NCAA Basketball: 5 former top-100 recruits set for breakout 2018-19 seasons
By Brian Rauf
Emmanuel Akot, Arizona
Akot was the No. 24 overall prospect in the 247sports Composite Rankings coming out of high school, one spot behind Trae Young and one spot ahead of Jontay Porter. While Young is now the face of the Atlanta Hawks and Porter is an All-American candidate at Missouri, Akot is hoping for a breakout season of his own as a sophomore.
Buried on the depth chart behind the likes of Deandre Ayton and Dusan Ristic last year, Akot received minimal playing time (10.4 minutes per game) and wasn’t anything more than a role player.
That is changing this year with him entering the starting lineup thanks to the departure of all five starters and, with little depth, head coach Sean Miller is going to rely on those starters to play significant minutes.
New roles are going to have to be claimed as well and Akot has the makings of someone who can be a go-to guy for the Wildcats. The talent of the 6-7, 200-pounder is undeniable and, though he’s still somewhat raw offensively, uses his athleticism and versatility to make a major difference on the defensive end – something right up Sean Miller’s alley.
He posted a defensive rating of 108.6 per 100 possessions last season, a number that ranked second among Arizona’s rotation players. If he can become a more consistent offensive threat, the Wildcats may have a star on their hands.