Hassan Diarra Commits to UConn

[Glastonhusky]

@Glastonhusky stand up! Never doubted you for a second

Thanks. I just wish I had some more info to share. Even if castle comes, I'd like to add another guard, maybe an international player or even a HS kid who is willing to redshirt.

 

[Fishy]

Karaban is a Frosh. He’s not starting.

He’s not starting but he better be ready to play.

 

[fatlucy]

He’s not starting but he better be ready to play.

I wouldn't hold my breath. I’d rather bring a proven sf from the portal while Karaban develops.

 

[EBonz30]

Tough gritty competitor, nice add- hopefully we can one more wing transfer that will produce in the upcoming season…

 

[Marat]

We had zero. We now have three.

We traded Cole for Newton and replaced Polley with Alleyne. Diarra is what he is.

We got bigger which is good. We still have ball handling issues and still need shooters.

I don't view it like so. The seniors were leaving anyway ...

Cole graduated, so next men up were JG, RD, and CF . They transferred so we traded them for Newton, Alleyne, and Diarra. So I think that was a good trade for us.

 

[navery12]

I wouldn't hold my breath. I’d rather bring a proven sf from the portal while Karaban develops.

We already did that. If Karaban (or Johnson) aren't ready to start at the 4 then Alleyne will be starting

 

[aburks41]

We had zero. We now have three.

We traded Cole for Newton and replaced Polley with Alleyne. Diarra is what he is.

We got bigger which is good. We still have ball handling issues and still need shooters.

How do we have ball handling issues with 3 legit PG’s? Newton, Jackson, and Diarra can all handle the ball. Why do you continue to die on this hill?

You want shooters? Newton, Alleyne, Hawkins, Karaban, and Johnson have that reputation. Jackson will probably develop a nice shot as well.

I don’t know what more you can ask for, this is a top 20 team in the country.

 

[CL82]

I'd still like another body

You’re fine. You just need some daily affirmations.

 

[Fishy]

How do we have ball handling issues with 3 legit PG’s? Newton, Jackson, and Diarra can all handle the ball. Why do you continue to die on this hill?

You want shooters? Newton, Alleyne, Hawkins, Karaban, and Johnson have that reputation. Jackson will probably develop a nice shot as well.

I don’t know what more you can ask for, this is a top 20 team in the country.

Guys like you do better in the offseason where everything is just new names and rainbows.

Hassan Diarra has 87 assists and 90 turnovers. He’s not a true point guard. He’s a combo with an iffy outside shot. (There’s a reason he hit the portal.)

Newton’s better but still only 3:2 assist to turnover. Forget Jackson; he’s a point forward. Great passer for a forward, not a point guard.

Newton has hit under 32% of his career threes. Scorer, not a shooter. Bulk of our expectations are gonna have to fall to Alleyne and Hawkins - they, and Karaban if he can get minutes, are the true shooters on the roster.

 

[superjohn]

We had zero. We now have three.

We traded Cole for Newton and replaced Polley with Alleyne. Diarra is what he is.

We got bigger which is good. We still have ball handling issues and still need shooters.

I think we should be fine shooting the ball. Hawkins had a much harder time adjusting to college ball than I thought he would but I expect a big jump from him next season, I think he'll shoot it around 40% from deep, Alleyne is a good shooter, Karaban is a good shooter, Jackson makes them when open, Samson has stretch 4 skills, Newton's percentage should be improved because of usage...

I think where the shooting will benefit over last year is with Newton and Jackson being able to get guys open shots. They are both big and creative passers who will be able to find guys on the break and in the half court with their size and vision getting into the lane.

As for ballhandling we should be fine in terms of guys being able to dribble but I still worry it will be a major struggle having guys who can break their man down getting to the basket and finishing. Andre needs to make a major jump here and Hawkins needs to make a jump here. We really need to get Castle on campus.

 

[aburks41]

Guys like you do better in the offseason where everything is just new names and rainbows.

Hassan Diarra has 87 assists and 90 turnovers. He’s not a true point guard. He’s a combo with an iffy outside shot. (There’s a reason he hit the portal.)

Newton’s better but still only 3:2 assist to turnover. Forget Jackson; he’s a point forward. Great passer for a forward, not a point guard.

Newton has hit under 32% of his career threes. Scorer, not a shooter. Bulk of our expectations are gonna have to fall to Alleyne and Hawkins - they, and Karaban if he can get minutes, are the true shooters on the roster.

You do realize that players improve, right? And point forward vs point guard in a 4 out offense is the same thing. They are completely interchangeable

 

[MexicoHusky]

Nice work Dan Hurley and staff. Looks like Diarra has a bit of eligibility left.

 

[Fishy]

You do realize that players improve, right? And point forward vs point guard in a 4 out offense is the same thing. They are completely interchangeable

They are definitely not interchangeable. Goodness.

And I hope they improve. I guess we’ll find out.

 

[Fishy]

Nice work Dan Hurley and staff. Looks like Diarra has a bit of eligibility left.

Two years, plus the pandemic mulligan if he wants it.

I wonder what Mo Diarra is doing next season. I haven’t heard.

 

[BGesus4]

You’re fine. You just need some daily affirmations.

 

[metsfan2323]

Great addition, Welcome aboard Hassan!

No way is Hurley done recruiting, still need another backcourt option to be complete.

 

[Hoophound]

Fishy isn’t wrong. We could definitely use another guard/forward with a decent handle and outside shot. I’d be fine with a fundamentally sound combo guard/wing with a nice jumper. I just don’t want to see us having trouble getting the ball up the court, collapsing under pressure or missing so many open threes, especially with 3 open scholarships. We also need depth in case of injury.

 

[Hoopcrazee]

Better rebounding team overall, but with more offensive efficiency there might be less offensive rebounds.

Better shooting = less offensive rebounds

 

[bendm]

Fishy isn’t wrong. We could definitely use another guard/forward with a decent handle and outside shot.

and it's not wrong to say we'd be better if we'd gotten kendric davis and baylor scheierman...but it's similarly unrealistic, negative, and pointless.

 

[Hoophound]

and it's not wrong to say we'd be better if we'd gotten kendric davis and baylor scheierman...but it's similarly unrealistic, negative, and pointless.

I don’t think he is looking for that. He’s looking for reliable depth with a useful skill or two (shooter, ball handler). We are a little better off than last season when we were a Cole turned ankle away from possibly losing every game he was out. This season we’ll be a Newton turned ankle away from being a .500 team. We need one or two more guys that can at least play a limited but productive role. Remember, this is UConn, our 10th guy should be a starter at a bottom half Big East school. We need to get back to that to win titles.

 

[MyDorona]

There's a much bigger need for another combo guard if we're adding guys for emergency depth, we're pretty much set and go 4 deep at the 3-5 spots. And maybe the 2 if Jackson is ever playing there, which he shouldn't need to do

PG: Newton, Diarra, Jackson

SG: Hawkins, Alleyne, Diarra, Jackson

SF: Alleyne, Hawkins, Jackson, Karaban

PF: Johnson, Karaban, Jackson, Springs

C: Sanogo, Clingan, Johnson, Springs

Great add, willing role player.

Newton (30), Diarra (10)
Hawkins (30), Alleyne (5), Diarra (5)
Jackson (20), Alleyne (20)
Karaban (15), Johnson (15), Jackson (10)
Sanogo (30), Clingan (10)

That's 30 mpg for Newton, Hawkins, Jackson, and Sanogo.
25 mpg for Alleyne.
15 mpg for Diarra, Karaban, and Johnson.
10 mpg for Clingan.

Probably would get squeezed a bit in big games.

The proposed depth charts I am seeing on this thread are downright wacky. Jackson as a sixth man? Karaban starting?

Let's not overthink this.

I think it's very clear from the current roster construction and everything we've heard from Hurley and the transfers this off-season, the current starting 5 is:

PG Newton
SG Hawkins
SF Alleyne
PF Jackson
C Sanogo

Count on Newton and Jackson getting all the minutes they can handle, think RJ at the end of last season.

Count on Samson getting 15-20 backup minutes as a stretch 4 or 3, or he'll be the next transfer. Hurley seems to have learned that lesson this off-season.

Count on close to 10 mins a night for Karaban.

Count on 5-10 for Clingan.

Diarra will get whatever's left behind Newton and Hawkins (too much for him IMO).

I agree with Fishy it would be nice to add another shooter + ballhandler from the portal. I don't believe Castle's reclassing.

 

[navery12]

This isn't your depth chart, right? I mean, you're not saying that Jackson is our #3 PG, SF, and PF, as well as #4 SG?

No I'm just listing guys and where they're capable of playing

 

[BrysonDeMan]

couple more international guys like this

 

[HooperScooper]

We already did that. If Karaban (or Johnson) aren't ready to start at the 4 then Alleyne will be starting

Isn't Alleyne 6-4? Would make for a pretty small team.