Chris Obekpa

 The more this marinates the more I could live without CO. Don't get me wrong I was one of the posters who felt we needed a big man but if you think about it this roster is pretty loaded and I was never convinced this kid would have a huge impact his 1st 2 years at least. Lavin can reload in the recruiting game pretty quickly, I would not be upset if CO took his potential elsewhere. Potential is just another word for ain't done nothing yet and I'd rather have that extra scholarship in 2013 for a stud.

While we lack "big man" size, I think that across the board this team is loaded with bigger 6'6 6'7 bodies which can make up for that. If guys like Amir, Dom, and Jakarr get their noses dirty under the boards we will be a fine outfit next year. Sanchez seems to have a good inside out game so with those 4 and a spell of good minutes from GG we wont get murdered on the glass. Anyone here think it wouldn't be a bad thing if Lavin pulled the plug and showed future recruits he won't stick around for a guy who pussyfoots about for a year? I can't see Roy Williams or Calipari waiting on a kid like this that's for sure.   
 
 The more this marinates the more I could live without CO. Don't get me wrong I was one of the posters who felt we needed a big man but if you think about it this roster is pretty loaded and I was never convinced this kid would have a huge impact his 1st 2 years at least. Lavin can reload in the recruiting game pretty quickly, I would not be upset if CO took his potential elsewhere. Potential is just another word for ain't done nothing yet and I'd rather have that extra scholarship in 2013 for a stud.

While we lack "big man" size, I think that across the board this team is loaded with bigger 6'6 6'7 bodies which can make up for that. If guys like Amir, Dom, and Jakarr get their noses dirty under the boards we will be a fine outfit next year. Sanchez seems to have a good inside out game so with those 4 and a spell of good minutes from GG we wont get murdered on the glass. Anyone here think it wouldn't be a bad thing if Lavin pulled the plug and showed future recruits he won't stick around for a guy who pussyfoots about for a year? I can't see Roy Williams or Calipari waiting on a kid like this that's for sure.   
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In spite of his offensive deficencies, I'd add him in a heartbeat. Unlike most on these boards--who I'm convinced have never really looked at how Dunlap's zone works--I don't think we need a huge center. I do think we could use some more size, though. Defensively this kid is made for our zone. He's got the ability to keep SF's honest off the dribble and the quickness to closeout on shooters in the corner if good ball movement by the opposition makes that necessary.

I'm not sure if there is a system in the country that could get more out of him than what is in place STJ. He's wasted in a man-to-man at the college level,, and he's really not big enough to be a full-time center in a 2-3. Once he gets Dunlap's defense down, the chaos of the multiple rotations will make it impossible for teams to know where he is and his blocked shots stats as a help-defender could just be silly.

I think he will be a good rebounder with the potential to be very good with top-notch coaching. He also could contribute in transition, as he runs the floor extremely well for a big man and has good body control. He's also pretty good at getting his hands on the ball off missed shots on the offensive glass. He keeps his head up and shows good vision, but he makes a lot of dangerous passes. His hands are bad.
 
 The more this marinates the more I could live without CO. Don't get me wrong I was one of the posters who felt we needed a big man but if you think about it this roster is pretty loaded and I was never convinced this kid would have a huge impact his 1st 2 years at least. Lavin can reload in the recruiting game pretty quickly, I would not be upset if CO took his potential elsewhere. Potential is just another word for ain't done nothing yet and I'd rather have that extra scholarship in 2013 for a stud.

While we lack "big man" size, I think that across the board this team is loaded with bigger 6'6 6'7 bodies which can make up for that. If guys like Amir, Dom, and Jakarr get their noses dirty under the boards we will be a fine outfit next year. Sanchez seems to have a good inside out game so with those 4 and a spell of good minutes from GG we wont get murdered on the glass. Anyone here think it wouldn't be a bad thing if Lavin pulled the plug and showed future recruits he won't stick around for a guy who pussyfoots about for a year? I can't see Roy Williams or Calipari waiting on a kid like this that's for sure.   
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In spite of his offensive deficencies, I'd add him in a heartbeat. Unlike most on these boards--who I'm convinced have never really looked at how Dunlap's zone works--I don't think we need a huge center. I do think we could use some more size, though. Defensively this kid is made for our zone. He's got the ability to keep SF's honest off the dribble and the quickness to closeout on shooters in the corner if good ball movement by the opposition makes that necessary.

I'm not sure if there is a system in the country that could get more out of him than what is in place STJ. He's wasted in a man-to-man at the college level,, and he's really not big enough to be a full-time center in a 2-3. Once he gets Dunlap's defense down, the chaos of the multiple rotations will make it impossible for teams to know where he is and his blocked shots stats as a help-defender could just be silly.

I think he will be a good rebounder with the potential to be very good with top-notch coaching. He also could contribute in transition, as he runs the floor extremely well for a big man and has good body control. He's also pretty good at getting his hands on the ball off missed shots on the offensive glass. He keeps his head up and shows good vision, but he makes a lot of dangerous passes. His hands are bad.
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Agree with Marillac here. First off, his size is being underrated. He's about 6'9" but don't forget this kid is 16 years old. Sanchez is 7 years older. No doubt he will be more polished. Obekpa's athleticism is just fine. He's not a poor athlete. Not as much of a high flyer as I originally thought, but runs the court extremely well and can get the whole distance and block shots. His hands need some work, but some of that can be fixed with drills as well as getting stronger. This kid will make a significant impact from day 1 on defense. The rest can co,e along, which is fine. He'd be a big get for us, don't mistake that.
 
 The more this marinates the more I could live without CO. Don't get me wrong I was one of the posters who felt we needed a big man but if you think about it this roster is pretty loaded and I was never convinced this kid would have a huge impact his 1st 2 years at least. Lavin can reload in the recruiting game pretty quickly, I would not be upset if CO took his potential elsewhere. Potential is just another word for ain't done nothing yet and I'd rather have that extra scholarship in 2013 for a stud.

While we lack "big man" size, I think that across the board this team is loaded with bigger 6'6 6'7 bodies which can make up for that. If guys like Amir, Dom, and Jakarr get their noses dirty under the boards we will be a fine outfit next year. Sanchez seems to have a good inside out game so with those 4 and a spell of good minutes from GG we wont get murdered on the glass. Anyone here think it wouldn't be a bad thing if Lavin pulled the plug and showed future recruits he won't stick around for a guy who pussyfoots about for a year? I can't see Roy Williams or Calipari waiting on a kid like this that's for sure.   
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I kinda understand where you're coming from on this one, sirvoo. I also do not care much for this long, waiting game. OTOH, if he is gonna make his decision at the end of the month, then that is fine with me. At least, there seems to be a deadline now. Devonta Pollard (top 25 player) made his decision only 10 days ago. Maybe, they are dragging it out because it's a tough decision or to create more headline. Who knows!?!

A kid like Obekpa will enable us to turn up the notch a little bit more when we press. They know he'll have their back, if they choose to gamble here and there. He seems to have good, straight-line speed and he really hustles. Whether, it's tipping in a shot; getting his hands on the ball for a deflection; getting over for a help side block; or sprinting downcourt to block a breakaway layup.... He seems to find his way around the ball. I believe our coaching staff could do wonders with this kid.

I think it would also be crazy for Lavin to "pull the plug," considering we're in great shape with Obekpa. I also doubt Williams and Calipari would pull the plug unless they felt they were out of the running (or they had someone in the following class in the bag). Not to mention, we're not exactly on the recruiting level of UNC and UK at the moment. I believe we can consistently compete with them in couple of years or so. I'll also bet there are far more coaches who wouldn't pull the plug on Obekpa versus the ones who would.

We only have to wait this out a couple more weeks 'til a decision is made. Hopefully, the news is to our delight.
 
 The more this marinates the more I could live without CO. Don't get me wrong I was one of the posters who felt we needed a big man but if you think about it this roster is pretty loaded and I was never convinced this kid would have a huge impact his 1st 2 years at least. Lavin can reload in the recruiting game pretty quickly, I would not be upset if CO took his potential elsewhere. Potential is just another word for ain't done nothing yet and I'd rather have that extra scholarship in 2013 for a stud.

While we lack "big man" size, I think that across the board this team is loaded with bigger 6'6 6'7 bodies which can make up for that. If guys like Amir, Dom, and Jakarr get their noses dirty under the boards we will be a fine outfit next year. Sanchez seems to have a good inside out game so with those 4 and a spell of good minutes from GG we wont get murdered on the glass. Anyone here think it wouldn't be a bad thing if Lavin pulled the plug and showed future recruits he won't stick around for a guy who pussyfoots about for a year? I can't see Roy Williams or Calipari waiting on a kid like this that's for sure.   
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I kinda understand where you're coming from on this one, sirvoo. I also do not care much for this long, waiting game. OTOH, if he is gonna make his decision at the end of the month, then that is fine with me. At least, there seems to be a deadline now. Devonta Pollard (top 25 player) made his decision only 10 days ago. Maybe, they are dragging it out because it's a tough decision or to create more headline. Who knows!?!

A kid like Obekpa will enable us to turn up the notch a little bit more when we press. They know he'll have their back, if they choose to gamble here and there. He seems to have good, straight-line speed and he really hustles. Whether, it's tipping in a shot; getting his hands on the ball for a deflection; getting over for a help side block; or sprinting downcourt to block a breakaway layup.... He seems to find his way around the ball. I believe our coaching staff could do wonders with this kid.

I think it would also be crazy for Lavin to "pull the plug," considering we're in great shape with Obekpa. I also doubt Williams and Calipari would pull the plug unless they felt they were out of the running (or they had someone in the following class in the bag). Not to mention, we're not exactly on the recruiting level of UNC and UK at the moment. I believe we can consistently compete with them in couple of years or so. I'll also bet there are far more coaches who wouldn't pull the plug on Obekpa versus the ones who would.

We only have to wait this out a couple more weeks 'til a decision is made. Hopefully, the news is to our delight.
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To add nobody is pulling the plug because he's a necessity. If we had a legit shot blocking presence or an abundance of big men we could in theory walk away. Obviously that's not the case.
 
 It's absurd to pull the plug on a top 70 center who we are apparently leading for. All of us fans want this to be over. Bottom line though is that this recruiting class has turned out real well, even when some doubted whether we'd have anything to show for it this past fall. Things are going great. Let's let the big boss man do what he does best. Would be fantastic to have a big time shot-blocking presence entering this season. It would cause big mismatch problems for a lot of teams who want to push the ball down low. We can also extend our zones further out on shooters and not have to collapse nearly as much.
 
 The more this marinates the more I could live without CO. Don't get me wrong I was one of the posters who felt we needed a big man but if you think about it this roster is pretty loaded and I was never convinced this kid would have a huge impact his 1st 2 years at least. Lavin can reload in the recruiting game pretty quickly, I would not be upset if CO took his potential elsewhere. Potential is just another word for ain't done nothing yet and I'd rather have that extra scholarship in 2013 for a stud.

While we lack "big man" size, I think that across the board this team is loaded with bigger 6'6 6'7 bodies which can make up for that. If guys like Amir, Dom, and Jakarr get their noses dirty under the boards we will be a fine outfit next year. Sanchez seems to have a good inside out game so with those 4 and a spell of good minutes from GG we wont get murdered on the glass. Anyone here think it wouldn't be a bad thing if Lavin pulled the plug and showed future recruits he won't stick around for a guy who pussyfoots about for a year? I can't see Roy Williams or Calipari waiting on a kid like this that's for sure.   
Click to expand...
 

In spite of his offensive deficencies, I'd add him in a heartbeat. Unlike most on these boards--who I'm convinced have never really looked at how Dunlap's zone works--I don't think we need a huge center. I do think we could use some more size, though. Defensively this kid is made for our zone. He's got the ability to keep SF's honest off the dribble and the quickness to closeout on shooters in the corner if good ball movement by the opposition makes that necessary. I'm not sure if there is a system in the country that could get more out of him than what is in place STJ. He's wasted in a man-to-man at the college level,, and he's really not big enough to be a full-time center in a 2-3. Once he gets Dunlap's defense down, the chaos of the multiple rotations will make it impossible for teams to know where he is and his blocked shots stats as a help-defender could just be silly.

I think he will be a good rebounder with the potential to be very good with top-notch coaching. He also could contribute in transition, as he runs the floor extremely well for a big man and has good body control. He's also pretty good at getting his hands on the ball off missed shots on the offensive glass. He keeps his head up and shows good vision, but he makes a lot of dangerous passes. His hands are bad.
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Watching him at IS8 the very same thought entered my mind. In my opinion Chris Obekpa is tailor-made for our system.
 
Absurd is the exact word MCN..

He could have such a great upside and most likely we will have him for four years , while his offensive game develops.

If you think about it , CO is really a no lose situation for us.

Except for Chandler, he is our best option & the two of them can co-exist..

Chandler and Obepka play a different game. Each one has the ability to help us arrive to a different level.

Of course, together , well that's the stuff dreams are made out of but there's a real hope for us there.
 
 
 The more this marinates the more I could live without CO. Don't get me wrong I was one of the posters who felt we needed a big man but if you think about it this roster is pretty loaded and I was never convinced this kid would have a huge impact his 1st 2 years at least. Lavin can reload in the recruiting game pretty quickly, I would not be upset if CO took his potential elsewhere. Potential is just another word for ain't done nothing yet and I'd rather have that extra scholarship in 2013 for a stud.

While we lack "big man" size, I think that across the board this team is loaded with bigger 6'6 6'7 bodies which can make up for that. If guys like Amir, Dom, and Jakarr get their noses dirty under the boards we will be a fine outfit next year. Sanchez seems to have a good inside out game so with those 4 and a spell of good minutes from GG we wont get murdered on the glass. Anyone here think it wouldn't be a bad thing if Lavin pulled the plug and showed future recruits he won't stick around for a guy who pussyfoots about for a year? I can't see Roy Williams or Calipari waiting on a kid like this that's for sure.   
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Well fortunately for us, SJU is not on the level yet of a Kentucky or UNC so Coach has to wait on recruits.

Remember he could have easily "pulled the plug" on Harkless with the NCAA on his back and look how that turned out.

He could have easily "pulled the plug" on Jakarr and let him go off to a higher-tiered program in Kansas.

SJU is not waiting. They're recruiting.
If we were waiting, we'd only have one recruit signed like Cincinnati.

We have 6 and are Top 2 for a highly-ranked big.

I think in the end we'll be pleased with the coaching staff's patience in this process.
 
While his offensive game might be limited at this stage, you can never underestimate the presence of a shotblocker on the floor. You think of how important Gorgui Dieng was in Louisville's run this year and the idea of adding Obekpa is so tempting.

Hope SJU is able to get him in red and white soon.
 
 Some where in Centereach, Obekpa is sitting by a computer saying "when this thread hits 100 pages.."I'll Committ" :sick: :sick:
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Somewhere in cyberspace there sits plandome4 waiting for this thread to hit 200 pages so that Obekpa commits.
 
 I was playing devils advocate but really it's not that absurd. It depends on your perception of his talent. Personally I believe he would be nice to have but he won't make us that much better next year. And waiting for Moe and Jakarr is nothing like this. They were all around top talent, CO is a project who is mainly ranked so high because of his skills on only 1 side of the floor. He's a liability offensively and there are plenty of polished big men in 2013 who would come in and provide much more. Would like to have him but won't feel like we missed out on a huge get if he goes elsewhere.
 
 I was playing devils advocate but really it's not that absurd. It depends on your perception of his talent. Personally I believe he would be nice to have but he won't make us that much better next year. And waiting for Moe and Jakarr is nothing like this. They were all around top talent, CO is a project who is mainly ranked so high because of his skills on only 1 side of the floor. He's a liability offensively and there are plenty of polished big men in 2013 who would come in and provide much more. Would like to have him but won't feel like we missed out on a huge get if he goes elsewhere.
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What do you mean it's nothing like Moe and Jakarr? You're talking about a coach who should give up pursuing recruits because the process is not quick enough for your liking. That's why recruiting is a daily, year-round process.

CO is a project because of his defensive ability and lack of offense? So what exactly is Nerlens Noel known for?

He's a project because he doesn't have a go-to move on offense?

Isn't that why Lavin recruited a well-balanced team with shooters, zone-busters and defensive wingmen who fit his style of coaching?

And not all of the well-polished big men of 2013 want to play at St. John's. Lavin is known for recruiting outstanding, versatile wings and I'm glad he's in the hunt for a few next year.
 
 Nothing new here but I assume Rothstein is getting this from Obekpa's camp as he has little juice with our program

@JonRothstein: St. John's gained even more momentum over the wknd in the Chris Obekpa sweepstakes. Looks like a formality that he'll wind up in Queens."
 
 I was playing devils advocate but really it's not that absurd. It depends on your perception of his talent. Personally I believe he would be nice to have but he won't make us that much better next year. And waiting for Moe and Jakarr is nothing like this. They were all around top talent, CO is a project who is mainly ranked so high because of his skills on only 1 side of the floor. He's a liability offensively and there are plenty of polished big men in 2013 who would come in and provide much more. Would like to have him but won't feel like we missed out on a huge get if he goes elsewhere.
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What do you mean it's nothing like Moe and Jakarr? You're talking about a coach who should give up pursuing recruits because the process is not quick enough for your liking. That's why recruiting is a daily, year-round process.

CO is a project because of his defensive ability and lack of offense? So what exactly is Nerlens Noel known for?

He's a project because he doesn't have a go-to move on offense?

Isn't that why Lavin recruited a well-balanced team with shooters, zone-busters and defensive wingmen who fit his style of coaching?

And not all of the well-polished big men of 2013 want to play at St. John's. Lavin is known for recruiting outstanding, versatile wings and I'm glad he's in the hunt for a few next year.
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It's pretty simple as I explained before CO is not as good as Moe or Jakarr. Those are NBA caliber players who are worth waiting for. Obekpa is not in their class IMO.
 
 And it really has more to do with our perception with future recruits over what happens on the court. Top programs give kids ultimatums and time tables all the time. It has nothing to do with the recruitment process being to my liking, it's CO's decision(hopefully not influenced by handlers) and I hope he becomes a good player and person wherever he ends up.
 
 And it really has more to do with our perception with future recruits over what happens on the court. Top programs give kids ultimatums and time tables all the time. It has nothing to do with the recruitment process being to my liking, it's CO's decision(hopefully not influenced by handlers) and I hope he becomes a good player and person wherever he ends up.
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Why do you keep saying that CO is not a top recruit.

Moe was not expected to be one-and-done coming out of SK. And neither is Jakarr.

Ever heard of coaching a kid up, since you think he's such a project. That's why they have coaches on board with NBA experience.

And to your second point, again, St. John's is not a top program right now so why should they try to act like one. I don't know how you expect Lavin to turn around a program by giving ultimatums and turning recruits off. I'm sure word would get around to recruits rather quickly.
 
 Nothing new here but I assume Rothstein is getting this from Obekpa's camp as he has little juice with our program

@JonRothstein: St. John's gained even more momentum over the wknd in the Chris Obekpa sweepstakes. Looks like a formality that he'll wind up in Queens."
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That sounds good to me! Hammer to rock!
 
 Dave Krupinski‏@DaveKrupinski

Chris Obekpa will join the Red Storm, decision could be announced as early as today. #stjbb
 
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