Jalen

[HungryHuskies]

I really feel bad for what he's been through during his years at UConn. I really wish he stays for his last go around, but I don't blame him at all for leaving. I really want/wanted to see what he can do with some weapons around him.

 

[Hankster]

I think he will stay. As others had said, 1 more year and a degree. JA can make up his own mind. He knows what he is doing. But, he and Vital are room mates. I believe they sit and talk.

 

[djct1999]

You can count the players on one hand who came back for their senior season and actually helped their draft status. Jalen must declare and not sign with an agent, get some feedback, then go from there. If Jalen really wants a productive pro career, either here or in Europe, he needs to hit the gym hard and work on all the things the NBA brass tell him. As a UConn fan of course you want him back. But as a pro prospect, he needs to go. Coming back one more year won't help him any.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

You can count the players on one hand who came back for their senior season and actually helped their draft status. Jalen must declare and not sign with an agent, get some feedback, then go from there. If Jalen really wants a productive pro career, either here or in Europe, he needs to hit the gym hard and work on all the things the NBA brass tell him. As a UConn of course you want him back. But as a pro prospect, he needs to go. Coming back one more year won't help him any.

Look no further than Jalen’s hero Shabazz Napier. I hope those two are in touch.

 

[jibsey]

Working on shooting should have been his priority last off season and if he did that well that’s not good. He should get advice from Ray.

 

[Jholla2183]

Working on shooting should have been his priority last off season and if he did that well that’s not good. He should get advice from Ray.

He was injured last offseason wasn’t he?

 

[djct1999]

Look no further than Jalen’s hero Shabazz Napier. I hope those two are in touch.

Typical entitled response. Because Shabazz Napier happens so often. And Shabazz was coming back to a much different situation.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I'm trying to look at this from an objective point, not as a UConn fan, but I think another year will do him well. This year, Adams was the only guy teams had to make a game plan for.

Next year, with a backcourt of Adams, Gilbert, Akinjo and Vital, there will be more opportunity to have him as a dual-threat in on- and off-ball situations. I think at the next level, Adams is best as a combo guard, so more opportunities playing off-ball will help give him more open looks and showcase if hopefully improved jumper.

 

[AdamaNation]

Working on shooting should have been his priority last off season and if he did that well that’s not good. He should get advice from Ray.

And a left hand.

 

[HuskyHawk]

And a left hand.

I hope he's back. Needs to work on this.

• Outside shooting
• Physical strength/taking contact and scoring after
• Left hand

Some of it is coaching. Jalen has such great body control in the air, it allows acrobatic shots. But you watch a guy like Rob Gray yesterday, who doesn't have that, instead he holds the ball, takes the body shot, then twists away and shoots. Scores and goes to the line. Jalen contorts himself to avoid contact, makes the shot more difficult, and shoots.

 

[jibsey]

I don't understand Jalen clanking 3's badly when wide open with no defender, and this is not new. Someone please explain.

 

[Austin316]

I think he wants to graduate.

 

[upstater]

Rob Gray is an interesting comparison in the sense that even though he could shoot very well and was a very good player in prior years, he's taken his game to the next level his senior season with his drives. It's not just Shabazz who improved for his senior year--there are quite a few players like that. I'm not sure what it means for Gray's NBA stock though.

 

[djct1999]

Rob Gray is an interesting comparison in the sense that even though he could shoot very well and was a very good player in prior years, he's taken his game to the next level his senior season with his drives. It's not just Shabazz who improved for his senior year--there are quite a few players like that. I'm not sure what it means for Gray's NBA stock though.

Rob Gray is not getting drafted. Rob Gray is an excellent college player who certainly got better during his 9 years(so it seems) of college, but coming back his senior year did very little in terms of helping his draft status.

Obviously, Shabazz Napier is the perfect example of what could happen by returning but if that is your template for success in the NBA draft, good luck. The probability of having a senior year like Bazz is highly unlikely, almost impossible.

 

[CL82]

Typical entitled response. Because Shabazz Napier happens so often. And Shabazz was coming back to a much different situation.

How about Kemba? (He graduated so I'm calling his last year his senior year.)

Let Adams get in better shape (and something is wrong this year, I'm not sure what though) and put him in a better system and he helps himself, imo. This year's decision making and and effectiveness haven't been his best. That may be a product of the plays being run and the lack of another featured player.

 

[djct1999]

How about Kemba? (He graduated so I'm calling his last year his senior year.)

Let Adams get in better shape (and something is wrong this year, I'm not sure what though) and put him in a better system and he helps himself, imo. This year's decision making and and effectiveness haven't been his best. That may be a product of the plays being run and the lack of another featured player.

Most important, I am not saying that Jalen can't help his draft status by coming back, but I am simply reminding people its highly unlikely. In my opinion, Kemba is a poor example because his jump came between his second and third year. Regardless of graduation, Kemba did not come back for his senior year of eligibility.

Take someone like Grayson Allen. While its admirable he came back, he did not help himself draft wise. Part of it is age discrimination, part of it is upside, and part of it could be too large a sample set to analyze, but there are reasons why seniors usually don't get picked. Shabazz is the exception, but I do wonder if we take away that magical tournament run, unreal publicity, and Lebron's endorsement, if under more normal circumstances he even gets drafted at all.

 

[gtcam]

You can count the players on one hand who came back for their senior season and actually helped their draft status. Jalen must declare and not sign with an agent, get some feedback, then go from there. If Jalen really wants a productive pro career, either here or in Europe, he needs to hit the gym hard and work on all the things the NBA brass tell him. As a UConn fan of course you want him back. But as a pro prospect, he needs to go. Coming back one more year won't help him any.

Sorry but could not disagree with you more
Coming back has helped more than 5 players and has hurt more than 5 players
Jalen is in one of those where coming back will, in my opinion, be a benefit versus going pro. He has proven he is a high caliber scorer in college basketball. He is the second leading scorer in a competitive conference that has some really great guards. He was 1st team all conference last year and his stats bear out consideration for that again this year - in fact, if he lands as second team this year his stats just might be stronger than last year.
He needs to work on his outside shooting and continue on adding to his distribution skills. At his size, he needs to add some bulk but no weight.
It is my opinion, if he turns pro, because of his outside shooting consistency issues and his size, he might not see the court as much as if he were to return for his senior year. To work on what he needs he needs to work on it in real action - something he will get at UConn
If he were a 6'5" or bigger guard then I would say he should go but given his physical restrictions, another year will help a lot. We saw it in Rob Gray at Houston among others. Even allowing Boat to run the show his senior year better prepared him for his pro future and acclimated him in the areas of distribution and outside shooting.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Jalen's draft stock will improve if he comes back next year AND the team is good.
It will worsen if he comes back and the team still sucks.

 

[RichZ]

Take someone like Grayson Allen. While its admirable he came back, he did not help himself draft wise.

I'd say that there are fewer GMs concerned about his dirty play outweighing his on court value than there were at this time last year, so yes, he did likely help his draft stock in that regard.

Similarly, JA needs to show that he can eliminate a negative perception. He needs to show that he can consistently contribute through the whole game, rather than just taking over for a big, late run when we are down. Without that, he might as well come back and take as many foreign language courses as possible, because he's going to need to be multi-linguistic.

 

[len0322]

Jalen's draft status will be impacted by if he get's invited to the predraft camps and how he fares in them. No different than the NFL Draft process. Although Kemba and Bazz had great final seasons, they also got through meat maket without flaws. If either came out measuring 5'9" in socks or performed poorly, they would have tanked. Remember Byron Houston.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Look no further than Jalen’s hero Shabazz Napier. I hope those two are in touch.

You beat me to it
JA with a more experienced cast
Could be AAC POY next year.
As is he is now the best would be late second round. With a good year he could sneak into the first round.

 

[the Q]

Gary Clark this year is a really good example of a guy who improved his stock.

 

[intlzncster]

Typical entitled response. Because Shabazz Napier happens so often. And Shabazz was coming back to a much different situation.

Buddy Hield. Chris Dunn. It happens. A lot of it is contextual.

I think one of the most important contextual points is that there could be a ton of underclassmen coming out this year, what with the NCAA investigation and all. It's already a pretty decent class as it is.

 

[djct1999]

Buddy Hield. Chris Dunn. It happens. A lot of it is contextual.

I think one of the most important contextual points is that there could be a ton of underclassmen coming out this year, what with the NCAA investigation and all. It's already a pretty decent class as it is.

fair point and both good examples. my guess is that if jalen came back and won the wooden award, it would help his draft stztus.

 

[UConn990411]

You can count the players on one hand who came back for their senior season and actually helped their draft status. Jalen must declare and not sign with an agent, get some feedback, then go from there. If Jalen really wants a productive pro career, either here or in Europe, he needs to hit the gym hard and work on all the things the NBA brass tell him. As a UConn fan of course you want him back. But as a pro prospect, he needs to go. Coming back one more year won't help him any.

While it’s not the norm, it’s not nearly as rare as you’re making it out to be.

Shabazz and Josh Hart are two recent guys who came to mind (that little NC thing helped though). I’m not arguing that Jalen should come back, but I don’t think it’s set in stone that returning would automatically hurt his draft status.