Jalen Adams (Committed to UConn)

[caw]

A couple things people are missing about our guards. They are long and they are athletic. Hamilton, Ali = Big guards with long arms. Jackson is a 6'4" combo who a lot of people thought was one of the top players in the country prior to his injury. Purvis has decent size as well at 6'4" and he can get up there. All these players will be sharing 3 positions with Samuel and Calhoun, and since one or two might not even be in Storrs by the time the 2015 class enrolls, there seems to be room at the inn.

But just imagine if everyone stays. That's some very good potential 1-3

SR: Calhoun
JR: Samuel, Purvis, Cassell
SO: Hamilton
FR: Jackson, Ali

4/5
SR: Nolan, Tolksdorf
JR: Brimah, Facey
SO: Lubin

Lots of potential that year, very tall team.

 

[uconnbill]

I would expect another big before the 2015 season, maybe two.

Me I would rather have to much of a good, then not enough.

 

[J-dog]

We need to recruit much smaller guards…

 

[pj]

We need to recruit much smaller guards…

Shabazz Napier and Kemba Walker ain't walking through that door.

 

[James]

briscoe >>>>>>> adams. Briscoe has nba all star potential written all over him. a wizard with the ball coupled with rare physical/athletic traits.

 

[PAHusky]

Everyone keeps bringing up our need for bigs, particularly centers, after our recent stockpiling of guards. I think it would be great to get Govan or another highly rated 5 on board, but for me the biggest question mark going forward with recruiting is who we're going to have playing the four. We're set at guard for the next decade it seems like, and Nolan is a junior and Brimah a sophomore next year. As for the forward position, hopefully we get DD for another year. Facey has the size for it, but does he have the shot and face up game to play the stretch four or will he be used more traditionally as a PF? D Ham will play the 3 but in reality seems closer to an NBA 2. No doubt we'll see more of the three guard sets, but does anyone with any knowledge of recruiting have an idea of who could potentially fill that DD role for us going forward?

 

[James]

Everyone keeps bringing up our need for bigs, particularly centers, after our recent stockpiling of guards. I think it would be great to get Govan or another highly rated 5 on board, but for me the biggest question mark going forward with recruiting is who we're going to have playing the four. We're set at guard for the next decade it seems like, and Nolan is a junior and Brimah a sophomore next year. As for the forward position, hopefully we get DD for another year. Facey has the size for it, but does he have the shot and face up game to play the stretch four or will he be used more traditionally as a PF? D Ham will play the 3 but in reality seems closer to an NBA 2. No doubt we'll see more of the three guard sets, but does anyone with any knowledge of recruiting have an idea of who could potentially fill that DD role for us going forward?

Facey hit a three pointer this year. actually 2. Too bad i have no clue of his age

 

[Matrim55]

No doubt we'll see more of the three guard sets, but does anyone with any knowledge of recruiting have an idea of who could potentially fill that DD role for us going forward?

Given that Ollie has signed Facey and Lubin in consecutive classes, it seems that he prefers traditional 4s.

That said, we're still involved with Bennie Boatwright (6-foot-9, 200 lbs) and Josh Sharma (7-foot, 210). Boatwright would be more of a DD-type stretch 4, while Sharma is a Charlie V-type.

Carlton Bragg, who's a top-10 recruit, is an Aaron Gordon-type 4: 6-foot-9, 220, super-athletic, high volume rebounder who has range out to 19 feet, but isn't really a "stretch" 4.

All three of the above are 2015s.

 

[upstater]

Everyone keeps bringing up our need for bigs, particularly centers, after our recent stockpiling of guards. I think it would be great to get Govan or another highly rated 5 on board, but for me the biggest question mark going forward with recruiting is who we're going to have playing the four. We're set at guard for the next decade it seems like, and Nolan is a junior and Brimah a sophomore next year. As for the forward position, hopefully we get DD for another year. Facey has the size for it, but does he have the shot and face up game to play the stretch four or will he be used more traditionally as a PF? D Ham will play the 3 but in reality seems closer to an NBA 2. No doubt we'll see more of the three guard sets, but does anyone with any knowledge of recruiting have an idea of who could potentially fill that DD role for us going forward?

Such players are very rare. I don't see this as a concern. Maybe Facey, but he needs a much more developed offensive game to come close to DD.

Regardless, I could see UConn going with 4 scorers and a big like Brimah, or a big (Brimah/Nolan) with Facey or one of the big chunkies they might be bringing in (Lubin, or Obi or the kid from Tenn St.)

How's this for a lineup?

Brimah/Nolan
Hamilton/Facey
Ali/Calhoun
Purvis/W. Jackson
Samuel/Cassell Jr.

As long as the guard/SFs show a willingness to rebound, I don't see why this wouldn't work.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

briscoe >>>>>>> adams. Briscoe has nba all star potential written all over him. a wizard with the ball coupled with rare physical/athletic traits.

You must know a different Briscoe. What are his rare physical traits? He reminds me of Khaliff Wyatt. He's got an unconventional old man style. Right now he's just stronger than the guards that are trying to check him. Good player, but "NBA all star potential" might be a little much.

 

[tcf15]

Adams looks pretty good to me: https://vine.co/v/MJnvAQlHEFu

 

[Jluc]

briscoe >>>>>>> adams. Briscoe has nba all star potential written all over him. a wizard with the ball coupled with rare physical/athletic traits.

From the videos I've seen of Briscoe he doesn't seem to have super athleticism. He def uses his strength to his advantage though. If i were to compare him to a player at Uconn he kind of reminds me of AJ Price, little more athletic

 

[James]

You must know a different Briscoe. What are his rare physical traits? He reminds me of Khaliff Wyatt. He's got an unconventional old man style. Right now he's just stronger than the guards that are trying to check him. Good player, but "NBA all star potential" might be a little much.

unconventional old man style with athletcism/strong legs and elite vision/ball handling. An understanding of the game thats rare in todays top prospects coming in. Wyatt was crafty as hell, just not the athlete briscoe is nor the innate passer. He could be dynamic in our offense basically

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

unconventional old man style with athletcism/strong legs and elite vision/ball handling. An understanding of the game thats rare in todays top prospects coming in. Wyatt was crafty as hell, just not the athlete briscoe is nor the innate passer. He could be dynamic in our offense basically

He's a good player, and he's fun to watch. I just wonder how good he's going to be when he's playing against guys he can't bully with his strength. And is it me or could he stand to drop a couple lbs?

 

[aceboon]

He's a good player, and he's fun to watch. I just wonder how good he's going to be when he's playing against guys he can't bully with his strength. And is it me or could he stand to drop a couple lbs?

Agree completely, dude has an old man body, I could see small guards giving him hell on offense with him trying to keep up with them. Give me Adams, much better athlete and long ass arms so there's defensive potential there, plus he's not lacking in skill either on the offensive end.

 

[superjohn]

He's a good player, and he's fun to watch. I just wonder how good he's going to be when he's playing against guys he can't bully with his strength. And is it me or could he stand to drop a couple lbs?

Agreed, I really want Adams wearing a Husky jersey.

 

[James]

He's a good player, and he's fun to watch. I just wonder how good he's going to be when he's playing against guys he can't bully with his strength. And is it me or could he stand to drop a couple lbs?

Agree completely, dude has an old man body, I could see small guards giving him hell on the offense with him trying to keep up with them. Give me Adams, much better athlete and long ass arms so there's defensive potential there, plus he's not lacking in skill either on the offensive end.

Yup he does use his strength a lot, but thats at his current level of competition. I just see him in 3 years looking in much better shape, coupled with elite ball handling AND a good shooter. plays at his own pace. Adams is a superior athlete now, but wouldn't put his ball skills in briscoes catagory. at the end of the day both are elite prospects. just like briscoes offensive potential as a lead guard

 

[intlzncster]

Adams looks pretty good to me: https://vine.co/v/MJnvAQlHEFu

Might just be the small screen I'm using, but I can't for the life of me figure out what he did with the ball there. It looked like a magic trick.

 

[Danzz]

A couple things people are missing about our guards. They are long and they are athletic. Hamilton, Ali = Big guards with long arms. Jackson is a 6'4" combo who a lot of people thought was one of the top players in the country prior to his injury. Purvis has decent size as well at 6'4" and he can get up there. All these players will be sharing 3 positions with Samuel and Calhoun, and since one or two might not even be in Storrs by the time the 2015 class enrolls, there seems to be room at the inn.

Yes, it seems we recruited a lot of guards of similar size and talent and none of them are a true PG in the Bazz and Boat mold. I don't know whether this is a good or bad thing. Ollie must believe that 1 or 2 of them can play PG Cassel seems to have the most PG skills from the little we have seen of them. Maybe KO believes that he can get a PG next year and use these new kids in spot PG duty the way JC used Gordon. As it stands now, it will be a different set of skills at PG compared to what we have been used to with Kemba, Bazz, and Boat.

 

[mauconnfan]

That's funny that so many others see the same thing in Briscoe! Not sold on the next level after HS for this kid as he's good but not fast or athletic. Can "quickness" be better than we can see?

Again I trust in KO but looks like a slow 2 in an out of shape kind of way!

 

[upstater]

Yes, it seems we recruited a lot of guards of similar size and talent and none of them are a true PG in the Bazz and Boat mold. I don't know whether this is a good or bad thing. Ollie must believe that 1 or 2 of them can play PG Cassel seems to have the most PG skills from the little we have seen of them. Maybe KO believes that he can get a PG next year and use these new kids in spot PG duty the way JC used Gordon. As it stands now, it will be a different set of skills at PG compared to what we have been used to with Kemba, Bazz, and Boat.

Don't forget Samuel.

 

[mauconnfan]

He is and we are on him.

There you are sneaking in……..

 

[dogfan96]

Yes, it seems we recruited a lot of guards of similar size and talent and none of them are a true PG in the Bazz and Boat mold. I don't know whether this is a good or bad thing. Ollie must believe that 1 or 2 of them can play PG Cassel seems to have the most PG skills from the little we have seen of them. Maybe KO believes that he can get a PG next year and use these new kids in spot PG duty the way JC used Gordon. As it stands now, it will be a different set of skills at PG compared to what we have been used to with Kemba, Bazz, and Boat.

Boat wasn't a true PG when he came in either.. he averaged like 31 ppg his senior year in high school.

 

[aceboon]

Yes, it seems we recruited a lot of guards of similar size and talent and none of them are a true PG in the Bazz and Boat mold. I don't know whether this is a good or bad thing. Ollie must believe that 1 or 2 of them can play PG Cassel seems to have the most PG skills from the little we have seen of them. Maybe KO believes that he can get a PG next year and use these new kids in spot PG duty the way JC used Gordon. As it stands now, it will be a different set of skills at PG compared to what we have been used to with Kemba, Bazz, and Boat.

Boat didn't show he could run a team until this season, and it really didn't come all together until this postseason. TSam is a true PG with very good passing insticts and vision, whether you trust him to run a team for 30 plus minutes at this point in his career is a different story, I think he's another year away from that and will be more of a 15-20 minute guy this upcoming season.

As far as recruiting PGs as a whole, there are very few guys that can come in and run a team from day 1 anyway. Kemba couldn't do it until his 3rd year, same as Bazz, and we're seeing a similar development track with Boat, not many guys are going to be able to come in and do what Khalid did and actually run an offense from day 1, most guys take time to grow.

 

[intlzncster]

As far as recruiting PGs as a whole, there are very few guys that can come in and run a team from day 1 anyway. Kemba couldn't do it until his 3rd year, same as Bazz, and we're seeing a similar development track with Boat, not many guys are going to be able to come in and do what Khalid did and actually run an offense from day 1, most guys take time to grow.

And even then, KW was more dangerous as an off ball pg or a 2 guard.

What's interestng to me is that the stature of UCONN's diminutive guards played a large role in securing the last NC. The popular refrain was that UCONN's guards were too small for so and so. But they were quicker, could get by their man faster, and stay in front on defense. As Kenny Smith said, they "get up under you" on defense. I came to look at their small ize as an advantage.

Now we are going the big guard route and fighting fire with fire. Give me another small fast/quick guy!