Emmanuel Akot

Emmanuel Akot, 6'8, Wasatch Academy, Canada, 1999

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Good size for the wing at 6'6 ½ without shoes.
-Strong 195 pound frame that should continue to fill out significantly in time
-Measured the biggest hands at the camp
-Very good athlete. Good combination of quickness and power, although not incredibly explosive
-Showed nice versatility offensively, bringing the ball up the court regularly and getting his team into their offense.
-Shows potential as a shot-creator in the half-court. Impressive changing gears powerfully in pick and roll situations
-Finds teammates off the dribble unselfishly
-Bulldozer in transition who loves to drive straight into opponents' bodies to clear space or draw fouls
-Strong first step attacking closeouts. Shows some creativity with his finishes
-Makes more spot-up jump-shots than you'd think considering how unconventional his mechanics are. Appears to have good touch
-Unlimited energy. Plays with a very high intensity level on both ends of the floor. Tough, no-nonsense demeanor that coaches will love.
-Multi-positional defender that showed the ability to guard anywhere from 1-4 at this camp. Relishes the challenge of stopping the opposing team's best player
-Playmaker who crashes the glass, gets in the passing lanes and even blocks some shots on occasion. Boxes out opponents, goes out of area and pursues loose balls with a purpose.



Weaknesses:
-Year old for his class. Turning 18 next month but over a year and a half away from entering college still.
-Measured a 6'9 wingspan, which is not ideal for someone you'd like to see spend time at the stretch-4 position.
-Lacks some shake/polish as a half-court ball-handler, especially in one on one situations.
-Shooting mechanics are inconsistent/unconventional. Brings the ball around the world, jumps forward, and shoots a push shot that he snaps from in front of his face. Elevates high off the ground and doesn't always shoot it with the same release point.
-Struggles to make shots off the dribble consistently.

Outlook: Akot has taken his game to another level in the last year, adding 20 pounds to his frame and apparently even growing an inch according to our measurements. His athleticism has evolved and the new-found strength is allowing him to punish opponents on both ends of the floor when combined with his motor and toughness. Akot had a very impressive showing at this camp and it's easy to see why he is such a highly sought after recruit for college coaches. If he continues to polish his scoring arsenal, he'll be considered a top-shelf prospect for NBA teams in time as well.

Emmanuel Akot is another highly touted 2018 Canadian prospect playing at the BWB. He didn't have the best showing at the U17 World Championship in Zaragoza last summer either, taking somewhat of a back seat at times, but is considered a five star recruit here in the US thanks to his impressive versatility. Akot defends multiple positions, and is an unselfish passer, but is still working on improving his polish as a ball-handler and perimeter shooter to make the full time transition to the wing.

Emmanuel Akot, 6-7 SF, Winnipeg, 1999

Strengths

-Nice size and frame for a wing prospect at 6' 7”. Somehow weighed only 175 pounds but has a frame that should definitely develop in time.
-Fluid athlete. Very good in transition – can push himself or fill his lane.
-Really competes on both end of the floor. Likes to defend. Good feet, gets in a stance, communicates. Plays with toughness. Doesn't mind physicality.
-Good passer for a wing. Sees the floor well. Unselfish player.
-Solid straight line slasher. Fairly long strides. Good first step. Likes to drive left.
-Catch and shoot jumper is projectable. Streaky but capable. Gets solid rotation, on balance.

Weaknesses
-Lacks length with a 6' 8” wingspan.
-Good not great athlete.
-Not a great ball handler. Almost everything is in a straight line.
-Good passer but can improve his decision making. Tends to put his head down and drive left, right into traffic. Game still a bit fast for him.
-Streaky shooter. Slight pause at the top of his jump. Lacks the handle and footwork to get to his jumper off the bounce with consistency.
-Not overly crafty around the rim. Can improve as a finisher vs length.
-Old for his class – will turn 20 at the end of his freshman year of college.

Outlook The uncommitted 2018 wing has a nice foundation as a prospect thanks to his size, frame, motor, passing ability, defensive energy, and potential as a spot up shooter. Akot is still quite raw as a shot creator and decision maker, and his lack of length does slightly hamper his potential as a 3 and D prospect. He needs to become a more consistent shooter to unlock the ‘3' in 3' and D' but wings with size who can defend, pass, and make a shot don't grow on trees. Akot is worth keeping an eye on as he develops and his recruitment heats up.