Olivier Nkamhoua at the FIBA World Cup: GREAT Blocks
His team has been mostly sucking (they lost to Japan in a huge upset), but Olivier Nkamhoua has been getting valuable minutes for Finland in the FIBA World Cup. It can only help us that he's spending his August playing with and against NBA and World players instead of finding his way around Ann Arbor.
This will make you REALLY happy. Check out these blocks against two Australian players - including Josh Giddey of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:41 AM ^
Finland's next game is against Germany incidentally. We should definitely see Nkamhoua line up against Mo, but Franz has been nursing an ankle injury and may sit this one out.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
Gonna be honest... had to google his name to see why I should be excited. Sad that I don't know the roster like I did only 2 years ago...
August 28th, 2023 at 12:23 PM ^
Just checked his stats from the 2 games Finland has played so far. They make me less happy.
- 7 pts vs Japan (98-88 loss): 3-5 FG (1-2 on 3PT), no FTs, 6 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, 3 TO, 1 PF
- 6 pts vs Australia (98-72 loss): 2-5 FG (0-1 on 3PT), 2-3 FTs, 2 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 2 BLK, 3 PF
He was the 5th and and 4th leading scorer among the starters listed in these games. His stats aren't terrible for a glue guy. We're gonna need more than that from him, though.
August 28th, 2023 at 12:57 PM ^
Wasn't his profile mainly as a defender? I don't recall that expectations were ever for him to fill up the stat sheet on offense.
August 28th, 2023 at 1:18 PM ^
youre correct - i think the issue is .. where IS the scoring going to actually come from?
August 28th, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
Now that’s what rim protection looks like.
August 28th, 2023 at 1:47 PM ^
HIs performances have been encouraging even with the modest stat lines. Finland isn't good and has no guards. He's also sharing the front court with their best player, Laurie Markkanen. Nkamhoua has shown more willingness to take/make jumpers, has been strong defensively not just around the rim but switching and off-ball, and has held his own against a lot of bigger pros. In addition to their two games they played 5 tune-up games where he had played well also.
That being said, Michigan needs him to be an all-B10 player this year and we haven't quite seen that level of assertiveness or consistency on this stage yet. He's going to be good and we're going to enjoy him, but it remains to be seen if he can help Dug carry this team.
Since we're obviously in Defcon-1 season for football on this site, I would encourage people interested in basketball to check out UMHoops.com for now while Brian and Seth are frantically cranking out awesome football content. Another big piece of news dropped that hasn't been mentioned here - Michigan signed an Argentinian big man on Friday to use one of their open scholarships. While he isn't the scoring wing this roster desperately needed in the offseason, he had a great FIBA U-19 tournament earlier in the summer and projects to backup Tarris Reed and be a potential key player at PF/C next season. There are also rumors floating around that Michigan is after another foreign player at the wing spot.
August 28th, 2023 at 2:07 PM ^
I would propose UM needs EITHER Nkamhoua or Lee Aaliya to be all B1G....considering that Aaliya was ranked #4 and considered all-U19 World Cup (avg. 17 pts/6rbs) by Bleacher Report...he may be the more likely offensive contributor next to Reed. Nkamhoua could be the defensive ace resting the two of them.
August 28th, 2023 at 2:53 PM ^
There was indeed a post on the Message Board about the Argentinian big man. And we can certainly talk about basketball on MGoBlog during football season.
August 28th, 2023 at 5:49 PM ^
The Lee Aaliya commitment was definitely mentioned here on the message board.
August 28th, 2023 at 1:48 PM ^
Many people here aren't happy with Juwan but I think he's definitely par for the course. Even Mike Francesa called it a terrible hire and in my opinion been proven wrong. Howard seamlessly took over program after Beilein, XO pond before the NIL, and one cannot assume good times continue, and it's catastrophic for a program when it doesn't, because by time it's evident, it becomes an unavoidable slow train wreck.
Then he lost Shannon with the transfer issue, and with him we make tourney no problem.
Then he loses Kante, but moreso, Love, this year. He regroups and lands Nkhamoua among others.
Granted you can say he miscalculated the NBA departures, overplayed Jett, etc, but had Beilein stayed I'm not sure we'd be in a better spot right now.
August 28th, 2023 at 3:12 PM ^
I more or less agree with you, but I think you're going to bring the critics out into the light with this kind of comment. I do think Juwan and his staff didn't do a particularly good job of actual coaching last year, but I'm optimistic they can re-focus on that, the way Harbaugh did with the football team, and get things pointed the right direction.
As for his recruiting, I think it's been great — but he's been crushed by unfortunate decisions by the admissions people, potential stars leaving early, etc.
Ultimately, I'm still very much on board with him, and I hope he crushes it this year.
August 29th, 2023 at 10:55 AM ^
Still pisses me off.
August 28th, 2023 at 4:12 PM ^
Unfortunately with NCAA officiating, he would be called for fouls on those blocks (Trey Burke's block was clean).
August 28th, 2023 at 5:17 PM ^
Hurricane Lee Aadiya is reportedly over Gulf of Mexico as we speak and heading North.
Don't believe me, google it.