Alex Karaban Appreciation Thread

[CTBasketball]

He was so important to this program over the last 4.5 years. He will be missed and will be very difficult to replace, if not irreplaceable.

I’m glad to have seen him play. An absolute legend in today’s college days.

 

[UCFan1513]

For the Casual fans, it’s been an amazing four-year journey, but @Ricker first alerted The Boneyard back in 2019! What a run!

View attachment 119441

Ultimate hat tip to @Ricker for calling Karaban and Clingan as his wishlist in 2019. That's great stuff

 

[HooperScooper]

For the Casual fans, it’s been an amazing four-year journey, but @Ricker first alerted The Boneyard back in 2019! What a run!

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Yeah that's why @Ricker and I connected about Karaban. He posted that he alerted Tom Moore about Karaban and then I did also. I never did ask Tom about that.

 

[DALTX]

On the Mount Rushmore of 4-year Huskies.

Number Eleven
UConn Huskies two-time champ
Alex Karaban

 

[superjohn]

 

[Matrim55]

On the Mount Rushmore of 4-year Huskies.

Number Eleven
UConn Huskies two-time champ
Alex Karaban

Oh man, that's a good Mount Rushmore.

Cliffy, Smitty, Bazz and AK? Maybe K-Free instead of Cliffy?

 

[HuskyHoosier]

Oh man, that's a good Mount Rushmore.

Cliffy, Smitty, Bazz and AK? Maybe K-Free instead of Cliffy?

Boat

 

[AdamaNation]

Its going to feel so weird not seeing him out there next season. 2 national titles, 3 Final Fours, and an 18-2 record in the tournament with both loses coming to the national champions is about as good of a career as a player can hope for in this day and age. Hope we see him back one day at UConn in some capacity.

By a total of what? 7 points?

 

[AdamaNation]

Oh man, that's a good Mount Rushmore.

Cliffy, Smitty, Bazz and AK? Maybe K-Free instead of Cliffy?

No vital? He was the bridge.

 

[Price0809]

View attachment 119443

Thank you AK!

 

[Price0809]

Oh man, that's a good Mount Rushmore.

Cliffy, Smitty, Bazz and AK? Maybe K-Free instead of Cliffy?

Shabazz, Karaban, Smith, the fourth one gets tough to me.

Mt. Rushmore of 1, 2, 3, and 4 year Huskies is a great idea.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Oh man, that's a good Mount Rushmore.

Cliffy, Smitty, Bazz and AK? Maybe K-Free instead of Cliffy?

I think that because of the NIT you got it right the first time.

 

[mauconnfan]

Too much to say about this kid. Amazing career, clutch and a quiet leader. The things said by Solo, Tarris and others is all we need to know.

Thanks AK for a tremendous 4 years and being one of the greatest Huskies of all time. You will be missed!

 

[Matrim55]

I think that because of the NIT you got it right the first time.

That plus starting the flood of Huskies into the league. IMO that mattered a ton for giving our program national credibility.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

That plus starting the flood of Huskies into the league. IMO that mattered a ton for giving our program national credibility.

And, being the transitional player from Dom Perno to Jim Calhoun.

 

[Husky25]

Shabazz, Karaban, Smith, the fourth one gets tough to me.

Mt. Rushmore of 1, 2, 3, and 4 year Huskies is a great idea.

By position and certain characteristics as well.

Although the "Lunch Pail" and "Power Forward" Mt. Rushmore would be very similar. For me, three are no brainers:
Karaban
Freeman
Whaley

Who's the fourth? Kirk King? Donny Marshall? Jeff Adrien? Donyell (Might be too polished to be considered "Lunch pail"), Gavin Edwards? Ed Nelson? CV? Edmund Saunders? Was Cliff a PF or C?

 

[MexicoHusky]

He will be difficult to replace. He did so many things well. He wasn't the best shooter to ever wear a Husky uniform. Nor was he the most physical PF we have ever had. He was a very nice balance of the two. He was enough of a physical presence to keep the opposing PF honest. Then on offense he complicated the opposing team's defensive strategy with his ability to play like a traditional SG.

 

[FlockOfLambs]

 

[FlexOnEm]

What a career! Things really took off for the program when Alex Karaban began starting at the 4 and Luke Murray took over the offense. Truly a program changing player and coach. Guys with the loyalty he has are a rare find nowadays. Glad he is leaving with 2 rings and his name/number on the wall.

 

[Justlurking]

Coach Hurley is wrong, we all are going to miss him.

 

[RashadRay11]

 

[Tyler2Rings]

I avoided this thread long enough. Thank you Alex

 

[Ricker]

Gratifying that yarders like @ToozieFan remember the 2019 post. In Jan 2020 I added Sanogo to the wish list and gave Tom Moore those 3 names in Springfield as a tongue in cheek moment that I also posted here. He got Sanogo a year early with a reclass and after both Clingan and Karaban also committed I made a post to the effect that I was going to have to own the results of getting my wishes and would have to man up and take the blame if things don't work out. Instead I get to thank Alex for a great run back to the mountain top of college basketball. Think of where we'd be with Donovan also here for 4 years! I tip my hat to a class kid and also thank @gwhuskyfan for the legacy of interviews of Alex that allowed us fans to enjoy and understand him. Best wishes to Alex.

I should also add that Tom Moore told me a year ago that Hurley's interest in skill players like Alex increased after our ncaa loss to NMexSt and I think our pursuit of him was a silver lining of that loss, as it was also the catalyst of revamping our offense.

 

[Scoe]

Let's remember basketball is AK's hobby, he's vacation plans might just be taking his vacations coming back here running the stairs.

 

[3rdbass]

He was really our Captain Connecticut and will be sorely be missed. Last memories I will have of him are going to be coming back to the hotel with his hoodie wrapped tight over his head and crying and just looking like he just wanted to vanish. I hope he can make the NBA and will be rooting for him. He has some talent and poured out his heart that last game against Michigan.

 

[Conquistador]

There were plenty of times when I questioned his toughness or ability, but man he came through in the tournament. He balled in the Final Four, and I don’t know if anyone remembers this, but the cameras focused on him at one point in the Championship game and he was bent over, breathing hard, but had the look of determination in his eyes that said, I’m fighting to the end! Mad respect!!

You went out on your shield! All the best in the Pros!!

 

[AdamaNation]

Shabazz, Karaban, Smith, the fourth one gets tough to me.

Mt. Rushmore of 1, 2, 3, and 4 year Huskies is a great idea.

Christian

 

[Fantana]

Yeah that's why @Ricker and I connected about Karaban. He posted that he alerted Tom Moore about Karaban and then I did also. I never did ask Tom about that.

@Ricker was on him so early. He was exactly the player that we never had under Ollie that we needed. Thrived here especially when Hurley adopted his European offense where his intelligence became his competitive advantage. Never had a player like him in later Ollie era and really helped transcend the program to achieve this success albeit in a much different style than we saw under Calhoun.

 

[husky99]

 

[REB1094]

After the Florida loss last year, AK could barely talk through his tears. He was a mess. Love this video because he's obviously emotional, but he's proud of himself

Last year he probably felt like he could have done more, which is why he was so upset. Now he knows he gave it his all, and in his own words, left UConn a better place than it was when he got there

There's a feeling of peace in that. AK has his peace knowing he did everything he could. And that makes me really happy. We're going to be talking about this kid for decades