2025 Recruiting: - Niko Bundalo Update | Page 12 | The Boneyard

2025 Recruiting: Niko Bundalo Update

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Yeah the number of scholarships thing doesn’t make sense - we have 3 open as of today (based on 15 scholarships) and 2 kids who run out of eligibility, so that’s an absolute bare minimum of 5 if no one departs early (which won’t happen). I doubt we use the full 15, but lack of available scholarships is not a legit reason.

NOW..Hurley may be reluctant to take too many guys at positions where we already have a sufficient number of guys as to not drive guys out, but I see that more of an issue w transfer recruiting strategy than with freshmen.
 
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UCTitleTown said:
Aaron Torres said he thinks UConn is done for 2025. He also can't pronounce Reibe, so take that with a grain of salt. Not Ree-bee. Repeat after me Rye-ba.....
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There is room, but I think it is Furphy as he won't require significant minutes as a freshman.
 
UCTitleTown said:
Aaron Torres said he thinks UConn is done for 2025. He also can't pronounce Reibe, so take that with a grain of salt. Not Ree-bee. Repeat after me Rye-ba.....
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Reebok?
 
ec33 said:
There is room, but I think it is Furphy as he won't require significant minutes as a freshman.
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I think people are going off of Travis Branham of 247 words too much, everything else I've read has said he's one of the top prospects in Australia for his age group.
 
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We’d have to lose no players to the NBA for that guy to be right. Maybe Dan feels like nobody is leaving out of the 15 for the pros, but thatd be very unlikely based on recent history.
 
Huskyforlife said:
We’d have to lose no players to the NBA for that guy to be right. Maybe Dan feels like nobody is leaving out of the 15 for the pros, but thatd be very unlikely based on recent history.
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I thought we go to 15 scholarships in 2025-26
 
Huskyforlife said:
We’d have to lose no players to the NBA for that guy to be right. Maybe Dan feels like nobody is leaving out of the 15 for the pros, but thatd be very unlikely based on recent history.
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We have 12 man roster. Diarra and Johnson have no more eligibility. If everyone returns we have 10 players and five scholarships available.
 
What I like about the recent commits is that the playing time issue doesn't seem to come up. They all understand and appreciate that it won't be easy to play at Uconn. It is going to take hard work and they aren't afraid of it. The best embrace it. I think that the word is definitely out. If you want to become the best that you can be and be treated like family, Uconn very well might be the best place for you.
 
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Glastonhusky said:
Some talk about Furphy being next. Doesn't make sense to me, but what do I know.
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It is all about the player's perspective. If Furphy or Bundalo value being challenged to the max at practice to develop their game vs. in game playing time right away, come they will.

The cream will come to the top, and maybe they will win out and get decent playing time. Those Kentucky and Duke and UCLA teams historically had great players sitting until their turn came.

I think the talent level of Furphy and Bundalo will get them playing time in their first year.

Bledsoe for Kentucky had relatively few in game minutes, but was drafted and did well in the NBA.
 
Improviser said:
It is all about the player's perspective. If Furphy or Bundalo value being challenged to the max at practice to develop their game vs. in game playing time right away, come they will.

The cream will come to the top, and maybe they will win out and get decent playing time. Those Kentucky and Duke and UCLA teams historically had great players sitting until their turn came.

I think the talent level of Furphy and Bundalo will get them playing time in their first year.

Bledsoe for Kentucky had relatively few in game minutes, but was drafted and did well in the NBA.
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Eric Bledsoe played 30mpg his freshman yr at UK
 
Drame said:
Dan has said that 12 is a good number for roster spots. If AK goes than we'll be right at 12 with current commitments. I do want Furphy and Bundalo though.
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I think that was 12 when 13 was the max. He liked to have an empty seat in the form of +1 scholly available. Now that 15 is the new 13, I suspect it's either 14 or 13 will be his good number.
 
JerseyAlum said:
I think that was 12 when 13 was the max. He liked to have an empty seat in the form of +1 scholly available. Now that 15 is the new 13, I suspect it's either 14 or 13 will be his good number.
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No I think it was 12 regardless. At least 12 recruited players. For playing time and player development in practice.
 
JerseyAlum said:
I think that was 12 when 13 was the max. He liked to have an empty seat in the form of +1 scholly available. Now that 15 is the new 13, I suspect it's either 14 or 13 will be his good number.
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That would be very shocking to me. The reason he wanted 12 previously was because going any higher meant too many guys looking for minutes. That doesn't change now that the limit is 15
 
Improviser said:
It is all about the player's perspective. If Furphy or Bundalo value being challenged to the max at practice to develop their game vs. in game playing time right away, come they will.

The cream will come to the top, and maybe they will win out and get decent playing time. Those Kentucky and Duke and UCLA teams historically had great players sitting until their turn came.

I think the talent level of Furphy and Bundalo will get them playing time in their first year.

Bledsoe for Kentucky had relatively few in game minutes, but was drafted and did well in the NBA.
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Furphy feels a lot more redundant after we picked up Adams and Mullins, but he might be willing to come on just to be part of the establishment and to be a longer term depth piece. At minimum he’ll know what he’s capable of and have the chance to win, and have eyeballs on him.

Bundalo is a very unique piece as a very tall and skilled 4. This is probably what most of us are so excited about. What would it look like having a Reibe and him on the floor simultaneously look like? What can the staff do with that? I know I’m intrigued.

These kids are going to Duke for the same reason - not a lot of guarantees on time there either. They just want to be part of something that feels “special”. And in the day of the portal there isn’t nearly as much downside to testing yourself and if it doesn’t work out, you have options.

My only question will be how many spots the staff wants to reserve for the portal. If you jam up the roster with frosh you’re limited.

Our class is ranked 2 now, but if we stop here I suspect we’ll ultimately be behind Ark, Duke and UK, who aren’t done yet and at the top of the list for some big names. UK likely lands Lewis and a top 4 to go along with JJ and Moreno, Ark gets Thomas and a top 4 to go along with Acuff, and Duke still in the mix with kids like Henderson/others. These are the other recruiting machines out there right now.

Torres is a blowhard. I rarely learn anything listening to him. He just shouts stuff that we know already. That dude is spread way too thin to have any real tentacles. He’s just scrubbing the web for the same stuff and throws in his occasional speculation based on what’s out there.
 
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Maybe Dan Hurley is worried about roster crowding; another possibility is uncertainty on the UNC end of things. They want one forward, and may still be dreaming about Dybantsa (real long shot); almost certainly they prefer Caleb Wison, although he's leaning Kentucky. So Niko is their Plan C, and he may be waiting for clarity from Davis.
 
If Bundalo wants to be here and the staff actually decides they are going to pass on taking a commitment this fall, that says to me that they are on the fence whether Liam will be back or not. This year we have 9 guys competing for 4 spots. With Alex & Liam to the nba, we would again have 9 guys for 4 spots if we took Niko. I don't see any issue unless they feel there is a significant chance we have Liam as well as everybody else. I have been corrected repeatedly that there is no issue with having enough NIL to spread around to so many unicorns, but being slow to learn, I don't ignore that as a possible factor also.

I find it hard to see where Furphy fits now as a 6th backcourt player, especially since I want a clear path to bring in Rippey in 2026.

Very impressed with the staff in this cycle that has clearly cemented us as the team others don't want to see recruiting against their targets, and the team that kids covet an offer from.
 
UCONNFAN179 said:
But McNeeley is likely gone and who knows if Solo or Stew break out. We'll almost certainly need another player or two... The question is will there be another freshman or will Dan wait and hit the portal when he knows who's likely leaving? Either way, we're in great position to fill out an already loaded roster.
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Also, let’s be honest, Karaban is almost assuredly going to go pro. Even still, if he and Liam go, coupled with Diarra and Samson being out of eligibility, the 3 guys who have committed wouldnt fully replace those 4. But I can see Hurley being done for the fall and reevaluating after the season to take a late commit like Liam or a portal guy or two.
 
UCONNFAN179 said:
But McNeeley is likely gone and who knows if Solo or Stew break out. We'll almost certainly need another player or two... The question is will there be another freshman or will Dan wait and hit the portal when he knows who's likely leaving? Either way, we're in great position to fill out an already loaded roster.
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With the new rules it doesn’t matter if Bundalo commits. If the roster is too crowded in the spring then he reopens his recruitment…ala McNeeley!
 
Ricker said:
If Bundalo wants to be here and the staff actually decides they are going to pass on taking a commitment this fall, that says to me that they are on the fence whether Liam will be back or not. This year we have 9 guys competing for 4 spots. With Alex & Liam to the nba, we would again have 9 guys for 4 spots if we took Niko. I don't see any issue unless they feel there is a significant chance we have Liam as well as everybody else. I have been corrected repeatedly that there is no issue with having enough NIL to spread around to so many unicorns, but being slow to learn, I don't ignore that as a possible factor also.

I find it hard to see where Furphy fits now as a 6th backcourt player, especially since I want a clear path to bring in Rippey in 2026.
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The issue is that this year there's 9 guys competing for 4 spots, but there's an easy sell on Isaiah Abraham being the odd man out and not getting minutes. With the 9 we'd have next season, I'm not sure who that guy who's happy not getting minutes is.

I would take Bundalo and just let things work themselves out in the spring with Ball or Stewart going pro, but that's an easier thing said than done. I think Furphy is an easier sell as a guy to come in and not expect minutes his freshman year
 
TheHorde said:
Also, let’s be honest, Karaban is almost assuredly going to go pro. Even still, if he and Liam go, coupled with Diarra and Samson being out of eligibility, the 3 guys who have committed wouldnt fully replace those 4. But I can see Hurley being done for the fall and reevaluating after the season to take a late commit like Liam or a portal guy or two.
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Would Alex stay for a shot at a 4th ring? (I know, I know :() It's never been done has it?
 
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