Marquette Basketball: Analyzing newcomers for 2019-20

FR – Dexter Akanno – Blairstown, NJ

CG | 6-foot-4 | 200 lbs | No. 387 overall

Possibly one of the most underrated freshmen in the country, Dexter Akanno was unranked for the majority of the recruiting process. With that said, though, he has a solid all-around game and a strong frame. He will arrive at Marquette as a rather chiseled 6-foot-4 guard with long arms. As a player, he uses his strength well on both ends of the floor with regards to shutting down opposing guards and bullying his way into the paint offensively.

In my opinion, Akanno’s recruiting ranking is deceiving as he is a much better player than given credit for. He can score at a high rate around the rim and uses his size well on the defensive end of the floor as well. He might not seem like the prototypical Marquette guard, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t be an impactful player on both ends. For the time being, Akanno is not a major 3-point threat but that is an area that he is willing to work on and that will go a long way in expanding his game (JS Online):

"“[Marquette’s] player development is very good, especially in the part that I need, my jump shot….I think they really know how to teach shooting and basketball IQ in general. They have a great coaching staff over there.”"

With regards to his playing time right away, Akanno likely will not see a ton of minutes as a freshman. The Golden Eagles already have a solid group of guards with Howard, McEwen, and Greg Elliott with the possibility of minutes from highly-touted recruit Symir Torrence. Akanno’s two-way potential is extremely high and it wouldn’t be a major surprise if he develops at a quick rate under the Marquette coaching staff before sneaking into minutes right away.