Nowell in the transfer portal

[Gurleyman]

Different situation. Newton was an established experienced D1 player. And a scorer. And about 2 years shy of collecting social security, LOL,. Different worjingvwith him than with a kid just out of high school. Less maturity, less experience in the game, less developed physically, too.

I just don’t understand what’s going on. Is targeting your future point guard at age 17, recruiting him, developing him, and winning with him some sort of a thing that matters? Like that’s the only proper way to do it? In the portal era? Just point guards and no other positions?

Because the starting point guards in the Final Four started at Tulane, FIU, Oklahoma and Iona, but you won’t find those teams playing (ok, you can nit pick James vs. Proctor - Pettiford comes off the bench - but you get the, uh, point - heh heh). The point guard from Iona had a dramatic comeback to beat the point guard from Howard, and the point guard from Ohio U had a bad day and didn’t make it back for a second year in a row.

Newton was a former zero star recruit who was playing losing, inefficient basketball for a bottom tier AAC team and left a first-team All-American with two national championship rings.

I’m not putting an asterisk on that.

 

[auror]

Has anyone seen a list of potential Nowell suitors?

VCU because of the Martelli connection with Carr has been heavily rumored.

 

[UCFan1513]

We didn’t pass on Fland. We didn’t want to pay up for Fland.

So we passed

 

[ScottCT]

Does a loss in November or December matter when your team is at its best in March and make a run?

It’s not that deep

Seeding is very important so losses in November and December does matter. It's not the end of the world but don't make the losses sound so trivial.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Seeding is very important so losses in November and December does matter. It's not the end of the world but don't make the losses sound so trivial.

If you’re the best team you’re the best team.

Gosh when did we start needing all these things to go right. 2014 had the most difficult path ever as a 7 seed.

2011 played the #2 draft pick, Kawhi Leonard, and Kentucky as a 3.

Now we’re over here talking about seeding. Either you’re the best team or you’re not. The losses are indeed trivial.

 

[SubbaBub]

The portal makes developing HS players more difficult. If you are playing or projected to play a major role/start, then there is always someone willing to pay you and play you.

The guys that buy into the culture, and believe that waiting will ultimately be the better option are the one who will stay to be developed.

Winning helps, having a clear path (including playing time) helps, showing real progression helps, and coaches keeping their word helps.

How else to you think UGA loses their best players? St Mary's? ECU? Michigan?

We've been losing bench guys, guys who weren't going to play much, and guys who can see the writing on the wall. Good players. Yes. Guys we'd prefer to keep because they are our guys? Yes. That's just not how the world works any longer.

Truth is from UConn's perspective and the players. These moves have mostly been win/win.

Anyone really miss any of the freshmen guys that transferred out before we got Newton and Joey C? Can't name most of them, but they found a home and we ended up better off.

 

[RuffRuff]

If you’re the best team you’re the best team.

Gosh when did we start needing all these things to go right. 2014 had the most difficult path ever as a 7 seed.

2011 played the #2 draft pick, Kawhi Leonard, and Kentucky as a 3.

Now we’re over here talking about seeding. Either you’re the best team or you’re not. The losses are indeed trivial.

Seriously? Are you being serious?

Do you still use a beeper and watch reruns of MTV music videos?

Those constantly bringing up Kemba and Shabazz nonstop should be severed. It’s pointless drivel. The way things landed this year (2025) with all the mid major talent funneling to the top is a LOT more what it’s going to look like going forward that effen 2011. For effs sake already.

 

[7774]

If you’re the best team you’re the best team.

Gosh when did we start needing all these things to go right. 2014 had the most difficult path ever as a 7 seed.

2011 played the #2 draft pick, Kawhi Leonard, and Kentucky as a 3.

Now we’re over here talking about seeding. Either you’re the best team or you’re not. The losses are indeed trivial.

Kawhi was drafted 15th. The rest of this post has that same level of accuracy.

 

[RuffRuff]

I just don’t understand what’s going on. Is targeting your future point guard at age 17, recruiting him, developing him, and winning with him some sort of a thing that matters? Like that’s the only proper way to do it? In the portal era? Just point guards and no other positions?

Because the starting point guards in the Final Four started at Tulane, FIU, Oklahoma and Iona, but you won’t find those teams playing (ok, you can nit pick James vs. Proctor - Pettiford comes off the bench - but you get the, uh, point - heh heh). The point guard from Iona had a dramatic comeback to beat the point guard from Howard, and the point guard from Ohio U had a bad day and didn’t make it back for a second year in a row.

Newton was a former zero star recruit who was playing losing, inefficient basketball for a bottom tier AAC team and left a first-team All-American with two national championship rings.

I’m not putting an asterisk on that.

No, it doesn’t matter. The portal is the great fixer. There are lingering romantics who think today is no different than 2011. These are people who clearly fawn over the good ol days because perhaps they were better times in their life. They’d rather go on surprising runs out of the blue carried on the back of a home, than be a great team from start to finish, earn a top seed.

Those two UConn teams are anomalies. Go look at the data. They aren’t happening again. As the algorithms tighten up, the portal funnels talent, you’ll see top teams in computer rankings make the final 4, like this year.

Appreciate the runs but please stop using them as baselines to how it should be done today. Cred plummets.

 

[djct1999]

VCU because of the Martelli connection with Carr has been heavily rumored.

I actually think that would be a great fit. Hopefully its true.

 

[Viet Vet]

lol no they don’t. The only thing that matters is how well you’re playing come March.

Would we have been a #8 seed if we'd won more games during the season? All games DO matter.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Kawhi was drafted 15th. The rest of this post has that same level of accuracy.

Derrick Williams from Arizona was drafted 2nd. Now you look stupid trying to be a smartalec

 

[7774]

Derrick Williams from Arizona was drafted 2nd. Now you look stupid trying to be a smartalec

Ah, I see what you were saying. What a weird way to phrase something. Regardless, that whole post is vegetable level nonsense.

 

[navery12]

If you’re the best team you’re the best team.

Gosh when did we start needing all these things to go right. 2014 had the most difficult path ever as a 7 seed.

2011 played the #2 draft pick, Kawhi Leonard, and Kentucky as a 3.

Now we’re over here talking about seeding. Either you’re the best team or you’re not. The losses are indeed trivial.

This was you 2 days ago, so do the November losses only matter when you want them to?

 

[Deleted at users request]

This was you 2 days ago, so do the November losses only matter when you want them to?

View attachment 108474

Where do I talk about seeding in this post?

 

[WhereistheDove?]

If you’re the best team you’re the best team.

Gosh when did we start needing all these things to go right. 2014 had the most difficult path ever as a 7 seed.

2011 played the #2 draft pick, Kawhi Leonard, and Kentucky as a 3.

Now we’re over here talking about seeding. Either you’re the best team or you’re not. The losses are indeed trivial.

There are times where I’m like 90% sure you’re trolling everyone and this is one of them.

 

[giddyup]

So we passed

Word on the street was BF was about the money. Thats why I suppose a kid from CT follows C and ends up in place he probably couldn’t find on a map … Arkansas is another flush SEC money pit. Glad he sucked in prime time. If you ain’t UConn, I wish you nothing but the worst.

 

[Deleted at users request]

There are times where I’m like 90% sure you’re trolling everyone and this is one of them.

Do you think if we were a 3 seed instead of an 8 this year we win a championship?

Or no matter what we weren’t a better team than Florida and even a Duke?

 

[UCfor3]

Where do I talk about seeding in this post?

Where does Navery mention seeding in his post?

 

[gtcam]

Newton was a former zero star recruit who was playing losing, inefficient basketball for a bottom tier AAC team

As I recall, Newton led the state of Texas in scoring and was 6th in the nation his senior year averaging over 30 pts per game. The reason he was overlooked is that he played in El Paso not known for its basketball but is a football hotbed. He started as a freshman at ECU and was twice named all conference second team AAC, averaging 18 pts pg his jr year - the only reason he wasn't 1st team was that Houston and Memphis (and UConn's CV!) had dominant PG players. I remember Dan Hurley lauding him on his play at ECU before coming to Storrs.
Quite inefficient.
but yes, he fit in well at UConn, he did flourish when surrounded by better players, as most all players do

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Do you think if we were a 3 seed instead of an 8 this year we win a championship?

Or no matter what we weren’t a better team than Florida and even a Duke?

The 3 in our bracket faced a 14 seed, and 11 seed, and a 10 seed in the first three rounds. Do I think UConn as a 3 seed has a much better chance of making it to the E8? Absolutely. You’ve made this into a binary outcome. Would you have been happier with an E8 appearance than losing in the round of 32? Are those outcomes equal to you?

 

[Deleted at users request]

The 3 in our bracket faced a 14 seed, and 11 seed, and a 10 seed in the first three rounds. Do I think UConn as a 3 seed has a much better chance of making it to the E8? Absolutely. You’ve made this into a binary outcome. Would you have been happier with an E8 appearance than losing in the round of 32? Are those outcomes equal to you?

That’s a fair point. I was talking about the perspective of a championship. Which is what I thought was all that mattered these days.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

That’s a fair point. I was talking about the perspective of a championship. Which is what I thought was all that mattered these days.

Any team can crap the bed even if you’re the best team in college basketball. Last year is a bit of an anomaly because I think we probably steamroll anyone but even if you look back to 2023, for sure we were helped by the brackets breaking the way they did and having an easier path. Higher seeding gets you a better chance at avoiding the best competition. Even if you’re the best team in the game it’s still very important. Our 2011/2014 runs should make it very clear that the best team does not always win the championship.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Jayden Ross seems to be a good candidate for this. Only time will tell.

Sounds like a sage take. Here's another:

"A man who presents himself visually as a stooge might do well to bide such time in silence."

Time alone will present you with the informed opportunity to re-enter discussion on this subject, at which time you can triumphantly proclaim your prescience or acknowledge with appropriate humility that you were incorrect in your oft-stated assessment. Or something else altogether.

Nobody knows with certainty how things will play out. You've set yourself up perfectly for any eventuality. In the meantime, don't neglect the gifts of the present.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Any team can crap the bed even if you’re the best team in college basketball. Last year is a bit of an anomaly because I think we probably steamroll anyone but even if you look back to 2023, for sure we were helped by the brackets breaking the way they did and having an easier path. Higher seeding gets you a better chance at avoiding the best competition. Even if you’re the best team in the game it’s still very important. Our 2011/2014 runs should make it very clear that the best team does not always win the championship.

Who did we luck out in avoiding in 2023? We steamrolled everyone OOC all season. We were the best team.

In 2014 we were the only team to beat Florida and we did it twice. We didn’t luck out in not playing anyone.