2025 Updated Recruiting Targets

[auror]

We've gotten some clarity on recruiting following this first big July evaluation weekend. Whereas some schools apparently are taking freshmen less seriously, we're swinging for the fences. This is a list of every recruit we've both offered (or has an official visit set) and then watched this past evaluation period (shout out Cue_the_Music and StorrsCentral). All the targets are in the On3 industry rankings top 40 and the lower end guys are likely rising.

Player, Team - #On3 industry composite rank (Visits completed or scheduled)

• Meleek Thomas, NH Lightning, CG - #6 (official)
• Braylon Mullins, Indiana Elite 2025, WG - #26 (official 8/1)
• Nate Ament, Team Loaded VA, S-PF - #7
• Acaden Lewis, Team Durant, PG - #40 (unofficial)
• Darius Adams, PSA Cardinals, SG - #18 (unofficial)
• Dwayne Aristode, Expressions Elite, WF - #20 (stated a while back he wants to visit UConn, no date set)
• Chris Cenac, Young Game Changers (YGC), C - #14
• Brayden Burries, Strive for Greatness (SFG), CG - #15
• Tounde Yessoufou, WhyNot, WF - #19 (official potentially in September).
• Hudson Greer, JL3, WG - #22 (official 10/11) - Don't actually think he has an offer, but he has a visit set and we watched him.

We didn't watch these two because they were playing in Europe, but they have offers and official visits scheduled.

• Nikola Bundalo, Wildcat Select, S-PF - #24 (official 8/30) - Serbian U18 team
• Eric Reibe, Team Museum, C - #38 (official 9/6) - German U18 team

 

[AllHusky]

So how many do we lose/need this year?
AK, SJ HD Liam any of the young uns got a shot? I’m thinking Stewart a lonnngggg shot,

 

[navery12]

So how many do we lose/need this year?
AK, SJ HD Liam any of the young uns got a shot? I’m thinking Stewart a lonnngggg shot,

Johnson and Diarra are out of eligibility. Karaban you can probably pencil in as gone given this year's trip to test the waters. McNeeley and Stewart are pretty routinely mocked as 1st rounders, granted it's early

So I'd conservatively say 5 because even if there's a surprise returner, there's usually a surprise departure too

 

[AllHusky]

Johnson and Diarra are out of eligibility. Karaban you can probably pencil in as gone given this year's trip to test the waters. McNeeley and Stewart are pretty routinely mocked as 1st rounders, granted it's early

So I'd conservatively say 5 because even if there's a surprise returner, there's usually a surprise departure too

So Stewart is that well thought of already?! In my mind that means we are going to be even better than I thought, wow.

 

[auror]

Johnson and Diarra are out of eligibility. Karaban you can probably pencil in as gone given this year's trip to test the waters. McNeeley and Stewart are pretty routinely mocked as 1st rounders, granted it's early

So I'd conservatively say 5 because even if there's a surprise returner, there's usually a surprise departure too

Yeah I think that's the right number. Not likely less than 3, most likely between 4-6 needed scholarships, median 5. Likely a couple transfers will come in, so 3 or so freshmen seems reasonable.

We have the most depth at the wing this season, but may lose 2-3 of those guys. A pretty standard class of guard, bigger wing guard, and stretch 4/5 seems good.

Thomas/Mullins/Ament probably the dream. Lewis/Thomas/Bundalo would be nice. Hard to have a bad combination with this stacked list tbh

 

[CardiacAndre7]

So Stewart is that well thought of already?! In my mind that means we are going to be even better than I thought, wow.

He’s the prototypical breakout candidate. Came on strong to end the year and has a deeeeep bag on offense. I think he is right there with McNeely as our out-and-out most talented player.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

12 guys in the top-40 who we seem to have strong mutual interest. Life is good.

 

[gsmooth]

12 guys in the top-40 who we seem to have strong mutual interest. Life is good.

It's great to be a UConn fan that's for sure. You realize this even more when you read the forums of other teams during both NCAAT runs the last 2 years and the envy and the resignation in the tone of their posts knowing UConn was going to win the title.

Now it seems like UConn will always be competitive in getting the 5-star recruits.

 

[bendm]

Surprised staff watched aristode

 

[auror]

Surprised staff watched aristode

Not all watching is the same and we'll never really know what is meaningful watching until the proof is in the pudding. But it's a part of the recipe nonetheless.

Hurley+Kimani watched Expressions on Saturday, and then Tom watched them on Sunday. Neither opponent had anyone of note to watch in those games that I am aware of. You could reasonably offer an explanation of the staff wanting to watch Aristode and/or Jemison, but of the 2 we've only offered Aristode.

There were other options to watch for Tom at the same time (Thomas with Hurley+Kimani, Nightrydaz with Luke), so it at least means something that he watched Expressions instead. But also relevant is Hurley/Kimani watching Thomas again instead of Expressions on the 2nd day and no visit for him yet being scheduled. Why they watched could be as irrelevant to our tea leaf reading as "wanting to stay very friendly with Expressions and/or Brewster." But Kimani and Hurley did watch on Saturday when they could have watched Dybantsa, Fears, or Yessoufou instead.

 

[Ricker]

Our 2024 unfilled scholly, Diarra, & Johnson, = 3 openings for sure
I bet we would take 4 if we were lucky enough to get 4 wanting to commit
Give me Thomas & Bundalo and anybody else is tasty gravy. (Mullins & Ament tastiest)

 

[husky429]

I expect we get 2-3 and the rest are transfers. If you want to be successful every year (we do), it's an important part of the formula.

 

[Drame]

Yeah I think that's the right number. Not likely less than 3, most likely between 4-6 needed scholarships, median 5. Likely a couple transfers will come in, so 3 or so freshmen seems reasonable.

We have the most depth at the wing this season, but may lose 2-3 of those guys. A pretty standard class of guard, bigger wing guard, and stretch 4/5 seems good.

Thomas/Mullins/Ament probably the dream. Lewis/Thomas/Bundalo would be nice. Hard to have a bad combination with this stacked list tbh

I’m thinking we go for 4 freshman. 2 guards, one forward and one center. Ideally one top 10, one top 20 and 2 top 40. Having 2 top tens means even more turnover. Of course how we do in the postseason could change all of these projections.

 

[dennismenace]

We've gotten some clarity on recruiting following this first big July evaluation weekend. Whereas some schools apparently are taking freshmen less seriously, we're swinging for the fences. This is a list of every recruit we've both offered (or has an official visit set) and then watched this past evaluation period (shout out Cue_the_Music and StorrsCentral). All the targets are in the On3 industry rankings top 40 and the lower end guys are likely rising.

Player, Team - #On3 industry composite rank (Visits completed or scheduled)

• Meleek Thomas, NH Lightning, CG - #6 (official)
• Braylon Mullins, Indiana Elite 2025, WG - #26 (official 8/1)
• Nate Ament, Team Loaded VA, S-PF - #7
• Acaden Lewis, Team Durant, PG - #40 (unofficial)
• Darius Adams, PSA Cardinals, SG - #18 (unofficial)
• Dwayne Aristode, Expressions Elite, WF - #20 (stated a while back he wants to visit UConn, no date set)
• Chris Cenac, Young Game Changers (YGC), C - #14
• Brayden Burries, Strive for Greatness (SFG), CG - #15
• Tounde Yessoufou, WhyNot, WF - #19 (official potentially in September).
• Hudson Greer, JL3, WG - #22 (official 10/11) - Don't actually think he has an offer, but he has a visit set and we watched him.

We didn't watch these two because they were playing in Europe, but they have offers and official visits scheduled.

• Nikola Bundalo, Wildcat Select, S-PF - #24 (official 8/30) - Serbian U18 team
• Eric Reibe, Team Museum, C - #38 (official 9/6) - German U18 team

The leadership of this program seems to know no bounds. Outstanding!!! BY coverage is over the top as well. The whole program is on fire and its contagious.

 

[his dudeness]

Some very interesting quotes from a recent On3 Dybantsa interview.

UConn: “They were one of my first offers, like my third offer. That’s when I was a freshman. And I haven’t heard from them since. Obviously they are a winning program. I like to win, so might be a fit.”

“My dad will probably pick the schools I visit since he has the best interest in me.” He also added that he doesn’t have any visits currently scheduled, but plans to do that after Peach Jam.

When asked which schools are recruiting him the hardest, Dybantsa responded: “I don’t talk to coaches, my dad does. So whoever he hears from.”

My take: If Dybantsa is steered to freaking BYU by his dad because they're offering the biggest NIL bag (Billionaire owner of the Utah Jazz), thats certainly an interesting choice. Hurley and the staff have earned the benefit of the doubt that they know what they are doing.

 

[auror]

Some very interesting quotes from a recent On3 Dybantsa interview.

UConn: “They were one of my first offers, like my third offer. That’s when I was a freshman. And I haven’t heard from them since. Obviously they are a winning program. I like to win, so might be a fit.”

“My dad will probably pick the schools I visit since he has the best interest in me.” He also added that he doesn’t have any visits currently scheduled, but plans to do that after Peach Jam.

When asked which schools are recruiting him the hardest, Dybantsa responded: “I don’t talk to coaches, my dad does. So whoever he hears from.”

My take: If Dybantsa is steered to freaking BYU by his dad because they're offering the biggest NIL bag (Billionaire owner of the Utah Jazz), thats certainly an interesting choice. Hurley and the staff have earned the benefit of the doubt that they know what they are doing.

The scuttlebutt is basically you have to hit a certain NIL number, and then he's going to pick from the schools that offer at least that much, but not necessarily about the money from that point. I don't think that's a terrible approach if I'm the number 1 recruit, if I'm being honest. But not necessarily a fit for Hurley (or we couldn't afford the number lol).

 

[awy]

really puzzling situation. if the dad is really transactional and bag focused then he seems like a cal guy. but cal doesn't seem to be in the picture.

 

[awy]

The scuttlebutt is basically you have to hit a certain NIL number, and then he's going to pick from the schools that offer at least that much, but not necessarily about the money from that point. I don't think that's a terrible approach if I'm the number 1 recruit, if I'm being honest. But not necessarily a fit for Hurley (or we couldn't afford the number lol).

this is why with the new NIL situation capspace efficiency is important. can you get the necessary attributes by spreading the money out vs focusing it on one player. the likely situation is that the top tier recruits will all want to have a big NIL package that makes it hard to fit more than 1 of them on a roster, so you better pick the right guy.

 

[Drame]

Whatever a top player can make in college for their one year is peanuts to what they will make in the NBA. For instance Brunsons next max deal if he gets one will be something like 5 years 450 million. As a kid I would just want to be developed the best and steered in the right direction ( Danny Hurley).