2026 Recruiting: - Abdou Toure update from aaron torres | Page 10 | The Boneyard
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2026 Recruiting: Abdou Toure update from aaron torres

HW611 said:
McNeeley and Castle are not great comparisons. McNeeley was average athletically and size wise for his position.

Castle was a 6’6 PG with high level floor vision, IQ, and NBA dunk contest athleticism.

I think you’re selling him short if you don’t think he could’ve went lottery anywhere that would’ve allowed him to showcase himself as a 6’6 PG with elite athleticism. I can make a case with as weak as that draft was that he could’ve went #1 if he was able to show the NBA that over them thinking he was a 6’6 3 and D wing defender.

What you just described was Anthony Edward’s at Georgia minus the injury. He shot 40% from the field and 27% from three. Don’t think scouts really cared about his efficiency. Do you also think Dylan Harper was a better prospect than Castle coming out of HS?
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Hard to know - I think being part of that system really highlighted his skillset in a positive way, versus going to play for Cal as an example, where he generally just rolls the ball out there and says go.

Steph was ranked 10th in his class. A kid like Wagner was ranked 6th, and has looked like @ss under Cal. What would Hurley have done with him?

By the way, my "source" confirms 100% Arkansas, despite this crystal ball. I can't reveal, but it's someone tight with the the kid himself, and I mean tight.
 
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boog204 said:
And someone posted above that Toure could be a "developmental" piece. That's not happening. He's a top 30ish recruit. 99% of D1 teams will promise the kid major minutes or a starting role from day one. He's not coming here to sit and develop.
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I was using the same words as Tom Moore when he said Dan Hurley's ideal freshman recruiting class would be one immediate impact starter and two or three players that can be contributors/developmental players. Toure would fall in the second bucket at UConn.

Also, do you think Cal is promising him major minutes or a starting role from day one? As of right now they have Karter Knox, Billy Richmond, Meleek Thomas and JJ Andrews slated to be on the team next year, all of whom were more highly rated than Toure coming out of HS.
 
RuffRuff said:
Hard to know - I think being part of that system really highlighted his skillset in a positive way, versus going to play for Cal as an example, where he generally just rolls the ball out there and says go.

Steph was ranked 10th in his class. A kid like Wagner was ranked 6th, and has looked like @ss under Cal. What would Hurley have done with him?

By the way, my "source" confirms 100% Arkansas, despite this crystal ball. I can't reveal, but it's someone tight with the the kid himself, and I mean tight.
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247 had that one wrong. Wagner was overrated as a 6’3 combo guard with okay athleticism. Castle was the best player in that class. Wagner was just ranked super high for awhile and Castle was a late bloomer.

I don’t think our system highlighted his skillset offensively positively either. We just made him a 3 and D player and limited what we asked him to do.

He was a star level player that we fit into a role player position. So scouts were evaluating him like one instead of a franchise guy.
 
HW611 said:
He was a star level player that we fit into a role player position. So scouts were evaluating him like one instead of a franchise guy.
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Even though I've read hundreds of your posts I simply refuse to believe that you actually think your second sentence here is true. That the manner in which he was used during games his freshman year of college impacted the way scouts evaluated him. Who could legitimately think that's a credible position to take?
 
BigErnMcCracken said:
Even though I've read hundreds of your posts I simply refuse to believe that you actually think your second sentence here is true. That the manner in which he was used during games his freshman year of college impacted the way scouts evaluated him. Who could legitimately think that's a credible position to take?
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And beyond that, NBA scouts evaluated him a role player and as a result drafted him #4 overall
 
navery12 said:
And beyond that, NBA scouts evaluated him a role player and as a result drafted him #4 overall
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Take this however you want to.

“This is not considered a particularly strong draft, but Castle has one of the highest upsides among lottery picks. The NBA will always need big guards who can defend multiple positions. If Castle develops into a lead ball handler who can consistently stretch beyond the arc, he'll be a 10-year NBA starter—even if he doesn't become a perennial All-Star.
In this class, that's a pretty sizable win at No. 4 overall.”
 
HW611 said:

Take this however you want to.

“This is not considered a particularly strong draft, but Castle has one of the highest upsides among lottery picks. The NBA will always need big guards who can defend multiple positions. If Castle develops into a lead ball handler who can consistently stretch beyond the arc, he'll be a 10-year NBA starter—even if he doesn't become a perennial All-Star.
In this class, that's a pretty sizable win at No. 4 overall.”
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I can't say I'm putting much stock in what Tyler Conway, a writer for Bleacher Report, thinks of Steph Castle
 
navery12 said:
I can't say I'm putting much stock in what Tyler Conway, a writer for Bleacher Report, thinks of Steph Castle
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Remember when we misused him so much people thought Steph should be happy if he was as good as Jrue Holiday.

Pro comp: Jrue Holiday
Castle consistently drew the toughest defensive assignments for title-winning UConn last season as a freshman and made a name for himself as a defensive stopper who is elite at the point of attack. That has been Jrue Holiday's calling card as an NBA player. The big leap here is the playmaking ability Holiday has proven over his career. Castle did not show that often at UConn but has the calm and vision to become a viable point guard in time. That, along with his shooting, might be the biggest swing skills that make or break his future NBA stardom.

Our own fans thought this and weren’t sure about his stardom because of how much he sacrificed.

Which he actually touched on in the article you responded to.

"I feel like my true position is a point guard," Castle said at the NBA scouting combine. "I feel like the past couple of months, I had to sacrifice for the better of our team. It worked out for us, so it's not anything to harp on or be bitter about."

Whole time the proper comps for him is actually SGA or Cade Cunningham.
 
HW611 said:
Remember when we misused him so much people thought Steph should be happy if he was as good as Jrue Holiday.

Pro comp: Jrue Holiday
Castle consistently drew the toughest defensive assignments for title-winning UConn last season as a freshman and made a name for himself as a defensive stopper who is elite at the point of attack. That has been Jrue Holiday's calling card as an NBA player. The big leap here is the playmaking ability Holiday has proven over his career. Castle did not show that often at UConn but has the calm and vision to become a viable point guard in time. That, along with his shooting, might be the biggest swing skills that make or break his future NBA stardom.

Our own fans thought this and weren’t sure about his stardom because of how much he sacrificed.

Which he actually touched on in the article you responded to.

"I feel like my true position is a point guard," Castle said at the NBA scouting combine. "I feel like the past couple of months, I had to sacrifice for the better of our team. It worked out for us, so it's not anything to harp on or be bitter about."

Whole time the proper comps for him is actually SGA or Cade Cunningham.
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Here's the thing though, we won a championship. If you read his quote again, you might notice that he says it's nothing to harp on or be bitter about. Yet you continue to harp on it and be very bitter about his time here, despite winning a championship. I say this slightly tongue in cheek, but you might be more happy rooting for a program like Arkansas and Calipari who is solely focused on maximizing his players' NBA potential.

Those are definitely good comps, but I'd also argue it's not a knock to compare him to Jrue Holiday, a guy who is close to a lock to make the Basketball Hall of Fame. But that's a conversation for a different day
 
navery12 said:
I say this slightly tongue in cheek, but you might be more happy rooting for a program like Arkansas and Calipari who is solely focused on maximizing his players' NBA potential.
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You weren’t around for this, but there was a time where guys could be an All-American here, win championships, and be highly prepared to play and succeed at the next level.

Crazy to think all of that could be possible I know. Sorry if I care a lot about the players who come through here being able to be successful in their post career here as well.
 
HW611 said:
You weren’t around for this, but there was a time where guys could be an All-American here, win championships, and be highly prepared to play and succeed at the next level.

Crazy to think all of that could be possible I know. Sorry if I care a lot about the players who come through here being able to be successful in their post career here as well.
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Here's the thing, that's happening. Maybe you didn't notice in the midst of your complaining but Steph Castle is succeeding at the next level. He just won Rookie of the Year and like you said is on the path to being a star. Your hatred for Dan Hurley is beyond irrational. Maybe you're not willing to admit it to yourself yet, but it is hatred
 
navery12 said:
Here's the thing, that's happening. Maybe you didn't notice in the midst of your complaining but Steph Castle is succeeding at the next level. He just won Rookie of the Year and like you said is on the path to being a star. Your hatred for Dan Hurley is beyond irrational. Maybe you're not willing to admit it to yourself yet, but it is hatred
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In these arguments with this 1 poster I fully support any snarkiness. Keep going. Because we know he isn't ever giving up on his takes. 😀
 
Huskyforlife said:
Losing this kid to Walmart/Tyson was one thing, losing him to Providence would actually sting.
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Nah losing to either hurts but it’s no biggie. Would love the kid to stay home but there’s so many good players out there makes it less than necessary to keep kids home these days. Almost wouldn’t mind him at PC anyway stay in New England. And heck, after he realizes the mistake he made he can be our portal get in a couple years 😉
 
Palatine said:
Providence, UConn and Walmart.

Pretty sure that Walmart will pay Toure whatever they need to pay him. UConn does not have the cash to compete with Walmart. If he picks us it will be for reasons other than the most money.
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The most money right now. In the long term the most money is undoubtedly Uconn. Our assistant coaches are better than the other head coaches. His decision will tell us a lot about his motivation and courage.
 
superjohn said:
Who was the last New Haven County kid who was a high major recruit who was good enough to play at UConn that we wanted? Tremont Waters is the only one I can think of in the past 25 years or so. Hurley didn't have any interest in Desmond Claude. Calhoun didn't have any interest in Ryan Gomes.
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LOL I'm going to resist the impulse to post the video of JC on this matter.
 
boog204 said:
Believe it or not, other schools in the country can provide as good, if not a better, experience as UConn
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No Way Wow GIF
 

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