Roster make-up and recruiting for 2017 and beyond | The Boneyard

Roster make-up and recruiting for 2017 and beyond

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Matrim55

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Reposting this from another thread, since I think it's useful info to have on hand as we 1) start to close in on more 2017s, and 2) start hearing about 2018s we may be recruiting.

Here's our latest scholarship grid, courtesy of @tcf15:
DTvamh3.jpg


There is a chance, from what we've heard, that Brown enters as a 2016 and is a freshman next year. There's also a chance that Purvis or Hamilton are gone after this year (though I think it would be a mistake for either/both).

Regardless, we can rest assured that our roster is 95% done for next year.

And then it gets tricky. I'm going to assume that we'll be lucky enough to have Hamilton stay for his junior year, then head to the league. I'm also going to assume that KO closes on our two top targets for 2017: Point guard Makai Ashton-Langford and shooting guard Hamidou Diallo.

Going by @tcf15 's grid above, that would leave us with three open scholarships. It would also leave us with the following depth chart for the 2017-18 season:

PG: Adams (Jr.), Alterique (So.), MAL (Fr.)
SG: Diallo (Fr.)
SF: Larrier (Jr.), Jackson (So.)
PF: Durham (So.), Diarra (So.)
C: Enoch (Jr.), Brown (So.)

So I think we're done recruiting PGs for 2017 once we sign MAL. That means no Tremont Waters (4-star, top-60ish Connecticut kid) or Ishmael El-Amin (Khalid's kid, a top 200ish 3-star player).

You can see the lack of depth at wing. I suspect that's where we'd focus for the rest of the 2017 recruiting efforts (once we've wrapped up Diallo & MAL). Two names that jump out are Jay Jay Chandler, a fast-rising, 6-foot-4, 4-star SG from Katy, Texas, and Chaundee Brown, a 6-foot-6, 4-star SG from Florida. Both of these guys have a ton of offers from SEC and Big 12 schools, but none from Kentucky, Kansas or Texas (yet).

Our "reach" recruit at the SF spot is D.J. Harvey, a 5-star kid from Maryland. We're going up against everybody you'd expect for a guy like that - Duke, UNC, Maryland, etc. The local option is Jermaine Samuels, a top 60 recruit from Massachusetts. He's been to campus multiple times and I believe was at Midnight Madness last year, but am not 100% sure.

I wouldn't be shocked if we got two wings from that group, or another wing who we start recruiting out of nowhere since we have need.

The other issue is that there are only 4 true bigs, though I suspect Jackson will spend a good deal of his time on the court as a stretch 4. We're not recruiting a ton of PFs, but one who we are on is Malik William, a 4-star, top-100 player from Florida (and Chaundee Brown's teammate). He is completely earthbound at this point in his physical development, but he's described as a brilliant passer with a high IQ and a monster rebounder thanks to his long arms and big old butt. The comparison folks have made is to the kid from St. Joe's who tore us up in the tourney back in 2014.

Maybe even more interesting is that we're apparently still going hard after Nick Richards, a 5-star C from NYC who played, I believe, on the same AAU team as Diallo. I assumed, once we got Zach Brown, that we were likely going to back off on other elite 2017 centers. But I guess not (no complaints here!).

The other thing to note: No seniors. There are three guys (Adams, Enoch, Larrier) who probably have a decent chance to work themselves into NBA prospects by then, but none is a lock. Diallo may very well come in as a one-and-done if his improvement curve continues, and Zach Brown's 7-foot-1, so if he's at all decent he'll get interest.

However, this does kind of put our 2018 recruiting in flux, which is why we haven't heard that much about it as of yet. KO's not offering as many guys from that class early in the cycle, which is a drastic change from what he did in 2016 and 2017.

Here's the NERR list of the top 75 '18s: http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/rankings/new-england-class-of-2018

We've reportedly been in to see Swider & Reeves, but no offers yet as far as anyone knows. In fact we've only offered 5 2018s so far: 5-star PG TJ Moss from Memphis; 5-star wing Cameron Reddish from Pennsylvania; a pair of 5-star PFs in Nazreon Reid of New Jersey and Marvin Bagley from Arizona; and 5-star center Mamadou Doucoure from NYC.

We are competing against exactly who you'd expect for each of those guys.

Like I said at the top, things can and will change. But hopefully this gives people an idea of what we have going forward and what KO's looking for.
 
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What's our starting five look like next season?

Adams
Purvis
Dham
Larrier
Brimah

I bet Gilbert will be the starting guard shortly after getting here. If Purvis is still here, he may still come off the bench. Stick with what is working...
 
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If AG turns out to be that good, this team could be special next year.
 
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What's our starting five look like next season?

Adams
Purvis
Dham
Larrier
Brimah

I think Adams, Larrier, DHam, Facey, and Brimah. Not sure though, it may be hard to keep Gilbert out of the starting lineup.
 
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What's our starting five look like next season?

Adams
Purvis
Dham
Larrier
Brimah
Gilbert, Adams, Larrier, DHam, Brimah or Facey in place of Larrier. I really think Gilbert starts considering he's the true PG we've established is needed in KO's system.
 
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Speaking of Larrier, any new about him? How does he look in practices? What is he expected to bring to the team next year? This is kind of like how Purvis came and sat for a year only maybe the expectations are lower since he hasn't be referred to as a Ferrari yet.
 
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Speaking of Larrier, any new about him? How does he look in practices? What is he expected to bring to the team next year? This is kind of like how Purvis came and sat for a year only maybe the expectations are lower since he hasn't be referred to as a Ferrari yet.
Excellent questions because losing Miller is going to be tough to swallow offensively.
 
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Excellent questions because losing Miller is going to be tough to swallow offensively.

Sure is. I think our only 3 definite starters will be Adams, Hamilton, and Brimah. The second guard could be either Gilbert or Larrier. The PF could be either Facey, Enoch, Durham, or Diarra. If I had my choice I'd go Gilbert, Adams, Hamilton, Facey, and Brimah. One thing though, don't sleep on Mamadou!!
 
C

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I think once MAL and Gilbert are here, Adams will shift into more of a shooting guard.

To play the 2 guard Adams needs to work on his shot all summer. Let's see if he devotes that level of commitment - it would be great if he did.
 
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UConn needs a 3 point shooter for next year.

We're not going to go to a 3 guard offense often. Look: at the makeup of the team, you have 4 kids at the forward spots, Hamilton, Larrier, Facey and Diarra. Two of those are going to spend a lot of time on the floor in Hamilton and Larrier. At both the 3 and the 4. There are really only 3 guards to rely on, with Cassell seeing some spot time. Of course, the guards will have some improved play making abilities and running the offense (Alterique seems to be a better penetrator and passer than Gibbs, and Adams should improve).

But who is the 3 point shooter? Hamilton improves? Purvis becomes even better? Adams improves?

Seems to me that Myles Powell, who went to Seton Hall, would have actually seen some playing time at UConn next year in 3 guard offensive sets.

Since UConn has an extra scholarship for next year, I would not be surprised to see yet another grad transfer.
 

tykurez

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Is it totally, 100% out of the possibility that Hamilton leaves? His numbers are excellent despite a serious slump for much of the year. If he continues to stay hot into the NCAA (ala DeAndre although he was a junior) tournament and we make a run?
 

Matrim55

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I agree with @upstater that we probably need one more guard who can shoot. However, I think the guys we do have will shoot better next year since Adams will be running the point (primarily), and he's better at a) finding shooters in rhythm, and b) collapsing the defense in a way that leads to kick-outs, which are the highest-percentage threes.

I don't think Hamilton is a bad shooter. I just think he's been forced to take a lot of bad shots, and I suspect that will change.
 
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Purvis is going to start next year as a starter. So are Brimah, Hamilton and Adams. If Gilbert pushes someone to the bench as the season prgresses more power to him, but that will have as much to do with team chemistry as individual talent.

The single key to next year will be the same single key to this year -- can Brimah be a beast for 32 minutes a game staying healthy and staying out of foul trouble. We know he can change games on D at his best, and we've seen more rebounding lately. I still think there is a huge upside that needs nothing more than consistency and avoiding fouls.

I expect Hamilton to be back, but I'm not shocked if he leaves either. We all know that the reality of one's NBA prospects is often less than the picture of the prospects being painted by one's hanger ons.
 
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Georgia Basketball Blog has this list of players, some unrealistic:

Top 10 Possible Graduate Transfers for 2016-17

Some from that list, and some not:

Jordan Price: had a very good year at La Salle. Don't think UConn will be in the mix since skills may overlap too much.
T.J. Cline: might be an interesting option, although not at UConn. Same as above.
Braxton Ogbueze: 14.5 ppg, 43% from 3 for Charlotte. Played a season at Florida.

Also, absurdly early: some potential 2017-18 ones if the NCAA doesn't shut it down:

James Kelly: had a good sophomore year at Marshall; started at Miami
Egor Koulechov: 17 and 9 at Rice. Seems like one of those funky players that succeed at mid-majors; started at ASU.
Matt Donlon: 46% 3 point shooter for Youngstown State. Leads Horizon. Never played for a major, so doubtful it will translate.

Random
Too bad I've never seen Kay Felder. I bet it's unlikely he will transfer, and if he did he would have to sit out a year. 25ppg, 8apg, and 2spg. Horizon POY. I'll have to look out for him next year.
 

krinklecut

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Is it totally, 100% out of the possibility that Hamilton leaves? His numbers are excellent despite a serious slump for much of the year. If he continues to stay hot into the NCAA (ala DeAndre although he was a junior) tournament and we make a run?
I think so. I think he knows his stock needs to improve. He could be a lottery pick next year. I think a big motivator for kids from similar backgrounds (DeAndre, like you mentioned) is money for family, but if I'm not mistaken a couple of his brothers are playing over-seas/D-league ball, so that becomes less of a factor. At this point, even with a deep run, I'm very surprised if he doesn't return.
 

tykurez

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I think so. I think he knows his stock needs to improve. He could be a lottery pick next year. I think a big motivator for kids from similar backgrounds (DeAndre, like you mentioned) is money for family, but if I'm not mistaken a couple of his brothers are playing over-seas/D-league ball, so that becomes less of a factor. At this point, even with a deep run, I'm very surprised if he doesn't return.

I agree with you, and it became somewhat evident that maybe another year for DeAndre would have been better for him, but I don't think it's a forgone conclusion that DHam will absolutely be back next year.
 
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I agree with you, and it became somewhat evident that maybe another year for DeAndre would have been better for him, but I don't think it's a forgone conclusion that DHam will absolutely be back next year.
Fortunately, the NCAA pushed back the withdrawal deadline to 10 days after the combine, so if DHam does declare for the draft and doesn't hire an agent, he'll be able to get feedback from NBA personnel before making his final decision, an option that would have been very beneficial to DeAndre.

With that, I wouldn't be surprised if Hamilton tests the waters to see where his stock actually is.
 

tykurez

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Fortunately, the NCAA pushed back the withdrawal deadline to 10 days after the combine, so if DHam does declare for the draft and doesn't hire an agent, he'll be able to get feedback from NBA personnel before making his final decision, an option that would have been very beneficial to DeAndre.

With that, I wouldn't be surprised if Hamilton tests the waters to see where his stock actually is.

That was going to be my next question - when that deadline was effective. Will be interesting to see how overcrowded the combine gets this year.
 

krinklecut

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Fortunately, the NCAA pushed back the withdrawal deadline to 10 days after the combine, so if DHam does declare for the draft and doesn't hire an agent, he'll be able to get feedback from NBA personnel before making his final decision, an option that would have been very beneficial to DeAndre.

With that, I wouldn't be surprised if Hamilton tests the waters to see where his stock actually is.
I think this is where Ollie becomes a great role model for these kids. He will have a very good idea of whether or not kids should go. Nothing worse than seeing a misguided 20 year old leaving early and busting.
 
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