Ehimen Orukpe is a Shocker

[LUguy]

so when we say that is is close to 7 feet, does that mean like 6'11.9'' or more like 6'11'' and some change? I will say that there is definitely something magical about hitting that 7' mark...

On 1410 this morning they said he's the first 7 footer at WSU in 15 years. Who can guess the last one?

he is more like 6'10

[C0|dB|00ded]

so when we say that is is close to 7 feet, does that mean like 6'11.9'' or more like 6'11'' and some change? I will say that there is definitely something magical about hitting that 7' mark...

On 1410 this morning they said he's the first 7 footer at WSU in 15 years. Who can guess the last one?

he is more like 6'10

That would really suck if it is true...


T


...8)

[RoyalShock]

Does that mean that Frank Benjamin-Eze is only 6'11?

The African b-ball sites must over-estimate heights worse than we do here.

[jocoshock]

A few transition baskets and a few offensive board putbacks and you get to 12 points pretty fast.

Just ask Cliff Levingston.... :D

[bloodgold]

I remember the first time Greg Dreiling entered the floor at 21st and Hillside as a Shocker. Just seeing somebody a legitimate 7'0" that can play and is a Shocker was a great feeling.

Who walked in behind Greg Dreiling that was 7' and could play?

[forevershockerfan]

Hard to find and rare indeed bloodgold. This signee could be a Godsend in time. Nate Bowman was around 6'10", Ozell Jones was 6'11", Robert Elmore I think was around 6'10". All of those players were very good. Not many legite 7'0" I can think of here at WSU ever. On the other hand, we were told that Rick Conn had a 42" vertical.

[Girl knows Wu Too]

So how tall was Ryan Bradley?

With shoes or w/o?

:yes:


Six foot eleven?

[rrshock]

So how tall was Ryan Bradley?

With shoes or w/o?

:yes:


Six foot eleven?

Wasn't RBrad really only 6'10"?

[Snapshot9]

RBrad is 6'10", and David King, per his Dad, is 6'11" in bare feet.

[MikeShox]

Re: Ehimen Orukpe is a Shocker

Just thought I'd bring back a memory from a year ago. Looks like it may finally come true. :poster_eo:

from goShockers.com:

Ehimen Orukpe Signs with Men's Basketball
Courtesy: Wichita State
Release: 05/14/2007

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WICHITA, Kan. – Seven-foot center Ehimen Orukpe, a native of Lagos, Nigeria, has signed a National Letter-of-Intent to play men’s basketball at Wichita State, Head Coach Gregg Marshall announced today.

“Ehimen is immediately a shot-blocker and a rebounder, and can run and jump, at seven feet,” Marshall said. “The potential for this young man at 18 years old is extraordinary.

“I had sent a representative from my Winthrop staff to Nigeria and when he returned Ehimen was our primary target amongst many targets that would be capable of helping us at Winthrop. Through the transition of coaching staffs, not only at Wichita State, but also at Liberty, where he originally signed then released from his NLI, we began to recruit him to WSU in earnest once that occurred.

“We knew of the talent and size that he possessed. As we continue to develop him offensively, and he gains strength and confidence, and learns to play in our system, he should be an impact player offensively and on the glass.”

Ehimen (A-hee-may) Orukpe (7-0, 220, C, Delta, Nigeria) played for the Ebun Comet, one of the elite amateur club teams in Nigeria.

Orukpe averaged 12.0 ppg and 9.0 rpg a game for Ebun. Orukpe’s coach, Ayo Bakare, coached the 1998 Nigerian National Team.

Orukpe was also recuited by Liberty, Auburn, Western Kentucky, Illinois State and Winthrop.

Orukpe joins Hillsborough (Tampa, Fla.) Community College forward Ejike Hart, a Monrovia, Liberia native; Paris [Texas] Junior College forward Ramon Clemente, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound forward and Queens, N.Y., native; and Three Rivers [Mo.] Community College forward Mantas Griskenas, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward from Rokiskis, Lithuania as Wichita State men’s basketball Spring signees.

[wufan]

Thomasson, Hart, Clemente, Griskenas, Durley, Orukpe, Butler(?).

That's 6 or 7 actual frontcourt players. 4 or 6 (maybe) that will likely see respectable minutes. Only one Sr. in the bunch. That is going to be frontcourt depth - something Shocker fans haven't seen in recent memory.

Ouch! Only Thomasson, Clemente, and Durley were able to be here for the second half of the year. Also remember that Brown transferred, King left, Bowles went to ride the pine at aTm, Sampay headed North, and Guy never made it. 9 of 12 players that were courted for the Shockers 07-08 team did not play in the Fall of 08!