PF Mamadou Diarra (Signed LOI on 11/14)

[Stinger92860]

But shouldn't the #1 priority be to get a player drafted and NOT championships? Oh right, we are UConn and NOT Squid U!!!!

UConn does both very well!

 

[CAHUSKY]

Here's the thing with VCU - I guess they'll always have the Pyrrhic victories with Larrier and Mack, but....

Pyrrhic. How did i make it through 47 years and not know that word? Just looked it up. Great word.

 

[DogMania]

Wow! What a h*ll of a recruiting run KO and his staff are in right now. I guess all the concerns folks here had about our recruiting can be put to bed. At least for now.

I guess we can't completely discount all the swings and misses in the 2015 class. I still think not being in a P5 conference is making our recruiting very difficult. If we were in a P5 coming of a recent NC, we would have had a very different 2015 recruiting class, though not necessarily better one. The fact that we didn't fill many of our 2015 ships early on, opened up the opportunity to land Miller and Gibbs, two talented players with so much more experience than any incoming freshman would have brought to the table.

Let's see how the 2016 class shapes up. One thing I've observed over the years is that you usually experience that NC bump in recruiting in the class two years removed from the championship. Many of the 2015 recruits had already established who they liked and relationships to recruiters before we won NC #4. It's the 2016, 17 and so forth that were more impressionable and influenced by our 2014 NC.

But I still can't discount how as a fan, I don't get nearly as excited about the bulk of our games that are against our fellow AAC programs, and can't imagine a recruit not taking that into account. In the past the thought of facing SU, UL, GU, STJ (in their hay day), Nova, Pitt, and other top 25 programs was something I looked forward to each year. Now it's so hard to get excited about facing any of our fellow AAC foes. I mean no disrespect since many of them have beaten us and some have legit top 25 talent, but it's a far cry from the old BE. So I'm sure the negative recruiting doesn't go unnoticed by our recruits when they hear things like, "If you come here, you'll get to play against, UNC, Dook, UL, SU, etc...Mich St, Wisconsin, Mich, Indiana...Kansas, UT, and on and on it goes. But in the AAC, you'll face...hum...Cincinnati, SMU, Temple, Houston... Not being in a P5 conf simply has to make KO's and his staff's job all the harder. To discount that, you have your head in the sand. With all this said, props to KO and his staff for overcoming this. The two transfers, Adams, Enoch, Diarra, hopefully the other 2016s we're hearing about, proves they are able to overcome this issue enough to keep the cupboards filled.

 

[Dove]

@Dove I've now got Arrow in Pandora.

Soca music is a drug.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Wow! What a h*ll of a recruiting run KO and his staff are in right now. I guess all the concerns folks here had about our recruiting can be put to bed. At least for now.

I guess we can't completely discount all the swings and misses in the 2015 class. I still think not being in a P5 conference is making our recruiting very difficult. If we were in a P5 coming of a recent NC, we would have had a very different 2015 recruiting class, though not necessarily better one. The fact that we didn't fill many of our 2015 ships early on, opened up the opportunity to land Miller and Gibbs, two talented players with so much more experience than any incoming freshman would have brought to the table.

Let's see how the 2016 class shapes up. One thing I've observed over the years is that you usually experience that NC bump in recruiting in the class two years removed from the championship. Many of the 2015 recruits had already established who they liked and relationships to recruiters before we won NC #4. It's the 2016, 17 and so forth that were more impressionable and influenced by our 2014 NC.

But I still can't discount how as a fan, I don't get nearly as excited about the bulk of our games that are against our fellow AAC programs, and can't imagine a recruit not taking that into account. In the past the thought of facing SU, UL, GU, STJ (in their hay day), Nova, Pitt, and other top 25 programs was something I looked forward to each year. Now it's so hard to get excited about facing any of our fellow AAC foes. I mean no disrespect since many of them have beaten us and some have legit top 25 talent, but it's a far cry from the old BE. So I'm sure the negative recruiting doesn't go unnoticed by our recruits when they hear things like, "If you come here, you'll get to play against, UNC, Dook, UL, SU, etc...Mich St, Wisconsin, Mich, Indiana...Kansas, UT, and on and on it goes. But in the AAC, you'll face...hum...Cincinnati, SMU, Temple, Houston... Not being in a P5 conf simply has to make KO's and his staff's job all the harder. To discount that, you have your head in the sand. With all this said, props to KO and his staff for overcoming this. The two transfers, Adams, Enoch, Diarra, hopefully the other 2016s we're hearing about, proves they are able to overcome this issue enough to keep the cupboards filled.

Actually, that's not crazy. The 2001 and 2006 recruiting classes were both absolutely loaded, and those were the classes where the guys started really looking when we were coming off a title. Maybe 2016 is going to be like that.

 

[huskiesnyc]

This is one of the best comments you could ever ask from a new recruit

 

[deedougie]

Revealing quote in the New Haven article about Diarra:

Funny story Diarra told about playing with Amida Brimah during a recent visit to UConn:

“I was trying to figure out why Daniel Hamilton was leading the team in rebounding, and not Brimah. I was on (Brimah's) team, he blocked a shot, the ball was right next to him. He’s looking at me, waiting for me to get the ball, and I was like, ‘That’s your rebond, man.’

Ugghhhh Brimah!!

 

[jibsey]

Wow! What a h*ll of a recruiting run KO and his staff are in right now. I guess all the concerns folks here had about our recruiting can be put to bed. At least for now.

I guess we can't completely discount all the swings and misses in the 2015 class. I still think not being in a P5 conference is making our recruiting very difficult. If we were in a P5 coming of a recent NC, we would have had a very different 2015 recruiting class, though not necessarily better one. The fact that we didn't fill many of our 2015 ships early on, opened up the opportunity to land Miller and Gibbs, two talented players with so much more experience than any incoming freshman would have brought to the table.

Let's see how the 2016 class shapes up. One thing I've observed over the years is that you usually experience that NC bump in recruiting in the class two years removed from the championship. Many of the 2015 recruits had already established who they liked and relationships to recruiters before we won NC #4. It's the 2016, 17 and so forth that were more impressionable and influenced by our 2014 NC.

But I still can't discount how as a fan, I don't get nearly as excited about the bulk of our games that are against our fellow AAC programs, and can't imagine a recruit not taking that into account. In the past the thought of facing SU, UL, GU, STJ (in their hay day), Nova, Pitt, and other top 25 programs was something I looked forward to each year. Now it's so hard to get excited about facing any of our fellow AAC foes. I mean no disrespect since many of them have beaten us and some have legit top 25 talent, but it's a far cry from the old BE. So I'm sure the negative recruiting doesn't go unnoticed by our recruits when they hear things like, "If you come here, you'll get to play against, UNC, Dook, UL, SU, etc...Mich St, Wisconsin, Mich, Indiana...Kansas, UT, and on and on it goes. But in the AAC, you'll face...hum...Cincinnati, SMU, Temple, Houston... Not being in a P5 conf simply has to make KO's and his staff's job all the harder. To discount that, you have your head in the sand. With all this said, props to KO and his staff for overcoming this. The two transfers, Adams, Enoch, Diarra, hopefully the other 2016s we're hearing about, proves they are able to overcome this issue enough to keep the cupboards filled.

KO is doing great in the face of the conference thing, better than I expected. I too believe I can hear the opposing teams telling the recruits just what you said but lately there was an article about how our conference is strengthening. Can it get to the point that it becomes enough of a power in hoops and we don't have to or want to leave?

 

[CAHUSKY]

KO is doing great in the face of the conference thing, better than I expected. I too believe I can hear the opposing teams telling the recruits just what you said but lately there was an article about how our conference is strengthening. Can it get to the point that it becomes enough of a power in hoops and we don't have to or want to leave?

1. We won a National Championship while in this conference and put kids in the NBA so that's a pretty good response to recruits concerns.
2. Regardless of how good the basketball is in this conference the pay check will never be anywhere close to big enough to keep us from leaving if an opportunity presents itself.

 

[Stainmaster]

KO is doing great in the face of the conference thing, better than I expected. I too believe I can hear the opposing teams telling the recruits just what you said but lately there was an article about how our conference is strengthening. Can it get to the point that it becomes enough of a power in hoops and we don't have to or want to leave?

This is blasphemous. Not only will it never happen, but the idea of being content with staying in the same conference as ECU/UCF/Tulsa/Tulane makes me want to vomit.

 

[djct1999]

KO is doing great in the face of the conference thing, better than I expected. I too believe I can hear the opposing teams telling the recruits just what you said but lately there was an article about how our conference is strengthening. Can it get to the point that it becomes enough of a power in hoops and we don't have to or want to leave?

Unless they pay us $25million a year, no.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Can it get to the point that it becomes enough of a power in hoops and we don't have to or want to leave?

The only way we wouldn't want to leave is if it got to the point where a television network is willing to pay the AAC as much as it pays the B1G or ACC. And that will never, ever happen.

 

[James]

So we aren't really looking at bruce brown anymore...who are the other new england prospects/targets? Gabriel + tyrique jones?

1. We won a National Championship while in this conference and put kids in the NBA so that's a pretty good response to recruits concerns.
2. Regardless of how good the basketball is in this conference the pay check will never be anywhere close to big enough to keep us from leaving if an opportunity presents itself.

Yeah I think Bazz and DD in the league is huge, there is a very small % of college players that get a chance at the next level like that. Hopefully DD gets a chance next season to replace landry fields in toronto for the regular season

 

[Marty Jackson]

Wow! What a h*ll of a recruiting run KO and his staff are in right now. I guess all the concerns folks here had about our recruiting can be put to bed. At least for now.

I guess we can't completely discount all the swings and misses in the 2015 class. I still think not being in a P5 conference is making our recruiting very difficult. If we were in a P5 coming of a recent NC, we would have had a very different 2015 recruiting class, though not necessarily better one. The fact that we didn't fill many of our 2015 ships early on, opened up the opportunity to land Miller and Gibbs, two talented players with so much more experience than any incoming freshman would have brought to the table.

Let's see how the 2016 class shapes up. One thing I've observed over the years is that you usually experience that NC bump in recruiting in the class two years removed from the championship. Many of the 2015 recruits had already established who they liked and relationships to recruiters before we won NC #4. It's the 2016, 17 and so forth that were more impressionable and influenced by our 2014 NC.

But I still can't discount how as a fan, I don't get nearly as excited about the bulk of our games that are against our fellow AAC programs, and can't imagine a recruit not taking that into account. In the past the thought of facing SU, UL, GU, STJ (in their hay day), Nova, Pitt, and other top 25 programs was something I looked forward to each year. Now it's so hard to get excited about facing any of our fellow AAC foes. I mean no disrespect since many of them have beaten us and some have legit top 25 talent, but it's a far cry from the old BE. So I'm sure the negative recruiting doesn't go unnoticed by our recruits when they hear things like, "If you come here, you'll get to play against, UNC, Dook, UL, SU, etc...Mich St, Wisconsin, Mich, Indiana...Kansas, UT, and on and on it goes. But in the AAC, you'll face...hum...Cincinnati, SMU, Temple, Houston... Not being in a P5 conf simply has to make KO's and his staff's job all the harder. To discount that, you have your head in the sand. With all this said, props to KO and his staff for overcoming this. The two transfers, Adams, Enoch, Diarra, hopefully the other 2016s we're hearing about, proves they are able to overcome this issue enough to keep the cupboards filled.

Uconn has proven they'll play anyone anywhere... Pretty decent schedule the past couple years.

 

[B1GEast]

An Enoch, Diarra front court in 2017 would be on the shorter side but would be explosive. Veryexcitingstartforthe2016class.giffff

i'm sure they are both still growing, so they're not that short for their positions 6'10 C and 6'9 PF in shoes is about right

 

[Walker11]

This is blasphemous. Not only will it never happen, but the idea of being content with staying in the same conference as ECU/UCF/Tulsa/Tulane makes me want to vomit.

The second part is true, regardless of your sarcasm. You seem like a smart dude who is very informed about the college hoops landscape. But be creative, don't stay on the same easy, cheap sarcastic note. Just IMO.

 

[Stainmaster]

The second part is true, regardless of your sarcasm. You seem like a smart dude who is very informed about the college hoops landscape. But be creative, don't stay on the same easy, cheap sarcastic note. Just IMO.

I know. But as a supporter of this program, I want us in the best possible situation. We need to be playing in a top conference getting top exposure, which puts us in position to get the top recruits, thereby continuing the cycle. That's why the AAC is so frustrating for me and many others. It's the only road into a P5 conference, yet it just flat-out sucks. The day we get that invite to the ACC/B1G will be a celebration for the ages, because even though it's our lifeline, the longer it takes the more it kills our program. Which is why it's easy to overreact and speak in a less-than-cordial tone when someone suggests that we should stay here.

 

[TigerJ]

What the story behind the venom for VCU lol

 

[TigerJ]

I know. But as a supporter of this program, I want us in the best possible situation. We need to be playing in a top conference getting top exposure, which puts us in position to get the top recruits, thereby continuing the cycle. That's why the AAC is so frustrating for me and many others. It's the only road into a P5 conference, yet it just flat-out sucks. The day we get that invite to the ACC/B1G will be a celebration for the ages, because even though it's our lifeline, the longer it takes the more it kills our program. Which is why it's easy to overreact and speak in a less-than-cordial tone when someone suggests that we should stay here.

Memphis got top recruits being in CUSA. Really no excuse. Your program sells itself regardless of conference affiliation

 

[CallMeBruce]

What the story behind the venom for VCU lol

They're weird creepers who talk a lot of junk and pretend that they're on our level because they beat us for a couple of recruits.

 

[Stainmaster]

Memphis got top recruits being in CUSA. Really no excuse. Your program sells itself regardless of conference affiliation

Come on now. Look at me with a straight face and tell me you don't think that a P5 conference is more conducive to a program's success than the AAC.

 

[tcf15]

What the story behind the venom for VCU lol

The last two times UConn and VCU went head to head, they beat us for recruits. Which makes them think that puts them on the same level as a program with 4 national championships.

But on top of that, their fan base is just annoying. Worst thing is their mods encouraging posters on the board to engage the recruits on Twitter, which makes them think they are solely responsible for any commit they get.

 

[TigerJ]

They're weird creepers who talk a lot of junk and pretend that they're on our level because they beat us for a couple of recruits.

Those silly fans lol. You should see the delusion of Louisiana Tech fans. They probably believe they are on UConn's level even though they haven't made the NCAA in forever

 

[CL82]

KO is doing great in the face of the conference thing, better than I expected. I too believe I can hear the opposing teams telling the recruits just what you said but lately there was an article about how our conference is strengthening. Can it get to the point that it becomes enough of a power in hoops and we don't have to or want to leave?

No.

 

[FluxTZ]

And hopefully Zach Brown. But if not, I'd be completely fine with a Diarra-Enoch front court in 2017.

If we get Brown do we have to rename the band to "Zach Brown Band"?

 

[Walker11]

I know. But as a supporter of this program, I want us in the best possible situation. We need to be playing in a top conference getting top exposure, which puts us in position to get the top recruits, thereby continuing the cycle. That's why the AAC is so frustrating for me and many others. It's the only road into a P5 conference, yet it just flat-out sucks. The day we get that invite to the ACC/B1G will be a celebration for the ages, because even though it's our lifeline, the longer it takes the more it kills our program. Which is why it's easy to overreact and speak in a less-than-cordial tone when someone suggests that we should stay here.

Welp, that's not the answer I expected. I assumed sarcasm but you weren't paying that card. I agree with what you said.

 

[TigerJ]

It's a legitimate concern, even if it's a little overblown here. And your coach was/is the best recruiter in the college hoops. I don't think even us UConn fans would argue KO now could out-recruit Cal then.

When it comes to the actual hardwood, though....

I really don't think it's that big of a deal. Cal and Pastner work all the angle to get top recruits. It also helps to have assistants with connections. We got Damon Stoudamire back on staff and he will reel in some top guards for us because people know what he has done and that they can trust him. Kevin Ollie is the same with his cred as a player and coach and you guys are UConn

 

[Tenspro2002]

Wow! What a h*ll of a recruiting run KO and his staff are in right now. I guess all the concerns folks here had about our recruiting can be put to bed. At least for now.

We're definitely turning a corner, and the transfers both fill crucial niches. Credit the staff for identifying the need, to put it bluntly, to recruit over some of the chaff that we picked up during a subpar recruiting period (2012-2014). And, not just identifying the need, but succeeding! For Gibbs, we beat out OSU and Pitt, two decent P5 programs. Miller I believe had high-major interest as well. That's noteworthy.

I don't think I'd categorize Diarra in that way -- it's not like you can point to his commitment and say "UConn's back". He's a nice start to the class of 2016, but he's also a sub-100 recruit for whom the only competition was an imploding mid-major.

I think the real test will come with guys like Gilbert, who are clearly on the radar, highly ranked, with multiple high-major offers. That's not to say Diarra won't have an impact on the court -- I firmly expect he will, and I expect his stock will go up even over the next 12 months. But I think Ollie's recruiting mettle will really be tested with these top 2016 and 2017 targets.

Still, we should feel a lot better about our place in the college basketball landscape today than we did 2 months ago.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Diarra had 25 D-1 offers, several from P5s, when he closed his recruitment. Schools got in on him late, but that doesn't mean other schools didn't want him. Honestly, I don't think it would have mattered if Kentucky, Duke, and Kansas had all offered. He wanted to go to Connecticut.

 

[Walker11]

We're definitely turning a corner, and the transfers both fill crucial niches. Credit the staff for identifying the need, to put it bluntly, to recruit over some of the chaff that we picked up during a subpar recruiting period (2012-2014). And, not just identifying the need, but succeeding! For Gibbs, we beat out OSU and Pitt, two decent P5 programs. Miller I believe had high-major interest as well. That's noteworthy.

I don't think I'd categorize Diarra in that way -- it's not like you can point to his commitment and say "UConn's back". He's a nice start to the class of 2016, but he's also a sub-100 recruit for whom the only competition was an imploding mid-major.

I think the real test will come with guys like Gilbert, who are clearly on the radar, highly ranked, with multiple high-major offers. That's not to say Diarra won't have an impact on the court -- I firmly expect he will, and I expect his stock will go up even over the next 12 months. But I think Ollie's recruiting mettle will really be tested with these top 2016 and 2017 targets.

Still, we should feel a lot better about our place in the college basketball landscape today than we did 2 months ago.

You may have a tiny bit more negative slant but I like your point of view. KO looks like he built a monster 2k15 team. Diarra will eventually be consensus 4 star and Larrier would be awesome but I want to see KO beat a couple of legit elite programs for top kids before I am 100 percent confident. I'm like 95% now.