Mizzou Monday: Draft thrill processed, Oriakhi targets next step
It wasn't until Alex Oriakhi spread his 6-foot-9 frame over a hotel bed in his hometown of Lowell, Mass., that the questions finally forced their way inside his head: Was I wrong? Were they right?
Since the Missouri basketball team exited the 2013 NCAA Tournament with a first-round loss to Colorado State, the center who won a national championship at Connecticut before transferring to Mizzou for his final year had trudged forward, unwavering. There had been no time to entertain the opinions of those who counted him out of this year's NBA Draft.
"I don't need a mock draft to tell me if I'm a pro or not," became his motto.
He trained, and when the time came, he traveled, crisscrossing the coasts for meetings with NBA teams in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianpolis, Phoenix, Dallas and Houston.
In the workouts, he tried to show the staples of his college game: a high energy level, consistent offense and agressive rebounding. He also tried to show what was not asked of him at Mizzou — the ability to score from outside of the paint.
"That's something I've always worked on since my sophomore year," he said. "I was able to show people I could really shoot the ball. A lot of people were surprised. In my position, you're going to have to pick-and-pop."
But had he shown enough?
Gathered with 15 or so family members and close friends to watch Thursday night's Draft, he wondered. He had watched the first round come and go, followed by most of the second. His agent, Thad Foucher, had not called.
Florida's Erik Murphy went to the Chicago Bulls at No. 49.
Long Beach State's James Ennis went to the Atlanta Hawks at No. 50.
Oklahoma's Romero Osby went to the Orlando Magic at No. 51.
Oriakhi couldn't watch. He flipped his phone on its face and pushed it out of reach. He laid down. With nine picks remaining, the doubt finally surfaced.
"It's something you have no control of," Oriakhi said. "You're just sitting there thinking, 'Dang, I wish I could get another workout in.'"
This is when his phone rang. Oriakhi grabbed it and saw Foucher's name. He answered.
"Phoenix at 57," the agent said, creating the happiest hotel room in Massachusetts.
Oriakhi laughed as he told this story by phone Sunday afternoon, the last day of the last weekend he will have in his hometown before traveling to Phoenix. Hours earlier, he had been riding in a car with his cousin, when the words "I got drafted" blurted out of his mouth.
"Being drafted 57th might be low to some people," he said. "It might not mean much. But, to a guy like me, it means the world."
Then, the cheerful reflection took a 18o-degree turn.
"I'm happy I get an opportunity," he said. "But now, what am I going to do with the opportunity?"
Yes, the doubt that popped up briefly has been beaten back. So has most of the joy that came when Oriakhi answered that phone call Thursday night. He knows second-round picks are guaranteed neither contract nor roster spot. He knows his work is just beginning.
He's ready to prove himself again.
"This is going to be the toughest challenge I've ever endured," Oriakhi said. "I want to see what I'm made of. I really do. I'm ready for it."
ANOTHER CHAMP ADDED
When Oriakhi graduated, he not only left the Mizzou men's basketball team without a center. He was also the only player on Frank Haith's team who knew firsthand what it took to win a national championship. But, through another transfer acquisition, the Tigers now have a new player who offers the same attributes.
Louisville center Zach Price announced via Twitter on Sunday that he would be the seventh Division I transfer to join the Tigers during the Haith era. Price, fresh off winning a title with Rick Pitino's Cardinals, will sit out the upcoming season due to NCAA transfer rules. He will then have two seasons of eligibility.
The 6-foot-10, 250-pound transfer was used sparingly in Louisville. He played 25 games in two seasons, 16 of which came this past year. He averaged 7.7 minutes per game as a sophomore, 1.3 points and 1.4 rebounds. These vanilla numbers came after Price earned a four-star ranking from Scout.com out of high school.
If this sounds familiar, it is.
It would appear Mizzou is building a reputation as the team of second chances.
Another top recruit whose first stint at a college went less than stellar, former Baylor guard Deuce Bello, transferred to Mizzou a little over two months ago. The 6-foot-4, 187-pound swingman went from a four-star recruit to a college player who averaged 10.9 minutes, 2.4 points and 1.4 rebounds as a sophomore. Like Price, Bello will sit out this upcoming season before playing two as a Tiger.
College hoops has become a transfer free-for-all. Certain coaches (the ones who are losing the players they want to keep) complain, but that is not going to derail the trend. If guys like Price and Bello reach their potential as Tigers, it will only encourage more players to see Mizzou as a desirable second home.
MAXING OUT
It's good to be Max Scherzer. The Mizzou Tiger turned Detroit Tiger won his twelfth game Friday, the first pitcher since Roger Clemens (1986) to notch a dozen before a loss. The Parkway Central High School graduate from Chesterfield has a 2.92 ERA through his last 10 games. Sure, the Tigers' bats have had to dig him out of potential losses a few times this year. But as long as Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder keep crushing, Scherzer's right arm should continue to rack up the wins.
ROAD TRIPPIN'
It's now been one full calendar year since Mizzou made the official switch to the Southeastern Conference. With that anniversary comes a smart, informative piece from Columbia Daily Tribune reporter Ross Dellenger, who took a good, long look at one of the struggles that is less visible than football woes: travel costs. Dellenger discovered the Mizzou athletic department spent $1 million more than it projected.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Didn't get much sleep want to thank the @Suns for the opportunity.. Thank you all for the support!!
— Alex Oriakhi (@aoriakhi42) June 28, 2013
Follow Ben Frederickson on Twitter (@Ben_Fred), or contact him at frederickson.ben@gmail.com
