This is what I saw from the beginning. His only contribution seemed to be as a shooter from the arc (earning my respect and that of most with his focus to become and effective defender) and on the few occasions he drove to the rim....which he seemed to do quite easily though not often...he seemed to have no idea how to finish. No tear drop, no stop and pop from 8 ft, no reverse, just nothing effective.,....simply how to finish against an athletic 6'8" jr. or sr. was a mystery. Toward the end of the season, he was able to get it done with a reverse and a couple other moves. AM has enough skill and athleticism to learn options quickly and execute. But it takes work in the film room, repetitions, listening to coaches, and learning from Ayo and Curbelo with whom he needs to pick minds. Watching the guards from Baylor should help also....they could score whenever they wanted and he is an inch taller than one and an inch shorter than the other....so pretty much same size and somewhat similar quickness.
What he needs is more patience, and I do believe he is a hard worker. If he wants to be great and play for a contender, he was in the best place possible. And what he needs to know is that every coach in the land will tell him they can do a better job of preparing him for the NBA...but few can...if any. What I don't know is what kind of limits BU put on him, but we have not seen that in the past and I am certain Coach would love to trust him to do whatever he thinks (preferably knows) he can do.
AM to me seems to be the perfect example of raw basic talent that has been told for years he is elite....and thought he was. He can be in time and along with hard work, that is what it takes. Ayo was also planning on a one and done...and will go down as an all-time Illini great....but he was far from NBA ready as a frosh as one could imagine. But what Ayo will be remembered and admired for by his coaches, teammates, and more mature Illini fans was that he kept his mouth shut and outworked the competition to become a First Team All-American. No one respects that more than I do.
I expect him back simply because there is no better place for him or his future. I don't believe Ayo, Trent, or Damonte had any problem playing with Curbelo....anyone know different?