks like a perfect replacement for Georges Niang.”
All the reason to steal him away.
Pretty impressive video… though we know those can be misleading. He sure seems to play like he’s a lot bigger than 6.9". I’m sure he has something like a 7’4" reach. One thing we can offer him… FREE “KU inches!” We must be one of the leading D1 schools when it comes to “rounding up” on the height measurement! I’m 100% positive Malou will be considered at least 6’11" if he chooses to wear crimson and blue… and if we are willing to say 6’11", why not bump him to a rounded 7’ and save all that valuable ink used in printing our game programs?
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@konkeyDong Why is ISU bad news? They just changed coaches 2 months ago and are having to start over with their recruits because of Prohm.
I also never thought Duke had much of a shot at Bolden. It seemed like it was going to be between KU and UK, but when Bama entered the picture, I think that battled shifted to KU and Bama with UK running a distant 3rd.
