Alex Karaban Prospect Overview (No Ceilings)

[nomar]

I like the Georges Niang comparisons, Niang handled the ball more and was tasked with more creation at Iowa State but he's not being asked to do that in the pros. I can see AK filling a similar role as Niang who has been a 20mpg game guy in the league for like 5 seasons now as a floor spacer and connective piece doing the stuff you mentioned.

I do hope Alex goes earlier than 50th. (Niang certainly wouldn’t go that low in a re-draft.)

 

[jibsey]

I don’t know how he stacks up or what his draft position will be but His driving game needs work, and he should be able to pull up and make mid range shots better. Just an opinion.

 

[Fan1978]

The thing is, "late 1st/early 2nd" doesn't actually make a lot of sense, it's more like "late 1st/undrafted" because the teams picking early 2nd are usually bad teams who want a high-risk/high-reward pick. I guess there could be contending teams who accidentally end up with early 2nd round picks but, like, is a team like New Orleans going to want him?

Bet he will be in the league for a long time, hawkins who left to early looks like a short timer. Is anyone following tyrese? He has found his niche

 

[kobebeanbryant]

I don’t know how he stacks up or what his draft position will be but His driving game needs work, and he should be able to pull up and make mid range shots better. Just an opinion.

He has no driving game (and will never have one due to physical limitations).

 

[navery12]

The thing is, "late 1st/early 2nd" doesn't actually make a lot of sense, it's more like "late 1st/undrafted" because the teams picking early 2nd are usually bad teams who want a high-risk/high-reward pick. I guess there could be contending teams who accidentally end up with early 2nd round picks but, like, is a team like New Orleans going to want him?

Here are the teams who drafted the first 5 picks of the 2nd round last year: Hawks, Jazz, Bucks, Knicks, Pacers. That's 3 playoff teams, and 4 of the next 6 picks were playoff teams too

 

[UConnTrumbull]

I think he can have a JJ Reddick type NBA career.

Respectfully I disagree. We forget how good Reddick was because everyone hates Duke. Guy was automatic and could beat guys on the dribble.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

He honestly has not improved much since his freshman year offensively. Definitely on the defensive end but he is the same guy on offense.

 

[Kitaman]

I was expecting an Adam Morrison type senior year.

 

[Methalius]

Respectfully I disagree. We forget how good Reddick was because everyone hates Duke. Guy was automatic and could beat guys on the dribble.

Reddick was great in college NOT in the NBA. He played on bad to average teams for most of his career and he averaged roughly 13 pts and game and shot something like 41% from 3. He wasn't a good defender. He was essentially a 3 point specialist. He was a modern day John Paxson or Steve Kerr but for bad teams. Not NBA champions.

 

[Hoophound]

I was expecting an Adam Morrison type senior year.

Why? There’s a huge difference in offensive talent between those two. Morrison was a better shooter with good form, could drive and had a knack for circus shots and scoring in the paint. Just a great college offensive player.

Alex is a high IQ, system player. He’s a glue guy. His shot is streaky due to wonky mechanics and he can’t make a move off the dribble most of the time. Alex is a great third or fourth best player. Nothing wrong with that in a program with the talent we have.

 

[Hoophound]

Reddick was great in college NOT in the NBA. He played on bad to average teams for most of his career and he averaged roughly 13 pts and game and shot something like 41% from 3. He wasn't a good defender. He was essentially a 3 point specialist. He was a modern day John Paxson or Steve Kerr but for bad teams. Not NBA champions.

JJ had a long and successful career. 13ppg in the NBA is very respectable.

 

[Matrim55]

I was expecting an Adam Morrison type senior year.

This is insane. Alex has never been able to create shots for himself – he's purely a role player. He's money from 3 off of movement and spot-ups, he's good at attacking close-outs and he's the best cutter we've ever had. He's not a guy who puts the ball on the floor to make stuff happen and never will be. Just not his skill-set (physically, as well as actual ball skill).

McNeeley is closer to Morrison. If you need a comp for Alex, it's probably some combo of Sam Hauser and Shane Battier.

 

[JohnFSilver]

I think 2nd round or UFA

Zero chance he is UFA.

He’s late first early second. He is older, ready to play, and most likely headed to a decent team.

Too many fans here think every first round pick is a starter. Look at Baylor Schierman in Boston. He is a late first, is g league year one, and will probably get a shot at the rotation year 2.

I would expect the same with Karaban.

 

[RuffRuff]

This is insane. Alex has never been able to create shots for himself – he's purely a role player. He's money from 3 off of movement and spot-ups, he's good at attacking close-outs and he's the best cutter we've ever had. He's not a guy who puts the ball on the floor to make stuff happen and never will be. Just not his skill-set (physically, as well as actual ball skill).

McNeeley is closer to Morrison. If you need a comp for Alex, it's probably some combo of Sam Hauser and Shane Battier.

Shane was a great defensive player, Alex is not. Hauser isn’t a bad comp.

 

[Matrim55]

Shane was a great defensive player, Alex is not. Hauser isn’t a bad comp.

Alex's help defense is excellent.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Why? There’s a huge difference in offensive talent between those two. Morrison was a better shooter with good form, could drive and had a knack for circus shots and scoring in the paint. Just a great college offensive player.

Alex is a high IQ, system player. He’s a glue guy. His shot is streaky due to wonky mechanics and he can’t make a move off the dribble most of the time. Alex is a great third or fourth best player. Nothing wrong with that in a program with the talent we have.

Love Alex and it is a shame that this happened last night. We could put him on the foul line 1000 more times in that same situation and he probably misses both only a handful of times at most. I know its not like poker and losing on the river to a two outer, but the odds were way in our favor that we would at least be tied after that trip to the foul line and none of this is discussed, especially if Nova would have found a way to win anyway.

But Alex is no Morrison actually Liam is a better comp for Morrison but way stronger as a freshman. Morrison was able to score at all three levels in college. He was a great college player. And actually if he would have been drafted after the NBA turned into a dunk and three point shooting contest he may have even stuck at that level longer.

I am going to refrain from making any other comps to what/who AK is and because it was him and I know how badly he feels it kind of tempered my anger that we lost. AK on the line to shoot two down one with 3.1 seconds is a scenario I will still take everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

Also as UConn fans because nothing is ever called in our favor, we have become numb to what is a foul and what is not, that play was every bit a foul with all the lower body contact and way more contact than that phantom call on Stewart against Dixon on the baseline fall away.

Head up AK you are appreciated by most of the UConn fan base no matter what happens.

 

[Dove]

At the line, at the end, he looked ill and unrelaxed. Rushed the shots. Not good.

 

[Hunt for 7]

This is insane. Alex has never been able to create shots for himself – he's purely a role player. He's money from 3 off of movement and spot-ups, he's good at attacking close-outs and he's the best cutter we've ever had. He's not a guy who puts the ball on the floor to make stuff happen and never will be. Just not his skill-set (physically, as well as actual ball skill).

McNeeley is closer to Morrison. If you need a comp for Alex, it's probably some combo of Sam Hauser and Shane Battier.

I missed your comment about Morrison and McNeeley before posting below. Obviously I agree that Liam is a better comp but Liam is a better player as a freshman than Morrison probably because he already has an NBA ready body and strength. Morrison evolved into the great CBB player he ended up being. We will never see what Liam would be able to do in college as a senior but more than likely if he had to stay three or four years he is a national player of the year favorite. So he is a bit ahead of Morrison at the same age.

 

[Hunt for 7]

At the line, at the end, he looked ill and unrelaxed. Rushed the shots. Not good.

Not looking to make excuses or make up something that is not there. I am speaking from experience having had three concussions in my life. The recovery on everyone was different. One was playing football in high school and I never lost consciousness and that one did not seem to linger.

The other two were car accidents (both not my fault) but I was knocked out in both and after those it was a few months before I felt 100%. I was under 25 year old for all three so age was not a factor in recovery.

Just saying they are all different. But he just did not have good body language all night.

 

[RuffRuff]

Alex's help defense is excellent.

Help is one thing, assigning a player to the other teams best offensive player with intention is another. Shane was a shut down dawg defensively and a really good athlete.

 

[aceboon]

latest ESPN mock draft that was posted this morning(Liam is 14th)

25. Brooklyn Nets (via New York)​

Alex Karaban, PF, UConn
Junior
Season averages: 16.3 points (48.3% FG), 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists

The Nets are flush with first-round picks and can go in many directions on draft night, including taking multiple swings on talent or being aggressive in trade conversations. Karaban, in the midst of his best college season to date, is a known quantity after two UConn championships. He's a reliable shooter (career 39.6% from 3), passer and cutter who should plug in and add offensive value early in his NBA career.

His defensive projection is a bit more dubious because of his athletic limitations -- Karaban's strong instincts have made up for that in college, but he'll be further challenged to guard in space and chase away from the ball in the pros. Regardless, he should be appealing to teams -- and perhaps the Nets here -- as a trustworthy, experienced bench addition late in the first round. -- Woo

 

[superjohn]

Come on guys, Battier was National POY and 3 time Defensive POY. Adam Morrison? JJ Redick? These guys were the best players in the country.

I love AK but the amount of hype his game gets isn't matched with his play on the court.

It's fine to just admit he's a great connector role player because that's what he is but he was on first team all-America lists, people are comparing him to national players of the year, and people talk about him like he's one of the best UConn players ever.

 

[boog204]

Reddick was great in college NOT in the NBA. He played on bad to average teams for most of his career and he averaged roughly 13 pts and game and shot something like 41% from 3. He wasn't a good defender. He was essentially a 3 point specialist. He was a modern day John Paxson or Steve Kerr but for bad teams. Not NBA champions.

JJ Redick scored over 12000 points in the NBA and was a 45/41/89 career shooter. If you combine Kerr and Paxson's career points they are still a few thousand points short of Redick. I know we dislike him b/c of Dukie affiliation, but Redick had a good NBA career.

 

[boog204]

Come on guys, Battier was National POY and 3 time Defensive POY. Adam Morrison? JJ Redick? These guys were the best players in the country.

I love AK but the amount of hype his game gets isn't matched with his play on the court.

It's fine to just admit he's a great connector role player because that's what he is but he was on first team all-America lists, people are comparing him to national players of the year, and people talk about him like he's one of the best UConn players ever.

Yep, I think most people who understand basketball knew what Alex was/is. He's an outstanding third guy on a team. He'll hit 3's, make the extra pass, connect, and do the little things. He's not a guy who can take someone off the dribble, ISO, or be a dominant scorer by his own device. Anyone who thought he'd come back and be an AA or 18-20ppg player is foolish.

 

[RuffRuff]

Come on guys, Battier was National POY and 3 time Defensive POY. Adam Morrison? JJ Redick? These guys were the best players in the country.

I love AK but the amount of hype his game gets isn't matched with his play on the court.

It's fine to just admit he's a great connector role player because that's what he is but he was on first team all-America lists, people are comparing him to national players of the year, and people talk about him like he's one of the best UConn players ever.

There are times where I’d like all the posters to get into a big board room together to have these discussions to see what that crowd looks like. I’d bet it would be highly entertaining.