Choose 1 player from the past Uconn teams to make the current team a Final Four Contender | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Choose 1 player from the past Uconn teams to make the current team a Final Four Contender

mauconnfan said:
Only because JC didn't have him from his freshman year. HIs NBA career speaks volumes for his ability, Perno didn't know what to do with him for basically 2 years and he was potentially his best player from the second he arrived on campus.
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Don't disagree with any of that. Nonetheless, did not have a career anywhere near Okafor or Donyell.
 
No doubt in my mind.

The first person that came to mind, before even clicking on this thread and in a split second was Okafor. He had such a high basketball IQ. How many times did opponents successfully pump fake him? I do not recall that ever happening. Not sure if he would reach his full potential under a different coach, who knows, I still think he brings this team to the final four. Last year I think he could help that team win 7 or 8 more games, no joke and maybe even lead them to the sweet 16.

Uconn has the talent on the perimeter to flourish with someone like Okafor protecting the paint. Guard play has almost never been an issue at Uconn. Almost.

Second person that comes to my mind is Kemba. He is such an amazing leader, so tough, that he could probably bring a roster filled with 7 guys from last year to the sweet 16, (28-8 type record, no joke) and could likely lead this years team to at least an elite 8 and 30 wins.
 
businesslawyer said:
Obviously any great player would help this team, but what this team needs is not a great player who takes playing time from the best players we currently have. We have 3 guys who can play the point. As great as kemba is, that's not the number 1 need. As great as Ray Allen or Rip would be, that's not the #1 need.

We need a big. Either Okafor or Donyell would be the answer to the question. There is no question for which Okafor is a possible answer for which Thabeet actually is the answer (and that's not a knock on Thabeet -- he's just not 'Mek).
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Exactly right. I initially thought Okafor and have changed my mind because we need the outside shooting and Donyell was a hell of a shot blocker in his own right. Concur as well that there was nothing Thabeet could do that Emeka could not do better.
 
Are we taking this person as they are today? If so, Kemba is the best player but Drummond may be what we need as a team.
 
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Blueballer said:
It would take more than one sadly.
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Yeah, unfortunately no single former player, as great as some of them were, would make this team a final 4 contender.
 
8893 said:
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Hey!! Did you know that Ben Gordon had 4 fouls and that maybe Duhon should drive on him to get to the basket or pick up a 5th. Listening to Billy Packer again makes me dislike some of the current color guys a little less. He was bad in his last few years and shouldn’t have been doing final 4s.
 
Okafor. He was my immediate person I thought of and after struggling with the fact this current team needs a knock down shooter he is still the answer.

I believe there are enough guys who can shoot adequately as the season progresses but there is no one who rivals or who have the impact emeka would have on this team
 
Had to laugh at Coach K going ballistic for a foul when Emeka had knocked the ball (all ball) out in the lane. This team needs scoring so thinking of having Kemba or Bazz with Jalen would hard to beat. They also really bring the 3 ball which looks to continue to be a problem and Jalen has not been great here. Something we forget is their ability to rebound which was a big part of their teams success. Gilbert being so short is a real liability on D. My vote though goes to Caron. He can bring the D, rebound, run the floor, and be such a threat up front that it takes pressure off the guards. Terry L could move to the wing and look to shoot ala R Anderson. Caron would help prevent the scoring droughts we hit. Tony Hanson could fill this role as well. Front court scoring, baseline no one better, mid range game and the 3 ball he had it all.
 
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I would say any classic big from cliff to Boone. Hell ed Nelson would be a plus. Imagine Hilton? We just need a shot blocker or even more beef. Any guard will do. Imagine Charlie or here’s one adrien or Stanley. Ugh. Anyone really. We have had some awesome players. Not a fair question.
 
jdb50 said:
Had to laugh at Coach K going ballistic for a foul when Emeka had knocked the ball (all ball) out in the lane. This team needs scoring so thinking of having Kemba or Bazz with Jalen would hard to beat. They also really bring the 3 ball which looks to continue to be a problem and Jalen has not been great here. Something we forget is their ability to rebound which was a big part of their teams success. Gilbert being so short is a real liability on D. My vote though goes to Caron. He can bring the D, rebound, run the floor, and be such a threat up front that it takes pressure off the guards. Terry L could move to the wing and look to shoot ala R Anderson. Caron would help prevent the scoring droughts we hit. Tony Hanson could fill this role as well. Front court scoring, baseline no one better, mid range game and the 3 ball he had it all.
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Scoring would mean rip or Ben for me. How about mr Smith
 
mauconnfan said:
Only because JC didn't have him from his freshman year. HIs NBA career speaks volumes for his ability, Perno didn't know what to do with him for basically 2 years and he was potentially his best player from the second he arrived on campus.
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Perno barely played Cliff until late in his freshman year (pretty stupid for a guy coaching for his job). But truth be told, Cliff was a bit of a pill. He flunked out his sophomore year. They win the NIT in his junior year. But he was very disappointing his senior year. Didn't show much leadership and forced a lot of shots. The Dream Season came the very next year. Not a coincidence.
 
Donyell really should have made those free throws. It cost his legacy dearly.

Honestly, he’s gotta be the player that improves this team most. He blocked shots like Okafor, scored like nobody else at 29ppg, shot the 3 like Ray and rebounded like Adrien. He was a wrecking crew. But he missed those free throws....
 
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Cliff was a sick talent. He used to screw around in warmups playing one on one with Phil Gamble and Tate George. He had the handle of a very solid D1 point guard and range 10 feet behind the arc. At 6’11”, he was way ahead of his time. Today he’d develop into so much more.
 
Is there one player from past UConn teams that could make this team a Final Four contender? You watch Duke and some of these other schools play and you're reminded that part of UConn's problem right now is that the roster is just not that talented vis-a-vis some of the programs that have legitimate final four aspirations.
 
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A deep threat like Ben, Shad, or Giffey.
 
Besides Charles Okwandu, Ray Allen. The opposing defense would have to be so spread out.
 
R. Anderson or Okafor. We someone who can score consistently. A knockdown shooter or an inside player with legit offensive skills. If Vital can heat up it should help.
 
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