2021 Recruiting: 247 on UConn's recruiting class

[tcf15]

College basketball's top 2021 recruiting classes

With March Madness nearing its conclusion, most of the college basketball world has turned to the craziness of the transfer portal. Look beyond that, however, and there is

247sports.com

NO. 9 CONNECTICUT HUSKIES​

Dan Hurley took a step as UConn’s head coach this year, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time. It’s actually the Huskies first appearance in the Big Dance since 2015-16. That surging performance helped UConn ink its first top 10 recruiting class since 2016.

The group is led by a pair of top 50 prospects, Rahsool Diggins and Jordan Hawkins. Diggins, a 6-foot-1, 160-pound point guard from Philadelphia, picked the Huskies over a host of national offers. Hawkins ranks as the nation’s No. 49 overall player and the No. 11 shooting guard nationally. The DeMatha Catholic product picked UConn over several high-profile offers, including his home state Maryland. Also included in the Huskies’ 2021 class is center Samson Johnson. The 6-foot-10, 205-pound New Jersey native – UConn’s recruiting base is always the Northeast – has experience playing with Diggins on the circuit and they bring immediate chemistry to Storrs.

“Dan Hurley and his staff have success bringing in talent to Storrs, and they did it again in 2021,” Branham said. “I really like this class that they have coming in and especially love the addition of Rahsool Diggins. Diggins is a smooth, crafty and skilled point guard who effectively gets where he wants on the floor and is a dynamic playmaker who can also get his own. The other two additions – Jordan Hawkins and Samson Johnson – are also both excellent pickups. Hawkins brings instant offense and toughness with a college ready body and Johnson brings high level athleticism, length and very high upside as a rim protector, defender and rebounder with a budding offensive skillset.”

 

[ThabeetDown]

It's great that all 3 of these guys fit a need -- a playmaker at lead guard, a wing scorer (maybe to replace Bouk to a degree?) and a high-energy rim protector (to replace Whaley). If we can add a transfer that is a lights-out shooter to be a more consistent version of Polley, this team should be rolling assuming a traditional (aka non-COVID) offseason will allow the players (especially Gaff, Jackson and Adama) to grow like they're supposed to.

 

[aburks41]

These freshman are going to be so so so good. Idk how anyone can think this past year's team will be better. Losing Bouk hurts, but a full offseason for the rest of our core, a healthy Akok, and 3 impact freshman is going to make a HUGE difference. We'll easily be a top 15 team next season, and that's before adding anyone from the transfer market.

 

[rollskies]

These freshman are going to be so so so good. Idk how anyone can think this past year's team will be better. Losing Bouk hurts, but a full offseason for the rest of our core, a healthy Akok, and 3 impact freshman is going to make a HUGE difference. We'll easily be a top 15 team next season, and that's before adding anyone from the transfer market.

I feel like we are already a solid team as is (for next season) and we still have 3 more scholarships + maybe Polley and/or Whaley. Feels like the ceiling for next years team is very high. I have my hopes up

 

[Kenny11]

These freshman are going to be so so so good. Idk how anyone can think this past year's team will be better. Losing Bouk hurts, but a full offseason for the rest of our core, a healthy Akok, and 3 impact freshman is going to make a HUGE difference. We'll easily be a top 15 team next season, and that's before adding anyone from the transfer market.

If Akok is very good we can be a top 15 team. If not, I'm not sure. I can't wait to watch.

 

[Mhuskmayne]

These freshman are going to be so so so good. Idk how anyone can think this past year's team will be better. Losing Bouk hurts, but a full offseason for the rest of our core, a healthy Akok, and 3 impact freshman is going to make a HUGE difference. We'll easily be a top 15 team next season, and that's before adding anyone from the transfer market.

That is very aggressive

 

[aburks41]

If Akok is very good we can be a top 15 team. If not, I'm not sure. I can't wait to watch.

What he did in that Xavier game is probably a good indication of what he will be doing on a consistent basis next year. He's the real deal

 

[8893]

These freshman are going to be so so so good. Idk how anyone can think this past year's team will be better. Losing Bouk hurts, but a full offseason for the rest of our core, a healthy Akok, and 3 impact freshman is going to make a HUGE difference. We'll easily be a top 15 team next season, and that's before adding anyone from the transfer market.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

What he did in that Xavier game is probably a good indication of what he will be doing on a consistent basis next year. He's the real deal

So making a few jumpers ,while offering no D or rebounding ?

 

[UCTitleTown]

I'm not thrilled with a Northeast focus in recruiting. While there's certainly a lot of talent in the Northeast, I prefer to cast a wide net and get the best talent regardless of geography. Both JC and KO recruited nationally and internationally (at least during JC's period of infatuation with Israeli players). Focusing on the Northeast only strikes me as laziness and a reluctance of DH and staff to hit the road. Just my opinion.

 

[superjohn]

I'm not thrilled with a Northeast focus in recruiting. While there's certainly a lot of talent in the Northeast, I prefer to cast a wide net and get the best talent regardless of geography. Both JC and KO recruited nationally and internationally (at least during JC's period of infatuation with Israeli players). Focusing on the Northeast only strikes me as laziness and a reluctance of DH and staff to hit the road. Just my opinion.

Is this some high level satire I'm not getting?

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

It's great that all 3 of these guys fit a need -- a playmaker at lead guard, a wing scorer (maybe to replace Bouk to a degree?) and a high-energy rim protector (to replace Whaley). If we can add a transfer that is a lights-out shooter to be a more consistent version of Polley, this team should be rolling assuming a traditional (aka non-COVID) offseason will allow the players (especially Gaff, Jackson and Adama) to grow like they're supposed to.

That’s the only transfer I’d personally would like us to take right now is a lights out shooter. Don’t want anyone else coming in to mess with the development of our freshmen. Think Martin slowed AJ’s development this year and I’m not completely sure if it was worth it seeing how he performed at the end of the season. Would rather give those shots and minutes to develop AJ.

 

[navery12]

I'm not thrilled with a Northeast focus in recruiting. While there's certainly a lot of talent in the Northeast, I prefer to cast a wide net and get the best talent regardless of geography. Both JC and KO recruited nationally and internationally (at least during JC's period of infatuation with Israeli players). Focusing on the Northeast only strikes me as laziness and a reluctance of DH and staff to hit the road. Just my opinion.

Your opinion is dumb

 

[Ricker]

I like our team as we know it at the moment, but as far as being top 15, it's possible that all the top available transfer talent will consolidate to make 8-10 surprise teams elite. I don't think any judgments about national stature can even be guessed at until most of this talent lands someplace. Will it fill in pieces for teams, or make certain teams juggernauts, nobody can know. It certainly seems to be decimating teams

 

[businesslawyer]

That’s the only transfer I’d personally would like us to take right now is a lights out shooter. Don’t want anyone else coming in to mess with the development of our freshmen. Think Martin slowed AJ’s development this year and I’m not completely sure if it was worth it seeing how he performed at the end of the season. Would rather give those shots and minutes to develop AJ.

LOL. Without Martin's season, we don't make the tournament this year and you wouldn't have seen how poorly he played against Maryland. Yikes, what a take. Especially as more playing time was extremely unlikely to have improved Jackson's long range shooting, which was by far the largest problem with his game. We know people were concerned about his outside shot coming into the season.

 

[UconnU]

I love this class. All three should be instant impact kids.

 

[HooperScooper]

Hawkins brings instant offense and toughness with a college ready body and Johnson brings high level athleticism, length and very high upside as a rim protector, defender and rebounder with a budding offensive skillset.”

I thought everyone on here has been saying that Hawkins is really thin?

 

[Ratso]

I think Samson will be the most impactful. jordan Has tyrese and andre & sool has gaffney & cole.

 

[uconngb]

I thought everyone on here has been saying that Hawkins is really thin?

I think that's Samson, no?

 

[alexd]

The 2021/22 season starts in two weeks, right???

 

[HooperScooper]

I'm not thrilled with a Northeast focus in recruiting. While there's certainly a lot of talent in the Northeast, I prefer to cast a wide net and get the best talent regardless of geography. Both JC and KO recruited nationally and internationally (at least during JC's period of infatuation with Israeli players). Focusing on the Northeast only strikes me as laziness and a reluctance of DH and staff to hit the road. Just my opinion.

Hurley has said he's starting with that strategy until he gets the team back to national relevance and then he'll expand the recruiting base. He didn't think it was possible to effectively recruit nationally with where the team has been for the last few years. He thinks his best chances with recruits is getting kids who want to stay in the Northeast. It's worked well so far and now he just needs to build the program up a little more and then he can target recruits outside the Northeast.

Calhoun's strategy while he was building the program was to recruit outside the footprint of the Big East so he wasn't recruiting against the established powers like Syracuse, St. John's, Georgetown, and to a lesser degree Seton Hall, Villanova, etc., in their backyards. He sold kids on competing against these nationally prominent teams with an exciting physical brand of basketball. It was a sound strategy that worked. Hurley doesn't have the same Big East to recruit to while recruits nationwide have conferences with well established programs in their geographical area. Could Hurley go into Detroit, Dallas, L.A., etc. today and convince a kid to come to UConn? He thinks the probability is too low right now to try that.

Btw, look where Villanova recruits (roster: https://villanova.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster). Only 2 kids on the roster from outside the Northeast and 1 is a transfer. Why?

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I'm not thrilled with a Northeast focus in recruiting. While there's certainly a lot of talent in the Northeast, I prefer to cast a wide net and get the best talent regardless of geography. Both JC and KO recruited nationally and internationally (at least during JC's period of infatuation with Israeli players). Focusing on the Northeast only strikes me as laziness and a reluctance of DH and staff to hit the road. Just my opinion.

This is like being concerned that your favorite college football team is focusing on recruiting in Texas.

 

[husky429]

I thought everyone on here has been saying that Hawkins is really thin?

He is. But he's gotten a lot bigger recently. Wouldnt be surprised if hes around 180 now. Definitely not the 165 or whatever they're listing still. That's outdated

 

[HooperScooper]

I think that's Samson, no?

No, I would never mix up those two.

Here are some posts on here I got that about Hawkins.

@husky429: Still a very slight player. Noticeably smaller than some teammates. But definitely bigger than a year ago.

2021 Recruiting: - Jordan Hawkins is playing out of his mind.

I told folks here 2.5 years ago when I saw him as a going to be sophomore playing AAU that this kid was the real deal Never thought he would be on the UConn watch list - Maryland/Georgetown/Nova was my thought at that time He is fearless and aggressive, never mind skilled He will play 2 seasons...

the-boneyard.com

Eric Bossi, 247sports.com: Rail thin, he's getting coaching from Mike Jones at Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha that is going to prepare him for the next level and he's got all the tools to explode once he hits a weight room and gets a little more physical.

2021 Recruiting: - Jordan Hawkins is playing out of his mind.

I told folks here 2.5 years ago when I saw him as a going to be sophomore playing AAU that this kid was the real deal Never thought he would be on the UConn watch list - Maryland/Georgetown/Nova was my thought at that time He is fearless and aggressive, never mind skilled He will play 2 seasons...

the-boneyard.com

 

[87Xfer]

That’s the only transfer I’d personally would like us to take right now is a lights out shooter. Don’t want anyone else coming in to mess with the development of our freshmen. Think Martin slowed AJ’s development this year and I’m not completely sure if it was worth it seeing how he performed at the end of the season. Would rather give those shots and minutes to develop AJ.

you want to leave roster spots empty?