Appreciating Achiuwa, who exceeded the hype
Precious Achiuwa won’t say it, but we all know this is the end.
We know Achiuwa is likely a oneand-done player at Memphis. We know he’s probably headed to the NBA Draft just as soon as the postseason is over. We know he’s probably going to be a first-round pick. We know, whether Memphis makes a magical run in this week’s AAC Tournament or not, that he’s probably playing his last games at Memphis.
We know because it’s what Memphis signed up for when it signed him.
It’s what we didn’t know, though, that’s worth appreciating as we approach the final days of Achiuwa’s time as a Tiger basketball player.
We didn’t know he’d be the only freshman in the country to average a double-double, or that he’d average more rebounds than any other
Precious Achiuwa, the only freshman in the country averaging a double-double, became the only unanimous ALLAAC selection Tuesday.
Achiuwa also was on the league’s allfreshman team, joining teammate Lester Quinones. It’s the first time since joining the AAC in 2013 Memphis has had more than one player make the allfreshman team.
The league’s 12 head coaches vote for the ALL-AAC team, as well as the individual awards that will be announced Wednesday.
Achiuwa is joined on the first team by four seniors — Cincinnati’s Jarron Cumberland (sixth-leading scorer) and Tre Scott (second in rebounding), Tulsa’s Martins Igbanu (13.6 points) and Uconn’s Christian Vital (first in steals,
freshman in the country.
We didn’t know he’d lead the AAC in rebounding, or that he’d score in double figures in 20 of 21 games to close the regular season. We didn’t know he was as dependable and passionate as he was talented, that “it’s just the way I am,” he said recently.
We didn’t know, frankly, because we didn’t think he’d have to do all that. James Wiseman was supposed to play alongside him, D.J. Jeffries wasn’t supposed to get hurt, and Achiuwa’s freshman year was supposed to be an elevator ride to the top of college basketball, not a rollercoaster ride on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
It’s what we didn’t know that will define this season. Yes, that means the Wiseman saga and the injuries and the NCAA infractions case and the discouraging losses that made “all the smoke” go up in smoke.
But the unknown also gave us Achiuwa, a ballyhooed Mcdonald’s All-american from New York who managed to become the one part of this season that exceeded all the hype.
Who should be celebrated and rewarded for being the one constant during a season that’s felt constantly in flux.
“He’s made a huge mark,” coach Penny Hardaway said.
Achiuwa won’t necessarily be a revered Memphis basketball figure like Larry Finch, Keith Lee, Andre Turner, Elliot Perry or Hardaway. He can’t be. Not when his career at Memphis lasts just one season. Not when it might not feature an NCAA Tournament appearance.
But much like Derrick Rose, he should absolutely be remembered.
Because he’s the one-and-done who stayed with Hardaway. He’s the oneand-done who produced for Hardaway. He’s the one-and-done who will resonate on the recruiting trail this offseason as Hardaway navigates the uncertainty caused by Memphis’ looming NCAA infractions case.
“I’ve heard recruits (mention) his growth and what he’s done and what he’s come from,” Hardaway said last week, “because a lot of people have been praising him about how he’s playing this year.”
“I feel like if I have to go back and make the same decision, I would definitely pick Memphis,” Achiuwa added Tuesday. “I feel like this is the right place for me. My game definitely developed over the past couple months.”
So yes, Achiuwa should absolutely be voted the AAC’S player of the year, in addition to its rookie of the year, this week even though Memphis only earned a No. 6 seed in the AAC Tournament. On Tuesday, he became the only unanimous ALL-AAC first-team selection.
Not because he’s the only potential lottery pick currently playing in the conference, although his athletic gifts and chiseled 6-foot-9, 225-pound frame created plenty of spectacular dunks and blocked shots.
It’s because he was the only consistent player on the nation’s most inexperienced team. It’s because he was the most fearsome and versatile defender in the league while spearheading the best defense in the league. It’s because he embraced and thrived in a role and a position that was forced upon him when Wiseman left, even though it’s a position he likely won’t play in the NBA.
“There’s not been one player (in the AAC) that’s been more important to their team than Precious has been to us,” Hardaway said.
And just listen to how the rest of the AAC speaks about him at this point.
“We haven’t seen nothing like him all year,” SMU’S Tyson Jolly said after Achiuwa had 17 points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes last month.
“I’m gonna go home and text every (NBA) general manager and get him out this league,” Tulane coach Ron Hunter said after Achiuwa’s spectacular 22point, 22-rebound, five-block performance on Feb. 29. “He’s great. He’s going to be a first-round draft pick.”
“Precious Achiuwa is a top 10 or 15 draft pick,” Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said when Achiuwa had 14 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks in the Tigers’ win at Fedexforum last month. “He’s a notch above. The guy is a specimen.”
“The best player in the league,” Houston’s
Kelvin Sampson said after Achiuwa matched his career high with 25 points and 15 rebounds in Sunday’s regular-season finale. “You guys see Precious Achiuwa is going to be a lottery pick. He’s a special kid. The thing I love about him is how hard he plays.”
“His numbers are just unreal. He goes out and does it every single night,” Memphis freshman Lester Quinones said. “That’s the real definition of a pro. To just go out and do your job every single night and not take any nights off, it’s amazing.”
“His best basketball is ahead of him,” Hardaway added.
That, of course, is the scariest part of all.
We don’t know yet what the finished product could look like.
He can still become a better 3-pointer shooter and perhaps expand his game more on the perimeter. Imagine all that to go along with what he can already do, with what we already know about him now.
As good as Achiuwa was this season, as dominant as he was at times, he’s only been playing basketball for six years.
So now that the end is almost here, now that Achiuwa’s legacy as Memphis’ latest one-and-done comes into focus, let’s appreciate how satisfying the unknown can be.
You can reach Commercial Appeal columnist Mark Giannotto via email at mgiannotto@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter: @mgiannotto