Not Developing or Not Identifying Talent?

[WhereistheDove?]

In 2006-2007 we went 17-14. Played nothing but a bunch of freshman and sophomores and it was a tough year to watch. Missed the tournament. Could’ve brought in transfers then to win games immediately if we wanted to.

Of course transfers weren’t immediately eligible and there was FAR less transfer talent available back then, but don’t let facts get in the way of your rant. You’re really on a roll.

 

[Lefty2one]

If you followed us before 2014, I feel like you would understand more about how UConn culture really is and how big we are on bringing in players and developing them. This isn’t a program that usually misses on players, especially if they show any bit of promise.

Phil Nolan and Charles Okwandu were made useful for Christ’s sake but we have people making excuses for why Hurley couldn’t find a way to play Akok.

Terrence Samuels and Craig Austrie were very useful not highly recruited guards freshman year. I’m not sure if you around for that, but those kind of situations make me question Hurley for how he handled our very talented roster this year. The top talent was not THAT good to lean on like he did this year.

This is a remarkably rose-colored view of the past and the Calhoun era. Calhoun had plenty of busts and kids transfer out.

Highly touted busts:

• Richie Ashmeade
• Michael Leblanc
• Sam Funches
• Antric Klaiber
• Ajou Deng
• Scott Hazelton
• Doug Wrenn
• Marcus Cox
• Curtis Kelly
• Marcus Johnson
• Omar Calhoun
• Jamaal Coombs-McDaniel
• Ater Majok

I believe Omar and Klaiber are the only two guys on that list who didn't transfer out. Every single one of those guys was worse than advertised with the exception of Wrenn.

That's not even getting into all of the other transfers who never should have set foot in Storrs to begin with. Jamal Trice, Rob Garrison, Ben Eaves, etc.

 

[Deleted at users request]

This is a remarkably rose-colored view of the past and the Calhoun era. Calhoun had plenty of busts and kids transfer out.

Highly touted busts:

• Richie Ashmeade
• Michael Leblanc
• Sam Funches
• Antric Klaiber
• Ajou Deng
• Scott Hazelton
• Doug Wrenn
• Marcus Cox
• Curtis Kelly
• Marcus Johnson
• Omar Calhoun
• Jamaal Coombs-McDaniel
• Ater Majok

I believe Omar and Klaiber are the only two guys on that list who didn't transfer out. Every single one of those guys was worse than advertised with the exception of Wrenn.

That's not even getting into all of the other transfers who never should have set foot in Storrs to begin with. Jamal Trice, Rob Garrison, Ben Eaves, etc.

I’ll say that usually if guys transferred out or didn’t cut it, it was because they got outplayed and passed up by players who were very legit. I think Curtis Kelly and Marcus Johnson played around the same time as Rudy and Stanley. Jamal Coombs-McDaniel got passed up by Jeremy Lamb and Roscoe Smith as freshman I believe. These weren’t situations where we were desperate for someone to step up and couldn’t get it done.

I’m not going to act like I know all the names on this list though. When the hell did Doug Wrenn play. Haha

Completely agree those players at the bottom had no business being here in the first place and their rankings usually showed it.

 

[CheshireCat]

The culture up to 2014…blah blah blah. Who gets credit for this win or that win…this player transferred, that player was a bust. Whatever the case may be, our program is a shadow of its former self and approaching a decade of mediocrity…and our hopes are pinned on Danny to bring us back to prominence. I’m gonna double my meds.

 

[auror]

The culture up to 2014…blah blah blah. Who gets credit for this win or that win…this player transferred, that player was a bust. Whatever the case may be, our program is a shadow of its former self and approaching a decade of mediocrity…and our hopes are pinned on Danny to bring us back to prominence. I’m gonna double my meds.

Yeah you got it. Thank you for your interest in UConn basketball.

 

[Lefty2one]

I’m not going to act like I know all the names on this list though. When the hell did Doug Wrenn play. Haha

Look him up. He was basically Caron but if the story didn't have a happy ending. Easily the most gifted player who didn't pan out here.

 

[HooperScooper]

I’m not going to act like I know all the names on this list though. When the hell did Doug Wrenn play. Haha

Year after the 1st national championship. His one and only season at UConn.

Doug Wrenn - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Nice to see he just completed his degree from the University of Washington. I hope he's turned his life around.

 

[mauconnfan]

If we locked you and spliffy in a room it would be similar to bringing matter and antimatter together.

He eats shoots and leaves.
He eats shoots, and leaves.
He eats, shoots, and leaves.

Never underestimate the value of commas.

Thought the old joke was “eats bush and leaves”?

 

[bigknight3]

Did I actually read a post criticizing Hurley for giving up on Sid Wilson? We’ve crossed over into full blown self-parody. Some of you might need a few months off from the internet.

Seems to be consistently the same poster...

 

[Deleted at users request]

Look him up. He was basically Caron but if the story didn't have a happy ending. Easily the most gifted player who didn't pan out here.

Yeah I just watched his highlights and damn. Went on to UDub to average 19 a game the next year. Him and Caron could’ve been a crazy duo.

Year after the 1st national championship. His one and only season at UConn.

Doug Wrenn - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Nice to see he just completed his degree from the University of Washington. I hope he's turned his life around.

Found this really cool piece on how he’s been doing.

He's Doug Wrenn-El, 41, Enlightened, New UW Graduate

Former Husky basketball standout overcomes adversity to get his college degree.

www.si.com

 

[Burnsbros23]

I've been looking at Dan Hurley's record with incoming freshman. I think I have covered everyone and it's not the best look. In four years we've developed 4 players that I'd consider starting caliber players (bouk, Jackson, sanogo and Hawkins)

Sid Wilson - transfer
Brendan Adams - transfer
Bouknight - nba
Akok - transfer
Gaff - transfer
Sanogo - current starter
Jackson - current starter
Springs - minimal minutes
Javonte Brown - transfer
Corey Floyd - transfer
Diggins - transfer
Samson Johnson - minimal minutes
Jordan Hawkins - solid player. Likely starter as sophomore

The reasons why guys on the above list didn't work out are all over the map. We've also entered the transfer portal era. Which changes everything and hit us hard this year.

I'm not 100% sure what to make of this. We've clearly improved. NCAA two years in a row is improvement. But if this was the pre-portal era I'd think Dan Hurley is in significant trouble. Four players in four years that actually see legit playing time..... combined with a massive number of transfers. Dan Hurley definitely needs to do better and I'm not sure what the issue is. I'm not sure if he's struggling to develop players or struggling to identify talent.

One thing we do have going for us. Of the 4 players that I identified earlier, 3 of them are still on the team and will be starting next year.

This is fun.

Javonte Brown’s ppl are insane

Gaffney kinda stunk

Springs is just a body. Can’t play 13 guys.

Diggins had to be over rated and was a miss eval by the staff

The two that really bum you out are Akok and Floyd. I thought Akok should of gotten more mins. And Floyd is just massively disappointing. Like what happen? You knew you were redshirting?????? What could you be mad at??? Is there any chance the staff told Floyd you might not play that much???? Cause of what they saw in practice?

 

[CheshireCat]

Yeah you got it. Thank you for your interest in UConn basketball.

Thank you for your unwavering, blind faith in Danny. We need more fans like you. Bless your heart Auror

 

[metsfan2323]

Thank you for your unwavering, blind faith in Danny. We need more fans like you. Bless your heart Auror

Not blind faith at all, we have improved each year under Dan Hurley, that's a fact. Take your turd show somewhere else Poosie.

 

[UCSouth]

The culture up to 2014…blah blah blah. Who gets credit for this win or that win…this player transferred, that player was a bust. Whatever the case may be, our program is a shadow of its former self and approaching a decade of mediocrity…and our hopes are pinned on Danny to bring us back to prominence. I’m gonna double my meds.

Just take them all.

 

[CheshireCat]

Not blind faith at all, we have improved each year under Dan Hurley, that's a fact. Take your turd show somewhere else Poosie.

Let’s see if that’s the case this season. Dumpster fire.

 

[Huskybass]

Look him up. He was basically Caron but if the story didn't have a happy ending. Easily the most gifted player who didn't pan out here.

I think Wrenn put up big numbers once he transferred, yet he never made the NBA. Trouble seemed to follow him. He recently got his degree from the University of Washington and has now set his sights on becoming a professor. Got to give him credit for turning things around.

 

[Huskybass]

This is fun.

Javonte Brown’s ppl are insane

Gaffney kinda stunk

Springs is just a body. Can’t play 13 guys.

Diggins had to be over rated and was a miss eval by the staff

The two that really bum you out are Akok and Floyd. I thought Akok should of gotten more mins. And Floyd is just massively disappointing. Like what happen? You knew you were redshirting?????? What could you be mad at??? Is there any chance the staff told Floyd you might not play that much???? Cause of what they saw in practice?

I agree with you on Akok, he looked pretty good in limited minutes, imo.

Diggins wasn't a miss. He hurt his ankle last summer and by the time he got healthy, other guys were in mid season form. Hard to play D on a bad ankle...and the rest is history.

Floyd is definitely a bad loss. That one hurts. The kid will be a valuable piece wherever he lands.

 

[PlayItLeo]

While OP rightfully got flamed for this, he does indirectly shine a light on the fact that HS rankings matter less and less these days. Top 100, Top 50, etc. is a nice, ego-stroking accolade, but we've seen first hand that some guys just aren't ready that early. Recruiting is a high-risk, high-reward game with a greater likelihood of whiffing on recruits than finding a James Bouknight.

 

[aburks41]

Let’s see if that’s the case this season. Dumpster fire.

Reloading talent from a top 25 team is a dumpster fire..? Some of yall need to be put in boneyard jail lol

 

[NotADime89]

I agree with you on Akok, he looked pretty good in limited minutes, imo.

Diggins wasn't a miss. He hurt his ankle last summer and by the time he got healthy, other guys were in mid season form. Hard to play D on a bad ankle...and the rest is history.

Floyd is definitely a bad loss. That one hurts. The kid will be a valuable piece wherever he lands.

Love Akok but for every ball he put in the hoop he gave up a score on the defensive end

 

[Huskybass]

Love Akok but for every ball he put in the hoop he gave up a score on the defensive end

I thought he was a net positive, but that's just gut. I really like the kid and hope he finds a good fit.

 

[CheshireCat]

Reloading talent from a top 25 team is a dumpster fire..? Some of yall need to be put in boneyard jail lol

Looks more like an outgoing tide than reloading.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Not blind faith at all, we have improved each year under Dan Hurley, that's a fact. Take your turd show somewhere else Poosie.

fwiw the team last year with Bouknight had a better winning % than this year’s so I don’t think it’s actually a fact.

 

[FLDawg16]

Looks more like an outgoing tide than reloading.

If you'd trade the new guys we either have locked up or look like we have a decent chance at getting to have our transfers out back then we're just on insanely different wavelengths here.

 

[The Shot]

fwiw the team last year with Bouknight had a better winning % than this year’s so I don’t think it’s actually a fact.

It’s a fact and it’s easily verifiable. Winning % increased almost as much from 20-21 to 21-22 as it did from 19-20 to 20-21. Hurley clearly still has a ways to go with this team but to say that the teams haven’t progressed year to year is just wrong.

 

[How Sway?!]

Looks more like an outgoing tide than reloading.

Gotta give you props for keeping up the bit. Must not be easy having to constantly prove you're the worst poster on this board.

 

[Deleted at users request]

It’s a fact and it’s easily verifiable. Winning % increased almost as much from 20-21 to 21-22 as it did from 19-20 to 20-21. Hurley clearly still has a ways to go with this team but to say that the teams haven’t progressed year to year is just wrong.

View attachment 75742

I meant the games Bouknight played in. I think they were 11-4 with Bouknight. 73% win percentage. 2 regular season losses.

 

[KingAG]

I meant the games Bouknight played in. I think they were 11-4 with Bouknight. 73% win percentage. 2 regular season losses.

Did you take out the games this season that Sanogo, Martin, Hawkins, and Whaley missed?

 

[Deleted at users request]

Did you take out the games this season that Sanogo, Martin, Hawkins, and Whaley missed?

No because Bouknight was a clear level above, team changing player. NBA talent.

 

[CheshireCat]

It’s a fact and it’s easily verifiable. Winning % increased almost as much from 20-21 to 21-22 as it did from 19-20 to 20-21. Hurley clearly still has a ways to go with this team but to say that the teams haven’t progressed year to year is just wrong.

View attachment 75742

Hey - if you see progress with two first round exits to a 10 and 12 seed respectively with players that include an NBA lottery pick and 2 1st team all big East players this past season….that’s your prerogative. I see regression on the sidelines, a lot of extra foot stomping and whining, and increasingly poor rapport with league officials.