Karaban declares, retains NCAA eligibility

[TouchdownHusky]

He's such a good dude and team player, I hope everything breaks for him.

Then hope he has the good sense to come back. He is not ready for the NBA.

 

[J187Money]

I don’t know whether he ends up going this year or not. But he is the exact sort of player that if he wasn’t a UCONN guy I would be watching him light it up 5 years from now and googling him like where did he come from?

Great at most of everything. Not a superstar at anything. But he will have a long career when he breaks through.

 

[Zonepress]

Karaban is a smart kid who already has an agent. He'll listen to the right people. Do you think he wants to tell the NBA he isn't serious about the process and is just testing the waters? No. He should give it his all and tell the world he is doing that. In a couple months if it doesn't look good then he can announce he's coming back. Most of us expected he would do this. Why wouldn't he at least test the process?

From an article in the Courant on Sunday:

Alex Karaban​

Karaban, called the “brain center” of the program by Hurley and “Captain America” by Diarra, has a much tougher decision to make.

“It’s definitely been weighing on me a lot,” he said candidly. “Some days I’m leaning toward one way, other days I’ll move the other way. I’m torn right now. I’m still trying to figure it all out. … And really, I just want to set myself up in the best position that I can (for) my future and at the same time, I have so much love for this school and the program. … It’s gonna be the toughest decision I’ve had to make.”

Karaban has had a few meetings with the coaches and has talked with his family and teammates like Clingan, his league-bound roommate. He plans on reaching out to 2022-23 captain Andre Jackson Jr., selected in the second round and now with the Milwaukee Bucks, for advice.

An increased role as the program goes for a three-peat is a bonus for staying, and the fact that he’s taken enough classes to be able to graduate after three years.

His draft position at this point feels similar to Jackson’s, as a potential second-round pick who is listed on some, but not all, mock drafts.

“There’s a lot there,” Hurley said. “He’s clearly a draft-able NBA prospect. I think for most of these players now with NIL – if you’re going to be a clear-cut, consensus first-round pick and you feel like you’re mature enough emotionally to go into those locker rooms, then I think you’ve got a responsibility to really consider going. If you’re not going to be a consensus clear-cut first-round pick, I think you stay in college. Second round, it’s a tough spot. Up through those mid-30s, there’s no more guaranteed contracts and I think it’s better to be in college than it is on a two-way, in my opinion.”

Imho DH has said alll u need to know about the nba draft in a very simple and concise way
It would be shocking to me if A K gets feed back that he is a first round choice

I

 

[Woodson]

Imho DH has said alll u need to know about the nba draft in a very simple and concise way
It would be shocking to me if A K gets feed back that he is a first round choice

I

He could be borderline first round for this draft, with the possibility that a team locks into him for a role, that’s what he’s gonna get a chance to find out. By the way nothing should shock us anymore when it comes to the nba draft!

 

[Scrutineer]

We all love what AK has done for UConn and we only have Ricker to thank for it! Bless you and please come up with another special player for us!!

But, most of us are blind to how many good players there are here and around the world and the NBA finds them and brings them here if they don't come to school here. It's possible AK shows well at the pre-draft camp but that's a must for him to be drafted in the first round and even that might be a reach.

If you look at the situation honestly, there are 80 to 100 power level teams with 13 or so players each plus untold foreign teams with more excellent players every year. The last time I looked the stats showed only 1.6% of players get drafted so that's 16 out of 1000. Tough odds.

In that context I don't see AK being drafted in the first round this year and will be surprised if he doesn't return. Much like TN. And like TN he'll be better for it and better prepared not only for UConn but for his future as a pro. JC always cautioned guys about leaving too early and this is too early for AK.

 

[bigknight3]

He already started making money.

More money... Assuming it is more

 

[Scottzer]

I just hope that whatever decision he makes is the right one for him. Regardless of what that may be, he has given enough to this program to be allotted a perceived mistake by a decent percentage of the fan base. If I had that skill set and had won two titles, I have little chance of returning. I have no idea which way to go is right fr him, just hope it works out.

 

[Leebo]

I don't think workouts are going to help Alex. He has a very large sample size of shooting 3s in real games. He isn't going to athletically wow people under any circumstances.

You see all your buddies go pro, and it is natural to want to do so as well.

Luckily for him, it doesn't matter what weird salty boneyarders think.

 

[RipCity]

Ok @UConnStats you said this was going to happen a week ago so give us the tea

 

[That Guy]

Let's all start making ridiculous assumptions based on this post from DH. I think he's pretty convinced Alex will stay in the draft.

 

[superjohn]

Let's all start making ridiculous assumptions based on this post from DH. I think he's pretty convinced Alex will stay in the draft.

He'll be back.

 

[Leebo]

Whether Dan thinks he will or won't be back, he wants to express confidence and support for him.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Let's all start making ridiculous assumptions based on this post from DH. I think he's pretty convinced Alex will stay in the draft.

I had the exact opposite reaction. Dan has been effusive in his praise of guys who are definitely leaving (Steph, Donovan). This is not effusive. He also was pretty clear about the risks of getting drafted in the second round. I think if he were convinced AK was leaving he would have a lot more to say. But perhaps he'll do that if and when AK makes it official.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

The entire starting 5 is gone. Case closed.

Except the case is quite literally not closed in that.

 

[Mazhude]

Karaban was projected to be selected with the No. 39 pick in the upcoming draft, according to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.
"Karaban is a guy most NBA coaches would be comfortable including in their rotation because of his ability to fit a low-usage role. He’s played in a system where most of his buckets were shots off the catch — 3s in transition, spotting up or off screens — or from cutting. He’s an elite cutter. The one thing NBA teams might want to see is can his shot become more consistent. He shot 40.2 percent from 3 in his redshirt freshman season and then 37.9 percent this season. If he was 40-plus this year, it feels like he’d be a no-brainer. The one reason I could see him returning is just to show he can shoot it even better and at a higher volume..."

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

I believe he'll be back.

 

[TheHorde]

Karaban was projected to be selected with the No. 39 pick in the upcoming draft, according to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.
"Karaban is a guy most NBA coaches would be comfortable including in their rotation because of his ability to fit a low-usage role. He’s played in a system where most of his buckets were shots off the catch — 3s in transition, spotting up or off screens — or from cutting. He’s an elite cutter. The one thing NBA teams might want to see is can his shot become more consistent. He shot 40.2 percent from 3 in his redshirt freshman season and then 37.9 percent this season. If he was 40-plus this year, it feels like he’d be a no-brainer. The one reason I could see him returning is just to show he can shoot it even better and at a higher volume..."

I can’t envision a scenario where he’d be worse than the 39th pick in the 2025 NBA draft if he came back. And he’d have his degree at that point and possibly another championship. Plus UConn would be his team for a year. But I support AK whatever he ends up deciding.

 

[JungleLobo]

Tristen Newton came back after last year. Tristen got all the accolades perhaps other than BE PoY.

He’s still projected 2nd round or not at all.

Another year (with a draft projected to have more talent) doesn’t move the needle much.

AK is taking the right shot, will always be able to play overseas or at worst be able to use the his intelligence to finish his degree and do an endless amount of other careers.

 

[UC0NN]

He has zero chance to go 1st round under any circumstances. He impresses in workouts his ceiling is an Andre type deal, and that is a fantastic deal. Is a 2 way contract going to be a guarantee?

Uconn viewers know he shot 3s closer to 25% than 35% later in the year. His 37.9% is what people see, and that isn't a bad number. And if you take into account he took some Curry type bombs you get an even higher number. Like you said, low 40%+ would be a no brainer.

 

[inWV]

It's odd. Based upon the type of players the NBA drafts, a guy like Karaban may never make the first round. But when you talk to actual basketball people, they love Karaban's game. Reliable, can hit big shots, just a high bb IQ. I would think his NIL stock is pretty high and he would be the definite leader of the team. So the lur of 3 titles may help get him back to Storrs for one more season.

 

[willie99]

Why do people continue to argue somebody can't improve their draft stock by coming back? When it happens each and every year?

This draft alone, based on projections

Two Huskies Newton and Spencer

Edey
Knecht

And that's off the top of my head. There are probably others, I can't pretend to know where everyone was standing last year

 

[ctbro1999]

Why do people continue to argue somebody can't improve their draft stock by coming back? When it happens each and every year?

This draft alone, based on projections

Two Huskies Newton and Spencer

Edey
Knecht

And that's off the top of my head. There are probably others, I can't pretend to know where everyone was standing last year

I don't think Shannon Jr and McCullar were also lock 1st round picks last year either, but they are now after another season (assuming Shannon's legal troubles are resolved).

 

[Arod18]

Some pertinent info from Storrs Central a couple of days ago (you should subscribe if you aren't already):

"Alex is absolutely exploring the draft process. ...his agency has a really strong reputation for telling kids when they're not ready and sending them back to school. His agency is probably common knowledge, so look them up. They sent Marcus Sasser back for another year when he wasn't ready. They sent Zach Edey back for another year when he wasn't ready. If Alex absolutely kills it at the combine and throughout the draft process, or if Alex gets critical feedback from teams that are very interested, then expect him to leave. If that does not happen, Alex will likely decide to come back with the full support of his agency. Kid has an amazing head on his shoulders and good advisors in his corner. Whatever decision they make will be the right one, and (again) because of BBFG/Storrs Central, this is unlikely to become a money decision unless he breaks into the first round anyway."

Those guys were going to be at back end of rd two or not drafted at all. From what I’ve been seeing online karaban is going mid 2nd to possibly early 2nd so I think he stays in the draft like Andre did last yr. I also believe Hurley probably pushed for this announcement now before the McNeeley visit. Looking at a forward tandem of Stewart at the 4 and McNeeley at the 3.

 

[Arod18]

This is Newton 2.0 and see what coming back did for him. If Alex ends up in a similar situation, I can see this same scenario. At the same time, can’t help but root for him in NBA workouts.

Newton was told he wouldn’t be drafted. All the mocks have Alex being drafted mid to early 2nd. Next yrs draft is deeper. I think he stays in the draft.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Why do people continue to argue somebody can't improve their draft stock by coming back? When it happens each and every year?

This draft alone, based on projections

Two Huskies Newton and Spencer

Edey
Knecht

And that's off the top of my head. There are probably others, I can't pretend to know where everyone was standing last year

Who argues that? There’s a difference between not being able to improve their draft stock and not being worth the risk to come back. The guys you mentioned were either not going to be drafted or would have been drafted later in the second round before this year.

A guy like Karaban could absolutely improve his draft stock by coming back, but if it looks like he’s going to get guaranteed money and a team willing to invest in him, it may not be worth he risk.