Mahaney enters the portal…

[Staven]

Nice young man and I am sad to see him move on but like a majority of the posts here he was over matched most of the time and was never able to get his confidence. We find so many negatives things with the portal but in this case it gives a player another opportunity to plant his feet at a program that doesn't expect the demand like the Big East and UConn.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Swing and a miss. It sometimes happens. Shake hands and both sides move on.

 

[Scrutineer]

He looked happy for the team when they did well in big games..........but there's no way he fit this roster and the moments he made the team happy were few so it's the best move for him.
Hopefully he'll find the right place and finish his college career on a better note.

 

[Fishy]

Square peg, round hole.

He’s a good player - definitely can contribute to a high major program. Just that his weaknesses as a player almost perfectly mirrored our weaknesses as a team so they felt magnified.

Mistakes were definitely made here.

 

[willie99]

I guess I'm different than most. I'm bummed by this, I think he would have made huge progress next year

Having said that, I guess it means Dan is committed to recruiting over him

Good luck Aiden, and thank you

 

[HooperScooper]

We're down to four players and Alex, who we assume is gone.

If we dip below 3 returners, that's a bit of a problem (worse than 2021-2022), but this staff has earned our trust, even if roster building didn't go as they hoped this year.

Seems like most teams are going through it. We're not alone. Even very good players who have had success are entering the portal looking for money. The entire system is just so messed up.

 

[Magic32]

Part of me thought he would stay and try to prove himself. Hurley really tried to raise his confidence down the stretch. Best of luck!

 

[amishboy]

Do I remember correctly that guys can "enter" the portal, but then "exit' it when they decide to remain at the school? If so, I'm wondering if Nowell is reconsidering his interest in transferring? Unless the coaches just don't see him ever earning much playing time, so aren't that interested in having him return?

 

[temery]

Serious question. Are we at the point where every player that is staying has to have an announcement?

Yes, please.

 

[alphasigko]

Really disappointed that he did not work out here. Kudos to him for handling it like a pro as I am confident that he was very disappointed that it did not work out for him. I wish him the best going froward in his life.

 

[lateralous]

I will remember him for the game vs Baylor. We had an ugly start in that one coming off a disastrous trip to Maui and he helped us get one of the most important wins of the season with probably his best performance in a Huskies uniform. No telling how far off the rails this season would have gone if we didn’t get that one. Good luck to him at his next destination.

 

[AidanFan20]

Just heard about this myself...

I'm sure many on here are wondering what my take is, but the truth is: I just don't know.

I was surprised and disappointed as heck when Aidan entered the portal from SMC, not so surprised this time. That's about all I got.

Like many have commented already, Aidan was always trying hard, doing his best when on the floor or off, never gave up. This is no surprise to me at all; I've understood that this was his way for a long time now. Kid just has amazing attitude!

 

[SubbaBub]

Best of luck to you Aidan and thanks for your time at UConn. I was proud of the way he handled himself at UConn as well.

Me, too. It makes me sad he is most likely leaving, even though he can come back, but he has to do what is best for himself.

I have watched games at St. Mary's where has taken over the game. His freshmen year at home against Gonzaga he took over that game and the ESPN announcer said "Aidan is that dude". Even though he had his moments here at UConn, he never became that dude.

Would have liked to seem him roll his late season jump into a veteran program backup role next season, but he is certainly good enough to start elsewhere. With at least 4 new guards joining the program next season, it's not a decision that can be begrudged.

 

[SaeHusky]

Will root for him wherever he ends up. Just didn't work out here but I appreciate how he always put the team first. When he wasn't on the floor he was always cheering on his teammates hard. Best of luck Aidan

 

[Kitaman]

I'm not sure at that age I would have flown cross the Country for the chance of a Championship. I respect him for 'moving here' and quickly 'moving on' both for the right decision for him. This experience will add wisdom to this young man's character, even if the experience failed, I'm sure he will be a better man because of this, and therefore long-term winner.

 

[Greg]

Yes, please.

No announcements until the bags are stacked side by side.

 

[UCan3]

Will root for him wherever he ends up. Just didn't work out here but I appreciate how he always put the team first. When he wasn't on the floor he was always cheering on his teammates hard. Best of luck Aidan

I thought he looked so much better the last 6 games. Made some shots, and handled the ball well. He did get better over time and thought that maybe after becoming acclimated to the Big East for a year he could have been ready for a step improvement.

I understand him leaving and wish him well!

 

[Huskybass]

A change will be good for him. I hope he crushes it.

 

[Palatine]

This was pretty much expected. You can't pay Mahaney when he is averaging 4 points a game.

Too bad he couldn't figure it out. He played much closer to his floor than to his ceiling.

We need a portal PG. Let's hope we do a better job identifying one that can succeed here.

 

[NHUConnfan]

Just heard about this myself...

I'm sure many on here are wondering what my take is, but the truth is: I just don't know.

I was surprised and disappointed as heck when Aidan entered the portal from SMC, not so surprised this time. That's about all I got.

Like many have commented already, Aidan was always trying hard, doing his best when on the floor or off, never gave up. This is no surprise to me at all; I've understood that this was his way for a long time now. Kid just has amazing attitude!

Been a real pleasure seeing you on the BY and hope you still frequent!

It was definitely a tough year for Aidan, but I'm hoping that he still had a great year and learned a lot from the team. I'm sure wherever he ends up, he'll crush it.

 

[Hoophound]

He needs to get stronger. I thought he could come back next year and perform much better with some hard work in the off-season. I’m a little disappointed. Nice kid.

 

[UCTitleTown]

I lost interest in the NBA decades ago. I don't think the NCAA realizes they're going to lose fans and popularity in a similar way due to unrestrained transfers and NIL. Fans lose connection to teams when there's no roster stability and when the players care more about the money than about the team. Kids don't get enough PT as freshmen, they portal. It's no longer about putting in the work and earning your spot. It's gotten out of control.

 

[AdamaNation]

I know he got paid a lot to come here but still feel bad for him a bit how this season unfolded. Respect the way he handled it all, seems like a good young man. Curious to see where he lands next, he still has some talent, just didn’t fit what we needed this season.

Why am I feeling a big western school like Gonzaga or ucla. Seriously. The big east was just too physical for him.

 

[temery]

UConn junior guard Aidan Mahaney has announced his decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal, seeking a new team for next season. The 6’ 3” guard from Lafayette, California, transferred to UConn from Saint Mary’s ahead of the 2024-25 season, but will now look for another landing spot after just one year in Storrs.

Junior G Aidan Mahaney Enters the Transfer Portal

Last season's big transfer splash will seek another new home

storrscentral.com

 

[UCHuskies08]

Part of me thought he would stay and try to prove himself. Hurley really tried to raise his confidence down the stretch. Best of luck!

Sadly "staying and proving oneself" is not very common in NCAA basketball anymore. And you can't necessarily blame the player because the coach probably wants them to move on just as much.