Graduate Transfers Commentary

[Kitaman]

This year having two Graduate Seniors added to the roster produced mixed results. Shonn and Gibbs as talented as they both are did not seem to be able to integrate into the UConn system. Sure they come in 'brainwashed' from prior coaches/programs but aside from learning the system, the chemistry never seemed to materialized.

Not sure what Gibbs was asked to do (e.g. lead, tutor, run the offense, etc..) but it appeared he played like an outsider. Did the team embrace/respect his position? Miller seemed to have an easier time adjusting because of his position.

Both came in and 'took' starter positions, but only Gibbs was available, per se. The two of them filled a void this year and with them we won the AAC title (albeit Adams' Hail Mary) and returned to the NCAA Tourney. So the end result was positive.

With that said I think 2 graduate Transfers is too many, especially when inserted into a veteran team. They are a short fix but could affect future development. For this specific team we just lost our leader (Boat) and we were rudderless throughout the season. Its practically impossible to ask Gibbs, and Miller to a lesser extent, to come in and lead. Adams as confident as he is, had to defer to a 'new' but experienced Senior. Purvis, also a transfer couldn't take the reigns simply because Ollie didn't appear to give it to him. He too seemed to defer but to who I don't know.

We don't know what goes on behind the scenes (locker room and practice) but Purvis was benched this year, Adams was yo-yo'ed this year and neither was named defacto leader. This is not Gibbs fault but him being a senior did impact both guards. Miller's impact on Facey and Enoch is yet to be determined, but there is no doubt he was our best big.

In the future I would like perhaps only one graduate transfer to be added on especially to starter positions.
And I think it should never be a point guard. This is not a knock on Gibbs, but addressing the position that controls the ball, team, flow, manages egos and at UConn expected to lead. Gibbs was put in a tough position, coming in right after Bazz and Boat, and having a team full of veterans. We had no guards so he was an answer.

In hindsight Miller was fine, and Gibbs could have worked as a shooting guard, just not at the point. The solution to me would have been to identify a leader at the Guard position (Adams or Purvis) and back him, and letting Gibbs play without leadership concerns but respect the 'anointed' leader. I don't think Ollie and staff ever proclaimed the Team Leader (at Uconn usually a guard).

I'd like to know what you all think of our transfers and the impact/results this year.

 

[mauconnfan]

I look at it as 2 guys who came in, helped us get back to the tourney which we wouldn't have without them for sure. I am extremely happy they came to UConn and did just that. Both brought something to the table and I would love for KO to find the right fit for yet another one next year - maybe a BIG or a shooter.

I think it's tough to have 2/5's of your team rely on guys who have not been in the program though. It was much easier for Lasan K to just fit in as a piece I will agree.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I get your take that Gibbs almost all season up until the very end had a somewhat undefined role and that who knows how adding transfers for one year impacts a team, but without both of these guys were in the NIT without a doubt.

We absolutely needed a power forward and a ball handler and KO got them.

 

[fatlucy]

I think that without those two, this would have been a miserable year.

 

[upstater]

Imagine where this team would have been without them. I think Ollie took as many grad transfers as he needed.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I think ollie had to make due with the situation he inherited. We need another ball handler and someone inside. Gave shonn his first ncaa tourney experience and gibss a shot at a NC. didnt we have other pgs commit but then decommit over the past 2-3 years? ollie needed a ball handler and imo gibbs did a good job. it was when it came to the halfcourt offense that he struggled. if we had another pg or adams playing like he has been, earlier in the year i think he couldve started and that wouldve allowed gibbs to be a really good shooter coming off screens. it is what it is but im happy we got gibbs... miller was absolutely great this year offensively and rebounding... defensively he committed stupid fouls every game, more than brimah did and that hurt the team. but his offensive game and rebounding stood out more than other big men we've had in a long time. I hope he tought facey, larrier, enoch somethings for next year... Personally, I'd like to get back to where we dont need transfers, but if we do it should be a glue/utility guy

 

[RichCTBB]

Was this year's roster still affected by scholarship reductions?

 

[businesslawyer]

We did what we needed to do for this season. Did it work as well as we hoped, or it might have? Nope. But did it work light years better than the alternative? Heck yes.

I think the OP is right in that 2 grad transfer starters is not a recipe to be a Top Ten team running deep into the tourney. Teams built with a few years of good recruiting will add a grad transfer to fill a particular need or take advantage of a particular opportunity (Maryland) or to add a little experienced depth (as we did so successfully with both Evans and Kromah).

But while it's not going to be usual, one of the skills you can add via a grad transfer is leadership. We qualified for the tourney in '13 (but for the suspension) largely because RJ EVans, while not athletic and big enough to get to the rim in conference play, supplied the mature leadership that a very young team needed.

 

[MattMang23]

In a perfect world you don't have to rely on grad transfers to fill the roles you're lacking someone to fill. But the world hasn't been perfect for UConn the last few years regarding recruiting and conference affiliation (which I'm sure affects recruiting).

 

[willie99]

I think it's hard to succeed when you need two of them to play significant minutes and to produce

I think one such player is much more preferable, and having that one player simply fill a roll works well.

Too much was thrust upon them, and expected from them

 

[UCweCONN]

I'm not a big fan of the short term fix that grad transfers provide. It can be disruptive to bring in players for one year similar to having Drummond for one year. However, if KO wants to continue going the grad transfer route, my only recommendation is to bring in players from programs that had NCAA success/played high level competition during the players time there.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I'm not a big fan of the short term fix that grad transfers provide. It can be disruptive to bring in players for one year similar to having Drummond for one year. However, if KO wants to continue going the grad transfer route, my only recommendation is to bring in players from programs that had NCAA success/played high level competition during the players time there.

imo drummond didnt disrupt things. the team was young and immature on the court and off, specifically a few players... but yeah a role player unless for some reason we need a starter

 

[Waquoit]

I don't think the results are mixed. We were a better team with them than we would have been without them. We won the league and made the dance. We have positive momentum.

 

[Gurleyman]

I think that having hard and fast rules on this stuff is the wrong way to go. If you have holes on the roster and can get a talented player or two that fills needs, you do it. There's risks in bringing in top 20 recruits that you only have them for a year as well - if we could have had Newman/Stone for a year, we take them and don't bother with Gibbs/Miller, but we may have been even worse this season when you factor in maturity levels of freshmen. Louisville was faring pretty well with their two grad transfers, especially compared to how they would have been without them.

I also wouldn't say that there were mixed results with Gibbs/Miller this year, necessarily. We were much better with them than the alternative. They both provided things we didn't have - post scoring, perimeter shooting - which opened up the floor for everyone else. The struggles we had this season would have been even worse without those two guys providing 12 ppg and drawing defenders.

Now that we are ahead of the game on the recruiting trail and aren't playing catch up, we don't need grad transfers as badly - but let's say we are in a parallel universe where Purvis and Brimah were ready to make the jump and declared. Now we have a shorter roster and our options would be to recruit scraps or check out the graduate transfer market for a shooter and a big. I'd go grad transfer every time if someone was out there who fills those needs. They are more proven, and if they don't work out, they don't take up a scholarship or affect future recruits.

 

[KyleUC]

They helped us win a conference tournament title, get back to the tournament, and beat a pretty good CU team in the first round. Without them we're maybe in the NIT if anything at all. All in all we've had a lot of luck with graduate transfers and I wouldn't be mad with getting another for next year if the right piece is there. There are some good guys out there.

 

[Brochacho]

I'd like to know what you all think of our transfers and the impact/results this year.

My main thought is that with the addition of Miller and Gibbs (Adams and Enoch too, of course) we went from a 4 seed in the NIT last year to a 9 seed in the NCAAs this year. These guys weren't perfect, but they got us very excited for a season that would have likely resulted another NIT appearance had they not come. I think it also goes to show that you can't expect to be a great team when your primary ball handler and primary post player are graduate transfers; just not enough time to properly integrate them into the system. Also think Ollie's inability to find a consistent rotation played into the lack of chemistry. With that said, Sterling and Shonn clearly loved it here and gave their all

 

[InKembaITrust]

I wrote this back on March 2nd:

As good of individual players both Shonn and Sterling are, they definitely threw a curve-ball into cementing an individual leader for the team.
They are both the eldest on the team but are not "true" huskies, which hinders their ability to lead other Huskies whom have been with the program for multiple years.

Their seniority also hinders Brimah's ability to act as the leader b/c Shonn and Sterling are naturally expected to take on that role, so it leave the entire team in a conundrum. Also Brimah in my opinion might make a great emotional leader, but unfortunately is not a good enough individual talent to lead with his play and bball IQ.

Although Jalen will only be a sophomore next year I really hope Ollie recognizes his natural born talent and leadership qualities, and hands over the keys...

 

[Horatio]

Everything worked out well as soon as we won the AAC tourney and won a game in the tournament . If we didn't do those two things it would've been ugly. " Uconn brought in those two , high level grad. Transfers and didn't even make the tourney"..... . We may need a nice , role player PG/ Combo guard next year because Sam jr doesn't appear to be a player that can stay healthy.

 

[Brochacho]

I'd like to know what you all think of our transfers and the impact/results this year.

My main thought is that with the addition of Miller and Gibbs (Adams and Enoch too, of course) we went from a 4 seed in the NIT last year to a 9 seed in the NCAAs this year. These guys weren't perfect, but they got us very excited for a season that would have likely resulted another NIT appearance had they not come. I think it also goes to show that you can't expect to be a great team when your primary ball handler and primary post player are graduate transfers; just not enough time to properly integrate them into the system. Also think Ollie's inability to find a consistent rotation played into the lack of chemistry. With that said, Sterling and Shonn clearly loved it here and gave their all; but its important to remember that graduate transfers, while an asset, are typically not complete players. Yes, they are experienced and talented, they tend to not be complete players. RJ Evans wasn't really good at anything besides getting to the rim. Kromah couldn't shoot, but he provided exceptional defense and intangibles. Gibbs clearly did not have the point guard skills you would expect form him as a fifth year guard, but provided excellent spot-up three point shooting. Miller might have been our most complete grad transfer, but he simply could not avoid foul trouble. With that said, I would gladly take Sterling or Shonn for another season. But on to next year: with the last available scholarship, I would love to get another quality big man since its highly unlikely we bring Zach Brown in.

 

[gtcam]

I think its harder to add a 5th year PG or shooting guard
Its an easier transition for a 4 and 5
I would not mind seeing a JC or 5th yr forward or Center join next year
I think two thrust into the starting line up is tough
BUT I thank both for their contributions

 

[pnow15]

So, we won 25 games, our league tournament, a game in the NCAA Tournament and had a shot at upsetting the No. 1 team in the country(down 9 with three minutes to go) and this is somehow a failure?
Don't you think your standards may be a tad high?

 

[Matrim55]

Was this year's roster still affected by scholarship reductions?

No. This year's roster was affected by the recruiting restrictions that were lifted 18 months ago - and were largely the reason we had poor (by our standards) or small incoming classes in '13, '14 and '15. Miller & Gibbs were brought in to fill holes caused by the sanctions.

Now that KO & staff have had a full cycle on the road without restrictions, you can see the type of class ('16) he'll be able to get. I suspect we'll still take the occasional grad transfer going forward - if you can get a player as good as Shonn Miller, or a shooter like Gibbs, you should - but it won't be an absolute necessity.

 

[upstater]

There were a few games that shouldn't have been lost that would have made all the difference. At least 3 in the conference, and 1 OOC game. If UConn had gone into the tourney with 7 losses, it could have had a 5 seed. It would have made all the difference between being in the round of 32 or the Sweet 16/Final 8. If this team disappointed, that's where the disappointment happened. A 9/8 seed really is not a nice thing at all. You're better off with an 11 seed.

 

[tzznandrew]

There were a few games that shouldn't have been lost that would have made all the difference. At least 3 in the conference, and 1 OOC game. If UConn had gone into the tourney with 7 losses, it could have had a 5 seed. It would have made all the difference between being in the round of 32 or the Sweet 16/Final 8. If this team disappointed, that's where the disappointment happened. A 9/8 seed really is not a nice thing at all. You're better off with an 11 seed.

Also, basketball is a game of confidence. You give them a few more wins against tournament teams, and maybe that first half against Kansas looks better. Maybe Kansas is taken out by someone else. It's true that, usually, to be the best you have to beat the best. But I'm not going to complain that we didn't play Kansas or Ohio State in 2011. I think we would have beaten them, but I'd rather just beat Kentucky and Butler

 

[UCweCONN]

Sometimes it's about the tourney matchups. I'm confident we win the national title in '95 (?) if we didn't run into UCLA and Tyus Edney, the one team in the country that could run with us and outscore us.