Hoops Junkie Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 Hi all. I’ve become a big ORU fan watching them through the entire season last year and was ecstatic about the Sweet 16 run in the tournament. I’ve been lurking on this board and feel that there is an unbelievable opportunity for this team to take it to an even higher level next year. I have a question for those in the know. There seems to be speculation that O’Banor is contemplating playing in Europe next year or possibly coming back to school. If Europe is the case, why didn’t he just make himself eligible for the NBA Draft and see if there was any potential there (however remote)? I see him not declaring as a definite sign that he will be returning and if Absmus does decide that another year of college ball is what’s best for his future, I think you guys are looking at a top 25 to start the season! How amazing will that publicity be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 A Top 25 ranking would be amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle88 Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 After seeing Max in the combine I am 50/50 on his chances to go 1st round. He definitely showed good ball handling, dribbling and passing skills. When he is on the court he makes everyone around him better! His shooting wasn't great but everyone knows he can shoot. I think his size may be a determining factor and one more year at the college level will up his stock next year. I guess we will know soon enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan Henderson Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 1 hour ago, Hoops Junkie said: Hi all. I’ve become a big ORU fan watching them through the entire season last year and was ecstatic about the Sweet 16 run in the tournament. I’ve been lurking on this board and feel that there is an unbelievable opportunity for this team to take it to an even higher level next year. I have a question for those in the know. There seems to be speculation that O’Banor is contemplating playing in Europe next year or possibly coming back to school. If Europe is the case, why didn’t he just make himself eligible for the NBA Draft and see if there was any potential there (however remote)? I see him not declaring as a definite sign that he will be returning and if Absmus does decide that another year of college ball is what’s best for his future, I think you guys are looking at a top 25 to start the season! How amazing will that publicity be? Thanks for joining us Hoops Junkie. Hopefully we will hear more from you in the future! I was also somewhat confused about Kevin's pro status and ORU40 helped clear it up on page 6, June 16. Without giving away all his background info., ORU 40 played overseas so he has a good idea of how the whole prcoess works out.. If you have a chance then go back and look at his post. Other then that, we have not heard much else about K.O. My only guess is that K.O. may want to play in the Netherlands, since he has family/ties over there. We had an all star guy last year, E man, go over there to play professionally. Who knows maybe he is trying to get on his team. Just an idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoops Junkie Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 Thanks for helping clear this up Keenan. It is also a possibility that K.O. just wants to return to the team to be a veteran leader, continue working on his game and see where the chips fall next year correct? I’m hoping that’s the case. And selfishly, I’d love to see Max come back for one more year. I was in Las Vegas in early April and got a bet in on ORU to win the N.C. at 5,000 to 1 odds. So I will be following closely! I watch A LOT of college hoops and I think that there is something special brewing here. I believe Mills to be an excellent coach who is just getting started with the heights that his teams can achieve. Regardless of Absmus coming back or not next year should be a VERY special season for the Golden Eagles. Get hyped! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 I got a call early this morning from my pro coaching friend who was stunned at Max’s poor showing in Chicago. He said he’s gotten texts from two different NBA scouts basically asking “What was wrong with your boy?”. One of the scouts said Max would go undrafted now if he stays in the draft. Said that his best hope now is to pull out of the draft and spend the next year or two maturing physically. “He’s just not ready yet; he needs to get in the weight room and see if he can get stronger and more explosive”, said one. One of them also said Obanor currently has no intention of returning to school; guess we’ll just have to wait and see if that’s the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle88 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 OT I just read your post to my wife. She agreed with your friend's assessment of Max versus my post. I told her I may have to read Jim Bakker's book I was wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORU40 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Max obviously didn't perform as well as he would have liked at the the Combine and as OT's source stated he didn't help his draft stock at all. I just feel like at this point it is still very unlikely either Max or KO return to school. Max (and it sounds like KO as well) has probably mentally moved on from college BB and is committed to the challenge of realizing his dream of being a pro. If its not the NBA it may be the G-league it may be overseas. I'm not trying to psycho analyze them, but neither was highly recruited, but excelled at the college level against the big schools with the 4 & 5 star recruits and they did it on the biggest stage, the Big Dance on national TV. Now, Max is so close to his dream he can see it right in front of him. Returning to college would probably in his eyes be a defeat, a step backwards and for a guy under 6' who all his life has probably been told he couldn't make it because of his size, weather in high school, AAU teams, or college recruiters he's proven them wrong. He wouldn't be as good as he is if he didn't believe in himself when others didn't. He has to have an inner confidence and faith that says I can do it, when nobody else believes he can. To him making it to the professional level is another challenge to prove the nay sayers wrong and himself right. Whatever his motivation is, he is clearly a very motivated individual. Max wasn't the best player at the combine, but I have a hunch he may have been the hardest worker. They are both very intelligent young men and may decide coming back to school is the best course of action (pre-season top 25 would be sweet!!), we'll all know soon enough. I know we all wish them the best in whatever decisions they make!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenj Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 On 6/26/2021 at 7:21 PM, Old Titan said: I got a call early this morning from my pro coaching friend who was stunned at Max’s poor showing in Chicago. He said he’s gotten texts from two different NBA scouts basically asking “What was wrong with your boy?”. One of the scouts said Max would go undrafted now if he stays in the draft. Said that his best hope now is to pull out of the draft and spend the next year or two maturing physically. “He’s just not ready yet; he needs to get in the weight room and see if he can get stronger and more explosive”, said one. One of them also said Obanor currently has no intention of returning to school; guess we’ll just have to wait and see if that’s the case. His results from the testing was the biggest surprise to me as i just assumed he would test much better than that. Combined with how he played in those 2 games and hopefully he is getting some good feedback and advice. He can improve in all of those areas and probably put on a good 10 to 15 lbs of muscle if he works at it. Watching those videos of him working out with the trainer in Dallas you see him do all the shooting drills and such. I wonder was he hitting the weights and working on his jumping and quickness as much as the shooting? IF not he sure should be going forward. Wherever he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenj Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 On 6/26/2021 at 8:57 PM, ORU40 said: Max obviously didn't perform as well as he would have liked at the the Combine and as OT's source stated he didn't help his draft stock at all. I just feel like at this point it is still very unlikely either Max or KO return to school. Max (and it sounds like KO as well) has probably mentally moved on from college BB and is committed to the challenge of realizing his dream of being a pro. If its not the NBA it may be the G-league it may be overseas. I'm not trying to psycho analyze them, but neither was highly recruited, but excelled at the college level against the big schools with the 4 & 5 star recruits and they did it on the biggest stage, the Big Dance on national TV. Now, Max is so close to his dream he can see it right in front of him. Returning to college would probably in his eyes be a defeat, a step backwards and for a guy under 6' who all his life has probably been told he couldn't make it because of his size, weather in high school, AAU teams, or college recruiters he's proven them wrong. He wouldn't be as good as he is if he didn't believe in himself when others didn't. He has to have an inner confidence and faith that says I can do it, when nobody else believes he can. To him making it to the professional level is another challenge to prove the nay sayers wrong and himself right. Whatever his motivation is, he is clearly a very motivated individual. Max wasn't the best player at the combine, but I have a hunch he may have been the hardest worker. They are both very intelligent young men and may decide coming back to school is the best course of action (pre-season top 25 would be sweet!!), we'll all know soon enough. I know we all wish them the best in whatever decisions they make!! I think with Max this week shows him exactly what he has to work on to get better. Now does he want to come back to school and continue to work on it or stay in the draft and just start his pro career and work on it there. Whether that is in the NBA or overseas. Getting drafted in the 1rst round i believe is out the window but i think he still may go in mid to late 2nd round. (maybe) If that is the case might be better to go undrafted so he can pick the best situation for himself. Then he would have the summer league and camps to prove himself. By the way i bet your vertical was better than 32 inches:) Really enjoy your input in these conversations! Thank you sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan Henderson Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 I wonder if the pressure got to Max at the NBA Combine? His parents had already paid maybe 5-10 K on the trainer and the ESPN guys (along with others) were pumping him up. Before he was the underdog/unknown who took the NCAA tournament by storm. It is usually a lot easier to be the hunter instead of the hunted, especially in sports. Now he is going to get everybody's best shot. Max will never be the greatest athlete, tallest player, strongest guy, etc. but he is a very smart player that knows how to maximize his strengthens. Hopefully this tough experience helps him to improve and grow. No one likes to hear it but tough times either make you or break you. We all have been there before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ting Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Max Abmas was the nation's leading scorer last season at Oral Roberts but he measured at 5'10.5"without shoes, making him the shortest player at the combine and likely taking the air out of any first-round potential he had after ending the season on a high note. https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2021-nba-draft-combine-winners-and-losers-keon-johnson-soars-college-stars-struggle-in-front-of-scouts/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenj Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Max Abmas Abmas averaged 27 points per game during this year's NCAA tournament for Oral Roberts but cooled off in Chicago. He shot just 1-of-11 from 3 and 2-of-7 inside the arc while showing some of his limitations defensively and as a facilitator against length. It wouldn't be wise to overreact to Abmas' cold combine shooting. His career 41% 3-point clip, 88% free throw shooting and parking lot range are far more indicative of his touch, especially considering the NBA was debuting a new basketball. Abmas did also have his moments getting into the teeth of the defense for finishes, taking charges in transition and showcasing his all-around basketball instincts. But at a hair under 6-0 in shoes and weighing 162 pounds, Abmas still has considerable room to improve as a pick-and-roll ball handler and passer. Abmas' body of work is still worthy of a draft pick in the second round, given what we saw from Abmas against high major competition all season. But for Abmas to fully maximize his draft stock moving forward, he'd benefit from adding more nuance off the dribble and expanding his passing repertoire, as his margin for error is thin at his size. -- Schmitz From ESPN+ after combine results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlue82 Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 5 hours ago, darrenj said: Max Abmas But for Abmas to fully maximize his draft stock moving forward, he'd benefit from adding more nuance off the dribble and expanding his passing repertoire, as his margin for error is thin at his size. This is a very fair analysis of Max's situation. The real question is - where does he want to "add more nuance and expand his passing repertoire"??? G-League, ORU, or somewhere else??? We should know the verdict within the next week. I'm certainly biased, but I think that ORU would be a perfect place for him to continue his progression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoops Junkie Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 I would bet that Max is going to return to school to work on his game. Don’t forget the new NIL rules that will allow him to make money. He will be highly marketable locally and this will bring ORU a TON of publicity next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oruvoice Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Yeah. Word on the street is that Max will be at ORU next year. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Summit League opponents will be nervously awaiting that decision...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.