Big East Media Day

[Captbluefin]

No mention of Sampson is troubling. I had and still have hopes for him.

 

[navery12]

No mention of Sampson is troubling. I had and still have hopes for him.

As long as Samson is a rotation guy I wouldn't worry about the other guy not being mentioned

 

[Storrs South]

I wouldn't worry about Samson not being mentioned. As @auror noted he went with the questions asked. Literally said a couple weeks ago Karaban and Samson are fighting for a starting role.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Are all those teams really more talented than us?

 

[NJHusky]

if we play zone,

 

[HooperScooper]

I'm surprised Moore, Dixon, and Daniels are all second teamers and Cam Whitmore only gets honorable mention. Whitmore is better than all of them and I don't believe in Moore returning and being effective coming off a torn Achilles.

Moore might not even play this season. But I'd put money on him playing at some point. But as you said, how effective will he be?

Asked if there’s a chance he might not play at all and just redshirt the season, he said, “I don’t know. Who knows? We haven’t thought that far yet. We’ll see how things go.”

He added: “We’re going to do what’s best for me, that’s what comes first. I’m not taking it too fast. Whenever I’m ready is when I’ll step out there.”

Villanova star Justin Moore unsure when, or if, he will return this season from Achilles' injury | Zagsblog

By ADAM ZAGORIA NEW YORK — Villanova […]

www.zagsblog.com

 

[Edward Sargent]

Akok/Wahab starting frontcourt is scary. Sanogo should eat both of them alive though

What does fighting the good fight mean? Doesn't sound positive. I do hope Akok makes a splash

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I wouldn't worry about Samson not being mentioned. As @auror noted he went with the questions asked. Literally said a couple weeks ago Karaban and Samson are fighting for a starting role.

Seems like Hurley thinks there are 6 starting spots lol

 

[k-walk]

Sampson

 

[gtcam]

Is being picked 4th a reflection of the coaching or perceived ability of the players?

Could be both

 

[Jbirdp5]

Maybe but everything right now is just talk. We need to play the games to see if we have multiple draft picks at the end of the year, if we play zone, if we go deeper with playing time, if Jackson is a good starting point guard, if we run a lot, if he keeps Donovan in the paint on defense...

These are great options for new pet peeves if we drop the hard hedge!
In all seriousness tho it does seem like Hurley is trying to be more flexible with his mindset which is obviously going to be tough for him. I’m hoping he shows some more growth as a coach. It seems like he wants to get there.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Storrs South]

 

[Blades]

UConnReport - UConn Hoops: Jackson and Hawkins ready to take next step

Andre Jackson and Jordan Hawkins are both primed for break

connecticut.rivals.com

 

[CL82]

Is being picked 4th a reflection of the coaching or perceived ability of the players?

If I were to guess it is largely a function of how many points (and minutes) per game from last season are gone. Cole, Tyrese, Whaley, Polley our a huge loss. I like what we’ve picked up to replace them, but they are unproven as a team. Fourth is an entirely fair pic given that circumstance. I believe we will outperform it, perhaps significantly.

 

[CL82]

A lotta people are going to have to find a new pet peeve around here!

I’m thinking that won’t be a problem.

 

[HooperScooper]

Interesting comments from McDermott about NIL and the transfer portal. I wonder what percentage of high D1 coaches feel the same way.

“Before NIL and immediate eligibility we were thinking two years ahead with transfers because they had to sit a year,” he said. “Now if you have a need like we did this year, you can go and get it. I mean we brought Baylor Scheierman who fits perfectly with that piece we were missing. The transfer portal makes you think differently but I still want to maintain the ability to build a program. As soon as you totally commit to the transfer portal and get away from recruiting high school players you get in a cycle of building a new team every year, rather than building a program. I got into this business because I enjoy building a program. If it ever gets to the point where I’m forced to build a new team each year, that’s when I’ll probably go play golf for a living.”

If that didn't drive home McDermott's thoughts on the prospects of being betrothed to the the portal, he added on.

“The transfer portal is not why I got into this business,” he continued. “We’ve adjusted and learned from it, but I like watching a player grow from freshman year on. Like watching Ryan Kalkbrenner make the jump he made and continue to improve over the course of his sophomore year as he heads into his junior year. Not just watching changes on the basketball floor, but watching his comfortability talking to you guys compared to a year ago when he was here.

“You watch young people grow up and help them turn into a better version of themselves and hopefully some of the things they learn in our program can help them be successful adults. I think that takes time and I enjoy that part of my job. I like watching them grow up in front of my eyes. If you get married to the transfer portal you lose that.”

Big East Media Day: Greg McDermott talks transfer portal, expectations for upcoming season

MANHATTAN, N.Y. — Creighton holds high expectations this year after being ranked No. 1 in the preseason coaches poll and No. 9 nationally in the preseason AP Top 25.

247sports.com

 

[8893]

Interesting comments from McDermott about NIL and the transfer portal. I wonder what percentage of high D1 coaches feel the same way.

I'm guessing it was a factor in Jay Wright's decision to retire.

 

[Rich]

What does fighting the good fight mean? Doesn't sound positive. I do hope Akok makes a splash

I think he's still trying to get his explosiveness back post-achilles. That's a brutal injury for basketball players. In a way you'd almost rather tear your ACL considering the relative recovery - to - previous - form rates.

 

[Rich]

Interesting comments from McDermott about NIL and the transfer portal. I wonder what percentage of high D1 coaches feel the same way.

“Before NIL and immediate eligibility we were thinking two years ahead with transfers because they had to sit a year,” he said. “Now if you have a need like we did this year, you can go and get it. I mean we brought Baylor Scheierman who fits perfectly with that piece we were missing. The transfer portal makes you think differently but I still want to maintain the ability to build a program. As soon as you totally commit to the transfer portal and get away from recruiting high school players you get in a cycle of building a new team every year, rather than building a program. I got into this business because I enjoy building a program. If it ever gets to the point where I’m forced to build a new team each year, that’s when I’ll probably go play golf for a living.”

If that didn't drive home McDermott's thoughts on the prospects of being betrothed to the the portal, he added on.

“The transfer portal is not why I got into this business,” he continued. “We’ve adjusted and learned from it, but I like watching a player grow from freshman year on. Like watching Ryan Kalkbrenner make the jump he made and continue to improve over the course of his sophomore year as he heads into his junior year. Not just watching changes on the basketball floor, but watching his comfortability talking to you guys compared to a year ago when he was here.

“You watch young people grow up and help them turn into a better version of themselves and hopefully some of the things they learn in our program can help them be successful adults. I think that takes time and I enjoy that part of my job. I like watching them grow up in front of my eyes. If you get married to the transfer portal you lose that.”

Big East Media Day: Greg McDermott talks transfer portal, expectations for upcoming season

MANHATTAN, N.Y. — Creighton holds high expectations this year after being ranked No. 1 in the preseason coaches poll and No. 9 nationally in the preseason AP Top 25.

247sports.com

I think there are broadly two types of coaches in CBB these days:

1) Guys like McD - and I think Hurley to a degree - who really are committed to teaching and developing recruits from the ground up, and have embraced the transfer portal as a necessary means to end of modern roster construction;

2) The more....'mercenary' guys like Calipari, Pearl, et al who will actively recruit the portal as a means to improve their team, whether or not the transferring player aces out one of their recruits.

I expect Case 2 to become the norm rather than exception at most perennial top 10 programs, think your KU, Kentucky, UNC etc (I'm thinking more about BB budgeting and coach salary here, so a lot of $ at stake) and so on. My hope, and it's probably not a valid hope, is that Hurley can maintain that balance as he continues to move the program forward. Of course, we did have a good amount of transfer in/out this past offseason and we will probably never know if the guys we lost were 'voluntary' or.....weeded out. And maybe we probably don't need to.

 

[NJHoops]

I think there are broadly two types of coaches in CBB these days:

1) Guys like McD - and I think Hurley to a degree - who really are committed to teaching and developing recruits from the ground up, and have embraced the transfer portal as a necessary means to end of modern roster construction;

2) The more....'mercenary' guys like Calipari, Pearl, et al who will actively recruit the portal as a means to improve their team, whether or not the transferring player aces out one of their recruits.

I expect Case 2 to become the norm rather than exception at most perennial top 10 programs, think your KU, Kentucky, UNC etc (I'm thinking more about BB budgeting and coach salary here, so a lot of $ at stake) and so on. My hope, and it's probably not a valid hope, is that Hurley can maintain that balance as he continues to move the program forward. Of course, we did have a good amount of transfer in/out this past offseason and we will probably never know if the guys we lost were 'voluntary' or.....weeded out. And maybe we probably don't need to.

Curious why you say, “to a degree”? Hurley’s been pretty clear that his preference is and always has been to recruit and develop. People were mad before when he didn’t push out guys like Whaley (Whaley! Imagine that!) or Springs or whoever. But, everyone now realizes that you can’t do just that and completely ignore transfers or you’ll get left behind. They have five freshmen coming in next season. Programs who are going to go transfer crazy don’t do that.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Curious why you say, “to a degree”? Hurley’s been pretty clear that his preference is and always has been to recruit and develop. People were mad before when he didn’t push out guys like Whaley (Whaley! Imagine that!) or Springs or whoever. But, everyone now realizes that you can’t do just that and completely ignore transfers or you’ll get left behind. They have five freshmen coming in next season. Programs who are going to go transfer crazy don’t do that.

Eh we’ve brought in 4 freshman twice since Hurley has been here and that didn’t stop this off season from happening. Hurley is definitely transfer portal friendly currently. Maybe that changes after this upcoming class?

That article was spot on on how it’s hard to build a program with transfers. With Calhoun it always seemed like upperclassman taught young guys the UConn way (especially PG wise) that kept that position so damn good year in and out. It’s hard to do that with guys constantly coming in and out. This current roster will not have one Hurley recruited PG (unless you want to count Andre). Again, hope that changes with 2023.

 

[CL82]

I think he's still trying to get his explosiveness back

I recommend Taco Bell.

 

[Umami Zen]

Always thought that DH was a reluctant participant in the portal era of recruiting until this past year with the turnover we experienced in our roster. His loyalty to players recruited by previous coaches and integrating them into his plans/rosters was admirable. His current staff has clearly shown they can close on targets and recruit UConn-type players.

I do think he enjoys the roster building of a Program over year-to- year "free agency" as does McD.. Old School program-building vs New School portal craziness. Trying to blend the two to restore the UConn brand.. Survival

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Always thought that DH was a reluctant participant in the portal era of recruiting until this past year with the turnover we experienced in our roster. His loyalty to players recruited by previous coaches and integrating them into his plans/rosters was admirable. His current staff has clearly shown they can close on targets and recruit UConn-type players.

I do think he enjoys the roster building of a Program over year-to- year "free agency" as does McD.. Old School program-building vs New School portal craziness. Trying to blend the two to restore the UConn brand.. Survival

2 of our best players were transfers last year. One was brought in to play over his recruited PG. We really just can’t say that program building is a thing right now after we pretty much replaced 4 of his own recruits with transfers this year too.