Alex Karaban Recruitment | The Boneyard

Alex Karaban Recruitment

P

Punkbo

Joined
Apr 10, 2022
Messages
736
Reaction Score
6,126
I was intrigued by the comment on College Gameday that Alex Karaban’s mom didn’t want him to come to UConn at first because of the education. I looked back at AK’s recruitment and noticed that he received offers from some very good educational institutions.

Harvard, Penn and Stanford were the most noteworthy with Northwestern and Notre Dame at the next level. Ivy League basketball is good, but nowhere near UConn-level. Nobody would have seen his games if he went to the West Coast to play at Stanford. The basketball programs at Northwestern and Notre Dame aren’t even close to the standard set at UConn.

He’s currently getting a great education, competing for National Championships and being showcased as a potential NBA player. I think it’s safe to say he made the right decision.
 
Here's the story about it. I ran into someone in town yesterday whose son is good friends with Karaban. He said Alex told him that ultimately he picked UConn because he loved Hurley. Said he is, "Nuts, but in a good way." Lol

But the AK that would eventually help UConn to a national championship needed an OK from OK — his mother, Olga Karaban — before making a commitment to coach Dan Hurley and the Huskies in the summer of 2021. Alex loved his visit to the Storrs campus and was sold, almost immediately. Olga Karaban was skeptical, though, having learned all about basketball from the Huskies’ staff but next to nothing about the education her son might receive.

“We saw all the facilities, talked to coaches, went to eat, came home,” Olga said in August, sitting on a couch in the family’s living room next to Alexei. “Alex was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I feel like this is what I want. It felt right when I stepped on the court.’ I'm sitting there, just quiet. He was like, ‘This is great!’ And I'm not saying anything. He said, ‘What do you think?' I said, ‘Everything is great but I'm not impressed with academics because I didn't hear anything about it.’”

Karaban called Hurley and said, “My mom’s not happy.”

What followed was a furious final recruiting phase for which Hurley brought an entire team together. It wasn’t a basketball team. Hurley asked athletic director David Benedict for help coordinating, and UConn sent a car service back to Northborough to pick up the Karabans for a return visit a week later.

Radenka Maric — today UConn president and then the university’s vice president for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship — was among the lead presenters. Engineering professors were gathered. Curriculums and potential career paths were discussed. UConn flexed every fiber of every academic muscle that the university’s rising national reputation is built on.

“It was the worst for Alex because we had to go through all the academic buildings,” Olga said. “We went to the engineering center, and they were showing crazy stuff. It was actually interesting, at least for me. For you, too, right?”

www.nhregister.com

How UConn became home for men's basketball's budding star Alex Karaban: 'He's very happy'

Alex Karaban, a computer science major, led UConn in playing time as a freshman as the Huskies won a national championship.
www.nhregister.com www.nhregister.com

Alternate access:

How UConn became home for men's basketball's budding star Alex Karaban: 'He's very happy'​

 
I do wonder, given he’s been on campus a semester longer than a usual sophomore, and that he probably came into college with a bunch of credits from AP courses or other locations, how close he is to graduating, and if that will have any impact on an NBA decision.
 
.-.
The school is always ranked in the top tier, usually 60ish

But I understand a parent preferring an Ivy League education. The people you meet are world leaders, invaluable connections

Alex is going to make 7 figures playing basketball and receive a great education. He made a great decision
 
UConNick said:
I do wonder, given he’s been on campus a semester longer than a usual sophomore, and that he probably came into college with a bunch of credits from AP courses or other locations, how close he is to graduating, and if that will have any impact on an NBA decision.
Expand ...
I was wondering the same. I forgot to ask the guy I ran into yesterday. I'll ask when I see him next time. There must be a reason Karaban is taking 6 courses this semester.
 
AK is making more in NIL playing for UConn than he would have at Stanford or Notre Dame and it is a moot point for any of the Ivy League schools. If Alex stays another year he will have made enough money to buy a very nice house wherever he wants and regardless of what happens after his college career is over he will have already made more money than the average Ivy league grad makes in their first four or five years after graduating. Let alone getting the chance to experience a national championship and the media exposure that has enhanced his basketball opportunities. Good decision.
 
.-.
UConNick said:
I do wonder, given he’s been on campus a semester longer than a usual sophomore, and that he probably came into college with a bunch of credits from AP courses or other locations, how close he is to graduating, and if that will have any impact on an NBA decision.
Expand ...
AK isn't ready to leave yet as a basketball player.
 
Punkbo said:
I was intrigued by the comment on College Gameday that Alex Karaban’s mom didn’t want him to come to UConn at first because of the education. I looked back at AK’s recruitment and noticed that he received offers from some very good educational institutions.

Harvard, Penn and Stanford were the most noteworthy with Northwestern and Notre Dame at the next level. Ivy League basketball is good, but nowhere near UConn-level. Nobody would have seen his games if he went to the West Coast to play at Stanford. The basketball programs at Northwestern and Notre Dame aren’t even close to the standard set at UConn.

He’s currently getting a great education, competing for National Championships and being showcased as a potential NBA player. I think it’s safe to say he made the right decision.
Expand ...
At first only @Ricker really wanted Alex to come to UConn:)
 
Very interesting on the quality of academic institutions who gave AK offers. Also a real heads up to the recruiting end of the program and AD. AK brings so much to this team and program that doesn't always show up in the box score. If you saw the postgame interview with Shaka Smart the other night he smiled, lauded him and was kind of speechless at what he brings to this team. You could tell he was very impressed with him as a player and a person. I think he was referring to his basketball IQ as well as his character in addition to his basketball skills. He certainly has a bright future and both the University and Alex made great decisions in his accepting their offer and coming here.
 
.-.
HooperScooper said:
Here's the story about it. I ran into someone in town yesterday whose son is good friends with Karaban. He said Alex told him that ultimately he picked UConn because he loved Hurley. Said he is, "Nuts, but in a good way." Lol

But the AK that would eventually help UConn to a national championship needed an OK from OK — his mother, Olga Karaban — before making a commitment to coach Dan Hurley and the Huskies in the summer of 2021. Alex loved his visit to the Storrs campus and was sold, almost immediately. Olga Karaban was skeptical, though, having learned all about basketball from the Huskies’ staff but next to nothing about the education her son might receive.

“We saw all the facilities, talked to coaches, went to eat, came home,” Olga said in August, sitting on a couch in the family’s living room next to Alexei. “Alex was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I feel like this is what I want. It felt right when I stepped on the court.’ I'm sitting there, just quiet. He was like, ‘This is great!’ And I'm not saying anything. He said, ‘What do you think?' I said, ‘Everything is great but I'm not impressed with academics because I didn't hear anything about it.’”

Karaban called Hurley and said, “My mom’s not happy.”

What followed was a furious final recruiting phase for which Hurley brought an entire team together. It wasn’t a basketball team. Hurley asked athletic director David Benedict for help coordinating, and UConn sent a car service back to Northborough to pick up the Karabans for a return visit a week later.

Radenka Maric — today UConn president and then the university’s vice president for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship — was among the lead presenters. Engineering professors were gathered. Curriculums and potential career paths were discussed. UConn flexed every fiber of every academic muscle that the university’s rising national reputation is built on.

“It was the worst for Alex because we had to go through all the academic buildings,” Olga said. “We went to the engineering center, and they were showing crazy stuff. It was actually interesting, at least for me. For you, too, right?”

www.nhregister.com

How UConn became home for men's basketball's budding star Alex Karaban: 'He's very happy'

Alex Karaban, a computer science major, led UConn in playing time as a freshman as the Huskies won a national championship.
www.nhregister.com www.nhregister.com

Alternate access:

How UConn became home for men's basketball's budding star Alex Karaban: 'He's very happy'​

Expand ...
After reading this, I have a question. If Alex’s mother puts getting an education as a top priority, would she wish her son leave school without his degree?
 
Dove said:
So, how pissed will Olga be if Alex leaves with no degree?
Expand ...
This may actually be a contributing factor to him staying another year, after which he can graduate after 3.5 years.
 
UConNick said:
I do wonder, given he’s been on campus a semester longer than a usual sophomore, and that he probably came into college with a bunch of credits from AP courses or other locations, how close he is to graduating, and if that will have any impact on an NBA decision.
Expand ...
I thought it was known he’d be graduating after his redshirt junior year which is next season
 
HooperScooper said:
Here's the story about it. I ran into someone in town yesterday whose son is good friends with Karaban. He said Alex told him that ultimately he picked UConn because he loved Hurley. Said he is, "Nuts, but in a good way." Lol

But the AK that would eventually help UConn to a national championship needed an OK from OK — his mother, Olga Karaban — before making a commitment to coach Dan Hurley and the Huskies in the summer of 2021. Alex loved his visit to the Storrs campus and was sold, almost immediately. Olga Karaban was skeptical, though, having learned all about basketball from the Huskies’ staff but next to nothing about the education her son might receive.

“We saw all the facilities, talked to coaches, went to eat, came home,” Olga said in August, sitting on a couch in the family’s living room next to Alexei. “Alex was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I feel like this is what I want. It felt right when I stepped on the court.’ I'm sitting there, just quiet. He was like, ‘This is great!’ And I'm not saying anything. He said, ‘What do you think?' I said, ‘Everything is great but I'm not impressed with academics because I didn't hear anything about it.’”

Karaban called Hurley and said, “My mom’s not happy.”

What followed was a furious final recruiting phase for which Hurley brought an entire team together. It wasn’t a basketball team. Hurley asked athletic director David Benedict for help coordinating, and UConn sent a car service back to Northborough to pick up the Karabans for a return visit a week later.

Radenka Maric — today UConn president and then the university’s vice president for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship — was among the lead presenters. Engineering professors were gathered. Curriculums and potential career paths were discussed. UConn flexed every fiber of every academic muscle that the university’s rising national reputation is built on.

“It was the worst for Alex because we had to go through all the academic buildings,” Olga said. “We went to the engineering center, and they were showing crazy stuff. It was actually interesting, at least for me. For you, too, right?”

www.nhregister.com

How UConn became home for men's basketball's budding star Alex Karaban: 'He's very happy'

Alex Karaban, a computer science major, led UConn in playing time as a freshman as the Huskies won a national championship.
www.nhregister.com www.nhregister.com

Alternate access:

How UConn became home for men's basketball's budding star Alex Karaban: 'He's very happy'​

Expand ...
Thanks for this posting. Great story and says a lot about his motivation and character. Family, hard work and priorities. And the joy of playing basketball as a youngster. Very inspirational.
 
.-.
If Alex stays another year, it ain't to finish a college degree.
 
Go to the Ivy leagues when you have no legit NBA prospects. Alex made the correct choice. 1 Natty in hand (possibly more), scads of NIL and then professional NBA career
 
It's unfortunate that the Gameday announcer made a point about the quality of education at UConn when the real story is that the mother was unsatisfied because there was no emphasis on it. Two totally different things. She merely wanted them to talk about education at all.

As someone going on these college tours right now, it's very difficult getting info from the colleges themselves.
 
Punkbo said:
I was intrigued by the comment on College Gameday that Alex Karaban’s mom didn’t want him to come to UConn at first because of the education. I looked back at AK’s recruitment and noticed that he received offers from some very good educational institutions.

Harvard, Penn and Stanford were the most noteworthy with Northwestern and Notre Dame at the next level. Ivy League basketball is good, but nowhere near UConn-level. Nobody would have seen his games if he went to the West Coast to play at Stanford. The basketball programs at Northwestern and Notre Dame aren’t even close to the standard set at UConn.

He’s currently getting a great education, competing for National Championships and being showcased as a potential NBA player. I think it’s safe to say he made the right decision.
Expand ...
That reporter misunderstood a story that Alex has told many times. When he first visited the campus, his mom didn't feel like there was enough emphasis on how his academics would be handled. He let Hurley know that and on the second visit they went over it in detail. It never was a slight against the academics of the university, instead it was our staff missing the Mom's need to understand the academic part of a student athletes experience on the first visit.
 
superjohn said:
You can get a great education anywhere.
Expand ...
Absolutely this is true at most institutions. However, going to Stamford, Harvard, Yale and Princeton, He would rub shoulders with future Presidents, Senators and IPO Billionaires who would all remember Him as the star basketball player during their college days. Because Alex turned himself into an elite division 1 player, Uconn was the best destination for him.
 
upstater said:
It's unfortunate that the Gameday announcer made a point about the quality of education at UConn when the real story is that the mother was unsatisfied because there was no emphasis on it. Two totally different things. She merely wanted them to talk about education at all.

As someone going on these college tours right now, it's very difficult getting info from the colleges themselves.
Expand ...
I feel like UConn will always take out of staters.
 
.-.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,623
Messages
4,586,124
Members
10,497
Latest member
Orlando Fos


Top Bottom