Hamilton signs with Sam Goldfeder

[scrappy2.0]

I hope D Ham gets a first rd pick. He is a guy who can play PG @ 6-7. IF he improved his jumpshot--hes a guy who couldve jumped into the 2017 lottery. Maybe there is a team picking 20-30 who gave him a thumbs up?

Hurts for the team next year any way we want to spin it. I dont like these new rules--I think it just leaves the door open for a young man to over think his position.

Were losing what mightve been a candidate for an all American with an improved jumpshot upperclassmen with built in chemistry especially with Amida --it stings.

 

[djct1999]

"I've been hearing first round, maybe second round," Hamilton said. "Wherever I get drafted, I'll be OK with it."

I'm hoping for the best for the kid... but it sounds like he's getting some terrible misinformation or we are all fools.

I don't think he is receiving any information. Even if he was hearing "maybe second round", the timing of this makes no sense on multiple fronts. For him, to forfeit eligibility so early on tells me this decision was made a long time ago. For Ollie, the timing of this suggests to me that he is OK with DHam leaving without putting up much of a fight. Either way, the way this went down explains at least to me the disconnect all season between KO and his best player. I believe now that friction existed all season long and that alone caused the team to underachieve.

 

[minidarren]

You can say that about any speculative decision
Anyone who says that they won't fell a bit of remorse in this case is an ........

Hamilton potentially has put his family in a poor position by doing this. It's a stupid decision and I now give 0.0 shyts about him. His decision has an adverse affect on his UCONN family as well.

 

[Stainmaster]

I hope D Ham gets a first rd pick. He is a guy who can play PG @ 6-7. IF he improved his jumpshot--hes a guy who couldve jumped into the 2017 lottery. Maybe there is a team picking 20-30 who gave him a thumbs up?

No.

 

[cowboysnation]

I wish DHAM all the best. He was a great player. I hope he continues to work on his ball handling and defense. But I think terry larrier can replace him next year.

 

[lange10]

Alpha Diallo won't cut it as a replacement to DHam, frankly. If Ollie were to bring in say, Vital, Diallo and Sheldon Jeter it isn't enough. We need a proven wing who can create for himself and score.

Hope it works out but the pessimist in me thinks his family rushed yet another decision. As of now our rebounding is going to be atrocious next year.

 

[Stainmaster]

Alpha Diallo won't cut it as a replacement to DHam, frankly. If Ollie were to bring in say, Vital, Diallo and Sheldon Jeter it isn't enough. We need a proven wing who can create for himself and score.

Hope it works out but the pessimist in me thinks his family rushed yet another decision. As of now our rebounding is going to be atrocious next year.

I don't normally wager money, but I'd put down a bit on Terry Larrier being the overwhelming favorite to "replace" DHam. A. Diallo's role (if he commits) would be teaming up with Vance to give bench production from the wing/step in if we slide Larrier over to the 4.

 

[UConnJim]

I don't think DHam is ready for the NBA, and I certainly don't think he is a 1st round draft pick, but he can start his pro career and make money now. For some kids, that is the right decision. For DHam, that is the decision he made. Good luck!

 

[ZamboniHomie]

I don't see Hamilton being a PG in the league. There is a ton of PG talent out there, with better shooting and better ball-handling. I wish him the best, and thank him for what he did while at UConn, but still respectfully disagree with whatever advice he is receiving.

 

[JMick]

Alpha Diallo won't cut it as a replacement to DHam, frankly. If Ollie were to bring in say, Vital, Diallo and Sheldon Jeter it isn't enough. We need a proven wing who can create for himself and score.

Hope it works out but the pessimist in me thinks his family rushed yet another decision. As of now our rebounding is going to be atrocious next year.

At this point we just need bodies, too. And lot's not shake our head at Alpha Diallo, hes picking up big offers and he's moved himself up to a composite 4* recruit.

 

[CTBasketball]

How many Brimah threads did you miss this year?

As frustrating as Drummond? In my mind NO but Drummond is a physical freak
As frustrating as SG? Maybe. I expected so much more from SG and had the same level of expectations for DHam next year - oh well

Sorry should have rephrased. I was thinking in terms of potential.

I think a big difference with Drummond was that his mixtapes were hand-crafted to make him look like . Hamilton came in with the potential of being "our next lottery pick swing guy" and just never even came close to it.

 

[lange10]

I don't normally wager money, but I'd put down a bit on Terry Larrier being the overwhelming favorite to "replace" DHam. A. Diallo's role (if he commits) would be teaming up with Vance to give bench production from the wing/step in if we slide Larrier over to the 4.

I do agree but we need to make up for the talent we're losing. Dham could score, rebound, create. Do it all - just a bit inefficiently. I really, really think we need to bring in a grad transfer who plays the 3 or the 4 who can score and rebound big time. I don't think Larrier at the 3 and A. Diallo/V. Jackson filling in when he slides to the 4 is good enough. Initial thought of mine was go hard after Peters from Valpo.
1. Adams
2. Purv
3. Larrier
4. Peters
5. Brimah

Wishful thinking but..

 

[Dove]

We know there are skills that DHam needs to improve on. Another summer as a college kid and another season as a Husky surely would have helped him.

Alas...that thing he needs most, as I see it, cannot be learned. He lacked a fire. He lacked the desire to pick up a team and rage forward. He was, like, accidentally very good. His body made him a great rebounder (okay, know where to be, also). He sometimes showed great range on his shot.

But consistently...he never really blossomed to NBA level player.

Good luck.

 

[shakes65]

Alpha Diallo won't cut it as a replacement to DHam, frankly. If Ollie were to bring in say, Vital, Diallo and Sheldon Jeter it isn't enough. We need a proven wing who can create for himself and score.

Hope it works out but the pessimist in me thinks his family rushed yet another decision. As of now our rebounding is going to be atrocious next year.

Agree it is an asinine decision and that his family was likely involved. That said, Terry Larrier is his natural replacement, and he just might be a better shooter.

 

[BoatShow]

Honestly we need to replenish our corps in the NBA. Need to him to get drafted and stick. Who knows if Butler and CV are around the league moving forward. Even Rudy is getting up there at this point and not just at the rim! We are way down from our peak number of guys in the league got to get those numbers back up.

 

[mauconnfan]

Good luck to Dham, good kid who played pretty well as a Husky. Really the absolute worst of any undergrad to leave Storrs early, but I guess you never know. He can get better I guess in Italy or something, the D League not so much bad habits, bu I guess they know something we don't and that's all that counts.

Good luck to him

 

[BUConn10]

Normally I think if I a guy has a chance at guarenteed money, even if it's 50/50 he has reason enough to go. Yet I've now processed this DHam news for an hour now and I can't help but feel that this is a horrible mistake by Daniel and the UConn staff as well. It's the staff's job, especially our head coach who went undrafted himself and only had a career in the US due to his pure grit and grind. It's Ollie's responsibility to communicate with his players and get on their level mentally (which on paper no other coach in D1 should be able to like KO), yet it seems their efforts were futile and I think this decision will really hurt Hamilton.

That being said, if he sticks with this decision I will pray for him to be drafted as high as possible, I hope he has a successful career playing basketball.

 

[Matt1010]

Normally I think if I a guy has a chance at guarenteed money, even if it's 50/50 he has reason enough to go. Yet I've now processed this DHam news for an hour now and I can't help but feel that this is a horrible mistake by Daniel and the UConn staff as well. It's the staff's job, especially our head coach who went undrafted himself and only had a career in the US due to his pure grit and grind. It's Ollie's responsibility to communicate with his players and get on their level mentally (which on paper no other coach in D1 should be able to like KO), yet it seems their efforts were futile and I think this decision will really hurt Hamilton.

That being said, if he sticks with this decision I will pray for him to be drafted as high as possible, I hope he has a successful career playing basketball.

Hamilton openly said that KO told him it was in his best interest to stay another year. Daniel and his family/camp obviously did not agree with that assessment.

 

[tcf15]

@BUHusky10 come on man. KO can only do so much. In the end it's DHam's decision to make.

 

[gtcam]

Hamilton potentially has put his family in a poor position by doing this. It's a stupid decision and I now give 0.0 shyts about him. His decision has an adverse affect on his UCONN family as well.

That's your problem - nice guy

 

[dogpause]

Something is weird about this whole thing.

 

[BUConn10]

@BUHusky10 come on man. KO can only do so much. In the end it's DHam's decision to make.

Maybe so, I just can't help but feel like there isn't a single public source on this info that even has him projected to be drafted, let alone in the first round. Usually when your family pushes you out early it's because there's a SLIGHT chance you may go first, so they tell you to roll the dice. But in Daniels case it's not even a potential second rounder, he's not even on the board, which makes me feel there's more to the story.

This decision is just so perplexing to me, I can't think straight.

 

[traitor71]

Some folks won't want to hear this, but this should tell you all you need to know about what Daniel Hamilton thinks of Kevin Ollie's ability to make him a better ball player next year. It's pennywise, pound foolish on the surface, but if you think you're better off learning in the DL (where he'll likely wind up), then so be it.

It actually tells me more about what passes for the brain rattling around in Hamilton's head. If he thinks that he is physically ready to play in the NBA then he is simply delusional, period.

 

[JMick]

Something is weird about this whole thing.

Honestly? It sounds like he just never wanted to be in college to begin with and used it as a means to an end. If he's happier playing in the D-League or Overseas than being on campus, having to juggle basketball and school, then more power to him.

 

[Bryan Lord]

Wow felt a bit sick to my stomach when I read that tweet.