Borges: Daniel Hamilton ready to take on new role as leader

[UChusky916]

http://www.nhregister.com/sports/20150930/hamilton-ready-to-take-on-new-role-aas-leader

Highlights:

“He’s even surprised me how much more he’s opened up,” said junior guard Rodney Purvis. “When you’re a freshman, you’re kind of figuring yourself out. You’re coming to a locker room with a lot of older guys. With his summer and with that year (under his belt), he’s really opened up a whole lot. He’s kind of like a different person. Last year, he was the quietest in the locker room. Now, he’s one of the loudest.”

“I said I was gonna win it a couple of weeks ago,” he said afterwards, “so I had to make sure I lived up to that.” econd year in a row, with a time of 17:45.

Certainly, with the departure of Boatright to the pros, there is a leadership vacuum with the Huskies. Coach Kevin Ollie hasn’t named captains yet, though he said Wednesday that Brimah, the 7-foot junior, will be one of them. Purvis, the team’s top returning scorer, figures to be another. No doubt, it appears Hamilton has moved to the forefront, as well.

“He’s doing a great job being vocal, being out front, pushing guys,” said Ollie, who had asked Hamilton to make his pre-race speech on Wednesday. “It’s just maturity. After your freshman year, your sophomore year you feel more comfortable in that role. You know what you’ve got to do as a basketball player, and as a student. He’s just coming out of his shell, being more vocal, challenging guys. He repeatedly challenges. That’s one of the pillars of our program, and he’s doing that great.”

With that in mind, Hamilton got in “the best shape of my life” over the summer, working out in Santa Monica, California with Oklahoma City’s Reggie Jackson, ex-UConn guard Marcus Williams (“my brother’s best friend,” according to Hamilton), and Indiana’s Chase Budinger, among others.

“I’m ready to come in and lead and just win, that’s the main thing,” he said. “We win, everybody’s having fun and everybody looks good.”
​

 

[UChusky916]

Another good article on the team, this one from Amore:

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn...un-run-gampel-storrs-1001-20150930-story.html

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

We genuinely have at least 6 players that would be acceptable captains. How many teams in the country can you say that about?

 

[James]

We genuinely have at least 6 players that would be acceptable captains. How many teams in the country can you say that about?

People are sleeping on this roster. Haven't been this excited for uconn hoops in a while

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

People are sleeping on this roster. Haven't been this excited for uconn hoops in a while

05-06, 08-09, and 11-12 stand out as teams that I could not wait to watch heading into the season. Those teams were surely more talented on paper, but this UConn team now could start the first 5 off the bench and field a competitive team.

 

[imno1]

Funny that he got into the best shape of his life working out with Marcus Williams.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Pleasantly surprised by this.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

People are sleeping on this roster. Haven't been this excited for uconn hoops in a while

I haven't thought about this a ton so I might be way off but - at least on paper and knowing what we have coming back - is this potentially the best team since Price's '09 Final Four team? Or even earlier? I don't know, but it has been a while since I've thought, on October 1, that we've had a team with the potential that this one has. (And they've won 2 rings in the interim.)

 

[CallMeBruce]

I haven't thought about this a ton so I might be way off but - at least on paper and knowing what we have coming back - is this potentially the best team since Price's '09 Final Four team? Or even earlier? I don't know, but it has been a while since I've thought, on October 1, that we've had a team with the potential that this one has. (And they've won 2 rings in the interim.)

I've been comparing them to the '09 team in my head a lot. This is the first time since then where we've had a quality veteran player at every position to start the season.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I've been comparing them to the '09 team in my head a lot. This is the first time since then where we've had a quality veteran player at every position to start the season.

I was tempted to go back even further, to the Marcus Williams team that lost to ______ _____, but I think that '09 team was pretty damn good.

 

[James]

@BigErnMcCracken @CallMeBruce Yeah the media seems to be underplaying the addition of Gibbs, a guy who can start and be all conference anywhere. Then you have adams off the bench, Who could honestly be the best frosh pg in the country ( as far as physical gifts, upside. kid is a phenominal athlete with a 6'2 frame and a 6'8 wingspan, pro written all over him). Thats like the best pg rotation in the country, but some analyst don't even see them top 25 worthy.

Bringing in enoch and facey off the bench, what other teams are doing that? Enoch could push his way into one of the best frosh bigs in the land as well ( DX has him at 40 i think for frosh rankings). The main x factor that pushes uconn over the top is daniel hamilton... how many threes will be better than him?

its interesting the media isn't really breaking down the personnel the way they should , this teams roster is as good as ANY in the country. stamp that. Its all about how gibbs/purv/ham evolve as passers and confident playmakers. then its wrap. top 5 team as @champs99and04 has them

 

[James]

I was tempted to go back even further, to the Marcus Williams team that lost to ______ _____, but I think that '09 team was pretty damn good.

that team had insane bodies in the front court ( although they shat the bed vs the short fat dudes on ____), but this years front court is NOT far behind at all. Then you consider how mwill was the only competent playmaker on that squad... gibbs and adams should be more than competent in that regard. well rounded squad that should frankly be top ten easily

 

[ucjoet]

Funny that he got into the best shape of his life working out with Marcus Williams.

Great line but I always loved Marcus Williams at the point. Had incredible court vision and handle. Thought he would have a good NBA career, but was wrong about that.

 

[champs99and04]

We genuinely have at least 6 players that would be acceptable captains. How many teams in the country can you say that about?

I'd say seven - Purvis, Gibbs, Hamilton, Brimah, Miller, and then the two four year seniors, Calhoun and Nolan

 

[Dogbreath2U]

that team had insane bodies in the front court ( although they shat the bed vs the short fat dudes on ____), but this years front court is NOT far behind at all. Then you consider how mwill was the only competent playmaker on that squad... gibbs and adams should be more than competent in that regard. well rounded squad that should frankly be top ten easily

And Hamilton and Miller should be able to share the ball. The 2005 and 2006 teams were very good interior passing teams despite the wings not being great passers. Everyone of the starters (excluding AB) could be able to drive and dish and Jalen could be the key to it all.

I've been watching a bunch of games from the 1998 team....El Amin was unbelievable as a freshman. The game against UNC was tough, but we could have taken them down if Rip and others weren't sick. The UNC home game did not help, but it didn't seem to be that big of a deal while watching the game. They knew they were in a game. It was really Vince Carter who killed us.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Loved this interview with Rodney:

 

[Huskies4ever]

Loved Gibbs' quotes about UConn doing things differently.

 

[dennismenace]

@BigErnMcCracken @CallMeBruce Yeah the media seems to be underplaying the addition of Gibbs, a guy who can start and be all conference anywhere. Then you have adams off the bench, Who could honestly be the best frosh pg in the country ( as far as physical gifts, upside. kid is a phenominal athlete with a 6'2 frame and a 6'8 wingspan, pro written all over him). Thats like the best pg rotation in the country, but some analyst don't even see them top 25 worthy.

Bringing in enoch and facey off the bench, what other teams are doing that? Enoch could push his way into one of the best frosh bigs in the land as well ( DX has him at 40 i think for frosh rankings). The main x factor that pushes uconn over the top is daniel hamilton... how many threes will be better than him?

its interesting the media isn't really breaking down the personnel the way they should , this teams roster is as good as ANY in the country. stamp that. Its all about how gibbs/purv/ham evolve as passers and confident playmakers. then its wrap. top 5 team as @champs99and04 has them

Agree. Also, their ability to rebound will be extremely important. This is where Shonn Miller comes in. Not only a good rebounder and defender but brings savvy and maturity to the whole frontcourt.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

We have all the unseen pieces of an extremely underrated championship team! Hamilton maturing and putting in the work. Purvis ready to keep up how he ended the season. Vets transfering in and changing our dynamics to keep everyone honest. talented freshmen coming in. Injured players returning to the line up healthy and ready to make an impact. People are going to ask where this team came from and its going to be so beautiful to watch. I wish Larrier could play so bad, he would put us way over the top this year imo. Either way I like this team. I'm not worried about the offense, we'll score on breaks, half court, doesnt matter what the defense gives us, we can score any way. I'm not worried about rebounds with Miller and Enoch and hopefully an improved Amida and Facey, and Dham continuing what he was doing last year, I think we'll get boards. I just want to see us keep our defensive intensity. If he can bring a top level defense in the country, we'll have a chance to beat ANY team that we face.

 

[OkaForPrez]

"I have to be willing to change," Ollie said. "I can't be set in my ways, nobody can be set in their ways. We're going to have to adapt, this is going to be a different team for me. That's fine, I like that, I get a kick out of that, how I can change as a coach."

@champs99and04 What do you think Ollie is suggesting here? What about our personnel suggests an alternative coaching style? Are we truly going to try to exploit our depth with run and gun? That would seem to be anti Ollie.

 

[Huskybass]

Historically, UConn's winning % is much higher when the score gets up into the 70's as opposed to the 61-58 rock fight type games. It certainly seems like they have the personnel to run this year. I really really hope that this is an uptempo team.

 

[Kembacity]

If everything clicks, Brimah's not fouling out early, guys are actually able to knock down long range J's... the sky is the limit literally. Just picture the lineups we will play, and I know we aren't yet accustomed to what Gibbs and Miller can do out there, but everyone can play ball. There's no guy that the defense can leave to pile in on Brimah, I am grinning from ear to ear just picturing Hamilton going on those slow but calculated drives to the hoop with the entire other team worried about what to worry about most.

Cant wait to see the first Hamilton-Brimah alley oop... and the 100th

 

[UConnTrumbull]

I'm positive DHam is gonna have an outstanding season (probably his last in Storrs). I keep remembering his missing those 3 FTs against Temple at XL and thinking to myself "this kid is gonna grow from this." Obviously such a small event but I'm sure that's lingered with Danny a little bit along with missing the tourney. I expect absolute greatness from the kid this season.

 

[dennismenace]

@champs99and04 What do you think Ollie is suggesting here? What about our personnel suggests an alternative coaching style? Are we truly going to try to exploit our depth with run and gun? That would seem to be anti Ollie.

Maybe pressing too. Would love to see us put teams away fast and hard. Something like when Ollie played. He has a lot of chemistry to work out with new players who are going to see significant time though.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Maybe pressing too. Would love to see us put teams away fast and hard. Something like when Ollie played. He has a lot of chemistry to work out with new players who are going to see significant time though.

At this point I'll believe it when I see it. It's become as common a punchline as 2o minutes to predict the return of the press in October.