Ike Anigbogu hired an agent on Thursday, meaning UCLA’s entire three-man 2016 recruiting class won’t return for a second season.

Fifteen days ago, the 6-foot-10 freshman announced he would declare for the NBA draft. Since then, he has received favorable news about where he will be selected, leading to his decision to sign with agent Jason Glushon.

“With the feedback he’s been getting, I think it’s been made clear to him and his family that it looks like he’s going to be a first-round pick,” said Josh Giles, Anigbogu’s coach at Corona Centennial High School. “Nothing is a guarantee, but this is as close to a guarantee as you can get.”

READ: Ike Anigbogu hires agent, will take his chances in NBA draft

In seeking advice about Anigbogu’s next move, his family has relied heavily on Giles and Etop Udo-Ema, the founder of Anigbogu’s AAU team, The Compton Magic.

Anigbogu’s decision is based on a fascinating contrast. Continue reading “Ike Anigbogu hires agent, won’t return to UCLA basketball team” »

Strengths: Ike Anigbogu’s current situation perfectly illustrates the exceptional athletic ability of the UCLA freshman center. Despite averaging a pedestrian 4.7 points and 4 rebounds, the obvious potential he possesses could land him alone side some of college basketball’s elite in the first round of the upcoming NBA draft. He is more than six months shy of his 19th birthday, but he has the muscle tone of an NFL strong safety. He is at least 6-foot-10, but looks vastly different than the majority of gangly basketball players at his position. By the end of the season, Anigbogu’s off-the-charts body and athleticism were translating to a high level of defense on the court.

Weaknesses: Anigbogu was the very last offensive option in UCLA’s eight-man rotation last season. He didn’t get much opportunity to develop his skills on that end of the court, but it doesn’t mean Anigbogu doesn’t have the ability to score using more than just brute strength and leaping ability. He averaged 17 points per game as a senior in high school and showed glimpses of having soft hands and nice touch around the basket. It’s apparent that he is lacking polish at the offensive end, where he was most effective catching lob passes.

Best moment: Anigbogu started the season slow after a knee injury, but his coming out party happened on a grand stage. Continue reading “UCLA basketball 2017 report card: Ike Anigbogu” »

Ike Anigbogu became the third UCLA freshman in the last 12 days to announce he will declare for the NBA draft. Unlike classmates Lonzo Ball and TJ Leaf, Anigbogu left the door open for a return by not hiring an agent.

“He’s not going to hire an agent for the time being, but that could change if he starts shooting up the draft boards and it pretty much becomes a lock that he’ll go in the first round,” said Anigbogu’s coach at Corona Centennial High School, Josh Giles. “If Ike really starts doing well in these workouts, I’ve had NBA people tell me he could be a late lottery guy.”

One the one hand, Anigbogu’s potential seems limitless. The measurables don’t nearly do his body justice. He is a chiseled 6-foot-10, 250 pounds and his legs look like tree trunks. And he only turned 18 five months ago.

On the other hand, he only played 13 minutes per game and averaged 4.7 points, 4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. His opportunities were limited in part because he played behind Thomas Welsh, who probably has a future in the NBA, but Anigbogu’s statistics are underwhelming.

Giles and Etop Udo-Ema, the founder of Anigbogu’s AAU team, the Compton Magic, both did their homework about where Anigbogu might be drafted. Both coaches have served as mentors to Anigbogu and aided his parents in making basketball decisions throughout Anigbogu’s career. They both got similar answers when digging for information about where Anigbogu may be selected in the NBA draft.

“I’ve received calls from 15 to 17 NBA teams and I’ve talked to scouts and directors of player personnel,” Giles said “The overwhelming consensus is there are very few people who think Ike’s going to fall out of the first round. He could go as high at 15, but mostly what we’ve heard is the 18 to 34 range. I know a few people who have played and coached in the NBA and (Udo-Ema) has a ton of contacts. It would be different if we were getting different answers, but everyone we’ve talked to has given us the same numbers about where Ike will go.” Continue reading “Ike Anigbogu declares for NBA draft, doesn’t hire an agent” »