2024 Recruiting: Riley Kugel top 4

[Huskyforlife]

 

[navery12]

Big guard who would definitely fit next to Diarra and Nowell. Shot 37% from 3 as a freshman but took a step back this year (31% on 3 attempts a game, which is still decent). That's basically equivalent to what Castle has done over the past 2 months from 3. Seems to be the caliber of talent where it's an open competition between him and Ball to get the starting 2 guard spot

 

[rip7774]

I live down here, UF has a machine gun culture they just recruit a ton of guys with no thought of culture or recruiting over. This guy was thought to be a lotto pick after this season but they took Clayton and pullin and his role diminshed. Def interested, he was very good as frosh. As always, don’t know enough about culture-fit as that’s paramount.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Now we're cooking.

Kugel's got great positional size for a guard (6'5 207) and is a very good floor spacer. He had awful non-conference shooting efficiency (25.0 3P%), but his three-point shooting jumped up to 39.6% in SEC play. Shot 37.6% in his freshman season too. Played PG in high school but has played mostly the 3 and the 4 at Florida.

Finished the season with Florida's second best defensive efficiency metrics, according to EvanMiya, and also had the team's best steal rate.

Long story short, Kugel is a big 3-and-D guard who could start at the 2 or 3 for us next year. Between playing with on a roster with two other PGs, he didn't have to handle the ball often, but he's got PGs skills in his DNA, so there's a nice ceiling there too between his passing and physicality to get to the rim.

 

[kansashusky]

I like our chances because this has been kept quiet. I dont like our chances because Hurley isnt focused on recruiting right now and if he makes a decision soon it isnt us.

 

[auror]

I like our chances because this has been kept quiet. I dont like our chances because Hurley isnt focused on recruiting right now and if he makes a decision soon it isnt us.

He just entered the portal yesterday. So it's been prior channel talk.

 

[JAdams4Reel]

I watched kugel play in person (against east carolina) and from what i remember very big guard that can score and defend would love to have him.

 

[husky429]

Now we're cooking.

Kugel's got great positional size for a guard (6'5 207) and is a very good floor spacer. He had awful non-conference shooting efficiency (25.0 3P%), but his three-point shooting jumped up to 39.6% in SEC play. Shot 37.6% in his freshman season too. Played PG in high school but has played mostly the 3 and the 4 at Florida.

Finished the season with Florida's second best defensive efficiency metrics, according to EvanMiya, and also had the team's best steal rate.

Long story short, Kugel is a big 3-and-D guard who could start at the 2 or 3 for us next year. Between playing with on a roster with two other PGs, he didn't have to handle the ball often, but he's got PGs skills in his DNA, so there's a nice ceiling there too between his passing and physicality to get to the rim.

I like this offer. He looks like a Castle-lite to me. Good defender, shooting is promising. And okay (but not great) atost everything on offese.

He entered the portal kess than 24 hours ago. For those thinking we aren't playing the transfer game and talking to guys before they enter... you're lying to yourselves.

 

[Samoo]

I like our chances because this has been kept quiet. I dont like our chances because Hurley isnt focused on recruiting right now and if he makes a decision soon it isnt us.

Looking at his other choices, the only team not still playing is KU. Guess is he plans to wait until after the championship game. But who knows? Kids these days...doomed.

 

[husky429]

 

[storrsroars]

Will his nickname here be "Noodles"?

 

[Fishy]

So a kid who basically played his way off the roster at Florida jumps into the portal with a list of schools. Like 18 hours later, he has a final four consisting of Kansas and three schools that are too busy to take his call right now. Okay.

Yeah, I am gonna call BS on this one. Nothing about this seems legit.

 

[auror]

So a kid who basically played his way off the roster at Florida jumps into the portal with a list of schools. Like 18 hours later, he has a final four consisting of Kansas and three schools that are too busy to take his call right now. Okay.

Yeah, I am gonna call BS on this one. Nothing about this seems legit.

It doesn't have to be legit to be legit.

Tom Moore is working the phones.

 

[Umami Zen]

Apparently Kugel likes teams that play in late March(except for Kansas) .. Let's see if there's a Program fit with Dan. Looks like the physical tool kit is there as long he wants to be a two-way player

 

[KemBuckets21]

From Sam Vecenie's Athletic Article:

Ht: 6-5 Wt: 207


The way high majors evaluate Kugel after his season will be among the most fascinating things to track in the portal this year.

The 6-foot-5 scoring wing is arguably the best athlete in all of college basketball. No, I’m not exaggerating. Few players possess his blend of power, explosiveness and coordination. He’s built like an NBA player and moves like one. His first step is lethal and he is able to bend his body to leverage that explosiveness. Many, including me, thought had a shot to be a 2024 first-round NBA Draft pick if he developed properly. He was coming off one of the most impressive closing stretches of any freshman in 2022-23, averaging 17.3 points in SEC play while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from 3.

But man, did Kugel have a bad season. He averaged just 9.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game and was removed from the Gators’ starting lineup after 11 games. His shot selection and decision-making during that time were horrendous, and he only made 39.4 percent of his field goals and 31.2 percent of his 3s over the course of the season while committing nearly two turnovers in 23 minutes per game. Even if bigs Tyrese Samuel and Micah Handlogten clogged the paint on Kugel’s drives, his reads weren’t good enough. Worse, he let his offensive struggles affect his defense, though he at least brought more energy later in the season.

We have Kugel ranked here based mostly on his 2023-24 performance, but his upside is genuinely tantalizing. I bet a big school takes a swing. — Sam Vecenie

 

[Nicklo28]

My only concern with this is there was an attitude problem with him. He was benched 2 games in SEC tourney

 

[blackuc]

I live in Tampa and have watched every Florida game this year. Kugel completely lost his confidence and was a turn-over machine the second half of the year. While he has NBA level athleticism he turns the ball over way too much. I just don't see a fit here with a Hurley coached team. I agree with above post that Arizona as a gunner seems like his best fit.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Only one of those schools is no longer in the tournament, Kansas. I bet that's where he goes. Always good for a players ego to list the defending champs in his final list.

 

[husky429]

From Sam Vecenie's Athletic Article:

Ht: 6-5 Wt: 207


The way high majors evaluate Kugel after his season will be among the most fascinating things to track in the portal this year.

The 6-foot-5 scoring wing is arguably the best athlete in all of college basketball. No, I’m not exaggerating. Few players possess his blend of power, explosiveness and coordination. He’s built like an NBA player and moves like one. His first step is lethal and he is able to bend his body to leverage that explosiveness. Many, including me, thought had a shot to be a 2024 first-round NBA Draft pick if he developed properly. He was coming off one of the most impressive closing stretches of any freshman in 2022-23, averaging 17.3 points in SEC play while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from 3.

But man, did Kugel have a bad season. He averaged just 9.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game and was removed from the Gators’ starting lineup after 11 games. His shot selection and decision-making during that time were horrendous, and he only made 39.4 percent of his field goals and 31.2 percent of his 3s over the course of the season while committing nearly two turnovers in 23 minutes per game. Even if bigs Tyrese Samuel and Micah Handlogten clogged the paint on Kugel’s drives, his reads weren’t good enough. Worse, he let his offensive struggles affect his defense, though he at least brought more energy later in the season.

We have Kugel ranked here based mostly on his 2023-24 performance, but his upside is genuinely tantalizing. I bet a big school takes a swing. — Sam Vecenie

We need to reload. Taking a chance ain't a bad thing. I trust the staff has done tjeir due diligence on any attitude issues.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

UConn and Houston are very interesting schools on the list of a guy that by all accounts didn’t really buy in all the way and whose issues seemed self-inflicted. Both coaches are among the most demanding in college basketball as far as that side of things goes.

On the outset seems a bit odd, but maybe the advice he’s getting from his camp is that he needs to go play for a coach that will demand that out of him. The upside is incredible.

 

[uconn_jack]

Obviously very talented with great potential upside, but not really feeling this. If UConn is actually involved here, I will trust the coaches to weed him out if he's not a good fit culture-wise.

Having dueling headbands with Diarra in the backcourt is appealing though.

 

[ec33]

I like our chances because this has been kept quiet. I dont like our chances because Hurley isnt focused on recruiting right now and if he makes a decision soon it isnt us.

If you note, 3 of the 4 teams are still playing.

 

[WinnersCircle]

To me, he looks like he has a very similar play style to Tyrese Martin. Granted, Martin was a little bigger and stronger. I think Hurley can just send him a Martin highlight tape and call it a day.

 

[AntG168]

My only concern with this is there was an attitude problem with him. He was benched 2 games in SEC tourney

Wasn’t there an “attitude” problem with Tyrese Martin too? Hurley and staff know what they’re doing

 

[auror]

If you note, 3 of the 4 teams are still playing.

This has been mentioned several times in this thread, but I don't see why that matters. Spencer is out of eligibility and we don't have a SG coming in as a freshman. We're going to be taking a SG and nobody on the roster will be surprised by this.

Gonzaga already announced a transfer that was coming in next year and they're still playing.

He didn't say he was committing tomorrow. Maybe he'll visit Kansas next week and us after we win the natty.