Max Ekono leaves Bradley; 1 scholarship available

[Da Coach]

Starting a new thread on this topic, and moving the relevant posts from the Recruiting thread to this new thread.

As posted in the recruiting thread, Max Ekono was not with the team last night in Arkansas.
Apparently, he did not make the trip, has left school, and is already transferring.

In addition, he no longer appears on the team roster-
2022-23 Roster- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Google cached version of Max's bio page-

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:S0N9Jcsfe9gJ:https://bradleybraves.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/max-ekono/12844&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

[️ Fanatic]

Not sure when this is supposed to happen (or how this works, with the transfer portal - I believe): a birdie shared Maximo Ekono is transferring to a Juco school this year.... And Bradley will be adding a post player from Serbia to fill that spot (I thought I heard a 7-footer: 6'8"-6'10" big man)... This is supposed to happen over the next couple weeks: Do schools have to wait until the end of a semester to add a transfer student to the school-team? Stay tuned...

[Da Coach]

I just heard from one of my inside sources connected with the team.... there is a "very real possibility" that this rumor will happen.

More from a knowledgeable source.... expect more upgrades to happen. If not at semester break, will happen by spring signing period.

[Nashville Cat]

More from a knowledgeable source.... expect more upgrades to happen. If not at semester break, will happen by spring signing period.

Upgrades or just changes? Big difference. I'm assuming April 12 as spring signing period. As always Coach, thanks for the knowledge and insight!

[Da Coach]

Not sure when this is supposed to happen (or how this works, with the transfer portal - I believe): a birdie shared Maximo Ekono is transferring to a Juco school this year.... And Bradley will be adding a post player from Serbia to fill that spot (I thought I heard a 7-footer: 6'8"-6'10" big man)... This is supposed to happen over the next couple weeks: Do schools have to wait until the end of a semester to add a transfer student to the school-team? Stay tuned...

Recruiting Scoop-
Max Ekono was not with the team last night in Arkansas. Apparently, he did not make the trip, has left school, and is already transferring.
So it is looking like the rumor is starting to play out.

In addition, he no longer appears on the team roster-
2022-23 Roster- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

And if you Google his roster page and go there, you will see this-

https://bradleybraves.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/max-ekono/12844

https://i.ibb.co/pLy4Qx1/bu.png

[Da Coach]

I'm not sure why these posts transferred this way, but to read all 13 replies to Fanatic's initial post, click on the small arrow in the upper right corner of the gray comment box.

[Da Coach]

Former Bradley Director of Basketball Operations Mike Nesbitt is now the head coach at Panola College, a junior college in Texas.
https://www.panolaathletics.com/spor.../coaches/index

Looks like his team is quite guard-heavy already (roster lists 12 guards)-
https://www.panolaathletics.com/spor...2022-23/roster

.... so maybe not the best juco for a midyear guard to transfer to?

Update from a knowledgeable source-
Max Ekono is "on his way to a junior college in Texas" (Clarendon College), where he plans to remain on redshirt status the rest of this season.
He will continue working on his ballhandling skills and shooting, and plans to play there next season.
My source did not mention which junior college he will transfer to.

But, as I hinted in my post in the thread about Mike Nesbitt, I thought Panola College (Carthage, Texas) might be a possible option, since the Bradley coaches have a connection there. We'll have more shortly....

[NashvilleBU]

I thought he had some promising upside from games last year. Regardless, best of luck.

[Da Coach]

Max is a very intelligent player, sees the court well, and is a good passer. But he had trouble adjusting to the much faster pace of D1 basketball compared to the club ball he played in France. He'll continue working on ballhandling, shooting, and defense at the juco, and he should get another chance at a D1 school somewhere.

[Da Coach]

Max will transfer to Clarendon College, a junior college in Clarendon, Texas. They are a member of the Western Junior College Athletic Association, and are 10-2 so far this season.

https://www.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2022-23/div1/teams/clarendoncollege

Team stats-

https://www.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2022-23/div1/teams/clarendoncollege?view=lineup

It looks like they have a lot of guards this season, but most are sophomores and will be gone next season when Max resumes his career. And judging from the assist numbers of their guards, it looks like their point guards are all sophomores. So good luck to Max!

[braves16]

Max will transfer to Clarendon College, a junior college in Clarendon, Texas. They are a member of the Western Junior College Athletic Association, and are 10-2 so far this season.

https://www.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2022-23/div1/teams/clarendoncollege

Team stats-

https://www.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2022-23/div1/teams/clarendoncollege?view=lineup

It looks like they have a lot of guards this season, but most are sophomores and will be gone next season when Max resumes his career. And judging from the assist numbers of their guards, it looks like their point guards are all sophomores. So good luck to Max!

I was checking the Clarendon athletic website, under sports they offer, meat judging, livestock judging and ranch horse besides the more typical sports.
Max, your not in France or Peoria anymore.

[Da Coach]

Interesting quote from Coach Wardle in the online version of the PJ Star today-

Ekono's exit opens an interesting possibility for Bradley.
"He got a full ride to Clarendon, and now we have a scholarship available here," Bradley coach Brian Wardle said.
Will Bradley bring in a new player during this season?
"We're entertaining it, yes," Wardle said. "He'd have to be the right fit for us. We're looking for size and physicality."

That seems to confirm that they have already been pursuing a mid-year transfer per Fanatic's original rumor (which I confirmed through a separate source), or that question probably wouldn't have been asked, and his answer would not have been "We're working on it, yes".

[tecon89]

Can anyone recall a mid season transfer being a major contributor to a team in recent years. Just seeing if there is any precedent for this. Why fill a spot knowing they would have to free it up next year to sign another recruit or transfer? This player would have to be difference maker you would think