Is This Our Team Pretty Much?

[jibsey]

And Antric Klieber. And Donnell Beverley.

People are conflating encouraging folks to leave with forcing them to leave, and it's intellectually dishonest. There are many coaches out there who, absent disciplinary issues, don't force players to leave. And if they do, word gets out and it makes it harder to recruit. But forcing someone out is entirely different than encouraging them out by letting them know they are simply not going to get playing time and if they ever want to earn money in the minor leagues or overseas they need to get their butt to a lower level where they can play. But leaving the final decision to the player

There is no reason to think Hurley isn't taking the latter approach with obvious candidates. But while it is not shockingly unusual to flat out not renew a scholarship for someone whose nose is clean but talent level is too low, that is not something that every coach does. And it's not something most coaches can do without it being turned into a recruiting weapon against you.

I think that would be Hurley’s approach. We have to remember that these are kids who were promised not playing time but playing for a university in exchange for their education. No question he is sensitive to that yet we have cold hard cruel reality staring us and him in the face, which means he knows exactly what we lack and what we need to get.

 

[HuskyHawk]

What an ugly thread. I'm totally with @businesslawyer and @Pmurph678 that you don't force out kids that came in, worked hard and just didn't have the talent. The coach must be honest with them and if they won't play much, they tell them and help them move where they will play more, if that is their choice.

If Whaley wants to stay at UConn and come off the bench for four years, he can. He rebounds well and can block shots. It's not impossible that he contributes, he did those last two games. He is just way behind Akok and Polley at PF and is too small to play Center against most teams.

Diarra, love his game and energy. Wish he was healthy. If Doctors think he will be fine, then he probably stays as well. I don't see him wanting to miss another season. If not, find a non playing role and give him a non athletic scholarship.

As for the team. If we land a talent like Precious, we can make do at center by shifting Akok there at times. He has the height and shot blocking, if not the bulk. Aside from that, we need a backup center. If we can get both fine. Or if we can get a backup center and Ntwambe, fine. I don't think we'd be in the hunt for Ntwambe and Precious, but maybe. I'm not worried about guards. We'll be fine. PG is a top 2020 priority, although I think Gaffney is being groomed as a PG.

 

[Pmurph678]

In a sense it has to be good news for the program's health that we can't get players to leave even if we tell them they won't be seeing the court.

Under Ollie we lost half our projected starting 5 by April 1st.

What a change culturally for the program, the future is bright.