Matthews Decommits

[USNA90]

In the short term, UConn can fill his spot and be better off with an experienced grad transfer who can be an immediate contributor. Better to go that route than use the scholarship on a lower-ranked player (or worse yet, leave it open). Where this does hurt is three years down the road when there are few upper-classmen on the roster. UConn had issues with that in the past, and will again next year due to early departures and small recruiting classes.

 

[Kembacity]

View attachment 30199 Hurley wants to run a certain offense and defense. If Matthews doesn’t think he will fit into it then off he can go. Wish him the best.

Hurley can add another fishing line...

Please explain these vast differences you see between what Ollie 'ran' and what Hurley might run

 

[gtcam]

Nor can we reliy on a 3 star freshman.

You are very simplistic in brushing him off - have you seen any film on the kid? He can shoot lights out, has size and great hands and he loved UConn
I guess you think 3* players can never develop
Take a look at DH's squad at URI - quite a few 3* and lower in that uniform
I think this kid is a potential big loss but if he doesn't want to come to Storrs.........................

 

[HuskyHawk]

This is a U Maryland site, but the list is pretty fresh. These are the available grad transfers.

There are some decent looking players out there. I wouldn't rule out UConn landing freshmen who decommit elsewhere as well. Then there are guys who may be able to reclassify, as RJ Barrett did and Bagley did last year. Anybody know who those guys are?

 

[Kenny11]

He's a shooter and hasn't ruled out coming to UConn. So either Hurley will see him as a valuable future piece and push for him, or he won't. I'm not going to pretend that I can read his mind.

As for immediate impact. The odds that Matthews would play over Vital or Polley next year are next to zero. Complain about Polley if you want, but he saw the light go on late last year and became a reliable shooter. He also has more size, and if we can get him to play tenacious D, is ideal to be disruptive in any kind of a pressure defense.

I'm not going to worry about any of this. I trust Hurley to build a roster that fits what he's trying to do. More kids will decommit from other schools. Some are still technically available. If we start the season with 3-4 open scholarships I'll start to worry.

I think he would have either played over Polley or at least forced Polley to step his game up. Matthews seems to be more athletic than Polley, and more importantly, has a much more confident demeanor. He sees himself as a star. Polley played scared most of the year and we can't afford to have that again.

 

[August_West]

Hurley wants open schollies.

You think he wants an open schollie more than he wouldve wanted James Akinjo?

The impression I get of Hurley is he is not stupid.

It's not Hurleys fault that Akinjo and now Matthews decommitted. Happens all the time in coaching changes. But let's not pretend Hurley wouldn't welcome these guys here if they still wanted to attend.

Im fine with it. It is what it is in coaching changes, but I would be utterly shocked (and very pleased) if Hurley is able to pull a better guard than Akinjo before the start of the season.

 

[gtcam]

Hurley will be fine. He’s done this before.

I hope and pray so BUT
He's never done "this" at this level

 

[kansashusky]

Always a bigger picture.

I know after the Ollie era we are conditioned to think there are no plan b's or c's or that those plans are a low level grad transfer or a JUCO kid, but I promise, Hurley is three or four steps a head right now.

 

[amsterdamjade]

we have enough of the string bean wing players already. think we should bulk up a bit. get a little tougher and maybe some outside shooting.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think he would have either played over Polley or at least forced Polley to step his game up. Matthews seems to be more athletic than Polley, and more importantly, has a much more confident demeanor. He sees himself as a star. Polley played scared most of the year and we can't afford to have that again.

The kid is in high school. They all see themselves that way. It's irrelevant. He, like most freshmen, would struggle to contribute. That's not a knock, it's simply the reality for all but a handful of them. He's not Khalid El Amin. Polley shot 42% from 3 despite a slow start. He was more highly ranked and recruited than Matthews.

 

[Captbluefin]

Honest question I am sure I will be slammed for...

How many top 100 recruits has Hurley successfully recruited?

Should we expect a bit of a learning curve or no?

Legit ?

 

[3'sGetDegrees]

Yeah this, it can't be that some would underrate a couple of the recruits.

This kid was a good fit say what you will.

(certainly not implying we should have kept KO just saying this one hurts despite what some think)

Please tell me you are being sarcastic? Have you watched his tape? Half of his highlights are him grabbing uncontested rebounds below the rim!

 

[Huskyforlife]

I see lots of people ignoring what others have said about decommits and potential players reclassifying. Worst case scenario he goes after good grad transfers.

 

[Mokum]

You are very simplistic in brushing him off - have you seen any film on the kid? He can shoot lights out, has size and great hands and he loved UConn
I guess you think 3* players can never develop
Take a look at DH's squad at URI - quite a few 3* and lower in that uniform
I think this kid is a potential big loss but if he doesn't want to come to Storrs.....

No I don't care about stars. But this guy is not going to make or break the program. If he doesn't want to come, so be it. Let Hurley recruit. He will get good players. Vital was 3 star and he is a good player to have on any team.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I thought he just commented that he was uconn all the way regardless of who the coach was?

Right? Hmmm

 

[awfuldan]

Maybe DH took a look at Polley and thought, "Hmm, a 6-8 small forward who shot 42% from 3-pt range last year. And then there's Sid. And I need guards. Better give Matthews fair warning."

TIL Polley shot 42% from 3 last year. That's encouraging.

Best of luck to Matthews! Hope we can get a guard or two to commit soon.

Side note, can you even imagine a line-up with Polley, Matthews, and Wilson? So many long, skinny dudes on one team. And that's even with Larrier gone.

 

[UConnStats]

Honest question I am sure I will be slammed for...

How many top 100 recruits has Hurley successfully recruited?

Should we expect a bit of a learning curve or no?

Legit ?

You can’t compare URI to UConn.

And losing the commit of a 3 star player from the former coach’s class isn’t a bearing on anything really.

HS and AAU coaches believe he’ll be a great recruiter, and their opinions mean more than just about anybody’s.

 

[Javjudah]

W

Hurley wants open schollies.

If that's the case he's getting his wishes. I guess he's incorporating his players sooner rather than later = sooner results and less excuses.

 

[mauconnfan]

No I don't care about stars. But this guy is not going to make or break the program. If he doesn't want to come, so be it. Let Hurley recruit. He will get good players. Vital was 3 star and he is a good player to have on any team.

No one is saying he will make or break the program hopefully there is no one that can do that right? Just saying to brush him off as if he wouldn't have had great potential help the program is not accurate. Pretty simple.

 

[intlzncster]

Im not too worried about this at all and it was expected. I expect some announcements in the coming weeks of URI guys re committing to DH here.

Not if Cox stays at URI.

 

[Spokesbender]

Far less upsetting than Akinjo

 

[polycom]

This will be just fine.

 

[3'sGetDegrees]

Trust The Process?

 

[the Q]

I think he would have either played over Polley or at least forced Polley to step his game up. Matthews seems to be more athletic than Polley, and more importantly, has a much more confident demeanor. He sees himself as a star. Polley played scared most of the year and we can't afford to have that again.

TIL Polley shot 42% from 3 last year. That's encouraging.

Best of luck to Matthews! Hope we can get a guard or two to commit soon.

Side note, can you even imagine a line-up with Polley, Matthews, and Wilson? So many long, skinny dudes on one team. And that's even with Larrier gone.

I was dreaming of that length and shooting.