Lon - going a Gonzaga strategy with big men?

[atlantasooner]

As with have seen recruiting class after recruiting class. It's almost impossible for
OU to land a top 30 big man. They end up at the traditional basketball powers for a myriad of reasons.
However, Lon is certainly able to add talented wings/shooting guards/big forwards from the HS ranks. Top 50/Top 100 kids. He's got a system to develop those players and make OU as competitive with anyone in the country.
Big man puzzle is harder to solve. Juco has not been the answer to date.
He's bringing along Lattin and McNease from projects to front line players.
But the addition of Freeman and Hassa seems to indicate a change of plans.
Gonzaga has made a living off recruiting and developing foreign big men.
The Zags like OU just cannot compete for HS top 30 guys so they have found an alternate path.

 

[CoachTalk]

They like Polla much more than Theo John.

I like it. Nothing wrong with having cats like Buford and Jamuni but throw in a true center every now and then and see what happens.

 

[CoachTalk]

nvm

 

[usedtobe1]

Adding a 6'11" 260 pound center is a good move in my opinion. They don't grow on trees. Is Pola another Evan Wiley or a bigger version of Renzi? That isn't a bad thing.

I watched film on Theo John and he's not a high flyer. He's a stout guy who muscles his way. Pola is just bigger version and I like "bigger".

 

[Stikboy]

I wouldn't completely give up though, if I were Lon. Even though Lattin was offensively challenged when he first got here, he chose OU over offers from Texas, Georgetown, Arizona, among others. But if they really like this guy Polla I have no problem. Theo John is much higher rated, but without film on this guy it's hard to compare. If the staff does in fact like him more then that's great. Who knows? If Coachtalk is right then that explains the interest in John going from near verbal to nothing. I hope it's that we turned him down, and not vice versa..

 

[Larry72]

If the coaches like him a lot, then he must have some quickness and skill. If he has Spangler's quickness, that would be great. Spangler moved his feet very well for a center.

 

[sperry]

At 6'11" 260 if you can play at all you are a valuable contributor.

 

[Larry72]

At 6'11" 260 if you can play at all you are a valuable contributor.

I wish that Manyang had been a reliable contributor.