2025 Recruiting: Niko Bundalo

[dennismenace]

I think I read somewhere this kid cursed out one of his coaches. The vibes here in general are off, so I won’t blame Dan if he still isn’t interested.

247 write up on him implies high emotion that can be a blessing or a curse depending how he channels it. Perhaps the word volatile describes that kind of makeup. It sounds like he is an emotional work in progress. Good comments above on where he might fit or not into Uconn's needs at this point.

From Finkelstein's comments on 247:

"The most important variable for Bundalo is his overall intensity. He's hyper-competitive, and when he can harness that while maintaining full control of his emotions, he's extremely effective on both ends of the floor. When that fire burns too hot though, it can be detrimental, with implications on his shot selection, decision-making, and overall mentality."

​

 

[Umami Zen]

Niko committed to Ole Miss-Chris Beard

 

[husky429]

I said this when I scouted the kid. He isn't a Hurley player on the court emotionally. This article is a nice way of saying the kid is an absolute .

 

[HooperScooper]

Niko committed to Ole Miss-Chris Beard

Wasn't that about 3 months ago? Just confused why this topic is being posted now. Did he decommit again and was back on the market?

 

[RuffRuff]

Wasn't that about 3 months ago? Just confused why this topic is being posted now. Did he decommit again and was back on the market?

No.

The kid burns hot. Not sure he's a bad kid as much as a head case. Maybe he can harness it, which could work in his favor. It's hard to teach passion, as long as not to a point of diminishing returns. If you see his dad, you'll see a kid that should fill out as he matures. I like what I saw of him in the little I caught, plays hard. I'll definitely be tuning in to see how he does at Ole Miss.

Hurley's gotten to the point where I don't think he's willing to take anyone if they have an ounce of bad seed potential, no matter the talent. He recruits choir boys that can hoop. Big change from the JC days - JC was willing to take on convicted felons if they had the talent.

 

[HooperScooper]

Hurley's gotten to the point where I don't think he's willing to take anyone if they have an ounce of bad seed potential, no matter the talent. He recruits choir boys that can hoop.

Although he's complained about his players being too nice. Remember his comment last season?

"We've got a lot of nice guys, some really swell guys," he noted. "They've got to get nastier at the defensive end of the court, on the backboards. Great guys. People on the airplanes and in the hotels and meal rooms, they love our guys."

 

[RuffRuff]

Although he's complained about his players being too nice. Remember his comment last season?

"We've got a lot of nice guys, some really swell guys," he noted. "They've got to get nastier at the defensive end of the court, on the backboards. Great guys. People on the airplanes and in the hotels and meal rooms, they love our guys."

I do, and I kinda agree. Dawgless roster. A choir boy with a mean streak is what he needs (Cam Spencer). Not sure I see any of those on this roster. I can see a little understated bad@$$ in Furphy & Mullins blossoming over the year.

 

[dennismenace]

Although he's complained about his players being too nice. Remember his comment last season?

"We've got a lot of nice guys, some really swell guys," he noted. "They've got to get nastier at the defensive end of the court, on the backboards. Great guys. People on the airplanes and in the hotels and meal rooms, they love our guys."

Maybe they can alter that perception by having a few food fights on the planes and hotel dining rooms.

 

[gtcam]

JC was willing to take on convicted felons if they had the talent.

It's the make-up of the coach - JC was born a street fighter and Dan Hurley is a chior boy who tries to act like a radical on the sidelines
Most refs were basically afraid of JC yet some laugh at Dan Hurley behind his back
Each have their strengths and weaknesses and glad UConn has had both men

I'll take a Caron Butler any day of the week

 

[Huskyforlife]

JC was willing to take on convicted felons if they had the talent.

It's the make-up of the coach - JC was born a street fighter and Dan Hurley is a chior boy who tries to act like a radical on the sidelines
Most refs were basically afraid of JC yet some laugh at Dan Hurley behind his back
Each have their strengths and weaknesses and glad UConn has had both men

I'll take a Caron Butler any day of the week

The refs are so afraid of Dan, they threw him out of a game for pumping up the crowd.

 

[dennismenace]

JC was willing to take on convicted felons if they had the talent.

It's the make-up of the coach - JC was born a street fighter and Dan Hurley is a chior boy who tries to act like a radical on the sidelines
Most refs were basically afraid of JC yet some laugh at Dan Hurley behind his back
Each have their strengths and weaknesses and glad UConn has had both men

I'll take a Caron Butler any day of the week

Interesting insights. Both seem to have turned out to be good fathers/husbands. Both seem to have great wives. Hope for everyone. Families. Glue. Uconn teams and staff are families. Glue guys.

 

[nomar]

JC was willing to take on convicted felons if they had the talent.

It's the make-up of the coach - JC was born a street fighter and Dan Hurley is a chior boy who tries to act like a radical on the sidelines
Most refs were basically afraid of JC yet some laugh at Dan Hurley behind his back
Each have their strengths and weaknesses and glad UConn has had both men

I'll take a Caron Butler any day of the week

I don’t agree with your armchair psychiatry of Hurley at all.

Also not loving linking Caron to the phrase “convicted felons.” He had issues as a juvenile and was at MCI when we recruited him. Calhoun gave kids second chances. That doesn’t mean he knowingly recruited bad eggs as long as they had talent.

 

[NJHoops]

I don’t agree with your armchair psychiatry of Hurley at all.

That person has never let their lack of knowledge on a subject keep them from speaking on it. The false confidence is almost inspiring!

 

[boog204]

Although he's complained about his players being too nice. Remember his comment last season?

"We've got a lot of nice guys, some really swell guys," he noted. "They've got to get nastier at the defensive end of the court, on the backboards. Great guys. People on the airplanes and in the hotels and meal rooms, they love our guys."

100% was an issue last year. Other than Diarra, there was really no one on that team who had any spunk to them. That was coming from a team with TN, Cam, Castle, and DC all of whom had some edge. I like our roster this year, but I'm not sure we've really added any additional toughness, to be honest.

 

[HooperScooper]

That person has never let their lack of knowledge on a subject keep them from speaking on it. The false confidence is almost inspiring!

That doesn't stop a lot of posters on here! 😀

 

[uconngb]

I don’t agree with your armchair psychiatry of Hurley at all.

Also not loving linking Caron to the phrase “convicted felons.” He had issues as a juvenile and was at MCI when we recruited him. Calhoun gave kids second chances. That doesn’t mean he knowingly recruited bad eggs as long as they had talent.

I’d like to know of ONE convicted felon that JC recruited. Stupid post.

 

[fatlucy]

I’d like to know of ONE convicted felon that JC recruited. Stupid post.

Caron Butler

 

[HooperScooper]

JC was willing to take on convicted felons if they had the talent.

It's the make-up of the coach - JC was born a street fighter and Dan Hurley is a chior boy who tries to act like a radical on the sidelines
Most refs were basically afraid of JC yet some laugh at Dan Hurley behind his back
Each have their strengths and weaknesses and glad UConn has had both men

I'll take a Caron Butler any day of the week

While Doug Wrenn wasn't a convicted felon he wasn't a choir boy either. JC thought he could mold him into a better person. Not surprisingly he lasted only 1 year at UConn.

 

[RuffRuff]

While Doug Wrenn wasn't a convicted felon he wasn't a choir boy either. JC thought he could mold him into a better person. Not surprisingly he lasted only 1 year at UConn.

UConn Suspends 2 Players After Thefts (Published 2005)

The men's basketball program at the University of Connecticut has enjoyed tremendous success under Coach Jim Calhoun, including two national championships during the past six seasons. But it suffered a blow yesterday when Calhoun indefinitely suspended two members of the team who were arrested...

www.nytimes.com

If you don’t think JC was willing to sacrifice some character for basketball talent you have your head in the sand.

 

[nomar]

Caron Butler

He wasn’t convicted. He pled out after, he says, a friend set him up. Do you know what charges he pled guilty to? I don’t.

In any event, as we all know, he’d turned his life around by the time UConn started recruiting him. Needless to say, JC got that one right.

 

[fatlucy]

He wasn’t convicted. He pled out after, he says, a friend set him up. Do you know what charges he pled guilty to? I don’t.

In any event, as we all know, he’d turned his life around by the time UConn started recruiting him. Needless to say, JC got that one right.

He’s my favorite player. And after a deeper dive it looks like he was never convicted of an adult felony but was arrested and convicted as a juvenile.

Not something I want to argue about. I think his story is amazing.

 

[RuffRuff]

He wasn’t convicted. He pled out after, he says, a friend set him up. Do you know what charges he pled guilty to? I don’t.

In any event, as we all know, he’d turned his life around by the time UConn started recruiting him. Needless to say, JC got that one right.

Point is JC was willing to take risks on player character - sometimes it worked out. I don’t think Hurley would even touch that profile he’s so far to the opposite end. If anything he takes risks to that end (Aidan Mahaney).

 

[husky429]

He’s my favorite player. And after a deeper dive it looks like he was never convicted of an adult felony but was arrested and convicted as a juvenile.

Not something I want to argue about. I think his story is amazing.

I'm sure it's state and crime dependent but conviction as a juvenile can definitely be a felon. My step-SIL can't own a gun or anything still and she was convicted as a juvenile as part of her plea deal.

She was also picked up for assault with a deadly weapon last week. She's a real peach

 

[superjohn]

He’s my favorite player. And after a deeper dive it looks like he was never convicted of an adult felony but was arrested and convicted as a juvenile.

Not something I want to argue about. I think his story is amazing.

He was arrested 15 times before the age of 15. He drove his trap car (car he only used for drug dealing to school) and he was arrested by ATF at school with cocaine and a gun on him. He was sentenced to two years.

After he spent over a year locked up he got caught up in a mess that wasn't his doing and a cop took a chance on him. Calhoun took a chance on him as well. Caron rewarded both of them by taking his opportunities and running with them.

He's an amazing person with an amazing story.

 

[nomar]

I'm sure it's state and crime dependent but conviction as a juvenile can definitely be a felon. My step-SIL can't own a gun or anything still and she was convicted as a juvenile as part of her plea deal.

She was also picked up for assault with a deadly weapon last week. She's a real peach

Can she shoot the 3?