Gus Okafor Transfer is a Shocker

[Shockm]

There is nothing that tells me Ballard will be anything but a minimal minute eater at the end of the bench. I hope I am wrong but not sure how you can get anything about his defensive prowess from 4 minutes per game. There is more data to point to a very minimal role player.

You haven’t seen him play and neither have I. I don’t trust you’re evaluation anymore than you trust mine.

Without seeing him play, I feel better about him being the 3rd option at Center at 7’1 than Joe Pleasant who we had last year. Syracuse recruited Ballard, and Pleasant was recruited back to Abilene Christian. Obviously there are some big time school who think he has potential to be something in 3 years or so or they wouldn’t have recruited him either, and he wouldn’t have been a 4* recruit out of prep school.

But neither you nor I can predict what he will be in 3 years.

[shock]

Poor job of balanced recruiting. Brown recruited lots of 2s and 3s (we already had a couple of them returning too), but Okafor is the only true 4 recruit, and he is a stretch 4. Not a good job of recruiting. Lots of 2s and 3s. Two true 5s and a returning 5. Not any true 1 recruits. Just one true returning 1 in Porter.

This assumes they are staying more than one year. If you have to rebuild your roster every year, it’s hard to keep it balanced in the traditional sense.

I think we will see 8 rotational players with 2 f-c types playing 30+ minutes a game quite regularly.

[TheShocktocles]

You haven’t seen him play and neither have I. I don’t trust you’re evaluation anymore than you trust mine.

Without seeing him play, I feel better about him being the 3rd option at Center at 7’1 than Joe Pleasant who we had last year. Syracuse recruited Ballard, and Pleasant was recruited back to Abilene Christian. Obviously there are some big time school who think he has potential to be something in 3 years or so or they wouldn’t have recruited him either, and he wouldn’t have been a 4* recruit out of prep school.

But neither you nor I can predict what he will be in 3 years.

Totally agree. And I know Ballard is way better than Orupke and Asbjorn Midtgaard. Orupke has the longest thread on this board and he could not catch the ball. Clang from the free throw line and skinny as a pole when he arrived. A Midtgard slow as molasses and couldn not make point blank layups. Ballard has skills and is athletic and can run the court. He also can protect the rim.. This is a big improvement for this team. Go Shocks

[WuTheOne]

Totally agree. And I know Ballard is way better than Orupke and Asbjorn Midtgaard. Orupke has the longest thread on this board and he could not catch the ball. Clang from the free throw line and skinny as a pole when he arrived. A Midtgard slow as molasses and couldn not make point blank layups. Ballard has skills and is athletic and can run the court. He also can protect the rim.. This is a big improvement for this team. Go Shocks

Orukpe skinny when he arrived? Midtgaard, the guy who led the nation in FG% his Sr. year, couldn't hit layups? I would ask if you are on drugs, but the answer is obvious.

[TheShocktocles]

Orukpe skinny when he arrived? Midtgaard, the guy who led the nation in FG% his Sr. year, couldn't hit layups? I would ask if you are on drugs, but the answer is obvious.

I love it when you attack me personally. I don't care what A Mitgaard did his senior year at some school where they don't have the athletes and players they have in the AAC. In the AAC he could not guard anyone and he could not make layups. Oruptke was skinny when he arrived. Look at photos clown. You keep trying little girl.

[shock]

I love it when you attack me personally. I don't care what A Mitgaard did his senior year at some school where they don't have the athletes and players they have in the AAC. In the AAC he could not guard anyone and he could not make layups. Oruptke was skinny when he arrived. Look at photos clown. You keep trying little girl.

Whatever about AM, but you are flat out wrong about Orupke. He was 7’ and lean, but his biceps were about the size of basketballs. Dude was always yoked.

[WuDrWu]

Ehimen started for a team that went to the Final Four, and arguably was the best team in the country at the end (without question the best team that didn't cheat).

Dis EO at your own peril.

[SubGod22]

I still wish EO had played more. We had the offensive firepower around him to keep his D and rebounding presence on the court more. He's easily the best shot blocker we've ever had, he just didn't get the court time to become number one in total blocks. He was definitely a net positive.

[Dan]

I'll take more Orupke and less Wamukota or Bilau

[shock]

Ehimen started for a team that went to the Final Four, and arguably was the best team in the country at the end (without question the best team that didn't cheat).

Dis EO at your own peril.

I don’t know who I would be more afraid of after dissing EO’s body- EO or Cold.

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

Totally agree. And I know Ballard is way better than Orupke and Asbjorn Midtgaard. Orupke has the longest thread on this board and he could not catch the ball. Clang from the free throw line and skinny as a pole when he arrived. A Midtgard slow as molasses and couldn not make point blank layups. Ballard has skills and is athletic and can run the court. He also can protect the rim.. This is a big improvement for this team. Go Shocks

You KNOW this huh? Might I ask how you know this?

[forevershockerfan]

Melvin Reed was a 6'5" center for the Shocks way, way back. If I recall he played center on our Final 4 team?

[shock]

You KNOW this huh? Might I ask how you know this?

His grandpappy told him stories as a youngin

[Shockm]

If Ballard is as good as Orupke, right away, he will deserve far more minutes (maybe he should start) than I predict he will get. Except for free throws, EO was a really good back up to Carl Hall. The only regret has to be when Baker (against Louisville in the F4) fired a pass to him under the basket late in the game (passing up the 3 attempt from the top of the key), so Louisville fouled Orupke, instead of giving up a dunk or layup. He infamously missed probably the most important free throws of his life.

[ShockerDropOut]

I love it when you attack me personally. I don't care what A Mitgaard did his senior year at some school where they don't have the athletes and players they have in the AAC. In the AAC he could not guard anyone and he could not make layups. Oruptke was skinny when he arrived. Look at photos clown. You keep trying little girl.

AM played very well against Taco Fall. He was one of the few in the country that did. So to say he could not guard anyone is a bit harsh. He just didn't have the overall speed he needed for this league.