| Najeeb Echols |
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SEASON OUTLOOK
After a year of adjusting to collegiate level, should be ready to become a key contributor to the Tiger lineup ... Showed flashes at times during freshman season of what’s to come, but was still held back somewhat from a knee injury that prevented him from playing his senior year in high school ... Is much stronger after one year further removed from the injury, and has been impressive in pick-up ball during the summer ... Played out of position as an undersized power forward most of last season, but should be able to move more to the wing this season to display his skills ... Depending on lineup needs, can play any spot but the post, and played briefly last year at the point position.
2001-2002 SEASON
Versatile freshman who played as an undersized power forward for most of the season due to depth issues inside for the Tigers ... As he continues to get healthier in the offseason (missed his senior year of high school due to a knee injury), should continue to return to a more perimeter-oriented style of game ... Played in 32 games and avg. 2.5 PPG and 2.6 RPG ... Missed 3 games in February due to a stress fracture in his left foot ... Was huge off the bench in NCAA opener vs. Miami, w/ 6 pts. & 6 rebs. in 7 minutes of play ... Played 9 minutes in reserve role at Neb. Feb. 13 after sitting out previous 3, and gave the team great energy on both ends of the floor, and grabbed 2 rebs. on the night ... Played 11 minutes Feb. 17 vs. Texas, and added 2 rebs. and 1 asst. to the Tiger cause ... Had 4 1st-half pts. Feb. 20 at Tech, and sparked Tigers with 2 rebs. & 1 asst. off the bench ... Played 2 minutes in 1st half Feb. 23 at CU, but was held out of 2nd half as a precautionary measure after experiencing some soreness in the same foot ... Played just 2 minutes Feb. 25 vs. OSU and did not play March 3 vs. KU, but returned to action in Kansas City ... Was diagnosed with the injury Jan. 31, and missed games from Feb. 3-9 ... Prior to injury, had started playing on the perimeter some after playing inside exclusively (primarily at the 4 spot) during the early part of the season ... Had most productive outing statistically Jan. 26 vs. KSU (6 pts., 5 rebs., 2 asst. in 18 minutes) since early December ... Gave MU a huge spark off the bench Jan. 21 at OU, as he scored 6 pts. (on 3-of-3 FGs), and grabbed 3 rebs. and 1 asst. in 13 minutes of play ... He had 2 off. rebs. at OU, while rest of the team had total of 5 for the game ... Came off the bench to play 5 minutes at the point guard position at ISU (Jan. 9), and performed admirably despite practicing at the spot for only a few days ... Had 2 assists and grabbed 2 rebs. in 8 minutes Jan. 12th at KSU ... Started first 7 games at the power forward spot, and has come off the bench in his last 16 appearances ... Had 6 pts. in 21 minutes Jan. 2 vs. Coppin State ... Played 24 minutes off the bench Dec. 29 at DePaul (in front of his hometown family and friends), and grabbed 6 rebs. and added 2 pts. ... Had 3 pts. & 2 rebs. in 11 minutes Dec. 22 vs. #9 Illinois ... Previously tallied 5 pts. & 2 rebs. Dec. 15 vs. #15 Iowa in 19 minutes off the bench ... Had career-high 9 pts. Dec. 6th vs. Southern, and also added 5 rebs. ... Hit 4-of-5 FGs in the game, his 2nd-best shooting game of the season ... Came off the bench for the first time Dec. 3 at SLU, and responded with an efficient 3-pt., 5-reb. and 2 assist outing in 19 minutes of play ... Grabbed 7 rebounds in games vs. Jackson State and Grambling State ... Scored 8 pts. vs. #22 Alabama (Nov. 20), on 3-of-5 FGs ... Scored 5 pts. the next night in the Guardians Classic championship game vs. #9 Iowa, but 3 of those were on a huge 3-pt. field goal (the first attempt of his career) in the final minutes that helped get MU kickstarted on its comeback win.
IN HIGH SCHOOL
An all-state and all-city talent who averaged 25 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists per game as a junior at Chicago Whitney Young High, where he attended from his freshman through junior years ... Was a key factor in Whitney Young winning the Class A state title as a freshman ... Team also finished second in the Chicago Public League his junior season ... Transfered to Morgan Park for his senior year, but did not play due to a knee injury suffered before the season ... Was ranked by most recruiting services among the nation’s top-30 seniors prior to his injury ... Served as a surrogate assistant coach for the season, helping his teammates along ... Was a regular feature on the television show “Preps” by Fox Sports, which detailed the lives of several Windy City basketball standouts.
PERSONAL
Parents — James Echols and Sherry Scott ... Mother was an original member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire ... Intends to major in business marketing, with a career goal of being a successful entrepreneur ... Born Jan. 20, 1983 in Chicago, Ill. ... Chose MU over Michigan State, Illinois, UCLA, Kansas, Iowa and DePaul, among others.
