Ochai Agbaji commits to Kansas
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@truehawk93 I think KU still has a good shot at Romeo too.
And yeah I think program player is a nice way to say guys you figure to be around 4-5 years.
It can be a tough balancing act for KU as we’ve seen.
It’s hard to find kids that want to come and grind it out in practice to maybe be a bench player. They typically have to bleed KU like Mitch.
This year the sit out transfers are making it so that there aren’t many unhappy players. It’s really hard when you have 13 eligible players though.
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@BShark Thanks… so Romeo is a presumed OAD then huh…
sighI’m trying, but my enthusiasm for on-paper OADs picking Kansas is at an all-time LOW.
Devonte, Frank mason, sherron, (put name of your favorite 3 or 4 year KU player here)…
guys who were mid to low ranked to no-ranked in high school who then turned out to be jayhawk-for-life STUDS is what gets me pumped these days. Let’s hope Self and staff keep on finding these “program” player types on a continual conveyor belt basis !!
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http://www.cjonline.com/sports/20180208/kansas-city-area-recruit-ochai-agbaji-picks-ku-basketball
Some good stuff in that article.
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Bosthawk said:
@BShark Thanks… so Romeo is a presumed OAD then huh…
sighI’m trying, but my enthusiasm for on-paper OADs picking Kansas is at an all-time LOW.
Devonte, Frank mason, sherron, (put name of your favorite 3 or 4 year KU player here)…
guys who were mid to low ranked to no-ranked in high school who then turned out to be jayhawk-for-life STUDS is what gets me pumped these days. Let’s hope Self and staff keep on finding these “program” player types on a continual conveyor belt basis !!Romeo is definitely OAD. Regardless of how his season goes.
Sherron was a top 20 recruit but I get where you are coming from on this. We don’t get to have many fun senior nights anymore. Last year was pretty special with Frank and Landen. This year will be pretty awesome too with Graham and Svi.
Right now going forward we have Mitch and Garrett with Ochai and McCormack coming in both project as 4 year players too.
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@BShark Yep- love it !
In my 20 years of Jayhawk fandom, I discovered that these are the types of guys that make me a true passionate fan, come what may of our eventual outcomes. For example, Lightfoot and garret are growing on me like a weed becaus I know, barring unforeseen and unexpected developments, we get to watch them play many many games, absorb Self’s teaching, and (hopefully) grow significantly in skill and prowess before our very eyes.
And yes, if we get him, I will of course root for Romeo as much as I can muster. but I kind of know the script for OADs by now.
scene 1: bask in the preseason buzz and attention and press, and look awesome early in the season against lesser teams
Scene 2: play predictably inconsistent up into conference play and look at times great then look like a lost freshman
Scene 3: basically disappear in the harsh forge of brutal conference play despite Coach playing you your requisite mandated OSD minutes.
Scene 4: make a splash in the first weekend of the big tourney, then be more or less a non-factor in our sweet sixteen or elite 8 loss to a team we should on paper have beaten handily.
Scene 5: wait a week or two, then quietly announce your decision to go pro, and tweet out thanking everyone for the unforgettable experience of being a Jayhawk albeit briefly
I’m tired of this movie.
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@BShark I like cjonline
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Ochai Tea keeps KU brewing
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Gonna need a pronunciation guide with this team next year.
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@wissox Oh Chi. Or, OHCHI.
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@wissox Lol I’ll take a stab at it:
K (Kay) J (jay) Lawson (Law - son)
Dedrick (dead - rick) Lawson (Law - son)
Mitch (like he’ll make you his b…) Lightfoot (Light - foot)
Quentin (Quin ten) Grimes (grime with an s)
Marcus (Mark us) Garrett (Gair et’)
Devon (Dev - on) Dotson (Dot - son)
Charlie (Char - lee) Moore (more)
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Woohoo! KU recruits all over the world, but we’ve gotta recruit in our backyard too. He may be a 3 star but now he’s OUR 3 star. Looking forward to seeing him develop.
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I’m a fan of this commitment. Seems like their is some good reports about his work ethic, character and talent.
Rankings aside (which I’m sure will change) this seems to be a type of player that our coaching staff wants here going forward. I think he fits the mold that Mitch & Marcus are paving right now. Can’t wait to see how develops.
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I am super excited on landing Ochai! He’s a development player with huge upside. Appears to be a 3-4 year player.
I think these kind of players are growing rare. It seems like we either score 5-star OADs or guys that can only help us to a certain level.
When players don’t come into college highly-touted, they are more-likely going to stick around for a while, even if they are really gifted. Players like Ochai end up being every bit as valuable to our program as an OAD because they stick around to build a good career stat sheet in college.
Welcome aboard, Ochai!
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@dylans oh smart one!
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@dylans Interesting you didn’t take a stab at Udoke Azbekuenzngiens’enfffces
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@wissox lol I’ve been told he won’t be here next season. Thanks for playing along!
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@BShark I’ll have to check it out, but what’s wrong with the KCStar?
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@wissox I believe it’s pronounced Udoka (I dunk on you) Azubuike (ouch)
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@wissox Really, the question is, what’s good about the KC Star. Sports page sucks, down to nothing. Sports columnists are weak. No insight. Boring. Heck, I don’t even get my paper anymore until 6:45 at the earliest and I’m out the door by then. I’ll leave the politics out of the criticism.
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@HighEliteMajor I just go to it online for their KU Hoops page with Jesse Newell.
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@wissox The Star has been anti-KU in a subversive way the last 2-3 years. Before that it was more fair. Too much MU love, but that’s to be expected.
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@wissox I have (had) read the sports page each morning since I was in first grade. The last thing I want to do I the morning is eat my breakfast while looking at a computer screen or my phone. Now I can hardly get the paper in my drive before I leave, and it’s down to nothing.
@dylans Correct – they assign non-sports hacks to write attack pieces, like Laura Bauer. Re-hash specials, questionable and biased slants to the info they provide (and the info they don’t provide) based on their preferred narrative, and timing the canned, re-hashed for game days (such as running the Tyreek Hill hit piece the day of the playoff game a year ago).
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The Star is an absolute dumpster fire. I’ve worked with a couple of their political reporters, and they all share one thing in common: a lack of ability to comprehend basic facts. They’re either dumb or willingly biased in “objective” reporting. Anyway, mini-rant over. @dylans Udoka is probably going to declare but not get a combine invite. I know some of his people really want him to go pro, but I don’t think it’s happening this year. He still needs some time.
Back on topic, I love this addition. He’s a great kid by all accounts, and willing to maybe RS if the roster is really stacked like it could be. It doesn’t affect Romeo at all. Had a couple IU fans on Twitter argue it last night. Their response was, “How is Billy Preston doing?” so it went well.
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dylans said:
@wissox lol I’ve been told he won’t be here next season. Thanks for playing along!
By who? Or just general assumption?
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@BShark Just jokes to fit the narrative. Nothing of substance. There have been people say he’s gone all along. I’m not one of them.
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FarmerJayhawk said:
Had a couple IU fans on Twitter argue it last night. Their response was, “How is Billy Preston doing?” so it went well.
The same Billy Preston that IU was recruiting and really wanted. Odd.
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@BShark I forgot about that…IRONY? This will be some poetic justice if we get Langford. Most think Vandy and KU are the only leaders of the three leaders. But, if IU is in the picture and think they are just not to the degree the “experts” say. We have a chance to steal yet another recruit from IU and Archie Miller. We all know how Sean Miller has stolen several recruits from KU. But we did get Withey too.
I could really see OA red shirting and developing under Romeo. OA could be an even greater factor after his RS year, if/when RL heads to the league. OA is going to be a really special PP (Program Player). This is going to get really interesting…JHawk interesting.
Also, hope everyone saw Grimes’ Tweet. “Naah…it (alley oops) will happen in AFH!” Love it. I hope Grimes knows something most of us don’t know.
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What else can it be but…ChaiHawk…
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truehawk93 said:
@BShark I forgot about that…IRONY? This will be some poetic justice if we get Langford. Most think Vandy and KU are the only leaders of the three leaders. But, if IU is in the picture and think they are just not to the degree the “experts” say. We have a chance to steal yet another recruit from IU and Archie Miller. We all know how Sean Miller has stolen several recruits from KU. But we did get Withey too.
I could really see OA red shirting and developing under Romeo. OA could be an even greater factor after his RS year, if/when RL heads to the league. OA is going to be a really special PP (Program Player). This is going to get really interesting…JHawk interesting.
Also, hope everyone saw Grimes’ Tweet. “Naah…it (alley oops) will happen in AFH!” Love it. I hope Grimes knows something most of us don’t know.
Damn Orca whale Miller.
Ayton stings. Josiah Turner and Tarc, eh, I’m kind of glad.
It’s kind of crazy how many perceived KU locks he has flipped.
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https://twitter.com/joshscheib/status/961988612131885058
After announcing that he’s committing to @KUHoops yesterday, where was @youngoch at 6am this morning?!?!? In the gym, working on his game. Incredibly excited for this guy and his future! @Northmen_MBB #OPtoKU
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@dylans @wissox I thought Azibuke was Nigerian for: With Authority?
Ukoka (I dunka) Azibuke (with authority!)
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https://twitter.com/KUTheShiver/status/963622359910424576
Kid has some ups.
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Love how he says Rock Chalk Jayhawk…let it play over and over and over…Rock Chalk Jayhawk…
Say it again…Ochai
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Forgive the title maker but here are highlights of his 41 pts in 3 quarters game.
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Per the Wisconsin 247 guy Evan Flood Agbaji was going to commit to Wisconsin after visiting but the KU offer changed everything. So we pretty much offered just in time.
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BShark said:
Per the Wisconsin 247 guy Evan Flood Agbaji was going to commit to Wisconsin after visiting but the KU offer changed everything. So we pretty much offered just in time.
I think he’s actually from Wisconsin
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BShark said:
Per the Wisconsin 247 guy Evan Flood Agbaji was going to commit to Wisconsin after visiting but the KU offer changed everything. So we pretty much offered just in time.
Wow. Flood is usually pretty reliable about things too.
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@blackmild33 Correct, he was born there and grew up there until he was 5 or 6.
@BeddieKU23 I tend to believe it too. Didn’t read as sour grapes. The Wisconsin guys were also one of the first to pick KU in the crystal ball after the offer.
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@BShark That vert already has me fan-girling so hard.
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@Kcmatt7 lol
He’s going to be a good player for us in time I think. He is a hard worker and his game finally caught up to his athleticism this year. He is an above average shooter and needs to work on his handle. His rebounding stats speak to his effort, even in HS Doke was a poor rebounder.
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@BShark I think he looks more put together size-wise than LeGerald, but equally as athletic. At least when you compare HS mixtapes.
If he can shoot at a 35-40% clip from trey, especially from the corner, he will flourish as a Wing player here. KU is going to have one chippy, gritty, tough bunch over the next 4 or 5 seasons. I can’t wait.
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Kcmatt7 said:
@BShark I think he looks more put together size-wise than LeGerald, but equally as athletic. At least when you compare HS mixtapes.
If he can shoot at a 35-40% clip from trey, especially from the corner, he will flourish as a Wing player here. KU is going to have one chippy, gritty, tough bunch over the next 4 or 5 seasons. I can’t wait.
He shot it very well this year but KS HS hoops isn’t exactly a great barometer. You can tell he has already been in the weight room.
Garrett, McCormack, Agbaji and Dotson are all guys you hear are anything it takes to win guys. Proved true with Garrett already. Have heard good things about KJ there too. No slight on other players, these guys just have that EXTRA, uncommon grit.
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Agbaji is actually playing on the Missouri side of the state line. Their season is over after losing last week to Park Hill. Oak Park played a pretty solid schedule, so his games were fairly challenging, though not up to the level of prep school or some of the bigger states.
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Been hearing good things.
