Hines visiting tomorrow!!!

[Son of Robert]

I had posted this in the thread 'Entering the Transfer Portal' as well.

3 years of eligibility

Hines listed at 6'10 265 7ft wingspan #1 player coming out of Jersey in 2025

Adam Finkelstein Director of Scouting


Hines is a physically dominant big man with a body type and physical approach that come from a background on the football field. He is thick and powerful from head to toe and understands how to throw his body around and bully his opponents on both ends of the floor.

Defensively, he strikes a rare balance between being both a high-volume rebounder and shot-blocker. He’s not built like a prototypical rim protector and yet still led the EYBL with 2.8 per game, while grabbing 9.8 rebounds. He’s a huge physical deterrent, understands verticality, absorbs contact without losing an inch, and doesn’t leave his feet unnecessarily. Between that and his massive hands, he dominates his area on the glass and is also willing to rebound outside of it. Where he can struggle right now is when he’s pulled away from the paint and asked to slide laterally on the perimeter.

Offensively, he’s a big screener with good hands who poses a massive target rolling to the rim and emphatic finisher. He understands how to get deep seals, leading to point blank finishes, and also has excellent use of his left hand. He can catch and screen on the perimeter, but is not yet a shooting or handling threat. Even his free-throw touch needs to improve as it can be flat and hard right now.

Overall, he’s a physically imposing power player in the lane on both ends of the floor who has untapped potential tied to expanding his skill-set, conditioning, and mobility

 

[mauconnfan]

I like Holloway and like Seton Hall, but I am lukewarm on Hines. Holloway could teach me to be a decent defender, so I don’t want to give Hines too much credit for his freshman year D. I think his upside offensively is Samson Johnson, and it could take him that long to develop.

I would like Reibe back.

This kid gave Tarris a tough time when they played this year whenhe entered the game. He is potentially harder to move than Tarris in the block and he takes up great space. Imagine he’s a great screen and roll body as well so this is a very good get of they can close. A high end football guy that didn’t single out to hoop until late so the ceiling is high.

This is a please🏀🙏 for me.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I like Holloway and like Seton Hall, but I am lukewarm on Hines. Holloway could teach me to be a decent defender, so I don’t want to give Hines too much credit for his freshman year D. I think his upside offensively is Samson Johnson, and it could take him that long to develop.

I would like Reibe back.

This is actually some of your funniest work.

Let me remind the Boneyard that Seton Hall was 362nd in the nation in 3PA/FGA with just 26.8% of their FGAs from 3. It's hard to imagine any big excelling in that style of play aside from putbacks off offensive boards (which was basically Stephon Payne's role).

Despite that unsupportive ecosystem, Hines hit 61% of his 2PAs. Not bad for a guy who played for a team where defenses collapsed every. single. time.

 

[Son of Robert]

Najai Hines has all the tools to dominate in the post just like our man Adama Sanogo did ; Hines a couple of inches taller and with more size/weight.

 

[djct1999]

Obviously, one of the top portal big options but we need more than upside on the offensive end of the floor from this spot to be a contender.

Greedily would like to pair Hines with Thiam. I think that's as close to a Johnson/Clingan aggregate that we could hope for given the circumstances. A junior and a sophomore, neither a 35 min/game 5 but a formidable rotation.

The guy I want for the 4 is Milan Momcilovic. Would fit into AKs spot perfectly. Back up the truck for this guy.

These three plus whatever we have coming back in the backcourt puts us in a very good place.

I like it but I seriously doubt our staff will allocate our resources so heavily in 2 5's. I see our second big being more of a very good mid major guy.

 

[superjohn]

Obviously, one of the top portal big options but we need more than upside on the offensive end of the floor from this spot to be a contender.

Greedily would like to pair Hines with Thiam. I think that's as close to a Johnson/Clingan aggregate that we could hope for given the circumstances. A junior and a sophomore, neither a 35 min/game 5 but a formidable rotation.

The guy I want for the 4 is Milan Momcilovic. Would fit into AKs spot perfectly. Back up the truck for this guy.

These three plus whatever we have coming back in the backcourt puts us in a very good place.

Momcilovic will be in the NBA next season. Massamba Diop or Donnie Freeman would be perfect. Either one of them would give us the size, athleticism and be a compliment to Hines if we lock him down. Diop is more forward than center despite his height.

AK's skillset and intangibles really can't be replaced. I think Hurley will go bigger and more athletic at power forward instead of trying to find a watered down AK clone.

 

[RuffRuff]

Momcilovic will be in the NBA next season. Massamba Diop or Donnie Freeman would be perfect. Either one of them would give us the size, athleticism and be a compliment to Hines if we lock him down. Diop is more forward than center despite his height.

AK's skillset and intangibles really can't be replaced. I think Hurley will go bigger and more athletic at power forward instead of trying to find a watered down AK clone.

Issue is I doubt we pay Center $$ for someone to play forward.

Totally agree with you on AK - you can't replace 4 years of system equity, IQ and leadership in the portal. Might as well pivot completely and find something that has a higher chance of working on the one year pivot, and that is strength/size.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This is actually some of your funniest work.

Let me remind the Boneyard that Seton Hall was 362nd in the nation in 3PA/FGA with just 26.8% of their FGAs from 3. It's hard to imagine any big excelling in that style of play aside from putbacks off offensive boards (which was basically Stephon Payne's role).

Despite that unsupportive ecosystem, Hines hit 61% of his 2PAs. Not bad for a guy who played for a team where defenses collapsed every. single. time.

The kid averaged 4 shots a game, so it wasn't like defenses were keying on him. He had a lot of putbacks and dunks to keep that shooting percentage high. Like a lot of freshman, he fouls a lot, but he doesn't really have a low post game yet. He is a decent player, but I am not there on his upside.

Maybe you are all right and he will be first team all-BE next year. I will admit I was wrong if that happens.

 

[ihatepants]

Great news if true! Let's get it started. Plenty of minutes to provide and we just had a donor give us $15M so money shouldn't be an issue. Go UConn!!!!

This dude is a beast defensively and on the boards. Hurley and the staff will find a way to get him involved offensively. Let's lock him up!

Delete this guy's tweet and never use his tweets moving forward. He's stealing info from StorrsCentral and basically says that it's worth it to give the "99% of fans who dont' pay for info" that info despite it hurting our players' NIL.

 

[REB1094]

I really liked Hines. One of my favorite guys at Seton Hall last year. Absolute monster and absolute workhorse on the court, two things that would do well under Dan Hurley

Definitely would need another high impact center to round out the 2 headed monster strategy. Don’t think Hines is ready to be the featured star center of a championship level team (yet). But get him in Storrs for 3 years and he’s going to win at least one conference DPOY

 

[Nameless]

I have a feeling later this week, I will be grateful for the relationship between Hurley and Holloway.

I’ve said it in another thread last week, Hines is Reed 2.0 but a better shot-blocker. Both bigs spent their underclassman years in awful offenses, but there’s the build, footwork and creativity on the blocks that is an exciting profile for Hurley and the staff to develop.

I'm not sure Hines has the same level of explosiveness that Reed has but I think whatever he can't match offensively he will make up for defensively. This dude is an elite shot blocker.

 

[Lefty2one]

I'm not sure Hines has the same level of explosiveness that Reed has but I think whatever he can't match offensively he will make up for defensively. This dude is an elite shot blocker.

Hines is definitely more explosive than Reed. Much quicker off his feet.

 

[auror]

 

[upstater]

Anticipation is keeping me waiting.

 

[auror]

Hines is definitely more explosive than Reed. Much quicker off his feet.

Still got a lot of baby fat, too. He's a big butt guy with bounce.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

A lot of players have great numbers over 40 minutes. He would also have averaged over 5 fouls.

 

[BlueWolf25]

Stats are not impressive for someone that played for horrible seton hall team. Is he supposed to be the starting C?

He’s a great rim protector and rebounder, and plays very strong and tough, absolutely something we need at the 5. And I have no doubt we can develop his game on offense. Definitely want him

 

[BFieldHusky]

A lot of players have great numbers over 40 minutes. He would also have averaged over 5 fouls.

What better realistic option would you rather have? And don't say Reibe....he made his decision and that ship has sailed.

 

[businesslawyer]

The kid averaged 4 shots a game, so it wasn't like defenses were keying on him. He had a lot of putbacks and dunks to keep that shooting percentage high. Like a lot of freshman, he fouls a lot, but he doesn't really have a low post game yet. He is a decent player, but I am not there on his upside.

Maybe you are all right and he will be first team all-BE next year. I will admit I was wrong if that happens.

I do think he’s got a lot of upside, but that it will take time for him to reach it. He may be the best we can do this year, but it will be a lot less production from Center then which will have to be made up for at other positions.

 

[CL82]

What better realistic option would you rather have? And don't say Reibe....he made his decision and that ship has sailed.

I actually feel for Reibe. I think that eventually he could've developed into a terrific player here. In all likelihood, though he would be a three-year college player.

It will be interesting to see where he goes, what his role is, and how successful he is.

 

[UconnU]

This kid has the perfect body to set screens, which is obviously critical for our offense.

 

[BGesus4]

Between Demary Landrew and Hines I’m thinking Hurley likes the football pedigree

 

[lateralous]

I would absolutely love to pick up Hines. Much like when we went after Reed, you can see the potential of what this staff could develop him into. Even better, we would be getting him after his freshman season instead of sophomore. This could be a 3 year solution at C.

When he does get the ball in the post, Hines seems to have a natural instinct on what to do with it. Reibe always struck me as a little too robotic like he spent all of his hours of basketball with a private trainer doing reps instead of just being out playing.

 

[auror]

A lot of players have great numbers over 40 minutes. He would also have averaged over 5 fouls.

He averaged more blocks per game than Zuby in 18 minutes instead of 30.

 

[imno1]

A realistic portal haul would be Hines, Freeman, and adequate backups at pg and center. And both may be multi year guys to help with continuity since we’ll be losing so much after next season.

 

[BFieldHusky]

Shot 70% from the foul line as a freshman.

 

[superjohn]

If you want an outside perspective this guy does a nice breakdown on him. Hines is a stud and exactly what we need. A better comparison for him than either Tarris or Sanogo is Zuby. He's a little bigger and stronger than Zuby but Zuby is obviously older, more developed and has the jump shot. Both incredible defenders who love physicality and have non-stop motors.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I'm not sure Hines has the same level of explosiveness that Reed has but I think whatever he can't match offensively he will make up for defensively. This dude is an elite shot blocker.

He’s probably more explosive but his offensive skill is not close to where Reed was this season (yet). He’ll be a drop-off from Reed overall but Reed was also an elite two-way big this season so that’s hard to match.

 

[Austin316]

Honestly, who cares what we think? It comes down to what James Breeding thinks.

 

[auror]

He’s probably more explosive but his offensive skill is not close to where Reed was this season (yet). He’ll be a drop-off from Reed overall but Reed was also an elite two-way big this season so that’s hard to match.

I don't think we'd play from the post nearly as much with Hines as the starting center next year (but potentially in a couple years). But the rim protection would be better. Guards back on the menu, better make shots!