DePaul gets tall

[Pakuni]

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=333719

DePaul finds 7-foot-2 center
By Adam Rittenberg
arittenberg@dailyherald.com
Posted Monday, July 23, 2007
 
DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright knew he couldn’t enter the 2007-08 season with only three frontcourt players.

And despite signing a five-man recruiting class ranked in the top 20 nationally, Wainwright knew a piece was missing.

A very big piece.

The Blue Demons found their solution in Kene Obi, a 7-foot-2 center from South Kent School in Connecticut. Obi, a native of Nigeria, has enrolled at DePaul and will participate in the team’s summer bridge program.

Despite limited playing time at South Kent, Obi drew interest from several high-major programs, including USC and Wake Forest. His size and strength as a rebounder and a shot blocker could help DePaul, which must replace 57 percent of its rebounding.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

It's interesting to see how Wainwright, sitting in the middle of one of the most talent rich recruiting regions of the country, is slowly building a team based heavily in continental Africa players.

[tower912]

I am sure Lazar will be able to guard him and keep him off of the boards.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I am sure Lazar will be able to guard him and keep him off of the boards.

The fact that no local Big East school even sniffed this guy leads me to believe that not much guarding will be necessary.

[NotAnAlum]

Now Chicos, if we said that about an MU recruit you'd be up in arms.  How many Big East schools were interested in Burke or Blackledge.  This guy couldn't be any further behind than Barro was as a high schooler.  If you are going to take a flyer I'd much rather it be on a 7'2" guy than another 6'7" guy.  Besides he'd look great on the roster page.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Now Chicos, if we said that about an MU recruit you'd be up in arms.  How many Big East schools were interested in Burke or Blackledge.  This guy couldn't be any further behind than Barro was as a high schooler.  If you are going to take a flyer I'd much rather it be on a 7'2" guy than another 6'7" guy.  Besides he'd look great on the roster page.

Here's the difference....Burke actually was sniffed and recruited by fellow Big East members

Dwight Burke recruited by Big East members Pitt, Rutgers, South Florida.  Originally signed with East Carolina.


Trend Blackledge was from Illinois so I didn't expect any Big East members to recruit him (and to your point, he is definitely raw and a reach)  In fact, I'd argue that maybe this kid DePaul got might be a lot like Blackledge, only bigger.  Will be a defensive presence but raw offensively.  Both are reaches.

[NotAnAlum]

The other major difference.  This kid is going to be a freshman.  Nobody had to guard Barro for the first 2 years.  We've struggled so much getting anybody 6'10" or over that I'm convienced that you take anybody.  Unless of course you are Wisconsin who stockpiles 6"10" players like we do guards.

[Murffieus]

Remains to be seen if Wainwright can develop bigs----his first two years didn't show any special expertise in that area whatsoever!

[NYWarrior]

The other major difference.  This kid is going to be a freshman.  Nobody had to guard Barro for the first 2 years.

nobody had to guard this guy last year at ND Prep either -- he never played.  Papa Dia, a lousy center going to SMU, beat him out for minutes.

the kid DPU is really after -- and he's good -- is John Riek, a big fella from Africa going to OSNA on Long Island.   Maybe getting this other big fella makes it easier to land a more desirable African import.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Projects are projects.

Obviously some are more physically gifted than others (height, weight, speed, agility), but they are still projects.

I'm not sure that this guy is automatically a better "project" than somebody like Burke or Barro (or somebody we have never heard of) just because he is taller.

Obviously the upside of a 7' 2" player is pretty good... but you have to realize that developing a guy of that size is risky. It's kind of an "all-in" type of move.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

Projects are projects.

Obviously some are more physically gifted than others (height, weight, speed, agility), but they are still projects.

I'm not sure that this guy is automatically a better "project" than somebody like Burke or Barro (or somebody we have never heard of) just because he is taller.

Obviously the upside of a 7' 2" player is pretty good... but you have to realize that developing a guy of that size is risky. It's kind of an "all-in" type of move.

For an interesting comparison look at what Thabeet (UConn) did last season. He came in much more highly touted then Obi will be and even at that height he struggled with some aspects of the  game.

DPU has landed some nice talent lately but, and no slam intended, for some reason it doesn't "scare" me as a rival fan. Does that make sense? I still don't think they will overtake MU in the near future.

[HarveysWallbangers]

Remains to be seen if Wainwright can develop bigs----his first two years didn't show any special expertise in that area whatsoever!

Murffieus -- Were you aware that Wilson Chandler was taken #1 by the Knicks this year? If Crean is going to hang his hat on developing Diener and Novak into 2nd rounders, surely Wainwright can do the same with a first round pick. Can't he?

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

Remains to be seen if Wainwright can develop bigs----his first two years didn't show any special expertise in that area whatsoever!

Murffieus -- Were you aware that Wilson Chandler was taken #1 by the Knicks this year? If Crean is going to hang his hat on developing Diener and Novak into 2nd rounders, surely Wainwright can do the same with a first round pick. Can't he?

It will most likely be argued that there wasn't much development when it came to Chandler and he left DPU with some holes in his game.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Projects are projects.

Obviously some are more physically gifted than others (height, weight, speed, agility), but they are still projects.

I'm not sure that this guy is automatically a better "project" than somebody like Burke or Barro (or somebody we have never heard of) just because he is taller.

Obviously the upside of a 7' 2" player is pretty good... but you have to realize that developing a guy of that size is risky. It's kind of an "all-in" type of move.

For an interesting comparison look at what Thabeet (UConn) did last season. He came in much more highly touted then Obi will be and even at that height he struggled with some aspects of the  game.

DPU has landed some nice talent lately but, and no slam intended, for some reason it doesn't "scare" me as a rival fan. Does that make sense? I still don't think they will overtake MU in the near future.

Yea, I totally agree.

I don't think DPU signing this dude really makes me quake in my boots.

What would make me nervous was if DPU started to lock down Chicago recruiting and landed a couple of great classes.

If DPU ever gets it's act together, it could be a formidable opponent in the Big East. 

It's not that long ago that everybody at MU was complaining about the arena, coaching, facilities, administration, nickname (well, I guess that is ongoing), schedule, conference, Blue and Gold classic, etc. etc..

Then MU landed a good/great coach, recruited a diamond in the rough (Dwyane) along with some great in-state recruits (steve and travis) and BAM... MU is back on the map. Obviously it is more complicated then just that... but DPU could turn the tide quickly if the right people are hired and retained.