Maine Transfer Issac Vann visiting UConn on 4/18

[AZHuskiePop]

When we played Maine the board put them down as a disaster.
Yes they were a bad team but mostly due to being very young,not talent.
I thought with a couple of years experience the players I saw would have been a very respectable team in their conference, if they stayed together.
Apparently this freshman was the best player on that team which gives you an idea of their youth.
Apparently this kid has some ability and sitting a year will only helps that transition.
However
I think we need some help next year so unless we're losing someone else I don't want to waste a scholarship unless the kid is a game changer or can play right away.
The thought that the NCAA would approve a hardship waiver for a CT kid transferring to UConn is a reach but then again they like KO much better than they liked JC.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Apparently this kid has some ability and sitting a year will only help that transition.
However
I think we need some help next year so unless we're losing someone else I don't want to waste a scholarship unless the kid is a game changer or can play right away.
The thought that the NCAA would approve a hardship waiver for a CT kid transferring to UConn is a reach but then again they like KO much better than they liked JC.

Thank you for better making my point than I did above! Him being on record as saying he wanted to transfer to the MAC or A10 makes the hardship waiver pretty difficult to fathom.

Am I wrong that we have no other signed recruits for fall '17 other than Brown? With the two 3s coming in this fall, the roster isn't bare at that spot in 17 with Purvis gone. But at the same time, do we want to drop a scholarship spot this soon on him? I'm not sure.

 

[gtcam]

Maine has consistently been a disaster of a program for the last 10 years or so. Cornell also has had some bad years, but has finished with respectable ~150 RPIs for an Ivy on multiple occasions. Maine, on the other hand, has finished above RPI 250 twice in the last 10 years, and been 300+ multiple times. Unless this kid is a diamond in the rough who's languishing in their program up there, I'm not exactly encouraged that our transfer targets are coming from Orono. Putting up 16 and 6 in America East for one of the worst programs in the country is nothing to go crazy for.

Yeah lets discount everyone from a less than top 50 program because everyone knows there are no such thing as capable players participating in non P5 schools and NEVER does a "player"
come out of those schools and D2 or D3.
Damn it KO what the hell are you thinking about?????
This is why some on this board have such a negative attitude towards you
A waste of time and energy on both your parts - Issac and KO
Issac on your way down - just bypass Storrs and continue to Hartford (Trinity), Middletown (Wesleyan), New Haven (Albertus) or Danbury (WesConn)
Maybe brassb can escort you to ensure that you don't dirty our waters

As far as I'm concerned Issac - welcome and enjoy your stay

 

[tcf15]

Thank you for better making my point than I did above! Him being on record as saying he wanted to transfer to the MAC or A10 makes the hardship waiver pretty difficult to fathom.

Am I wrong that we have no other signed recruits for fall '17 other than Brown? With the two 3s coming in this fall, the roster isn't bare at that spot in 17 with Purvis gone. But at the same time, do we want to drop a scholarship spot this soon on him? I'm not sure.

At this point, there are 5 scholarships open for the 2017 season.

G: Jalen Adams, Alterique Gilbert
F: Terry Larrier, Vance Jackson, Mamadou Diarra, Juwan Durham
C: Zach Brown, Steven Enoch

Given that there are 5 spots remaining, adding Vann will not have any impact on their main recruiting targets for 2017 (Makai Ashton Langford, Hamidou Diallo).

 

[david]

I think we need some help next year so unless we're losing someone else I don't want to waste a scholarship unless the kid is a game changer or can play right away.

One year from now we will have 5 open scholarships and will only have 2 wings on the roster with Larrier and Jackson. Between this year and next year we will probably add 3 more wings. Hopefully Hamidou Diallo is one of them, but we still have 2 more spots for Brandon Randolph/Issac Vann/Alpha Diallo, etc. This is not a make or break scholarship

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

At this point, there are 5 scholarships open for the 2017 season.

G: Jalen Adams, Alterique Gilbert
: Terry Larrier, Vance Jackson, Mamadou Diarra, Juwan Durham
C: Zach Brown, Steven Enoch

Given that there are 5 spots remaining, adding Vann will not have any impact on their main recruiting targets for 2017 (Makai Ashton Langford, Hamidou Diallo).

Sounds good. Then if they want to target him as a reserve who can potentially blossom into a more regular contributor, then go for it.

 

[UConNick]

A local swingman who, as a first option, shot 41% from 3 makes you skeptical? Yeesh.

Shooting like that translates to a higher level as long as he's asked to be a specialist. Play off the ball, let the PGs do the work, find your spot and bury it. If they close out on you hard, take a straight-line dribble-drive to the hoop and get fouled.

Not everybody on the team needs to be a future NBA player. Sometimes you just need guys who can do a job.

I hope we get this kid.

Come on dude, that is a selective quote! Did you even read the rest of my post, or did you stop after my "attention-grabbing" first sentence?

I'd have absolutely no problem with Vann - if he were a grad transfer. But he isn't, which is why the Miller comparison everyone is throwing around isn't as great of a fit as people may want it to be.

I don't want to use a scholarship on a regular transfer who is unproven right now. We need depth for NEXT year, not a couple years down the road.

We've only got 3 guards on the roster at the moment; one who may already have a foot out the door while the other 2 are underclassmen. Our priority right now should be a PG/CG that can play next year, not a 2/3 shooting specialist from a low-major who won't be eligible until 2017.

Just my 2¢. It's ok to disagree, but please respond to all parts of my argument and not just being selective. You're a much better poster than that, Matrim.

 

[UConn3432]

i like this kid. he looks the part - well built and athletic. i remember telling myself during the Maine game that i wished we recruited guys like him. he'll be a good practice player for a year and should be able to contribute off the bench as a 22 year old soph.

 

[maineuconnfan]

I live right down the road from the Maine Black Bears and the only thing I will say is that Maine the past couple years in particular, has had all of their best talent transfer out. They have a guy who will be playing for Kansas State next year named Justin Edwards that will be pretty good. I think Isaac Vann looked pretty good to me, when I saw him play. Sometimes I go to their games because they are cheap and highly accessible for me. It would be a nice get for future roster depth. I do not think he could be a starter, with the influx of talent coming in, but I do think that he may be on the talent level of Lasan Kromah by his senior year.

 

[pnow15]

Where is the downside? He has proven he can score on the college level. Hopefully, he has proven he can do college level academics.
He should have proven that he can balance study with playing. His role on the team would be similar to Giffey's or Kromah's.
He wants to play for us. So, should we will pass on him for yet another imaginary player who is destined to be the next MJ?

 

[ctchamps]

In the sophisticated category of reasons to take this kid I offer the following:
1) His hair. With DHam gone there is no hair downtime.
2) Kid reminds me a lot of Lamb with those arms and demeanor and midrange shots.
The staff saw something they liked in this kid. It's not a desperation move on their part.

 

[upstater]

If you want to see some of the highlights of Vann against UConn, go to the 18:30 minute mark of the video. he drives on Brimah and scores. At 1:27:40, he rips a rebound away from Steven Enoch, then comes down on the floor and tries a really ill-advised euro-step, but is fouled. Next time down the court, he takes it right at Enoch and draws a foul, hits both FTs. Then, 2 trips down after that, he hits a jumper (should have shot a 3, foot was on the line). He was out with foul trouble most of the game, and though he looked good slashing early on, Brimah blocked him and altered another shot.

 

[Stinger92860]

I played in Bridgeport PAL and we all know how that turned out. I liked his video. I'd like to see him in pickup games during his visit.

 

[Stinger92860]

He played for Bunnell in Stratford, not Bridgeport. Not sure how the "from Bridgeport" came to be.

It's likely he moved at some point. Maybe just before high school.

 

[Leebo]

Or he was born in Bridgeport? There are a lot of ways people define "hometown."

 

[TasteofUConn]

Maine Transfer.
Ug.

 

[QDOG5]

He's visiting on the 18th. Nothing is decided yet. Let them kick the tires on each other. FWIW brassb I have to agree with the consensus, I'm not concerned about the program the kid comes from but whether he can play or not. We have to trust the coaching staff with that decision.

 

[scotty0330]

How about maodo lo from a Columbia , a below average program for the past decade.... Dude would have been the best player on last years team. Some uconn fans on the yard are beyond delusional, whether it's being too good for recruits or the Hamilton discussion , never fails to surprise me.

agreed I am glad I am not the only one who loved his game and thought he would be a heck of a player on a team like UConn. You don't need a team of all-stars or in this case five stars...you need some solid role players too. Kid's stats for a first year were solid...and his game against us was the first of his career.

 

[elmcityboy]

i know uconn is a (obviously) a national-level team, but i like the idea of having a few local guys on the squad. and we certainly could have used a guy who draws fouls and knocks down 3's this past year.

can't help notice that he is visiting during the fetty wap spring concert weekend... hope he has a good time, and then commits.

 

[intlzncster]

Wish he could play day one

Honestly my biggest problem with him. With Dham leaving, we could use this guy this year. No reason not to sign him of course.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Honestly my biggest problem with him. With Dham leaving, we could use this guy this year. No reason not to sign him of course.

We have some cover on the wing though with Purvis, Larrier and Jackson. We have 3 schollies available for a guard and a big. I would be all for Vann, he looks promising.

 

[intlzncster]

We have some cover on the wing though with Purvis, Larrier and Jackson. We have 3 schollies available for a guard and a big. I would be all for Vann, he looks promising.

Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's priority number 1. My first priority by a mile is another guard, preferably combo. We are thin as hell right now, and well and truly *ucked if Purvis leaves.

 

[BUConn10]

Not a fan of having so many scholarships tied up to transfers who have to wait out a year, especially when the transfer is a relative gamble and may not be a significant contributor when he is eligible.

 

[intlzncster]

Not a fan of having so many scholarships tied up to transfers who have to wait out a year, especially when the transfer is a relative gamble and may not be a significant contributor when he is eligible.

We have zero of these guys right now.

 

[selles]

The staff saw something they liked in this kid. It's not a desperation move on their part.

I think this is the key point. We're not in a position of weakness right now with respect to 2017 recruiting. If the staff is interested in Vann, it's because they think he can bring something to the table.