So, Every Starting Spot Is Open | The Boneyard

So, Every Starting Spot Is Open

Chin Diesel

Chin Diesel

I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going
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If Karaban stays in the draft, 5 open spots.

Out of the returnees, Johnson, Diarra, Stewart and Ball are definitely starters or high minute rotation players.

None of them are guaranteed studs or a given as a starter or scoring 15 ppg.

Almost everyone thinks Stewart most easily makes the leap but it's a big unknown.

Gonna be a fun ride next season. Best part is we know the staff has made this work twice already.
 
AntG168 said:
I don’t think Samson or Reed is penciled in. Hell or Stewart for that matter. McNeeley could come in a hypothetically beat him out
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That'a a good point in Stewart. We will be deep at the 3/4 if we have a rotation of AK, Stewart and McNeeley.
 
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Think Diarra, Alex, and Stewart are locks. Ball will compete with whoever we bring in for the other starting wing spot. Reed and Johnson will split the minutes at the 5, so I'll assume Johnson starts game 1 for seniority sake.
 
Tough, honest conversations are taking place right now. Visits will be scheduled. Then the actual roster will be put in place. That picture of Hurley laying on the floor was more about having to have tough, awkward conversations with kids you just brought in
 
My best guess at the rotation is Diarra, Nowell, Ball, Stewart, McNeeley, Karaban, Samson, Reed.
 
My hope and expectation is:

Diarra/Nowell
Ball/Hausen
McNeeley/Stewart
Karaban/Stewart/Abraham
Reed/Johnson

"How can you have Ball starting, but Stewart on the bench?!" Relax, Stewart will still play 25 mpg. And Ball just doesn't have that much competition at that guard spot, and I doubt Nowell starts.
 
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husky429 said:
Reed and Stewart are likely penciled in. AK if he comes back.
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I can see McNeeley starting over Stewart at the 3 if AK comes back. I’m in the minority here but I thought Stewart was the least consistent of the rotation, not a very efficient player, whereas McNeeley was the most efficient player on the best team in high school ball.
 
UconnU said:
I can see McNeeley starting over Stewart at the 3 if AK comes back. I’m in the minority here but I thought Stewart was the least consistent of the rotation, not a very efficient player, whereas McNeeley was the most efficient player on the best team in high school ball.
Expand ...

Stewart was pretty good in high school too. It always makes me laugh when people compare a kid’s high school performance to a freshman playing in the big east.
 
Chin Diesel said:
If Karaban stays in the draft, 5 open spots.

Out of the returnees, Johnson, Diarra, Stewart and Ball are definitely starters or high minute rotation players.

None of them are guaranteed studs or a given as a starter or scoring 15 ppg.

Almost everyone thinks Stewart most easily makes the leap but it's a big unknown.

Gonna be a fun ride next season. Best part is we know the staff has made this work twice already.
Expand ...
I for one can’t wait to see how next season plays out!! I would love to see our starting 5 move to the NBA.
 
BigErnMcCracken said:
Stewart was pretty good in high school too. It always makes me laugh when people compare a kid’s high school performance to a freshman playing in the big east.
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No matter how many times it’s proven wrong people just keep doing it. Cuse board is doing it right now because they basically pushed Maliq Brown out so some guy who’s ranked 17 in the 247 composite could start. I’m assuming they had to guarantee that in order for him to commit. They all know this guy is going to be way better than Brown, who was all ACC defense this year as an sophomore, was their only good player, and who is probably going to transfer to Duke and start. So funny.
 
I hope Jayden Ross gives us something.

He has potential if he puts in the work. 6'7'' with athleticism and the ability to shoot the 3.

He showed some flashes last season.
 
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Wher
Tenspro2002 said:
My hope and expectation is:

Diarra/Nowell
Ball/Hausen
McNeeley/Stewart
Karaban/Stewart/Abraham
Reed/Johnson

"How can you have Ball starting, but Stewart on the bench?!" Relax, Stewart will still play 25 mpg. And Ball just doesn't have that much competition at that guard spot, and I doubt Nowell starts.
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e is Ross?
 
7774 said:
No matter how many times it’s proven wrong people just keep doing it. Cuse board is doing it right now because they basically pushed Maliq Brown out so some guy who’s ranked 17 in the 247 composite could start. I’m assuming they had to guarantee that in order for him to commit. They all know this guy is going to be way better than Brown, who was all ACC defense this year as an sophomore, was their only good player, and who is probably going to transfer to Duke and start. So funny.
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Absolutely kills me too. Brown is a big part of why Duke is losing its 5 star forwards. Derkack will handily outperform most 5 stars next year :(
 
BigErnMcCracken said:
Stewart was pretty good in high school too. It always makes me laugh when people compare a kid’s high school performance to a freshman playing in the big east.
Expand ...

To be fair, Montverde would probably beat 5-10 of the teams we play in a given year and Stewart's high school team was a hair better than the CIAC.

But you are correct. Of McNeeley commits to Storrs I expect he amd Stewart will have a battle in practice for minutes
 
By now we all can agree that surprising levels of development of our kids and our team are a given, a product of the program, not "wow did we get lucky" stuff. Given our current roster(no Karaban)and applying expected levels of development, I think Hurley can still make the statement, "You should have gotten us then, we ain't coming back to you."

Praying for McNeeley, Traore and a shooter. At that point...fuggedaboudit! Very exciting.
 
For change of pace lineup scenario. Small Ball with Karaban/Stewart/McNeeley all on the floor at the same time with our guards would be awesome based on matchups. Not for long durations-Just for short durations of spurtability. Just got to get everyone on board and signed up.
 
JungleLobo said:
Reed at the 1,
Samson at the 2,
Stewart at the 3,
Ball at the 4,
Hass at the 5.

Bet they can win their first 4 with that confusing lineup.
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Reed at the 1 and Samson at the 2 is one massive backcourt....I just hope they both are working on their handle and their jumpers
 
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I have seen McNeeley play. Does he have enough foot speed to steal a few minutes at the 2?
We know (or least we think we do) that Stewart will get time at the 3 and 4.
We know who the centers are but I think who starts will be determined during practice.
Hass will start with Nowell in the apprenticeship role, but most likely getting some good minutes.
Ball, Ross, and Abraham will all have a chance to earn minutes. I really hope Ball and Ross stick and continue to work hard. They both have incredible athleticism for their size. Ball looked like to me that he really needed to progress on the defensive side. Ross looked like he needed to gets strong, but both statements can be made of so many freshman.
There are still some players to ad, and they could be incredibly deep again. There's a whole bunch of 'ifs' but that's what Hurley and Co. get paid for.
 
A lot of people here are inferring that this is very likely? Are we 60/40?
 
Conndog said:
And maybe Mahaney from St. Mary's comes to Storrs too
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The coach who recruited him to St Mary's is now an assistant at Michigan. That's one of the reasons why there's noise about him committing to them.
 
UconnU said:
I can see McNeeley starting over Stewart at the 3 if AK comes back. I’m in the minority here but I thought Stewart was the least consistent of the rotation, not a very efficient player, whereas McNeeley was the most efficient player on the best team in high school ball.
Expand ...

I’m not sure how you can use the word consistent for a kid who only played in 1-3 minute intervals to give rest and help alleviate foul trouble issues. He began the season behind schedule due to injuries and was told he had ways to go to take Ross’s spot in the rotation. Well he did that as well as Balls soon thereafter. I think understanding the staff and what they see, he earned a lot of their confidence. I think he was always thinking of everyone but himself when he was on the floor and that mindset probably hurt his overall look when in. Knowing he can be one the go-to guys next year should bring out his game more I would think and there seems to be a lot of game for us to be excited about.

He’s not penciled in but he’s damn close. He and AK if he comes back as well as Reed, at least eventually.
 
Hass, Stewie, Ball and the 5 spot are solid. Kids gonna be kids

If I had to bet, Alex is coming back.

With the freshman and transfer portal, I expect a solid 8 man rotation. One way or another

They might resemble a vintage Jim Calhoun team, peaking sometime in late January. After getting roughed up just a tad
 
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