2026 Recruiting: Junior County

[HooperScooper]

I hate to start another thread for just this but all the other ones on him are locked and figured we should know this.

Four-star PG Junior County: Purdue, Indiana, Arizona, Maryland, and UConn are Junior’s top five schools. He’s visited each of his finalists outside of UConn and will head to Storrs this weekend. I would expect a decision soon after that visit. It sounds like the Huskies are the team in the driver’s seat but something to keep in mind is UConn is also heavily involved with another point guard in five-star Dylan Mingo — who’s likely to make a decision sometime after County.

So do you take the bird in hand or wait for Mingo?

Updates on top 2026 basketball recruits and where their recruitments stand

Joe Tipton provides the latest recruiting intel on several top 2026 prospects.

www.on3.com

The RuffRuff Alternate Access™:

Updates on top 2026 basketball recruits and where their recruitments stand​

 

[superjohn]

I hate to start another thread for just this but all the other ones on him are locked and figured we should know this.

Four-star PG Junior County: Purdue, Indiana, Arizona, Maryland, and UConn are Junior’s top five schools. He’s visited each of his finalists outside of UConn and will head to Storrs this weekend. I would expect a decision soon after that visit. It sounds like the Huskies are the team in the driver’s seat but something to keep in mind is UConn is also heavily involved with another point guard in five-star Dylan Mingo — who’s likely to make a decision sometime after County.

So do you take the bird in hand or wait for Mingo?

Updates on top 2026 basketball recruits and where their recruitments stand

Joe Tipton provides the latest recruiting intel on several top 2026 prospects.

www.on3.com

The RuffRuff Alternate Access™:

Updates on top 2026 basketball recruits and where their recruitments stand​

If we're only taking one freshman guard I would wait on Mingo and do everything to get him.

 

[Go_Huskies]

I hate to start another thread for just this but all the other ones on him are locked and figured we should know this.

Four-star PG Junior County: Purdue, Indiana, Arizona, Maryland, and UConn are Junior’s top five schools. He’s visited each of his finalists outside of UConn and will head to Storrs this weekend. I would expect a decision soon after that visit. It sounds like the Huskies are the team in the driver’s seat but something to keep in mind is UConn is also heavily involved with another point guard in five-star Dylan Mingo — who’s likely to make a decision sometime after County.

So do you take the bird in hand or wait for Mingo?

Updates on top 2026 basketball recruits and where their recruitments stand

Joe Tipton provides the latest recruiting intel on several top 2026 prospects.

www.on3.com

The RuffRuff Alternate Access™:

Updates on top 2026 basketball recruits and where their recruitments stand​

Bird in the hand. Mingo is one and done.

 

[husky429]

If we're only taking one freshman guard I would wait on Mingo and do everything to get him.

I agree. I'm not super sold on County right now. The staff sees something clearly, but Mingo is on another level.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Mingo has to be the priority. But now with the 15 scholarships I think you can take both and see what happens once the full roster is filled (like Darius Adams last year)

 

[husky429]

Mingo has to be the priority. But now with the 15 scholarships I think you can take both and see what happens once the full roster is filled (like Darius Adams last year)

If County committed I doubt Mingo would commit. Or if Mingo commited after, County would leave. Definitely walking a bit of a tightrope

 

[bendm]

Bird in the hand. Mingo is one and done.

So was castle and maybe we don’t win a chip without him

 

[Chin Diesel]

If County committed I doubt Mingo would commit. Or if Mingo commited after, County would leave. Definitely walking a bit of a tightrope

If there is room for both I would hope County doesn't scare off Mingo. Mingo should know he's another level and he would get all the PT he earns.

 

[bendm]

If County committed I doubt Mingo would commit. Or if Mingo commited after, County would leave. Definitely walking a bit of a tightrope

I’m fine with the latter scenario playing out

 

[Huskyforlife]

Yeah I think you take County but tell Mingo his spot is secure whenever he’s ready to commit. County is a year two starter and Mingo is a one and done. If County isn’t comfortable with that, the Adams talk will be had.

 

[6&counting]

I don't believe Mingo and County are being recruited as mutually exclusive options. We will have a need at backup point guard regardless and Mingo will not play that role. There's always a chance Mingo gets his feathers ruffled by a County commitment, but as is, the pitch to them is not that they are competing for the same spot.

Separately, there's a lot of smoke around Maryland for County, too. He had a visit there last weekend. And I have trouble believing we're truly leading for all of these recruits as everyone keeps saying, so there may be something to that.

 

[husky429]

I don't believe Mingo and County are being recruited as mutually exclusive options. We will have a need at backup point guard regardless and Mingo will not play that role. There's always a chance Mingo gets his feathers ruffled by a County commitment, but as is, the pitch to them is not that they are competing for the same spot.

Separately, there's a lot of smoke around Maryland for County, too. He had a visit there last weekend. And I have trouble believing we're truly leading for all of these recruits as everyone keeps saying, so there may be something to that.

They're definitley being recruited for the same spot.

 

[6&counting]

They're definitley being recruited for the same spot.

Mingo is being recruited explicitly for a Castle role. This part of the pitch has been made public. You're saying County is as well?

 

[husky429]

Mingo is being recruited explicitly for a Castle role. This part of the pitch has been made public. You're saying County is as well?

They're both 6'4-6'5 and 185-ish lbs combo guards with a similar skillset. Definitely being recruited for the same spot. I'm surprised this is even a question tbh

 

[6&counting]

They're both 6'4-6'5 and 185-ish lbs combo guards with a similar skillset. Definitely being recruited for the same spot. I'm surprised this is even a question tbh

In an ideal world for Hurley and the staff, everyone on the perimeter fits the mold you just described. And I think almost everyone we're recruiting fits that bill. Including Samuels, Landrew and Howard here. Cloer is a little bigger and the only outlier. In the current offense, he wants all our perimeter players to be able to handle and run the system. You may end up being right, but it contradicts what we've all heard thus far.

And to be fair, Keita and the Ratliff twins could feasibly be lumped in with kids we're "recruiting" as well, but there isn't much smoke around those guys for UConn right now.

 

[husky429]

In an ideal world for Hurley and the staff, everyone on the perimeter fits the mold you just described. And I think almost everyone we're recruiting fits that bill. Including Samuels, Landrew and Howard here. Cloer is a little bigger and the only outlier. In the current offense, he wants all our perimeter players to be able to handle and run the system. You may end up being right, but it contradicts what we've all heard thus far.

And to be fair, Keita and the Ratliff twins could feasibly be lumped in with kids we're "recruiting" as well, but there isn't much smoke around those guys for UConn right now.

Our staff absolutely does not want everyone on the perimeter to be 6'4 185lbs. What are you on about?

Landrew and Samuels are way bigger than County and Mingo because they're being recruited for a different position. Same with Cloer.

You're suggesting our power forward should be tiny. It must be a problem that AK isn't 4 inches shorter and 40lbs lighter?

 

[lonsharkin51]

Still can’t wrap my head around the idea that someone named Junior County isn’t a center. Shouldn’t that be a big man’s name?

 

[Ricker]

If we are still strong with Mingo, I'd 100% wait for his decision. IMO Mingo is a winner and has championship level basketball ability. I love that he wants to be a lock down defender, and, I love the maturity that is suggested by his plans to save at least 80% of his NIL. I think he is the single best player we are involved with.

With regard to County, an honest question: Has anybody on the board seen County play great? Based on his ranking he must have impressed along the way. The particular games I watched live he was so uninvolved with the action I couldn't even guess at his upside abilities. I'd love to have somebody post and advocate for him who has seen him at his best.

 

[HooperScooper]

Still can’t wrap my head around the idea that someone named Junior County isn’t a center. Shouldn’t that be a big man’s name?

If he was a center wouldn't he have the name Senior County?

O.K. I'll see myself out now.

 

[6&counting]

Our staff absolutely does not want everyone on the perimeter to be 6'4 185lbs. What are you on about?

Landrew and Samuels are way bigger than County and Mingo because they're being recruited for a different position. Same with Cloer.

You're suggesting our power forward should be tiny. It must be a problem that AK isn't 4 inches shorter and 40lbs lighter?

Not following you here. Might need you to explain some of what you're saying.

Here's the blueprint:
'24 championship perimeter: Newton 6'5, Spencer 6'4 Castle 6'6
'23 championship perimeter: Newton 6'5, Hawkins 6'5 Jackson 6'6

Players we're recruiting:
County 6'5, Mingo 6'5, Landrew 6'5, Samuels 6'5, Howard 6'4

I will agree that Landrew and Samuels are fatter than than 185, but they're both listed in the 6'5 range, just like County and Mingo. And they are highly capable at ballhandling:

Qayden Samuels - Basketball Recruiting - Player Profiles - ESPN

Learn about Qayden Samuels and other recruit player profiles on RecruitingNation.com.

www.espn.com

Colben Landrew - Basketball Recruiting - Player Profiles - ESPN

Learn about Colben Landrew and other recruit player profiles on RecruitingNation.com.

www.espn.com

Maybe you're referring to their wingspans being longer? Which is true compared to County, but I believe Mingo, Landrew & Samuels all have wingspans around 6'10. So I think you're saying that Landrew and Samuels are fatter when you say "way bigger"?

And as mentioned in other threads, Cole Cloer is the AK replacement we are recruiting. His measurables are identical to AK's in high school (see the other thread if you're interested in a more in-depth discussion). If you think I suggested otherwise, then perhaps something was lost in translation here. I should clarify that by "perimeter" players, I meant the 3-guard hydra that we've typically rolled with the last 3 years - wasn't including the 4 spot. Although I can see how you'd interpret "perimeter" to include that position.

Additionally, the anticipation is that all high school players will hit the weights at UConn and put on muscle once they get here as well, so whatever those guys' playing weight is now will likely change.

If we are still strong with Mingo, I'd 100% wait for his decision. IMO Mingo is a winner and has championship level basketball ability. I love that he wants to be a lock down defender, and, I love the maturity that is suggested by his plans to save at least 80% of his NIL. I think he is the single best player we are involved with.

With regard to County, an honest question: Has anybody on the board seen County play great? Based on his ranking he must have impressed along the way. The particular games I watched live he was so uninvolved with the action I couldn't even guess at his upside abilities. I'd love to have somebody post and advocate for him who has seen him at his best.

Just to chime in here. I don't known if I'm full on advocate for the kid yet, but overall, he is a smart player who can do a lot. Dribble, pass, shoot, run an offense, mid-range, finish at the rim. Jack of all trades, master of none kind of thing. I've seen individual plays where he can break down just about anyone, or drill very deep contested 3's off the dribble, but I haven't personally seen it consistently over longer stretches. Hard to tell for sure on the AAU circuit, but he really does remind me of a thicker Darius Adams.

 

[auror]

If we are still strong with Mingo, I'd 100% wait for his decision. IMO Mingo is a winner and has championship level basketball ability. I love that he wants to be a lock down defender, and, I love the maturity that is suggested by his plans to save at least 80% of his NIL. I think he is the single best player we are involved with.

With regard to County, an honest question: Has anybody on the board seen County play great? Based on his ranking he must have impressed along the way. The particular games I watched live he was so uninvolved with the action I couldn't even guess at his upside abilities. I'd love to have somebody post and advocate for him who has seen him at his best.

I'm still working through some film on County, but he's a better shooter than I thought. He shot poorly in Peach Jam, but better for his HS team. He gives good effort on the defensive end, too, but doesn't have nearly the physical tools of Mingo. Good not great distributor. Not a very prolific driver or advantage generator, but he's unselfish. Seems like he would be a good program kid.

 

[uconngb]

If he was a center wouldn't he have the name Senior County?

O.K. I'll see myself out now.

No, his name would be Big Country. This isn't that hard.....

 

[husky429]

Not following you here. Might need you to explain some of what you're saying.

Here's the blueprint:
'24 championship perimeter: Newton 6'5, Spencer 6'4 Castle 6'6
'23 championship perimeter: Newton 6'5, Hawkins 6'5 Jackson 6'6

Players we're recruiting:
County 6'5, Mingo 6'5, Landrew 6'5, Samuels 6'5, Howard 6'4

I will agree that Landrew and Samuels are fatter than than 185, but they're both listed in the 6'5 range, just like County and Mingo. And they are highly capable at ballhandling:

Qayden Samuels - Basketball Recruiting - Player Profiles - ESPN

Learn about Qayden Samuels and other recruit player profiles on RecruitingNation.com.

www.espn.com

Colben Landrew - Basketball Recruiting - Player Profiles - ESPN

Learn about Colben Landrew and other recruit player profiles on RecruitingNation.com.

www.espn.com

Maybe you're referring to their wingspans being longer? Which is true compared to County, but I believe Mingo, Landrew & Samuels all have wingspans around 6'10. So I think you're saying that Landrew and Samuels are fatter when you say "way bigger"?

And as mentioned in other threads, Cole Cloer is the AK replacement we are recruiting. His measurables are identical to AK's in high school (see the other thread if you're interested in a more in-depth discussion). If you think I suggested otherwise, then perhaps something was lost in translation here. I should clarify that by "perimeter" players, I meant the 3-guard hydra that we've typically rolled with the last 3 years - wasn't including the 4 spot. Although I can see how you'd interpret "perimeter" to include that position.

Additionally, the anticipation is that all high school players will hit the weights at UConn and put on muscle once they get here as well, so whatever those guys' playing weight is now will likely change.


Just to chime in here. I don't known if I'm full on advocate for the kid yet, but overall, he is a smart player who can do a lot. Dribble, pass, shoot, run an offense, mid-range, finish at the rim. Jack of all trades, master of none kind of thing. I've seen individual plays where he can break down just about anyone, or drill very deep contested 3's off the dribble, but I haven't personally seen it consistently over longer stretches. Hard to tell for sure on the AAU circuit, but he really does remind me of a thicker Darius Adams.

AK is a perimeter plauer. Why on earth would you not expect him to be considered one?

 

[navery12]

For the 2nd straight weekend we have a top 30 recruit on campus for a visit and the general sentiment is "Meh, don't really want him to commit."

FWIW not a knock, I agree in both cases. We're only taking 1 and I'd wait on Mingo