2026 Recruiting: Cole Cloer visiting this weekend

[RuffRuff]

Doubt they're getting a freshman for next season that could start at UConn over a potential junior portal transfer or Stewart (depending on how he progresses this season). Managing recruiting is so hard now with the portal.

Hard part is that the timing doesn't align at all. You have a fall signing period for HS, before you get a chance to see your own roster play. So you're committing to unproven freshmen when you have little opportunity to evaluate your roster. THEN, you have the portal open after you get to evaluate. None of it makes much sense. I don't know what the solution is other than top HS kids waiting until the spring to sign (like Ament, Burries, Peat), so programs have a chance to evaluate their roster and decide on whether they want to go frosh or portal.

How weird an experience it must have been for Adams last year, coming out with that sweet Uconn IG drop only to pivot to MD in the spring very transactionally.

 

[bendm]

Not sure what auror post you are referring to, but you’re the first person I’ve seen who thinks Landrew is a backup to Mingo. They aren’t remotely the same player and we would absolutely take both

That’s what I used to think but was talked out of it. Catch up on the County thread

 

[RuffRuff]

What’s the dislike here @RuffRuff ? Stewie is clearly battling Mullins for the 3 this year, and the poster I was replying to was talking about Cloer as an AK replacement (which I agree with). So how is them playing together not a realistic scenario?

Stew is not starting at the 3 next year

 

[Drame]

That’s your opinion. I agree with Aurors post in the Landrew thread. But it’s a moot point either way.

Haven’t seen anyone projecting Cloer as a frosh starter other than Will Wade. If we get Samuel’s or Landrew at SF then Cloer would most likely be backing stew up at the 4.

Im with Mooch 82. Different players. We take both.

 

[gtcam]

Stew is not starting at the 3 next year

Mullens is not coming here if not playing a significant role

 

[Mooch82]

That’s what I used to think but was talked out of it. Catch up on the County thread

I don't disagree that we are selling the Castle role to Mingo...but don't think it means we can't also take Landrew. Mingo is a top 10 kid - you take that talent every day of the week and make it work. There are tons of examples with top high school kids going to school with other top kids playing similar positions. Hurley is a master at playing "positionless" basketball - he could absolutely find ways to get Mingo and Landrew on the court together. Their styles are completely different.

As for County - to me he's still a bench guy as a freshman and would get more opportunities as a Soph/Junior. If he wants to go to a lesser school and start day one, by all means. But he's really a Solo-ish recruit rating wise, and he barely played as a freshman (outside of when Steph was hurt early in the year).

I know Dan Hurley has said he doesn't want to take big freshman classes, but he also has said he doesn't want to take a ton of transfers. He picks and chooses his spots. I think they are still figuring out the best strategy and balance in the new recruiting game, but in general I think the biggest goal is to find guys who buy in to the opportunity we are selling them, and to be 100% honest with these kids throughout the recruiting process.

 

[HW611]

Stew is not starting at the 3 next year

I agree if we did get a Cloer it’d probably be reverse with Cloer at the 3 and Stew at 4.

Cloer seems to have a lot more guard skills than Karaban did to be a straight up replacement.

 

[nomar]

FWIW, Trilly says it's gonna be NCSU

 

[RuffRuff]

FWIW, Trilly says it's gonna be NCSU

Rivals too. Enough smoke there to move on. Not going to waste energy hypothesizing when it looks pretty clear he's not coming.

Stew is not a 3 - nothing about his game points to being a 3 in Hurley's systems, which is a guard oriented profile. He's only going to get bigger/stronger and has been backing up AK since he was a freshman. I'm not sure why anyone keeps wedging him into that role. He doesn't have the footspeed to guard 3's, doesn't have the handle/shot. Most of the early video you've seen on him this year showcases his middy game.

 

[gsmooth]

Ewwww, Will Wade huh. Well, if he goes that direction, likely meant he wanted to stay local the whole way. Also may make some sense on why we ratcheted up recruiting on alternatives, despite positional difference, in the last month.

Not sure I've been less interested in the HS scene than I am this year. I don't think there are many players that will make much of a mark next year and then they're fair market in the portal. In fact, given I think the HS NIL scene might be a bit depressed this year, could see a lot of these kids flashing in the portal to see how they can make up for it in Year 2.

That's exactly what I think will happen in every year going forward barring no major changes that would deter schools from going into the portal with full force and effort. Think of it like the last year of a contract before free agency in NBA, NHL, MLB, and NFL. That pro player wants to put up eye popping good numbers and cash in on free agency, you know like a Juan Soto. As a Yankee fan, I wish he was still in the real pinstripes, but I knew since last August he was going to the Mets and that Steve Cohen was breaking the bank for him per chatter on Pinstripe Alley's website (Yankees website).

I don't think there are many players that will make much of a mark next year and then they're fair market in the portal.
The portal is where it's at. Having said that, I really, really, want Mingo to commit to UConn. If UConn can land him and win a championship (tall order I know) and then Mingo gets drafted in the top 7 of the NBA, then Hurley will have two players he can cite to future top 10 recruits. Hurley is not like Calipari or Scheyer in that he wants to have 4-5 players in the top 20 in HS rankings.

 

[gsmooth]

The fat lady hasn't sung quite yet as Hurley seems to be Trilly's kryptonite. Feels like an early call for Trilly, as CC only announced his top 5 today.

If anything, how UNC has tumbled. Where at any point pre-Hubert would they have lost an instate target to NC St?

That's the Will Wade effect. He is a good hire for NC State because NC State has always been the little overlooked step brother of Duke and UNC. NC State has always been fighting for limelight and relevancy and is clearly a distant country mile at #3 behind Duke and UNC. Will Wade is good enough recruiter/bag man with the nerve to upset the apple cart and cause major disruption to those 2 schools and unfortunately everyone else including UConn (Cole Cloer), Kentucky, etc.

 

[RuffRuff]

That's exactly what I think will happen in every year going forward barring no major changes that would deter schools from going into the portal with full force and effort. Think of it like the last year of a contract before free agency in NBA, NHL, MLB, and NFL. That pro player wants to put up eye popping good numbers and cash in on free agency, you know like a Juan Soto. As a Yankee fan, I wish he was still in the real pinstripes, but I knew since last August he was going to the Mets and that Steve Cohen was breaking the bank for him per chatter on Pinstripe Alley's website (Yankees website).

I don't think there are many players that will make much of a mark next year and then they're fair market in the portal.
The portal is where it's at. Having said that, I really, really, want Mingo to commit to UConn. If UConn can land him and win a championship (tall order I know) and then Mingo gets drafted in the top 7 of the NBA, then Hurley will have two players he can cite to future top 10 recruits. Hurley is not like Calipari or Scheyer in that he wants to have 4-5 players in the top 20 in HS rankings.

Scheyer is going to have to pivot strategy after this year as he’s not making a roster of top freshmen with the 26 class. There is no Flagg or Boozer walking in. I think the portal is going to be a war ground this year given how weak this class is. I’m really curious to how many of these kids wait till the spring to sign given the perception and because it was already trending with a few top kids last year.

 

[ec33]

Stew is not a 3 - nothing about his game points to being a 3

That does complicate the easy solution of importing the AK replacement a bit. But that it still the likely approach.

 

[Samoo]

Mullens is not coming here if not playing a significant role

Sixth man backing up both Stewart and Ball gives him a significant role and probably around the same minutes as the starters. While his ego might, the NBA doesn't give a whit whether you start or not if you're playing big minutes and showing out.

 

[RuffRuff]

Sixth man backing up both Stewart and Ball gives him a significant role and probably around the same minutes as the starters. While his ego might, the NBA doesn't give a whit whether you start or not if you're playing big minutes and showing out.

He would have been fine either or, it just happens that he is a natural 2/3 that compliments this starting roster far better than what Stew would at the 3, alongside AK & Solo. We tried Stew at the 3 for the entire stretch that Liam was out - it didn't work well. We are slow footed defensively and undynamic offensively.

 

[boog204]

Sixth man backing up both Stewart and Ball gives him a significant role and probably around the same minutes as the starters. While his ego might, the NBA doesn't give a whit whether you start or not if you're playing big minutes and showing out.

I'd be surprised if Mullens isn't the starter the majority of the year at the 2/3.