GW Hoops / Welcome Babatunde "Stretch" Akingbola!

**Posted by BC** 7/24/2023 11:35 am

https://gwsports.com/news/2023/7/24/mens-basketball-welcomes-graduate-transfer-babatunde-akingbola

**Posted by jf** **Online!** 7/24/2023 12:18 pm

Great nickname, academics and it seems personality. Our type of player off the court.
Very impressive job of spinning his stats in the official site.
Now is his time if he wants to take it, in terms of leadership and a chance
to shine in the paint.
An unlimited opportunity for a new start to demonstrate his skills.

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 7/24/2023 1:48 pm

At this point, anyone with the mere potential of being a game-changer on the defensive end via rim protection excites me to no end. There's been Yinka. And Zeke. Anyone else? Pops had some awesome blocks but falls a bit short. Koul and Larsen took up space. Koul was more of a defensive threat than KevLar but still, not quite Yinka or Zeke. Dokun? Did well with what he had but not quite elite.

Stretch has height, athleticism, and perhaps most importantly, may be a hidden gem who was playing behind more talented players while at Auburn. If he can give us minutes while staying out of foul trouble for the most part, this could easily be the team's most important newcomer this season. Not nearly enough is being said about him on this board, IMO.

**Posted by H&R..71** 7/24/2023 8:23 pm

Very excited about this season for us and for CC. Seems like the roster is coming together nicely and the addition of an experienced, athletic big is a plus. Not knowing much about stretch, I’m glad he’s experienced and is a Bruce Pearl product. How ever CC utilizes him, it’s nice having mature leadership along with JB4, and mixing with raw youthful energy freshman.
The international aspect is exciting as well. There is so much chemistry to develop and my hope is that once the team finally meets each other it’s upward from there.
It’s so early with so much yet to happen, can’t wait.

**Posted by GW69** 7/25/2023 8:33 am

This reminds of a quote about second marriages-“the triumph of hope over experience.” Often they work out
better than the first -we shall see.Very limited college experience on the court.

**Posted by Long Suffering Fan** 7/25/2023 10:50 am

Gwmayhem wrote:
At this point, anyone with the mere potential of being a game-changer on the defensive end via rim protection excites me to no end. There's been Yinka. And Zeke. Anyone else? Pops had some awesome blocks but falls a bit short. Koul and Larsen took up space. Koul was more of a defensive threat than KevLar but still, not quite Yinka or Zeke. Dokun? Did well with what he had but not quite elite.

Stretch has height, athleticism, and perhaps most importantly, may be a hidden gem who was playing behind more talented players while at Auburn. If he can give us minutes while staying out of foul trouble for the most part, this could easily be the team's most important newcomer this season. Not nearly enough is being said about him on this board, IMO.

I sure hope you are right, Mayhem. and he really hope he is a defensive game changer. I just can't get past the fact, however, that after getting into every game in 2020-2021, he played in only 10 games over the next 2 seasons, Last season he played in only 4 games and saw the court for less than 16 minutes the entire season. Unless this was injury related, even if you are behind talented players in the depth chart, most schools have non scholarship walkons playing more minutes over the course of the season. Can't help feeling that there is a reason for that, but again, maybe the change of scenery is what was needed to become a factor on a team.

Last edited by Long Suffering Fan (7/25/2023 1:51 pm)

**Posted by Florida Colonial** 7/25/2023 12:00 pm

I know there was an injury last year that limited him to 4 games. It was reported he was requesting an extra year of eligibility as a result.

**Posted by GW69** 7/25/2023 1:25 pm

Even if you account for an injury last year it appears he was limited by the fact that he was perceived
as less talented than other big men on the team-as I understand it.That’s the SEC.In the A-10 he could
be very effective.

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 7/25/2023 1:36 pm

He played behind 3 NBA players. Smith, Kessler, and Okeke. 4 if you count JT Thor. Plus, he got to go up against these guys in practice (when he was healthy).

**Posted by GW0509** 9/26/2023 6:56 am

Portal Talk podcast with Stretch. He seems like a really cool dude. Shame we’ll only have him for a short time. I can see him being a fan favorite.

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 9/26/2023 4:40 pm

Love this. Great moment at the end where Stretch is asked a series of either/or questions. He answers Nike to "Adidas or Nike?" and then immediately realizes that he is now playing for an Adidas school. Fantastic reaction.

**Posted by moneybox** 9/26/2023 8:57 pm

Has Coach Caputo's request for a second year of eligibilty for Stretch based on playing time/health been officially denied?

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 9/28/2023 8:56 am

moneybox wrote:
Has Coach Caputo's request for a second year of eligibilty for Stretch based on playing time/health been officially denied?

Perfect. Only GW fans would ask whether the request has been officially denied rather than officially granted. LOL.

**Posted by moneybox** 9/28/2023 9:26 am

I said "denied" because there were repeated references to him have only one year with us. Find something better to harp about.

**Posted by GWRising** 9/28/2023 2:04 pm

Last I heard, no decision has been reached and I'm not even sure if all the paperwork had been filed by Auburn yet in support. But I haven't checked in about 2 weeks so I'll see what if anything I can find out.

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 9/28/2023 4:14 pm

moneybox wrote:
I said "denied" because there were repeated references to him have only one year with us. Find something better to harp about.

1) I was not harping. I was joking. Even said LOL to help make that clear.

2) Your response indicated that the joke was completely lost on you. The point is that you could have said "officially accepted" as opposed to "officially denied" and the meaning would not have changed.

3) Lighten up Frances.

**Posted by moneybox** 9/29/2023 8:55 am

Yes the joke was lost on me because it wasn't a joke and you know it. In fact, my response was lost on you. I'll repeat for your edification why I chose the negative. Because posters were repeatedly saying they wished that Stretch had one more year with us, I thought that the request had possibly already been denied. I certainly had no reason to say "officially accept." That would, in fact, have changed the meaning of my post. Lighten up yourself!

**Posted by GW69** 9/29/2023 10:19 am

As someone who used to do a lot of couples therapy I recommend a trial separation!

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 9/29/2023 12:21 pm

Moneybox, am not real sure how asking whether something was officially accepted changes the meaning from asking whether it was officially denied. Either way, you're asking whether an outcome has been determined.

That said, the joke is that GW fans are conditioned to expect the worst. Might explain why we have a Long Suffering Fan here and not a Long Deliriously Happy Fan. Why you read things here like "we can't have nice things" or "we can't stay out of our own way." Why we can go 26-1 and find ourselves on the front page of The Washington Post for all of the wrong reasons. Or why we can win the NIT Championship only to unceremoniously fire the head coach of that team a few months later under questionable circumstances.

So yes, my joke (and it was most definitely a joke) fed into all of this. The one thing I am reasonably certain of is between the two of us, I am not the one who needs to lighten up about this. Am sorry if I offended you; that was clearly not at all my intent.

**Posted by Long Suffering Fan** 9/29/2023 4:01 pm

You know, "long suffering" and "long deliriously happy" are not mutually exclusive. It is a difficult balance, but can be done. (If there was a like feature, I would have put one after GW69's comment.