Kevin Obanor and Max Abmas

[cardinalhawg]

I wanted to get others thoughts regarding Kevin Obanor and Max Abmas of Oral Roberts.  Would you take either or both of them, if they become available after the season.  Each player fits the type Muss typically targets as they are players he has coached against, evaluated against, and seen in live action in person.  They both have obviously played in Bud Walton Arena and experienced playing against Muss and the Razorbacks even though in a less filled gym than normal.

Obanor at 6-8 would most likely be a graduate transfer as he redshirted a year, so he might want to play up for a season since he would be in line for immediate transfer regardless of the transfer rule change.  He had a good game against the Hogs and pretty much everyone else scoring in double figures every game this season.  He is averaging 19.2 PPG and 9.9 RBG.   He has a great overall offensive game scoring at all levels well and is shooting very well from distance, at the free throw line, and basically everywhere.

Abmas at 6-1 will be a junior going into next season so any transfer rule changes could be a factor.  He can really shoot the basketball with very deep range and is great at the free throw line.  He can also drive pretty well and is good at passing the basketball as he is averaging 23.4 PPP, 3.3 RBP, and 3.5 assists per game.  Obviously, he is not at the optimal height that Muss prefers and if all four of our smaller guards return next season, then it becomes an issue of who plays and how often.  Abmas can really score the ball though and is a high percentage high volume shooter from distance who can get his shot off well.  He has scored in double figures every game but one and that against a lower division school that he played very little minutes.

Both guys are durable and play a lot of minutes with Obanor playing 31 minutes a game and Abmas playing 36 minutes a game with Abmas going 40 minutes on different occasions this season. 

Obanor would be the one that I would choose first over the two as he can play the 4 and score well in the post, in the mid-range, from distance, and at the foul line.  He rotates in and out very well.  My question with him would he be able to play good enough defense against multiple positions especially paired with Vanover or Williams.  He seems to play more of a 4/5 for Oral Roberts.

My question with Abmas would be if he could play defense well enough and his size/height.  He is quick.  We held him in check the best of any team and we did fairly well on Obanor at least not letting him hurt us from distance and took a few lumps from some of the other guys on the roster when we played them.  Both have had good games against high majors this season.

I have no idea if either are interested in transferring and playing elsewhere and plenty of high majors would be in pursuit if either hit the transfer portal.  Both are from Texas, so the Texas high majors might be a tough challenge or the Oklahoma high majors for that matter.  With Muss's track record with both graduate transfers and regular transfers and success in landing guys who he has a history coaching against, I thought that these guys could be guys on the radar if interested in continuing to play college basketball and not play pro somewhere and looking to play up at a higher level in college basketball.  Of the non-conference opponents not counting Oklahoma State, I thought these were the two best players (at least on the offensive end) we have played against.  Our focus on them when we played them opened the door for others players in that game and obviously they could open the floor for us too along with producing for us.  Oral Roberts is also a high scoring team as is the Razorbacks, so the attraction of playing in an up tempo offensive at Arkansas could be a big draw as well.

[UAGrad2019]

Well, if they are both interested in transferring, I'm certain the coaching staff will give them a long, hard look.

KK is 6-1, Desi is 6-1 (maybe), don't know if Muss wants another small guard in Abmas. He's a premier scorer though.

I would think Obanor is a forward the staff would strongly consider as a replacement for Justin Smith.

[JonClaudeVanHam]

I would take Obanor in a heartbeat.

[The_Iceman]

I would take Obanor in a heartbeat.

Yes, yes, yes.

[Razorod]

Do we know if anything is likely to happen? I know nothing official until the season ends for ORU, but rumors?

[cardinalhawg]

I have not heard of any rumors or have any information.

I would be happy with either or both and think Muss would take both depending on room and needs.  Yes, it is true that the group is more crowded among the smaller guards if they all return and the needs to seem to be more for other areas.

One thing about Abmas though is that he plays the point guard position and I mean is a point guard who can shoot and score not a shooter and scorer playing point.  I watched footage from the Arkansas/Oral Roberts game from earlier in the season and I found him to be a very willing passer as someone who will drive and dish back out and not someone just constantly needing to shoot.  He is averaging 3.5 assists to 1.8 turnovers, so his turnover numbers are good as he does have the ball a lot.  He went 4 and 2 in those categories against us and had 3 steals which on the year he averages 1.5 steals per game. 

Both Abmas and Obanor average over four free throws per game with Abmas at 89.2% and Obanor at 87.5%.  Oral Roberts is second in the nation in free throw percentage at 81.2%.  Obanor is at 45.7% from three at 1.9 makes per game and Abmas is at 43.9% at 3.8 makes per game.  Overall Obanor is at 50.2% from the field and Abmas is at 46.7%.

Abmas is light and it was noticable when compared to our guards or similar height.  Tate guarded him a lot when we played them.  Obanor and Smith guarded each other most of the game but each other's damage on offense seemed to come in other ways mostly beyond beating each other one on one. 

If we did get a player like Obanor, I wonder if we would play Kamani Johnson some at the three and that is if he can guard the three position well enough.  I say that in that you can sacrifice perimeter offense at the three if you have it at the 4 and 5.