Kingsley Okoroh ‏@Kingokoroh 4m
I announce my commitment to the University of California Berkeley. I'm very excited to be a BEAR !

You came back!

:rollinglaugh:

socaltownie;842305329 said:

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Kingsley Okoroh ‏@Kingokoroh 4m
I announce my commitment to the University of California Berkeley. I'm very excited to be a BEAR !

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Whoa. Was this part of the package. Things are getting good so long as guys like Wallace, Bird and Mathews are OK with this.

Yay

But ironically, weren't we just complaining a couple years ago about kids following coaches rather than schools? The kid had just committed to Tennessee yesterday. Funny how differently we react when the shoe is on our foot or on the other foot.

Off to a great start on the job.

The coaching hire just got sweeter!!!

From Announcement

Okoroh is 7-foot-1, 250-pounds and averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds for Westwind Prep Academy in Arizona last season. He lacks the inside power of players like Maymon and Stokes but makes up for it with his length and blocking ability. He probably will not start for the Volunteers, but he should get some time on the floor for his length alone.

Although Okoroh is just ranked at two stars by ESPN, Darius Thompson was rated just two points higher with three stars and he was the starting point guard at times during the year for Tennessee. Martin goes after players he knows will work hard and fit his style of play, not based on stars alone.

Sweet!

Dear Lord,

Please let the athletic, mobile, large young man have the grades necessary to get into Cal.

Signed,

T4K

He looks like a project, but you can't teach his physical tools and the shot-blocking can be a game-changer. I wouldn't expect immediate dividends from him. If he can progress like a Jordan Bachynski, I'll be happy.

tequila4kapp;842305362 said:

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Dear Lord,

Please let the athletic, mobile, large young man have the grades necessary to get into Cal.

Signed,

T4K

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I just coughed up a lung laughing.

SonomaBear;842305358 said:

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Sweet!

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I'm sorry, I know we all have high hopes for Rooks; but this guy is 360 degrees more athletic than Rooks.

watch the clip where he actually runs some guard down to block his shot. a 7 footer who can run and jump? what in the seven kingdoms is going on here??!?

stanfurdbites;842305343 said:

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Yay

But ironically, weren't we just complaining a couple years ago about kids following coaches rather than schools? The kid had just committed to Tennessee yesterday. Funny how differently we react when the shoe is on our foot or on the other foot.

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Of course not. I bet we would be happy to get a 4-5 star stud after they graduate from Florida State and want a year to prep for the NBA . . . but not too many LOL.

ducky23;842305369 said:

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I'm sorry, I know we all have high hopes for Rooks; but this guy is 360 degrees more athletic than Rooks.

watch the clip where he actually runs some guard down to block his shot. a 7 footer who can run and jump? what in the seven kingdoms is going on here??!?

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Basically Deaneries got off her butt in Slavers Bay and decided to come back and kick some zombie ass.

We are poised for great things gentlemen.

tsubamoto2001;842305363 said:

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He looks like a project, but you can't teach his physical tools and the shot-blocking can be a game-changer. I wouldn't expect immediate dividends from him. If he can progress like a Jordan Bachynski, I'll be happy.

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Interesting because to me he already looks to be at a hole different level than the tape we saw on Rooks a year ago. I agree he isn't going to come in and set the world on fire but I'd guess he will have a bigger impact than Rooks did this year. Considering how thin we are at that position that alone is pretty huge. Plus, the two of them should both improve a lot faster by having the opportunity to practice against each other every day.

If Diallo sticks our big man situation just got a whole lot better.

ducky23;842305369 said:

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I'm sorry, I know we all have high hopes for Rooks; but this guy is 360 degrees more athletic than Rooks.

watch the clip where he actually runs some guard down to block his shot. a 7 footer who can run and jump? what in the seven kingdoms is going on here??!?

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He played soccer as a young kid.

I'm stoked at the idea of a front line of Kravish, Diallo, AND Okoroh !!!
Think Rooks' size with the mobility of Leon Powe !!!!
Looks like the naming of Martin as Head Coach has paid dividends already, as the young man was listed as a commit to Tennessee for 2014 !!!

Check him out ....

Kingsley Okoroh

Hodor

Com'n guys...moving from Tennessee to California is truly a no-brainer.

SonomaBear;842305385 said:

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Hodor

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For a GOT reference, I prefer Gregor 'The Mountain" Clegane. Mean, nasty, brutish. Just what you want in post.

the 4 out 1 in thing was a nice change of pace last year; but the prospect of playing it the entire year was scaring the **** out of me. Kravish at the 5 for long periods of time is just not going to work; see the SMU game where we just got manhandled on the boards.

with okoroh, diallo (hopefully) and rooks, we have some serious depth and height (albeit very raw). i think we have enough skill on the perimeter where our young bigs only need to rebound and create a defensive presence.

ducky23;842305369 said:

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I'm sorry, I know we all have high hopes for Rooks; but this guy is 360 degrees more athletic than Rooks.

watch the clip where he actually runs some guard down to block his shot. a 7 footer who can run and jump? what in the seven kingdoms is going on here??!?

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360 degrees? I thought you were Randy Duck, not Jason Kidd.

Ukrainian;842305380 said:

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I'm stoked at the idea of a front line of Kravish, Diallo, AND Okoroh !!!
Think Rooks' size with the mobility of Leon Powe !!!!
Looks like the naming of Martin as Head Coach has paid dividends already, as the young man was listed as a commit to Tennessee for 2014 !!!

Check him out ....

Kingsley Okoroh

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I think this is a good thing, but there aren't five people in the world who combine Rooks' size with Powe's mobility. This guy fills a huge hole for sure, but he's a two-star according to espn and is probably going to take a while to settle in to college ball.

I think the kid only gets 2-stars because he's from the UK and only played in the US one year at a prep school. Regardless, Cal just got a 7-footer, WTF!

tsubamoto2001;842305363 said:

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He looks like a project, but you can't teach his physical tools and the shot-blocking can be a game-changer. I wouldn't expect immediate dividends from him. If he can progress like a Jordan Bachynski, I'll be happy.

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Would starting at 5 and averaging 8, 8, and 2 be considered "immediate dividends?" Because I can't imagine who would play in front of him.

Sluggo

SonomaBear;842305358 said:

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Sweet!

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He looks good. Maybe the younger Rooks can be part of another skyline: the Berkeley Skyline (a la his dad's Tucson Skyline).

He can really move and seems to have great feet which is wonderful BUT very much like Rooks, he needs a lot more strength in the lower body and seems to be bereft of post moves at this stage. Apparently, he struggled early last season with the speed of US high school game relative to the UK. No idea on his hands, which IMO are among the most important traits for a big.

Rooks is by far, IMO, our best bet to play and play well next year. He has great hands and a very solid understanding of the game. He's had a year to adjust physically and mentally as well.

I like this pick up in the long run but am sad to see Poetl go by the wayside as he could have been much more of an immediate impact player.

CalHoopFan;842305420 said:

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He can really move and seems to have great feet which is wonderful BUT very much like Rooks, he needs a lot more strength in the lower body and seems to be bereft of post moves at this stage. Apparently, he struggled early last season with the speed of US high school game relative to the UK. No idea on his hands, which IMO are among the most important traits for a big.

Rooks is by far, IMO, our best bet to play and play well next year. He has great hands and a very solid understanding of the game. He's had a year to adjust physically and mentally as well.

I like this pick up in the long run but am sad to see Poetl go by the wayside as he could have been much more of an immediate impact player.

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They'll both be useful. He already looks way more athletic thank Rooks. But I like how Rooks was getting better during the season. Hopefully he can be 100% by the start of the season.

Already looks far more agile then Solomon ever did in his Cal career.

I'll take him.

ducky23;842305398 said:

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the 4 out 1 in thing was a nice change of pace last year; but the prospect of playing it the entire year was scaring the **** out of me. Kravish at the 5 for long periods of time is just not going to work; see the SMU game where we just got manhandled on the boards.

with okoroh, diallo (hopefully) and rooks, we have some serious depth and height (albeit very raw). i think we have enough skill on the perimeter where our young bigs only need to rebound and create a defensive presence.

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[COLOR="Navy"]
He plays BIG in the paint.
Decent low post mobility and finishes with either hand.
Runs the floor well.
Already knows how to use his body.
You can see LIGHT under his feet when he jumps. (unlike Rooks)

Hope Diallo is still coming, as it is being reported that he is opening up his recruitment again ...

[COLOR="Red"]Josh Gershon @JoshGershon
RT @coachmiddlebrks: The recruitment for Idrissa Diallo will be reopened. New Cal staff will have equal opportunity to recruit Idy.[/COLOR]

Having a rotation of four solid bigs (if we can reassure Idy to stick), we would have great flexibility with the lineup. With four solid guards/swings (Rorie, Singer, Matthews, and Bird, we could play small and fast or stack the front court against bigger teams or anything in-between. There aren't many teams in the PAC-12 that can match a front line of 7'1" ... 6'11" ... and 6'10" !!! Next year could be fun !!!
[/COLOR]

CalHoopFan;842305420 said:

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He can really move and seems to have great feet which is wonderful BUT very much like Rooks, he needs a lot more strength in the lower body and seems to be bereft of post moves at this stage. Apparently, he struggled early last season with the speed of US high school game relative to the UK. No idea on his hands, which IMO are among the most important traits for a big.

Rooks is by far, IMO, our best bet to play and play well next year. He has great hands and a very solid understanding of the game. He's had a year to adjust physically and mentally as well.

I like this pick up in the long run but am sad to see Poetl go by the wayside as he could have been much more of an immediate impact player.

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Yes, losing Poeltl is huge but if Diallo goes elsewhere maybe there's still a chance.

SFBearz;842305434 said:

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Yes, losing Poeltl is huge but if Diallo goes elsewhere maybe there's still a chance.

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Have we lost poeltl?

SonomaBear;842305358 said:

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Sweet!

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The video shows this kid has serious potential. He had some good offers: Nebraska, ASU, Washington, Wazzu, Tennessee etc.

I'd settle for him being 180

beelzebear;842305415 said:

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I think the kid only gets 2-stars because he's from the UK and only played in the US one year at a prep school. Regardless, Cal just got a 7-footer, WTF!

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monty is famous for turning two stars into much more, ie the thurmanator.. .. .. except, gosh bezel, just remembered mm went bye-bye.