Jaylin Stewart in Portal

[businesslawyer]

Here is my legit question about all this. ' Is sophomore Nic Khamenia a better player than the senior UConn veteran Jaylin Stewart, and is it just assumed that Khamenia will be the starting 4?'

Any serious Boneyarders please reply.

The answer is yes, and you should assume that if we get Khamenia the staff told Stewart it was likely Khamenia would be ahead of him on the depth chart.

 

[DogMania]

The answer is yes, and you should assume that if we get Khamenia the staff told Stewart it was likely Khamenia would be ahead of him on the depth chart.

What happened to the earn your minutes Husky culture? I don't think Hurley would say that.

 

[LetsGoUC]

Bummer. Great role player the last few years, but he was probably the 7th man in the rotation going into his senior year. Can't blame him.

 

[Slick]

Bummer. Great role player the last few years, but he was probably the 7th man in the rotation going into his senior year. Can't blame him.

I remember reading where Hurley said Jalin couldn’t play effectively for more than 15 minutes. That never meant any sense to me.

 

[boog204]

Here is my legit question about all this. ' Is sophomore Nic Khamenia a better player than the senior UConn veteran Jaylin Stewart, and is it just assumed that Khamenia will be the starting 4?'

Any serious Boneyarders please reply.

Honestly? Yes. Stew had three years to put it together. Khamenia, in one year as a backup and Prb not used optimally, had a better year than Stew has ever had and has significantly more upside. Stew is a great kid. But if we’re looking at it as a trade 1v1, it’s a no-brainer to me.

 

[businesslawyer]

What happened to the earn your minutes Husky culture? I don't think Hurley would say that.

I did not say Stewart was told NK “would” start. I’m sure Hurley tells everyone that the best player will play. But when players are free agents, and teams are allocating their budgets, you’re totally kidding yourself if you don’t think coaches have to tell players what the coach thinks is likely to happen, and that the coach in allocating his budget doesn’t have to have an opinion on where the player he’s buying will fit in. You don’t think the top portal players expect to know whether the coach thinks they are likely to start when they move? Mahaney didn’t do what we thought he would and lost playing time, but you don’t think the coach told him before he came here where Hurley thought he’d fit in?

 

[Gutter King]

I hope Stew goes to BC and helps out Luke get that program some solid footing. I was hoping his decision making as a connector at the FT line was going to play a big impact for us at some point. He has stamped his personality on this program, and is a Husky for life.

No offense to LM, but I hope what becomes of BC is a landing spot and a launchpad for our program. No doubt LM will find hidden gems. Fringe guys go down there, serious talent comes up. System the same-ish, mentality the same.

Probably an irrational pipedream, but works in my mind!

 

[my2cents]

I was expecting him to get a lot better than he did. His handle going to the basket really held him back.

 

[giddyup]

Here’s the thing. It’s always been the best player starts. I was not that excited about Stewart because he really never developed. The question is why. My bet is he will do very well at a program that pays attention to him because they are short on key talent.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I remember reading where Hurley said Jalin couldn’t play effectively for more than 15 minutes. That never meant any sense to me.

I'd need a reference. I don't recall ever seeing that.

 

[boog204]

Have to do some calling out of @HW611 on this one as he made one of his hot takes that Stew was going to kill it at the 4 this year. He does a lot of told you so's when you nails his pool of calls, so can't let this one fly.

I’m totally up for a Ruff v HW battle today. To your corners, gentleman…

 

[alexd]

Bummer. Great role player the last few years, but he was probably the 7th man in the rotation going into his senior year. Can't blame him.

Do we have seven players right now?? 😉

 

[aceboon]

Have to do some calling out of @HW611 on this one as he made one of his hot takes that Stew was going to kill it at the 4 this year. He does a lot of told you so's when you nails his pool of calls, so can't let this one fly.

If true not sure what prompted him to make that declaration when the past 3 years has shown us 35 minutes at the 4 in the starting lineup are already allocated for, not much you can do with the leftover scraps

 

[DogMania]

I did not say Stewart was told NK “would” start. I’m sure Hurley tells everyone that the best player will play. But when players are free agents, and teams are allocating their budgets, you’re totally kidding yourself if you don’t think coaches have to tell players what the coach thinks is likely to happen, and that the coach in allocating his budget doesn’t have to have an opinion on where the player he’s buying will fit in. You don’t think the top portal players expect to know whether the coach thinks they are likely to start when they move? Mahaney didn’t do what we thought he would and lost playing time, but you don’t think the coach told him before he came here where Hurley thought he’d fit in?

Businesslawyer, I object! Strike that logic from the record.

 

[HailUConn]

Here is my legit question about all this. ' Is sophomore Nic Khamenia a better player than the senior UConn veteran Jaylin Stewart, and is it just assumed that Khamenia will be the starting 4?'

Any serious Boneyarders please reply.

I'm trying to rationalize this too. but in the end it comes down to the simple fact.
With Stewie, you know his ceiling after 3 years, given the opportunity.
With NK, you see the enough flashes from a freshman on a team that mostly features Boozers, not him.

I will take the risk.

 

[RuffRuff]

If true not sure what prompted him to make that declaration when the past 3 years has shown us 35 minutes at the 4 in the starting lineup are already allocated for, not much you can do with the leftover scraps

He's fixated on development, and thinks that every/any player can be taught to be a star.

I'm trying to rationalize this too. but in the end it comes down to the simple fact.
With Stewie, you know his ceiling after 3 years, given the opportunity.
With NK, you see the enough flashes from a freshman on a team that mostly features Boozers, not him.

I will take the risk.

Khamenia is a high upside, high IQ McD AA. The answer is yes. He would fill the AK role perfectly.

 

[HailUConn]

Khamenia is a high upside, high IQ McD AA. The answer is yes. He would fill the AK role perfectly.

Are you sure? AK is a gigantic shoe to fill for anybody..., not just 100 random guys...

 

[Chin Diesel]

Here is my legit question about all this. ' Is sophomore Nic Khamenia a better player than the senior UConn veteran Jaylin Stewart, and is it just assumed that Khamenia will be the starting 4?'

Any serious Boneyarders please reply.

Considering freshman Khamenia averaged more minutes, more points, more rebounds and shot better from 2pt, 3pt, and FT than junior year Stewart???

Yes, it's probable Sophomore Khamenia would be better than Senior Stewart.

 

[RuffRuff]

Please no, you can do better and we don't need to play you.

 

[3rdbass]

Please no, you can do better and we don't need to play you.

Why would he go to that dumpster fire with Cooley?

 

[king conn]

Why would he go to that dumpster fire with Cooley?

Lead tamperer

 

[uconn_jack]

Sorry I have two eyes and can watch the games.

He’s not a UConn caliber player. It is what it is. The histrionics over this are crazy to me. It’s also not like he hasn’t had his chances either. He was pushed into big minutes several times due to injury and simply never played well enough to hold onto those minutes.

He may not be a "UConn caliber" starter, but he absolutely is and has been a UConn caliber backup and teammate.

 

[uconn_jack]

Now this is a Boneyard tribute thread.

With a few notable exceptions unfortunately.

 

[Beowulf]

Best of luck to him

My take on it - we couldn’t go in to 2026 with championship aspirations AND counting on him to play 25 minutes a game, which as a senior, is/should be what he wants.

Appreciate the contributions over the years. Always will be a champion. I wouldn’t even care if he ended up at a different big east school. BC would be sick. I might even say not ending up at BC might tell you all you need to know

Feel like the past two offseason we were all whining and complaining about him being tampered with, and now this is how it plays out. Will be interesting to see where he goes. We had people on this board livid that him and ball weren’t thought of as first rounders in a mock heading into the 24-25 season 😂

 

[RuffRuff]

Go be great Jaylin

 

[BRS24]

Gift article - Why Jaylin Stewart made 'very, very hard decision' to leave UConn men's basketball for portal

After a tear-filled meeting (on both sides) with Dan Hurley, Stewart’s announcement was reported on Friday afternoon. The Seattle native has already been contacted by more than a dozen schools, including a few rival Big East programs.​

“I just hope he shines, flourishes and has fun,” said Jamar Jones, Stewart’s stepfather. “He had fun at UConn. There was never anything negative about fans, coaches, teammates, anyone, out of his mouth. The parents looked out for him like their own son when I wasn’t there.”​

But the playing time wasn’t what he had hoped, particularly this season after eschewing the portal and a likely bigger payday last year to stay in Storrs. And Hurley and the staff, who love the kid and have nothing but positive feelings towards him, were honest about his chances for a much bigger role this upcoming season. No promises.​

 

[huskyjawz]

I love Stew and have nothing bad to say about him. And I'm glad people feel that he'll always be a Husky. But it won't be the same as if he finished his career here.

 

[Scoe]

Can Hurley do Shaheen a solid and help get Stew to Seton Hall. I much prefer to see Stew there then Georgetown and yes I do fear Stew would torch us but prefer to see it with Seton Hall then Georgetown.

 

[UConn Dan]

<eyes emoji >
“If a UConn game’s on,” Jones added, “I’ll still be cheering on Silas and Solo and Jayden and Braylon. There’s no bad tension or anything.”

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Have to do some calling out of @HW611 on this one as he made one of his hot takes that Stew was going to kill it at the 4 this year. He does a lot of told you so's when you nails his pool of calls, so can't let this one fly.

He’s like one for the century on his hot takes and that one was only partially correct. His hot take was that Stew would start at the 4 this year so he’s clearly already wrong. Not sure we need to track and follow this one.