2027 Recruiting: Colben Landrew commits to UConn

[superjohn]

He may not be what Artest eventually became, but he is very much like the Ron Artest at the same age. I saw Artest plenty in person when he played for Riverside Church with Elton Brand. At this age it is not a bad comp.

I must have a mean streak in me because I enjoy this statement from a Louisville publication:
"Louisville basketball recently missed on top target Colben Landrew. The 4-star shooting guard ended up committing to the UConn Huskies over the Louisville Cardinals, which was absolutely crushing. "

Yeah, I watched them too. Best AAU team I've ever seen. We disagree, Artest was more powerful and quicker. He doesn't really play anything like him from what I've seen of Landrew.

 

[caw]

Yeah, I watched them too. Best AAU team I've ever seen. We disagree, Artest was more powerful and quicker. He doesn't really play anything like him from what I've seen of Landrew.

There is no perfect comparison but I stand by Artest over Butler as a comparison in terms of body type, type of athlete and even play style. Artest had really quick hands and became huge in college and even bigger in the NBA but a 17 year old Artest may have been smaller than Landrew in terms of weight (who is listed at 235). Artest was pretty svelte at that age in comparison.

 

[dennismenace]

I'm not sure what your comment means, but these survived the great purge of possessions when I relocated to Louisville from CT, even though I pretty much stopped watching football until the playoffs since probably Eli's 2nd Super Bowl ring...
View attachment 112421

Your daring in Louisville is admirable but I'm just not sure that bravado would play in the city of Oakland. I had friends who lived/worked there. One is a doctor whose did their residency (surgeon) there and said he had seen everything. Wearing an NFL opponent gear to games or possibly even on the street might border on asking for your head to be handed to you. I am thrilled as a former Giant fan that they finally are getting there act together with some quality acquisitions. Got tired of 25 year rebuilding programs. It's been an unbelievable drought. As for Louisville they were an awful nemesis when Rick was there. Now, like Dracula, he has reemerged in Queens. It's only fitting that the drama will return again and again at the Garden. Hope your enjoying your glassware again!

 

[navery12]

There is no perfect comparison but I stand by Artest over Butler as a comparison in terms of body type, type of athlete and even play style. Artest had really quick hands and became huge in college and even bigger in the NBA but a 17 year old Artest may have been smaller than Landrew in terms of weight (who is listed at 235). Artest was pretty svelte at that age in comparison.

Spoiler, he was much bigger even in HS

 

[UCan3]

Depriest was great. Also, I was at the Tropicana in ‘99. Scoonie Penn was denied getting the ball back by Ricky a lot. Or if he got it, it was never in great position to do anything initially. Just a great disrupter. Also, great players play every second. When Khalid hit the late free throws Ricky was already moving to deny Avery the ball. The value of an IQ guy over a merely pure athletic skill guy is underrated. So many gifted players don’t also make the right mental plays that lead to winning. I hope Landrew brings it and is part of another championship.

we've had so many great players over the years and sometimes they don't get it the attention they deserve just because we didn't win a championship or maybe we had an offer here. But that doesn't mean they didn't work everybody as hard as those that did.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Spoiler, he was much bigger even in HS

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I’m not getting involved in the broader discussion but there is 0% chance he was even close to 260 lb in high school. Lots of sites will just use a later playing weight.

 

[Chief00]

A great pickup. Colben will fit in well and win many games.

 

[husky429]

There is no perfect comparison but I stand by Artest over Butler as a comparison in terms of body type, type of athlete and even play style. Artest had really quick hands and became huge in college and even bigger in the NBA but a 17 year old Artest may have been smaller than Landrew in terms of weight (who is listed at 235). Artest was pretty svelte at that age in comparison.

Landrew is not 235lbs or close to it regardless of what 247 says

 

[superjohn]

There is no perfect comparison but I stand by Artest over Butler as a comparison in terms of body type, type of athlete and even play style. Artest had really quick hands and became huge in college and even bigger in the NBA but a 17 year old Artest may have been smaller than Landrew in terms of weight (who is listed at 235). Artest was pretty svelte at that age in comparison.

Artest was 6'6 244 lbs as a high school senior and there was no baby fat. He was always a lock down defender and the enforcer for his AAU team and high school team.

Landrew was listed at 6'6 190 lbs his junior high school season. Landrew isn't 235 lbs, you're looking at that one 247 profile of him which is wrong. Everywhere else he's listed at 205-210 and he has baby fat.

 

[boog204]

Free UConn fans from the shackles of nonsensical player comparisons

So you’re saying he’s not Leon Torksdorf?

 

[Ricker]

Spoiler, he was much bigger even in HS

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I shouldn't dispute what you present as an legitimate sourced fact, but I do. The Ron Artest I saw play for Riverside Church wasn't close to 260lbs. Obviously he could have lost weight from some previous time, but I bet he was only 235 to 240 when he played on that Riverside Church team the year before he played at St Johns, vs the 235lbs Landrew is listed at now..

In 1997, as a high school senior, Ron Artest weighed 244 pounds. He was listed with this weight during his appearance in the McDonald's All-American Boys Game that year. St Johns Roster for 1997-1998 lists him at 244 according to a sports reference.

An NBA reference Jun 30, 2021 — College: St. John's ; Height: 6-7 ; Weight: 246 pounds ; Position: Guard / Forward ; Age: 19

Landrew is listed at 235lbs on 24/7 which is only 9lbs different from Artest when he was a year older at St Johns. I think given their powerful frames, there is an argument they are physically comparable entering as high school seniors. We'll see if that measurement is accurate at 235 but I am not as quick to discount it as others.

 

[Lafayette]

Hey Landrew at this point has not played a minute of college ball so projecting him to Artest or Butler who played and were amazing IN college is all imagination.

Depriest coming out of Detroit PRE UConn was plenty scary on both sides of the ball but got recruited by Calhoun while Boheim went for big fish DC. DePriest played one year as a starter before being moved to 6th man defensive specialist and joined the league of amazing UConn defenders.

Anyway great recruit and his Senior year hopefully gets him rated higher. True comps are available once he plays for us.

 

[Excalibur]

Hey Landrew at this point has not played a minute of college ball so projecting him to Artest or Butler who played and were amazing IN college is all imagination.

Depriest coming out of Detroit PRE UConn was plenty scary on both sides of the ball but got recruited by Calhoun while Boheim went for big fish DC. DePriest played one year as a starter before being moved to 6th man defensive specialist and joined the league of amazing UConn defenders.

Anyway great recruit and his Senior year hopefully gets him rated higher. True comps are available once he plays for us.

The comparisons are always about style, not performance.

 

[444JR]

Watched some of Landrew’s games again last night and I decided he moves like a 6’6, sturdier football playing version of James Bouknight. The way to kid moves and scores in bunches. Similar style of movement, shooting, and finishing around the rim.

 

[husky429]

Watched some of Landrew’s games again last night and I decided he moves like a 6’6, sturdier football playing version of James Bouknight. The way to kid moves and scores in bunches. Similar style of movement, shooting, and finishing around the rim.

Bouk was a body control savant around the rim for us. I see much more of a straight line, violent finisher from Landrew. Just my 2c

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Your daring in Louisville is admirable but I'm just not sure that bravado would play in the city of Oakland. I had friends who lived/worked there. One is a doctor whose did their residency (surgeon) there and said he had seen everything. Wearing an NFL opponent gear to games or possibly even on the street might border on asking for your head to be handed to you. I am thrilled as a former Giant fan that they finally are getting there act together with some quality acquisitions. Got tired of 25 year rebuilding programs. It's been an unbelievable drought. As for Louisville they were an awful nemesis when Rick was there. Now, like Dracula, he has reemerged in Queens. It's only fitting that the drama will return again and again at the Garden. Hope your enjoying your glassware again!

40 years ago, I invited a neighbor from Bellport, L.I. to join me at MSG for an Islanders-Rangers game. As we entered, I told him that he couldn't root aloud for the Islanders, and I meant it. In those days, I was similarly restrained when I went to Red Sox games at Yankee Stadium.

I enjoy wearing UConn gear around Louisville, and my exchanges with local fans are surprisingly positive, but I know better than to push the limits in head-to-head competition. Colben Landrew's recruitment was my first example of such.

Louisville has now lost highly desired recruiting targets to UK and UConn, and has not signed a 2026 recruit yet. I don't pay close attention, but read that fans are concerned.

They're also reported as feeling dissed that AP pre-season poll ranked UL outside the Top 10 (11th). This is the second season for Pat Kelsey, who was hired as a 5th choice and jumped the team from 8 to 27 wins in his first season. We are not the only highly sensitive & insecure fanbase.