2026 Recruiting: Abdou Toure Announces Top Seven

[HW611]

D Clingan says hi

He was our what, second CT recruit in the last 15-20 years?

 

[NJHoops]

Recruiting local and in-state has never been less important than it is right now.

 

[HW611]

Recruiting local and in-state has never been less important than it is right now.

Don’t want to make it seem like an actual issue. Because yeah, CT produces a UConn level player once every few years or so if that.

Whereas Jersey probably produces 3-5 every year.

It’s just an observation. I wonder if Toure follows suit to want to leave CT like most CT kids or if we’ll be able to keep him home.

I’m far less informed on this situation than the Betsey situation. Never believed Betsey was coming here.

 

[RuffRuff]

Don’t want to make it seem like an actual issue. Because yeah, CT produces a UConn level player once every few years or so if that.

Whereas Jersey probably produces 3-5 every year.

It’s just an observation. I wonder if Toure follows suit to want to leave CT like most CT kids or if we’ll be able to keep him home.

I’m far less informed on this situation than the Betsey situation. Never believed Betsey was coming here.

Unless you consider the prep schools. Didn’t Bama grab a CT prep kid this year?

 

[HW611]

Unless you consider the prep schools. Didn’t Bama grab a CT prep kid this year?

possibly. I’m only talking about kids UConn would actively recruit though.

 

[RuffRuff]

possibly. I’m only talking about kids UConn would actively recruit though.

Jemison ended up being ranked higher by 247 than Bundalo & Adams and went to Hurley's buddy Oats, after getting an offer from Kansas as well. Yet we never even took a look at him in our backyard it seems.



This staff has a very specific archetype they target and they don't seem to want to break that for local kids.

 

[superjohn]

Unless you consider the prep schools. Didn’t Bama grab a CT prep kid this year?

Yes, London Jemison from Bloomfield, CT. He was teammates with Tyler Betsey for one season at St. Thomas More. UConn didn't recruit him. Another CT kid from the Hartford area DJ Hawkins who is at St. Thomas More just got an offer from Syracuse.

 

[superjohn]

He was our what, second CT recruit in the last 15-20 years?

Only 4- Clingan, Enoch, Drummond, Olander

 

[Mr. French]

Not sure why you always start off every reply to me with saying I'm always right, but sure. I just don't see any way the NCAA will be able to legally cap the NIL deals, they'll be sued into oblivion

Because he gets offended by discussion.

 

[Drame]

Not sure why you always start off every reply to me with saying I'm always right, but sure. I just don't see any way the NCAA will be able to legally cap the NIL deals, they'll be sued into oblivion

The NCAA actually is not in charge of enforcing NIL deals. A separate commission is. And it will be illegal according to the law, not just NCAA regulations. So if you're transferring money to an individual illegally you're risking tax charges or potentially wire fraud. And businesses cant legally claim the expense if they are paying above market rate for services. So it will be interesting to see.

 

[navery12]

The NCAA actually is not in charge of enforcing NIL deals. A separate commission is. And it will be illegal according to the law, not just NCAA regulations. So if you're transferring money to an individual illegally you're risking tax charges or potentially wire fraud. And businesses cant legally claim the expense if they are paying above market rate for services. So it will be interesting to see.

I get that, but it's that last part where it falls apart from me. I'm just highly skeptical that 3rd party is going to deny as many NIL deals as people think. And if they do then those payments are just going back to under the table deals.

Not to mention the difficulties of defining market rate. I'd argue that if a bunch of businesses all want to pay an athlete X amount, that is the market rate

 

[Samoo]

I get that, but it's that last part where it falls apart from me. I'm just highly skeptical that 3rd party is going to deny as many NIL deals as people think. And if they do then those payments are just going back to under the table deals.

Not to mention the difficulties of defining market rate. I'd argue that if a bunch of businesses all want to pay an athlete X amount, that is the market rate

It is certainly going to be an art rather than a science to figure out the market rate.

If recruit x - say from Arizona and rated 7th in his class - comes across country to play at Duke, what is the value to the local car dealership owner and Duke booster to have him endorsing their vehicles versus his value playing center? They will need a defendable formula, if that is even possible.

 

[Drame]

I get that, but it's that last part where it falls apart from me. I'm just highly skeptical that 3rd party is going to deny as many NIL deals as people think. And if they do then those payments are just going back to under the table deals.

Not to mention the difficulties of defining market rate. I'd argue that if a bunch of businesses all want to pay an athlete X amount, that is the market rate

Local businesses arent going to pay the same amounts of money that megarich donors were willing to give through collectives and foundations. There has to be real businesses looking for services. So if there are a bunch of real businesses vying for the services of the same athlete then the market rate will go up.

There could be under the table NIL deals Im sure, but again they wont be violations of NCAA regulations, they'll be violations of the law. And there will be lots of eyes on all the programs.

 

[John]

Only 4- Clingan, Enoch, Drummond, Olander

Doug Wiggins

 

[HooperScooper]

That's cute that you think the NCAA is actually going to enforce that. There is a less than zero chance these market value rules are ever even attempted to be enforced

Such a mess.

"It's unclear what the discipline would be for athletes or third parties that violate these rules, just like it's just not entirely clear what the discipline will be for current college athletes," said Gabe Feldman, director of sports law at Tulane University. "The emphasis certainly seems to be on not unduly harming the athlete themselves and the team, whereas in the past, if an athlete had received an improper benefit, there could be significant repercussions."

A tidal wave of lawsuits could stem from a new rule, but according to Feldman, the NCAA tends to like its odds -- a recurring theme leading up to the settlement approval.

"The idea was that, given how much money athletes would be making under these new rules, very few athletes would have incentive to sue," Feldman said. "Even though there is still the risk of antitrust litigation, the risk is much smaller because the athletes are getting such significant compensation. But there is no guarantee that athletes can't sue."

NCAA weighs disclosures on H.S., juco NIL deals

The NCAA is weighing a rule that would require incoming Division I athletes to disclose name, image and likeness deals from high school or junior college to the NIL Go clearinghouse established under the $2.8 billion House settlement.

www.espn.com

 

[superjohn]

Doug Wiggins

Yep, I stopped at 15 years. Just beyond that there's Wiggins and Austrie.

 

[HooperScooper]

Because he gets offended by discussion.

Nah, I like discussions. It's just hard to do on a message board. I still think Luka Doncic was fat and out of shape though. 😀

 

[HW611]

Local businesses arent going to pay the same amounts of money that megarich donors were willing to give through collectives and foundations. There has to be real businesses looking for services. So if there are a bunch of real businesses vying for the services of the same athlete then the market rate will go up.

There could be under the table NIL deals Im sure, but again they wont be violations of NCAA regulations, they'll be violations of the law. And there will be lots of eyes on all the programs.

Yeah after the house settlement these rules should be much easier to enforce. Not sure how much people would want to test the law when there’s already so much money out there in today’s time compared to when it was testing the NCAA with no money out there.

 

[Jbirdp5]

Don’t want to make it seem like an actual issue. Because yeah, CT produces a UConn level player once every few years or so if that.

Whereas Jersey probably produces 3-5 every year.

It’s just an observation. I wonder if Toure follows suit to want to leave CT like most CT kids or if we’ll be able to keep him home.

I’m far less informed on this situation than the Betsey situation. Never believed Betsey was coming here.

You were somewhat informed on one situation and are using that one specific instance to make a general statement that CT kids don’t want to come to UConn….

 

[HW611]

You were somewhat informed on one situation and are using that one specific instance to make a general statement that CT kids don’t want to come to UConn….

I’m using my past experience being super ingrained in the CT HS hoop scene and seeing how there were very few UConn fans.

This kind of commentary to make it seem like I don’t know what I’m talking about is so stupid.

 

[Jbirdp5]

I’m using my past experience being super ingrained in the CT HS hoop scene and seeing how there were very few UConn fans.

This kind of commentary to make it seem like I don’t know what I’m talking about is so stupid.

You do come across as not knowing what ur talking about…you have died on several hills before, the shooting dip, solo should be our pg, Hurley doesn’t play freshman….etc
UConn is a national program that doesn’t need to rely on local talent ie not recruiting Ryan Gomes and instead going after emeka….
Your anectodal evidence from one recruitment has done nothing to change minds that you have the pulse of the local ct basketball scene.

 

[HW611]

You do come across as not knowing what ur talking about…you have died on several hills before, the shooting dip, solo should be our pg, Hurley doesn’t play freshman….etc
UConn is a national program that doesn’t need to rely on local talent ie not recruiting Ryan Gomes and instead going after emeka….
Your anectodal evidence from one recruitment has done nothing to change minds that you have the pulse of the local ct basketball scene.

These examples show that you’re someone who gets off on purposefully misunderstanding my posts and/or ignores clear evidence of something to keep your stance.

I’m not going back and forth on this because you want to weirdly be stuck on this stance and aren’t open to changing it.

More than anyone else if someone can’t admit the shooting dip one then it’s just a bit or you’re stubborn. There’s more than enough evidence for that to stop being something actually debated outside of the bit some on this board likes to do on any stance I take.

I also never said UConn needed to rely on local talent. YOU made that up.

 

[Bucket94]

Yes we are doing that.

I don't know how many times it has to be said on here or SC. Our NIL is competitive as hell. We are not overpaying for guy (like BYU) butnwe are putting up market rate numbers for everyone on our roster.

How much do you think our top 5-6 guys are getting? What kinda ball park

 

[businesslawyer]

These examples show that you’re someone who gets off on purposefully misunderstanding my posts and/or ignores clear evidence of something to keep your stance.

I’m not going back and forth on this because you want to weirdly be stuck on this stance and aren’t open to changing it.

More than anyone else if someone can’t admit the shooting dip one then it’s just a bit or you’re stubborn. There’s more than enough evidence for that to stop being something actually debated outside of the bit some on this board likes to do on any stance I take.

I also never said UConn needed to rely on local talent. YOU made that up.

Just one question. Would you mind explaining how your four paragraph response is not “going back and forth on this”? Inquiring minds want to know.