2022 Recruiting: - Alex Karaban | Page 10 | The Boneyard

2022 Recruiting: Alex Karaban

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I sometimes go back and watch the first half of the UConn-California game in the 2nd round of the Dream Season. You can literally see a player (Nadav) dominate every single intangible aspect of a basketball game without scoring. Passing lanes, tipping rebounds, the extra pass, spacing, etc. He was on a whole other level of bball IQ in that first half. Personified the "make everyone else better" idea.

So well stated about Nadavs game boog. There are so many intracasies involved in how he impacted every game, many of which you missed if you couldn’t recognize. Again, just a special player!
 
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So well stated about Nadavs game boog. There are so many intracasies involved in how he impacted every game, many of which you missed if you couldn’t recognize. Again, just a special player!

I went back and watched, again... He only put a few #'s on the scoresheet during the initial 17-2 run that destroyed California. But he was the catalyst for everything we did. They were scared of him on the press so they picked up their dribble early and turned it over. Offensively, he either led our press-break offense or in the half-court made the pass that led to the pass and got their zone out of rotation. With his height, he was skip passing over the 2-3 creating space for Smitty and Tate to penetrate the gaps.

He probably only had a rebound or two, but he was keeping the ball alive or tipping to teammates over and over. Raftery did a whole break down of all the things he was doing without putting any major #'s up. I think he finished with a fairly pedestrian 10 and 4 for the game and he absolutely dominated. We've never really had another player who was so dominant intangibly.
 
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I went back and watched, again... He only put a few #'s on the scoresheet during the initial 17-2 run that destroyed California. But he was the catalyst for everything we did. They were scared of him on the press so they picked up their dribble early and turned it over. Offensively, he either led our press-break offense or in the half-court made the pass that led to the pass and got their zone out of rotation. With his height, he was skip passing over the 2-3 creating space for Smitty and Tate to penetrate the gaps.

He probably only had a rebound or two, but he was keeping the ball alive or tipping to teammates over and over. Raftery did a whole break down of all the things he was doing without putting any major #'s up. I think he finished with a fairly pedestrian 10 and 4 for the game and he absolutely dominated. We've never really had another player who was so dominant intangibly.
Boog. .My initial post suggesting some similarities between Nadav and AK was to compliment AK.. Has a very good BB IQ for his age and shares the ball well for a SF.

BTW. Did not want to detract from AK's attractiveness to the UConn Program(and this thread) by encouraging a Nadav narrative-as well-deserving as it is.

Hope AK wants to be part of #5
 
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Boog. .My initial post suggesting some similarities between Nadav and AK was to compliment AK.. Has a very good BB IQ for his age and shares the ball well for a SF.

BTW. Did not want to detract from AK's attractiveness to the UConn Program(and this thread) by encouraging a Nadav narrative-as well-deserving as it is.

Hope AK wants to be part of #5

Sorry for the derailment!
 
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However they are different, Nadav, Giffey, and Karaban make fundamental plays that lead to winning.

Nadav had the major deep shots that gave us the key back to back home wins vs Syracuse and Georgetown at the HCC that has always stayed with me as the key marker that we were a program to be reckoned with. His passing lane anticipation I still haven't seen from any player over the past 30 years. Most guys with a lot of steals get them with quickness. Nadav was all IQ. Karaban does many things better than Nadav but not that. I think my very first post on Karaban I may have mentioned or compared him to Giffey as a senior. That's because Giffey came in at 6'6/6'5 with a game comparable to Jamaal Coombs-McDaniel. He literally grew while he was at UConn. Freshman Giffey to freshman Karaban isn't useful.

If you watch the Karaban highlight video around post #10 in this thread, you are actually watching what you would see in person on every occasion I have seen him, (about 6x live). He impacts every possession he is in the game. Sometimes it is subtle by disallowing an entry pass an entire possession, and often it is in the highlight reel. Hawkins seems to glide and pick his spots, Karaban influences every offensive and defensive possession somehow. He doesn't make everything, but I never saw him go cold or miss bunnies. Just read what analysts have said that is posted in this thread. The kid is effective.

Don't overthink techniques, form, etc. The winning and the personal numbers are there game after game against the best competition there is. Yeah rah rah staff. Give me a K...
Nadav had "situational awareness" and made steals look effortless.

For example, he instinctively knew there were limited passing options for an opponent with the ball who was being double teamed on the sideline near midcourt or at midcourt near the sideline. He made countless steals by understanding that situation and others, reading the location of the other players and "shading" in the right direction to make the steal.
 
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I went back and watched, again... He only put a few #'s on the scoresheet during the initial 17-2 run that destroyed California. But he was the catalyst for everything we did. They were scared of him on the press so they picked up their dribble early and turned it over. Offensively, he either led our press-break offense or in the half-court made the pass that led to the pass and got their zone out of rotation. With his height, he was skip passing over the 2-3 creating space for Smitty and Tate to penetrate the gaps.

He probably only had a rebound or two, but he was keeping the ball alive or tipping to teammates over and over. Raftery did a whole break down of all the things he was doing without putting any major #'s up. I think he finished with a fairly pedestrian 10 and 4 for the game and he absolutely dominated. We've never really had another player who was so dominant intangibly.
Boog, the Cal game is probably one of my top 3 games to replay. Cal was completely stymied and at times frozen to deal with the press. Nadav's intuitive play was just remarkable.

He also had remarkably quick hands. There were many times throughout that season that he would approach a ball handler and just literally snatch the ball from his possession. Leaving the viewer asking, "How did he do that,?" He just approached the game differently than his contemporaries and it was beautiful to watch.
 
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Sorry for the derailment!
IMO.. Your contribution was insightful/honest/sincere.. Not about you.. I guess I didn't anticipate the awesome positivity and appreciation for Nadav still residing among Yarders. As I said.. One of my all-time favorite UConn players.

Thinking I was more the contributor to a temporary "derailment" by mentioning Dove as an example of a player that AK reminds me of in recent history. BB IQ and non-scoring contributions as you pointed out.

I was expecting to get called out by the derailment guys but so far.They've given me a pass on this unintentional one.
 
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IMO.. Your contribution was insightful/honest/sincere.. Not about you.. I guess I didn't anticipate the awesome positivity and appreciation for Nadav still residing among Yarders. As I said.. One of my all-time favorite UConn players.

Thinking I was more the contributor to a temporary "derailment" by mentioning Dove as an example of a player that AK reminds me of in recent history. BB IQ and non-scoring contributions as you pointed out.

I was expecting to get called out by the derailment guys but so far.They've given me a pass on this unintentional one.

I was 9 years old when Nadav "hit" so he is my first truly positive UConn memory. I vaguely remember the NIT Championship team, but I did not have the connection to that team that I did with the 89-90 one. I think any time Nadav is brought up on this board we go into reminiscing mode and it's tough to get out of it. That being said, I really like Karaban and hope we snag him. Would be a perfect addition at the 3/4.
 
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“It’s a great opportunity to make history at the school,” he said. “Doing someone [sic] most people don’t wanna do and make an impact at that school is awesome.”

i'm thinking he said "doing something most people dont wanna do..." because yeah most good bball players dont wanna go to NW lol
 

CL82

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1624295419753.png


It's dumb but the fact that this kid looks like he stepped out the 1950s or 60s makes me want him at UConn even more.
 
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View attachment 68124

It's dumb but the fact that this kid looks like he stepped out the 1950s or 60s makes me want him at UConn even more.
is it just my Ollie PTSD coming back or does that defender look like KO in the face/expression?

Man, I used to hate watching him whine and give up on the sideline. always thought JC woulda met him at half court and reamed him a new one if he was A player walking off the floor with that expression.
 

CL82

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is it just my Ollie PTSD coming back or does that defender look like KO in the face/expression?
I see it, now that you mention it
 
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is it just my Ollie PTSD coming back or does that defender look like KO in the face/expression?

Man, I used to hate watching him whine and give up on the sideline. always thought JC woulda met him at half court and reamed him a new one if he was A player walking off the floor with that expression.

If you can figure out a way to fit a good whine about KO in the cat thread you’ll be on to something.
 
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