by CTBasketball
Last week I covered the recruits that chose to attend schools other than UConn. This week, former UConn players and alumni will be the topic of discussion. Everyone knows about the Ray Allen’s, the Rip Hamilton’s, and the Kemba Walker’s of UConn illustrious history; but what about the other players that once wore a Husky uniform? These are just a mere sample the Husky’s past players, so others will be skipped.
Nadav Henefeld (1989 – 1990):
Henefeld helped UConn burst onto the scene during the 1990 Dream Season. However, after one campaign as a star player, he left to play professionally in his home country Israel. He played professionally in Israel for over a decade. He last worked for an Israeli brokerage firm, taking his career from basketball to business.
Rashamel Jones (1995 – 1999):
Rashamel went from a UConn starter to a pivotal support player that helped lead UConn to its first NCAA Championship in 1999. After his senior season, professional basketball overseas awaited him. He earned a sociology degree from UConn in 2005 and now works for a New York City child protection service.
Souleymane Wane (1997 – 2001):
Every Husky fan remembers Souleymane’s tough defense on Elton Brand in the 1999 NCAA Championship game against Duke. His steal and put-back hook shot helped turn the momentum in the first half. After his career at UConn, Wane played professionally in a few different countries. Wane, who knows five different languages, is now a French teacher at Haverhill High School in Massachusetts. He also is an assistant coach and academic supporter for the UMass-Lowell men’s basketball team.
Shamon Tooles (2000 – 2004):
Tooles went relatively unnoticed during his Husky days due to the fact he played behind All-American Emeka Okafor. However, Tooles still helped UConn win two Big East Championships and the 2004 NCAA Championship. Upon graduating, he began to pursue his music career as a rap artist. Not many people remember, but he did open up for Kanye West on Spring Weekend 2004.
Denham Brown (2002 – 2006):
A staple to UConn’s 2004 National Championship was sophomore wing player Denham Brown. Once scoring 111 points in high school, Brown transitioned his play to the college level where he scored over 1000 points in his Husky career. During his college career, UConn put up an impressive record of 109-28. He was selected 40th overall in the 2006 NBA Draft, but saw minimal NBA minutes. He currently plays for Romanian professional team, BC Timba Timisoara where he averaged 16.6 points per game last season.
Ed Nelson (2003 – 2006):
Nelson transferred from Georgia Tech in 2003, where he was named ACC Freshman of the Year. He was a redshirt member of the 2004 UConn NCAA Championship team. He became a vital role player during his last two years in Storrs, giving the Huskies a big body off of the bench. After graduation, he had numerous workouts with NBA teams before signing a contract with the St. Louis Rams as a tight end in the NFL. Nelson garnered a lot of criticism over his self-made rap song, “Pick-Up Truck.” Despite distractions, Nelson found his way back to the hardwood and currently plays for 9 de Julio Rio Tercero in Argentina. This past season he averaged 19.7 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per contest.
Jeff Adrien (2005 – 2009):
After a great UConn career, Adrien went undrafted and eventually signed to play overseas with Spain’s Leito Rio Breogan. He found his way onto an NBA roster in 2010 and saw time with the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets. This past season, Jeff provided crucial minutes to the Charlotte Bobcats where he played in 52 NBA games this season. His play this season proved that he belongs on an NBA roster.
Craig Austrie (2005-2009):
Former UConn captain and Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year, Craig Austrie decided against playing professional basketball. Instead, he started his own business: Craig Austrie Basketball IQ Skills Camp based out of Stamford, CT.
Once again these are just a few of UConn’s past players. In next week’s edition of “Where are They Now,” I’ll cover some of UConn’s transferred players.
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