Pretty good article on Bouk / UConn in the Athletic

[87Xfer]

James Bouknight and UConn are looking to make some noise in return to Big East

 

[UCLJ0211]

Can someone summarize for those of us without access?

 

[87Xfer]

Can someone summarize for those of us without access?

see if this works. if not, just go to outline.com and enter the article url

Outline - Read & annotate without distractions

on edit: sorry, that doesn't even scratch the surface - it's a ~3,000 word article. Starts by talking about how Bouk is going to be in the spotlight, but that he's matured and appears ready to handle the pressure and be a leader. Then the article provides a thorough and complete roster analysis, recruiting summary, some scheduling discussion about this season, then looks at the program's potential "ceiling" and "floor" in terms of how we do in '20-'21.

 

[auror]

Get an Athletic subscription. A lot of UConn coverage since we have a beat reporter on there, plus best NBA draft coverage IMO (or at least up there with the also paywalled DraftExpress, but ESPN Insider doesn't have a UConn beat reporter).

Here's a 30 day guest pass a few people can use:
Guest Pass

Most fun quote:

“I think his confidence is very high,” Hurley says. “His personality is changing in terms of his leadership. He’s an alpha right now with potential lottery-pick talent.”

Other takeaways:

• Jalen and Cole think they can play together:
  

  “Me and Jalen together, that would be probably one of the amazing things,” Cole says. “We’re both playmakers. We’re unselfish.”

• Staff reiterated they think Polley will be ready to go for season start. Also, Hurley calls Polley a guard multiple times.
• Brendan Adams should also be healthy by season start.

  “Brendan is a rock solid person,” Young says. “You know what you’re getting every day. The dude shows up to work with a lunch pail and hard hat; he’s always ready to go.”

• Jackson is on the Bouknight path, which I think means probably won't be a starter at the beginning of the year.
• Whaley going to play small ball 5 a lot.
• Akok back in January most likely.
• Not a lot on Springs, Sanogo, or JB. Guessing staff still isn't sure how the playing time will shake out.
• Gaffney hopes to be at 190 lbs by season start, up from 170 last season.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Get an Athletic subscription. A lot of UConn coverage since we have a beat reporter on there, plus best NBA draft coverage IMO (or at least up there with the also paywalled DraftExpress, but ESPN Insider doesn't have a UConn beat reporter).

Here's a 30 day guest pass a few people can use:
Guest Pass

Most fun quote:


Other takeaways:

• Jalen and Cole think they can play together:
• Staff reiterated they think Polley will be ready to go for season start. Also, Hurley calls Polley a guard multiple times.
• Brendan Adams should also be healthy by season start.
• Jackson is on the Bouknight path, which I think means probably won't be a starter at the beginning of the year.
• Whaley going to play small ball 5 a lot.
• Akok back in January most likely.
• Not a lot on Springs, Sanogo, or JB. Guessing staff still isn't sure how the playing time will shake out.
• Gaffney hopes to be at 190 lbs by season start, up from 170 last season.

Whaley as a small ball 5??? Interesting.

Cole or Gaff
Bouk
Adams,
Polley
and Whaley??

Or

Cole/Gaff
Bouk
Adams/Polley
Sanogo
Whaley??

 

[husky429]

Get an Athletic subscription. A lot of UConn coverage since we have a beat reporter on there, plus best NBA draft coverage IMO (or at least up there with the also paywalled DraftExpress, but ESPN Insider doesn't have a UConn beat reporter).

Here's a 30 day guest pass a few people can use:
Guest Pass

Most fun quote:


Other takeaways:

• Jalen and Cole think they can play together:
• Staff reiterated they think Polley will be ready to go for season start. Also, Hurley calls Polley a guard multiple times.
• Brendan Adams should also be healthy by season start.
• Jackson is on the Bouknight path, which I think means probably won't be a starter at the beginning of the year.
• Whaley going to play small ball 5 a lot.
• Akok back in January most likely.
• Not a lot on Springs, Sanogo, or JB. Guessing staff still isn't sure how the playing time will shake out.
• Gaffney hopes to be at 190 lbs by season start, up from 170 last season.

My two thoughts after reading it.

Whaley is a 5. It's weird for us to say "small ball" when he's not really *that* small for a college 5

Also makes me think Javonte Brown is definitely a redshirt candidate. And maybe to not get our hopes up too much for Sanongo freshman year. He's a true, true freshman big after all. They normally take a while to develop.

 

[Psolo12]

Something I found interesting - Kimani highlighted that JB has great fundamentals and just has to get used to the physicality of college ball. Wasn't expecting that kind of description.

 

[auror]

My two thoughts after reading it.

Whaley is a 5. It's weird for us to say "small ball" when he's not really *that* small for a college 5

Yeah, I didn't phrase it right, but Hurley specifically said he'd play the 5 in "smaller lineups", which I'm assuming means small even outside of him (eg 4 guard lineups like last year with him at 5). I think with our depth and flexibility we'll likely be highly matchup and game script oriented. So we'll play the 4 guard lineup sometimes, a big Polley/Whaley/Carlton or Sanogo lineup sometimes, and traditional lineups maybe to start games.

 

[husky429]

Yeah, I didn't phrase it right, but Hurley specifically said he'd play the 5 in "smaller lineups", which I'm assuming means small even outside of him (eg 4 guard lineups like last year with him at 5). I think with our depth and flexibility we'll likely be highly matchup and game script oriented. So we'll play the 4 guard lineup sometimes, a big Polley/Whaley/Carlton or Sanogo lineup sometimes, and traditional lineups maybe to start games.

Yeah so much depends on injuries too. If Polley AND Akok aren't available? Or if Martin isn't as good as we think? We'll see a lot more Sanogo an Whaley at the 4 thank I'd personally want

 

[RichZ]

My two thoughts after reading it.

Whaley is a 5. It's weird for us to say "small ball" when he's not really *that* small for a college 5

Also makes me think Javonte Brown is definitely a redshirt candidate. And maybe to not get our hopes up too much for Sanongo freshman year. He's a true, true freshman big after all. They normally take a while to develop.

Small ball because he's lighter on his feet than our other experienced option, with offense out to double digit feet from the hoop, while Carlton is a far more stationary limited to a traditional, old school 5 role.

 

[Kitaman]

With our entering the BE (better competition) and our not being able to play Tourney ball, I'm wondering how Bouk will fare at the start of the season.

Of course the talent is there, but its a new day, so to speak. There are a lot of new parts including the opposition. It will be a challenge. I think it may take a while for him to 'emerge' as he makes the adjustments (internally and externally).

I guess I'm just saying if expectations are not met initially, give it some time.

 

[bendm]

Also, Hurley calls Polley a guard multiple times.

but he referred to him as the 3rd or 4th guard in lineups which means he's still technically playing SF or stretch PF

Cole/Gaff
Bouk
Adams/Polley
Sanogo
Whaley??

whaley would be the PF in those lineups not sanogo, but yeah i'd bet whaley ends up playing more minutes at the 5 than anyone else this year. as hurley said, "it’s no doubt he’s one of our best players," whereas all the article says about sanogo and brown is "the staff is excited about the prospects of their anchoring the Huskies’ frontcourt of the future."

 

[auror]

he referred to him as the 3rd or 4th guard in lineups which means he's still playing SF or stretch PF

Yeah. But he didn't call him the SF or stretch PF. He called him the 3rd or 4th guard in a lineup. I thought that was interesting and instructive as to how he views Polley.

 

[Waquoit]

The one takeaway I got here was that Sanogo isn't as far along as I've read in other places.

 

[Chin Diesel]

but he referred to him as the 3rd or 4th guard in lineups which means he's still technically playing SF or stretch PF

whaley would be the PF in those lineups not sanogo, but yeah i'd bet whaley ends up playing more minutes at the 5 than anyone else this year. as hurley said, "it’s no doubt he’s one of our best players," whereas all the article says about sanogo and brown is "the staff is excited about the prospects of their anchoring the Huskies’ frontcourt of the future."

So, who would be the four?

If Polley is third or fourth guard, is it a 4 out, 1 in, or is someone not named Polley or Sanogo playing the four?

 

[CL82]

So, who would be the four?

If Polley is third or fourth guard, is it a 4 out, 1 in, or is someone not named Polley or Sanogo playing the four?

Akok?

 

[navery12]

So, who would be the four?

If Polley is third or fourth guard, is it a 4 out, 1 in, or is someone not named Polley or Sanogo playing the four?

Either Martin or Polley will likely be the 4 when we're playing those smaller lineups

 

[bendm]

So, who would be the four?
If Polley is third or fourth guard, is it a 4 out, 1 in, or is someone not named Polley or Sanogo playing the four?

as mentioned above: polley or martin in smaller lineups, whaley, akok, and springs in bigger lineups. we have more guys that can play the 4 than you can shake a stick at

 

[husky429]

So, who would be the four?

If Polley is third or fourth guard, is it a 4 out, 1 in, or is someone not named Polley or Sanogo playing the four?

Potentially Springs? He's a big question mark for us.

 

[Hoophound]

Sanogo is the type of player that just ends up in the game, and despite what the coaches thought would happen, puts the ball in the hole. He probably doesn’t look very impressive battling good college players in practice/pick up yet, but put him in a game and he’ll find the bucket. My guess is that his D needs work, these guys are fast.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Akok?

as mentioned above: polley or martin in smaller lineups, whaley, akok, and springs in bigger lineups. we have more guys that can play the 4 than you can shake a stick at

My assumption is Akok won't be cleared to play until January at earliest and then I am treating him as more of an unknown than Polley who has been fully rehabbed and practicing with the team for over a month.

I would assume a fully healthy Akok gets 20 mph at the 4 and maybe another 3-5 at the 5 spot.

 

[CL82]

as mentioned above: polley or martin in smaller lineups, whaley, akok, and springs in bigger lineups. we have more guys that can play the 4 than you can shake a stick at

I don't know. I don't think of Akok as a lumbering big. Small ball is usually intended to be up tempo. I think a healthy Akok can play at that pace.

 

[bendm]

I don't know. I don't think of Akok as a lumbering big. Small ball is usually intended to be up tempo. I think a healthy Akok can play at that pace.

ok then how about martin or polley in smaller lineups, akok in our traditional lineup, and whaley or springs in bigger lineups.

i was trying to convey that when akok is our PF we aren't undersized so he's not considered a small ball 4 like polley or martin. he's a prototypical PF in hurley's system.

 

[CL82]

ok then how about martin or polley in smaller lineups, akok in our traditional lineup, and whaley or springs in bigger lineups.

i was trying to convey that when akok is our PF we aren't undersized so he's not considered a small ball 4 like polley or martin. he's a prototypical PF in hurley's system.

No thin Josh?

I don’t see Akok as prototypical given his combination length, hops, and mobility. But I understand your point.

 

[bendm]

No thin Josh?

thin josh is a C, thick josh was an offensive lineman