Floyd, Karaban, Clingan

[Umami Zen]

Surprised that very few Yarders are showing any kind of optimism for Johnson. If you take DH/staff at their word -- SJ is going to make some noise next year.

 

[bendm]

Auburn got 3 of the top 10 transfers last year coming off a 13-14 season where they missed the NCAA tournament

and a potential top 3 draft pick...money talks.

 

[navery12]

and a potential top 3 draft pick...money talks.

Correct, so it's not harder to sell recruits coming off a 1st round loss

 

[Improviser]

so much easier to sell an impact transfer on a program coming off a sweet 16 run as opposed to a first round upset smh.

The horse already left the barn on this one.

Best pitch if Cole leaves , is that the starting PG position(s) is open right now and based on their accomplishments/experience at Princeton and/or Niagara or someplace else, they can start right away. No playing behind another player on the team now, just open competition for the slot.

If Diggins or Gaffney somehow step up, so be it, but not hoping for a miracle with either.

If Cole stays, they we choose one more PG. Cannot rely on Diggins, Gaffney or AJ just because they will have another year under their belt. League too competitive now to be taking chances on maturity in house. Get a PG or 2 from the portal or a grad transfer.

 

[bendm]

Correct, so it's not harder to sell recruits coming off a 1st round loss

but it is if you're not hosting BBQs

 

[navery12]

but it is if you're not hosting BBQs

Wake Forest was 6-16 and got a bunch of impact transfers. Minnesota was 14-15 and also got a bunch of really good transfers. Were they having BBQs too?

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Surprised that very few Yarders are showing any kind of optimism for Johnson. If you take DH/staff at their word -- SJ is going to make some noise next year.

I think it's difficult to really have any informed opinion at this point - maybe other than "has length and athletic ability with an very good upside potential". Next season will be very telling because either he jumps into an impactful role by mid-season or potentially sees a limited future given he'll be a junior in '23-'24 with guys like Karaban and Clingan coming out of their teeth cutting seasons and hopefully another impact '23-'24 frosh coming on board. Time will tell.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The horse already left the barn on this one.

Best pitch if Cole leaves , is that the starting PG position(s) is open right now and based on their accomplishments/experience at Princeton and/or Niagara or someplace else, they can start right away. No playing behind another player on the team now, just open competition for the slot.

If Diggins or Gaffney somehow step up, so be it, but not hoping for a miracle with either.

If Cole stays, they we choose one more PG. Cannot rely on Diggins, Gaffney or AJ just because they will have another year under their belt. League too competitive now to be taking chances on maturity in house. Get a PG or 2 from the portal or a grad transfer.

Playing time is most of it, along with opportunity to win or play at a higher level. PG is really our only spot with potentially significant (starters minutes) playing time. Guys don't transfer to be the 2nd guy off the bench.

 

[husky429]

Surprised that very few Yarders are showing any kind of optimism for Johnson. If you take DH/staff at their word -- SJ is going to make some noise next year.

How many future lotto picks don't play at all their freshman year?

He's a freak athlete with gumby proportions, but as far as we can tell, he wasn't good enough to play. He played what, 2 minutes after Akok went down and then never again?

I suspect he'll contribute next year, but star player seems unlikely to me barring a crazy productive summer.

 

[dennismenace]

No one here knows what these kids will be able to do next year, but here's a summary of their Junior Year Stats (used these because Floyd and Karaban opted to join UConn early) and some comments about them from coaches:

Karaban averaged 25.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.9 blocks, shooting 60.3 percent, to help New Hampton win the 2021 NEPSAC Class AAA tournament. He was MVP in the championship game.

He then averaged 18.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 blocks for his AAU Team, Expressions Elite at the Peach Jam. Karaban was the Gatorade player of the year in New Hampshire.

Karaban is a smart and skilled modern big man who is not afraid to push the pace on his own if needed. He boasts exceptional footwork and is widely regarded as an above-average 3-point shooter. While he is not an elite athlete, his high basketball IQ allows him to rebound well on both ends and take what the defense gives him offensively.

For those thinking he'll be similar to Tyler Phommachanh, the video link below shows someone who also aggressively attacks the basket:

alex karaban video - Search Videos

www.bing.com

Clingan averaged 27.3 points, 17.2 rebounds, 5.8 blocks, and 3.1 assists.
“Donovan’s work ethic and team-first attitude fits in perfectly with the championship culture we are establishing,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “With his size, his ability to pass, and his shooting touch around the basket and on the perimeter, he should have an immediate impact on our frontcourt at both ends.”

Floyd (6'4", 210 pounds) per 247 Sports. 2020-21 stats through 13 games (sat out two games). 16.5 points, 4.08 rebounds, and 2.77 assists per game.

Well built and physical guard. Has functional athleticism in traffic. Ideal playing off the ball as a shooter and slasher. Has a reliable shooting stroke. Can attack the basket and finish with either hand. Solid overall ball handler and passer. Rebounds his position well.

His AAU coach, James Johns, who also coached current Husky Tyrese Martin, had this to say about Floyd earlier last year: "Tough, smart, great kid, great family. Corey reminds me a lot of Tyrese because they have this quiet demeanor about them but they're competitive and it all comes out on the court. Awesome kid. Love him to death. I thought Dan (Hurley) would be great for him."

As an aside, there was an all-star game I've previously referenced in which CF dominated players like Zion Cruz and Roddy Gayle, as a rising Junior. What that means may or may not amount to much but I'm thinking it will.............

Great post. I love the tape on Karaban. If you look at it you can see him finish at the rim multiple times with either hand. This skill cannot be underestimated to me. You cannot overplay them and force them to work around that. Watch how often you see the overplaying on the defensive end. Same thing with Sonogo and glad to hear the same with Floyd. I haven't seen enough of DC to know if he can as well but would not surprise me. I admire it when someone has worked hard to obtain that "skill" (it is not natural like talent). Kudo's also to their mentors who would not give in on letting them get by without it. You have to work hard to develop it. The work ethic and perseverance are what the tradition has been at Uconn.

 

[Umami Zen]

Re: Floyd/Karaban-- Among the many benefits of having these guys on campus ahead of their freshman year is the fact that the coaching staff has been able to assess/project their prospective value through practicing against/scrimmaging with this year's team. Also benefits the staff in terms of determining fit/need for the remaining open spots for next year (with Martin's recent announcement, etc.) based on those assessments. They should have a decent idea of what they're going to get from these guys.

 

[aburks41]

Re: Floyd/Karaban-- Among the many benefits of having these guys on campus ahead of their freshman year is the fact that the coaching staff has been able to assess/project their prospective value through practicing against/scrimmaging with this year's team. Also benefits the staff in terms of determining fit/need for the remaining open spots for next year (with Martin's recent announcement, etc.) based on those assessments. They should have a decent idea of what they're going to get from these guys.

We'll see. The staff saw what they had last year and still decided to roll the dice with Gaff this year as the backup PG and it burned them. Hopefully they learned from their mistake

 

[Chin Diesel]

I think his passing is going to be a huge asset on offense. I said earlier I envision him catching at the foul line and being able to dump it down, hit a cutter, hit the corner shooter or pop the short J. If he's playing with 6'10" Johnson, passing to Johnson in the post is going to be hard to stop.

Only question is on D. He's no more able to hard hedge than Carlton was. It will be a test for Hurley to adapt to a guy that can be a huge contributor if Hurley can adapt his defense.

A couple of things.

Jackson was the only UConn players capable of penetrating and kicking the ball out to a wing on the move. Cole was better at not overpenetrating and turning the ball over but his passes were almost all inside dump offs. Jackson makes the defense move and Jackson will at least try skip passes to get the defense off kilter.

Other thing I'd really like to see is the return of penetration and alley oops to back side cutters. Jackson's game screams for one or two of them a game as does Johnson's. But no one on this year's team could throw an alley oop pass. Make the defense pay for getting lazy on the back side of the defense. It helps keep the lane open if the weakside defense can't just collapse to the ball in the paint.

 

[Umami Zen]

How many future lotto picks don't play at all their freshman year?

He's a freak athlete with gumby proportions, but as far as we can tell, he wasn't good enough to play. He played what, 2 minutes after Akok went down and then never again?

I suspect he'll contribute next year, but star player seems unlikely to me barring a crazy productive summer.

DH used those words-Not me(lotto). Just an observation that among the many opinions shared -his name is rarely mentioned. IMO-- He needs SnC work in order to withstand the physicality of CBB-Not too dissimilar from a freshman Akok (pre-injury).

PT for freshmen in the DH scheme appears to be hard to come by. Is it a staff philosophy or lack of talent/readiness?Sometimes its hard to tell. I guess you trust the coach/staff and say they're just not ready. I'm sure DH will give him feedback in the end-of-season interview heading into late spring/summer as to what he needs to do to get the PT he's looking for.

 

[Umami Zen]

We'll see. The staff saw what they had last year and still decided to roll the dice with Gaff this year as the backup PG and it burned them. Hopefully they learned from their mistake

Don't want to derail the OP. I will say this. Some criticisms of DH/staff are legit. But one thing you cannot criticize him for is his absolute loyalty and devotion to his guys. Players appreciate that-Gaff included.

 

[husky429]

DH used those words-Not me(lotto). Just an observation that among the many opinions shared -his name is rarely mentioned. IMO-- He needs SnC work in order to withstand the physicality of CBB-Not too dissimilar from a freshman Akok (pre-injury).

PT for freshmen in the DH scheme appears to be hard to come by. Is it a staff philosophy or lack of talent/readiness?Sometimes its hard to tell. I guess you trust the coach/staff and say they're just not ready. I'm sure DH will give him feedback in the end-of-season interview heading into late spring/summer as to what he needs to do to get the PT he's looking for.

I know DH used those words; I'm saying he either had no idea the talent he had (unlikely) or misspoke.

I don't know if I agree with your second paragraph. Akok, Bouk, Sanogo, Hawkins all played big minutes as freshman. Springs didn't, but he's clearly just not good enough for this team at this point. The only two that really HAVEN'T played are Diggins and Johnson.

 

[dennismenace]

I looked around on @navery12 link and if I did my query correctly, Jackson was on the floor without either Cole or Gaffney for ~50 total possessions in the entire season.

Now that's not to say he didn't bring the ball up the court at times with either Cole or Gaffney on the game, but my main point here is that he can be used as a change of pace on occasion but just because he may have the best individual passing skill on the team it doesn't necessarily warranted extended minutes as the primary ball handler to facilitate the offense.

Agreed. The primary ballhandler must be able to "handle" his dribble under pressure from speedy quick guards and 3's (or even Whalley type bigs. He was a PG in HS but he does not have the handle for that as a D1 player who suddenly shot up to 6-7 in HS. Unless he spent all his time working on that maybe. Just working on finishing at the rim and outside shooting is plenty to work on. I would not underestimate anything for him however. He apparently has an A+ work ethic and a heart for being a team player. Just needs to keep growing and being coached up. Sky is the limit with that combination of mind, heart and athleticism. Give us more of him please.

 

[Tenspro2002]

On top of that he had a few more aggressive moves to dunk later in the year as well. He's a decent FT shooter and those are at least going to draw fouls.

He has to be able to do something other than dunk.

If his usage is going to be as high as people here seem to think, he has to be able to attack off the dribble past/through defenders and finish through contact at the rim. Aside from dunk attempts, which are rare, he doesn't even try to do this.

 

[Tenspro2002]

My friend the coach at one of the basketball focused prep schools in RI doesn't expect him to really see the court much at UConn. I asked why and he said "too slow" for that system. So I said, why recruit him? Answer was: "had to" for the optics.

Not what we want to hear, but a valid concern.

He's big, skilled, with good IQ and by all accounts a hard worker, but he's really limited athletically and that can impose a hard ceiling unless a system is really designed around that sort of player.

 

[Tenspro2002]

That lineup would be a disaster.

It's fine with a few tweaks. Lineup breakdown by rough minutes distribution:

Transfer PG (30), Gaffney/Diggins (10)
Hawkins (30), Floyd (10)
Jackson (35), Floyd (5)
Karaban (20), Akok (10), Johnson (10)
Sanogo (30), Clingan (10)

We can go small with Karaban at the 4, or big with Akok/Johnson at the 4 -- and even all of them are probably better shooters than Whaley (who was not as bad as people think).

 

[NotADime89]

My friend the coach at one of the basketball focused prep schools in RI doesn't expect him to really see the court much at UConn. I asked why and he said "too slow" for that system. So I said, why recruit him? Answer was: "had to" for the optics.

I highly doubt a 4 star, 7'1'' in state recruit "won't see the court". DH and staff will figure out a way to get him PT. He can pass, has a high BBIQ and actually can move pretty well for a 7 foot 17 year old. He can only get better from here

 

[husky429]

I highly doubt a 4 star, 7'1'' in state recruit "won't see the court". DH and staff will figure out a way to get him PT. He can pass, has a high BBIQ and actually can move pretty well for a 7 foot 17 year old. He can only get better from here

In-state has nothing to do with it. He's going to play based on his abilities. And we didn't play 2 of our 4* recruits this year. People complain on here constantly that Hurley doesn't play freshman enough... why would that change for Clingan? (Though personally I do disagree with the complaints about PT). The majority of 4* bigs in the 2021 class played minimal or garbage time minutes this year. Bigs develop late. It's normal.

Personally, I think he'll get PT as Sanogo's backup for 10-12 mins a game... but the idea that they will force him on the court because of his ranking and where he happened to be born is ludicrous.

 

[Tenspro2002]

How many future lotto picks don't play at all their freshman year?

He's a freak athlete with gumby proportions, but as far as we can tell, he wasn't good enough to play. He played what, 2 minutes after Akok went down and then never again?

I suspect he'll contribute next year, but star player seems unlikely to me barring a crazy productive summer.

With the asterisk that this was a weird year with super-seniors taking minutes that freshmen normally would get:

There was a stat that something like 10% of players who get as little time as Diggins and Johnson got this year as freshmen amount to even a rotation player, nevermind a star. I think Albert Mouring was our only example over 3 decades of a guy who went from not playing as a freshmen to being a legitimate contributor as an upperclassman.

 

[shizzle787]

Karaban has the look of a Soviet prison guard. His numbers at Peach Jam are incredibly impressive. The fact that he played on the prep scene and did ridiculous things will bode well for him. Practicing with the team this year was also huge. I think he will be an instant impact player and could very well start next year and be a 10 ppg guy.

Clingan is in for a rough transition. Going from playing Lewis Mills and Farmington to playing Creighton and Xavier is going to be rough. I think he will be a big deal his junior and senior seasons but it will be a culture shock for him to play against anyone taller than 6'6" and skinny for a while.

Floyd Jr. to me is the mystery. He practiced all year with the team but his high school numbers weren't necessarily gaudy. To be determined.

 

[shizzle787]

We'll see. The staff saw what they had last year and still decided to roll the dice with Gaff this year as the backup PG and it burned them. Hopefully they learned from their mistake

Diggins just wasn't good enough to usurp Gaffney. Not every ends up being a stud. It's usually 50/50 with who becomes a stud vs. a flop.