Any news on Orukpe?

[SHOXAAC]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...is-leaves-mark

I would like to offer Anthony Davis' performance last night as evidence that a lanky 7 footer doesn't need to put on an offensive clinic to have a major impact in a game. Davis had just 6 points (6!) and went 1-10 from the field (1-10!)--BUT, he had 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 blocks and 3 steals. He blocked or altered nearly 16% of KU's shots.

You did offer a connection with Davis & EO, even though it might be a one game comparison. You were trying to draw a connection between 2 lanky 7-footers and minimizing the offensive production. The problem with your connection is that Davis' low offensive output is an anomaly. If Davis had more consistent off nights on the offensive end, Kentucky would probably have a bigger number under the L column. On most nights Davis will get you 14-20 points. EO doesn't have that ability. His only benefit is rebounding and altering shots

[ky-mike]

You did offer a connection with Davis & EO, even though it might be a one game comparison. You were trying to draw a connection between 2 lanky 7-footers and minimizing the offensive production. The problem with your connection is that Davis' low offensive output is an anomaly. If Davis had more consistent off nights on the offensive end, Kentucky would probably have a bigger number under the L column. On most nights Davis will get you 14-20 points. EO doesn't have that ability. His only benefit is rebounding and altering shots

I agree. Just the thought of Davis inside on offense makes a team defend differently that it would if they knew that the big man was not a big scoring threat.

[SubGod22]

If Ehimen gets the ball near the basket, he's a scoring threat.

I still say many on here on going to be surprised at what he brings to the table next season.

[SHOXAAC]

If Ehimen gets the ball near the basket, he's a scoring threat.

I still say many on here on going to be surprised at what he brings to the table next season.

When his hands of stone turns into hands of a feather bed mattress, then he will be a scoring threat around the basket. I suspect he will work hard on transforming his hands into Sealy memory foam mitts during the off season.

Sub, I say this with complete sincerity, I hope and I want to be surprised what EO will bring to the table next season. I just think I am one of the few on this board to look at EO with objectivity. As I have said before potential has a shelf life. We are nearing the expiration date on EO's said potential. Come on EO, prove ole' SHOXMVC dead wrong, because I would love to catch all the shite that will come my way...and deserved so!!!!!!!

[WillieJeffJeffries]

I don't have a major connection except I was at South the same time Dreiling was at KMC. He is not my dog in the fight, however he was anything but a stiff. He was a McDonalds AA. I don't know exactly what his FT% was, but for a big it was very good (maybe mid-to-high 70%). He didn't block everything, but I would imagine he swatted away 1 or 2 a game. No, he wasn't nearly as athletic as EO is, but he played and excelled on every level he played. I don't know who you are referring to as to calling EO a stiff, it wasn't me. What is holding EO back is his basketball acumen (or as some put it IQ). Even though EO is very bright, smart and a great example off the court, his ability to execute on the floor according to the coaches standards hasn't met the expectations of a player with 125+ pages (this is for your vancedave56) on this board. Too many on SN are just mesmerized by his potential and forget that results are what's important at the end of the day. Remember, potential has a shelf life...in regard to college basketball in EO's case, it lasts less than one more year. My potential for EO next year is 14 minutes/4 ppg/6-7 rpg/2 bpg.

When I compared EO to GO and GD it was to whether or not EO could have an NBA career. Obsolutly EO could have an NBA career equal to Dreiling. You said GD excelled at every level he played? 2.1 and 2.1 over a 10 year NBA career is that excellence? Dreiling did what he had to do to stay in the NBA, rest the starting center for 8-10 minutes a game, take up some fouls from center position and then be a good cheerleader on the bench. Could EO avg 2 and 2 over 10 year in the NBA sure, will he get the opportunity, who knows. Dreiling had a 12" vertical and stayed in the league for 10 years, he did something right or knew the right people. IMO EO could ezly have the same type of career, get some rebounds, eat some minutes and fouls and bounce around from team to team. GO and GD proved there is alway a place for a 7 footer on an NBA roster. EO will get an invite to NBA FA camp next year, what happens from there.... we will see.

[SHOXAAC]

You just don't get serious looks in the NBA as a 7-foot center unless you can at least threaten to SCORE. Dreiling had to average around 12 & 7 for his college career to get the opportunity to average 2.1 & 2.1 over 10 seasons in the NBA. EO is not a threat to SCORE. The stars and the moon are going to have to align just right for even Garrett to get a serious look by NBA teams. Why you ask??? Because he can SCORE.

As I told Sub above, prove me wrong EO. I will be more than glad to take the shite that will certainly come my way.

[shockmonster]

I remember seeing Dreiling play in the McDonalds AA game. It was the first time I saw him play and I couldn't understand how he made the AA team. He was less than impressive when he played against players that could compete with his size. I didn't see him play in high school but almost of the plays I saw on the news were him shooting a layup after a rebound. He may have done more than that but I didn't see it. On the other hand, the hi-lites on Antoine Carr, Ricky Ross, and other AA types of players showed outside shooting touches, etc. Dreiling had bad hands and dropped a lot of passes. However, he was fairly quick and athletic for a big man and he was decent defensively.

[shockmonster]

You just don't get serious looks in the NBA as a 7-foot center unless you can at least threaten to SCORE. Dreiling had to average around 12 & 7 for his college career to get the opportunity to average 2.1 & 2.1 over 10 seasons in the NBA. EO is not a threat to SCORE. The stars and the moon are going to have to align just right for even Garrett to get a serious look by NBA teams. Why you ask??? Because he can SCORE.

As I told Sub above, prove me wrong EO. I will be more than glad to take the shite that will certainly come my way.

I don't know how EO will be. No doubt that the light has to go on for him to do what Dreiling did in college. I looked it up and Dreiling averaged 10 pts., 5.8 rebs., and 1 block per game for his college career. He did better than I would have given him credit for.

[moshock]

You just don't get serious looks in the NBA as a 7-foot center unless you can at least threaten to SCORE. Dreiling had to average around 12 & 7 for his college career to get the opportunity to average 2.1 & 2.1 over 10 seasons in the NBA. EO is not a threat to SCORE. The stars and the moon are going to have to align just right for even Garrett to get a serious look by NBA teams. Why you ask??? Because he can SCORE.

As I told Sub above, prove me wrong EO. I will be more than glad to take the shite that will certainly come my way.

I am very good friends with this 7 footer's parents. He played in the SEC and was NOT a scoring threat. He barely got a cup of coffee in the NBA but had several strong looks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Hill_(basketball)

Steven is someone that I would compare with EO. He was/is not nearly as athletic as EO is.

I don't see EO being the next Nigerian Nightmare in the NBA but he will get a look and somewhere between a cup of coffee and several million $$$ based off his height - length and athleticism.

MVC, you have complained about this epic thread about EO and all of the hype......I have not counted, but it would not surprise me if you were responsible for 20 or 30 pages of post on this thread. We all know how you feel. As far as your talent evaluating ability goes - you are a hell of a golfer 8-). Please find another dead horse to beat.

[Calshockfan]

This thread could go on for a very long time. All that's required is that somebody talk about his NBA potential in a favorable light. SHOXMVC will than trot out his reasons why he is not worthy and than tells us the length of this thread is not justified. SHOXMVC, why do you care so much?

[Ricardo del Rio]

Ostertag, Dreiling and Koncak. They were all out of the same bolt of cloth.

Koncak signed a contract in 1989 for $13 million. Those days are over for men like these.

Today's athletes are bigger, stronger, and faster. They jump higher and are more skilled.

Someone like these men may catch on with a NBA team, but he will not spend a lot of time on the floor.

Of course, I could be wrong.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

You did offer a connection with Davis & EO, even though it might be a one game comparison. You were trying to draw a connection between 2 lanky 7-footers and minimizing the offensive production. The problem with your connection is that Davis' low offensive output is an anomaly. If Davis had more consistent off nights on the offensive end, Kentucky would probably have a bigger number under the L column. On most nights Davis will get you 14-20 points. EO doesn't have that ability. His only benefit is rebounding and altering shots

My intention was neither to compare nor connect EO with Davis. If there appeared to be a connection being made because both EO and Davis are male college basketball players who happen to play the same position, I'll give you that. My point, which is apparently still lost, is that EO does not have to have consistently solid offensive performances for the Shockers to be successful next year. You concede that Davis had a low offensive output. But he had a low offensive output in the biggest game of the year against one of the better teams Kentucky played the entire season--and they still won. If Davis doesn't average 14.2 ppg for Kentucky this season, it's impossible to know what impact that has on their record. But this obsession that EO has to suddenly become a double digit scorer every night just doesn't hold much water. Each player on the team has strengths and weaknesses. If EO's strength could be to block or alter a substantial number of the opponents shots, while the rest of our boys get the job done on the other side of the court, that could be a formula for a lot of Shocker success. That is a possibility too many of us on this board too quickly dismiss.

[SHOXAAC]

I am very good friends with this 7 footer's parents. He played in the SEC and was NOT a scoring threat. He barely got a cup of coffee in the NBA but had several strong looks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Hill_(basketball)

Steven is someone that I would compare with EO. He was/is not nearly as athletic as EO is.

I don't see EO being the next Nigerian Nightmare in the NBA but he will get a look and somewhere between a cup of coffee and several million $$$ based off his height - length and athleticism.

MVC, you have complained about this epic thread about EO and all of the hype......I have not counted, but it would not surprise me if you were responsible for 20 or 30 pages of post on this thread. We all know how you feel. As far as your talent evaluating ability goes - you are a hell of a golfer 8-). Please find another dead horse to beat.

As a golfer goes...I am a dime a dozen, which is giving me the benefit of the doubt, trust me. Apparently the dead horse isn't as dead as you would like to believe, as others have given very good analysis based on my comments. As far as the 20-30 pages of this thread are my doing...hey, isn't that you giving an observation? Even you said you haven't counted. Are observations allowed on this board. Probably not, which means we might be breaking a rule, or something. Now go away so I can watch Michael Breed on Golf Channel's golf fix. He says he can take 5 shots off my game.

[SHOXAAC]

My intention was neither to compare nor connect EO with Davis. If there appeared to be a connection being made because both EO and Davis are male college basketball players who happen to play the same position, I'll give you that. My point, which is apparently still lost, is that EO does not have to have consistently solid offensive performances for the Shockers to be successful next year. You concede that Davis had a low offensive output. But he had a low offensive output in the biggest game of the year against one of the better teams Kentucky played the entire season--and they still won. If Davis doesn't average 14.2 ppg for Kentucky this season, it's impossible to know what impact that has on their record. But this obsession that EO has to suddenly become a double digit scorer every night just doesn't hold much water. Each player on the team has strengths and weaknesses. If EO's strength could be to block or alter a substantial number of the opponents shots, while the rest of our boys get the job done on the other side of the court, that could be a formula for a lot of Shocker success. That is a possibility too many of us on this board too quickly dismiss.

I actually owe you a sincere apology for misreading your observation. And I agree with you that WSU, as a team, can be wildly successful with EO not being a significant factor on offense. It's just many on this board believe he is all of a sudden going to play over 20 minutes, average a double-doluble and jump right to the NBA. I am just a realist. That isn't going to happen IMO...IMO...IMO.

In order for EO to play approximately 20 minutes, Hall has to play the 4. I just don't see two front court players with a combined range of 6 feet playing 20 minutes together.

[SHOXAAC]

This thread could go on for a very long time. All that's required is that somebody talk about his NBA potential in a favorable light. SHOXMVC will than trot out his reasons why he is not worthy and than tells us the length of this thread is not justified. SHOXMVC, why do you care so much?

You're adding to the thread, so you're guilty by association I guess...lol. Not every thread on this board is interesting to everybody. To each their own I guess. It's not that I necessarily care so much, but when I throw out an observation and others comment, debate, discuss or argue with it, then it becomes something your kind of committed to.

I just find it interesting that a player who has averaged 6 minutes a game over two years has a thread this long. But who knows, back in the day of other 6 minute a night players like Paul Wight, Darrin Dugger, Phil Mendelson, Tom Kosich among others, they might have 127+ page threads if there was a SN. Gotta go...looks like Michael Breed is talking about how I can hit it like Tiger Woods... "For Tiger to hit great shots consistently he must flat load his feet, so he can snap load his power pack. That way he can amplify both lag and drag pressure through impact fix. As long as Tiger's #2 power accumulator doesn't break down, he can reach maximum centrifugal force with minimal pivotal resistance," said Breed. No wonder he has won 4 Masters.