2024 Recruiting: - One more potential add? | Page 2 | The Boneyard

2024 Recruiting: One more potential add?

navery12 said:
2 of Mahaney, Ball, Stewart, McNeeley would come off the bench and it seems crazy to suggest any of them do. So I'm not sure what to predict
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That's why I say our bench could make a tournament team. Let's say Mahaney and Stewart start. Well Solo and McNeeley would be a luxury for 90% of teams in the country to have in the backcourt.
 
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Robrio89 said:
I think 2023 was the proof of this. Samson goes down with an injury in his first game and the 4 ends up being 6’8” freshman Alex Karaban, for the remainder of the season. Going into the Big East in early 23 there was talk about him not being strong enough physically for the opposition, but what it did for our offense was impossible to ignore. And outside of a couple buckets, it wasn’t an exploitative problem at all for our defense.
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It is really hard to beat an opponent on a game plan of "our 4 is going to bully your 4."

On the other hand, it's really easy to beat an opponent on a game plan of "sag off of their bigs and stick close to their few shooters."
 
Coleman Hawkins just entered the nba process while also entering the transfer portal. could be a good backup if karaban decides to stay in the draft.
 
RuffRuff said:
One piece we didn't have last year is a body to guard really physical 4's, where they could back down AK at ease. No one behind AK that can really guard that kind of guy either, guys like Reneau, Ingram, etc. I would think if he did anything, it would be just to get a body for depth in the event we played a team with a really strong PF. That, or get a developmental mid major. One thing I've heard Pope is doing is holding a couple spots open for guys that enter draft, then pull out. Always good to have a spot for opportunistic reasons as you never know how things will fall these days.
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You mentioned 2 power forwards in games that we won by a combined million points.
If that player type scores 30 points against us, and we still win by 20, then I don't think it's something we should be targeting.
Our only losses were to teams that lit us up from 3, and a big bodied 4 won't help there.

What we lose on defense we make up for in gained offense. No matter what, we won't have EVERY player type on the team. Certain people told us all that not having Sanogo on this team would be a problem, instead we won all the games by a zillion without him.
 
3rdbass said:
Why Can't Stewart put on some weight on his frame and come back like Karaban did for his sophomore year?
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Stew was listed at 6'7 205 last year so he'd have to grow an inch and gain 15 lbs to come back the same size as AK... Here are the starting PFs from the final poll top 10:

Alex Karaban- 6'8 220
Kaufmen Renn- 6'9 230
Grant Nelson- 6'11 230
JaVier Francis- 6'8 240
Jordan James- 6'6 225
Guerrier- 6'8 220
Harrison Ingram is 6'7 235
Momcilovic is 6'8 210
Mark Mitchell 6'9 230
Diarra- 6'10 215

superjohn said:
There's enough talent to three-peat without AK. With AK people will be talking about taking UConn over the field.
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i agree with your second sentence but that's because AK is our best and most indispensable player by a federal mile. he takes us from the second weekend to the third by himself.
 
Huskyforlife said:
I’m starting to think Mahaney might be a super sub 6th man next year, playing close to starters minutes. I just think it would make more sense given our personnel.
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you gave Ball 10 minutes in your rotation projection so who do you have starting at SG if not Mahaney?
 
Diarra, Mahaney, McNeeley, Karaban, SJ --- seems like ideal starters but I have no clue how the staff spins it to Stewart and Ball while keeping them confident. Honestly they should be fine with being major bench contributors on a title favorite but we'll have to see how it plays out.
 
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bendm said:
Stew was listed at 6'7 205 last year so he'd have to grow an inch and gain 15 lbs to come back the same size as AK... Here are the starting PFs from the final poll top 10:

Alex Karaban- 6'8 220
Kaufmen Renn- 6'9 230
Grant Nelson- 6'11 230
JaVier Francis- 6'8 240
Jordan James- 6'6 225
Guerrier- 6'8 220
Harrison Ingram is 6'7 235
Momcilovic is 6'8 210
Mark Mitchell 6'9 230
Diarra- 6'10 215


i agree with your second sentence but that's because AK is our best and most indispensable player by a federal mile. he takes us from the second weekend to the third by himself.
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I wouldn't worry about 1 inch and Stewart has the frame to gain the weight. He is already a more physical player than Karaban. On offense we play with a stretch 4 even if a little undersized. We can exploit big guys on the offensive side of the court. This is how uconn plays with a versatile maybe a little undersized pf.
 
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3rdbass said:
I wouldn't worry about 1 inch and Stewart has the frame to gain the weight. He is already a more physical player than Karaban. With this offense we play with a stretch 3 even if a little undersized. We can exploit big guys on the offensesive side of the court. This is how uconn plays with a versatile maybe a little undersized pf.
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not in one off-season he doesnt. idk what you saw that lead you believe stew is more physical than AK. Stew plays more like a big guard than big man. he's a finesse player.
 
bendm said:
idk what you saw that lead you believe stew is more physical than AK. Stew plays more like a big guard than big man. he's a finesse player.
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Because I saw someone in there banging bodies and fighting for rebounds even in limited minutes. You know know Karaban has been described as a guard to on broadcasts. Also, Karban was 10 lbs lighter his Freshman year. You don't think Stewart can't come back with more pounds on his body? I wouldn't worry about 1 inch and 5 lbs since I think Stewart is a better athlete than Karaban. I think you are stuck in the 2000's with the traditional PFs UConn had then. That isn't how we play now and we have been successful with this type of stretch four. Now I will say we won't have Clingan to clean up messes but that is something Hurley will have to game plan for. I trust in Hurley.
 
Theres a couple stretch 4s sitting in the draft process that Id assume we show sharp interest in if Alex stays in the draft. Those kids are also focused on the draft and may be looking for an opportunity if the draft isnt for them.
 
3rdbass said:
Because I saw someone in there banging bodies and fighting for rebounds even in limited minutes. You know know Karaban has been described as a guard to on broadcasts. Also, Karban was 10 lbs lighter his Freshman year. You don't think Stewart can't come back with more pounds on his body? I wouldn't worry about 1 inch and 5 lbs since I think Stewart is a better athlete than Karaban. I think you are stuck in the 2000's with the traditional PFs UConn had then. That isn't how we play now and we have been successful with this type of stretch four. Now I will say we won't have Clingan to clean up messes but that is something Hurley will have to game plan for. I trust in Hurley.
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that doesnt mean he's more physcial than AK, who was doing it for 30 mpg and even guarding Edey in the chip game. and dont patronize me about being stuck in the 2000s i fully understand the value of a stretch 4 to our offense. but are you saying you wouldnt take Charlie V next year? replacing our most important player with an undersized stretch 4 that barely made the rotation is going to tank our chances at 3peating.
 
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MrSec224 said:
Theres a couple stretch 4s sitting in the draft process that Id assume we show sharp interest in if Alex stays in the draft. Those kids are also focused on the draft and may be looking for an opportunity if the draft isnt for them.
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See Jaylen Wells (6'8" 205 lbs) and Kasean Pryor (6'10" 200 lbs). If Karaban stayed in the draft but either of these two did not, they make a lot of sense in late May.
 
bendm said:
that doesnt mean he's more physcial than AK, who was doing it for 30 mpg and even guarding Edey in the chip game. and dont patronize me about being stuck in the 2000s i fully understand the value of a stretch 4 to our offense. doesnt change the fact that replacing our most important player with an undersized stretch 4 that barely played last year is going to tank our chances at 3peating.
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1 inch and 5 lbs(assuming he gains the same 10 lbs of muscle that Karaban gained between Fresman to Sophemore year to compete down low) in the grand schemes of things is nothing. Both Karaban and Stewart are a little undersized but that is how the game is played. We will be fine as we can take advantage of teams playing a traditional 4 on the offensive side as they will have to cover them. I trust that Hurley is confident in what he has seen in Stewart that he doesn't need to bring anyone else in. Also, we don't know if Karaban isn't coming back and we also don't know what Hurley will do if he doesn't.
 
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MrSec224 said:
Theres a couple stretch 4s sitting in the draft process that Id assume we show sharp interest in if Alex stays in the draft. Those kids are also focused on the draft and may be looking for an opportunity if the draft isnt for them.
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I’m sure there are a bunch of kids that would love 1 year with UConn/Hurley to showcase themselves for the league. Our offense lets everyone shine. Look what it did for Cam.
 
if Karaban goes pro, we could use a player who can rebound, play some defense on 4 and shoot. Unless, Hurley thinks Ross or Abraham could do that role. I think 6’7 is tall enough to play the 4 in UConn system but need some strength to defend players like Bryce Hopkins. I suppose it’s possible Samson could get some time at 4 against some of the nastier opposing power forwards, but that would probably mess up offensive sets.
 
IMG_1535.jpeg
 
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bendm said:
you gave Ball 10 minutes in your rotation projection so who do you have starting at SG if not Mahaney?
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Maybe something like.

Diarra(25)-Mahaney(15)
Liam(25)-Mahaney(10)-Solo(5)
Stewart(25)-Solo(15)
Alex(30)-Ross or Abraham(10)
Center(20)-Center(20)

Nowell could push Solo and Ross/Abraham for the 9th spot, but I think a lineup like this fits our personnel better. Really depends on Liam and/or Stewart’s ability to be a support ball handler.
 
Im sure we will add someone soley as a bench piece, for depth. Similary to Romoglou. You have to have some guys who can play in practice that will not see the court only in blow outs. Maybe someone who wants some experience with UConn, who may go elsewhere afterward.
 
Huskyforlife said:
Maybe something like.

Diarra(25)-Mahaney(15)
Liam(25)-Mahaney(10)-Solo(5)
Stewart(25)-Solo(15)
Alex(30)-Ross or Abraham(10)
Center(20)-Center(20)

Nowell could push Solo and Ross/Abraham for the 9th spot, but I think a lineup like this fits our personnel better. Really depends on Liam and/or Stewart’s ability to be a support ball handler.
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Umm… McNeeley?
 
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