Some interesting insight into the state of the program and some flat out stupidity

[CL82]

Hurley had an interesting quote about NIL on his PMT interview.

It was something along the lines of "most of my starters are making close to NBA equivalent rookie money via NIL now."

He obviously didn't call out any of his specific players but still a very interesting quote from that interview that I think got glossed over.

The decision for kids to go pro is a lot less financially driven than it was 5-20 years ago.

People seem to think that NIL vaporize the moment a kid goes pro. They don't. They just get renamed endorsements.

If Donovan is drafted at the number three slot as is currently being predicted he would earn somewhere around $9 million as his NBA salary. I strongly doubt he is currently making that in endorsements, but let's say he is. He gets drafted at number three he gets his $9 million salary and keeps his $9 million NIL which become endorsement deals. That totals $18 million. $18M > $9M.

I think what Hurley was talking about is that a non-lottery NBA rookie might make just south of $1 million per year. It's entirely feasible that they might have an NIL equivalent to that. But the math still works out the same. $2M>$1M.

If Donovan is going to be a high lottery pick, he should definitely leave.

 

[Staven]

They probably should have said that it was boring to watch the Huskies steamroll through the tournament. The more they talked the worst they sounded.

 

[Verne]

People seem to think that NIL vaporize the moment a kid goes pro. They don't. They just get renamed endorsements.

I mean sure. But it goes the other way too. If you can get the endorsements on a college campus and you love that experience why would you need to make the jump to the pros for financial reasons?

There's also a big difference between being the face of Uconn mens basketball on a national stage and being the 10th man on the Milwaukee Bucks.

 

[djct1999]

This is an extremly good listen. Like him or not, agree with him or not, Gottleib knows ball. This is a great perspective and explanation on why UConn is great and Danny is the perfect fit.

 

[JMick]

So I'm not an insider at all.

But there were two fairly popular narratives that were passed around people in Phoenix and specifically more locally around Bristol/Terryville. One was that Clingan wanted another year (and also something about an insurance policy DCs family has out for him which I think is fairly common with potential pro prospects now). He's also tapped into a huge NIL potential. (Seth Greenberg mentioned something on one of the ESPN programs about Clingan coming back and he's not not tapped into the program right now...)

And the other one which was kind of surprising that got passed around a lot was that Castles parents want/wanted him at Uconn for two years.

I also saw Castles parents speak a couple times publicly in interviews the last few weeks and was blown away. They seem like great people who have kept their son grounded and understand the process of getting him to the next level.

I would think Hurley tells both to go and if they're both projected to go in the top 15 why wouldn't you. I'm not sure it's as cut and dry as both are 100% gone specifically because of the family dynamics behind both.

Either of them would be nuts to come back

 

[CL82]

I mean sure. But it goes the other way too. If you can get the endorsements on a college campus and you love that experience why would you need to make the jump to the pros for financial reasons?

I think there is some truth to that if you are at the low end of the scale. For example, Paige Bueckers would certainly be drafted in the top five of the NBA draft. She might be number two after Clark. But she's already making $1 million a year in endorsements, so there's no urgency to go. Similarly, if a kid is from an economically deprived environment, particularly some of the guys who come from overseas, then endorsement money might give you the flexibility to wait before going pro. in the NBA, however, at the top end of the scale, the math favors leaving.

There's also a big difference between being the face of Uconn mens basketball on a national stage and being the 10th man on the Milwaukee Bucks.

One of them makes you a multimillionaire in earnings and the other doesn't?

 

[jibsey]

Really good insight from Jay as always. This is an all time great team and going back to back has elevated Uconn into elite company making the case that this is the best program in the country and the best since the UCLA run of the 1860s during the Civil War.


And some utter nonsense from two clowns youd expect it from. Suddenly the womens game is the greatest thing since sliced bread and the mens game stinks and hasnt been very good since the early 2000s even though just weeks ago some of these same talking heads were saying teams from just a couple years ago (2021 Baylor, 2018 Nova) were among the best ever now Uconn makes an all time dominant historical run and its because cbb sucks. Also it seems Keyshawn and Paul didnt watch the games. Seems like they watched highlights and red boxscores. Enjoy the clown show below.

It’s embarrassing but their whole network is loaded with these “experts”.

 

[SockCymbal]

uh. Jay says there is a "very good chance" that Clingan comes back?

I have to think he was referring to Karaban. I know he said it twice, but that’s my belief.

 

[James]

I dont see how Clingan's draft stock can go any higher, he really should be entering draft. I mean I can see the logic of him returning; he can play extended minutes and polish his post game... Try to get AA honors and NPOY. But still, its very unlikely for his draft stock to be as red hot as it is now

Castle too. They both have cases to come back (jumpshot for castle) and obviously I would love that but given their ages imo they should be going to the league.

 

[upstater]

People seem to think that NIL vaporize the moment a kid goes pro. They don't. They just get renamed endorsements.

If Donovan is drafted at the number three slot as is currently being predicted he would earn somewhere around $9 million as his NBA salary. I strongly doubt he is currently making that in endorsements, but let's say he is. He gets drafted at number three he gets his $9 million salary and keeps his $9 million NIL which become endorsement deals. That totals $18 million. $18M > $9M.

I think what Hurley was talking about is that a non-lottery NBA rookie might make just south of $1 million per year. It's entirely feasible that they might have an NIL equivalent to that. But the math still works out the same. $2M>$1M.

If Donovan is going to be a high lottery pick, he should definitely leave.

I think I was just responding on the assumption he was not going to be the #3 but more between 13-20

 

[storrsroars]

While I tend to agree, and definitely agree that there is a 99%chance Clingan is gone (as he should be), Clingan is a unique case.

I think Danny HAS to listen to Clingan if he says he wants to come back to his home state school and continue his legacy. His best friends, AK and Rosa, and his girlfriend are still students at the university, and this kid is having the time of his life building a dynasty 45 minutes from home.

Not saying it’s likely, just saying this kid has legitimate reasons for Danny to hear him out on coming back.

Has a lottery pick ever decided to stay in college for another year? I don't recall any.

I can see his reasons for staying as well that you mentioned. He certainly seems like he's having the time of his life and if he stays, then he and Alex (and SJ and Hass) have a truly legit chance of accomplishing something not seen in almost 60 years in college - a three-peat. Neither Hurley nor Donovan's dad was around for the last one. And he won't have to hear about Edey all year. He will be the sole big name among big men.

That said, Dan Hurley has to remind him that he has a history of injuries. Another foot injury could see him drop, not rise on draft boards. And another year of age rarely helps draft position once you're a soph. So the responsible adult decision would be to declare and not look back.

That said, it's hard for me personally to relate as I made very few responsible adult decisions while at UConn

 

[NJHusky]

I have to think he was referring to Karaban. I know he said it twice, but that’s my belief.

That makes a lot more sense

 

[FfldCntyFan]

For DC, the only advantage to sticking around another year would be to remain a kid for another year. With that comes risk (especially as he has suffered a foot injury and for people his size this can turn into a chronic ailment) so he cannot just view it as postponing the start of his first NBA contract by one year.

I heard (very early in the season) that he loves being at UConn, loves being this close to home and is in no rush to leave. I do imagine that another season under his belt has led to him being more NBA focused than he was in October.

Everything that Dan Hurley has said leads me to believe that DC will enter the draft, even if he needs to be coaxed. My guess is that if it we solely DC, there would be a 10% chance he'd return but I imagine that Dan Hurley and Donovan's dad will push him out of the nest if necessary.

 

[bendm]

Was a big fan of Paul “the truth” pierce growing up but those days are long gone. Just spouts nonsense now.

 

[storrsroars]

As a side comment regarding this thread, doesn't "Some interesting insight into the state of the program and some flat out stupidty" describe pretty much every thread here as well as the entire Boneyard site?

 

[Dibbie]

uh. Jay says there is a "very good chance" that Clingan comes back?

Last sentence can be interpreted as such. Maybe he hasn’t made a decision and is going to let the process play out. If he’s told top 5, he needs to go

 

[freescooter]

Bilas is correct. This level of dominance is on the level of UCLA. IMO.

As for the Undisputed segment, the (35-5) UNLV team they are gushing over, lost to an un-ranked UCSB team with the following top 5 players:

Player	Class	Pos	Height	Summary
Carrick DeHart	SR	G	6-4	15.9 Pts, 3.6 Reb, 3.9 Ast
Eric McArthur	SR	F	6-7	15.6 Pts, 13.0 Reb, 1.5 Ast
Gary Gray	JR	F	6-9	12.9 Pts, 7.7 Reb, 0.7 Ast
Paul Johnson	SO	G	6-6	10.3 Pts, 3.6 Reb, 2.8 Ast
Idris Jones	FR	G	6-3	7.6 Pts, 2.5 Reb, 2.5 Ast

Who?

Yet, they argue, UNLV would "sweep/wipe the floor" with this UConn team. That same UNLV team only beat Ball State 69-67 in the NCAA tournament. Compare that to UConn's handling of the consensus 2nd best team in the final.

The sport talking heads conflate future and past rosters. No one is arguing the future success of those UNLV players in the NBA. But that is not what is being debated. The comparison is of that UNLV "college" team vs. this UConn team. See UNLV's schedule.

Finally UNLV failed to do what this UConn team has done. UConn has gone back 2 back.

It is impossible to evaluate teams over different eras. That UNLV team was excellent. So was Arkansas. The Duke team that went back to back was good.

 

[housekeys]

It is impossible to evaluate teams over different eras. That UNLV team was excellent. So was Arkansas. The Duke team that went back to back was good.

Well, I agree. But the pundits are saying (and I am objecting to) is that UNLV team would "annihilate" or "wipe the floor" with this UConn team. That is ridiculous. My post gives a data point. The data point is that the UNLV team of college age Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, Et all. lost, by 7, to the likes of UCSB with a bunch of unknowns, yet they would wipe the floor with this UConn team.

BTW. I know that was an amazing and dominant UNLV team. It is from my era. I also watched the Walton UCLA teams. Clearly dominant. It is impossible to say UConn is more dominant, and I actually do not think so. But we are in the conversation, that is for sure.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

One major problem with comparing this team with past teams is they are evaluation quite a bit of the past teams based on both collegiate and NBA accomplishments of the players from those teams.

Another is the change in rules and environment. The great UCLA squads (Hazzard/Goodrich/Erickson; Alcindor/Warren/Allen/Shackleford; Rowe/Wicks/Bibby; Walton/Meyers/Wilkes/Lee) all played when freshmen weren't eligible and all but the Walton team were required to remain all four years (although it wasn't until shortly after that squad exhausted eligibility before any player other than Spencer Haywood left school early for professional ball).

The tournament didn't have multiple schools from any one conference until 1976, a shot clock until 1986 and a three point line until 1987.

Player for player (although time may eventually alter people's perception) there were quite a few teams that had more talent, better individual scorers. I posted in a different thread that not only was this team as a whole, far better than the sum of its parts, it was further greater than the sum of its parts than any team I've ever seen. Just because a different team had better individual players doesn't mean that team would beat this one.

A few other points to put things into perspective (more to how to value overall number of titles):

From the first tournament (1939 ) through 1950, only eight schools participated each year. One win and you're in the national semi-final.

In 1951 & 1953 sixteen schools participated, starting everyone in the sweet sixteen.

In 1953 twenty two schools participated and from 1954 through 1974 either twenty three, twenty four or twenty five schools participated, many schools started in the sweet sixteen and only needed to play other school in geographic proximity until the final four. For the record, Walton's last year at UCLA was 1974.

The expansion then went as such:

1975 - 32
1979 - 40
1980 - 48
1982 - 52
1984 - 53
1985 - 64

 

[Dove]

I feel Donovan is coming back.

 

[tzznandrew]

I heard (very early in the season) that he loves being at UConn, loves being this close to home and is in no rush to leave. I do imagine that another season under his belt has led to him being more NBA focused than he was in October.

This is a kid that stayed at Bristol High when everyone in the world told him to go prep. While the odds are that he's going pro—and he should go pro—he's always done things his own way, and his own way is always to be in CT near his family. I wouldn't be completely shocked if he came back given that.

 

[ninety-nine]

This is a kid that stayed at Bristol High when everyone in the world told him to go pro. While the odds are that he's going pro—and he should go pro—he's always done things his own way, and his own way is always to be in CT near his family. I wouldn't be completely shocked if he came back given that.

I don't think anyone told Clingan to go pro before he graduated from Bristol Central HS. Is that what you meant to type?

 

[tzznandrew]

I don't think anyone told Clingan to go pro before he graduated from Bristol Central HS. Is that what you meant to type?

Nope. Fixed it. I meant prep school.

 

[Waquoit]

He's still a growing boy. Maybe DC wants to give his body another year before he hits the wars?

 

[storrsroars]

He's still a growing boy. Maybe DC wants to give his body another year before he hits the wars?

Or maybe he promised his late mom that he'd get his degree before going pro.

Given his love and devotion to his mom, I can see him doing that.

 

[ninety-nine]

This is a kid that stayed at Bristol High when everyone in the world told him to go prep. While the odds are that he's going pro—and he should go pro—he's always done things his own way, and his own way is always to be in CT near his family. I wouldn't be completely shocked if he came back given that.

Having lost his mom the way he did, he might have an uncommon perspective on what matters in life. He might value the presence of family, close friends, and personal attachments more than he values getting out into the world and being on his own at this point. Not to mention, if he's drafted by an NBA team he has no say in where he's moving to. Could be someplace far-flung like Memphis, San Antonio, Portland. He can't just say "I want to stay in the northeast within driving distance of my people."

Personally, I'm grateful he helped win a banner for my old high school and two for my college alma mater, and wouldn't hope for anything more from him, but ultimately it's up to him as to what he wants for his own life, and when he feels ready to move into the professional world, the working world. When you go to college, you start to become an adult, and you should have agency over your own life at that point - even if that means deciding you want to stay in school a little longer and enjoy yourself without the pressure of being a pro athlete.

 

[tzznandrew]

ultimately it's up to him as to what he wants for his own life, and when he feels ready to move into the professional world, the working world. When you go to college, you start to become an adult, and you should have agency over your own life at that point - even if that means deciding you want to stay in school a little longer and enjoy life.

I agree here fully. If he doesn't want to go, Hurley's first step should be to make the case why he should. If he's dead set on returning? Well, he has earned the right to leave UConn when and how he wants.

 

[Palatine]

Hurley will talk to his NBA contacts and let Clingan know what he should do.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

Clingan 100% should go pro. I personally would love it if he stayed 1 more year, what UConn fan wouldn't?? ...
But, he's gone.

 

[tykurez]

Clingan is not coming back lol