AK: The Most Talent He’s Seen Here

[jibsey]

Alex in an interview made that statement about this year’s team and it’s quite a statement considering the other 2 rosters were National Champions. And I trust his comments even more so than a coaches because we’ve seen them embellish. Both Calhoun and Hurley.

 

[B1GEast]

I find that hard to believe, but you got to take him at his word.

All those good teams, Hawkins, Sanogo, Clingan, and others. Wow, that's saying a lot.

I wonder what the Vegas odds will be for a final 4.

Gonna be a great season if AK is right.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I think it is unquestionably true that we have more talent depth than at any point in his 3.5 years here (you can trivially include the 2022 team here, by the way).

We have a legit 9 guys who should get rotation minutes and another 1-2 guys who would plausibly be worthy if on another team. That's more than any team in Karaban's career.

 

[UC0NN]

Depends what kind of talent we are talking about here....there is an awful lot of talent prior

DC best defensive big in the country
SC best perimeter defender
Cam one of the best 3 point shooters and offensive weapons
TN All American
Hass 6MOY and very good perimeter defender

And of course with 2023 you have
AS best offensive post player in the country
JH best NBA 3 point shooting prospect in the country
Etc.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I think it is unquestionably true that we have more talent depth than at any point in his 3.5 years here (you can trivially include the 2022 team here, by the way).

We have a legit 9 guys who should get rotation minutes and another 1-2 guys who would plausibly be worthy if on another team. That's more than any team in Karaban's career.

Yep. The top end talent isn't necessarily better than the past few years but 9-12 are better than what has been on the roster the past three seasons.

 

[bendm]

we are the deepest team in the country along with Bama, so we have the quantity to 3peat, the question is do we have the the quality?

 

[Tenspro2002]

Yep. The top end talent isn't necessarily better than the past few years but 9-12 are better than what has been on the roster the past three seasons.

I would argue for this ranking:

Starters
2024
2023
2025

Key bench guys
2025
2023
2024

Deep bench guys
2025
2023
2024

 

[jibsey]

we are the deepest team in the country along with Bama, so we have the quantity to 3peat, the question is do we have the the quality?

The answer to that question is quite simple. Can Hurley train them up to the D level necessary to do it?

 

[QuickDraw]

Alex in an interview made that statement about this year’s team and it’s quite a statement considering the other 2 rosters were National Champions. And I trust his comments even more so than a coaches because we’ve seen them embellish. Both Calhoun and Hurley.

Alex has to say this because he came back, lol.
Just like last year though, if they can gel as a unit like last season they have a more than fair chance to keep it going. Different strengths but can be very good

 

[Mr. French]

Yep. The top end talent isn't necessarily better than the past few years but 9-12 are better than what has been on the roster the past three seasons.

We’ll see. We didn’t necessarily know the talent was top end until we got into the meat of those seasons.

 

[bendm]

The answer to that question is quite simple. Can Hurley train them up to the D level necessary to do it?

AK is going to be BE POY. McNeeley is going to be BE FOY. If Mahaney is 1st Team BE then we will have the quality.

 

[metsfan2323]

we are the deepest team in the country along with Bama, so we have the quantity to 3peat, the question is do we have the the quality?

Yup, Bama is loaded too.

 

[EZPass]

 

[uchusky32]

Question is will any be as good as the best players on the last 2 years teams.

 

[bendm]

Yup, Bama is loaded too.

they should be preseason #1 ahead of KU. they have 7 guys that could start and will go at least 10 deep. not to mention the #2 ranked recruiting class.

Starters
Sears (SEC 1st team)
Holloway (Auburn transfer / SEC all frosh team)
Youngblood (USF transfer)
Grant Nelson (12ppg 6 rpg 1.5 bpg)
Omoruyi (Rutgers transfer / BIG all defense team)

Bench
Labaron Philon ( top 30 4*)
Latrell Wrightsell (6th man)
Derrion Reed (5*)
Jarin Stevenson (withdrew from NBA draft)
Aiden Sherrell ( top 30 4*)

 

[Umami Zen]

Our new talent(portal adds) and our sophs/freshmen are the wild cards. All talented. Can Dan and staff convert that talent to performance and productivity on the court?I'm not betting against him.

The other early top 10 teams who were active in the portal are mostly made up of mature dudes that have been playing CBB for awhile .Old talent-mature talent.

One of Dan's most talented teams top to bottom and probably among his youngest teams since being at UConn. Can our young athletes compete at the highest level to support our returning vets? I'm a buyer

 

[superjohn]

Depends what kind of talent we are talking about here....there is an awful lot of talent prior

DC best defensive big in the country
SC best perimeter defender
Cam one of the best 3 point shooters and offensive weapons
TN All American
Hass 6MOY and very good perimeter defender

And of course with 2023 you have
AS best offensive post player in the country
JH best NBA 3 point shooting prospect in the country
Etc.

Mahaney
Ball
McNeeley
Karaban
Reed
Diarra
Stewart
Samson
Ross
Nowell
Abraham

I've been saying it since I saw our roster that this would be the most talented UConn team ever 1-11. All those guys would be starting for top P5 teams.

I can't say 1-5 it's our most talented team ever, I give that to last year over the '04 team. We no longer have Clingan who was the best defensive player in the country and our most impactful force ever over Okafor but I think this starting 5 is going to be damn good and our bench could form a top 25 starting 5 IMO.

 

[Lambeau]

We have great depth, but Kansas is terrifying: they added guards Riley Kugel, Rylan Griffen, AJ Storr and Zeke Mayo to Dajuan Harris. And Hunter Dickinson is back at center. So Kansas and Alabama will be a challenge.

 

[REB1094]

It's the right thing to say as the leader of the team but hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm lol

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

We have great depth, but Kansas is terrifying: they added guards Riley Kugel, Rylan Griffen, AJ Storr and Zeke Mayo to Dajuan Harris. And Hunter Dickinson is back at center. So Kansas and Alabama will be a challenge.

I'm not sure I'd call Kansas "terrifying." They put together what amounts to an All-Star team including some guys who are not exactly known as consummate winners or teammates. If it all clicks they can be very good but I'm not sure stacking talent alone is what wins.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I could be wrong but I believe payers 10, 11 & 12 have more upside than any prior squads 10, 11 & 12.

From six through nine we may be as good as we've ever been and this will be one of the three or four most talented starting fives ever. Those statements are said not know who of Diarra & Nowell, who of Ball & Mahaney and who of Stewart and Mcneely will be starting.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The coaching staff has gotten better each year, and there is no reason to doubt that this will continue. By now, Hurley, Young, Moore, and Murray constitute a highly-skilled, well-operating veteran team entering its 4th year together. That has to count for something, actually a lot.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Depends what kind of talent we are talking about here....there is an awful lot of talent prior

DC best defensive big in the country
SC best perimeter defender
Cam one of the best 3 point shooters and offensive weapons
TN All American
Hass 6MOY and very good perimeter defender

And of course with 2023 you have
AS best offensive post player in the country
JH best NBA 3 point shooting prospect in the country
Etc.

That reminds of a story in sports I heard a dozen times whether is HS , College. or pro.
There will be this great player and someone will always say “if you think he is good his younger brother is even better “ . I don’t remember that actually ever being true .
Unless this kid from Michigan turned into Alonzo Mourning and Johnson is channeling the late great Uncle Cliffy it’s hard to imagine.
The 5 is the spot that I’m most concerned about . With having znother wing bomber and 2 in second place .

 

[aceboon]

We have great depth, but Kansas is terrifying: they added guards Riley Kugel, Rylan Griffen, AJ Storr and Zeke Mayo to Dajuan Harris. And Hunter Dickinson is back at center. So Kansas and Alabama will be a challenge.

Kugel is at Mississippi St

 

[husky429]

I'm not sure I'd call Kansas "terrifying." They put together what amounts to an All-Star team including some guys who are not exactly known as consummate winners or teammates. If it all clicks they can be very good but I'm not sure stacking talent alone is what wins.

Paper Tiger. That team is full of me-first players. They'll win some... but they won't win it all.