Rank your favorite UConn players who played here for just 1 or 2 years

[huskiesNhoos]

Who are your favorite UConn players who played here for just 1 or 2 years?

My list is: (years)

Donovan Clingan (2)
Caron Butler (2)
Nadav Henefeld (1) - Broke my heart when he didn't return. If he was in the Portal era we would have been able to see more of him.
Tristen Newton (2*)
Cam Spencer (1*)
Stephen Castle (1)
Jordan Hawkins (2)
James Bouknight (2)
R.J. Cole (2) - Pre-Portal, not including redshirt year he had to sit out.
Tyrese Martin (2*)
Joey Calcaterra (1*)
Nahiem Alleyne (1*)

(Andre Drummond played just 1 year, but had little impact at UConn.)

* It's interesting how many 1 to 2 year portal players have had a moderate to big impact at UConn.

Other than R.J. Cole, I don't recall any pre-portal transfers who have had any impact at UConn, but maybe I've missed others.

What's amazing, is how few 1-and-dones we've had considering the success we've witnessed the past 2+ decades.

I feel like it's a tease to ask a fun question and then list 90% of the possible answers...that said, I think it's hard not to pick cam

 

[storrsroars]

I'm going with Newton. TBOMK, dude never once swallowed his gum.

 

[Huskybass]

100% Miller. I equate him with Cam Spencer as guys who would have been legendary Huskies if they were here for four years.

One year is all it took for Cam Spencer to be a UConn Legend. Best one year player we've had, or at least a toss up with Castle.

 

[DogMania]

Wow! what a great exercise. Recency bias leads me to DC, Castle and Cam. However, I am going with Nadav!!!

My thoughts kept on going to Nadav and Cam as my true favorites. Memories of the Gaza Stripper, Nadav, stepping onto a passing lane, coming away with a timely steal, and Cam knocking down some winning time dagger, forever are etched in my memories.

 

[uconnblueinky]

The Dove. He was absolutely unafraid, unintimidated and unimpressed by any team including the then venerable Georgetown. I remember one play where G'Town was playing extended smothering defense and we couldn't even get a shot off until Dove got the ball. They doubled him with hands right in his face, so he put the ball on the floor and took it immediately to the hoop with both defenders draped all over him. He didn't score but he was fouled and that was the last time they tried that. He knew how to break through.
Loved his nickname too "The Gaza Stripper."

So what happened to Nadav? Why didn't he play more than one year at UConn? I remember being ten or eleven years old when he was playing for Connecticut and I called him " The Dove" for half the season because I thought that's what the announcers were saying.

 

[Spaceman213J]

For me, it has to be Nadav. I remember watching ESPN and the news that he was not coming back. I was stunned.

Shonn Miller is another one of those 'bridge' guys who got the team through some rough times. He was fun to watch.

Cam, Newt and DC will always have a special place in my heart after the last 2 years and knowing that Cam tried to get another year of eligibility also kicks him up a notch.

 

[DogMania]

So what happened to Nadav? Why didn't he play more than one year at UConn? I remember being ten or eleven years old when he was playing for Connecticut and I called him " The Dove" for half the season because I thought that's what the announcers were saying.

He accepted a lucrative professional contract by the very successful Israeli profession basketball team Maccabi Tel Aviv instead of returning to UConn. If my memory serves me he had a tearful announcement stating that he would not be returning to UConn. He wanted to return but felt a lot of pressure to play for Israel's iconic team which was experiencing a great deal of international success at that time. I, along with many Husky fans, were devistated wishing it wasn't true.

We had just come off of the 1990 "Dream Season" where they fell one overtime loss against Dook from our first Final Four, with hopes of finally achieving that the next year. With Nadav not returning, I knew that had slipped away, and it took 9 years and many E-8 and S-16 heartbreaks to finally breakthrough with not only our first F-4 but the first of our 6 MB NCs.

I always felt that if Nadav had returned we probably would have kept the momentum going and made our first F-4 sooner than later, but that Nadav would also have been drafted by some NBA team and made it to the League. He did have a very successful pro career in Israel and Europe, where Maccabi competed well in European international competition.

 

[78AlwaysHappy]

Has anybody mentioned Charlie Villanueva?

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I associate many of my favorite UConn plays of the 90s and early 00s to "lifers", but getting the chance to share the start of my UConn years with Rudy Guy was something amazing to watch. He was, by far, my favorite player to watch warm up before games while I was in the student section. Caron Butler was before my time at UConn, but I loved watching him on TV and he's obviously been an incredible ambassador to the program and just an incredible story, as a person.

Combined with the modern day of player movement and the current dynasty that is beholden upon us, there are plenty of recent favorites: Donovan Clingan, Tristen Newton, RJ Cole, Stephon Castle, Cam Spencer, Jordan Hawkins, Joey C, Tyrese Martin, Bouk...

So many to pick from!

I'm a big fan of redemption stories and of that list, so I gotta go with Tristen Newton.

Listen, in his first season at UConn, he was panned a lot on here, especially during UConn's 2-6 stretch at the start of 2022-23 conference play. I was at the Creighton/UConn game after his rough two-game stretch against Xavier and Providence and plenty of "fans" near me said some pretty awful crap about him, but that was a game where his steady poise and icy veins prevailed.

An elite closer who had the ability to control the pace of the game, Newton had a magical end to his UConn career. Here are his averages across his final fifteen games with UConn: 15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 2.1 turnovers, 55.1 2P%, 2.3 3PM, 34.7 3P%, 83.6 FT%. Unreal.

In his two years at UConn, he was the starting point guard on National Championship teams. That's incredible.

 

[CTBasketball]

A few of my favorites:

Johnnie Selvie
Rudy Gay
Charlie Villanueva
Nadav Henefeld

 

[David 76]

Nadav

 

[Horatio]

 

[huskiesNhoos]

Kinda seems like we need to break it down into eras for choosing (I put a solid couple of minutes into these names so obviously they're perfect)

B(J)C (pre '86)
The Ascension (86'-'99)
BE glory years ('99-'12)
The dark years ('12-'18)
The carpenter ('18-present)

 

[HooperScooper]

I associate many of my favorite UConn plays of the 90s and early 00s to "lifers", but getting the chance to share the start of my UConn years with Rudy Guy was something amazing to watch. He was, by far, my favorite player to watch warm up before games while I was in the student section. Caron Butler was before my time at UConn, but I loved watching him on TV and he's obviously been an incredible ambassador to the program and just an incredible story, as a person.

Combined with the modern day of player movement and the current dynasty that is beholden upon us, there are plenty of recent favorites: Donovan Clingan, Tristen Newton, RJ Cole, Stephon Castle, Cam Spencer, Jordan Hawkins, Joey C, Tyrese Martin, Bouk...

So many to pick from!

I'm a big fan of redemption stories and of that list, so I gotta go with Tristen Newton.

Listen, in his first season at UConn, he was panned a lot on here, especially during UConn's 2-6 stretch at the start of 2022-23 conference play. I was at the Creighton/UConn game after his rough two-game stretch against Xavier and Providence and plenty of "fans" near me said some pretty awful crap about him, but that was a game where his steady poise and icy veins prevailed.

An elite closer who had the ability to control the pace of the game, Newton had a magical end to his UConn career. Here are his averages across his final fifteen games with UConn: 15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 2.1 turnovers, 55.1 2P%, 2.3 3PM, 34.7 3P%, 83.6 FT%. Unreal.

In his two years at UConn, he was the starting point guard on National Championship teams. That's incredible.

And many UConn fans still can't spell his first name right (not you, just general observation).

 

[Tenspro2002]

Ed Nelson would probably be the closest, but I guess it depends on your definition of impact.

The other would potentially be Terry Lerrier, but that was an era I think we all try to block out of our collective UConn memories.

Did Terry Larrier have any impact on UConn? Hastened the end of the KO era?

 

[Tenspro2002]

Shonn Miller needs on that list

I loved his game, and that team should have accomplished much more given the 1-5 talent.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I guess I have a softer spot for winners and guys who overachieved than I do for guys who put up good numbers or got drafted.

Spencer
Newton
Cole/Martin turned around the program and paved the way for later success
Calcaterra
Kromah
Butler

 

[cwh20]

There are so many that have been great for UConn but I have to go with Nadav. He could read the opposing team’s offense like no other hence the anticipation and all the steals. His overall offensive stats weren’t out of this world but late in close games his percentages on foul shots or a 3s were far better. He always knew on a break how to get the points by reading the defender. A layup for himself or a pass to a teammate if the defender committed to him was money. I recall the guys weren’t ready for those passes early in the dream season but they learned quickly to be ready. Basically just winning, smart basketball all game long. Hurley and staff coached teams have that in spades too. It’s so nice to have talent but it’s important to maximize your chance of winning by being smart too by using clock and such.

 

[T-Squared]

Nadav.

 

[businesslawyer]

For me, I'm thinking it's Tristen Newton. Ran the team for two years, won two rings. He hacked the position of CBB PG. There was nothing he couldn't handle.

An addition to the list for me is Lasan Kromah. Do we win in 2014 without him? He was an unsung hero.

​

The answer is no, we don’t win in ‘14 without him.

 

[ctbro1999]

My favorite 1 and done player is Castle (though Spencer a close 2nd).
For the 2 year guys, I'd go with Newton or Butler.
edit: oh DUH, can't forget CLING KONG

 

[cohenzone]

Nadav is it. Back to back used to mean the two magical games in a row in January 1990 at the Civic Center when UConn and he unexpectedly beat Georgetown and Cuse. I was lucky enough to be there and near the end of both games is where i think my hearing loss started. It was deafening in there.

 

[DogMania]

Nadav is it. Back to back used to mean the two magical games in a row in January 1990 at the Civic Center when UConn and he unexpectedly beat Georgetown and Cuse. I was lucky enough to be there and near the end of both games is where i think my hearing loss started. It was deafening in there.

I was at those games as well. Loudest I've ever heard in that venue.

That season started with a horrible loss to Nova where they scored less than 20 in the first half, then proceeded to beat the best of the Big East and a run just falling an overtime loss to Dook for what would have been their first F-4. I can still remember that missed steal by Tate that deflected out of bounds, followed by that game ending shot when JC didn't put a defender on the inbounder who's name will remain nameless.

IMO, there is never a reason to not cover the inbounder especially in the offensive end of the floor. Try to make it hard to get a clear path to inbound the pass. But I digress.

 

[Waquoit]

IMO, there is never a reason to not cover the inbounder especially in the offensive end of the floor. Try to make it hard to get a clear path to inbound the pass. But I digress.

They didn't cover the inbounder because they had to guard against the lob dunk. Our center couldn't jump, literally. They made Duke go to plan B and he made a double-pump jump shot.

 

[Tenspro2002]

My favorite 1 and done player is Castle (though Spencer a close 2nd).
For the 2 year guys, I'd go with Newton or Butler.
edit: oh DUH, can't forget CLING KONG

Jeez, how did I forget Castle?

I don't know if there's ever been a better example of a greatly hyped freshman:
1) being actually as talented as expected
2) identifying and accepting a role within an established team
3) thriving and winning within that team concept
4) being drafted in a position befitting their talent despite having sacrificed individual production for the team

Yes, guys like Carmelo and AD have performed and won as freshman, but they basically were the team. Castle was the defensive ace and #5 option on offense and excelled at it.