Aidan Mahaney COMMITS to UConn (Merged)

[UconnU]

How many scholarships do we have left, assuming that Karaban comes back?

One I believe

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Love his creativity on offense and he's got the spunk and length at the 2-guard to continue his development on defense and in the weight room. Sweet we've got two seasons w/ him too!

Was one of the more exciting players I watched live during the 2022-23 season!

 

[djct1999]

This is fun!

 

[fatlucy]

We want Hass back. He’s our biggest recruit.

 

[Mazhude]

This staff is money...

 

[Dave]

 

[UConnSwag11]

Good get with 2yrs left.

This is key

 

[MrSec238]

Aidan California baby

 

[husky429]

There's the ballhandler we needed. We're a complete team now if our vets come back (and I believe they will). My guess at a depth chart to start the year...

PG: Diarra, Nowell
SG: Mahaney, Solo
SF: McNeeley, Stewart, Ross
PF: Karaban, Abraham
C: Reed, Samson, Singare

Obviously there's some positional flexibility there with Stewart especially (I believe he'll get 20 a game or more and his finishing at the rim will be the best on the team). But man, that team is deeper than we're used to. I see 8 guys who will definitely play and another 2 who can get there if (when) they put in the work. Enough vets to give our young guys space to develop, 3 good shooters and another 3-4 with known potential. Enough ballhandling and passing to break the press. Bruiser inside with a high-flyer for a different look. Probably 5 guys who are + defenders. A few STRONG guards.

We'll need out frontcourt to step up rebounding more than we're used to. And we may need to tighten up perimeter rotations without a guy like Clingan swallowing up 90% of layups. But wow... that's a good team. #7 imminent.

That bench would make the tournament on their own if everyone keeps developing.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

 

[FlexOnEm]

Wow. Just wow. Mahaney, Ball, Stewart, Karaban, and Johnson with Diarra, Nowell, McNeeley, and Reed

 

[ec33]

So close Kentucky…

Maybe Kentucky can go out and buy something expensive to make themselves feel pretty again.

 

[Citrusdog]

3peat incoming

I don’t know… but we sure have some terrific players and terrific coaches. I’m very optimistic - again. Everyone seems to be looking at us now… or should I say up at us. It’s great to be a UConn fan. I have some real optimism for the girls - as well. (Barring injury - ugh.)

 

[olehead]

East Bay's finest!

 

[Austin316]

OK NOWWWW

Welcome!!

 

[Founday21]

! UCONN!

 

[FlexOnEm]

There's the ballhandler we needed. We're a complete team now if our vets come back (and I believe they will). My guess at a depth chart to start the year...

PG: Diarra, Nowell
SG: Mahaney, Solo
SF: McNeeley, Stewart, Ross
PF: Karaban, Abraham
C: Reed, Samson, Singare

Obviously there's some positional flexibility there with Stewart especially (I believe he'll get 20 a game or more and his finishing at the rim will be the best on the team). But man, that team is deeper than we're used to. I see 8 guys who will definitely play and another 2 who can get there if (when) they put in the work. Enough vets to give our young guys space to develop, 3 good shooters and another 3-4 with known potential. Enough ballhandling and passing to break the press. Bruiser inside with a high-flyer for a different look. Probably 5 guys who are + defenders. A few STRONG guards.

We'll need out frontcourt to step up rebounding more than we're used to. And we may need to tighten up perimeter rotations without a guy like Clingan swallowing up 90% of layups. But wow... that's a good team. #7 imminent.

That bench would make the tournament on their own if everyone keeps developing.

I’d bet money Mahaney is starting PG. Hurley made a reference that he’d love Hassan back as long as the role he envisioned for himself matched the staff’s role they saw for him. That tells me he’ll come off the bench in a similar role to last season. I think Diarra, McNeeley, and Reed are the main guys off the bench with Nowell getting consistent minutes too.

 

[djct1999]

 

[NCHuskie919]

Where's the Kentucky troll at? Lol. Suck it nerd

 

[Jbirdp5]

Love his creativity on offense and he's got the spunk and length at the 2-guard to continue his development on defense and in the weight room. Sweet we've got two seasons w/ him too!

Was one of the more exciting players I watched live during the 2022-23 season!

Also great that he will be able to play 2 years in the system, I don’t think it’s an accident that Hurley is mostly targeting players in the portal with multiple years of eligibility

 

[gsmooth]

Welcome aboard, Aidan

 

[superjohn]

With Mahaney joining McNeeley, Hurley, Murray, Moore, and the Godfather Calhoun it's time we change up the mojo sacreds to Guinness and a shot of Jamo.

 

[bjc42]

3peat incoming

You were right in that other thread.

 

[UconnU]

There's the ballhandler we needed. We're a complete team now if our vets come back (and I believe they will). My guess at a depth chart to start the year...

PG: Diarra, Nowell
SG: Mahaney, Solo
SF: McNeeley, Stewart, Ross
PF: Karaban, Abraham
C: Reed, Samson, Singare

The basketball IQ and efficiency 1-4 is unmatched.

 

[ABCDFE]

Yessss! I love that we don't go after a gazillion transfers but selectively bring in a few we know are great fits. Hurley and Co. can do no wrong right now

 

[MexicoHusky]

My interpretation of a comparison between career stats of Newton and Mahaney with a focus on first two years of both:

• Their shooting seems similar. Mahaney seems like a better 3 pt shooter. Maybe Newton is a better shooter in general
• Newton seems like a better distributor of the ball. Maybe the slow tempo of St Mary's impacts this, but Newton had solid numbers at East Carolina as well. Mahaney has less turnovers, but that also could be a result of the slow tempo at St. Mary's.
• Scoring numbers maybe favor Newton a bit, but it seems close if you just look at the ECU years of Newton
• Higher steal numbers for Newton suggest better defender and maybe better athlete. Newton also got more steals as a larger player.

I'm sure others have some additional thoughts on these numbers, but to me it looks like Mahaney has big shoes to fill if he indeed is stepping into Newton's role. Anyways, love that we picked him up and I'm glad he has 2 years of eligibility.


Newton Career Stats

STATS
2023-24
2022-23
2021-22
2020-21
2019-20

GP	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	BLK	STL	PF	TO	PTS
40	33.2	41.5	32.1	80.8	6.6	6.2	0.3	0.9	1.8	2.5	15.1
39	28.8	37.4	36.6	81.6	4.5	4.7	0.3	1.1	2.1	2.4	10.1
30	34.8	43.5	33.3	87.9	4.8	5.0	0.3	1.4	2.4	3.5	17.7
17	31.5	34.8	26.2	89.5	4.3	4.2	0.3	1.2	1.9	2.2	8.7
31	29.9	39.0	32.4	80.2	4.5	3.7	0.3	1.2	2.0	1.9	11.0

Mahaney Career Stats

STATS
2023-24
2022-23

GP	MIN	FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	BLK	STL	PF	TO	PTS
34	33.2	38.6	35.5	81.3	2.6	2.6	0.1	0.8	2.2	1.4	13.9
35	30.6	42.8	40.0	71.8	2.1	2.0	0.1	0.9	2.2	1.5	13.9

 

[husky429]

Reminder of his stats vs high-major or ranked opponents this year:

19.6 PPG
1.8 RPG
2.2 APG

1.8 TO
0.2 BLK
1.2 STL

41% 2FG (7.3 attempts)
39% 3FG (7.3 attempts)
92% FT (2.0 attempts)

 

[boog204]

Also great that he will be able to play 2 years in the system, I don’t think it’s an accident that Hurley is mostly targeting players in the portal with multiple years of eligibility

Absolutely... The continuity aspect is huge.

 

[uconn_jack]

Is Mahaney a straight 2-guard or combo? If he's not strongly capable to play PG too, it is imperative Hass stays. I said it before and got laughed at, but I think he is as or more important to keep than Karaban (and again, that's no knock on Karaban at all, we just have some people to cover his position, but we would be shallow in the PG role if Hass doesn't return.)

 

[bjc42]

East Bay's finest!

I used to go to his hometown of Moraga all the time