2025 McDonald's AA Day 1 Recap

[superjohn]

This times a gazillion. Hilarious seeing hot takes about how bad a guy will be or how poor a class this is (3 AAs!!!) based on a glorified pickup game.

I feel good about Mullins. The fact he wasn't a ball hog doesn't mean anything. I think we knew Reibe wasn't going to dominate on Day 1 based on him getting demolished by Boozer. That's fine. He's got the size and skill to succeed. As far as Adams goes, with the caveat I haven't watched much, I've been waaaaaay less enthusiastic about him than our other 3 recruits. But if anybody can coax him to maximize his talent, it's this staff.

The way I see it from where we're sitting right now. We're going to be awesome again at center and we're going to be awesome at shooting guard. Jaylin will start at either power forward or small forward depending on how things shake out and I think he'll make a significant leap. We need more at forward someone who is physical and athletic and the absolute glaring hole/need is at point guard. We don't just need one of them, we need two who can play the position. One can be a combo but has to be able to get into the teeth of the defense and they both need size/muscle.

Adams has good shake to his game, change of pace and finishes in creative ways around the rim and he has a good rep as a shooter. The problem is I've yet to see him really shoot well in the games I've watched and my impression is he's got all this wiggle in his game because it's so difficult for him to get by his man because of his weak body and lack of athleticism. He's clearly talented but he simply needs to get bigger and stronger to be a major contributor at UConn. We can't go into next season depending on him to play a major role at point guard.

I'm really high on Mullins and Reibe. I've seen a lot of Mullins. Haven't seen much of Reibe at all but a 7 footer who can move like that with his shooting ability and comfortability handling the ball is exciting. Our staff is great with bigs, they'll turn him into a rim protector quickly.

 

[dennismenace]

The announcers talking about how amazing the passers are now, as Mullins does everything right the whole time he's in there with finding space and making cuts and his teammates never finding him. He's going to be a total stud, we all know about the shooting but everything he does on the court is quick. All his movements are so quick, his processing is quick. I see it every time I watch him play.

Reibe is the guy I've barely seen any video on and he moves a lot better than I expected.

Adams is way too frail, he's one of the skinniest players I've seen coming into college. He looked out of place out there falling over twice trying to drive with minimal contact and it was compounded by basically airballing his three shots.

We need two point/combo guards so badly and they have to have some muscle/size on them.

And maybe a couple of 6-6 to 6-9 dogs that can defend and rebound.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

We seem to be gravitating back to recruiting long beanpole players. We're still in the Big East and we don't look like we are acquiring rebounders or defensive gritty players. We had better pull out some muscle and speed in the portal or consider joining a West coast league. Are we still looking to be a picture perfect 5 out tall lean 3 point bombing machine? No D, no speed and no rebounding?

That should be a worry. Less "good families" and high -bbIQ and more explosive athletes. Need players who would have bullied Boozer right back.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

And maybe a couple of 6-6 to 6-9 dogs that can defend and rebound.

And, score. We need iso players that can explode to the basket. Tire of finesse, need to see scoring power in the front court.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

What people don’t understand is what leads up to this game. They had several practices over the weekend, that is where the evaluation comes from not this game.

Yeah I'm not buying it

 

[TheChamps990411]

This times a gazillion. Hilarious seeing hot takes about how bad a guy will be or how poor a class this is (3 AAs!!!) based on a glorified pickup game.

I feel good about Mullins. The fact he wasn't a ball hog doesn't mean anything. I think we knew Reibe wasn't going to dominate on Day 1 based on him getting demolished by Boozer. That's fine. He's got the size and skill to succeed. As far as Adams goes, with the caveat I haven't watched much, I've been waaaaaay less enthusiastic about him than our other 3 recruits. But if anybody can coax him to maximize his talent, it's this staff.

I liked Adams but he was the smallest kid out on the court. He needs to get in the gym asap. Hes nicely skilled and i drool at the thought of 2/3 years of him running the point.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Repeat after me: Liam McNeeley will get access to better coaching, better S&C, practice against better competition, and not have any practice time restrictions in the NBA.

There is a better development apparatus in the NBA for high picks than there would be remaining in college.

About as ready as Bouknight was.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

About as ready as Bouknight was.

Yes, I’m sure one more year in college would have turned Bouknight from a total knucklehead into someone that would work hard enough to make it in the NBA….

 

[TouchdownHusky]

About as ready as Bouknight was.

Yes, I’m sure one more year in college would have turned Bouknight from a total knucklehead into someone that would work hard enough to make it in the NBA….

Alright. How about DeAndre Daniels or Daniel Hamilton (from the Kevin Ollie era)? They jumped too early and became ghosts.

 

[EastConn'er]

McNealy @ last year's McD's game. He looked bad & unathetic, then turned it up for the Jordan Brand game... so you never know who you will get come once the season begins.

 

[RuffRuff]

We seem to be gravitating back to recruiting long beanpole players. We're still in the Big East and we don't look like we are acquiring rebounders or defensive gritty players. We had better pull out some muscle and speed in the portal or consider joining a West coast league. Are we still looking to be a picture perfect 5 out tall lean 3 point bombing machine? No D, no speed and no rebounding?

If you watched the McD AA game, the guys that stood out were the players that had that physicality - Boozer, Peterson, Yessofou (who looked like a stud).

The question is simply whether you get the "men" in the portal or as freshmen.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Yes, I’m sure one more year in college would have turned Bouknight from a total knucklehead into someone that would work hard enough to make it in the NBA….

It might’ve, anyway thanks for setting the record straight on a “total knucklehead”.

 

[Mr. French]

Some people are impressed with Reibe:

 

[PBX71]

Some people are impressed with Reibe:

thats nice to see

 

[Huskyforlife]

Some people are impressed with Reibe:

FWIW Biancardi has a preexisting relationship with Reibe so he might not be objective.

 

[Huskyforlife]

This was mentioned back when Adams committed, but if he was properly ranked as a 40-75 guy instead of a 5 star all American, expectations for him would make sense.

Not basing that take on the McDonald’s game either, he’s just clearly got room for development and could be really good in a years time.

 

[RuffRuff]

This was mentioned back when Adams committed, but if he was properly ranked as a 40-75 guy instead of a 5 star all American, expectations for him would make sense.

Not basing that take on the McDonald’s game either, he’s just clearly got room for development and could be really good in a years time.

What’s your take on why he was artificially over ranked? Asking without any sarcasm, curious. Because I agree, he did not look he fit out there physically. He looked 4 years younger than some of those dudes.

 

[Mr. French]

FWIW Biancardi has a preexisting relationship with Reibe so he might not be objective.

True, I think he knows a ton of these guys and families though. He’s pretty locked in.

 

[HooperScooper]

This was mentioned back when Adams committed, but if he was properly ranked as a 40-75 guy instead of a 5 star all American, expectations for him would make sense.

Not basing that take on the McDonald’s game either, he’s just clearly got room for development and could be really good in a years time.

All the recruiting services had him pretty highly ranked.

247Sports: 26
Rivals: 15
On3: 18
ESPN: 27

Do they all just copy each other? Or did they watch Adams play a lot more than any of us have and know more about his capabilities, weaknesses, and long term prospects as compared to the other recruits in the 2025 class? Or are they all wrong and he should be ranked in the 40-75 range?

 

[TheHorde]

This was mentioned back when Adams committed, but if he was properly ranked as a 40-75 guy instead of a 5 star all American, expectations for him would make sense.

Not basing that take on the McDonald’s game either, he’s just clearly got room for development and could be really good in a years time.

I think he’s a much better shooter than he showed. But the young man needs to get in the weight room yesterday, as others have mentioned.

 

[uconnbill]

Adams may have the worst McD AA showing I’ve ever seen. I hate to say it but it doesn’t look like he belongs out there.

it is a gunning event. Everyone has a bad game. I think that is it. He looked better in practice. Mullin got screwed the entire game by the one on one bull.

This is why I hate these games. I prefer AAU where you play with the same players and learn about one another. This is a crap show