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Wednesday was the first day of the early signing period for college basketball, and Lon Kruger was able to secure the signatures of big men Brady Manek and Hannes Polla.
The letters of intent are in...Join us in welcoming Brady Manek and Hannes Polla to the Sooner family! https://t.co/BKa4xVlDHT pic.twitter.com/D8uJrboOBn
— Oklahoma Basketball (@OU_MBBall) November 9, 2016
Manek, a four-star forward from Harrah, Okla., is the No. 25 power forward and No. 111 overall player in the 2017 247 Composite rankings, and he’s ranked second in the state of Oklahoma behind Trae Young. Hopefully the Sooners will be able to gain the signature of the state’s No. 1 prospect in the spring.
Manek is the type of guy who will be able to defend both the interior (provided he puts on some muscle) and the perimeter due to his wingspan and impressive athleticism. Offensively, he’s capable of hitting both deep and mid-range shots, and he should allow OU to stretch the floor in the future (as is currently the case with OU’s three forwards — Doolittle, Buford and Freeman). Manek also held offers from Oklahoma State and Tulsa.
Polla, a native of Finland, is a bit more of a mystery. Understandably, there isn’t a ton of tape on the guy. However, one thing that we do know is that the kid has a big frame (6-11, 265), which is something OU hasn’t really had under Kruger at the center position. He’s listed as a three-star prospect in the 247 (non-composite) rankings, and he’s rated as the No. 26 center prospect in the 2017 class. Polla isn’t a guy that a lot of people knew about or recruited, so give Kruger and his staff some credit for putting in the effort and finding a potential diamond in the rough.