All Things Zeke Nnaji Recruiting Thread (Class of 2019 - Gophers Have Offered)


I mean, this has been known for probably over 6 months now that he wasn't coming here.
 

per Marcus:

It was becoming clearer that his sights were set out of state. Richard Pitino and his staff did all they could do in recruiting the state's No. 2 senior and a top-40 prospect nationally in 2019.

“It really boiled down to style of play, strength (and conditioning) coach and history of the programs,” Zeke’s father, Apham Nnaji told the Star Tribune. “As well as coaches’ experience was a factor.”

http://www.startribune.com/zeke-nna...-gophers-land-local-player-in-2019/494830131/

Go Gophers!!
 

per Marcus:

It was becoming clearer that his sights were set out of state. Richard Pitino and his staff did all they could do in recruiting the state's No. 2 senior and a top-40 prospect nationally in 2019.

“It really boiled down to style of play, strength (and conditioning) coach and history of the programs,” Zeke’s father, Apham Nnaji told the Star Tribune. “As well as coaches’ experience was a factor.”

http://www.startribune.com/zeke-nna...-gophers-land-local-player-in-2019/494830131/

Go Gophers!!

So he doesn’t like a fast paced, free roaming style that is player friendly? Looks like he didn’t think Pitino was a big enough name to be his coach. At least he didn’t keep wasting our time. Next player.


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Interesting that Calipari invests the time to come here to visit him, and Kentucky doesn't even get an official. Granted it's probably 1/1,000th of his recruiting budget and he can just move onto the next stud prospect, but it just goes to show you that nothing is guaranteed. If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on Arizona, with Kansas next in line. I'd be stunned if he stayed in the Big 10 and went to Purdue.
 



He is a great talent but a poor teammate. Just ask his old Lakeville North team....does anyone know why he transferred to Hopkins?
 

Not worried about losing him. We already got our power forward. We really need one or two long wings that can shoot.


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His high ranking is surprising to me. I've never been overly impressed with him and I'd seen him play probably a dozen times. I don't know what it is about Hopkins kids but they all seem to disappear for long stretches of time, even though nothing else about his game reminds me of the Colemans, Coffey, or Blake.
 



His high ranking is surprising to me. I've never been overly impressed with him and I'd seen him play probably a dozen times. I don't know what it is about Hopkins kids but they all seem to disappear for long stretches of time, even though nothing else about his game reminds me of the Colemans, Coffey, or Blake.

Wonder what it is that some of the nations most accomplished coaches evaluated him as a tremendous prospect. His tremendous length and court IQ are very high and his versatility allows for mismatches. Make no mistake, Pitino wanted him badly.
 

“It really boiled down to style of play, strength (and conditioning) coach and history of the programs,” Zeke’s father, Apham Nnaji told the Star Tribune. “As well as coaches’ experience was a factor.”

I'm curious as to why a strength and conditioning coach would be such a major factor. I'm sure there are great ones and crappy ones but I'd assume most are pretty similar.
 

I'm curious as to why a strength and conditioning coach would be such a major factor. I'm sure there are great ones and crappy ones but I'd assume most are pretty similar.

Probably because he's been told forever that he needs to build his muscles and add strength to succeed at the next level.
 

What do we think the thought process is behind considering Arizona? Do we think he's getting paid?

I don't know why someone would consider them with all the crap swirling around them right now.
 



What do we think the thought process is behind considering Arizona? Do we think he's getting paid?

I don't know why someone would consider them with all the crap swirling around them right now.

So far, the tint of corruption has no impact on Arizona. I think they have two five star recruits committed. We'll see if the trial allegations change that, but I doubt it.
 




C.R.E.A.M.


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Can't blame him. Winter is coming. Maybe it is there already.
 

Who cares...


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What do we think the thought process is behind considering Arizona? Do we think he's getting paid?

I don't know why someone would consider them with all the crap swirling around them right now.

Why can’t it be that Arizona is where he wants to go? Why does it have to be something like paying him to go there?


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Why can’t it be that Arizona is where he wants to go? Why does it have to be something like paying him to go there?


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Agree, I always figured it would be UCLA though, Arizona makes perfect sense.
 

From what I have seen of him, he doesn't seem like a team guy. Does anyone know the backstory? Why did he transfer from Lakeville North?
 


Why can’t it be that Arizona is where he wants to go? Why does it have to be something like paying him to go there?


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Because as legal matters are demonstrating, Arizona tends to pay top recruits and because the places nnaji was considering are fairly well known for being dirty programs that pay recruits? It’s like assuming Zion Williamson was asking for forty grand to go to Kansas but decided to go to duke instead because he’s excited about Durham’s excellent culinary scene.


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Because as legal matters are demonstrating, Arizona tends to pay top recruits and because the places nnaji was considering are fairly well known for being dirty programs that pay recruits? It’s like assuming Zion Williamson was asking for forty grand to go to Kansas but decided to go to duke instead because he’s excited about Durham’s excellent culinary scene.


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Exactly. Arizona is/has been proven to be dirty in the past. As such, it's a completely fair question at this point. But I guess some folks must have missed all those federal court cases.
 

Exactly. Arizona is/has been proven to be dirty in the past. As such, it's a completely fair question at this point. But I guess some folks must have missed all those federal court cases.

Midnight Lute strikes again.
 

Hopefully he has improved his game over the summer. I thought he disappeared quite often throughout the course of a game or even the entire season. I think he even missed some games and it took until the second half when I realized he wasn't out there.

He's pretty athletic and you can see his "potential". I'll reserve a comment until watching him a few games this year but really no harm in offering him as he's not deterring anyone else from becoming interested in this program.

Honestly, a year later and this is still how I feel about Nnaji. I think he should be producing far more than he actually does. With his body he should just flat out dominate most of the guys he plays against but I don't see that.

Again, maybe he took the next step over the summer but at this point I'm not too devastated. I'm not a scout, though, so maybe he'll make me look like an idiot.
 




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