How does a 6'9" player average 7.2 rebounds per game over 21 games & block only 4 shots?

There is one player that we do not know much about, El P. - Mounir Hima! He may be that big that we need. That is my hope!

You could be right, Levon, but these coaches have shown an eye for finding talent. You never have enough big men or point guards, in my opinion.

levon1975 wrote:

Keep "hoping" but chances are that we don't have the kind of luck that turns Hima from  sub on his HS team, and a project into a functional big man in one year.  Would they really be pursuing all of these transfer bigs or semi-bigs if Hima was killing it in the gym?  I'm not thrilled about going into the season with a 6'7" center and not experienced backup.  
  

Leon, Hima started for a very talented St. Benedict's team. He has all the raw materials, but is in need of good fundamental coaching and D1 game experience. However I agree that we can't count on him holding down major minutes. A grad transfer at that position would be nice.

Here is a video of him. He is #23 in white I posted a while back. By looking at the DU game videos last season he looked even bigger

https://youtu.be/oOQBAJkfMeQ

I remember watching the video above & another last year & feeling pretty good about Mounir. He missed so much developmental time from school hopping & knee stuff that I expected him to be a clumsy string bean with no feel for the game. He's none of those things.

He can run, catch, finish a bit, is a willing screener, & he actually seems very inclined to box out. He has a strong chance of being an elite, A-10 rim protector at some point. I seem to remember reading he is also an excellent student.

The video available on him is now quite old. His body will surely have matured significantly from March of 2020 to November of 2021.  I would hope that a year in the program would have enabled him to put any possible injury issues behind him, fill out his frame some, & get a decent amount of D-I coaching attention.

It would be somewhat shocking for him to be the starting center next season. Even so, provided he is healthy, his getting 8-12 minutes a game & making a meaningful contribution after some ramp-up time during the non-conference schedule is not that far-fetched given his physical attributes. Having that kind of post presence on the defensive end & backboards in a smallish backup role would go a long way toward keeping opponents honest, mitigating the negative effects of the inevitable big man of foul trouble, lightening the load for Williams, & filling out the rotation.

My biggest hesitation with Hima is his super-secretive scholarship situation. I find it very difficult to generate enthusiasm for his being a real part of the program as a result.

His bio on the DU website now says that he redshirted this season. It didn't always say that. It would be great to know at least on which grounds he redshirted; medical or developmental. (Were developmental redshirts even possible with this year's eligibility mulligan?)

Perhaps the clear listing of his 20-21 status & his not appearing immediately in the transfer portal portend good things to come. I hope so. He has size, length, mobility, & eligibility seldom available to this program.

Duques102 wrote:

We need another center so badly. Need to find someone somewhere.

Totally agree. Would not be comfortable heading into next season with this roster or reasonable facsimile thereof.
Hopefully there will be a pleasant surprise of sorts coming soon!! Otherwise, I have concerns as to whether or not this team can achieve the 20 win mark. We'll see and  LET'S GO DUKES!