Bouk Officially Back

[cohenzone]

If Bouk leaves after next season and is a 1st round pick in the 2021 NBA draft we're probably going to be very pleased with how the team does in the 2020-2021 season.

Drummond left after one season. UConn was 20-14, nothing special. Obviously when a star player plays well regularly it’s usually good for the team. It also requires other players to play well. But I’m pretty sure NBA scouts aren’t all that interested in the college team record of their draft choices.

As I said, players like Bouk are fun to watch, but I’m more interested in how the program does. Three years to root for a kid gives the program a better chance, especially if a few other high level players come in after them while they are there. . UConn has had few players leave for the draft even after 2 years, including some of our greats with excellent NBA play. But I don’t blame a kid for taking advantage of what the world offers. I’d have left college after a day if someone offered me a few million a year. I’m still waiting, and my freshman year almost predates modern history.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Bouk never left!

I saw in this thread that a few NBA teams may have gambled on him in the 2nd round, but did anyone here really think he was a threat to jump? The raw potential is there for sure, but he still picks up way too many bad fouls. He has also disappeared in games. 26 minutes vs. Nova - 5 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists. Vs. Indiana he had 0 points, 1 rebound, 3 turnovers. He did have some awesome moments as well - steals, boards, and dunks...and didn't he score like 14 straight at ECSU?

But he is certainly a rising star and we are lucky to have him. I can't wait to see him develop. I heard Hurley talk about recruiting him and how he (Hurley) was always giddy about the fact that there were no other coaches in the gym...he felt like he found a hidden in gem in Bouk. He was right.

 

[QDOG5]

Currently, I too think it would be best to do the 3 years, especially with COVID-19 shadow already on preparation for the upcoming season. Unlike, some casual fans, Chief always tries to take the position of what’s in the players best interest. I think if Bouknight stays 3 years - he could be in the top half of the lottery.

@Chief00, you're still using that strawman "casual fan" schtick? No one on this board gives a flying ... whether you, too, think he should stay 3 years. You say that you have the kids best interest at heart and others don't. That is beyond ridiculous. If he has a great season next year(whenever that happens)and decides to go pro so be it. I'd like him to stay four years but I'm not going to pretend that I'm saying so because it's in his best interests. You use the word currently to give yourself an out. Lame.

 

[Chief00]

Some think it may be easier for him with CV and AG not on the floor - to me, that remains to be seen.
The kid has ultra offensive skills, no doubt about it, however, I hope he has the onions to be the "go to guy" on a regular basis. CV was his shield this past season, this coming season he can't have that shield - he needs to be numero uno.
I have nor reason to think he doesn't have the physical ability, it's the mental things that sometimes get in the way.
I can't wait to see how he will handle it

Chief watched him closely this year and by mid January he definitely wanted the ball and even became frustrated when certain guys didn’t get him the ball when opened. While I don’t generally like to see that moment of negative body language, since he’s our star (even if certain teammates did not have that awareness) it’s good to know he wanted the ball.

 

[Storrs South]

I think some people forget we went through this for 3 years with Jalen Adams (i.e. every year had a big announcement for his return). Be excited he's back and that these press releases help with his and program exposure/hype going into Year 1 of the Big East. In 2020, it isn't a given a guy comes back, even when it seems obvious. Don't overthink it.

 

[Chief00]

@Chief00, you're still using that strawman "casual fan" schtick? No one on this board gives a flying ... whether you, too, think he should stay 3 years. You say that you have the kids best interest at heart and others don't. That is beyond ridiculous. If he has a great season next year(whenever that happens)and decides to go pro so be it. I'd like him to stay four years but I'm not going to pretend that I'm saying so because it's in his best interests. You use the word currently to give yourself an out. Lame.

Chief will ignore most of the nonsense in your post. But, I use the word “currently” because no one has any idea currently what the preseason prep will be or if there will even be a season. If the prep happens to a large extent and the season - he may blow up into the early part of the lottery / then Chief would advise him to go to The League as I assume Danny would. Although, this will be new to Danny. He hasn’t had this type of situation before. I am sure Jim Calhoun will give him some guidance.

 

[UconnU]

One thing that really gives me hope is that we have a solid core of players returning and coming off red shirt, a lot of teams are trying to piece meal a team together right now. If the season somehow doesn’t happen or happens in some sort of limited fashion I will be HIGHLY upset. Especially looking at graduating a few kids and possibly losing another to the league after next year.

 

[bendm]

I really don’t get that players leaving early to the NBA does anything great for a program. Especially if the program does nothing great while they are here. The last thing I want is for UConn to be anything like Kentucky.

Kentucky has done nothing great? where does that put us for the past 6 years?

sure i'd rather have an upperclassmen kemba or shabazz lead us to a championship once every 4 years instead of a freshmen de'aaron fox or tyrese maxey lead us to the elite 8 every year, but that doesnt mean kentucky hasnt been great.

once again they have the #1 recruiting class coming in for 2020. to put that in perspective they have SIX incoming recruits ranked higher than AJ.

 

[Stainmaster]

I also remember when Ray Allen and Rip Hamilton came back for their junior year after dominating as sophomores. We've got to get back to not only getting guys to be high draft picks in the NBA, but also staying here long enough to win big and build continuity in the program.

Leave it to you to turn Bouknight hypothetically having a good enough 2020-21 season to declare for the draft into a disappointment.

 

[cohenzone]

Kentucky has done nothing great? where does that put us for the past 6 years?

sure i'd rather have an upperclassmen kemba or shabazz lead us to a championship once every 4 years instead of a freshmen de'aaron fox or tyrese maxey lead us to the elite 8 every year, but that doesnt mean kentucky hasnt been great.

once again they have the #1 recruiting class coming in for 2020. to put that in perspective they have SIX incoming recruits ranked higher than AJ.

Who said Kentucky has been terrible? They might have won several championships if a few more guys had stuck around beyond two years With their talent, they should have. You really think the revolving door has worked out the way the talent level that comes in reflects?

 

[Umami Zen]

Who said Kentucky has been terrible? They might have won several championships if a few more guys had stuck around beyond two years With their talent, they should have. You really think the revolving door has worked out the way the talent level that comes in reflects?

Great question for Cal..

 

[bendm]

Who said Kentucky has been terrible? They might have won several championships if a few more guys had stuck around beyond two years With their talent, they should have. You really think the revolving door has worked out the way the talent level that comes in reflects?

what?? no one said kentucky's been terrible... you said, "I really don’t get that players leaving early to the NBA does anything great for a program. Especially if the program does nothing great while they are here. The last thing I want is for UConn to be anything like Kentucky."

between 2015-2019 kentucky had a top two recruiting class 5 times, they've had 19 players drafted, they've won the sec regular season 3 times, the sec tourney 4 times, theyve made the final 4 once, the elite 8 twice, and the sweet 16 once. just because they didnt win a national chip in that span doesnt mean they havent been great.

i'm not advocating that we become a one and done factory but how can you unequivocally state you dont want us to be anything like kentucky when theyve been laughably more successful than we have recently?

 

[cohenzone]

what?? no one said kentucky's been terrible... you said, "I really don’t get that players leaving early to the NBA does anything great for a program. Especially if the program does nothing great while they are here. The last thing I want is for UConn to be anything like Kentucky."

between 2015-2019 kentucky had a top two recruiting class 5 times, they've had 19 players drafted, they've won the sec regular season 3 times, the sec tourney 4 times, theyve made the final 4 once, the elite 8 twice, and the sweet 16 once. just because they didnt win a national chip in that span doesnt mean they havent been great.

i'm not advocating that we become a one and done factory but how can you unequivocally state you dont want us to be anything like kentucky when theyve been laughably more successful than we have recently?

Ok. If you want to be an annual NBA feeder with grade A talent that doesn’t mature within the program, wonderful. All I said was with the talent they get, it rarely matures within the program. The overlap among studs is minimal.

 

[bendm]

Ok. If you want to be an annual NBA feeder with grade A talent that doesn’t mature within the program, wonderful. All I said was with the talent they get, it rarely matures within the program. The overlap among studs is minimal.

it's not all you said but i do agree with this point. instead of landing 5-6 five star recruits that leave every year kentucky would be more successful with 2-3 five stars and 2-3 four stars that stick around and mature. that's exactly what i hope hurley can do here.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

This narrative that the school is pushing is getting to be annoying. Everyone knew he was coming back weeks or even months ago. By constantly saying he’s coming back they’re basically conditioning him to think that “okay everyone thinks I’m good enough, this is my last year.” Idk maybe I’m overthinking it, but seems like too many people have formed the narrative for him that this is his final year here before going pro, before even playing out the year and seeing how things go.

Sometimes people just need things to write about and will create a headline out of nothing especially these days. I remember a story in the Waterbury newspaper back in the day about Edmund Saunders possibly skipping college and going straight to the NBA out of high school. The reporter asked if ES thought about putting his name in the draft and he gave a simple "no" but there was an entire story about it like he was spurning a chance to be a lottery pick.

 

[CTisballers]

Yeah he should be able to show us what he really can do and become with the opportunity he’ll have with CV and Al being gone. I miss those days where players can develop as a freshman and then take NCAA by storm JB can be that