Press release with good details on Avila's OU signing

[Keller Sooner]

It seems pretty simple to me. When Amath announced he was leaving, it was apparent we needed another big guy. Coach Kruger went out and got one. Time will tell, if he will be what was needed.

 

[stoopified]

Hope he is better than OUr other Avila.

 

[AdaSooner]

What's not to like about this guy? We're getting a 6' 11" big man to fill the void Amath left when he apparently caught our coaches with their pants down in announcing his intentions to skip his senior season. And, unlike Dominique Elliott, Avila appears to be a player who can help us next year.

The thing that sealed it for me, though, is the Rothstein tweet OUHoops posted:

JonRothstein: Edson Avila attacks offensive rebounds like I go after leftovers on the day after Thanksgiving.

I have no problem with bringing in another high-motor post player in the mold of Ryan Spangler. Should be a lot of fun watching those two do battle on the boards next year.

 

[colston15]

If this kid is a C.J. Washington type with high major size I'm all about this signing.

Washington would've been a really nice player had he been Avila's size.

 

[DenverSooner]

Hope he is better than OUr other Avila.

Victor Avila was a solid player. The only bad thing about Victor Avila is everyone around the country expected him to be a star and he was more of nice servicable PF/C. OU could use a player like Victor Avila right now. I hope this Avila is better too but not because I think Victor Avila was bad.

 

[WaymanFan]

Victor Avila was a solid player. The only bad thing about Victor Avila is everyone around the country expected him to be a star and he was more of nice servicable PF/C. OU could use a player like Victor Avila right now. I hope this Avila is better too but not because I think Victor Avila was bad.

Correct. Victor Avila was not bad at all. However, he was the #1 JUCO center when he came to OU, so his play definitely did not match his expectations. I'll be happy if this Avila has a similar career, but like everyone else, hope it's better.

 

[KBaden145]

If this kid is a C.J. Washington type with high major size I'm all about this signing.

Washington would've been a really nice player had he been Avila's size.

I'd take a 6-10 or 6-11 CJ Washington any day.

 

[bocabull]

Goodness. Recruiting has slipped dramatically. Coaching suspect. Not much to look forward to.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Link to Headline:

http://oklahoma.247sports.com/Article/OU-Mens-Basketball-Earns-Verbal-126980

 

[DenverSooner]

Goodness. Recruiting has slipped dramatically. Coaching suspect. Not much to look forward to.

Absolutely and especially compared to Capel. Kruger has a kid with a year left that is not projected to be drafted leave and finds himself with an unexpected scholarship so lands a servicable Juco. Capel fails to sign Terrance Jones and gets Nick Thompson. I defnitely see your concern.

 

[WTSooner]

Victor Avila was a solid player. The only bad thing about Victor Avila is everyone around the country expected him to be a star and he was more of nice servicable PF/C. OU could use a player like Victor Avila right now. I hope this Avila is better too but not because I think Victor Avila was bad.

He might have been a star if he had ever been healthy at OU. He hurt (broke?) his foot either right before coming to OU, or just after he arrived. He was never the same player again. Dude was easily the #1 JUCO in his class, back when the JUCO's had a lot of ballers.

 

[stoopified]

I'd take a 6-10 or 6-11 CJ Washington any day.

Funny I was thinking Victor was CJ Washington with more size.Carrer stats of 4.3ppg and 3.7 rpg IMHO is not the resume of a GOOD player,it is the resume of a solid reserve,just like CJ.Victor had 2-3 good games in his 2 years at OU,so I repeat,I hope this Avila is better than the last.

 

[colston15]

Funny I was thinking Victor was CJ Washington with more size.Carrer stats of 4.3ppg and 3.7 rpg IMHO is not the resume of a GOOD player,it is the resume of a solid reserve,just like CJ.Victor had 2-3 good games in his 2 years at OU,so I repeat,I hope this Avila is better than the last.

As a senior, C.J. led the team in rebounds per minute. He could go get the ball and wasn't bad at putting back in around the basket. His only hindrance was his size and relative lack of athleticism.

Man, if Avila can play like C.J. with legit size and some more natural ability we got a good player.

 

[TARUANU1]

Manhattan signee out of high school:

Thomas Jefferson had a pair of commits to Manhattan for next season, but both Davontay Grace and Edson Avila were released from the National Letters of Intent after former coach Barry Rohrssen was fired in March.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/high-school/tag/_/name/edson-avila

Has it really been 18 years since Manhattan with Jeronimo Bucero beat OU with Ryan Minor?

"The (referees) let it get too physical inside," Minor said. "It was tough even going up for a shot."

 

[Boomer]

It will be nice having a presence down low next season. Hopefully the easy baskets, especially in the second half, will stop.

 

[CoachTalk]

Absolutely and especially compared to Capel. Kruger has a kid with a year left that is not projected to be drafted leave and finds himself with an unexpected scholarship so lands a servicable Juco. Capel fails to sign Terrance Jones and gets Nick Thompson. I defnitely see your concern.

Dont give him any response. He hates LK. Just went back to the NCAA's and LK sucks... "Give Capel one more year!"

 

[Krugerfan52]

Reminds me a lot of Orlando Allen.

 

[BigTime]

Reminds me a lot of Orlando Allen.

Hopefully he works harder on his game...

 

[Big Old Booger]

Reminds me a lot of Orlando Allen.

What exactly reminds you of Orlando Allen? If I remember right, he was considered a project when we signed him and that's exactly what he turned out to be. He was what we thought he was. :ez-roll:

The only similarities I see is they are both black and tall. I'm guessing that's all the similarities that really exist too.

 

[Big Old Booger]

He might have been a star if he had ever been healthy at OU. He hurt (broke?) his foot either right before coming to OU, or just after he arrived. He was never the same player again. Dude was easily the #1 JUCO in his class, back when the JUCO's had a lot of ballers.

He would have been a star had he played in Tubbs system. Victor was a scoring machine but didn't like to get physical which is what Sampson's system demanded. He played a big Monday game and I believe he had over 20 points, his senior year. Scoring was never a problem for Victor but he wasn't physical enough on defense and he seemed to have skillet hands which always put him back on the bench.