I'm not familiar with any previous biases or whatever, so I can't speak to what the subtext in a lot of these posts. However, regardless of any that exist, I think the comparison between the two is a valid one and I think its interesting and worthwhile as an OU fan to try to find some context for what kind of player AJ was. There haven't been many players at OU in the last 25-30 years to be so enigmatic yet also have such a prominent role in the program.
One thing I'd like to add to the discussion is this: Quannas was what most of you have already said about him: a steady hand, trustworthy, solid offensive player, strong defender, etc... But I think it is worth noting that if Kelvin were to make a list of what he was looking for in a point guard to plug into his system, the list would be something close to what Quannas was. He was just the perfect fit for the things Kelvin wanted to do.
Examples: For one, maybe Kelvin's single most important defensive principle was extending ball pressure far out on the floor. It was the fundamental that everything was built on. Pressure defense with the goal of making the offense unsure or hesitant rather than to create turnovers. Its one of the reasons Drew Lavender was such a poor fit with Kelvin...to pressure the other team's primary ball-handler for an entire game not only took a great deal of energy, but also physical strength. Drew could pester guys, but he couldn't really steer them around or deny spots. Quannas, on the other hand, was a bull and he made it very tough for teams to get into their sets comfortably. Spacing is huge to an offense's ability to execute and adding and extra foot or two to passing lanes makes things a lot tougher on a team.
Another example of what made Quannas such a perfect guy for that team was his limited offensive game. Stick with me here, but I actually think it was an advantage for him. Just think of how Kelvin wanted his teams to play: under control, patient, efficient. He didn't want guys going off script (one reason we saw Ebi and Selvy get an earful even if they would make good plays). Quannas was perfect for that style. He wasn't a particularly creative player, so he wasn't going to be fighting the urge to get into the lane all the time. His jumper was just good enough that he would take open shots or shots against the clock with confidence, but not so good that he was going to go hunting for shots. His vision or "flair" for passing wasn't anything special, but he understood where players were supposed to be and when they were supposed to be there (and with Kelvin, they were usually there). He was just the right guy playing for the right coach with the right teammates.
AJ on the other hand, well, first of all I;m not sure we would all feel the way we do about Quannas if he had come to OU as a freshman in Kelvin's last year at OU. That was a very different group of players then the team that won 7 tournament games in two years. But regardless of that, I just don't think AJ was ever that close to being in a situation that was particularly suited to his talents. I think last season came close at times, but I feel the combination of his injuries and his uneven play really effected his confidence by his senior year.
I think the perfect situation for AJ was as a combo-guard...regardless of whether he started at the 1 or the 2 or came off the bench. I think he was never strong enough as a point guard to play the kind of minutes he did at the position, but, to be fair, I think his lack of strength would have always limited his effectiveness as a full-time wing player as well. I see AJ as a guy who was at his best when he was able to play off the ball. He was a very good cutter...he knew how to set his defender up and time his cuts and angles. He was probably at his best last season when Blake got the ball in an in-between post up. He was very good at finding space and making himself available when eyes were on Griffin. And if he got the pass, he would usually finish or make the extra pass for an assist. And as a shooter, he was much better when he could catch and shoot. He seemed most effective when he could catch a pass in the corner from the wing after running the baseline, or catching on the wing after cutting from the corner, or catching at the top of the key after moving up from the lane. He never looked comfortable as a spot-up shooter. Something about standing and waiting for a pass never seemed to click with him, for whatever reason. And as far as doing things off the dribble, well that was just never a strong suit for him. He wasn't physically strong enough or athletic enough to finish at the rim. In fact, I would say he was most effective off the dribble when he would pull up from 12-15 feet in the paint. Last season, I always felt good about him getting that shot.
Now, take all the things I just rattled off and think about what some of the fundamental aspects of playing the point are. Basically, playing the point full time took AJ away from all the things he did well out on the floor. But that was the sad fact of his time at OU...he never played with a guy who could be the primary ball-handler. Consequently, he was very limited in his opportunities to play to his strengths. I think if he had been able to play for a guy like Herb Sendek it could have had a significant impact on his career (if there had been a strong ball-handler alongside him). Lots of screens and cuts on offense and a lot of zone on defense, which really played to AJ's height and length. In fact, I'm sure some will think I'm crazy, but I think AJ could have been a player very similar to Julius Hodge.
I say all of this just because I think that AJ was a better player than many of us give him credit for, not because anyone is out to get him or anything, but just because he never found a way to put his talents to use fully. I think comparing the stats of Quannas and AJ is a fair way to illustrate that point. But as someone who believes stats are a great tool for informing what you see, but hardly a trusty way to make broad evaluations, I think it isn't a totally reliable way to illustrate the productivity of the two players. Quannas didn't often get too far above or below his averages. You pretty much knew what his stat line was going to look like every night (which is a testament to how tailor-made he was for the teams he was on). AJ however, rarely put up numbers from game to game that looked the same. His averages were just that...the middle point between his highs and lows. His game depended much more on how teams were defending, because there was no built in role for him that suited him.
