Hassan Diarra

[Improviser]

I meant 1:15, but won't hurt to look again at 2:15 .

 

[Chuck]

No Boneyard thing to my knowledge.

I did a brief search after your reply, @Chuck, and this is what I found:

View attachment 76296

Yeah, just a peeve of mine (and riff on our 20 minute thing). I deal with people all over the country and daylight savings can be annoying. People often think EST just means Eastern Time. I usually just use ET and let the other party figure that out. It's Arizona that is always the hardest (It's currently MST, which is the same as PDT).

Looking forward to 1:15, 2:15 or whatever 20 minute increment the tweet comes in from Diarra.

 

[Waquoit]

This would be an excellent get. I was thinking it would be tough to recruit a supporting player from a P5 level program, they would need to get someone going up in class, like a Kromah. Instead, we have a player with big game, big crowd experience.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Yeah, I really don't understand the "it's hard to get excited about a backup" when a lot of the same people lamented "wish we had a quality backup to spell Cole for a few minutes" last year.

 

[Kenny11]

I haven’t seen Hassan play in college but in high school he seemed like a warrior, hard-nosed, big balls type of player. I’ll take that especially if he shoots well from 3 towards which he apparently did the last dozen games or so in Texas.

 

[bendm]

View attachment 76297

actually you're in EDT right now since daylight saving time started on 3/13 haha

 

[Improviser]

Good thing I'm not taking a course on this.

Otherwise, I'd be on the other thread about what we don't do well or as well as we should.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

He is on campus for Mamadou's graduation per his IG

Proof via @Storrs South

 

[MDHuskFan]

He was in Texas finishing up his semester. When NYC is home, no need to fly across the country for a visit before school is done. I like him as a player, but he also understands what he can get out of the game beyond that. His brother has thrived at UConn (two degrees and a job), even when he couldn’t play anymore.

The handling of the whole MD situation was the proudest As a fan I’ve been during the Hurley Era & when I realized we had the right guy

 

[lange10]

Yeah, I really don't understand the "it's hard to get excited about a backup" when a lot of the same people lamented "wish we had a quality backup to spell Cole for a few minutes" last year.

I think he’s a great fit. I do wonder what will happen with Castle, though. In my opinion, there are still minutes available if he were to reclassify. If that’s the case I think our staff deserves a ton of credit for their offseason efforts. Newton, Alleyne, Diarra, & Castle would all be fantastic additions.

However, let’s say Castle does not reclass. While the off-season was still successful, part of me thinks the staff could’ve landed a truly elite transfer for the scholarship that was given to Alleyne. I don’t mean that as a knock on Alleyne, but given our roster construction, we had the ability to recruit practically any guard on the market & offer a starting role (I.e. Terrence Shannon, Antonio Reeves, Scheierman).

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think he’s a great fit. I do wonder what will happen with Castle, though. In my opinion, there are still minutes available if he were to reclassify. If that’s the case I think our staff deserves a ton of credit for their offseason efforts. Newton, Alleyne, Diarra, & Castle would all be fantastic additions.

However, let’s say Castle does not reclass. While the off-season was still successful, part of me thinks the staff could’ve landed a truly elite transfer for the scholarship that was given to Alleyne. I don’t mean that as a knock on Alleyne, but given our roster construction, we had the ability to recruit practically any guard on the market & offer a starting role (I.e. Terrence Shannon, Antonio Reeves, Scheierman).

Did we? I keep seeing that view, but honestly Andre Jackson is a guard. Hawkins is a guard. Newton is a guard. There is certainly time available for Alleyne, and even somebody else. But It's probably not 30+ minutes. We nailed the guy we needed to get with Newton. After that Alleyne is a good fit as a flexible guard with some size. Johnson and Karaban are going to play. Four out doesn't mean 4 guards. Ideally it still only means two.

 

[navery12]

I think he’s a great fit. I do wonder what will happen with Castle, though. In my opinion, there are still minutes available if he were to reclassify. If that’s the case I think our staff deserves a ton of credit for their offseason efforts. Newton, Alleyne, Diarra, & Castle would all be fantastic additions.

However, let’s say Castle does not reclass. While the off-season was still successful, part of me thinks the staff could’ve landed a truly elite transfer for the scholarship that was given to Alleyne. I don’t mean that as a knock on Alleyne, but given our roster construction, we had the ability to recruit practically any guard on the market & offer a starting role (I.e. Terrence Shannon, Antonio Reeves, Scheierman).

I'm not sure if this is really the case. We know the staff was still pursuing Jahmir Young because it was announced he had a visit set up, but he canceled it once Newton committed. Any elite player is going to command 30+ minutes and that was not available at that point

 

[bendm]

While the off-season was still successful, part of me thinks the staff could’ve landed a truly elite transfer for the scholarship that was given to Alleyne. I don’t mean that as a knock on Alleyne, but given our roster construction, we had the ability to recruit practically any guard on the market & offer a starting role (I.e. Terrence Shannon, Antonio Reeves, Scheierman).

we were still recruiting shannon and ramey and young etc after newton committed so it wasnt for lack of trying. you can criticize the result if you must but not the intent.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

we were still recruiting shannon and ramey and young etc after newton committed so it wasnt for lack of trying. you can criticize the results if you must but not the intent.

We never had a chance with Shannon and Young was done as soon as Newton committed. I agree with @lange10 that the Alleyne spot was probably the last desirable one the staff had to offer and they filled it rather quickly to a meh player.

 

[auror]

However, let’s say Castle does not reclass. While the off-season was still successful, part of me thinks the staff could’ve landed a truly elite transfer for the scholarship that was given to Alleyne. I don’t mean that as a knock on Alleyne, but given our roster construction, we had the ability to recruit practically any guard on the market & offer a starting role (I.e. Terrence Shannon, Antonio Reeves, Scheierman).

I think part of it is that for the 2nd transfer slot (after Newton), we were looking for (mostly) off-ball players. Not necessarily players that can't create, but that don't have a game that relies on dominating the ball. And also the top combos/2s want situations where the ball is in their hands all the time or all the shots. That's why they're the "top" players, in a way. They have the most production and impact. We could no longer offer that and weren't necessarily looking for that.

But we're building a team. We wanted defense, shooting, and a certain role. If you narrow down on that role, Alleyne is a top 20 guy in that role in the market (top 5 or so of those still available now). We were looking at Richard and Ramey also in the same role.

The Castle connection both helped to land him and will help to keep Castle in the fold. 2 birds in the hand beats none in the bush, if you will.

And on top of all that a lot of them wanted a hefty NIL bag, which I have no idea how competitive we've been. Reeves went to Kentucky. Scheierman got a major bag and had a somewhat local connection. Shannon went to Michigan. Big bags $.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think part of it is that for the 2nd transfer slot (after Newton), we were looking for (mostly) off-ball players. Not necessarily players that can't create, but that don't have a game that relies on dominating the ball. And also the top combos/2s want situations where the ball is in their hands all the time or all the shots. That's why they're the "top" players, in a way. They have the most production and impact. We could no longer offer that and weren't necessarily looking for that.

But we're building a team. We wanted defense, shooting, and a certain role. If you narrow down on that role, Alleyne is a top 20 guy in that role in the market (top 5 or so of those still available now). We were looking at Richard and Ramey also in the same role.

The Castle connection both helped to land him and will help to keep Castle in the fold. 2 birds in the hand beats none in the bush, if you will.

And on top of all that a lot of them wanted a hefty NIL bag, which I have no idea how competitive we've been. Reeves went to Kentucky. Scheierman got a major bag and had a somewhat local connection. Shannon went to Michigan. Big bags $.

Very well said. I think defense, toughness, rebounding and decent shooting are the requirements for the role. It's similar to the Martin role and he was a good get (if probably not as good as Martin). I find myself perplexed that somehow people think we need to play 4 guys who are all ball dominant and can beat their man, create and score. With Newton and Jackson on the floor at the same time, we already have maxed out on ball dominant players. One of the reasons Newton is such a good fit is that he can slide off the ball and be a solid SG. The other guys need to convert what those two and the overall motion offense creates. I think Alleyne will have more open shots at UConn than he had at VT.

 

[bendm]

We never had a chance with Shannon and Young was done as soon as Newton committed. I agree with @lange10 that the Alleyne spot was probably the last desirable one the staff had to offer and they filled it rather quickly to a meh player.

if alleyne is meh yet we didnt have a chance with guys like shannon and young once newton committed then who was the magical fit? as auror just posted, there were only a couple better options for an off-ball G. staff made the smart play taking alleyne versus waiting and hoping on a guy like ramey.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

if alleyne is meh yet we didnt have a chance with guys like shannon and young once newton committed then who was the magical fit? as auror just posted, there were only a couple better options for an off-ball G.

Shannon was always going to the Big Ten and I don't know what happened with Young. I don't understand why we should be so set on an off-ball G though. Our problem last year was we didn't have enough ball handling and shot creating and that still hasn't really been fixed yet.

 

[lange10]

I think part of it is that for the 2nd transfer slot (after Newton), we were looking for (mostly) off-ball players. Not necessarily players that can't create, but that don't have a game that relies on dominating the ball. And also the top combos/2s want situations where the ball is in their hands all the time or all the shots. That's why they're the "top" players, in a way. They have the most production and impact. We could no longer offer that and weren't necessarily looking for that.

But we're building a team. We wanted defense, shooting, and a certain role. If you narrow down on that role, Alleyne is a top 20 guy in that role in the market (top 5 or so of those still available now). We were looking at Richard and Ramey also in the same role.

The Castle connection both helped to land him and will help to keep Castle in the fold. 2 birds in the hand beats none in the bush, if you will.

And on top of all that a lot of them wanted a hefty NIL bag, which I have no idea how competitive we've been. Reeves went to Kentucky. Scheierman got a major bag and had a somewhat local connection. Shannon went to Michigan. Big bags $.

Fair rebuttal. Appreciate the insight. I knew the names I mentioned were all potentially unavailable due to NIL demands, but I think you understood my point either way.

 

[lange10]

Did we? I keep seeing that view, but honestly Andre Jackson is a guard. Hawkins is a guard. Newton is a guard. There is certainly time available for Alleyne, and even somebody else. But It's probably not 30+ minutes. We nailed the guy we needed to get with Newton. After that Alleyne is a good fit as a flexible guard with some size. Johnson and Karaban are going to play. Four out doesn't mean 4 guards. Ideally it still only means two.

I’d hope Johnson & Karaban are getting lots of burn for us at the 4. I’m not saying four out has to mean four guards, but considering how unique Jackson is as a player, we’re not giving up much on the defensive end (if at all given his toughness & rebounding abilities) by giving him minutes at the 4.

 

[bendm]

I don't know what happened with Young...Our problem last year was we didn't have enough ball handling and shot creating and that still hasn't really been fixed yet.

but you just said Young was done as soon as Newton committed, and that was probably the case for any ball dominant transfer G

i also think the problems have been addressed. let's say we play a small ball starting lineup. we have two dominant ball handlers in newton and aj surrounded by two shooters in alleyene and hawk. plus sanogo. that gives us more ball handling/passing and a lot more shooting in the starting lineup than we had last year.

off the bench we could have diarra who is a better ball handler/passer than gaff. plus karaban and samson who should give us as much shooting as polley and akok.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

but you just said Young was done as soon as Newton committed, and that was probably the case for any ball dominant transfer G

i also think the problems have been fixed. let's say we play a small ball starting lineup. we have two dominant ball handlers in newton and aj surrounded by two shooters in alleyene and hawk. plus sanogo. that gives us more ball handling and a lot more shooting in the starting lineup than we had last year.

off the bench we could have diarra who is a better ball handler than gaff. plus karaban and samson who should give us as much shooting as polley and akok.

I agree we will be a better team if the returning guys make the expected jumps and Newton's game translates over, but I still think we are another shot creator away from being really good.

 

[RichZ]

Does anyone get excited over backups? We’re not adding a future superstar here.

Can't win without competent backups. In today's NCAA world, guys who are potential stars don't come in to play backup for two seasons. And those that bloom late, unless they're so obviously talented that they replace the star that they're backing up, are going into the portal. You need a serviceable PG backup. Someone to give you're starting PG a breather without digging you a hole. Diarra seems to fit that role. Excited? No. Satisfied? Thinking yes, if and when.

 

[Umami Zen]

Don't get this tampering stuff re: HD.. UConn had mild interest in him before he made his first college choice two years ago. No mention of him by the staff since then until he made himself available in the portal. DH/staff are continuing to fill out their roster needs for the next few years and he may be a potential fit as could other players they're looking at.

 

[HuskyHawk]

For anybody talking about tampering. UConn is more likely a victim than a perpetrator so