arinze-onuaku-hd.jpg

21 - Arinze Onuaku

6-10, 275 Power Forward/Center
Syracuse Senior
Birthday
07/13/87 (36.7 yrs)
Hometown
Lanham, MD
High School
Episcopal
Team Site Profile
Statistics
Athleticism
7
Size
8
Defense
8
Strength
9
Quickness
7
Leadership
7
Jump Shot
5
NBA Ready
8
Rebounding
7
Potential
6
Post Skills
7
Intangibles
6
85 Overall:

Comparison: Jahadi White/Brian Skinner

Strengths: Arinze has size and strength, and at 6’9, 275lbs, he is frequently the largest player on the court in the college game … Has above average awareness in the post in regards to what’s happening around him, rarely forces up bad shots … He shows good footwork down low, uses a quick and effective drop step as his main move to get himself an open layup … Solid finisher around the basket, can use both hands effectively and uses his body nicely to fend off defenders … He can pass effectively out of double team, usually hitting the safest target … He does a decent job of boxing out his man, however his lack of explosiveness limits him from grabbing more rebounds … Can run the floor pretty well for his size, and only averages 1.4 turnovers per game … Defensively he sits in the middle of the zone and does his job of clogging the lane … Has the highest field goal percentage in Syracuse history …

Weaknesses:
For a guy his size, he doesn’t dominate the boards or in the paint nearly as much as he should.  He’s only effective when he has great one on one post position, and is much better when he doesn’t put the ball on the floor … He can’t face up to the basket … His offensive game is very limited, ranging from dunk, to layup, to 4 foot baby hook shot … He lacks any type explosiveness: on second chance points he gets tips instead of grabbing possession … In 22.5 minutes per game he averages only 4.8 rebounds … He is an atrocious free throw shooter at best, which completely affects his style of play late in games- becomes unaggressive and passive, almost as if he’s afraid to get fouled and go to the line … He’s taken out in the last 3-5 minutes of any close game due to his lack of effectiveness and horrid free throw shooting … Syracuse’s 2-3 zone does not allow him to play much post defense one on one, and that probably is a good thing … Overall, he can put the ball in the basket because of a decent first step and size advantage, but his offensive game is too limited, he’s a below average rebounder, and does nothing defensively to warrant much excitement for the next level.

Jonathan Wasserman 3/7/10


Strengths:
Destructively powerful bigman with an ultra efficient offensive game … Led the country in FG% last season shooting a miraculous 67% … An immovable object in the post. Impossible to keep him off the block, and once he gets position, it’s impossible to get him off the spot … Anchors himself to the floor. Tremendous upper body and lower body strength … Excellent touch from 6 feet and in. Uses both hands effectively around the basket, including a deft lefty jump hook … Rarely fails to convert on layups, even after contact … Finishes extremely well in traffic, often with a power jam … Foot work in the post has improved dramatically. Displays glimpses of dominant board work with eight double digit rebounding efforts as a Junior (7.3 per game), including 5 offensive boards or more on eight occasions … Rebounds as a result of brute strength and positioning, not leaping ability or quickness to the ball … Enormous 7’7 wingspan and solid timing make him a serious shot blocking threat (1.4 per game).

Weaknesses:
Onuaku’s fatal flaw is his performance (or lack there of) at the free throw line … His percentage dropped from 45% as a Sophomore to an unthinkable 29% last season … Lack of confidence at the stripe began to inhibit the rest of his game … Fear of being fouled limited his aggressiveness as he tried to avoid contact-his greatest ally on the court … He attempted only seven field goals and three free throws per contest last season … He also appeared to mentally check out of games because of his failures to convert at the line … Possesses extremely limited range, with no ability to face up defenders … Dribbles too high in traffic, and puts the ball on the floor unnecessarily on too many occasions … Does not recognize double teams quickly and is not an adroit passer out of the post … Basketball IQ must improve. Outmuscled in post D by far weaker opponents, showing lack of commitment to positioning and desire to defend … Lateral quickness to guard on the perimeter is non-existent … At 6’9 will likely need to play as an undersized 5 at the next level … An overall decrease in numbers from his Sophomore to Junior season is quite disconcerting … Needs to regain confidence and find consistency and hunger to dominate from game to game … Played last year through painful tendenitis. Had ofseason knee surgery so there is some concern over the health of his knees …

Notes: Had perhaps his best effort last season against future lottery pick Cole Aldrich and Kansas in Kansas City, tallying 19 points on 8-10 shooting including 3-3 from the line. He also added 12 rebounds and 4 blocks.

Adam Ganeles 10/24/09

SEASON
TEAM
MIN
PTS
REB
AST
TO
A/T
STL
BLK
PF
FG%
FT%
3P%
PPS
2005-06SYR8.422.80.10.40.310.20.41.10.5610.44401.41
2006-07DNP             
2007-08SYR30.612.78.10.71.90.3911.33.10.6280.44501.5
2008-09SYR26.810.37.30.61.60.390.51.42.40.6670.29801.47
2009-10SYR22.810.55.10.61.30.470.91.12.70.6680.42901.47
PerGame 22.89.26.00.51.40.40.71.12.30.6480.39501.48

 

SEASON
TEAM
GP
MIN
FG
FGA
FTM
FTA
3PM
3PA
PTS
OFF
DEF
TOT
AST
TO
STL
BLK
PF
2005-06SYR2924323411227005832488041351331
2006-07DNP                 
2007-08SYR351070186296731640044511417028426673647108
2008-09SYR38101717826737124003931081682762359185390
2009-10SYR3272815322930700033667971642043293585
Totals 13430585408331523850012323214838047318288148314

YouTube Clip – 06/03/2010

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