Abdou Toure update from aaron torres

[Storrs South]

If we lose a bidding war for a Top 30 to 40 recruit, how're we getting Top 5 or Top 10 recruits in the current landscape? I see this as a matter of which school values him the highest. I think he's very undervalued, but kids always want to go where they're promised the world. Ego massaging is still a thing....with some NIL $$$ thrown in.

What UConn and specifically the coaching staff is willing to invest financially is going to vary wildly from player to player based on their perceived skill level, fit with the program skill wise and mentally, what the staff is looking for and what the player is looking for (when I say looking for I mean in terms of skill development, what they believe to be their length of time at the level, and how they view their game).

Not securing a top 40 player has nothing to do with going for a top 10 player and vice versa. They may like a kid more than the rest of marketplace does (Cloer) and like another kid less than the marketplace is showing (number of examples here). It's how they made is such a competitive fight for Flagg. It's been clear for awhile there is a mismatch in terms of what UConn values him to be and how he perceives himself. Time will tell who is correct on that bet.

UConn is throwing a lot of cash around, I am sure, but they have never really gone after the guys solely focused on money as the top criteria. Guys are getting paid well here but generally if that is 1a and 1b what a recruit is focused on during their pitch they won't be a priority of this staff. And to be clear there is nothing wrong with a player looking to get max compensation but that is not something this staff looks for in terms of mental makeup and fitting the program's goals to get kids to the league (which brings way more money than any NCAA NIL rate) and doing so in such a way that it brings more national titles to UConn.

 

[HooperScooper]

UConn is throwing a lot of cash around, I am sure, but they have never really gone after the guys solely focused on money as the top criteria. Guys are getting paid well here but generally if that is 1a and 1b what a recruit is focused on during their pitch they won't be a priority of this staff. And to be clear there is nothing wrong with a player looking to get max compensation but that is not something this staff looks for in terms of mental makeup and fitting the program's goals to get kids to the league (which brings way more money than any NCAA NIL rate) and doing so in such a way that it brings more national titles to UConn.

Agreed. Hurley has mentioned this a few times so it's not like anyone should be guessing what the staff is doing. I think it's a good strategy and I trust they are doing the right thing and going after the right kids.

 

[RuffRuff]

If we lose a bidding war for a Top 30 to 40 recruit, how're we getting Top 5 or Top 10 recruits in the current landscape? I see this as a matter of which school values him the highest. I think he's very undervalued, but kids always want to go where they're promised the world. Ego massaging is still a thing....with some NIL $$$ thrown in.

The word on the street is exactly the opposite - that he think his value is far more than the Uconn staff sees. Not sure why any of us get raptured by a kid we've never seen live, just because he's local. They're going to put their budget where they think they'll get the most value back. If 3 years from now, he's leading Arkansas to an NC, then we can question it. Until then, I'm 100% trusting the staff.

 

[superjohn]

If we lose a bidding war for a Top 30 to 40 recruit, how're we getting Top 5 or Top 10 recruits in the current landscape? I see this as a matter of which school values him the highest. I think he's very undervalued, but kids always want to go where they're promised the world. Ego massaging is still a thing....with some NIL $$$ thrown in.

If we lose him it means we didn't have any interest in getting into a bidding war, it doesn't mean we aren't capable of getting in and winning a bidding war.

This staff is very selective in who they truly go after and if it's all about money there's very little chance they will go down that road. They felt Flagg was worth it, we didn't lose that recruitment over money.

I want Toure because I think he's a diamond that just needs polishing and we have the best staff to do it. The force he plays with and his athleticism is something the program could really use an infusion of but we aren't going to overextend ourselves for him.

 

[gsmooth]

PC is willing to overpay for a kid because it will boost the credibility of their program. We are not overpaying for anyone.

Plus, Kim English really, really, needs a win to sell to the fanbase so he will probably open up the bank to Toure. FWIW, I think English is a solid coach, but was absolutely snake bitten by the Bryce Hopkins situation.

 

[auror]

Plus, Kim English really, really, needs a win to sell to the fanbase so he will probably open up the bank to Toure. FWIW, I think English is a solid coach, but was absolutely snake bitten by the Bryce Hopkins situation.

What evidence is there that English is a solid coach?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

PC is willing to overpay for a kid because it will boost the credibility of their program. We are not overpaying for anyone.

It would boost credibility and it would create a tremendous amount of goodwill from their fanbase by allowing them to say they went head to head with us for a kid in our state and won the recruiting battle.

 

[djct1999]

It would boost credibility and it would create a tremendous amount of goodwill from their fanbase by allowing them to say they went head to head with us for a kid in our state and won the recruiting battle.

Seems like something you care about far more than our staff does.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Seems like something you care about far more than our staff does.

Don't care about it one iota, just making an observation.

 

[REB1094]

What evidence is there that English is a solid coach?

His head coaching record is 34-29 at George Mason and 33-34 at Providence. He has a 9th place and 5th place finish on the A10, and a 6th place and 8th place finish in the BE. 1 NIT appearance (0-1)

Coming up on year 3 in Providence. He HAS to show improvement. Maybe getting a top 2026 recruit can extend his shelf life if he doesn’t have a good year this year. I’d assume his ceiling in the BE this year is 5th place