Murphy on Oturu: "very talented kid in the post...Great two-way player."

[BleedGopher]

per Marcus:

Murphy beamed earlier this fall just thinking about the frontcourt talent around him for his senior season, with freshman Daniel Oturu, redshirt sophomore Eric Curry and others. Now that Curry will need to spend the next four to six weeks recovering from a recent surgery on his repaired left knee, Oturu likely will get the first chance to start alongside Murphy down low.

“He’s a very talented kid in the post,” Murphy said of Oturu. “Definitely skilled, definitely can step out if he wants to in the midrange area. Very underrated shot blocker. I did not know he was that good as a shot-blocker coming in, so he definitely has some versatile skills. Great two-way player. I’m looking forward to seeing how he grows this season.”

Since being fully cleared in early October, the 6-10 Cretin-Derham Hall product has impressed teammates and coaches in practice.

“He’s really talented,” coach Richard Pitino said. “He’s one of the highest-rated recruits Minnesota has ever gotten. To get him in-state, somehow some people forget about him. If he goes on the trajectory he needs to, he could play at the next level. You never know with that, but I really like what I’ve seen from him so far.”

Other players who could be in the new rotation inside will be explosive freshman Jarvis Omersa and junior Michael Hurt, who also has three-point range.

“We’re all able to play more versatile basketball,” Oturu said. “Not to knock the bigs from last year or anything like that — they were good players — but I feel like we bring a lot more to the table with the type of team we have this year.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-...e-reinforcements-in-the-frontcourt/499219371/

Go Gophers!!

 

[John Galt]

Oturu = NBA

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

I dont follow hoops recruiting well enough to know what is game is like, but "great two way player" is my favorite kind of player.

 

[die hard gopher]

Oturu = NBA

I agree.

Or at least I think he has as good of a chance to play in the league as any gopher since Humphries.

 

[WanderingGopher]

Oturu = NBA

I think he’ll be a great college player but to make the nba, he’s going to have to show a perimeter game. He’s not big enough to be a center in the pros. True height looks about 6’8”, and thin.

 

[die hard gopher]

I think he’ll be a great college player but to make the nba, he’s going to have to show a perimeter game. He’s not big enough to be a center in the pros. True height looks about 6’8”, and thin.

Disagree. Based on who i've seen him stand next to, I'd say he is 6-10 and at 225, is big enough for a freshman. It's also been reported he has a 7-4 wingspan.

I think he has the skills and athleticism to develop into a defensive minded rotational big at the NBA level similar to guys like Dieng, Gibson and Patton for the Wolves.

His post moves in terms of footwork, touch and quickness are already light years ahead of any big we've had thats at least 6-8 as well as how quickly he can elevate. His second and third jump is much quicker than any big we've had before and he doesn't need to gather himself to elevate, he can do so at a moments notice.

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

Disagree. Based on who i've seen him stand next to, I'd say he is 6-10 and at 225, is big enough for a freshman. It's also been reported he has a 7-4 wingspan.

I think he has the skills and athleticism to develop into a defensive minded rotational big at the NBA level similar to guys like Dieng, Gibson and Patton for the Wolves.

His post moves in terms of footwork, touch and quickness are already light years ahead of any big we've had thats at least 6-8 as well as how quickly he can elevate. His second and third jump is much quicker than any big we've had before and he doesn't need to gather himself to elevate, he can do so at a moments notice.

Agreed.

Wingspan and athleticism is just as important if not more so than height.

Tall guys with short arms usually dont do great

 

[theczar]

Reggie was was a very quick leaper with fantastic timing...not ready to classify him in Reggie’s class for shot blocking...oturu was a much higher rated recruit than curry and curry while had a decent first season I felt that oturu would likely end up as the starting center

 

[die hard gopher]

Reggie was was a very leaper with fantastic timing...not ready to classify him in Reggie’s class for shot blocking...oturu was a much higher rated recruit than curry and curry while had a descent first season I felt that oturu would likely end up as the starting center

Reggie had great timing but I wouldn't say he was a great leaper. Oturu is a better leaper not only in terms of how high he can jump but also how quickly he gets up. It seems like he has more fast twitch muscle fibers and he also has a quicker second and third jump. Reggie had to gather and launch himself in the air more so than Oturu. Not that I think Daniel will be a better shot blocker immediately.

 

[dpodoll68]

oturu was a much higher rated recruit than curry and curry while had a decent first season I felt that oturu would likely end up as the starting center

Oturu was more highly rated, to be sure, but not "much higher." They were both 4-stars on the 247 Composite. Ultimately, though, ratings don't factor in to which one is the better player and which one deserves to be starting.

 

[theczar]

Oturu was more highly rated, to be sure, but not "much higher." They were both 4-stars on the 247 Composite. Ultimately, though, ratings don't factor in to which one is the better player and which one deserves to be starting.

Oturu ranked 36th by prep hoops network plus held Blue Blood Kansas offer...curry a espn 3 star was ranked 114 by 247...oturu quite a bit higher

 

[John Galt]

I think he’ll be a great college player but to make the nba, he’s going to have to show a perimeter game. He’s not big enough to be a center in the pros. True height looks about 6’8”, and thin.

He’s listed as 6’10” on the roster. I watched Oturu play against Ben Carlson last year and he is definitely a few inches taller than him. So if you believe Carlson is 6’8” then he is 6’10”.

I have no idea what kind of perimeter game he has. Shaq didn’t need a perimeter game because he could dunk anytime he wanted. That was Oturu in high school.

 

[bc2211]

Oturu ranked 36th by prep hoops network plus held Blue Blood Kansas offer...curry a espn 3 star was ranked 114 by 247...oturu quite a bit higher

Another quick comparison, because I recently looked this up after incorrectly recalling that Curry was a top 100 guy: 247 composite had Oturu at 6th highest rated center and Curry at 24th rated power forward.

Splitting hairs either way, but I’d say on average those recruiting profiles would suggest a different caliber. All that said, Curry outplayed his ratings. He made several game winning plays offensively and defensively. I expect we’ll be happy and the gophers will be in good shape if both can match Curry’s freshman output.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stocker08]

Another quick comparison, because I recently looked this up after incorrectly recalling that Curry was a top 100 guy: 247 composite had Oturu at 6th highest rated center and Curry at 24th rated power forward.

Splitting hairs either way, but I’d say on average those recruiting profiles would suggest a different caliber. All that said, Curry outplayed his ratings. He made several game winning plays offensively and defensively. I expect we’ll be happy and the gophers will be in good shape if both can match Curry’s freshman output.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bolded for truth. I don't think anyone could have expected how good Curry would be as a freshman. It will be nice to have him back this year.

 

[theczar]

I expect that oturu will be better than a 5 and 5 guy

 

[WanderingGopher]

He’s listed as 6’10” on the roster. I watched Oturu play against Ben Carlson last year and he is definitely a few inches taller than him. So if you believe Carlson is 6’8” then he is 6’10”.

I have no idea what kind of perimeter game he has. Shaq didn’t need a perimeter game because he could dunk anytime he wanted. That was Oturu in high school.

No I don’t believe that either. I read somewhere last year that Oturu measured 6’8 at some NBA camp, and I just tried looking it up but can’t find it.

He’s the same height as Coffey. Great talent though. Definitely could see him in the NBA, just not as a post player. Hope he stays here at least 3 years. Add Hurt and you’ve got 3 NBA guys in the starting lineup. That’s a final four team.

 

[die hard gopher]

Bolded for truth. I don't think anyone could have expected how good Curry would be as a freshman. It will be nice to have him back this year.

I'd say Curry performed right around what you would expect for the #114 composite ranked player in the country for a freshman. Can get you 5-6 points, 5-6 boards, play solid D all while being second guy off the bench on a decent team.

 

[stocker08]

I'd say Curry performed right around what you would expect for the #114 composite ranked player in the country for a freshman. Can get you 5-6 points, 5-6 boards, play solid D all while being second guy off the bench on a decent team.

He didn't look like a freshman. Curry played above what I'd expect out of a freshman.

 

[die hard gopher]

No I don’t believe that either. I read somewhere last year that Oturu measured 6’8 at some NBA camp, and I just tried looking it up but can’t find it.

He’s the same height as Coffey. Great talent though. Definitely could see him in the NBA, just not as a post player. Hope he stays here at least 3 years. Add Hurt and you’ve got 3 NBA guys in the starting lineup. That’s a final four team.

He measured 6-9 with a 7-2 wingspan and 9-1 standing reach.

Not sure if it was with or without shoes but if it was without shoes then I'd say thats in line with a lot of NBA centers. Cole Aldrich measured 6-9 at the combine without shoes but 6-11.25 with shoes . Gourgui Dieng measured 6-9.75 without shoes but 6-10.75 with shoes and is listed at 6-11 on the roster. If it was without shoes then he'd be about 6-10 with shoes.

Essentially every player in college and the NBA is listed one inch taller than what they actually and it all evens out. And I don't believe Coffey is the same height as him.

 

[die hard gopher]

He didn't look like a freshman. Curry played above what I'd expect out of a freshman.

He played better than what I'd expect from a 3 star freshman outside of the top 150, a guy ranked similarly to Harris, Hurt or Mcniel etc. but for a guy right outside of the top 100, I think thats what you should expect from them as freshman.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Oturu is a stud. He will block and alter a ton of shots this year. He can definitely score. Great footwork, good free throw shooter and a beast on the glass.

 

[Otis]

He looks to be 2-3 inches taller than Omersa whenever they are pictured together.

 

[jovs]

He looks to be 2-3 inches taller than Omersa whenever they are pictured together.

I'm guessing Murphy is around 6'5" and 1/2, Coffey and Omersa 6'7", and Oturu 6'9".

 

[watertown 1987 guy n]

I'm still waiting for Oturu to return the compliment.

 

[die hard gopher]

I'm guessing Murphy is around 6'5" and 1/2, Coffey and Omersa 6'7", and Oturu 6'9".

Exactly. In the end it all evens out and it's usually pointless to speculate about how tall they really are because everybody is about an inch shorter than what they are actually listed at.

I did just here from someone recently that told me Oturu was slightly taller than Curry when standing next to each other. Curry is listed at 6-9 so I think it's safe to say the original assertion that Oturu is the same height as Coffey is false.

 

[GoodasGold]

Does anybody know at what age people get shorter

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

I did just here from someone recently that told me Oturu was slightly taller than Curry when standing next to each other. Curry is listed at 6-9 so I think it's safe to say the original assertion that Oturu is the same height as Coffey is false.

That's funny, because I saw them next to each other and thought Curry was the slightest bit taller.

Going off their eye to eye level, because they both have some hair...