Backcourt Depth Next Year

[WrenchFan69]

If that guard is Tremont Waters should Wade get canned, then absolutely

 

[Phoenixhusky]

What is Akok if not a 4 or 5? Are we really going to play Akok at the 3 when we have Vital, Bouknight, Polley and Wilson all vying for that position? Akok's shot-blocking is needed inside, not sitting on the wing. My bet is that we see a lot of Carlton and Akok together up front as twin 4's or twin 5's, choose your label.

I agree we’ll see a lot of Akok and Carlton together.

 

[intlzncster]

Likely wouldn't be a current guy that is available. Any guard added to the roster for next year, and it wouldn't be a bad idea, would likely be a decommit, transfer w/ a waiver, or a grad transfer.

That's what I was thinking and I too would grab one. Even if it's just as a place holder in case something happens to Gilbert. The 'recruit over him' or 'move on' guys are dumb, but you gotta have a backup plan just in case.

Most important is a backup center. By Far.

 

[Psolo12]

What is Akok if not a 4 or 5? Are we really going to play Akok at the 3 when we have Vital, Bouknight, Polley and Wilson all vying for that position? Akok's shot-blocking is needed inside, not sitting on the wing. My bet is that we see a lot of Carlton and Akok together up front as twin 4's or twin 5's, choose your label.

Why would Akok not be a 4.. kid is almost as tall as a 5

 

[Candyman]

We need another ball handler. Gaffney is a combo that primarily plays off the ball in HS/AAU. Another grad transfer is in line imo.

Doesn't matter what he was playing in HS or AAU, he was recuited to play PG here at UConn and if Gilbert goes down he will be the man. He will back up Gilbert and play with him. Bouk will play 2/3. Bouk keeps posting "thats my point guard" about Gaffney.

 

[intlzncster]

Only problem with this is Adams can't dribble.

Yet.

 

[HooperScooper]

If that guard is Tremont Waters should Wade get canned, then absolutely

Wouldn't he have to sit out a year as a transfer? No way the NCAA is giving a waiver for this one.

 

[Psolo12]

Yet.

I don't believe great ball handling is a skill one can just acquire once they've finished a year at the collegiate level.

 

[intlzncster]

We wouldn't need him to contribute per se, we'd need him as break glass in case of emergency. Your Robert Garrison, E.J. Harrison, Marcus Thomas, etc. with the bonus that he wouldn't be taking up a schollie,
The limitations of that role are why he's probably unlikely to come here, but it would be great if he did.

This. It's actually a main feature, rather than a bonus.

 

[intlzncster]

Wouldn't he have to sit out a year as a transfer? No way the NCAA is giving a waiver for this one.

I'd be leery about what they might upturn in their forthcoming investigation. Pass.

 

[intlzncster]

I agree we’ll see a lot of Akok and Carlton together.

That's the plan. An ideal combo. I dunno why people are even thinking about this.

 

[HooperScooper]

I'd be leery about what they might upturn in their forthcoming investigation. Pass.

I'm with you. I think it's very highly probable that Waters and his family took money to go to LSU (yeah I know, newsflash!). I don't care how good he is, it isn't worth the trouble. We have enough problems.

 

[HuskyAlum012]

For the love of god, just please no more grad transfers. These guys are just a waste of a scholarship on our bench. I would much rather have a very raw freshman who could potentially be a good role player as a junior senior. It's nice that it appears this staff can actually develop players, so lets just stop it with the 5th year guys.

 

[intlzncster]

What is Akok if not a 4 or 5? Are we really going to play Akok at the 3 when we have Vital, Bouknight, Polley and Wilson all vying for that position? Akok's shot-blocking is needed inside, not sitting on the wing. My bet is that we see a lot of Carlton and Akok together up front as twin 4's or twin 5's, choose your label.

Well, Akok is not, nor ever will be a 3 at the college level. If he's not a 4 or a 5, we are @#$%@$%.

 

[intlzncster]

For the love of god, just please no more grad transfers. These guys are just a waste of a scholarship on our bench. I would much rather have a very raw freshman who could potentially be a good role player as a junior senior. It's nice that it appears this staff can actually develop players, so lets just stop it with the 5th year guys.

You mean like Kromah, Gibbs, Miller, and the like?

Why would you waste a scholarship on a player who is at best a gamble (at this stage)? We have too many of those guys already. We either need high end talent, or to fill holes temporarily until we get it.

And we need guys to play immediately. Especially at the 4/5.

 

[Psolo12]

For the love of god, just please no more grad transfers. These guys are just a waste of a scholarship on our bench. I would much rather have a very raw freshman who could potentially be a good role player as a junior senior. It's nice that it appears this staff can actually develop players, so lets just stop it with the 5th year guys.

Fine with grad transfers, just please God no one like Big Dave or Anderson...my heart can't handle it

 

[Stainmaster]

For the love of god, just please no more grad transfers. These guys are just a waste of a scholarship on our bench. I would much rather have a very raw freshman who could potentially be a good role player as a junior senior. It's nice that it appears this staff can actually develop players, so lets just stop it with the 5th year guys.

Horrible take. This is where college basketball is headed. UConn needs to adapt and find ways to amass as much talent as possible to help the team win, and that does include grad transfers.

 

[LIuconn]

If they can help, grab 'em. Even if it's to get whatever incoming frosh ready for college hoops in practice and off the court

 

[HuskyAlum012]

You mean like Kromah, Gibbs, Miller, and the like?

Why would you waste a scholarship on a player who is at best a gamble (at this stage)? We have too many of those guys already. We either need high end talent, or to fill holes temporarily until we get it.

And we need guys to play immediately. Especially at the 4/5.

For every Kromah/gibbs, I raise you a smith/anderson. I am sick of the Kevin Ollie way of filling holes with guys from mid major programs who may or may not translate to high major play. My trust is in Hurley being able to turn the Hilton Armstrongs of the world into an NBA player from the player he was as a freshman/sophomore.

 

[Stainmaster]

For every Kromah/gibbs, I raise you a smith/anderson. I am sick of the Kevin Ollie way of filling holes with guys from mid major programs who may or may not translate to high major play. My trust is in Hurley being able to turn the Hilton Armstrongs of the world into an NBA player from the player he was as a freshman/sophomore.

This is such a myopic view of the college basketball world. Grad transfers aren't some cheapo Kevin Ollie tactic at all. Villanova, UNC, Gonzaga, and other programs that have been at the top of the mountain the past few years all incorporate grad transfers into their rosters. It is a fact of life, and UConn cannot be left behind when it comes to any type of recruiting.

By the way, that logic of "for every good one there's a bad one" applies to HS recruits, JUCO transfers, DI transfers, or any other classification of player. It doesn't make grad transfers look anywhere near as bad as you think it does.

 

[intlzncster]

For every Kromah/gibbs, I raise you a smith/anderson. I am sick of the Kevin Ollie way of filling holes with guys from mid major programs who may or may not translate to high major play.

Kevin Ollie used it as a recruiting strategy to mask deficient recruiting. Hurley is using it as a fill in to plug holes until you can build a new boat.

There are plenty of productive transfers everywhere. The key is to get the right ones. The absolute BEST thing about 5th years, is it's only a 1 yr deal. IF he doesn't work out, no worries, you've got the scholarship to work with next year.

With a marginal recruit, you've still got a high risk proposition for another few years.

My trust is in Hurley being able to turn the Hilton Armstrongs of the world into an NBA player from the player he was as a freshman/sophomore.

And for every Hilton Armstrong, I can give you a hundred Justin Brown's, Tyler Olander, Enosch Wolff, Darius Smith, Jamal Trice, etc etc etc

Hilton is more of a rarity than a quality 5th year.

 

[Slick]

Right now we have 5 players slated to be able to play the 2 guard spots:

Gilbert
Vital
Adams
Gaffney
Bouknight

• Bouknight will likely have to split time between SG and SF.
• Adams has some upside, but in my opinion hasn't proven himself enough to rely on him for much next year.
• Gilbert is the most talented kid on the roster, but he's a huge injury risk.

Would you like to see Hurley add another guard to the roster?

Hurley has to add another guard. Adams has not looked very good at all. Vital is maybe 50 50 chance of coming back to Uconn next year. gilbert is terrific but unfortunately has a very bad injury history.

 

[uchusky32]

Yeah fellas we need to carry 3 ballhandlers. We have 2 on the roster and one, AG, hasn't yet played a full season. Can't take that risk unless one of CV/BA acquire handle over the off season.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Wouldn't he have to sit out a year as a transfer? No way the NCAA is giving a waiver for this one.

Even if Tremont has to sit out, you take him. That being said the NCAA is back to giving anyone and everyone a waiver.

 

[UconnFanDC]

Right now we have 5 players slated to be able to play the 2 guard spots:

Gilbert
Vital
Adams
Gaffney
Bouknight

• Bouknight will likely have to split time between SG and SF.
• Adams has some upside, but in my opinion hasn't proven himself enough to rely on him for much next year.
• Gilbert is the most talented kid on the roster, but he's a huge injury risk.

Would you like to see Hurley add another guard to the roster?

No.

 

[tcf15]

 

[Danzz]

" Pipkins is on track to graduate this spring and will be able to grad transfer without sitting out for a year. "
Grab him if we can. We need a proven ball handler.

 

[RichZ]

We wouldn't need him to contribute per se, we'd need him as break glass in case of emergency. Your Robert Garrison, E.J. Harrison, Marcus Thomas, etc. with the bonus that he wouldn't be taking up a schollie,

The limitations of that role are why he's probably unlikely to come here, but it would be great if he did.

EJ didn't take up a scholarship. He was a walk-on.

 

[auror]

How did he go for 42% from 3 last year on high volume to 29% this year? His FT% went up. Bizarre. Is he playing hurt? He was at 31% the year before, so was last year the fluke? His minutes went down, so perhaps it is an injury thing.

Found an article wondering the same thing.
Touri: The curious case of Luwane Pipkins

Either way, 5'8 grad transfer guard that shot less than 40% from 2 and less than 30% from 3 that may have developed the yips isn't high on my list.

 

[joober jones]

I still hold out hope for Brendan Adams evolving into the next Donnell Beverly