Huskies of Honor

[DHL921]

IMO the guys who need to be in the Huskies of Honor

Doron Sheffer
Hasheem Thabeet
Ryan Boatright
Christian Vital
Adama Sanogo

Absolutely not for Vital. Being the best player on the worst UConn teams in recent history should not get you honored in any way. Dude never even went to the tournament.

 

[mauconnfan]

IMO the guys who need to be in the Huskies of Honor

Doron Sheffer
Hasheem Thabeet
Ryan Boatright
Christian Vital
Adama Sanogo

I mean you can’t have everyone you need separation. Sheffer close, Thabeet close but only one here is Sanogo.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Absolutely not for Vital. Being the best player on the worst UConn teams in recent history should not get you honored in any way. Dude never even went to the tournament.

If I’m not mistaken he’s a Top 10 all time scorer all time. Tell me how many guys top 10 are not on that wall.

I mean you can’t have everyone you need separation. Sheffer close, Thabeet close but only one here is Sanogo.

Thabeet was a Big East player of the year, all american, and helped lead his team to a final four. He’s a top 3 center in UConn history.

 

[Palatine]

Sanogo is the one who comes to mind. Few have had a better career in Storrs.

 

[AntG168]

I mean you can’t have everyone you need separation. Sheffer close, Thabeet close but only one here is Sanogo.

Boat, Thabeet, and Adama are no brainers to me

 

[mauconnfan]

If I’m not mistaken he’s a Top 10 all time scorer all time. Tell me how many guys top 10 are not on that wall.


Thabeet was a Big East player of the year, all american, and helped lead his team to a final four. He’s a top 3 center in UConn history.

I will give you Thabeet possibly I’ve been a big supporter of his on this board. It’s close.

Vital no way what did he win? What tourney did he get our team to? Did he deserve a better team and coach, maybe. And Lord knows he played hard and was a great kid. But wall, no there’s so many ahead of him that aren’t on there.

 

[DHL921]

If I’m not mistaken he’s a Top 10 all time scorer all time. Tell me how many guys top 10 are not on that wall.


Thabeet was a Big East player of the year, all american, and helped lead his team to a final four. He’s a top 3 center in UConn history.

Again, best player on terrible teams. Someone on Depaul, Louisville, insert awful team will average 15 a game this year. That's just the nature of a basketball team, does not make them remarkable in any way.
If he or someone like Jalen Adams was a favorite player of yours, that's fine, to each their own. To say Christian Vital should be on the same pedestal as the likes of Ray Allen, Rip, Kemba, etc.. is ridiculous.

Also for the record I'm for adding to the wall. Sanogo should be on there. I'll entertain the idea of say Thabeet too, maybe even Boat. But Vital just does not come close to the standard that's been set.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Again, best player on terrible teams. Someone on Depaul, Louisville, insert awful team will average 15 a game this year. That's just the nature of a basketball team, does not make them remarkable in any way.
If he or someone like Jalen Adams was a favorite player of yours, that's fine, to each their own. To say Christian Vital should be on the same pedestal as the likes of Ray Allen, Rip, Kemba, etc.. is ridiculous.

Also for the record I'm for adding to the wall. Sanogo should be on there. I'll entertain the idea of say Thabeet too, maybe even Boat. But Vital just does not come close to the standard that's been set.

I get what you are saying but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t get the honor. He’s not Ray Allen or any of the other guys you mentioned. But just because he played on bad teams he gets automatically disqualified?

And Vital isn’t one of my all time favorites. Just think he deserves it.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Thabeet is a no brainer yes for me, Big East PotY and 2x DPotY, All-American, went to a Final Four, one of the best centers ever at UConn, top draft pick. Boatright is right on the line; I think he should be in. Sanogo yes, Hawkins and Jackson probably not.

 

[Shamon30]

I get what you are saying but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t get the honor. He’s not Ray Allen or any of the other guys you mentioned. But just because he played on bad teams he gets automatically disqualified?

And Vital isn’t one of my all time favorites. Just think he deserves it.

I think the argument is that if he were on good teams, he'd never have the numbers he did. If his performance propelled us to some big wins, even on those weak teams, then maybe. As much as I like Vital, he didn't accomplish much at UConn outside of accruing some pretty good personal stats.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Yeah those 3 are on the walls but I think they should be in the rafters too, but they don’t qualify under the current criteria (requires HOF induction - not sure who decided that but it’s bogus).

There aren’t a ton of players from the 2012-2022 era who deserve to be in the Huskies of Honor, but the 2014 championship doesn’t happen without Boat. For that alone I’d love to see him up there.

Edit: if I were in charge I’d make the criteria for number retirement: National Championship OR NBA All Team selection OR NBA Individual award winner (ROY / MVP / DPOY / 6MOY) to qualify for retirement consideration. And NBA HOF = automatic retirement.

Yeah it’s kind of silly Rip has his jersey retired by his professional team but not his college team.

Also wonder if he’ll eventually get into the basketball HOF too for his all around accomplishments at each level. Not many guys can say they won a championship in college/pros and was an All American/All Star.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I mean you can’t have everyone you need separation. Sheffer close, Thabeet close but only one here is Sanogo.

Bingo.

To me the only outstanding former player who deserves inclusion is Ben Gordon, but for obvious reasons that's on hold.

Also, I believe UConns criteria for retiring numbers is induction to the HOF.

 

[gtcam]

Absolutely not for Vital. Being the best player on the worst UConn teams in recent history should not get you honored in any way. Dude never even went to the tournament.

Dude didnt get there because of Covid
Perhaps CV isn't HoH material but he was a great Husky even if the teams were not the best. Kelvin Sampson would take him any day any day and said so in a press conference. He was 1st team all AAC. Not a ton of Huskies can say they were 1st team all conference.
Check the attitude at the door

 

[AntG168]

There is no #5 without Christian Vital. Remember that.

 

[gampelcrazies]

I think the argument is that if he were on good teams, he'd never have the numbers he did. If his performance propelled us to some big wins, even on those weak teams, then maybe. As much as I like Vital, he didn't accomplish much at UConn outside of accruing some pretty good personal stats.

I completely disagree with that thinking. He would fit on a lot of successful UConn teams and would have put up numbers. If he got the extra covid year he would have been a star on the next years team and they 1000% get out of the first round.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

There is no #5 without Christian Vital. Remember that.

2020 CV was ascending to All-Beloved status when COVID cut his story short all too soon.

I cherish my opinions that UConn would have beaten George Mason if JC had just let Jeff Adrien take over the game, and that Dyson's injury prevented what would have been NC #3, but I would never advance my arguments for either but saying, "Remember that."

 

[Get a Job]

Dude didnt get there because of Covid
Perhaps CV isn't HoH material but he was a great Husky even if the teams were not the best. Kelvin Sampson would take him any day any day and said so in a press conference. He was 1st team all AAC. Not a ton of Huskies can say they were 1st team all conference.
Check the attitude at the door

Has anyone else noticed @gtcam's man crush on Sampson is borderline weird?

 

[Storrs South]

The current criteria for getting your number retired is a joke. I don't even think they should have any numbers retired (Huskies of Honor is more than adequate, now weve reduced the meaning of that to some sort of second tier) but if you're gonna do it, at least have logical criteria.

We shouldn't be retiring players numbers because they went on and had a successful NBA / WNBA career that propelled them to Springfield. It should be 100% about what they accomplished in Storrs.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I completely disagree with that thinking. He would fit on a lot of successful UConn teams and would have put up numbers. If he got the extra covid year he would have been a star on the next years team and they 1000% get out of the first round.

Fitting in and putting up numbers on good teams does not put your name on the wall. It may sound a bit crass, but Vital has absolutely no business being on that wall next to the likes of Ray, Rip, Emeka, and Kemba.

 

[Cagey_Tee]

Fitting in and putting up numbers on good teams does not put your name on the wall. It may sound a bit crass, but Vital has absolutely no business being on that wall next to the likes of Ray, Rip, Emeka, and Kemba.

Agree completely - and agree your top 4 above (which I presume are in order). But it does beg the question about criteria for their relative ranking. It strikes me that being on the wall reflects a kind of ge·stalt of college and pro criteria - because if based on college alone, I don't think Ray Allen would be #1- more likely Rip or Kemba.

But to me, the intriguing question is who's next? Shabazz? (two champtionships and overall leadership); Nadov (perhaps the greatest year of all - but then only one year); Gordon (like Rip so dependable in the clutch).

 

[husky429]

The current criteria for getting your number retired is a joke. I don't even think they should have any numbers retired (Huskies of Honor is more than adequate, now weve reduced the meaning of that to some sort of second tier) but if you're gonna do it, at least have logical criteria.

We shouldn't be retiring players numbers because they went on and had a successful NBA / WNBA career that propelled them to Springfield. It should be 100% about what they accomplished in Storrs.

Retired numbers is silly. There's not that many numbers even available in CBB.

 

[auror]

Retired numbers is silly. There's not that many numbers even available in CBB.

They actually charged that this year.

 

[Hunt for 7]

You are not going to find a bigger Ray Allen fan than me. I lived in SC when we were recruiting him out of Dalziel, SC. I would go to his games pre and post commit and I knew he was special. Just watching him his junior and senior year in high school. Honestly at times it looked like he was floating around on the floor just by how fluidly he moved with and without the ball. But if any one player should have their number retired it is Bazz. This guy won two chips. And in one carried his team on his back through every post season game. Got a little help from Boat. But name one other 6’ guard that absolutely carried his team to a national championship. Love Ray but this is a lifetime achievement thing for him. And before anyone sat what about Kemba, he was taller by an inch and much quicker and explosive than Bazz and had a better team around him when he won. But he is also in the running in my mind before Ray.

 

[McLovin]

You are not going to find a bigger Ray Allen fan than me. I lived in SC when we were recruiting him out of Dalziel, SC. I would go to his games pre and post commit and I knew he was special. Just watching him his junior and senior year in high school. Honestly at times it looked like he was floating around on the floor just by how fluidly he moved with and without the ball. But if any one player should have their number retired it is Bazz. This guy won two chips. And in one carried his team on his back through every post season game. Got a little help from Boat. But name one other 6’ guard that absolutely carried his team to a national championship. Love Ray but this is a lifetime achievement thing for him. And before anyone sat what about Kemba, he was taller by an inch and much quicker and explosive than Bazz and had a better team around him when he won. But he is also in the running in my mind before Ray.

Kemba Walker definitely carried that team in 2011 - both were equally heroic

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Jackson will be there if Hurley has to sew the number himself. So will Adama. But until Boat is on the wall, things aren't quite right.