“Final” Scholarship for 2022 - your guess…

[McLovin]

We have 2 left, technically, but 1 is being held back for a mid-year reclass.

Staff said they want to have the final roster spot filled by end of month. The most recent 2022 commit came out of nowhere (Joey C).

Curious what everyone thinks the staff will do with the final 2022 spot…

 

[McLovin]

My guess is a grad transfer Center.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

My guess is a grad transfer Center.

I was going to say the same thing and scouring the portal, there are dozens of depth bigs available who would be coming in less for playing time but more to be mostly a practice player and an opportunity to be part of a more competitive program.

Not a grad transfer, but I'm low-key interested in signing 7'0 230 junior Justin Vander Baan out of BC. He's only played limited minutes (about 100 career minutes) but was a former three-star recruit and grew up just 50 miles from campus at Northbridge, MA.

IF he's interested in joining in as a mostly practice guy, he's be a heck of an add to compete against Sanogo and Clingan for the next two to three seasons.

 

[3rdbass]

My guess is a grad transfer Center.

Why would we do that with already 3 guys that can play Center? Sanogo, Clinigan, and Johnson as a backup. A grad transfer would never play. My guess would be another Wing or guard since we are playing small ball. Outside chance of a PF development player. Hurley hinted that the last scholarship would be giving to a developmental player.

 

[bigknight3]

Why would we do that with already 3 guys that can play Center? Sanogo, Clinigan, and Johnson as a backup. A grad transfer would never play. My guess would be another Wing or guard since we are playing small ball. Outside chance of a PF development player. Hurley hinted that the last scholarship would be giving to a developmental player.

I don't know why people keep calling Johnson a center.

But people were also concerned that Akok couldn't hold up physically at center even after he had added the additional muscle from the strength and conditioning program.

Johnson is no where near where Akok was physically when he left, injury aside.

 

[husky429]

Why would we do that with already 3 guys that can play Center? Sanogo, Clinigan, and Johnson as a backup. A grad transfer would never play. My guess would be another Wing or guard since we are playing small ball. Outside chance of a PF development player. Hurley hinted that the last scholarship would be giving to a developmental player.

Clingan and Johnson are completely unproven. Johnson is barely a center. I doubt we get another center, but we have a pretty obvious hole at the spot the second Adama tweaks his ankle.

 

[Kenny11]

Maybe a gift to a senior walk on?

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Johnson is no where near where Akok was physically when he left, injury aside.

Partly because Akok (a 10/99 birthday) is 33 months older than Johnson (7/02 birthday).

Akok and Johnson now are the same listed weight and Johnson has a noticeably wider frame than Akok, so IMO Johnson is capable of putting on more weight/muscle than Akok ever will be.

 

[Alum1620]

Maybe a gift to a senior walk on?

The closest would be is son who is a junior which I don’t see happening

 

[aburks41]

The closest would be is son who is a junior which I don’t see happening

All UConn employees get a tuition waiver for their children so Andrew Hurley should already have free tuition.

But we do need a back up center. If Sanogo goes down, we cannot be relying on Clingan and Johnson to play 40 minutes at the 5.

 

[Alum1620]

All UConn employees get a tuition waiver for their children so Andrew Hurley should already have free tuition.

But we do need a back up center. If Sanogo goes down, we cannot be relying on Clingan and Johnson to play 40 minutes at the 5.

Yeah that is why I don’t see it happening

 

[bendm]

assuming we sign ball and middleton for '23...then signing someone other than a grad transfer for '22 means staff already knows at least 1 of alleyne/hawk/aj/sanogo are definitely gone after this season. could be a telling sign.

 

[McLovin]

Clingan and Johnson are completely unproven. Johnson is barely a center. I doubt we get another center, but we have a pretty obvious hole at the spot the second Adama tweaks his ankle.

This is exactly why. If everyone stays healthy / out of foul trouble, the back up grad transfer center shouldn't play more than 5 min per game at most. Just need a proven emergency depth piece.

 

[Fishy]

I don't know why people keep calling Johnson a center.

But people were also concerned that Akok couldn't hold up physically at center even after he had added the additional muscle from the strength and conditioning program.

Johnson is no where near where Akok was physically when he left, injury aside.

The center position in college basketball has drifted from players who looked like Emeka to players who look more like Johnson. You need not look like a 6-10 linebacker anymore.

 

[bendm]

This is exactly why. If everyone stays healthy / out of foul trouble, the back up grad transfer center shouldn't play more than 5 min per game at most. Just need a proven emergency depth piece.

finding a backup center that's good enough to start if sanogo goes down i.e. that's better than samson/clingan/springs, but that's willing to only play 5 mpg barring a sanogo injury, sounds about as easy as finding a leprechaun's pot of gold.

if we lose our best player we are screwed, that's just the way it is. happened to nova in the final 4 and it happened to unc in the finals when bacot twisted his ankle/knee. no team has that type of insurance.

 

[vtmikeb]

Andre Johnson Jr.

 

[3rdbass]

Clingan and Johnson are completely unproven. Johnson is barely a center. I doubt we get another center, but we have a pretty obvious hole at the spot the second Adama tweaks his ankle.

So you think we want to put Clinigan behind a backup Grad Transfer? I doubt that is going to happen. Yes unproven but he is coming in a Top 100 recruit. These recruits are going to have to produce if we want to stay on top. We can't just rely on grad transfers unless we have a huge hole in the starting lineup. As others have mentioned what grad transfer is going to want to come here to play 5 minutes a game? Hurley even mentioned that the 12th will be a developmental piece so don't expect a grad transfer.

 

[Alum1620]

Andre Johnson Jr.

When he committed it was said he would be a walk on by his high school coach

 

[McLovin]

finding a backup center that's good enough to start if sanogo goes down i.e. that's better than samson/clingan/springs, but that's willing to only play 5 mpg barring a sanogo injury, sounds about as easy as finding a leprechaun's pot of gold.

if we lose our best player we are screwed, that's just the way it is. happened to nova in the final 4 and it happened to unc in the finals when bacot twisted his ankle/knee. no team has that type of insurance.

Doesn't have to be "better" (DC and Johnson should have a higher ceiling than a mid-major grad transfer) but just needs experience and the ability to give us 15-20 serviceable minutes if needed. So we don't have to rely on 3 totally unproven (probably foul prone) bigs down low if we lose Adama for any time.

I think it would be someone who wants to come from a mid major for a chance to experience a real time program, get a grad degree from a good school and see the NCAA tournament. Kind of like Joey C.

Obviously this wouldn't be a Final Four insurance policy, but a good policy to have in place if Adama misses time early in the year while the freshmen get up to speed.

 

[hasheemthedream]

Adama is prone to foul trouble as we saw this past season. Can't rely on Clingan and Johnson yet. We desperately need another big man to solidify this team! Where is Charles Okwandu II when you need him?

 

[husky429]

So you think we want to put Clinigan behind a backup Grad Transfer? I doubt that is going to happen. Yes unproven but he is coming in a Top 100 recruit. These recruits are going to have to produce if we want to stay on top. We can't just rely on grad transfers unless we have a huge hole in the starting lineup. As others have mentioned what grad transfer is going to want to come here to play 5 minutes a game? Hurley even mentioned that the 12th will be a developmental piece so don't expect a grad transfer.

A backup grad transfer is likely going to be able to at least see the floor without being a massive mismatch because of their experience. Clingan could be a complete and total dud... we really don't know. He has played against top-100 centers like 3x in his life... he's almost a total unknown. Much more than most other recruits coming.

I suspect since we didn't seem to push for a grad big, the staff is feeling okay with the ability of Johnson/Springs/Clingan to fill in if Adama goes down.

 

[vtmikeb]

When he committed it was said he would be a walk on by his high school coach

I’m aware. Just a guess.
Nothing better on social media than watching a walk-on getting a scholarship offer.
If he earns it in the fall and there are 2 open, I say go for it. Good publicity and goodwill to South Kent.

 

[bendm]

Doesn't have to be "better" (DC and Johnson should have a higher ceiling than a mid-major grad transfer) but just needs experience and the ability to give us 15-20 serviceable minutes if needed. So we don't have to rely on 3 totally unproven (probably foul prone) bigs down low if we lose Adama for any time.

I think it would be someone who wants to come from a mid major for a chance to experience a real time program, get a grad degree from a good school and see the NCAA tournament. Kind of like Joey C.

Obviously this wouldn't be a Final Four insurance policy, but a good policy to have in place if Adama misses time early in the year while the freshmen get up to speed.

but if we play a small ball starting lineup then it looks like joey C could average ~10 mpg on the year and that's not dependent on anyone ahead of him on the depth chart getting hurt. i dont want a grad taking a combined ~10 mpg from samson/clingan when that's all the time we'll have available for sanogo's backup to begin with, especially against softer competition at the beginning of the year.

if sanogo goes down during the OOC schedule then we'd have to make up for those Ls during BE play. if sanogo goes down during BE play...oh well. just have to hope samson/clingan can help keep us afloat until he gets back for the big dance. and if sanogo has a season ending injury then i'll see you in 2023.

 

[3rdbass]

A backup grad transfer is likely going to be able to at least see the floor without being a massive mismatch because of their experience. Clingan could be a complete and total dud... we really don't know. He has played against top-100 centers like 3x in his life... he's almost a total unknown. Much more than most other recruits coming.

I suspect since we didn't seem to push for a grad big, the staff is feeling okay with the ability of Johnson/Springs/Clingan to fill in if Adama goes down.

Well isn't that how all recruits are? Unknowns. In this new recruiting landscape we are going to have to give top 100 recruits time on the floor or we will lose them. It is very hard to get any decent big grad transfer that is going to want to come in for limited minutes or the hope that are starter is injured. We are just going to have to hope for the best as far as injuries and development of our bigs.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Between Samson/Don/Richie I doubt we bring in another center. If Sanogo gets injured, our season is over anyways. Plus I think we’d like to see what those guys have to offer in extended minutes in that scenario.