Dom Amore: UConn coach Dan Hurley calls it ‘total chaos’ in college basketball as new rules allow flood of players into transfer portal

[olehead]

he needs to win some of these attempts
talk is cheap
He needs a 3 pt threat and while I deeply respect TPs conviction to the program, he has not shown the consistency with his shot and has not built the aspects of his game that you would expect a 6'9" player to have. Maybe he will in the off season but time is short. Even the most loyal DH person has to be concerned as to why he hasn't landed a pure sharp shooter
As you have seen in this year's NCAA tournament - all the successful teams have at least two.

Yessir.

 

[olehead]

he needs to win some of these attempts
talk is cheap
He needs a 3 pt threat and while I deeply respect TPs conviction to the program, he has not shown the consistency with his shot and has not built the aspects of his game that you would expect a 6'9" player to have. Maybe he will in the off season but time is short. Even the most loyal DH person has to be concerned as to why he hasn't landed a pure sharp shooter
As you have seen in this year's NCAA tournament - all the successful teams have at least two.

After all, this is UCONN, not URI. He's moved up. Big boy expectations now.

 

[AdamaNation]

Totally agree. I mean we are bringing back the reigning Big East Defensive POY and the reigning Big East Sixth Man of the Year. That. Is. Huge.

Typically, experience wins championships and I love going to war with these guys. And I hope that another year post injury makes Polley more consistent.

But it’s silly to deny that we were buyers in the portal and we haven’t closed a deal yet.

You know that’s a huge point. You might say we and seton hall easily had the best “additions” in conference thus far. If polley and Whaley hit the portal they would have been fairly sought after with those accolades especially in this years group

 

[djct1999]

He didn't expect Whaley back, and Polley was a crapshoot. Richmond was going to Seton Hall before he hit the portal. Locke would be nice, but I think staff is just as comfortable with Polley. How many guys you want on the roster next year?

With Polley back, isn’t Locke redundant. With Polley back, why would Locke come here? Even if he committed to Louisville before Polley announced, that mere uncertainty was enough to push him away. I am with you. It’s not the best roster, particularly our back court, but it’s certainly full.

 

[olehead]

With Polley back, isn’t Locke redundant. With Polley back, why would Locke come here? Even if he committed to Louisville before Polley announced, that mere uncertainty was enough to push him away. I am with you. It’s not the best roster, particularly our back court, but it’s certainly full.

If I'm Locke, I have no fear of Polley.

 

[djct1999]

If I'm Locke, I have no fear of Polley.

You should.

 

[navery12]

No I get the point. I don‘t get the sense that Whaley and Polley were analogous. And in any event we are still trying to add one more at least.

Yeah I think we're still trying to add 1 more, which gets us to 13. That's seemed like the plan all along from every article from a beat writer and every Hurley interview/comment

 

[Hurleyman216]

Coach sees the big picture on this. Some of these teams taking 3-4 portal transfers are shooting themselves in the foot. We’re doing things the right way. How easy is it to recruit incoming freshmen when you take a few transfers and recruit over them before they even arrive on campus? There will be a lot of unhappy frosh next year who won’t see much playing time. We did thing the right way. Just my 2 cents. There is still a chance we could add 1 more player, but the staff is very happy with the current roster they have.

 

[8893]

Coach sees the big picture on this. Some of these teams taking 3-4 portal transfers are shooting themselves in the foot. We’re doing things the right way. How easy is it to recruit incoming freshmen when you take a few transfers and recruit over them before they even arrive on campus? There will be a lot of unhappy frosh next year who won’t see much playing time. We did thing the right way. Just my 2 cents. There is still a chance we could add 1 more player, but the staff is very happy with the current roster they have.

Post/handle!

 

[August_West]

I personally prefer Polley and Whaley back than any transfer we can sign. I think it makes us better next year and especially for the future.

although I’d take Akinjo .

Yeah I can be bought.

 

[98Uconn]

This is kinda crazy... if we transferred in the DPOY from a good conference, as well as the 6th man of the year (who has the potential
to be a solid shooter, but didn't shine coming back from a tough injury) we'd be saying, Hurley crushed the portal... we brought back two "glue"
guys, who would be welcomed by many other schools, which also happens to improve our culture of loyalty etc... to overlook this and think we're swinging and missing in the portal seems kind of short sighted to me

 

[8893]

This is kinda crazy... if we transferred in the DPOY from a good conference, as well as the 6th man of the year (who has the potential
to be a solid shooter, but didn't shine coming back from a tough injury) we'd be saying, Hurley crushed the portal... we brought back two "glue"
guys, who would be welcomed by many other schools, which also happens to improve our culture of loyalty etc... to overlook this and think we're swinging and missing in the portal seems kind of short sighted to me

Who do you think is overlooking that?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Hurley seems like the type of coach who wants to build relationships with players over time. Transfer market doesn't allow for it.
As HC and program executive it falls on him to have an assistant who is comfortable making those quick decisions and judgement calls and is aligned with DH's values.

 

[olehead]

You should.

Why? Polley's been here forever, what's the track record that would cause Locke or substitute Locke for anyone else, to fear competing against Polley. Tommy maybe.

 

[98Uconn]

Who do you think is overlooking that?

It seems like it's overlooked in a lot of the posts relating to the transfer portal that allude to us striking out.. specifically w Locke and Richmond...

 

[UconnU]

I will give him this, if Whaley was in the portal he would have been a top guy to get. Honestly, there is a lot of average talent in the portal and very few gems.

Even Polley would get a lot of offers. 6’9 kids who shoot 40% from 3 are a rare commodity.

I feel a little for the freshman coming in they’re now competing against a crapload of 5th-6th year guys, there was even one 7th year kid lol. Guys who would normally be overseas right now. Both internally on their teams and on other teams. It’s like when your freshman high school team has to play against one of the teams who’s using sophomores.

 

[8893]

It seems like it's overlooked in a lot of the posts relating to the transfer portal that allude to us striking out.. specifically w Locke and Richmond...

Do you think Hurley’s interest in them was conditioned on Polley not coming back?

 

[8893]

Even Polley would get a lot of offers. 6’9 kids who shoot 40% from 3 are a rare commodity.

What were Polley’s numbers from three?

 

[UconnU]

Would you like 14 guys on the roster next year?

Absolutely not. 13 guys is already too much to manage.

 

[UconnU]

What were Polley’s numbers from three?

Wow, you’re right I’m sorry his numbers dropped substantially from his first few years. 35% last year. Surprising.

 

[Okafour rings]

he needs to win some of these attempts
talk is cheap
He needs a 3 pt threat and while I deeply respect TPs conviction to the program, he has not shown the consistency with his shot and has not built the aspects of his game that you would expect a 6'9" player to have. Maybe he will in the off season but time is short. Even the most loyal DH person has to be concerned as to why he hasn't landed a pure sharp shooter
As you have seen in this year's NCAA tournament - all the successful teams have at least two.

I think we end up with at least 4 good 3-pt. shooters next year, and improve greatly compared to this year. let's face it, Bouknight was awful from 3-pt territory at 29.3%. in fact, he took 281 shots from beyond the arc, and Cole took 1 less at 280. Bouknight made 75...and Cole hit 101!!!

So Cole is our first certified 3-pt shooter: 38.6% this year, after years of 38.7% and 35.9%, so he's proven it during his college career.

Second is Polley, who slumped this year to 35.5% (due to the injury?), but his previous 3 years were 40.5%, 38.0%, and 41.7%. My guess is that Diggins will be the kind of drive and dish PG that Polley needs to give him open 3 pointers all day.

Third is Gaffney who hit 36.2% and I believe he'll get even better and hit 38-39% next year.

Fourth IMO is incoming freshman Hawkins who's supposed to be the second coming of Ray Allen as an outside shooter. If he hits 35%+ he gives us our 4th outside threat.

Hurley takes the next step with the team winning 22-24 games before the tournament.

 

[98Uconn]

Do you think Hurley’s interest in them was conditioned on Polley not coming back?

I don't know...bc I have no idea how much interest there really was...as I don't think any of us do... but I do think.. given our roster construction, that a guarantee of playing time couldn't be given to either Locke or Richmond.. because DJ doesn't seem like someone who's going to tell a recruit what they want to hear if it's not true..

 

[8893]

Wow, you’re right I’m sorry his numbers dropped substantially from his first few years. 35% last year. Surprising.

If he returns to 40%, I’m good. His lack of defense requires that imo.

 

[husky1bags]

I don't care. Just players. Players who can play. Let Hurley decide who should play. I mean he should get that. He makes 3 mil. Let him do something suggestive of getting us back. Bring in talent.

We can talk strategy until blue in the face. Calhoun won because he figured out how to bring in elite talent. As a player. Figure out how to contribute, that's the beauty of competition.

I have played a lot of ball at high levels and I can tell you it's generally comes down to the players. If he's worth his salt, he'll bring in talent and coach them up. If he can't, you better believe our opponents will, and then beat us down. We, hand hold our coach worried about too many players.

I did not like how we shrunk to end the season. Creighton was a bad rebuilding program loss, Maryland was a bad program loss. No one, including DH, should be running around doing the parade wave because we made the tournament. On the contrary, DH and Co. should be viewing the way the season ended, with those last two losses, as big misses and should be humping to get better. With talent. Development is an assumption when you decide to coach, in the wrong business if you can't teach and develop. Talent is the difference-maker.

Big deal...he got three great recruits ...top ten recruiting class. Calhoun got his players and he too. Don't forget couldn't work on AJ shooting season started then kid got hurt. So he can make slot of improvement.

 

[8893]

I don't know...bc I have no idea how much interest there really was...as I don't think any of us do... but I do think.. given our roster construction, that a guarantee of playing time couldn't be given to either Locke or Richmond.. because DJ doesn't seem like someone who's going to tell a recruit what they want to hear if it's not true..

Which is what I said from day one and for which I was criticized.