Mountain West Basketball: 2020-21 breakout candidates from each team

G Emmanuel Akot, Boise State

The immense potential Emmanuel Akot entered college basketball with has been forgotten following an uninspiring two-year stint with Sean Miller and the Arizona Wildcats. A change of scenery could do the hyped guard a lot of good for the second half of his collegiate career.

Akot applied for a waiver to play for the Broncos during the 2019-20 season, which was handily denied. He hasn’t played in a game since his final contest for the Wildcats, which came all the way back on January 12, 2019.

His two years in Arizona didn’t show much. He never averaged more than 20 minutes or four points per game. His three-point shooting was bad, converting 37.5 percent as a freshman and 28.6 percent as a sophomore. Free throw shooting was even worse, making less than half of his attempts each year.

But there’s a reason Akot entered college basketball with so much hype in the first place. He was a top 25 recruit in the Class of 2017, one of the best ten wings in the country. His natural position was small forward, but he played more guard for the Wildcats – a potential move back to his original position could pay dividends. It’s also easy to forget that Akot reclassified to jump ahead a year, which could have contributed to his early struggles.

Boise State is losing a lot of talent from a year ago, so there will be an immediate opportunity for Akot to contribute. This could be the season he finally breaks out and realizes his potential.