On to 2019-2020

[Rico444]

How many guys playing meaningful minutes for those teams did so as freshmen?

That's my point. I wouldn't be surprised if he's good enough to play meaningful minutes for any team in the country in a few years, but right now he's not ready. However our team was so devoid of talent that we had to use him.

 

[Stainmaster]

That's my point. I wouldn't be surprised if he's good enough to play meaningful minutes for any team in the country in a few years, but right now he's not ready. However our team was so devoid of talent that we had to use him.

Fair enough, I'm just very concerned at the frequency with which Sid is being written off around these parts.

 

[Rico444]

Fair enough, I'm just very concerned at the frequency with which Sid is being written off around these parts.

Yeah I'm not writing the kid off at all. He could be our best player in a couple of years if he tightens up his handle and improves his shot (big 'if' for sure, but it's doable).

 

[UofCT]

Yeah I'm not writing the kid off at all. He could be our best player in a couple of years if he tightens up his handle and improves his shot (big 'if' for sure, but it's doable).

Good point. He needs to improve his dribble, shooting, passing, defense, rebounding, and fundamentals.

 

[Stainmaster]

Good point. He needs to improve his dribble, shooting, passing, defense, rebounding, and fundamentals.

You need to improve your patience and your maturity.

 

[UofCT]

You need to improve your patience and your maturity.

Why the sarcasm? These are facts.

 

[AntG168]

There's a good chance he ends up in that group, but right now he wouldn't play more than 5 minutes a game for any good team out there. What NCAA tournament team would he play meaningful minutes for? And I'm not talking about autobids. As he is currently, he can't shoot at all, has poor handles and loses his man on defense far too often. I can see him being an asset in the future, but he has a long way to go.

Agreed. Still doesn’t make him a MAAC level player. His potential alone makes that claim ridiculous. Saying he needs to develop and saying he belongs in the MAAC are two very different claims

 

[Rico444]

Good point. He needs to improve his dribble, shooting, passing, defense, rebounding, and fundamentals.

Obviously he's got a ton to work on, but he's also got a ton of potential. There are a wide range of potential outcomes for Sid.

 

[intlzncster]

We need to stop with grad transfers. We have been relying way too much on grad transfers as panaceas to either our rebounding problems or our ball handling problems. Whaley should be serviceable as a back up next year. He needs to get a little stronger and smarter.

PS: We need a good big man with size. Top 100 big man Carl Lewis is available and is seriously an upgrade over what we have on this roster. He is still uncommitted. Hurley needs tor reach out.

That's a limiting belief. At this point in our rebuild, we still very much need them. What we don't need is to tie up scholarships with marginal talent or guys with limited upside, simply because we want to shy away from transfers.

There are scant few quality bigs uncommitted at this point. You mention one guy. There's 300 other teams out there after those kinds of kid. And that's assuming that kid fits your system or how you want to play anyway. There's a ton of non basketball reasons they don't go after guys as well (see Tre Mitchell).

And transfers have become de riguer in MCBB anyway. A number of good teams have them.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Is Carlton's improvement a result of practicing against Akok?

 

[jibsey]

I’d love for Sid to turn into a great player but aside from explosive hops I don’t see the tools at this point. He could be a 10 ppg and 5 rebound, 25 minute player which would be fine. But he needs to defend. Does anyone see him as a star player?

 

[UConnDad]

You need to improve your patience and your maturity.

He's suffered for 3 years like the rest of us. Patience is in short supply. And C'mon, were all mature on here.

 

[Jaker]

we should be recruiting all 5 positions IMO, just can't depend on AG being healthy for an entire season and we could probably upgrade at the 2-5 without turning over too many stones.

 

[HuskyAlum012]

#TrustTheProcess

 

[HuskyHawk]

#TrustTheProcess

It was probably wishful thinking on my part, but when he enrolled early, so he could start working with the staff and with Sal, that showed me some dedication. It suggested a guy that knows he has to put in the work to be what he can be. As a result, the Akok we get next fall will likely be a much better player than he would have been had he stayed in post-grad.

 

[jibsey]

#TrustTheProcess

We’ve heard the “killing it in practice” story once or twice before haven’t we?

 

[jibsey]

I think we’ve found out Polley/Wilson aren’t going to cut it at the 4. They are both built like skeletons. They cannot matchup against the bigs on good teams. The 3 is where both should play, MAYBE with Polley seeing time at the 4 against small teams. To start give me Gilbert, CV, Sid, Akok, and Carlton.

We found out but unless we get better players they will be back at the 4. Sid should start shooting now and not stop till October.

 

[UconnU]

I was really hoping we would have a larger 2019 class, ideally one player at each position but at least 4 guys including a big, to give Hurley a larger base of players to build around.

 

[intlzncster]

We’ve heard the “killing it in practice” story once or twice before haven’t we?

True. But it's better than sh_tting the bed.

 

[superjohn]

We aren't done recruiting, chill.

 

[NJHoops]

I was really hoping we would have a larger 2019 class, ideally one player at each position but at least 4 guys including a big, to give Hurley a larger base of players to build around.

They had 5 known open spots, which was dropped to 4 because of the self-imposed penalties. As of now, they still have 1 open scholarship. The end of season meetings are this week, at which time any additional openings will start to become known. This staff has shown they won’t just jettison players. They will be realistic about predicted playing time. This isn’t professional sports. You can’t just demote or release guys.