How Isaiah Abraham has impressed Dan Hurley | The Boneyard

How Isaiah Abraham has impressed Dan Hurley

HooperScooper

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Article from Borges from last Friday's media availability.

"More offense than we thought, even better than we thought we were getting," Hurley said after the summer's final practice on Friday. "And a toughness and athleticism ..."

www.nhregister.com

How UConn men's basketball freshman Isaiah Abraham has impressed Dan Hurley: 'Our type of guy'

UConn freshman Isaiah Abraham is known for his defense and athleticism, but he has opened Dan Hurley's eyes in other ways.
www.nhregister.com www.nhregister.com

Alternate access:
How UConn men's basketball freshman Isaiah Abraham has impressed Dan Hurley
 
It will be interesting this year for sure. There will be a deeper rotation of players than in 2024 and 2023. This team in 2025 will be very good, maybe even excellent, but I don't think this year's team will be as good and as dominant as 2023 (sans January) and 2024. Here is the thing, they don't have to be as good as those teams to win it all in 2025. Hurley has said this himself.
 
Who are are surefire NBA players on this year's roster? Last year we had Castle and Clingan. This year maybe Liam has the highest ceiling?
 
LIuconn said:
Who are are surefire NBA players on this year's roster? Last year we had Castle and Clingan. This year maybe Liam has the highest ceiling?
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Seems to be the consensus that Karaban and McNeeley are first rounders in next year's draft. After that? Stewart maybe? Hard to tell since most of the best talent is young and relatively unproven.
 
This is crazy but ceiling wise based on age, skill and length I'm not sure who doesn't have NBA potential after Diarra and I'm only calling him out because of his age and length. I realize I'll get pushback saying that but I likely would have gotten pushback about Adama, Andre and Cam too.
 
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This is the quote I liked.
"I would say athleticism is a key to my ability on the court," Abraham admitted. "But, we have some athletic dudes out here. I give props to them, too. We've got a great team, competing every day at a high level, you see some crazy athleticism."
 
BuffaloHusky said:
This is crazy but ceiling wise based on age, skill and length I'm not sure who doesn't have NBA potential after Diarra and I'm only calling him out because of his age and length. I realize I'll get pushback saying that but I likely would have gotten pushback about Adama, Andre and Cam too.
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Doesn't Hass' play this season - which hasn't even begun - count for anything? Or is he already doomed?
 
LIuconn said:
Who are are surefire NBA players on this year's roster? Last year we had Castle and Clingan. This year maybe Liam has the highest ceiling?
Expand ...

McNeeley only first round guarantee. Karaban has a good shot. Probably Stewart next.

It wouldn't surprise me if Solo bursts onto draft boards come December, though. If that performance against UNC gets more common, he'll have a spot in the league.
 
If he is potentially the best on ball defender (lockdown) we have on 1-4 as indicated in the story it will be impossible for him to not see significant minutes. Above all Dan Hurley values defense and a key to that would be the continuation of Andre/Stephon "beast". I know, most everybody's rotation has him at the end of the bench but ask yourself to revisit that in light of the above.
 
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6in25 said:
Doesn't Hass' play this season - which hasn't even begun - count for anything? Or is he already doomed?
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He's going to play. In the biggest games thay were running plays for him and he buried the shots. He's a made man.
 
dennismenace said:
If he is potentially the best on ball defender (lockdown) we have on 1-4 as indicated in the story it will be impossible for him to not see significant minutes. Above all Dan Hurley values defense and a key to that would be the continuation of Andre/Stephon "beast". I know, most everybody's rotation has him at the end of the bench but ask yourself to revisit that in light of the above.
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Don't see how anyone can say that he has a reserved seat at the end of the bench. Between the Staff comments, and what we each have been able to watch on video, looks like he has a chance to sneak into the rotation.
 
HooperScooper said:
Seems to be the consensus that Karaban and McNeeley are first rounders in next year's draft. After that? Stewart maybe? Hard to tell since most of the best talent is young and relatively unproven.
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Probably just McNeeley is a lock for the first round of the draft this year (although Karaban will end up on an NBA team after this year even if he is an UFA).

I could see any of Ball, Ross, Stewart, Nowell and/or Abraham becoming a 1st round pick eventually. And at least 2 of those 5 will end up being solid NBA players.

It will be interesting to see what shakes out with the PT this year for that group. Hard to imagine a scenario where multiple of those guys showcase enough to warrant a first round pick after this year (Karaban, McNeeley, Reed and Mahaney will all probably play 25+ minutes). It’s possible that one of Ross, Ball or Stewart play themselves into a 1st round pick this year as our key 3rd or 4th option.

I’d bet on it being Stewart.
 
McLovin said:
Probably just McNeeley is a lock for the first round of the draft this year (although Karaban will end up on an NBA team after this year even if he is an UFA).
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I wonder if Karaban would give up his 4th year of eligibility if it looks like he would be a late 2nd round choice or go undrafted. He didn't come back for that since this year he probably would have been a lock for the 2nd round.
 
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I can see this year more than any other Hurley year, him using the lineup that is best suited against matchups of the opposing team. Defense will be a big part of that.

Last year you had a core 6. Samson was really more of a breather than a matchup advantage as outside of a team like StJ, we were always better with Cling on the floor. This year I can see how mixing and matching to the strengths/weaknesses of the opponent could be a year long strategy.
 
RuffRuff said:
I can see this year more than any other Hurley year, him using the lineup that is best suited against matchups of the opposing team. Defense will be a big part of that.

Last year you had a core 6. Samson was really more of a breather than a matchup advantage as outside of a team like StJ, we were always better with Cling on the floor. This year I can see how mixing and matching to the strengths/weaknesses of the opponent could be a year long strategy.
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Agreed. Going to be a unique look again this year. I think the 1st half will be about rotation (hockey-line changes) to get everyone involved. The 2nd half will be matchup based.
 
AllHusky said:
Don't see how anyone can say that he has a reserved seat at the end of the bench. Between the Staff comments, and what we each have been able to watch on video, looks like he has a chance to sneak into the rotation.
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Don't turn it over, defend, take high % shots. Those are the requirements for every freshman and sophomore IMO. Think... late season Stewart +/- some minutes. Hass, Mahaney, AK, Reed are going to be taking the tough 1v1 shots. Don't need that from the underclassmen. Just good, solid team ball.

Abraham's role in HS was as a 3rd, 4th or even 5th option on the floor (his team was f---g stacked). He's going to have way less of an adjustment compared to our other youngins, because he's used to not being head honcho. That's why I think he'll play.
 
McLovin said:
Probably just McNeeley is a lock for the first round of the draft this year (although Karaban will end up on an NBA team after this year even if he is an UFA).

I could see any of Ball, Ross, Stewart, Nowell and/or Abraham becoming a 1st round pick eventually. And at least 2 of those 5 will end up being solid NBA players.

It will be interesting to see what shakes out with the PT this year for that group. Hard to imagine a scenario where multiple of those guys showcase enough to warrant a first round pick after this year (Karaban, McNeeley, Reed and Mahaney will all probably play 25+ minutes). It’s possible that one of Ross, Ball or Stewart play themselves into a 1st round pick this year as our key 3rd or 4th option.

I’d bet on it being Stewart.
Expand ...
In no universe is AK a UFA absent a year ending injury or some other disaster.
 
gsmooth said:
It will be interesting this year for sure. There will be a deeper rotation of players than in 2024 and 2023. This team in 2025 will be very good, maybe even excellent, but I don't think this year's team will be as good and as dominant as 2023 (sans January) and 2024. Here is the thing, they don't have to be as good as those teams to win it all in 2025. Hurley has said this himself.
Expand ...
Well those teams were among the best teams of the last 35 years. Sure 23` had that strange January but outside of that miserable stretch that team was 29-2 with a 20+ win margin in those games and the 37-3 is in the discussion of the best team in the last 35 years so the comparison is a tough one for any team to live up to. I think this team will be very, very good and should win 30 games and lose less than 6 games.
 
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Samoo said:
In no universe is AK a UFA absent a year ending injury or some other disaster.
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The AK projection is an interesting one - not sure why he’d project higher next year unless he shows a significant leap this year, as this past draft was much weaker. I’m certainly hoping for it but the delta on his projections feels wide to me. The draft is about projecting and potential, so if someone thought he was going to make a drastic leap they may have just pulled the trigger early this past draft.
 
RuffRuff said:
The AK projection is an interesting one - not sure why he’d project higher next year unless he shows a significant leap this year, as this past draft was much weaker. I’m certainly hoping for it but the delta on his projections feels wide to me. The draft is about projecting and potential, so if someone thought he was going to make a drastic leap they may have just pulled the trigger early this past draft.
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13
Alex Karaban (UConn)
The chance to three-peat at UConn was in part why Karaban pulled out of the draft for a second consecutive year and likely declined the chance to be a first-round pick. This might be the year he chooses to capitalize, though, after keying back-to-back title runs. He's a smooth operator with a great shooting stroke, big frame and versatile on defense that makes him a high-floor projection.

www.cbssports.com

Way-too-early 2025 NBA Mock Draft: Duke's Cooper Flagg a solid top pick, Baylor's V.J. Edgecombe goes No. 2

Duke and Rutgers have two top-10 prospects in Kyle Boone's first mock draft of the 2025 cycle
www.cbssports.com www.cbssports.com
 
RuffRuff said:
The AK projection is an interesting one - not sure why he’d project higher next year unless he shows a significant leap this year, as this past draft was much weaker. I’m certainly hoping for it but the delta on his projections feels wide to me. The draft is about projecting and potential, so if someone thought he was going to make a drastic leap they may have just pulled the trigger early this past draft.
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Strength/weakness of a draft references the very top, say picks 1-7, that doesn't have any affect on AK since he's not being picked there.
 
LIuconn said:
Who are are surefire NBA players on this year's roster? Last year we had Castle and Clingan. This year maybe Liam has the highest ceiling?
Expand ...
I cannot tell you how much I detest that line of thinking. By that logic, Kentucky, NC and Dook should have 20 titles each, right?
 
Iluvsuebird said:
I cannot tell you how much I detest that line of thinking. By that logic, Kentucky, NC and Dook should have 20 titles each, right?
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Winning a title and guys getting drafted are not mutually exclusive. Bigger question is when abrahans cousin commits after prepping at duke for a year.
 
RuffRuff said:
The AK projection is an interesting one - not sure why he’d project higher next year unless he shows a significant leap this year, as this past draft was much weaker. I’m certainly hoping for it but the delta on his projections feels wide to me. The draft is about projecting and potential, so if someone thought he was going to make a drastic leap they may have just pulled the trigger early this past draft.
Expand ...
Here are a few more mock drafts where he's projected in the back end of the first round. 13th from CBSSports.com that I posted above is the highest I've seen him projected. Right before he pulled out of the 2024 draft wasn't he generally projected in the 2nd round? We'll see how it plays out in 2025 but it looks like most people expect him to be picked higher than he would have in the 2024 draft if he had stayed in.

#21: 2025 NBA Mock Draft - NBA Draft Room

#23: Early 2025 NBA Mock Draft: Cooper Flagg carries Zion-like hype, but he faces big battle to go No. 1 overall

#29: 2025 NBA Mock Draft with Lottery Simulator | Tankathon

#30: https://www.bleacherreport.com/arti...raft-round-1-predictions-after-paris-olympics

#28: 2025 NBA Mock Draft 1.0: A way-too-early look at the top prospects
 
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