Alleyne Deep Dive

[MyDorona]

I think many of us know what we're getting with Newton and why he was brought in. He's here to create offense for himself and others.

The bigger mystery to me is Naheim Alleyne. What type of a player is he? What role is he going to have here? The numbers tell the story of a three-point marksman, but can he handle some much-needed PG minutes? Can he create offense? How's his D?

Today, I watched the VT-Duke ACC Final matchup from earlier this year, with my eyes on Alleyne the entire game. I could've watched his sizzle reel or one of his higher-scoring performances (he averaged nearly double figures), but I think you learn the most about a player against the best competition, on the biggest stage. This is what I saw:

-Immediate impression was that he looks a little smaller than his stated 6'4" and he's slightly built

-My suspicion that he could stand to get a little stronger was confirmed on 2-3 occasions when he exhibited difficulty fighting through Duke screens leaving an open shooter

-He played in an offense at VT that ran similar actions to UConn. In that offense, against good comp like Duke, he was the 4th scoring option in most lineups

-He is a somewhat choosy and smart shooter rather than an elite shooter (as his numbers might suggest), and naturally looks to pass first

-Uses hesitation and jabs from the perimeter frequently to effectively create shooting space. Above-average fast-twitch movements

-It was reassuring to see VT run a play to get him an open look from 3 after stoppage

-He showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and finish but I think it's a rarity

-Unfortunately, he had almost no ball-handling responsibilities at Tech and I don't see any here. Unremarkable handle and passing. His m.o. is to catch-and-shoot, or dribble once or twice for a quick pass

-By far his best attributes are his long arms and quick, active hands on D. Great balance and hands when backpedaling on ball

-He's going to be a menace off-ball and help defender with his length and quick hands

-Very good feet and lateral movement on defense


Overall impression: Naheim is an average athlete with perhaps some untapped offensive upside, though he seems perfectly comfortable as a fourth option in a 3-and-D role. He is a picky shooter, which probably accounts for his efficient shooting %. He is a very good perimeter defender with elite hands and quick feet. My bold prediction is 2.0 SPG in Danny's defense this year (career high was 0.7 SPG at VT), and when he's on the court with A-Jax he'll likely guard the other team's second-best wing. Body comp is Kris Dunn. As far as all-around game and attributes, I'm hard-pressed to find a good UConn comp; the closest I can think of is Lasan Kromah

 

[bendm]

Sounds about right. If we’re truly set on this small ball starting lineup with AJ at the 4 then Alleyne and Hawkins will be the wings.

I like the thought of him as a 3&D guy that can guard the other teams best perimeter player on defense and spread the floor for us on offense. That’ll be just as important as knocking down a couple threes per game. I think he’ll be our fifth scoring option averaging around 9.5 ppg

 

[auror]

He attempted 9.3 3s per 100 possessions, which was right around Cole's frequency from last year. Choosy, but still quite frequent. That rate was actually 11.1 3pa/100 in conference play, which was sniffing Polley's 11.5 conference mark.

Their offense was predicated on spacing and shooting the 3 (they had 4 guys over 10 3pa/100), which it seems Hurley wants to bring a little of here.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

Hard to draw conclusions watching on shame, against a top four team mind you. While this may be accurate, I’d say this is a bit of a small sample size, no? I think this is more of a shallow dive.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I think many of us know what we're getting with Newton and why he was brought in. He's here to create offense for himself and others.

The bigger mystery to me is Naheim Alleyne. What type of a player is he? What role is he going to have here? The numbers tell the story of a three-point marksman, but can he handle some much-needed PG minutes? Can he create offense? How's his D?

Today, I watched the VT-Duke ACC Final matchup from earlier this year, with my eyes on Alleyne the entire game. I could've watched his sizzle reel or one of his higher-scoring performances (he averaged nearly double figures), but I think you learn the most about a player against the best competition, on the biggest stage. This is what I saw:

-Immediate impression was that he looks a little smaller than his stated 6'4" and he's slightly built

-My suspicion that he could stand to get a little stronger was confirmed on 2-3 occasions when he exhibited difficulty fighting through Duke screens leaving an open shooter

-He played in an offense at VT that ran similar actions to UConn. In that offense, against good comp like Duke, he was the 4th scoring option in most lineups

-He is a somewhat choosy and smart shooter rather than an elite shooter (as his numbers might suggest), and naturally looks to pass first

-Uses hesitation and jabs from the perimeter frequently to effectively create shooting space. Above-average fast-twitch movements

-It was reassuring to see VT run a play to get him an open look from 3 after stoppage

-He showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and finish but I think it's a rarity

-Unfortunately, he had almost no ball-handling responsibilities at Tech and I don't see any here. Unremarkable handle and passing. His m.o. is to catch-and-shoot, or dribble once or twice for a quick pass

-By far his best attributes are his long arms and quick, active hands on D. Great balance and hands when backpedaling on ball

-He's going to be a menace off-ball and help defender with his length and quick hands

-Very good feet and lateral movement on defense


Overall impression: Naheim is an average athlete with perhaps some untapped offensive upside, though he seems perfectly comfortable as a fourth option in a 3-and-D role. He is a picky shooter, which probably accounts for his efficient shooting %. He is a very good perimeter defender with elite hands and quick feet. My bold prediction is 2.0 SPG in Danny's defense this year (career high was 0.7 SPG at VT), and when he's on the court with A-Jax he'll likely guard the other team's second-best wing. Body comp is Kris Dunn. As far as all-around game and attributes, I'm hard-pressed to find a good UConn comp; the closest I can think of is Lasan Kromah

Nice work but I'm taking the under on 2.0 spg.

 

[PNolanFan]

I admire the dedication it takes to watch an entire Duke game that already happened

 

[RichZ]

I'm hard-pressed to find a good UConn comp; the closest I can think of is Lasan Kromah

If he gives us what Kromah did, I'll be happy. And by that I mean score the final points in a UConn National Championship victory.

I think he’ll be our fifth scoring option averaging around 9.5 ppg

The last time our 5th leading scorer averaged over 9 points was Christian Vital in the 16/17 season, at 9.1.
Other than him, as far back as I checked before losing interest (2009/10) the 5th highest scorers since then have been between 5 and 7.6 point scorers.

 

[Tenspro2002]

He'll be a solid 4th option and a well-rounded fit for the lineup.

Polley was a 3&D guy without the D. We gave up way too much rebounding when he was at the 4 and way too much perimeter defense when he was at the 3.

Alleyne will give you some offense (mostly spot-up shooting) without creating a massive hole elsewhere.

 

[dennismenace]

A great defender on an aggressive defensive team will be creating transition offense so this also must be factored in to the offensive assessment. That is exactly what we need. A smart all around player who flourishes in transition. Well done to the staff!

 

[ucp990411]

If he gives us what Kromah did, I'll be happy. And by that I mean score the final points in a UConn National Championship victory.



The last time our 5th leading scorer averaged over 9 points was Christian Vital in the 16/17 season, at 9.1.
Other than him, as far back as I checked before losing interest (2009/10) the 5th highest scorers since then have been between 5 and 7.6 point scorers.

Wicked cool, thanks for brightening up my day. Can't wait for # 5!

 

[bendm]

He'll be a solid 4th option and a well-rounded fit for the lineup

Do you also think he’ll be the 4 th leading scorer? That would mean he’s behind one of Newton, Hawk, AJ or Sanogo

 

[Tenspro2002]

Do you also think he’ll be the 4 th leading scorer? That would mean he’s behind one of Newton, Hawk, AJ or Sanogo

I don't know if he'll start or come off the bench, but I expect something like 25 mpg and 9-10 ppg.

I expect Newton, Sanogo, and Hawkins to all be around 13-15 ppg, Alleyne around 9-10 ppg, Jackson probably similar.

 

[McLovin]

He'll be a solid 4th option and a well-rounded fit for the lineup.

Polley was a 3&D guy without the D. We gave up way too much rebounding when he was at the 4 and way too much perimeter defense when he was at the 3.

Alleyne will give you some offense (mostly spot-up shooting) without creating a massive hole elsewhere.

And for most of the season he was also missing the “3” lol

 

[Tenspro2002]

And for most of the season he was also missing the “3” lol

He finished around 35% on high volume, which is decent on its own. The problems was:

1) all the effort it took to set him up for those shots, a lot of which were forced
2) how little he gave otherwise, on offense and defense

 

[fatlucy]

He finished around 35% on high volume, which is decent on its own. The problems was:

1) all the effort it took to set him up for those shots, a lot of which were forced
2) how little he gave otherwise, on offense and defense

But now there are multiple scoring options to defend so he won’t be targeted by the better defenders. Maybe help his %

 

[Tenspro2002]

But now there are multiple scoring options to defend so he won’t be targeted by the better defenders. Maybe help his %

Sorry, I was talking about Polley.

As for Alleyne, what will help him is:

• having other scoring options so that he should be able to get his shots within the flow of the offense
• being enough of a dribble-drive threat that defenders can't just play tight on him

In other words, unlike Polley, I expect Alleyne to not require running him off of multiple off-ball/elevator screens to get a clean look.

 

[connjah]

naheim alleyne 18 points vs xavier

 

[connjah]

I think many of us know what we're getting with Newton and why he was brought in. He's here to create offense for himself and others.

The bigger mystery to me is Naheim Alleyne. What type of a player is he? What role is he going to have here? The numbers tell the story of a three-point marksman, but can he handle some much-needed PG minutes? Can he create offense? How's his D?

Today, I watched the VT-Duke ACC Final matchup from earlier this year, with my eyes on Alleyne the entire game. I could've watched his sizzle reel or one of his higher-scoring performances (he averaged nearly double figures), but I think you learn the most about a player against the best competition, on the biggest stage. This is what I saw:

-Immediate impression was that he looks a little smaller than his stated 6'4" and he's slightly built

-My suspicion that he could stand to get a little stronger was confirmed on 2-3 occasions when he exhibited difficulty fighting through Duke screens leaving an open shooter

-He played in an offense at VT that ran similar actions to UConn. In that offense, against good comp like Duke, he was the 4th scoring option in most lineups

-He is a somewhat choosy and smart shooter rather than an elite shooter (as his numbers might suggest), and naturally looks to pass first

-Uses hesitation and jabs from the perimeter frequently to effectively create shooting space. Above-average fast-twitch movements

-It was reassuring to see VT run a play to get him an open look from 3 after stoppage

-He showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and finish but I think it's a rarity

-Unfortunately, he had almost no ball-handling responsibilities at Tech and I don't see any here. Unremarkable handle and passing. His m.o. is to catch-and-shoot, or dribble once or twice for a quick pass

-By far his best attributes are his long arms and quick, active hands on D. Great balance and hands when backpedaling on ball

-He's going to be a menace off-ball and help defender with his length and quick hands

-Very good feet and lateral movement on defense


Overall impression: Naheim is an average athlete with perhaps some untapped offensive upside, though he seems perfectly comfortable as a fourth option in a 3-and-D role. He is a picky shooter, which probably accounts for his efficient shooting %. He is a very good perimeter defender with elite hands and quick feet. My bold prediction is 2.0 SPG in Danny's defense this year (career high was 0.7 SPG at VT), and when he's on the court with A-Jax he'll likely guard the other team's second-best wing. Body comp is Kris Dunn. As far as all-around game and attributes, I'm hard-pressed to find a good UConn comp; the closest I can think of is Lasan Kromah

don’t wanna bash your eval but i’ve been watching a lot of virginia tech recently and he plays the 2 sometimes with responsibilities to bring up the ball and set up the offense. He’s not just a shooter most of his points come off dribble drives where he creates contact and goes to the line. He’s seems very strong and built and sneaky athletic . He doesn’t have a lot of dribble moves but the way he plays he doesn’t need much he can dribble though. He can create somewhat and he likes to get in the post . Most of his Threes are off a triple threat or from a down screen , and ball screens when defender goes under the screen.

 

[connjah]

naheim alleyne 28 points vs florida 1st round march madness

 

[auror]

He’s not just a shooter most of his points come off dribble drives where he creates contact and goes to the line.

He had a lower free throw rate this year than anyone on UConn.

 

[bigknight3]

I think this is more of a shallow dive.

Or was it a deep dive into a shallow pool?

 

[Vancat]

UConn men’s basketball transfer Nahiem Alleyne brings a new family of fans with him

When former Virginia Tech guard Nahiem Alleyne decided to transfer to UConn, his biggest fan and her family from North Carolina were ready to adopt the Huskies. “This message is for the UConn…

www.courant.com

 

[HuskyHawk]

don’t wanna bash your eval but i’ve been watching a lot of virginia tech recently and he plays the 2 sometimes with responsibilities to bring up the ball and set up the offense. He’s not just a shooter most of his points come off dribble drives where he creates contact and goes to the line. He’s seems very strong and built and sneaky athletic . He doesn’t have a lot of dribble moves but the way he plays he doesn’t need much he can dribble though. He can create somewhat and he likes to get in the post . Most of his Threes are off a triple threat or from a down screen , and ball screens when defender goes under the screen.

This is why I think he'll be the 6th man off the bench. Our offense is likely to have two players on the wing and two facilitators up top. Newton and Jackson will be facilitators up top. Hawk a wing. I think Alleyne is more of a 3rd facilitator than he is a wing. With the current roster that leaves Johnson/Karaban at the 4 and the right side wing spot on offense.

We will add more guys, but it's hard to know how much they will play. If one is Castle, then I can see him in that 3rd facilitator role and Alleyne becoming a wing. But we all ignore defense at our peril. Hurley has usually sacrificed offense for defense with his lineup choices. Hard to say what that will change.

 

[Kitaman]

Great kid, strong character! Love that about him regardless of basketball skills and future.


Another article here: Linky

 

[BGesus4]

I think many of us know what we're getting with Newton and why he was brought in. He's here to create offense for himself and others.

The bigger mystery to me is Naheim Alleyne. What type of a player is he? What role is he going to have here? The numbers tell the story of a three-point marksman, but can he handle some much-needed PG minutes? Can he create offense? How's his D?

Today, I watched the VT-Duke ACC Final matchup from earlier this year, with my eyes on Alleyne the entire game. I could've watched his sizzle reel or one of his higher-scoring performances (he averaged nearly double figures), but I think you learn the most about a player against the best competition, on the biggest stage. This is what I saw:

-Immediate impression was that he looks a little smaller than his stated 6'4" and he's slightly built

-My suspicion that he could stand to get a little stronger was confirmed on 2-3 occasions when he exhibited difficulty fighting through Duke screens leaving an open shooter

-He played in an offense at VT that ran similar actions to UConn. In that offense, against good comp like Duke, he was the 4th scoring option in most lineups

-He is a somewhat choosy and smart shooter rather than an elite shooter (as his numbers might suggest), and naturally looks to pass first

-Uses hesitation and jabs from the perimeter frequently to effectively create shooting space. Above-average fast-twitch movements

-It was reassuring to see VT run a play to get him an open look from 3 after stoppage

-He showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and finish but I think it's a rarity

-Unfortunately, he had almost no ball-handling responsibilities at Tech and I don't see any here. Unremarkable handle and passing. His m.o. is to catch-and-shoot, or dribble once or twice for a quick pass

-By far his best attributes are his long arms and quick, active hands on D. Great balance and hands when backpedaling on ball

-He's going to be a menace off-ball and help defender with his length and quick hands

-Very good feet and lateral movement on defense


Overall impression: Naheim is an average athlete with perhaps some untapped offensive upside, though he seems perfectly comfortable as a fourth option in a 3-and-D role. He is a picky shooter, which probably accounts for his efficient shooting %. He is a very good perimeter defender with elite hands and quick feet. My bold prediction is 2.0 SPG in Danny's defense this year (career high was 0.7 SPG at VT), and when he's on the court with A-Jax he'll likely guard the other team's second-best wing. Body comp is Kris Dunn. As far as all-around game and attributes, I'm hard-pressed to find a good UConn comp; the closest I can think of is Lasan Kromah

No no no. He will be Jordan-esque, and every second of playtime that he isn’t we should slam him and Hurley for putting us through the related distress.

 

[bendm]

This is why I think he'll be the 6th man off the bench

Credit for not giving up on Samson in the starting lineup but we just gotta assume the senior that’s averaged almost 30mpg for his career is gonna start over the sophomore that played like 30 minutes total last year, at least to begin the season.

If our offense with three Gs and AJ at the 4 isn’t making up for our lack of rebounding and interior D then Hurley will make a change.

I Also think we’re getting a backup CG whether it’s a transfer or castle so we won’t need alleyne to fill that role.

 

[Magic32]

UConn came through with swag for Dani Jo to continue supporting Alleyne and begin supporting the Huskies.

 

[mauconnfan]

UConn came through with swag for Dani Jo to continue supporting Alleyne and begin supporting the Huskies.

Thanks for posting excellent stuff!

 

[ctchamps]

naheim alleyne 28 points vs florida 1st round march madness

Watch from the two to four minute mark at the beginning of the game and last 4 and 1/2 minutes of regulation plus the first minute of overtime to get an idea of Alleyne's skill set on offense. In those last four and 1/2 minutes plus first minute of overtime he drives a lot to the basket.

He missed a three with ten seconds in regulation which would have tied the game, Florida misses two free throws, Alleyne gets the ball with 1.9 seconds remaining and made the three for the tie.

 

[dennismenace]

I watched the Xavier game from the tape supplied (thanks, great to watch a broadcast without commercials!). I watched him throughout the game. Overall a steady performer on offense and defense. Made some big 3's in the last 9 mins. Talented physically and sneaky fast. Looks like he can play calm but perform in pressure situations. Looks like a good teammate and good catch by the staff.