2025 Recruiting: - Niko Bundalo Update | Page 14 | The Boneyard

2025 Recruiting: Niko Bundalo Update

Status
Not open for further replies.
JerseyAlum said:
Surely there's a decent PF waiting in the portal for next year.
Expand ...

With the loss of the COVID-year 5th or 6th year players (with man-strength and experience), the price for quality players is going to go way up. I would imagine a starting PF on a team with UConn's aspiration is going to be well over $1 million.
 
JerseyAlum said:
Bundalo coming or not doesn't move the needle much for me.

He's a 4/PF but I'm more concerned with the development of Abraham for the 4 (e.g., put on weight, backup AK this year or is he more of a 3 and behind the others?) but I don't even know if Dan Hurley needs a true 4 in his system as ball handling, BKIQ, and rebounding are critical skills and he likes more shooter 4s than back-down-the-defender 4s * I think *. Maybe AK is just a special case for him, but it's an embarrassment of riches if Bundalo comes. Surely there's a decent PF waiting in the portal for next year.
Expand ...
Definitely agree with this. My desire for Bundalo is rooted in a vain pursuit for the #1 overall recruiting class coming off a 3peat. The world of college basketball and all it’s UConn haters and naysayers would have to bend the knee to Dan Hurley. The pressure on the coaching staff and those young stars to 4peat would be so immense(especially if Karaban, McNeeley, Ball leave early), and we just know they will step up to the plate with the hottest bat the sport has ever seen.

Mahaney/Nowell
Mullins/Adams
Stewart/Ross
Abraham/Bundalo
Reed/Reibe/Singare

Leaves room to be very particular with an impact transfer.
 
RuffRuff said:
Great take. And if Hurley wants to remain on the perch and evolve to stay ahead of the sport, what’s his move? Sports are copycat leagues. If something is working, be confident the competition is watching and will try to duplicate. Winning the tourney is HARD, becoming “bullet proof” is HARD. So when you have the clout to get special kids, have to maximize.

Saw UKs shot chart from their scrimmage - basically looked like an Oats chart. This concept of spacing and taking 3s or layups is the new trend. Shooters and stretch bigs, position-less hoops is in. It’s why Nikos skillset is particularly interesting.
Expand ...
And our staff combatted that with elite run protection to take the layups away along with long athletic defenders on the perimeter that ran shooters off the three point line. It’s all about getting the right personnel.
 
444JR said:
Definitely agree with this. My desire for Bundalo is rooted in a vain pursuit for the #1 overall recruiting class coming off a 3peat. The world of college basketball and all it’s UConn haters and naysayers would have to bend the knee to Dan Hurley. The pressure on the coaching staff and those young stars to 4peat would be so immense(especially if Karaban, McNeeley, Ball leave early), and we just know they will step up to the plate with the hottest bat the sport has ever seen.

Mahaney/Nowell
Mullins/Adams
Stewart/Ross
Abraham/Bundalo
Reed/Reibe/Singare

Leaves room to be very particular with an impact transfer.
Expand ...

I also want Bundalo and think he would be the best fit, but all signs point to Furphy at this point.
 
FreeKlaiber said:
fair enough. So its based on nothing but other fans without a clue. If we did back off, its because of a number logjam, not some character flaw we just discovered. I don't like how we tend to stigmatize the recruits who dont come here
Expand ...

Remember when a week or so ago Mullins going to Indiana would illustrate maturity issues?
 
.-.
TheHorde said:
Same. We are giving UConn 5 figures per year in tuition for the foreseeable future, so that’s my contribution to the university lol.
Expand ...
This is a different contribution that keeps your favorite team strong
 
CardiacAndre7 said:
This is a different contribution that keeps your favorite team strong
Expand ...
Bit the bullet - post above from Dave alludes to the skinny. Likely against pay site code to over indulge paid for info. I’m already in the dog house with some of the higher ups here and while I like to think of myself as a message board rebel, I will respect the process.

 
Last edited:
.-.
temery said:
Do not ask someone with a subscription to Storrs Central to share what they read. It cost about $.30 a day. Pay up.

Storrs Central Premium Membership Benefits

Read and experience the benefits of a Storrs Central Premium subscription.
storrscentral.com storrscentral.com
Expand ...
My son just informed me that I already had subscribed, just went over, got it
Wink/nod
 
Has an announcement date been set?
Not looking for inside info just if Niko set to commit in Fall or next year.
 
andy34 said:
True but very few coaches are going to actually go to 15. For a few reasons. First, it means there's more mouths to feed ($$$). At least 4-5 of those kids (and maybe more) will see little to no significant playing time, which means higher turnover and staff having to spend time and energy re-selling the kids on staying with the program. Lastly, it means you don't have the flexibility to scoop up a last minute transfer, decommit, reclass kid.
Expand ...
Will help Hurley bring in even better “walk-on” level players to battle it out with the team in practice.
 
.-.
JerseyAlum said:
Bundalo coming or not doesn't move the needle much for me.

He's a 4/PF but I'm more concerned with the development of Abraham for the 4 (e.g., put on weight, backup AK this year or is he more of a 3 and behind the others?) but I don't even know if Dan Hurley needs a true 4 in his system as ball handling, BKIQ, and rebounding are critical skills and he likes more shooter 4s than back-down-the-defender 4s * I think *. Maybe AK is just a special case for him, but it's an embarrassment of riches if Bundalo comes. Surely there's a decent PF waiting in the portal for next year.
Expand ...
Abraham isn’t a 4 tho& would be undersized … and it better to have a player at that spot that’s 6’8 - 6’10 with versatility & skill to mix in with that size
 
CTFAN4LIFE said:
Solo is a one of a kind.
Expand ...

If we are playing the comparison game with him then Dovovan Mitchell may be the closest. Very similar measurables (assuming Ball's 6'3 is with shoes) in terms of height, weight, wingspan and vertical (both +40). Mitchell probably has a better handle but still best I can think of from current NBA players.
 
Abraham is not a big. He plays on the perimeter and is probably 6' 5.5" w/o shoes. Hurley might have a rule which I havent heard about keeping only 3 bigs on the roster at any one time. Maybe its better to take Furphy, if we're only taking one more, instead of Bundalo. Furphy, more than any other recruit we've seen, reminds me of Cam, but at a younger age. IQ, shooting, playing at his own pace, passing.
 
aburks41 said:
Niko and Reibe both being able to step out an hit 3's would make this team unguardable.
Expand ...
Agree with you. I think with the right personnel the next evolution of Dan/Luke's offensive system is more 5- out.. Which they've been dabbling with in the last season or so.
 
aburks41 said:
Niko and Reibe both being able to step out an hit 3's would make this team unguardable.
Expand ...
I am curious if maybe the staff feels like they’re having to toe the line of pure talent and experience. Maybe the thought is, for what will be a relatively young roster in ‘25, the better approach is to wait for a more experienced portal guy at the 4 to pair with Stewart.
 
.-.
RuffRuff said:
Was an “if” statement based on noise from other fan bases. Aren’t hypotheticals and paralysis by analysis what all sports radio shows are based on?

I just reached my daily quota with this post, so see you tomorrow. Fortunately I took typing in HS and can type like the wind.
Expand ...
Typing in HS - how old are you man! Just curious
 
Don't even know if this is feasible/viable or not.. But if Furphy is coming on board-Could he be put on the Karaban Plan second semester to take advantage of SnC/conditioning/gaining familiarity with offensive schemes,etc.? By his admission he needs some work to enhance his strength and athleticism. Not to play -but like Karaban-to learn and develop without burning any eligibility.
 
Glastonhusky said:
I also want Bundalo and think he would be the best fit, but all signs point to Furphy at this point.
Expand ...

If all signs pointed to Furphy, he'd already have committed.
 
nomar said:
If all signs pointed to Furphy, he'd already have committed.
Expand ...

Did I miss something where Furphy is nearing a commitment? I know it seem possible pre-Mullins but that also read like a contingency plan of sorts. That being said, I think Furphy is awesome and has crazy BB IQ and would play here sooner than later. Just didn't see something where it seemed like we were looking to add him still.
 
boog204 said:
Did I miss something where Furphy is nearing a commitment? I know it seem possible pre-Mullins but that also read like a contingency plan of sorts. That being said, I think Furphy is awesome and has crazy BB IQ and would play here sooner than later. Just didn't see something where it seemed like we were looking to add him still.
Expand ...

You didn't miss anything specific on Furphy. I don't know what signs GH was referring to.

My guess is that he wants to come here, but UConn isn't ready for him to make a commitment. Whether that's because they're still chasing Bundalo, or Bundalo also wants to come but UConn is deciding between the two, or UConn is chasing some other guy they've been linked to, I have no idea. But at this point it sure seems like Hurley gets the pick of the litter.

Most of these kids know where they want to go long in advance of when they announce.
 
Just a general statement here about recruiting news. That whole Mullins thing with Hurley quoted as having him one and done was an eye opener of misinformation for me and perhaps many of us. So much crap out there from other fan bases, "analysts", and even some folks on here repeating it as real information. UConn staff keeps things very tight and I can see why.
 
.-.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,195
Messages
4,556,343
Members
10,442
Latest member
Virginiafan


Top Bottom