Somto Cyril is "More Physical than Deandre Ayton"

[thedahc]

Check out these quotes about Cyril. I think he commits to us soon and it will be a big deal.

Weaver worked with Deandre Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA draft, at Hillcrest Prep. He coached recent UK signee Jordan Burks this season and coached against Cyril.

“I will tell you right now in all my years of doing high school basketball, coaching players who played in the pros and I had Deandre Ayton, I have never seen anything like him,” Weaver said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. “I have never seen a high school player or Overtime Elite player dominate a game physically like him. He’s the most physical presence I have ever seen at the high school level.”

Weaver said he was “impossible” to guard and was an intense competitor.

“I have never seen anything like him. He is so physically gifted. He moves so well, can score and has a great touch,” Weaver said. “It kills me to say he’s more physical than Deandre but I really have never seen anything like him.

“Deandre has a little finesse to him. Somto just physically punishes you in the paint. He got us in foul trouble every game. He bent one of the rims in our gym. He’s just so physically gifted and plays so hard. I have never seen anyone that big move like he does and play as hard as he does.

“If Kentucky gets Somto, that will be something.”

 

[chroix]

I hope we get this kid. Definitely passes the eye test.

 

[rick64]

He probably fouls out before the first TV timeout the way refs handle UK players.

 

[mcwildcats04]

Check out these quotes about Cyril. I think he commits to us soon and it will be a big deal.

Weaver worked with Deandre Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA draft, at Hillcrest Prep. He coached recent UK signee Jordan Burks this season and coached against Cyril.

“I will tell you right now in all my years of doing high school basketball, coaching players who played in the pros and I had Deandre Ayton, I have never seen anything like him,” Weaver said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. “I have never seen a high school player or Overtime Elite player dominate a game physically like him. He’s the most physical presence I have ever seen at the high school level.”

Weaver said he was “impossible” to guard and was an intense competitor.

“I have never seen anything like him. He is so physically gifted. He moves so well, can score and has a great touch,” Weaver said. “It kills me to say he’s more physical than Deandre but I really have never seen anything like him.

“Deandre has a little finesse to him. Somto just physically punishes you in the paint. He got us in foul trouble every game. He bent one of the rims in our gym. He’s just so physically gifted and plays so hard. I have never seen anyone that big move like he does and play as hard as he does.

“If Kentucky gets Somto, that will be something.”

Yeah I sure hope he's more physical than Ayton. Ayton is one of the softest bigs in the NBA. Part of why his coach and teammates yell at him a lot is because he doesn't fight enough and show enough toughness. Ayton having "a little finesse" is quite the understatement.

 

[Smashcat]

Weaver worked with Deandre Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA draft, at Hillcrest Prep. He coached recent UK signee Jordan Burks this season and coached against Cyril.

“I will tell you right now in all my years of doing high school basketball, coaching players who played in the pros and I had Deandre Ayton, I have never seen anything like him,” Weaver said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. “I have never seen a high school player or Overtime Elite player dominate a game physically like him. He’s the most physical presence I have ever seen at the high school level.”

 

[SPECT imaging]

That's all good. Can he qualify?

 

[BlueBomb]

We've gotten tired of stocking the team with incoming freshmen. Now we're going to add a high school senior.

Sorry, I've grown cynical and jaded. But I'm working on it.

 

[thedahc]

Weaver worked with Deandre Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA draft, at Hillcrest Prep. He coached recent UK signee Jordan Burks this season and coached against Cyril.

“I will tell you right now in all my years of doing high school basketball, coaching players who played in the pros and I had Deandre Ayton, I have never seen anything like him,” Weaver said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. “I have never seen a high school player or Overtime Elite player dominate a game physically like him. He’s the most physical presence I have ever seen at the high school level.”

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Yep, great article, posted about it a bit ago. Some real nice quotes in there.

 

[davekersey]

If Somto joins the UK squad for this coming season, and it looks like that will happen, then this incoming class has got to be judged as the greatest incoming class in basketball history. At least that's my opinion.

 

[westerncat]

That's all good. Can he qualify?

I thought I read that he had just a few more classes to do and that he would be able to be in this years class. Is there a time he has scheduled that he will commit ?

 

[Lempface]

Ayton wasn't ever known for his physicality. Weird comparison.

 

[NociHTTP]

If Somto joins the UK squad for this coming season, and it looks like that will happen, then this incoming class has got to be judged as the greatest incoming class in basketball history. At least that's my opinion.

Cal must have dirt on you.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

If Somto joins the UK squad for this coming season, and it looks like that will happen, then this incoming class has got to be judged as the greatest incoming class in basketball history. At least that's my opinion.

They gotta add experienced players to this roster

 

[mebeblue2]

They gotta add experienced players to this roster

like the last two years

 

[CatEye2010]

Cal must have dirt on you.

Congrats. I now anoint you as the most negative newby on here (and that says a LOT)

 

[It'saDoneDeal]

If Somto joins the UK squad for this coming season, and it looks like that will happen, then this incoming class has got to be judged as the greatest incoming class in basketball history. At least that's my opinion.

I don't see that at all. I mean, I get your point that by certain metrics bringing in 7-8 highly ranked freshman may qualify.

But in actual reality, there is no transcendent talent in this class, which is pretty weak historically. This is no Fab 5 nor does it even match some of Cal's prior classes. I'll take John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins with a bunch of scrubs over this current group. Or AD and MKG in a similar comparison. Plus, let's actually wait until we see Bradshaw play in a game, because that seems very questionable at this point with Klutch being the puppet master.

Unless these freshmen come out of the gate and just dominate the field, there's no chance they'll even sniff any of the greatest freshmen class groups.

 

[chroix]

They gotta add experienced players to this roster

I get that this is the conventional wisdom but in my book, if nothing else, this season is going to be really interesting.

 

[chattanoogawildcat]

Congrats. I now anoint you as the most negative newby on here (and that says a LOT)

This!!

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

I'm a fan of Somto Cyril and hope he does commit/reclass/join the team and think he can make an immediate impact and will be a fantastic player. That being said, it's ridiculous fro this shot at Ayton when DeAndre Ayton carried a group of Island guys to a win over North Carolina when they were visiting the Bahamas same time that Kentucky was in Summer before the '15 season. Remember his one year in CBB was in '18 and Ayton had a monster game (Maybe a 30/20 game?) against UNC and they beat them in Bahamas. You don't do that at that age if you aren't physical and dominant. Realize it's an exhibition but the age difference alone factors in and it's still a program who had type of talent on the roster to be in back to back National Championship games in '16/'17 so it's not as if they were a bunch of stiffs.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

like the last two years

Do you think a team full of 18 & 19 year olds with not one experienced player can win?

 

[Cawood86]

Do you think a team full of 18 & 19 year olds with not one experienced player can win?

Hasn't been done for a reason. If UKs coach was a fired up hungry dude, I would have more hope.

 

[JST390-2]

Want please yes

 

[thedahc]

Do you think a team full of 18 & 19 year olds with not one experienced player can win?

I guess we will see

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

If Somto joins the UK squad for this coming season, and it looks like that will happen, then this incoming class has got to be judged as the greatest incoming class in basketball history. At least that's my opinion.

Depends on who plays not just signs. While I'm appreciative, I'm also cautiously optimistic until guys prove themselves on the college level.

 

[Kybluedude]

I'm a fan of Somto Cyril and hope he does commit/reclass/join the team and think he can make an immediate impact and will be a fantastic player. That being said, it's ridiculous fro this shot at Ayton when DeAndre Ayton carried a group of Island guys to a win over North Carolina when they were visiting the Bahamas same time that Kentucky was in Summer before the '15 season. Remember his one year in CBB was in '18 and Ayton had a monster game (Maybe a 30/20 game?) against UNC and they beat them in Bahamas. You don't do that at that age if you aren't physical and dominant. Realize it's an exhibition but the age difference alone factors in and it's still a program who had type of talent on the roster to be in back to back National Championship games in '16/'17 so it's not as if they were a bunch of stiffs.

Ralph- I heard his coach on the radio stating the above. It wasn’t a shot. I think he was trying to be enthusiastic about Somoto for the UK audience. He was giving him high praise and said his team couldn’t handle him.

Also, wouldn’t he and Ugo be a good fit with our roster? Lots of wing players. Maybe better to have those 2 low post guys then just a pick and pop guy like we looked at?

 

[uk78]

He comes to Kentucky and I think he's great. He goes elsewhere and I think he was over-rated.

 

[uk78]

Forget my joke. If he is so awesome why is he rated in the 40's concerning top prospects for 2024 and his point production doesn't sound that phenomenal either? Is this another big strong PROJECT?

If we want impact for this season grab that West Virginia center it sounds like to me.

 

[westerncat]

Cal must have dirt on you.

I know that you are new to this forum but David is a really good poster and is very knowledgeable on CBB . I think you owe him an apology.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

I guess we will see

Cal does best with freshman yea, but you also need 1-2 maybe even 3 experienced guys mixed with them

 

[thedahc]

Cal does best with freshman yea, but you also need 1-2 maybe even 3 experienced guys mixed with them

I still think we get Reeves and a transfer so that may get addressed.

 

[JonathanW]

So is Somto's physical presence more like a Shawn Kemp?

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

I still think we get Reeves and a transfer so that may get addressed.

I don’t know anything, this is just a guess and gut feeling, but I feel like they close out with reeves, mulcahy and somto

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

So is Somto's physical presence more like a Shawn Kemp?

I saw a college basketball writer say Orlando Shaq, I thought that may be a bit to far

 

[JonathanW]

Currently with 9 players, our oldest would be Theiro, who just had a birthday in May and is, I'm guessing, now 19. Not a single 20+ yr old on the team (not counting walk-ons).

 

[Catluv]

Cal must have dirt on you.

You must have the IQ of dirt to get to this point. What did he say to make him a cal slurped. Dumb take!!

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

Ralph- I heard his coach on the radio stating the above. It wasn’t a shot. I think he was trying to be enthusiastic about Somoto for the UK audience. He was giving him high praise and said his team couldn’t handle him.

Also, wouldn’t he and Ugo be a good fit with our roster? Lots of wing players. Maybe better to have those 2 low post guys then just a pick and pop guy like we looked at?

I think he'd be a great addition and said so. I'm just not sure why this trend of "shitting" on another player who is proven and a 9 figure NBA player to hype someone who has never played a second beyond HS is a trend. You can talk up a player and not fire a shot at a guy.

 

[UK-chulo]

If Somto joins the UK squad for this coming season, and it looks like that will happen, then this incoming class has got to be judged as the greatest incoming class in basketball history. At least that's my opinion.

No. Chris Webber was a man in high school. Rose and Howard and been playing against pros for years and holding their own. Does not matter who we get in this class it does not touch the grown man physicality or skill of Michigan’s class. If we have players who will compete like the fab five I’ll be satisfied. I do not expect them to come in and hold their own against AA’s like UM’s class did.

 

[UK-chulo]

I know that you are new to this forum but David is a really good poster and is very knowledgeable on CBB . I think you owe him an apology.

Dave had to have a three martini lunch to make the statement he did.

 

[NociHTTP]

Congrats. I now anoint you as the most negative newby on here (and that says a LOT)

You do realize I was messing with him, right? 🤣

 

[NociHTTP]

For those who thought I was serious, have some of whatever Dave was drinking. He's a good dude. I don't agree that adding the guy would make it the greatest incoming class in history. The hyperbole was strong on that one. But, yes, he is not a Cal slurper for the delayed ones here.