A LEAP OF FAITH
Prized recruit Akok commits to Huskies though no scholarship available now
Akok Akok, a tall forward who combines shot-blocking and perimeter shooting abilities, has announced he will enroll at UConn, a school that had been pursuing him for two years.
Akok withdrew from Putnam Science Academy, where he had been playing as a postgrad, on Nov. 24, developing a plan to take his SATs and then begin college for the spring semester. He chose UConn, where he had seemed to be leaning, though there is no basketball scholarship available right now. Details will have to be worked out for the short-term. There are no plans for him to play for UConn this season, but he will be able to go on scholarship and play in 2019-20.
Akok, pronounced ah-Cook, is 6 feet 9 and wiry. He was born in Sudan, but moved to Manchester, N.H., with his family as a toddler. He did not begin playing basketball seriously until he was in middle school, and came to Putnam Science Academy as a sophomore.
The announcement came in a tweet Saturday afternoon.
“I appreciate all the schools that recruited me, it’s been a pleasure. That said..... I’m committed to Coach Hurley, the University of Connecticut and @UConnMBB,” he wrote.
Last season, he broke out, averaging 11 points, six rebounds and two blocks per game, shooting 53 percent from the field and 41 percent on 3-pointers, leading the Mustangs to a 38-4 record and a national title.
“I think he can be a pro,” Putnam Science coach Tom Espinosa said recently, “and I never say that. I didn’t even say that about Hamidou [Diallo]. Akok can block shots and shoot the 3. That’s an NBA skill set right there.”
Akok came to a UConn exhibition game two years ago and had been a target of former coach Kevin Ollie and his staff. When Ollie was replaced by Dan Hurley, the new staff made Akok a priority, making numerous trips to see him at Putnam, as did other schools. His list of finalists included Syracuse, Pitt, Georgetown and Providence. Akok took an official visit to UConn on Oct. 12 to see First Night.
He then made several other visits, including Syracuse, but UConn coaches stayed on it, visiting Putnam. Akok returned to Storrs with a few teammates to watch Hurley’s debut victory over Morehead State on Nov. 8, before a sellout crowd at Gampel, and attended UConn’s victory over Cornell on Nov. 20, a few days before he decided to leave Putnam Science. During November, Akok mentioned turning pro right out of prep school as an option he was considering. He would be eligible for the next NBA draft, since he earned his high school diploma in the spring of 2018.
Akok has been fighting knee injuries, so he can use the spring semester at UConn to rehab the knees, strengthen his body under human performance coach Sal Alosi, and get a jump on academics. There is precedent for such an approach. Diallo left Putnam Science to join Kentucky’s program in January 2017, then played the next season before turning pro.
He joins guards James B o u k n i g h t a n d Ja l e n Gaffney in the fold for Hurley, who has placed a lot of importance on recruiting from the Classes of 2019 and 2020 to rebuild UConn’s talent base.
Akok’s relationship with Hurley, Tom Moore and other UConn assistants appeared to make the difference.
He was impressed, he said during an interview at the National Prep Showcase in New Haven on Nov. 17, with Hurley’s dash from the bench to help up Josh Carlton in the Huskies’ opening game.
“That’s a sign of a great coach, right there,” Akok said. “… I feel like I can picture myself going to UConn. It’s a very good school. It could be a good situation where I could stay home and contribute. I could come in and do a lot for that coach. … They said I could come in and be a big contributor. I could change the team, bring the team to different places, be that big contributor to help win a national championship.”
Akok went to UConn after taking his SATs on Saturday morning and told the coaches of his decision. He is one of a long list of recruits, including Bouknight, invited to UConn’s game against Arizona on Sunday, with a near-sellout crowd expected at the XL Center. Guests will be mostly Class of 2020 and 2021 recruits.
UConn could still have at least two scholarships open for Class of 2019 recruits, and have been on the trail of big men Kofi Cockburn, Trey Mitchell, Qudus Wahab and wing Precious Achiuwa, though it may be spring before they make their decisions.