Biggest recruiting losses

[Dogman69]

Looking back, what are some of the biggest “what ifs” you can think of when it comes to recruits choosing another school over the good guys?

 

[Rico444]

In recent memory, Hamidou Diallo was a tough one. He was constantly on campus since he was at PSA, and we couldn't close.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Andrew Bynum choosing the NBA over us. Man as if that 2006 roster wasn’t loaded enough.

 

[Brochacho]

I doubt it changes much, but imagine if Bynum was on that 2006 team?

 

[Zionn]

Garnett

Honestly - there was a center back in the day that chose FSU over us back in the Calhoun days. That one stung.

 

[superjohn]

Camby, it would've been one of the best college teams ever and UConn would've had a title or 2 before '99.

 

[superjohn]

Garnett

Honestly - there was a center back in the day that chose FSU over us back in the Calhoun days. That one stung.

Randell Jackson.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I doubt it changes much, but imagine if Bynum was on that 2006 team?

Needed an extra ball handler but having another lottery pick in that front court would’ve been cool too. Start to wonder what’s the record for most 1st rounders in a year.

 

[UConNick]

Kasongo

But in seriousness, Diallo hurts the most of any recent recruit. I've only been following recruiting since 2010, but he's the biggest for me since then off the top of my head. Missing on all those PGs in 2010 (Knight, Joseph, Selby) was a bit of a rough introduction, but we made out ok with who we got

E: maybe Abdul-Malik Abu? Local kid I think a lot of us really wanted who would've filled a hole on the 14-15 roster (hello, Lubin)

 

[#1 PA Husky Fan]

Kevin Durant

 

[ju6381]

Ike Diagu

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

It's Durant for me.

 

[Psolo12]

Did we have a legit shot at Durant? I was like 11 when he was getting recruited so I have no knowledge on the subject at all.

 

[Zionn]

Randell Jackson.

Thanks - that was the name. There was also a guard in that class Wayne Turner? Went to UK. Both were big recruits for us at that time if I recall.

 

[Fishy]

Thanks - that was the name. There was also a guard in that class Wayne Turner? Went to UK. Both were big recruits for us at that time if I recall.

Yes.

And Wayne Turner was really good for Kentucky, but our consolation prize was Ricky Moore…

 

[boog204]

Did we have a legit shot at Durant? I was like 11 when he was getting recruited so I have no knowledge on the subject at all.

We were definitely in the final five and some say we were in the final two.

 

[Watchdog]

It may be a small consolation in a way, but did any of those lost recruits win any championships where they went?

The real losses may have been for the players themselves because they lost out on the chance to win a National Championship here.

 

[HuskyFich]

Ryan Gomes

 

[tcf15]

Did we have a legit shot at Durant? I was like 11 when he was getting recruited so I have no knowledge on the subject at all.

Yeah, it was between UConn, UNC and Texas at the end of his recruitment. He took an official to all three.

 

[Guapo]

How about “big time” recruits we could give back? I’ll nominate Drummond.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Did we have a legit shot at Durant? I was like 11 when he was getting recruited so I have no knowledge on the subject at all.

Enough to make it a "What if?," but I never considered it a "big loss," other than, "It's Kevin Durant!"

While on the subject, I really liked the writing in this article, with very expressive descriptions of Irving, Harden, and Durant.

Kevin Durant and (Possibly) the Greatest Basketball Team of All Time (Published 2021)

The Brooklyn Nets were built to be an unbeatable superteam of eccentric basketball superstars. Will they dominate the N.B.A. playoffs?

www.nytimes.com

Finally, biggest loss?
Gotta be Ryan Gomes, even more than Austin Croshere or Bill Curley right?

EDIT: And, of course, others weighing in before me, while I located the NYTimes article.

 

[Psolo12]

Yeah, it was between UConn, UNC and Texas at the end of his recruitment. He took an official to all three.

Wow, that's wild. I had no idea.

 

[superjohn]

How about “big time” recruits we could give back? I’ll nominate Drummond.

Why would you post this?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

We were definitely in the final five and some say we were in the final two.

some say we were the final one before we weren't.

 

[UofCT]

Durand Scott