New Details on Freeman’s Departure

[8893]

maybe my timeline is wrong, but I didn't think your mention that it contradicts the exit being amicable and planned is necessarily a contradiction. was it implied that it was planned months in advance? what constitutes being "planned and amicable"

it certainly could have been "planned" after this event and amicable because both parties realized it wasn't a good fit.

Fair enough. I thought there was some suggestion that KFree had his eye on this other position and that he let Hurley know he was interested in it, etc. Like planned in that way.

If the essential facts of this piece are true, it sounds like the confluence of the trip to Florida and our lack of success in the transfer portal precipitated his departure, fairly or not, and they found another place for him. Which would be very good HR skilz by our AD imo.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I predict that this thread will produce some content that's way worse than anything that Jacobs could ever write.

Don't underestimate him.

 

[Deepster]

As a player, didn’t Freeman threaten to transfer his last season? Wasn’t it to UMass to develop his outside shot or something? Am I remembering that correctly?

 

[8893]

As a player, didn’t Freeman threaten to transfer his last season? Wasn’t it to UMass to develop his outside shot or something? Am I remembering that correctly?

This sounds vaguely familiar. I remember him thinking he should have more of a role on offense besides rebounding and put backs.

He’s the first player I recall Calhoun calling a “lunch pail” player.

This move and the suggestion in the article don’t sound consistent with that mentality, but it also sounds like he’s in a different phase in his life. And this other gig sounds very conducive to what he says he wants now, so I’m glad it worked out.

 

[HooperScooper]

I would be shocked if the coaching staff wasn’t vaccinated before I was, and I am over 2 weeks since second shot.

I don't think the article said when they went to Florida. Could have been anytime in the last 4 weeks. When were Kevin and Kimani eligible to get vaccinated in CT? Of course I'm sure they could have done it sooner anyway.

Plus 3-4 weeks ago nobody seemed to know if a vaccinated person could still carry the virus and infect a non-vaccinated person.

We're all just speculating on everything here.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I thought there were donuts involved too?

Mittens are the new donuts.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Fair to speculate on rumors that KFree was showing up late to work, missing days, being an overall unreliable employee now? Not too many quarter million dollar jobs that offer work-life balance. It comes with the territory.

If you're asking, you probably have a pretty good sense that, as phrased, your speculation was unfair.

 

[Phoenixhusky]

Don’t believe anything Jacob’s writes, won’t even read it. He’s a hack.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Recruiting exclusively in the state of New Jersey doesn't require tireless work by your assistant coaches.

Everytime I log on to my computer I hear about Duke getting this or that 5 star recruit. Can we maybe land one or two of those once in a while?

 

[CL82]

Alternative link

 

[smoothcriminal]

First time we’ve had an insightful uconn article in a while that doesn’t just contain info already discussed at length on the boneyard

Question - has hurley ever fired an assistant coach?

 

[karstenkibbe]

Some Guy does some speculating in his piece, but he’s a columnist, not a reporter. As such, he has license to stray from putting forth confirmed facts. I have found him annoying for decades. But I really have zero beef with what he puts forth here.

 

[olehead]

He doesn’t connect the dots as to why exactly Freeman stepped aside. Not a good look vacationing when getting your ass beat in the portal tho.

Big point, shades of the last regime.

 

[olehead]

That was a strange article. The line about practicing on Christmas was thrown in to make Hurley look bad, but does it? The players couldn't go home because of COVID. They couldn't do anything else but sit in their dorm rooms. Might as well practice if they were on campus with nothing else to do.

Was Hurley mad about Kimani and Kevin going to Florida without telling him because of the potential of being exposed to COVID and compromising everyone in the program? I can see that.

That too.

 

[Jbirdp5]

He had two pieces of what seem like information, the vacation and reaching out to killings for a possible job. The rest of the article he is doing exactly what everyone on here does and try to speculate what else happened. Jacobs always seems to do so with a negative lense and this comes across that way to me.

 

[dennismenace]

I could not care less about this tabloid BS. This is none of our ducking business

LOL You just reminded me of "Walter Scott's Personality Parade" which was a syndicated showbusiness gossip column that used to be included in the Parade Magazine. "Want to spike rumors" etc. etc.

 

[djct1999]

He had two pieces of what seem like information, the vacation and reaching out to killings for a possible job. The rest of the article he is doing exactly what everyone on here does and try to speculate what else happened. Jacobs always seems to do so with a negative lense and this comes across that way to me.

Yes, its clear this what yet another pathetic attempt of his to paint an ugly picture of who Coach is. He simply can't get over the fact that he is on the outside in terms of receiving UConn news. The article was petty but then again, look who wrote it. Jacobs cant help himself and seems to just dig a deeper hole with every word he tweets or writes.

Where is the article by Jacobs on how the school, and quite possibly Dan Hurley, did right by Freeman and gave him another opportunity internally? If that was any of us in our workplace, we most likely would have simply been terminated. Then again, that article doesn't support his narrative that the reason Freeman was let go was because Dan Hurley is too difficult to work for.

 

[Kenny11]

He had two pieces of what seem like information, the vacation and reaching out to killings for a possible job. The rest of the article he is doing exactly what everyone on here does and try to speculate what else happened. Jacobs always seems to do so with a negative lense and this comes across that way to me.

This is true and he’s been consistently like that no matter who UConn’s coach is. He’s been like that with Geno too. This article wasn’t that bad though. He basically details how intense the grind of an assistant coach at a major program is and that it may not be the right fit for Freeman and is difficult for guys with young families.

 

[aburks41]

I’m glad both sides dealt with this early so we can move on. If Dan Hurley had let this linger another season or two that could really impact our recruiting

 

[Chin Diesel]

First time we’ve had an insightful uconn article in a while that doesn’t just contain info already discussed at length on the boneyard

Question - has hurley ever fired an assistant coach?

Not sure on Hurley firing an assistant. That is pretty rare across the board in college basketball. It's usually more along the lines of what we saw with Freeman. HC and Asst aren't on same page, HC let's assistant go "to pursue other opportunities" and you leave it to the next guy to read the tea leaves.

 

[August_West]

As a player, didn’t Freeman threaten to transfer his last season? Wasn’t it to UMass to develop his outside shot or something? Am I remembering that correctly?

Freeman wanted to play the 3 his senior year because he had pro aspirations and was too undersized to be a 4 in NBA of that era, his size dictated he was a swing. He wanted to showcase his skills. it is one of the only times I can remember Calhoun capitulating to a player's wishes at the detriment of the team. Freeman was not a very effective 3 man.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Does anyone watch Big Mouth? Jeff Jacobs reminds me of the Shame Wizard.

 

[husky429]

Does anyone watch Big Mouth? Jeff Jacobs reminds me of the Shame Wizard.

Love that show. The kids in school would reference constantly after the first season came out, and it was really hard for me to pretend like I didn't understand.

And yes, great comparison.

 

[CTBasketball]

Hit piece.

 

[Deepster]

Freeman wanted to play the 3 his senior year because he had pro aspirations and was too undersized to be a 4 in NBA of that era, his size dictated he was a swing. He wanted to showcase his skills. it is one of the only times I can remember Calhoun capitulating to a player's wishes at the detriment of the team. Freeman was not a very effective 3 man.

Right. And the following season all he did was brick line drive jumpers off the back iron.

The fact of the matter is this. Dan Hurley is not a UConn alum or a branch on the Calhoun coaching tree. There will always be an attachment from some alumni to the school, as with all schools. But the ties with people like Freeman or Ollie or other former players is not the same as it was before and likely going to weaken further over time.

Said differently. I want the best coaching staff to position us to win....and I don't care if the new guy wore a UConn jersey.