Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - JAYHAWKS INTERESTED in FIU Transfer Larry Olayinka - What Does Bill Self Need for Kansas?

Starting point is 00:00:00 There's reported interest for Kansas and Larry Ola Yinka, a player who got eligible for fifth year in the state of California. Does he make sense for the Jayhawks? You are Locked on Jayhawks, your daily podcast on the Kansas Jayhawks, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. What's up? Derek Johnson here. This is Locked on Jayhawks. And on today's episode, we're breaking down a deep dive at Larry Oliyinka, a player that, according to Dushon, London, KU. has interest in. We'll get to a scouting report, his potential fit with KU and more. Let's start here. This was the tweet from Dushan London of the athletic. FIU transfer. Larry Oliyinka is in the transfer portal per Spencer Perlman. I'd assume that's his agent. And later in the tweet, he says Oliinka has received interest so far from O'Miss, UAB, USC, and Kansas.

Starting point is 00:01:00 So linked interest there. When you look at it, Ola Yinka is a player that is currently eligible. He was one of the suits in California that basically is eligible. Now, based on what has happened in Ohio and Tennessee, where both the Ohio

Starting point is 00:01:18 and Tennessee cases, the players won initially and were granted eligibility, but then upon appeal by the NCAA, were granted ineligible, you know, there is a chance that that in the appeal process, process. The NCAA is able to get Oliyanka and some of these other guys ineligible. But as of right now, he is eligible and again reported interest from Kansas. Now, some places his name is listed as

Starting point is 00:01:41 Ahmed. Others, it's Larry. So he is a 6'9, 215-pound big man from Los Angeles, went to Garden City Community College out of high school, then uses his performance there to go to Utah Tech as a solid rotational big man, five and three per game in 16 minutes. Goes to Samford, where he averages four and two and a half per game and less time, 10 minutes per game. And then he had his best season this past year playing for Florida International, winds up starting all 32 games for the Panthers in 23.7 minutes per game, averages 10 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 stocks per game,

Starting point is 00:02:23 while shooting 55% from the floor. And he did face three power five teams this past season. He got to go up against Miami, had seven points, three rebounds, fouled out in 21 minutes. He had nine points and six rebounds against LSU in 27 minutes, also felled out. And then against Nebraska had 12.7 rebounds on six and seven shooting, did not foul out in that one.

Starting point is 00:02:49 Some of the metrics for Oliyanka, 49th percentile RAPM, 54th percentile in wind shares per 40, some more average by those two numbers, 72nd percentile in PER, 71st percentile in wins above replacement player. And FIU as a team was over 10 points better per 100 possessions when he was on the floor, so that's good to see there. This has the feel of like a backup big man to me, like extra body, kind of like a Jamari trailer type, right? like you're a 6 foot 8, 6 foot 9 forward who's 215, 220,

Starting point is 00:03:23 like you're not the biggest guy in the world to play the 5, but you're athletic enough and can do it and be a backup for you and bringing some energy off the bench. So let's take a look at the scout and see what else is here for Olinca. This is Locked on Jayhawks. Today's episodes brought to you by GameTime. There are more live events than ever worth seeing right now, games, concerts, comedy shows, festivals.

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Starting point is 00:05:05 Most of his positive on-off rating that you look at with FIU being, you know, about 10 points better per 100 with him on the floor. It was derived on the defensive end of the court. He had a 92nd percentile on-off D-rating. So, you know, you're getting his athleticism. He has long arms to play. above the six foot nine. And, you know, again, like above average nationally and some of the other metrics that were

Starting point is 00:05:31 more average for him in terms of defensive team metrics. So that kind of backs it up in terms of some of the individual chaos creating defensive numbers. He was in the 80th percentile in steel rate among forwards. He was in the 86th percentile in block rate among forwards. So you're getting steals, you're getting blocks, you're getting a defensive impact from, I think in general, you would view him as a positive defender there. He's also a good rebounder, really good on the offensive glass,

Starting point is 00:06:00 especially 88th percentile in offensive rebound rate, 70th percentile in defensive rebound rate. And then he's a pretty athletic big man. I mean, he runs the floor well. He's a fluid big man athlete. Like I made the comparison to Jamari Trailer. That helps him score in transition. He was in the 85th percentile in fast break points per 40 minutes.

Starting point is 00:06:21 So it allows him to run. on the floor. It allows them to get up and throw down dunks and throw down all yups and be a little bit more switchable than some other anchor fives on the defensive end of the floor. The weaknesses, though, the offense. You know, again, 10 points per game in like 23 minutes, it's not that bad of production, but it's below average for him at his position in two point percentage and effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage. So like, he's not the most efficient, eventually, which makes sense, right, because he's playing as an undersized five. Wasn't really.

Starting point is 00:06:52 a playmaker, you know, 30th percentile assist to turnover ratio. He doesn't shoot well or many from three, doesn't shoot well at the free throw line either. And he was only in the 11th percentile in adjusted efficiency on post-ups. So if you get Ola Yinka, it's pretty much the same of what you've got in the center room. Like probably not going to expect to throw him the ball on the block and for him to score. Now, I think with Ambia and Reeves, because they're so gigantic, they might get the ball in the block a few times just because they're so big and they might be able to just knock down a hook shot or you know get a seal off on their guy that's going to happen even less often with olayinka and then

Starting point is 00:07:31 the other big question i think would have to be the jump in competition right which especially becomes true because of the size it's one thing playing is an undersized five for f iu what would it look like at kansas like do you have to play him as a more of a four man and then that's going to limit more of your minutes and your potential role for kansas uh but just five games this past season for Oliyinka against Ken Palm Top 100 opponents. His defensive rebound rate was similar, but his offensive rebound rate, block rate, and steel rates were all pretty much cut in half.

Starting point is 00:08:01 So again, that's a small sample size, but it is a little bit worrisome about what his jump up in competition might be in moving on to the Big 12. So knowing all this, how does it apply? What would his potential role be for KU? We'll get to that next. Thanks, you have for joining us here on Lockdown, Jayhawks. what would Larry Olayinka's fit be with KU?

Starting point is 00:08:25 I think provide energy off the bench is the first one that comes to mind, right? Just play as hard as you can, grab as many rebounds, block some shots, play good defense. Like that would be, you'll throw down some dunks on the offense event. That would be the role that you would be looking for. I think you would give KU more depth at the five. In theory, he would give you more depth at the four. You could play him next step, you know, Mbia or Reeves or something.

Starting point is 00:08:50 I don't really see him being a rotation guy personally. I think it would fall under the guise of, hey, if you're playing a guy who's a four, five, who's more of an undersized five, probably Davyana Adkins is getting the minutes ahead of Larry O'Leinka, right? But he is an experienced player. You bring him in and have that open competition and see what happens there, right? You have the open competition between him and Christian Reeves and see what happens there.

Starting point is 00:09:18 Like I said, in my eyes, I would view the role more as reserve big man, not in the rotation, but gives you another body in case, like, what if one of the big men gets hurt for two weeks? Sprains an ankle and is out for two weeks. You got to slide everybody up for their potential role, right? It gives you more coverage in that situation. What about in practice, right? Like having another big man that can bang bodies with Paul M. Bia and Christian Reeves, for instance, those things are helpful. I do think in a world where like could you get Ola Yinka versus could you get Mahilo Musich?

Starting point is 00:09:53 I think I would take Musich just because you have a little bit more size and there is a little bit more unknown of like as much as I don't think Musikicich would be somebody that would come in and be like a huge producer for KU. There is still the unknown element of like, well, you never know. You're playing against professionals and, you know, overseas, right? So I think I'd prefer Musich in that standpoint. Obviously, I'd prefer Kibakato over this. but let's say this gets to a point where KU's just going, hey, we just want to get a body in here, you know, fill out the roster a little bit more,

Starting point is 00:10:25 make us a little bit deeper in case of emergency or for practice and stuff. I think this would make sense because it seems like a high energy big man who would be a positive in that regard. Otherwise, you know, I think there's probably other options you could look into. All right, I don't know for this episode of Lockdown Jayhawks. You can find our show anywhere. You get your podcast, including on our YouTube page where you can like and subscribe to the show and we'll see you next time on LOJ.

Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - JAYHAWKS INTERESTED in FIU Transfer Larry Olayinka - What Does Bill Self Need for Kansas?

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