UConn's Best Freshman Season

[Kitaman]

I know a lot of us have been around and die hard fans forever, but your memory is better than mine.

I want to know who you think had the best freshman year at UConn. Not based on talent or potential but contributions.

My vote is Ray Ray. I'll never forget on national television when Al McGuire predicted he would be a superstar, and it was evident as his freshman year went on he was going to be an AA. He pushed Brian Fair to the bench. He was smooth, confident and flat out good!

I'm not a Stat man like @tcf15 but Ray to me was the best freshman we had.

 

[BoatShow]

Rudy Gay
Andre?

 

[nomar]

 

[David 76]

Nadav

 

[stickyrice]

Emeka Okafors freshman season came out of nowhere.

 

[Worldwide]

I know a lot of us have been around and die hard fans forever, but your memory is better than mine.

I want to know who you think had the best freshman year at UConn. Not based on talent or potential but contributions.

My vote is Ray Ray. I'll never forget on national television when Al McGuire predicted he would be a superstar, and it was evident as his freshman year went on he was going to be an AA. He pushed Brian Fair to the bench. He was smooth, confident and flat out good!

I'm not a Stat man like @tcf15 but Ray to me was the best freshman we had.

He was a sophomore when McGuire said that. Ray didn't start his freshmen year. Khalid would get my vote. Henefield also but he was like 22 as a freshmen

 

[Hugo]

Nadav with Doron the runner-up. Ray and Doron were both freshman that year and both had great years, but Doron started and was BE freshman of the year. He really used his experience to stabilize the backcourt and made a huge difference. .

 

[John]

Earl Kelly

 

[David 76]

I believe Corny also had a great freshman year, Kelly was great but I'm staying with Nadav.

 

[tcf15]

I know a lot of us have been around and die hard fans forever, but your memory is better than mine.

I want to know who you think had the best freshman year at UConn. Not based on talent or potential but contributions.

My vote is Ray Ray. I'll never forget on national television when Al McGuire predicted he would be a superstar, and it was evident as his freshman year went on he was going to be an AA. He pushed Brian Fair to the bench. He was smooth, confident and flat out good!

I'm not a Stat man like @tcf15 but Ray to me was the best freshman we had.

Now I have to scour the UConn record books to disprove you.

 

[Tampahusky]

Nadav,Ray,Doron ...pick your order

 

[Scoe]

Entire season-Henefeld, an experienced freshmen played overseas and served in the military so he was already a mature freshmen. Burrell was a Freshmen that year as well.

In an NCAA Tourney-Lamb, he was Kemba's top side kick he needed to pickup the scoring to help out Kemba made some clutch baskets and clutch defensive plays. Shabazz, and Niels were freshmen that year as well.

 

[Rocktheworld]

The 2011 squad.

 

[David 76]

Entire season-Henefeld, an experienced freshmen played overseas and served in the military so he was already a mature freshmen. Burrell was a Freshmen that year as well.

In an NCAA Tourney-Lamb, he was Kemba's top side kick he needed to pickup the scoring to help out Kemba made some clutch baskets and clutch defensive plays. Shabazz, and Niels were freshmen that year as well.

I think that was Chris Smith's freshman year too.Young talent on that team. But w/o Nadav (or Tate) they weren't quite the same the next year.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I think that in overall impact, Nadav had the best freshman year during the JC years. He had something like magic that year. Incredible anticipation (steals), unselfish to a fault, good shooter, great passer, clutch player, and just the steadiest guy you will ever see on the court. Nothing phased him, ever, that I recall. He was a unique player. And then Doron came along...

 

[CTBasketball]

Jerome Dyson had a great freshman year. But this has to go to Nadav.

 

[scotty0330]

My vote is for nadav. Granted as some pointed out he was older but the poise and set of skills he brought it was like he was a tailor made Calhoun player. What he lacked in athletic ability he made up for in anticipation and grit. Hard to imagine what he would have looked like as a junior or even a senior had he stayed. But man what a first year he had...

 

[JimHurley]

I haven't been around long enough to see Nadav play. But one player's freshman season who shouldn't be forgotten is Jeremy Lamb. Without him, we would not have one in 2011.

 

[Yankees32123]

Daniel Hamilton

 

[Scoe]

How about Boone's freshmen year, starting on that loaded 04 team, starting ahead of Hilton and out performing hyped up freshmen Villanueva.

 

[Huskybass]

Khalid then Nadav. With Jalen Adams set to join them. Honorable mention goes to Jeremy Lamb.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I know a lot of us have been around and die hard fans forever, but your memory is better than mine.

I want to know who you think had the best freshman year at UConn. Not based on talent or potential but contributions.

My vote is Ray Ray. I'll never forget on national television when Al McGuire predicted he would be a superstar, and it was evident as his freshman year went on he was going to be an AA. He pushed Brian Fair to the bench. He was smooth, confident and flat out good!

I'm not a Stat man like @tcf15 but Ray to me was the best freshman we had.

To address the original question, the criteria focused on contributions, not talent or potential. I would give it to Ray Allen all day long if the criteria were talent and potential. To me, he was the most talented freshman basketball player that we have seen in the JC era. But, as I noted elsewhere, I would go with Nadav for contributions to the Dream Season.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Good question.

I would go with
1) KEA
2) Doron
3) Dove

 

[mauconnfan]

Based on output and filling the stat sheet along with leadership - Nadav.

Closing a season and results - Lamb

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

I feel sorry for the younger Husky fans who didn't get to see Henefeld play as it happened. He was a revelation. At 6'7" with a unique set of skills, Henefeld could handle like a guard, rebound like a power forward, and he was arguably the slickest passer ever to wear a UConn uniform.

And then there were his abilities as a defender...he could legitimately guard all 5 positions, and frequently did.

Mookie Blalock held the NCAA freshman steals record at 131 before Nadav shattered it with 142. I wonder if it still stands.