2019 Recruiting: Kareem Reid - Reclassing from 2020

[UConnStats]

A little peace of mind: After seeing what Yetna and Osunniyi did as freshman this year, whatever Espinosa is doing with his bigs it’s clearly working. Both were absolute beasts for USF/St. Bonnies and weren’t highly ranked or recruited

 

[auror]

As someone who has seen him play several times, I am surprised to see him reclassify and I would consider this a reach too if we were asking him to play substantial minutes this year. Hurley doesn’t have enough scholarship to take on a project and by reclassifying, that’s what Reid is now IMO.

I want the roster filled out with kids who can play next year (grad transfers or good JUCOs).

Devil's advocate.... why do we need kids who can play next year?

How good is our returning core, really? Not amazing, but likely improved from where we were this year. Is it an NCAA tournament team? I have my skepticism. So do we fill a slot with a B or C-level grad transfer big (we're not getting A's), who can maybe help on the margins for this year? Maybe the depth puts us on the bubble instead of firmly out.

Considering the biggest improvement in most players comes from freshman to sophomore year and 3 of our 4 most talented players will be freshman this upcoming year and sophomores the year after that, I'd rather get a guy in with raw tools this year so he gets acclimated to the speed of the game in the year it doesn't matter as much than a grad transfer big who will likely not move the needle and leaves us with nothing for the more important year.

 

[ucawn]

Could be a good 4 year player

 

[McLovin]

Devil's advocate.... why do we need kids who can play next year?

How good is our returning core, really? Not amazing, but likely improved from where we were this year. Is it an NCAA tournament team? I have my skepticism. So do we fill a slot with a B or C-level grad transfer big (we're not getting A's), who can maybe help on the margins for this year? Maybe the depth puts us on the bubble instead of firmly out.

Considering the biggest improvement in most players comes from freshman to sophomore year and 3 of our 4 most talented players will be freshman this upcoming year and sophomores the year after that, I'd rather get a guy in with raw tools this year so he gets acclimated to the speed of the game in the year it doesn't matter as much than a grad transfer big who will likely not move the needle and leaves us with nothing for the more important year.

Bingo. If we can get a guy now who may develop into an impact player 2 or 3 years down the road, I'd take that over another below average grad transfer / JUCO product any day. There is a reason why those players are on the market and available now - either they are not NBA talent (post grad) or not really good enough to have been a D1 player out of high school. Let's take out shots on a player Hurley can develop and mold into what he wants for his system. Not an upper classman transfer who is probably at their ceiling potential wise.

 

[BackAftaThis]

Hmm....

 

[amsterdamjade]

Is Mamadou out next year? He warmed up with the team before games and played a few minutes against Wichita State. He’s a redshirt Jr next year and IMO, when healthy, is great. Does anyone know if his chronic knee injuries will be behind him his Jr or Sr year?

Really wouldn't be chronic knee problems if all of a sudden they cleared up after keeping him sidelined for 2 years.

 

[MDHuskFan]

@Chief00 has mentioned many times that the dam was still broken....

 

[KembaStepback]

Bingo. If we can get a guy now who may develop into an impact player 2 or 3 years down the road, I'd take that over another below average grad transfer / JUCO product any day. There is a reason why those players are on the market and available now - either they are not NBA talent (post grad) or not really good enough to have been a D1 player out of high school. Let's take out shots on a player Hurley can develop and mold into what he wants for his system. Not an upper classman transfer who is probably at their ceiling potential wise.

Carlton CANNOT be the only 5. We need a backup for him. Period.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Hmm....

Oof

 

[kansashusky]

Hmm....

Not good, Bob.

 

[kansashusky]

Georgia and Ohio State have reached out as well. That makes me feel better.

 

[tcf15]

Oof

 

[McLovin]

Carlton CANNOT be the only 5. We need a backup for him. Period.

If everyone stayed, we would have Carlton, Diarria, Whaley and Akok at the PF / C position + Ried if we could sign him. If any of the first 4 were to not continue on at UConn we would have another scholarship (maybe 2) to get a grad transfer / JUCO big.

Either way, I'd rather be thin at the 5 next year and have a guy that can potentially become an impact player in 2020-2022 than pass on potential long term talent for a 1 (maybe 2) year stop gap. Whoever is on the transfer market / still available at the 5 is probably not going to be much better than Cobb or the grad transfer who broke his foot this season.

We are not a Final 4 contender next year, maybe we get into the tourney but maybe we don't. Since we don't have a real legit shot at getting back to that peak in the 2019-2020 season, we need to use it to let DH build his system with players he can mold. Let's stock the pond now if we have the chance.

 

[Austin316]

That’s better.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

I’d take him, though the one 2018-2019 video posted here showed him laying up every shot from under the hoop. Only dunked once.

Does he have no hops or is he guilty of being another 2017-2018 Carlton, laying it up soft and getting it swatted away? On the plus side, these problems are correctable.

 

[NJHoops]

He literally just decided to reclassify. It might take a minute for schools to contact him.

 

[HuskyHawk]

If everyone stayed, we would have Carlton, Diarria, Whaley and Akok at the PF / C position + Ried if we could sign him. If any of the first 4 were to not continue on at UConn we would have another scholarship (maybe 2) to get a grad transfer / JUCO big.

Either way, I'd rather be thin at the 5 next year and have a guy that can potentially become an impact player in 2020-2022 than pass on potential long term talent for a 1 (maybe 2) year stop gap. Whoever is on the transfer market / still available at the 5 is probably not going to be much better than Cobb or the grad transfer who broke his foot this season.

We are not a Final 4 contender next year, maybe we get into the tourney but maybe we don't. Since we don't have a real legit shot at getting back to that peak in the 2019-2020 season, we need to use it to let Dan Hurley build his system with players he can mold. Let's stock the pond now if we have the chance.

Well at least one of those four guys is capable of playing center. Which is why we need another. I don't care if we are final four capable or not, we MUST make the NCAA tournament. Four straight years out is a major concern and impacts our future recruiting.

I'm not worried about it. I don't think taking Reid forecloses us getting a center. Hurley knows what he's doing. I think at least one of those four guys won't be on the team.

 

[GHSWolverines]

Things are definitely crazy this time of year in CB recruiting. Between de-commits, JUCOs, reclassifying and Grad Transfers. Obviously Dan is sitting down with each returning player and discussing their future with the program. I sense 1 or 2 more openings will happen. That will give us between 1 to 3 players to get. I sense one of those openings will be for Reid. I have faith in the coaching staff. They do a ton more research on potential recruits than us on the BY.

 

[GHSWolverines]

Georgia and Ohio State have reached out as well. That makes me feel better.

Everyone is desperate in filling up open rosters.

 

[auror]

Well at least one of those four guys is capable of playing center. Which is why we need another. I don't care if we are final four capable or not, we MUST make the NCAA tournament. Four straight years out is a major concern and impacts our future recruiting.

I'm not worried about it. I don't think taking Reid forecloses us getting a center. Hurley knows what he's doing. I think at least one of those four guys won't be on the team.

I don't think missing the NCAA tournament this upcoming year will be a recruiting death sentence as long as the trend is good (say finish 60-80 in KenPom), especially since at that point we should have 2 solid recruiting years under our belt that will solidify the team for the following 3 years.

 

[UofCT]

Not trying to act like an insider because I’m not, but my buddy works in athletic department at Putnam Science and he said Kenny Payne from Kentucky called today for Reid.

Are we sure Kenny Payne isn't leaving for another SEC job?

 

[olehead]

Exactly. I'd rather get this kid and dream on his upside as a useful big than to fill a positional need with a conventional center. 7'5 wingspan is crazy too. I wonder if the kid still has one ore growth spurt in him because 6'8 with a 7'5 wingspan just seems so abnormal. If he grew to 6'10 that'd be awesome.

Thought 7'5" might be off a bit for a 6'8", 6'9" kid.

 

[Minicoop69]

Thought 7'5" might be off a bit for a 6'8", 6'9" kid.

Not really. I am 6'4" and have a 7' wing span

 

[Urjetsfan]

Uconn is in of a need of a another big man or 2 . Did Reid's skills vastly improve for him to make this decision or Hurley ask him to reclassify . He may not make an immediate impact this year but we might thank God for having him in a next few years.

 

[superjohn]

Not really. I am 6'4" and have a 7' wing span

You're an orangutan.