Akok Akok’s next chapter begins at UConn, as a walk-on — for now

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Vin Pastore picked Akok Akok up in Manchester, N.H. on Monday and began a 2 1/2-hour trek, stopping about midway through at a Dunkin’ Donuts on the Mass Pike.

Akok ordered a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, and the two continued on for another hour to Storrs, where Akok will begin the next chapter of his life.

Akok arrived on campus on Monday, enrolled in classes and ready to join the UConn men’s basketball team as a walk-on. As much as UConn could use him right now, he won’t play this season. In fact, he can’t. Instead, Akok will practice with the team, work in the weight room to get stronger and be on or near the UConn bench for at least every remaining home game (it hasn’t been determined yet if Akok will travel with the team at all).

“He’s excited to be a college student,” said Pastore, who coached Akok on the Mass Rivals AAU team. “It’s a great feeling. I think this gives him a head start. He was gonna play next year in college, so this gives him a head-start to get his game ready and to learn how UConn goes about its business.”

“We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Akok to our basketball family,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “He is a quality young man and an exceptional student-athlete. His length, his athleticism and his overall skill set will help increase the talent level of the program. Having Akok in practice every day will help him get acclimated to the college game as well as provide high-level competition for our players. It’s a win-win.”

Akok, who wasn’t expected to begin practicing on Tuesday as he acclimates himself on campus, is not on scholarship. The Huskies are currently at their full allotment of 13, and even though Kwintin Williams is indefinitely suspended from the team, he’s still on campus and enrolled at UConn. While it remains to be seen if Williams will rejoin the team, at this point, the Huskies are just hoping Williams continues to work hard to get his degree.

Akok Akok has enrolled at UConn and will practice with the team for the rest of the season. Akok Akok has enrolled at UConn and will practice with the team for the rest of the season. Photo: David Borges / Hearst Conneticut Media Photo: David Borges / Hearst Conneticut Media Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Akok Akok’s next chapter begins at UConn, as a walk-on — for now 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

And even if Williams had left the program, the situation would likely still be the same. While it’s true a team can replace a player who willingly leaves a program with another scholarship player, Hurley has called that “bush league” and said that’s not how he wants to run a program.

And so, Akok Akok, a 6-foot-10, dynamic athlete, a high-level rim protector who can also stretch the floor from 3-point range, will be UConn’s greatest walk-on. At least since Andre Drummond, anyway.

Of course, Drummond was able to play for the Huskies for his one season in Storrs as a walk-on. Akok can’t. Why? Because Akok is getting financial aid from UConn, and he is also a recruited player. Drummond was a recruited player, but he took out a bank loan and paid his entire tuition, with the realization that he’d likely be an NBA lottery pick that June (he was). He didn’t receive a penny from UConn in financial aid.

Akok has taken out a loan, but he is getting financial aid from the school. A resident of Putnam for 2 1/2 years while enrolled at Putnam Science Academy, he could be paying in-state tuition. Either way, he’s getting some assistance.

So, he won’t play this season, instead intent on being ready for the start of the 2019-20 season.

“It says a lot about his love for UConn,” Pastore said. “He could have gone to a lot of different places on full scholarship. He chose UConn, knowing that he had to burden some of this cost, and he’s not gonna get some of the benefits and perks of being on scholarship. That says a lot about his love of UConn, and his relationship with Dan (Hurley) and Tom (Moore).”

Pittsburgh, Georgetown and Syracuse were three relatively local programs that had open scholarships for the second semester, Pastore noted.

A year ago, Akok led Putnam Science Academy to a national prep championship. This past summer, he helped Mass Rivals to the championship game of the Adidas AAU championships, where they lost to Compton Magic by a point.

He began this season back at PSA, but in late November, decided to leave the program.

“He did just about everything he could have done in high school basketball and had a great run over the summer,” Pastore noted. “He was ready to move on to college.”

He committed to UConn on Dec. 1, took the SAT and has fulfilled every commitment needed to enroll at the school.

Of course, cynics will tell you Akok will never play a second in a Husky uniform. Akok, who was born in Sudan but has lived in the United States since he was 1, has made no secret of his desire to play in the NBA. As recently as this past November, he said he was still pondering declaring for the 2019 NBA draft.

Is Pastore confident Akok will play at UConn next season?

“As close to 100 percent confident as I can be, 99.9 percent,” said the coach. “He will be at UConn to start the next school year.”

It’s still possible Akok could test the NBA waters this spring, as players are now allowed to do twice during their collegiate careers. Christian Vital did so this past spring.

“I don’t think that’s the plan, no,” Pastore said. “Could that change? Yes. But I know that’s not the plan. The plan is to spend the next few months, between now and the end of summer, to get as good as he can, work on his game, so he’s ready for freshman year of basketball at UConn. The next few months are gonna be about improving his game.”

Akok Akok has been through a lot, particularly over the past couple of months. On Monday, he began his next chapter, at the University of Connecticut.

“He is a really good kid,” said Pastore. “Anybody that can play for me has to be a good kid. He’s quiet and reserved when he doesn’t know you. Once he gets to know you, people are gonna find him really funny and fun to be around.”

And a pretty good basketball player, too.

david.borges@hearstmediact.com