Interesting Question

[BPT2Storrs]

Stanley Robinson at the four. Between him and AJ our athleticism would be unreal.

 

[mauconnfan]

Give me a team-first, true PG to facilitate - Taliek Brown.

Taliek was the perfect PG for the 04 NC team which had plenty of scorers. He could just play the point and defend hard as he did. Not at all the answer for this team. Imagine he and AJ out there on the offensive end neither can or want to shoot?

Give me Smitty, Doron, Marcus, AJ, Kemba or Bazz, maybe even Boat.

But in all reality I’m good with Newton if he looks to score a little more.

 

[husky99]

Jeff Adrien. We need a PF

 

[Captbluefin]

Jeff Adrien. We need a PF

That’s a great one. This team would be scary with Adrien

 

[superjohn]

Jeff Adrien. We need a PF

Adrien would really muck things up down low for Sanogo and Clingan on the offensive end. The nearly two 3 pointers Karaban hits per game along with his passing and cutting is great for the offense. The 4 should be all set once Samson is back to relieve Karaban some and help out with some matchups.

 

[coachn]

My first thought was "nobody", wouldn't change a thing. But Doron would fit in great here.This team doesn't need another alpha dog, nor a PG who dribbles around top of key. I love the way this squad plays team ball. Only guy I worry about is Karaban, and we have Samson for that.

Karaban doesn't have to be Superman every night on this team.

 

[444JR]

Rudy Gay at the 4.

Newton 6’5
Hawkins 6’5
Jackson 6’7
Rudy 6’8
Adama 6’9

Devastating size and athleticism with more size and shooting coming off the bench

 

[willie99]

I would add Caron Butler to any team any year. A man's man

 

[Huskybass]

Charles Okwandu. He would love this team.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Kemba, Bazz, Taliek, Khalid, Marcus would all be the finishing piece for this team. I would have to pick Jalen. After what he went through to remain a huskie, he deserves to play with good/great players.

 

[Sky ball]

I would add Caron Butler to any team any year. A man's man

He played like a man against boys. Well I think he was?

 

[ctbbfn]

Charles Okwandu. He would love this team.

This year, aren't we all Charles Okwandu?

 

[REB1094]

I want to have fun with this. This team is 13-0 with 13 double digit wins and the #2 team is the nation. Whatever system we have is working, and I wouldn't want to disrupt that by bringing in someone who would completely change the playstyle that's already working so well. I don't want to touch Hawkins, Andre, or Sanogo's spots. Obviously the easy answer is to just bring in one of the best individual players that we've had, but I'll answer from a "fit" perspective.

Since I don't want to touch those 3 guys, that rules out a lot of the greats like Rip, Rudy, Gordon, Okafor, Ray, etc

The easy workaround to that would be to run one of them (or Andre) at the 4 and play small. But that feels like cheating

Newton transitioned from a score first PG to a playmaking PG and that is part of what's made this team so special. So I don't really want a PG that needs to take the ball and keep it themselves it to be effective like Kemba, Shabazz, Boat, or Jalen Adams (to be clear, I would take all of those guys in a heartbeat if I wasn't accounting for playstyle fit)

Honestly? Give me Christian Vital. A guy that knows his role, can score 1 on 1 if we need a bucket, will go 100% every play, and will light it up if you give him any room to shoot.

UConn is already top 20 in both scoring average and opponent's scoring average. We don't need a huge star. Vital is a guy who can play in the modern game, will launch threes if he has an inch of space, can run an offense (not superbly, but good enough), and brings energy to every possession. He's like a Newton/Diarra hybrid. And he deserved a proper end to his career

 

[Huskybass]

Shabazz Napier. He refused to lose.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Rudy Gay at the 4.

Newton 6’5
Hawkins 6’5
Jackson 6’7
Rudy 6’8
Adama 6’9

Devastating size and athleticism with more size and shooting coming off the bench

Donyell was better than Rudy. If you are thinking Rudy's skill set is what you want, the correct answer is Donyell.

 

[Chin Diesel]

With full credit and gratefulness to @tcf15

Donyell's junior year highlights. Still one of the best individual season's in UConn history.

 

[lonsharkin51]

Ben. He could use some structure and guidance in his life right now.

 

[444JR]

Donyell was better than Rudy. If you are thinking Rudy's skill set is what you want, the correct answer is Donyell.

This is the guy I want to see running the wings, slashing, and spacing the floor next to Andre Jackson and Jordan Hawkins. Andre and Rudy would be the best show in the country. Devastatingly powerful finishes in transition, Could Donyell be the better player to add to this roster? sure. I’d personally want to see Rudy Gay with this team.

 

[Captbluefin]

With full credit and gratefulness to @tcf15

Donyell's junior year highlights. Still one of the best individual season's in UConn history.

I don’t think many on the boneyard realize how insanely good Donyell was.

He is as good of a player that EVER walked out on Gampel’s floor.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I don’t think many on the boneyard realize how insanely good Donyell was.

He is as good of a player that EVER walked out on Gampel’s floor.

@Waquoit mentioned somewhere recently the downside of these threads are the tendency to have to talk down one player in order to justify the player you are promoting.

I bring that up because Rudy Gay was an exceptional talent but was no where near the level of effectiveness of Donyell. As you said, Donyell's junior season matches up to anyone at UConn. Across the board Donyell was more skilled. Rudy had a higher level of athleticism but Donyell was plenty athletic enough.
I don't think it is a stretch to say had Rudy stayed a third year, his junior season would have rivaled Donyell, Ray or Kemba's junior seasons.

On a team where I want a stretch four, Donyell, Caronimo and Dove fill the bill better than Gay.

 

[husky429]

I don’t think many on the boneyard realize how insanely good Donyell was.

He is as good of a player that EVER walked out on Gampel’s floor.

25/9/2 with 3 blocks. Best individual season at UConn ever and I'm not sure it's close.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

If i'm building any uconn team from scratch i'm starting with Okafor as my first pick, Donyell second. Past player that would help this specific team would probably be Kemba. (Price and Shaballz are right there too) . Our PG play is still this teams only question mark,

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Tyler Olander - this team already has all of what it needs to win the championship. All it needs is a little insurance and Tyler would provide that as all he did was win championships.

 

[gtcam]

KEA or TB
Need a PG on this team that knows what a PG is supposed to do.

 

[caw]

Stretch four who can defend aside from the obvious guys like Donyell, Cliff, Gay, etc. I’d throw Deandre Daniels out there, I think he would fit really well with this team.

Isn’t he basically what many are hoping Johnson can provide.