Junior County

[RuffRuff]

Malachi was fantastic early in the year. There were thoughts here that he should be starting over Silas. Smith struggled once we got int BE play.

Perfect world, County is our backup, learns, and then is our PG for the next few years. But we have no idea how a freshman, and one is considered a CG, will adapt. I like the idea of having a guy who has actually played and hopefully has a wealth of experience to hold the fort down should Silas get hurt and County not be ready.

Hurley will never go into a season without ample insurance at PG after the Mahaney year. Hell, even this year he made sure he had a backup to the backup. Fine letting a County fight it out in camp, but no way you just hand him backup duties. He's going ot grab a Millender or a Smith.

 

[FightOnCT]

I personally don’t mind County getting reps as the backup, might as well use him if the point is for him to develop into the system.

But Hurley is almost certainly going to get a backup PG who can facilitate. It’s what’s worked between Diarra and Smith. I think the more common factor here however is the fact they are true PGs and not combos. Then I’d say Hurley should start recruiting those archetypes if he wants a freshman to backup our 1.

 

[boog204]

Hurley will never go into a season without ample insurance at PG after the Mahaney year. Hell, even this year he made sure he had a backup to the backup. Find letting a County fight it out in camp, but no way you just hand him backup duties.

Absolutely. I do find it interesting there has been so little rumblings regarding us looking PGs and PF/C depth pieces.

 

[FightOnCT]

We only just found out about Khamenia when he was spotted on campus. Chances are, they’re already looking discreetly

 

[aceboon]

Boneyard mythology would try to convince you that 2011 Shabazz can't be replicated in the 2020s

 

[RuffRuff]

Boneyard mythology would try to convince you that 2011 Shabazz can't be replicated in the 2020s

Can be, but you can pick that kid off after his sophomore year. You don't need to develop him as a freshman - too much of a crapshoot.

 

[KembaRunner]

I think you are horrifically understating how important Mal was. He had, off the bench mind you, 8 assists against Arizona, 14 and 9 against Illinois, and 9 assists against Texas and Florida. He was the better PG during our OOC gauntlet and his steadying influence was enormous when Silas got injured. When he were sucking against Duke and Michigan, he even got us some points off the bounce. He struggled a bit during BE play, but man, thinking a freshman PG could replicate that is a big ask.

County could be very good. But it’s important to remember he’s not a true PG and he’s a freshman. I’m certain we’ll seek out a veteran PG who has started some meaningful games. And if County is legit, beautiful. This team needs more ballhandling and creators as it is.

He also didn’t turn the ball over. Something a freshman, especially one playing a new position, likely will.

 

[ec33]

Absolutely. I do find it interesting there has been so little rumblings regarding us looking PGs and PF/C depth pieces.

The backup center job is going to be tricky. It requires some both good enough to play 15-20 minutes at center for UConn and willing to be the backup to a sophomore. A player that could fulfill UConn's requirements is likely looking for a starting gig 11 or so days after the portal opened.

The point should be easier to fill and easier to wait out, but it would be great if they could find a junior willing to accept the backup role at UConn for two years.

 

[LStudfellow]

It feels as if someone needs to come right out and say this to those of you who are encouraging that County should be given the back up PG role and not bring in a more seasoned player from the portal.

You all realize we went 5-1 against a very challenging group of 6 non-conference opponents this last year, right? You do realize that we would have lost at least one (the Florida game) if not two more without Malachi during that stretch. You really think that a freshman like County could have filled in and played the way Malachi did in those games in November and December? Seriously?

I guarantee you right now that we do not get that 2-seed that we did get in the tournament (and everything that came after it) without winning every one of those 5 games. So you are willing to risk at least one or several seed lines in next year's tournament, particularly with the understanding from Hurley himself that next year's OOC is going to be at least as hard, if not harder, than this year's schedule was?

Sorry, but to me, that is a clear and hard NO.

 

[Lafayette]

Silas can go 30-35 unless foul trouble, then we've seen Solo even come up with the ball. All depends on if the other team is pressing at all.

So if County works out in practice enough to trust him for 5-10 and he earns it, then we're solid, but yes, might see another established PG transfer in as a Senior to get better odds of winning a natty than playing time as they could know they have no future in the NBA.

But County is more combo guard, and has some height so will take time to learn the offense (just like it took Newton and Demary time).

But I don't think he's Darius if we get a PG in the portal. I'm more than sure the coaching staff is in communications.

 

[uconn_jack]

Boneyard mythology would try to convince you that 2011 Shabazz can't be replicated in the 2020s

Exactly. This was the way it was done for years. I don't buy thay you need 2 experienced/transfer starter level players at every position like so.many seem to expect.

If County is a legitimate PG prospect (and not just a 2G with some handling skills), then I hope we get a Millander type as opposed to a Smith. Someone you can trust if County doesn't develop as the primary backup, but not someone who is automatically going be ahead of him.

 

[jibsey]

Millender given the reps might have been ok last year. He never got much time but he was not a deer in the headlights.

 

[uconn_jack]

Millender given the reps might have been ok last year. He never got much time but he was not a deer in the headlights.

Not at all. I was really impressed with him in the MSU exhibition where he played a lot of minutes. If he were asked to play 10 min a game, I think he would suprised everyone.

 

[Justlurking]

If he comes to UConn he needs to change his name from County to Council of Governments (COG).

 

[ec33]

Exactly. This was the way it was done for years. I don't buy thay you need 2 experienced/transfer starter level players at every position like so.many seem to expect.

If County is a legitimate PG prospect (and not just a 2G with some handling skills), then I hope we get a Millander type as opposed to a Smith. Someone you can trust if County doesn't develop as the primary backup, but not someone who is automatically going be ahead of him.

Junior County is a "2G with some handling skills."

If you look at various recruiting sites he is listed consistently as a SG and occasionally SG/CG.

 

[upstater]

Hurley will never go into a season without ample insurance at PG after the Mahaney year. Hell, even this year he made sure he had a backup to the backup. Fine letting a County fight it out in camp, but no way you just hand him backup duties. He's going ot grab a Millender or a Smith.

I mean, you need 3 PGs regardless. You always need 3 PGs so I fully expect that. This is really a discussion about backup PG.

 

[Lafayette]

Shooting guard with good instincts for being a PG more or less, so CG in essence.

He's also 6'4" which helps, and can score so he's gonna get some minutes. I have no doubt he will show in practice what he can do and learn the offense and likely will be Silas' backup.

 

[AdamaNation]

I think he potentially could find himself at the backup PG spot, but the question is: how long will it take him to develop into that role? Does Hurley take the chance of bringing him in and working with him to get to that point come the start of the season or does he focus on getting someone who has proven himself at this level already? I don't like it, but it seems like we have to think of things so differently now. Will player development continue to be a hallmark of Hurley and the UConn program, or has that ship sailed? I certainly hope we can continue to get players in where there is a mutual loyalty between them and the program, but you just don't know. I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but it seems we have to kind of think this way now. The age of instant gratification has deeply infected the tradition of college basketball as we've come to know it.

And the challenge is do you want to train players that you may play against?

 

[FlyChigga]

Not saying we did anything wrong. That not a road worth going down.

I’m just saying there’s plenty of freshman guards all over the country that come in ready to play 10-15 mins a game (which is what we’d ask of County) that aren’t top 25 players.

A top 50 guard is more than good enough for a backup role.

If our movement with guards in the portal is any indication, so does Hurley. If we want to be intentional about planning for County to succeed then we have to move like we expect him to succeed.

Bringing in another guy would be moving and planning for him to not succeed.

If we don’t trust Darius Adams to run backup pg then why would we trust lower ranked junior county

 

[boog204]

We only just found out about Khamenia when he was spotted on campus. Chances are, they’re already looking discreetly

It’s a blessing and a curse. It’s insane that Dan Hurley was literally sealing the deal with NK on a visit before anyone knew about it. At the same time, I like hearing a bunch of names bc then I can play along like I know anything. As it is, I’m on the 247 transfer portal thing looking up the PG from East Tenn St and wondering if he’s a sleeper. And no, I don’t have a life nor anything better to do at this time.

 

[BGesus4]

He’s got a bit of a Brayden Burries to his game. not the same level athlete but great pace and ball skills with either hand.

 

[ec33]

If we don’t trust Darius Adams to run backup pg then why would we trust lower ranked junior county

County is far more PG-ish than Adams the Chucker. County as the 3rd option would be fine.

 

[jibsey]

Shooting guard with good instincts for being a PG more or less, so CG in essence.

He's also 6'4" which helps, and can score so he's gonna get some minutes. I have no doubt he will show in practice what he can do and learn the offense and likely will be Silas' backup.

Yes and the key to this whole thing is can he defend? Defend and distribute, don’t turn it over. All to be determined.

 

[HW611]

Boneyard mythology would try to convince you that 2011 Shabazz can't be replicated in the 2020s

Bingo. Just another lazy tired narrative they try to push on here about “modern basketball”.

I think you are horrifically understating how important Mal was. He had, off the bench mind you, 8 assists against Arizona, 14 and 9 against Illinois, and 9 assists against Texas and Florida. He was the better PG during our OOC gauntlet and his steadying influence was enormous when Silas got injured. When he were sucking against Duke and Michigan, he even got us some points off the bounce. He struggled a bit during BE play, but man, thinking a freshman PG could replicate that is a big ask.

County could be very good. But it’s important to remember he’s not a true PG and he’s a freshman. I’m certain we’ll seek out a veteran PG who has started some meaningful games. And if County is legit, beautiful. This team needs more ballhandling and creators as it is.

I just don’t know what is this horrific scenario that you all are imagining with County. Smith had good games, yes. But his averages show he was largely mid for most of the year. Even unplayable at certain points.

I’d expect a very talented freshman to go through the same journey of showing flashes and having struggles. But figuring it out by the end of year if we stick with him the same way we did with Smith when he struggled. Except instead of losing him out the end of the year we get him back for another year for continuity hopefully.

 

[cwh20]

And the challenge is do you want to train players that you may play against?

Wow. You’re a looking far ahead kind of guy.

I would love an older mid-major starting pg that would love to be a backup on a title contender à la Smith. The facilitator experience is the important quality, not scoring

 

[boog204]

Bingo. Just another lazy tired narrative they try to push on here about “modern basketball”.

I just don’t know what is this horrific scenario that you all are imagining with County. Smith had good games, yes. But his averages show he was largely mid for most of the year. Even unplayable at certain points.

I’d expect a very talented freshman to go through the same journey of showing flashes and having struggles. But figuring it out by the end of year if we stick with him the same way we did with Smith when he struggled. Except instead of losing him out the end of the year we get him back for another year for continuity hopefully.

County by all accounts is a combo. That’s what worries me. Smith for some of his struggles and “mid-ness,” was a four year starter for a team that made the tourney. I just don’t think you can risk going into the year with the belief that a freshman combo guard can be your backup PG in a difficult offense to master.

 

[HW611]

County by all accounts is a combo. That’s what worries me. Smith for some of his struggles and “mid-ness,” was a four year starter for a team that made the tourney. I just don’t think you can risk going into the year with the belief that a freshman combo guard can be your backup PG in a difficult offense to master.

So you don’t trust who the coaching staff identified as our potential PG of the future?

 

[HuskyHawk]

I’m comfortable with him being the main backup PG, and if he isn’t, we may struggle to keep him here. He’s too good to not play at all. That said, Dan will definitely need at least a Millender level PG as well, because we can’t risk it all on Silas staying healthy. If Mullins is back I’d be slightly less worried because I think he can probably run the point if he has to. His ability to facilitate improved dramatically late in the season. It’s one of the reasons we went so far.

 

[boog204]

So you don’t trust who the coaching staff identified as our potential PG of the future?

Considering he’s by every account, scouting report, and metric a combo guard… There’s competition at the 3/4 as well, does that mean the staff doesn’t believe in Landrew?

 

[HuskyHawk]

It feels as if someone needs to come right out and say this to those of you who are encouraging that County should be given the back up PG role and not bring in a more seasoned player from the portal.

You all realize we went 5-1 against a very challenging group of 6 non-conference opponents this last year, right? You do realize that we would have lost at least one (the Florida game) if not two more without Malachi during that stretch. You really think that a freshman like County could have filled in and played the way Malachi did in those games in November and December? Seriously?

I guarantee you right now that we do not get that 2-seed that we did get in the tournament (and everything that came after it) without winning every one of those 5 games. So you are willing to risk at least one or several seed lines in next year's tournament, particularly with the understanding from Hurley himself that next year's OOC is going to be at least as hard, if not harder, than this year's schedule was?

Sorry, but to me, that is a clear and hard NO.

Counterpoint, Duke’s PG got hurt and their freshman stepped up and they go to the final four if not for a miracle shot. So yes, County could step in. He’s got way more talent than Smith. The issue is risk. It’s a gamble. But sitting him on the bench is a gamble too and if Mullins is back there are zero minutes at SG on this team.