AJ
- Thread starter 7ICoug
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Maybe he realized he didn’t get the full WSU/Pullman experience last year? I was on campus a few times. Pullman wasn’t Pullman.
Wow! Great news! As far as I’m concerned we are better off with AJ than Aiken. Just an opinion but very happy to here this.
I think we will se a big sophomore jump from him this year, it was very disappointing he left and elated to have him back in the mix!
I think we will se a big sophomore jump from him this year, it was very disappointing he left and elated to have him back in the mix!
Pretty much agree. Given the situation it’s about as good of an addition as possible. I’m still high on Jakimovski and glad to have him back.
This is definitely good news. The only thing missing from his game last year was a consistent shot. If his shot starts falling consistently he can be a difference maker.
Sometimes, things have a way of working out. Personally, I do think at this stage in their development, Aiken is the better player. But, hopefully having AJ for three more years, he will far surpass what Aiken would have contributed.
When I think about Jakimovski's shooting I think of Franks. They will start to fall in bunches. I think he will also figure out how to finish off of penetration.
I didn't think it would happen but I was hoping we would get someone back.
Very happy with the news. We've seen some big improvement between freshman and sophomore years before (Hawkinson, Franks, Motum, Noah, etc....) and I think AJ has the stuff to make that kind of jump. He actually played well overall last year compared to most Cougar freshmen over the years. If the rumor that he didn't like Pullman was true (which I'm not so sure now), then it must not have been the deal breaker we thought it was. Welcome back, AJ!
Glad Cougar
Glad Cougar
It's obvious that Aiken was the straw that caused AJ to leave, enter the portal, commit to another team.
And it's obvious that AJ came back because Aiken left, and because Smith must have done one heck of a job convincing, persuading him to come back.
While Aiken was technically better in the short term. AJ has the higher upside, potential, over the long term.
But even if even that weren't true he is still 6-9, and since it's now Jackson at the 5, Efe at the 4, Efe and Gueye at the 5, and AJ and Gueye at the 4, and since he can also play the 3, AJ will get the playing time to develop, get coached up so that he will be good by either the end of this year or beginning of the next year to end of the next year.
He is ahead of the 6-9 walk on, and 6-5.5 Miller.
He also provides sorely needed depth at the 4,5 spots that wasn't there when Vova, AJ, Kim left
And AJ is better at the 4 spot, then Kim is.
And once AJ's shot starts falling, and he starts finishing drives better, and does better on his lateral quickness, defense, rebounding, and when it all comes together, he will be really good.
Also foreign players like Motum, AJ, sometimes take a while to transition to the American game, and develop.
Also Kim was never offered or turned down a PAID PRO CONTRACT MONEY like AJ was, did.
AJ is CLEARLY better for WSU then Kim for all the reasons named.
I was going to adjust my extrapolated Projections for WSU because Vova, AJ, Kim had all left causing lack of depth at the 4, 5 spots
I was going to say 17 to 21 wins, instead of 18 to 23 wins
And was gonna say about 4th, 5th 6th, 7th, 8th in conference, instead of 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th in conference.
I was gonna say about 8-10, 9-9,10-8, etc in conference, instead of 9-9, 10-8, 11-7
Was Gona say NIT semi bubble, 1st, 2nd round of NIT, NCAA semi bubble, 1st round, 2nd Round NCAA, elimination, instead of NIT Final 8/4/2, and NCAA 2nd Round, maybe even a semi Cinderella to make sweet 16.
But now because AJ came back, the original extrapolated Projections will probably stand.
AJ coming back as the sorely needed depth, at the 4, 5 spots, should Jackson, or EFE, or Gueye getting injured, or Gueye not ready to play, will probably make that big a difference, and is worth at least 1 more win at the very least.
And it's obvious that AJ came back because Aiken left, and because Smith must have done one heck of a job convincing, persuading him to come back.
While Aiken was technically better in the short term. AJ has the higher upside, potential, over the long term.
But even if even that weren't true he is still 6-9, and since it's now Jackson at the 5, Efe at the 4, Efe and Gueye at the 5, and AJ and Gueye at the 4, and since he can also play the 3, AJ will get the playing time to develop, get coached up so that he will be good by either the end of this year or beginning of the next year to end of the next year.
He is ahead of the 6-9 walk on, and 6-5.5 Miller.
He also provides sorely needed depth at the 4,5 spots that wasn't there when Vova, AJ, Kim left
And AJ is better at the 4 spot, then Kim is.
And once AJ's shot starts falling, and he starts finishing drives better, and does better on his lateral quickness, defense, rebounding, and when it all comes together, he will be really good.
Also foreign players like Motum, AJ, sometimes take a while to transition to the American game, and develop.
Also Kim was never offered or turned down a PAID PRO CONTRACT MONEY like AJ was, did.
AJ is CLEARLY better for WSU then Kim for all the reasons named.
I was going to adjust my extrapolated Projections for WSU because Vova, AJ, Kim had all left causing lack of depth at the 4, 5 spots
I was going to say 17 to 21 wins, instead of 18 to 23 wins
And was gonna say about 4th, 5th 6th, 7th, 8th in conference, instead of 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th in conference.
I was gonna say about 8-10, 9-9,10-8, etc in conference, instead of 9-9, 10-8, 11-7
Was Gona say NIT semi bubble, 1st, 2nd round of NIT, NCAA semi bubble, 1st round, 2nd Round NCAA, elimination, instead of NIT Final 8/4/2, and NCAA 2nd Round, maybe even a semi Cinderella to make sweet 16.
But now because AJ came back, the original extrapolated Projections will probably stand.
AJ coming back as the sorely needed depth, at the 4, 5 spots, should Jackson, or EFE, or Gueye getting injured, or Gueye not ready to play, will probably make that big a difference, and is worth at least 1 more win at the very least.
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