Darius Adams Decommits from UConn

[Son of Robert]

I thought he would have been a good player here if he had stayed the course. A developing depth player this year, then a rising sophomore, and so on. Very skilled player, three level scorer, reminded me of a young Rip.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

It was never a good fit. Doesnt have physicality needed for Danny's defense in the Big East at this time. Been saying it since he signed. Will work out well for both parties.

 

[husky99]

Always best of luck and obviously unless you play uconn

 

[Scrutineer]

It might have been Solo Balls decision to return that started the process for him. Better for him to go and be happy, then to stay and be unhappy with lack of PT. As a McDonalds all American he probably wants to play 25+ mins a game as a freshman.

Hopefully this will clear Mullins mind of any similar thoughts. This should open the door for lots of PT for Mullins.

The days of loading your bench with young prospects for future years are over in college basketball

You say: "The days of loading your bench with young prospects for future years are over in college basketball".

That makes sense when you see transfers like IA, AN and DA, but the NCAA raising roster sizes and scholarship limits makes no sense in this day and age based on how few teams play more than eight in basketball.

Something is up.

 

[David 76]

Bummer

Do,we get the bag back?

 

[Scrutineer]

Should have said on your wrist

Dick Tracy had a wrist radio in the 50's.

 

[Deleted at users request]

The reality is unless you’re a top 10-15 recruit you won’t get playing time at UConn as a freshman. Even then, it’s not a given. Most top 100 kids with 3 years of experience are going to outplay the 25th best freshman coming in. I feel bad for some of these freshman because most of them pick a team before the portal madness and what they sign up for often changes significantly.

This top 10-15 stuff is also a farce.

Jeremiah Fears wasn't even top 50. More freshman guards than not were pretty good contributors to their teams this year without being 5 stars.

 

[Deleted at users request]

I thought Hurley never promises playing time? Just a chance to compete for and earn it.

Mahaney pretty much disproved this theory.

 

[navery12]

I thought Hurley never promises playing time? Just a chance to compete for and earn it.

I'm sure he doesn't, but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to see that even with no promises to anyone there were no minutes to even win. I'm sure Adams realized that in his conversations with the staff. Adams moving on either before or after the season has seemed obvious for awhile

 

[Deleted at users request]

Both had a chance to step up and grab meaningful roles this year due to injury and both didn’t - Stewart had flashes and Ross not so much. One of the keys to the year last year preseason, as identified by pretty much everyone, was the sophomores needing to make a jump to make another deep run. Solo did, the others not so much. As he is once again asking them to make a jump then yes same bet. Argue semantics about what role he envisions etc but that’s the deal

If bringing in Mahaney to compete with Solo, Liam to compete with Ross, and bringing back AK to take Stew’s minutes was considered betting on them, what would've been considered the opposite?

That makes absolutely no sense. Was the staff suppose to ask them to come back and then recruit guys for bench roles over them too?

 

[Deleted at users request]

If you’re a top 10 program there is zero point in bringing many 15-20+ HS kids, unless you think there is amazing upside with a year plus of development and the kid is willing to be patient. If they can’t get 15+ minutes as a frosh, pass.

Even a kid like Furphy could likely land more guaranteed PT elsewhere.

The way the economics are currently set with zero guardrails, what is to stop us using Quinnipiac as a minor league program, giving them NIL to help season a kid for a year?

Half of the teams in the elite 8 this year had a big time freshman guard outside of the range you stated. Some of them may have been the best player on the team.

I really hate this completely false narrative that is hurting not only college basketball, but overall American basketball.

Just because we haven't had luck with freshman PGs doesn't mean they don't find success at other places. MOST of the ones from last year did.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Hurley did not make this bet last year.

He's actually making the bet for the first time this year because they'll actually be in star/starting roles. Not role players off the bench (if that is the staff expectation for Ross).

I’m not going to debate this because everyone knows where it’ll go with you but given that Hurley abstained from taking a commitment from a transfer that wanted to come to UConn because he didn’t want any of Ross, Stewart or Ball to leave last season he did make that bet. You’re just wrong on this.

 

[Deleted at users request]

I’m not going to debate this because everyone knows where it’ll go with you but given that Hurley abstained from taking a commitment from a transfer that wanted to come to UConn because he didn’t want any of Ross, Stewart or Ball to leave last season he did make that bet. You’re just wrong on this.

Why are you framing it like this when the situation was taking Brea at the cost of Ball leaving which was 100% the right choice.

Its okay to agree with me instead of doing weird stuff like this for the sake of trying to make me look wrong.

 

[bendm]

I thought Hurley never promises playing time? Just a chance to compete for and earn it.

You seem to be taking this pretty hard. Refusing to accept the general consensus for why he left so why do you think he left?

 

[superjohn]

They're not even the guys who would've taken time from him but there's already like 9-10 guys who are going to get minutes and Adams was at the very end of that list. This made sense for the player and the team.

 

[superjohn]

Please stop using the MAA “game” as any reference on a player’s ability, it’s like the NBA all-star game, a glorified scrimmage

If you are a consensus top 25-30 player, especially a MAA, it is completely reasonable that you would expect to start or play major minutes. If you get recruited over (or transferred over) and are slated to play 5-10 mins a game, you are wasting a valuable year in the NIL era. Go play elsewhere where you’ll get playing time and some money, then transfer.

Jumping into the portal now just as it’s about to close is also savvy if you’re bag hunting (FWIW I don’t think he was, I think Malachi was what pushed him out) because some P5 school will want to throw both money and playing time at you. We’re lucky to have so much talent on the roster that we’re letting a MAA leave.

Doomed.

He's ranked too highly for what you would be getting next year in a player. It had been talked about a ton here by people who watched him. No knock on him and no sour grapes. He could possibly turn into a great player down the road but it would be incredibly surprising if he's a high level player next year.

We all kind of knew this. He was the first kid who popped for us and he's ranked right there with Mullins and Reibe but we all knew those guys are major pieces for next season and we've all been talking about Furphy a lot more than him despite his ranking. Adams will need development.

 

[dennismenace]

Neither am I, he's clearly ranked too high it was nice seeing us with the #2 ranked class even though it didn't feel all that legit to me. He's so far away from being physically ready for the Big East and he didn't want to compete for minutes. Good luck to him.

Not ready for demands of Uconn and the Big East. Good luck!!

 

[dennismenace]

I guess the rumors were true. He must of thought since he was a McDonald's boy that he should at least be a key reserve on our team? He looked way over matched in the McDonald's game physically so not too disappointed but that means we still need 3 more recruits/transfers if Karaban doesn't come back.

Agree completely.

 

[dennismenace]

Lots of short term thinking in the teen years but he had to realize in the McD's game that he was the least physically ready player on the two teams.

But maybe he believes he has such a high skill level that he can be a player right away............and maybe one or more of his former suitors told him he'll fit right in with their teams............

The sooner he figures out the truth the better. Cannot see him ready in anyway for Uconn and the Big East.

 

[dennismenace]

I remember cobol in high school 1984 maybe. Our teacher said in our lifetime we will have a powerful computer we can hold in our hand. I should have paid attention.

Business major late 1960's. We had Foretran which was engineering software. I recall seeing the my first Texas Instrument handheld calculator in the early 70's.

 

[RuffRuff]

Half of the teams in the elite 8 this year had a big time freshman guard outside of the range you stated. Some of them may have been the best player on the team.

I really hate this completely false narrative that is hurting not only college basketball, but overall American basketball.

Just because we haven't had luck with freshman PGs doesn't mean they don't find success at other places. MOST of the ones from last year did.

Bro give it up. Your narrative is self soothing. Open up your eyes and look at what’s happening instead of the chocolate factory inside your own head.

Outside of Duke which teams had frosh as their best player? It was no one in F4. You are now making things up.

We are better off finding kids in portal, and it’s starting to show now that we are moving off not only our 2024 frosh crop but one of 2025.

Go find yourself a Time Machine on eBay. The schtick has gotten beyond old.

 

[GampelGladiator]

Probably best in long term that Adams decommited...because if an all american 'sits' the whole year it may scare off future all americans

 

[businesslawyer]

You say: "The days of loading your bench with young prospects for future years are over in college basketball".

That makes sense when you see transfers like IA, AN and DA, but the NCAA raising roster sizes and scholarship limits makes no sense in this day and age based on how few teams play more than eight in basketball.

Something is up.

They are preparing for the day (that may or may not ever come, by the way) when Auburn and Kentucky will pay more for a Burger Boy to sit on their bench and not play than Creighton or Gonzaga will pay him to start.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Mahaney pretty much disproved this theory.

You keep pointing to the kid that was brought in to be the starting PG and was quickly relegated to an end of the bench role due to his play as evidence that Hurley does guarantee playing time. It’s quite literally direct evidence against your point.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Bro give it up. Your narrative is self soothing. Open up your eyes and look at what’s happening instead of the chocolate factory inside your own head.

Outside of Duke which teams had frosh as their best player? It was no one in F4. You are now making things up.

We are better off finding kids in portal, and it’s starting to show now that we are moving off not only our 2024 frosh crop but one of 2025.

Go find yourself a Time Machine on eBay. The schtick has gotten beyond old.

Auburn had Petiford. Texas Tech’s best player was Christian Anderson who wasn't even top 100. MSU had Jase Richardson. Bama had Phillip Labron.

Just named 4 teams without naming Duke.