Alex is back!

[HooperScooper]

Karaban spoke to the Connecticut media yesterday to explain his decision.

“I know this upcoming season, with the coaching staff and everything we’ve talked about, I know I could be a possible All-American, I know I can take those huge jumps and be one of the best players in the Big East this upcoming season too,” he said. “I’m willing to take those challenges on and really continue to prove myself and continue to help UConn win championships.”

Inside Alex Karaban’s decision to return to UConn and how the Huskies’ roster fits around him

Why Alex Karaban felt another year with UConn will help him hit the ground running when the NBA calls, and why he feels the Huskies are set up to three-peat.

www.courant.com

Alternate access:
Inside Alex Karaban’s decision to return to UConn and how the Huskies’ roster fits around him

 

[HooperScooper]

"I thought I really helped improve my stock," Karaban said. "I thought I showed I was one of the best shooters in this draft class. I thought I left a great impression, at least from the feedback I got from the interviews I had."

He felt he "killed it" on all his team interviews and set himself up for a potential first-round selection next year, especially if he leads UConn to a third straight national title.

"And if next year doesn't work out," Karaban said, "I'll be here for my senior year, too."

Why Alex Karaban is returning to UConn men's basketball team: 'Three-peat is the No. 1 goal'

The NBA Draft process was 'very stressful' for Alex Karaban, but he decided to return to UConn men's basketball team to chase three-peat.

www.nhregister.com

Alternate access:

Why Alex Karaban is returning to UConn men's basketball team: 'Three-peat is the No. 1 goal'​

 

[huskyharry]

So happy he’s coming back. I think his leadership will be very important for this team. Go huskies!!!

The Brain Trust!

 

[Waquoit]

"And if next year doesn't work out," Karaban said, "I'll be here for my senior year, too."

Great quote, a player with his head on straight.

 

[7774]

It's wild that a guy is a "POS" for allegedly picking a 1 seed to beat another 1 seed (for the record, I think he predicted that Purdue would cover 6 1/2) but on the bracket show every CBS personality picked UConn to win the title from the start. On ESPN's March Madness preview show the same day every panelist picked UConn to win the title from the start. I read an article in, maybe, the Athletic where 20 of the 22 pundits picked the same team to win the whole thing. Guess which team? This idea that there is some vendetta against UConn is so tired and small-time at this point.

Not to mention I'm pretty sure Gary Parish doesn't even do work for the Athletic, and didn't put together the list where we're ranked 7th. He had us 5th in a ranking he put out 2 days ago.

 

[aceboon]

surprised he only had 2 workouts

 

[HooperScooper]

surprised he only had 2 workouts

I don't think anyone has had many workouts between the NBA Combine and Wednesday. Teams just haven't set those large invite workouts up yet. Most of these workouts are coming up in the next few weeks before the draft.

 

[dennismenace]

That's comical, Vegas made us the favorite to win the national championship next season once Karaban said he's coming back.

Vegas knows a little about putting money where the mouth is. That's encouraging to me though I don't gamble.

 

[HooperScooper]

I thought this was an interesting take. Don't usually see people writing about a player making a mistake pulling out of the draft. Usually just the other way around.

Alex Karaban, UConn​

I'll swerve here on the topic and be the only of our bunch to take a player who actually returned to college instead of staying in the NBA Draft. In a soft 2024 draft class Karaban looked like a real first-round prospect and had a strong predraft process that included a solid showing at the combine. Coming off a second consecutive national championship, turning pro instead of staying in school seemed (from afar, to be clear) to be the better of the two options, just given where his stock is right now and the landscape of the current class.

It's obviously hard to fault a player for deciding to stay in school and continuing their education and impossible to criticize that decision with Karaban specifically -- he loves UConn, he's pursuing his education and his stock is likely to remain at or above the same level next cycle -- but, if placed in his shoes, I would've had a hard time passing up the prospect of being a potential first-rounder and kick-starting the pro career clock.

With Dan Hurley potentially considering a move to leave UConn to become the coach of the Lakers, it adds another wrinkle of uncertainty about next season that only further complicates what was already a tough stay-or-go decision. -- Kyle Boone

Dribble Handoff: Bronny James, Alex Karaban highlight questionable 2024 NBA Draft decisions

We are second-guessing the NBA Draft stay-or-go decisions made by these players

www.cbssports.com

 

[Marat]

I am hoping to see another thread in a few days like this but titled "Dan is back!'.

 

[HooperScooper]

I am hoping to see another thread in a few days like this but titled "Dan is back!'.

But he never left. Wouldn't it be "Dan is staying?"

 

[Marat]

But he never left. Wouldn't it be "Dan is staying?"

Sure, works too !