2025 Recruiting: Meleek Thomas to UConn Crystal Ball

[AllHusky]

I agree, but I think you've gotta agree that Solo hasn't shown the promise that Stewart or Hawkins did. Stewart objectively put up pretty bleh stats, but he passed the eye test for draft gurus and fandoms across the country. That's why his name is popping up everywhere and Solo's isn't.

I don't really agree on the defense either, but he is one of the worst passers I've ever seen at 6'3. Every one of our wings is starting from a better place as a ball mover, and it's a requirement to be successful in our offense.

My opinion? AK and Mahaney are starting. Mostly likely Reed too.

Hass, Stewart, McNeeley battle to round out the starting 5.

Whoever of those 3 doesn't start come in at the under-16 with Samson and of those first 7, whoever performs on any given night is playing big minutes.

Solo and Ahmad/Abraham round out a rotation of 9 with the fewest minutes, but still playing most nights.

Ross, Singare spot minutes with wjoever of Nowell and Abraham doesn't make the cut.

I'm probably wrong.

Nah, you're not wrong, nobody is. We are all informing ourselves as best we can then stating our case. Anything rather than chewing your nails waiting for practice and games to start. The different views are fun to follow along with. The only thing that matters is the numbers 3 and 7!

 

[ScottCT]

 

[Mooch82]

Obviously not a surprise that we made the top 7 but hopefully this means he may be closer to making a decision. We’ve been the perceived leader for a while but the longer it drags on, the more I start to get a little worried.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Makes me think August is probably correct.

 

[HooperScooper]

UConn: “It was an amazing visit. They’re back-to-back champions, so it is hard not to like. They have a winning culture, a hard and gritty culture. They get after it on defense and let that turn into offense. The things they preach and what Coach (Dan) Hurley sees for me in his program is great to me. I’m glad I took that visit.

“They play in two different facilities. They split it up playing in both of them throughout the season. It’s top-of-the-line there. The campus is low and ducked off, there is not too much to do, but it’s a basketball campus. When I went there, I felt basketball. That is how I want to feel when I go to a program.”

Taking the Ray Allen Allen approach. Nice.

 

[navery12]

Makes me think August is probably correct.

He's quoted in the article just posted as taking 4 visits in September and October before he decides

 

[Bboy Lace]

I doubt that he starts the first game. I expect Stewart will be the better defender and will understand the system. The 3-4 have a tough defensive role when we hedge with the 5 and we're going to. Whether he earns that later, maybe he will. I would have said Stewart can also get minutes at the 4, but if the reports on Abraham are real, he may crack the rotation too.

I don't think I've ever seen a UConn team with this much fairly evenly distributed talent. It's really not obvious who should start at any position except the 4.

1. Diarra-Nowell
2. Mahaney-Ball
3. Stewart-McNeeley
4. Karaban- Abraham-Stewart
5. Johnson-Reed

That still leaves Ross and Singare. That's crazy. Ross is our 2nd worst player? Have we ever had a team like that? Maybe 2005-06 was close.

Most accurate lineup in my opinion

 

[Iluvsuebird]

The two questions I have regarding our rotations:

One is there will have to be times that we have two smaller guards on the court at the same time. Or ant least I think that will happen. And it’s not even the defense that worries me the most. It is the rebounding. How many big rebounds did Newton or Spencer grab last year. Usually those shots that come off the rim a bit further out like the middle of the lane. Cam was especially good at grabbing those. That is why I think Ball is so important. I really think if he would think rebounding and defense first with his length at 6’3” he could be a plus contributor in both areas. That gets him on the floor more with Diara or Mahaney IMO. That gives us more choices in mixing and matching all that 6’7”-6’8” talent we have.

Two if we end up starting Hass, Liam, Stewart, Alex and Taris, becomes ball handling.

I know McNeeley is very talented but is he really able to come in with enough handle to be the two guard. I see him as a great wing just like I see Stewart. Yes they can handle the ball but will they be able to get us into our offensive sets. Last year and even the year before we had three or two players on the floor at all times that could do that. It sounds easy but imagine a quick 6’4” two guard ball hawking and pressuring Liam all the way up the court as he is forced to bring the ball up and get our offense set. Last year Newton, Cam or Castle could handle that role.

Not saying he can’t but I think he does come in as a prototypical wing player. Enough handle to run the floor effectively but not a primary ball handler. Perhaps in two or three years when he is in the nba he gets to that level but that’s a lot to ask of him out of the gate.

We probably have enough talent to find remedies to most of the issues we will face because we have the best coach in the business.

3 points:
1. Being tall does not make a rebounder. It helps for sure. But give me a guy with a high engine, a nasty attitude, and good basketball IQ any day over a "tall guy" with no engine. Gosh I loved Lyman and Sellers for that reason. Lyman at 6'5" would battle with anybody. Same with Sellers at 6'9" and a bum knee.
2. That said, our squad next year is NOT small. Hassan is 6'2", but you wanna make the argument that this kid does not grind for rebounds? Nowell is barely 6' tall, and I have not seen him play ball live yet. But EVERY single thing I have read about him is that plays much bigger than that. Huge hops. Strong. Physical. Every other guard who will earn minutes is 6'3" or taller. So what are we talking about here??? And remember, Aidan is playing the Cam role. If the coaches believe that, then so do I. That includes rebounding.
3. McNeeley will play the 2 in this position less system. The reason is simple: that's his NBA position. If I am part of his braintrust, I do not let him go to a program that would play him out of position, particularly since he is a "one and done" player. You will have a combination of ball handlers alongside him, so it would not hurt us. Equally important, if Stewart is as good as everyone says he is, he MUST play. And he aint replacing AK or Liam, so the only way to make that work is by playing Liam at 2 and Stewart at 3. I dont presume to be an insider, but to me this is just logical.

 

[pj]

3. McNeeley will play the 2 in this position less system. The reason is simple: that's his NBA position. If I am part of his braintrust, I do not let him go to a program that would play him out of position, particularly since he is a "one and done" player.

Stephon Castle is lucky you're not part of his braintrust. He took a smarter path to the NBA.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

Stephon Castle is lucky you're not part of his braintrust. He took a smarter path to the NBA.

That was not a good comp for you to make. Castle has said several times this Summer (mainly before the draft and immediately after being drafted by the Spurs) that he was not allowed to display his entire game at UConn. He came to us because Coach Jones sold him on the program. I submit to you that he would have flourished anywhere. He wouldn't have been a champion anywhere, but in terms of selling himself to the NBA, dude he could have gone anywhere and be a lottery pick.
As a father of more than one child, I find myself constantly giving my children different advise...because all kids are not the same. What works for one, may not work for the other.
And because you got me going, allow me to say that if he had chosen to go to a college program that allowed him to shoot more, he may have been the #1 pick this year. Wouldn't that have been the smarter path to the NBA?

 

[RuffRuff]

Eye opener is why he would keep schools like KSt on the list, unless part of the MO is leveraging NIL. Pitt is hometown, get that.

Would love to know the overall thought process in some of these kids, Hard Knocks style. What goes on behind closed doors, how much of the list is based on NIL vs more qualitative aspects? How much of the list is out of courtesy to coaches showing lots of love? How much is instant playing time guaranteed?

When I see Hurley using lines like “make you a one year player” with Mullens, it makes me think he’s just keeping up with the jones’ as that doesn’t sound like a natural Hurley way.

 

[BlueMAB]

Stephon Castle is lucky you're not part of his braintrust. He took a smarter path to the NBA.

I’m not sure what’s worse, failing to see Steph Castle as a prime example of someone who can find a balance between winning/what’s best for the team, and still being an nba lottery pick.

Or arguing he’ll be a “x” in a “position less system”.

If it’s position less, you’re wrong by definition.

 

[BGesus4]

Eye opener is why he would keep schools like KSt on the list, unless part of the MO is leveraging NIL. Pitt is hometown, get that.

Would love to know the overall thought process in some of these kids, Hard Knocks style. What goes on behind closed doors, how much of the list is based on NIL vs more qualitative aspects? How much of the list is out of courtesy to coaches showing lots of love? How much is instant playing time guaranteed?

When I see Hurley using lines like “make you a one year player” with Mullens, it makes me think he’s just keeping up with the jones’ as that doesn’t sound like a natural Hurley way.

Castle very early in his recruitment said Hurley told him he thought he could be one and done.

If you don’t have a plan for a 5* or high ceiling borderline 5* to be one and done then you don’t have a plan for them to exceed the status quo of what ppl already think of them. So why would they consider you?

 

[CL82]

Pitt?

 

[BlueMAB]

And because you got me going, allow me to say that if he had chosen to go to a college program that allowed him to shoot more, he may have been the #1 pick this year. Wouldn't that have been the smarter path to the NBA?

No. He shot less than 27% from three. Had he been a higher volume shooter, and not with a staff that helped him show his value on the defensive end, he may have fallen out of the lottery. He could have been forced to carry a team offensively, which may have sacrificed his defense, and teams wouldn’t have seen the impact on that end. There’s plenty of reasons NOT to assume he would be #1.

There’s arguments to be made for both hypotheticals, but here is what the Spurs GM said.

…willingness to know his role, which will fit well, knowing that this is Victor Wembanyama's team.
"That ability to sacrifice for the betterment of the team is something that stood out to us as well," he said. "Because that's something you're gonna have to do across the course of your career."
"That stood out as a great quality, but he's tough. He's smart. He's a team-first guy. He's a hard worker."

 

[Dooooooomed]

Pitt?

Hometown team in on him early. Respectable move by Thomas to include them.

 

[djct1999]

Pitt?

 

[HooperScooper]

Hometown team in on him early. Respectable move by Thomas to include them.

That's the Pittsburgh skyline behind him in that Tipton Edit.

 

[KeyWestUC]

No. He shot less than 27% from three. Had he been a higher volume shooter, and not with a staff that helped him show his value on the defensive end, he may have fallen out of the lottery. He could have been forced to carry a team offensively, which may have sacrificed his defense, and teams wouldn’t have seen the impact on that end. There’s plenty of reasons NOT to assume he would be #1.

There’s arguments to be made for both hypotheticals, but here is what the Spurs GM said.

…willingness to know his role, which will fit well, knowing that this is Victor Wembanyama's team.
"That ability to sacrifice for the betterment of the team is something that stood out to us as well," he said. "Because that's something you're gonna have to do across the course of your career."
"That stood out as a great quality, but he's tough. He's smart. He's a team-first guy. He's a hard worker."

He can be in the running for ROY on that team.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[CardiacAndre7]

This guy really grinds my gears…

 

[UCFan1513]

This guy is wrong about everything

 

[NJHusky]

And because you got me going, allow me to say that if he had chosen to go to a college program that allowed him to shoot more, he may have been the #1 pick this year. Wouldn't that have been the smarter path to the NBA?

Really??? The one thing that everyone said is his weakest skill you want to display more of?

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Really??? The one thing that everyone said is his weakest skill you want to display more of?

I believe he meant just shooting in general. Not shooting 3s.

 

[Jbirdp5]

I usually like Torres but the fact that he made this in to an 11 minute video when it could have been a 2 minute video was annoying as hell.