Starting five for 2025-26

[husky429]

Mullins is projected as a strong defender by most scouts. Per Adam Finkelstein: "The other area of the game in which Mullins is a true standout is on the defensive end. He's quick laterally, very active with his hands (1.4 steals per game), and competitive with a scrappy mentality." There's only one reason these defensive issues keep getting raised on the BY, and it's a pretty tired one. Meanwhile, according to Evan Miya, JStew and Solo are barely on the right side of a negative defensive rating, trailing Reed, Diarra, McNeeley, Johnson, Karaban, and yes, even Mahaney.

Finkelstein is just making things up. I doubt he's ever watched him play a high school game.

The kid hasn't showed anything on defense because he hasn't HAD to. He's overwhelmingly been the best player on the floor every time he touches it in high school. They play a lazy zone.

He has tools to be good on defense and has proven nothing.

 

[husky429]

He’s a decent defender, but 32ppg as a high school senior is not something Hurley or Luke can teach. Not trying to draw anything from high school stats and I hated to see McNeeley leave, but 32ppg vs 12ppg does standout. I mean maybe McNeeley played in a tougher high school league or his hs team didn’t have the players to feed him the ball, but still. Just saying.

32ppg in a public school league. Context matters here. Clingan averaged 30 for BCHS and wasn't great offensively as a freshman.

What he did on the Adidas circuit and his great physical profile for an NBA SG are why he's ranked so high. Kid can shoot the rock, is fast and can jump outta the gym.

 

[gmc1055]

CBS sports said this should be our starting 5

Silas Demary Jr
Solo Ball
Jaylin Stewart
Alex Karaban
Tarris Reed Jr.

What do you all think?
Let's go UConn

That's my starting five with a very deep and vertical bench.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

32ppg in a public school league. Context matters here. Clingan averaged 30 for BCHS and wasn't great offensively as a freshman.

What he did on the Adidas circuit and his great physical profile for an NBA SG are why he's ranked so high. Kid can shoot the rock, is fast and can jump outta the gym.

Context matters here also, as I only was replying to a guy who posted “my guess - he’s not nearly as good a shooter as he’s tabbed”. Thought that was a strange comment on a heralded 5 star UConn recruit who averaged 32ppg.

 

[Mooch82]

Well technically Karaban isn't 4 but is due to his lack of speed. I guess he might have longer reach than Stewie but not even sure about that. We are only asking J-Stew to back up 5-10 minutes a game there similar to what he did this past season. If he is scoring he will be a fine 4 for us. He can rebound too and has good enough size and strength to play there. Have we even been linked with anyone since Karaban announced he was returning?

Haven’t seen anyone, no.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Don’t forget Liam was part of the best HS team in the country, which included Flagg. All 5 starters went to top colleges

Mullins is THE guy on his team. No one else got offers…no way he does that on last years Montverde team

You can’t compare their scoring numbers because the situations are sooo different

I think I kinda said that, actually in the form of a question, but thanks for pointing it out again.

 

[Lafayette]

Finkelstein is just making things up. I doubt he's ever watched him play a high school game.

The kid hasn't showed anything on defense because he hasn't HAD to. He's overwhelmingly been the best player on the floor every time he touches it in high school. They play a lazy zone.

He has tools to be good on defense and has proven nothing.

Hey look when he wrote the article and when Mullins played Adidas S33B circuit - also given his height is now listed at 6'6" I would say things change and when the article was written was one writer's view at that time.

 

[RuffRuff]

Well technically Karaban isn't 4 but is due to his lack of speed. I guess he might have longer reach than Stewie but not even sure about that. We are only asking J-Stew to back up 5-10 minutes a game there similar to what he did this past season. If he is scoring he will be a fine 4 for us. He can rebound too and has good enough size and strength to play there. Have we even been linked with anyone since Karaban announced he was returning?

Way I see it Stew will get 5-7 minutes backing up the 4, another 15-16 minutes playing the 3 with Mullins/Silas playing the 2. Maybe a couple with Solo at the 2. I’d think he’s in for 25ish minutes this year, a nice bump for him and an opportunity to show growth.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Despite the inefficiency of Liam and AK often times last year, our offense was still very good. I think the offensive upgrade at point and center will contribute to a better offense, and hopefully AK having a consistent shooting season for once. Don’t think it’s a major concern if Stew or Mullins are breakdown creators for the type of shots we try to generate.

The defense is what held us back for the majority of the year, we need leaps on defense from Ball and Stewart. I don’t want to hear any excuses, it’s year 3 in this system and we all believe in Dans ability to develop players, and these guys have the physical talent to develop.

I’m still in the camp that Mullins starts. I think the story of the team will be our insane shooting duo, and support from Demary and AK. It’ll be a top 5 offense.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Demary(25)-Smith(15)
Ball(30)-Demary(5)-Mullins(5)
Mullins(20)-Stew(15)-Ross or Furphy(5)
Alex(30)-Stew(10)
Reed(30)-Reibe(10)

 

[TheChamps990411]

Four of those feel pretty locked in and it’s a Jaylin-Braylon battle for that 5th spot.

I feel like if Mullins is starting at the beginning of the season then he is filthy and we’re gonna win a LOT. Think he’ll be starting by mid-season though (and still think we’re gonna win a LOT.)

If Jaylin is battling it out for that 5th spot then either Jaylin has failed greatly to improve as a player in his 3rd year or Braylon is the best freshmen to ever wear a uconn uniform.

 

[jibsey]

Solo is one of the best shooters in college basketball and he doesn’t get rattled. Our offense next year is lining up to be amazing. Mullins and Solo. Then you have to figure that Alex will have his stroke back from 3. Could be the best UConn offense ever. And we haven’t even mentioned Reed scoring 15-20.

 

[husky429]

Demary(25)-Smith(15)
Ball(30)-Demary(5)-Mullins(5)
Mullins(20)-Stew(15)-Ross or Furphy(5)
Alex(30)-Stew(10)
Reed(30)-Reibe(10)

This is the answer. 9 man rotation. More like 23 and 24 season.

 

[SwampYankee]

Finkelstein is just making things up. I doubt he's ever watched him play a high school game.

The kid hasn't showed anything on defense because he hasn't HAD to. He's overwhelmingly been the best player on the floor every time he touches it in high school. They play a lazy zone.

He has tools to be good on defense and has proven nothing.

To be fair, you were on this board a couple of weeks ago convinced we had only one McDonald’s AA commit when in reality we had three. I’ll stick with Finkelstein’s knowledge of the high school game if it’s all the same.

 

[Kl.0606]

Finkelstein is just making things up. I doubt he's ever watched him play a high school game.

The kid hasn't showed anything on defense because he hasn't HAD to. He's overwhelmingly been the best player on the floor every time he touches it in high school. They play a lazy zone.

He has tools to be good on defense and has proven nothing.

Pretty sure this was an assessment of him playing with his AAU team last summer or even while he was in Vegas last fall. So his assessment isn’t his high school team.

 

[husky429]

Pretty sure this was an assessment of him playing with his AAU team last summer or even while he was in Vegas last fall. So his assessment isn’t his high school team.

I mean if anyone is taking anything from high school AAU about defense they need to be in an asylum. I am one of them.

 

[bjc42]

I mean if anyone is taking anything from high school AAU about defense they need to be in an asylum. I am one of them.

AAU and basketball camps are so bad for fundamentals. Just like 7on7 football. the worst.

 

[Hunt for 7]

My take is from watching his tape. As noted he is an incredible shooter, seems to be able to play through contact when going to rim albeit shorter less athletic and strong talent but it’s there you can see it.

He is a better athlete than Liam better hops and certainly better lateral quickness. But he does not have the NBA ready body that Liam had when he got here.

Not sure it makes a difference for next year and he may play some SF in the NBA but I think most of his NBA minutes will be logged as a SG. But on many NBA teams the 2-3 spots are pretty interchangeable once the coach gets into his rotations.

Going to keep on saying it, I think we found a star in Mullins.

 

[Lafayette]

And by all reports he is now 6'6" 185lbs so he is definitely hitting the weight room!

 

[444JR]

Going to keep on saying it, I think we found a star in Mullins.

Go out on a limb why don’t ya! …we all believe Mullins is a star.

 

[Lafayette]

Castle meet McNeeley meet Mullins. Yeah I would think a standard lineup would be Demary, Ball, Mullins, Karaban, Reed. 5 guys who can score and has to be respected running the defense ragged on screens until Ball or Mullins is open, Reed is open, AK is open, etc.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Go out on a limb why don’t ya! …we all believe Mullins is a star.

And that’s why half this board thinks Stewart is going to start in front of him. Someone I would call a star is not going to have Stewart starting in front of him. I mean no disrespect to Stewart because I think he will be an above average player but not a player who will make a BE first or second team.

I understand some agree but there is a good percentage that I believe are not truly believing that this kid could be good enough to make BE first or second team as a freshman.

I actually think he could be good enough and be depended on enough to score for us next year that he is going to get some consideration as an all American if we are a top five team for most of the year.

 

[UCPharma11]

I have to agree with you. I still think Jaylin has a deeper bag than he's shown but he's likely to be a bit redundant with Karaban. Solo should improve off the bounce and finishing but he's still going to be kind of mechanical in his movements and live off of threes and mid range jumpers primarily. I think Mullins is going to be too good to keep out of the starting lineup even if he doesn't start first game of the season. He's going to give us that other quick perimeter defender and make us more dynamic. It doesn't mean Jaylin won't have a much bigger role than he's had previously. AK's minutes should go down a little, there will be a lot of minutes for him at the 4 and 3. I also think we'll see some Malachi and Silas together on the court in certain matchups.

Def was thinking about the Malachi/Silas combo - I would love to see Silas doing some backdown Bullyball ala Kadary Richmond.

 

[UCPharma11]

I think what people have to realize is that Mullins seems to be a wonderful defensive player who picks up a lot of steals

Sure did show that during the McDonalds game- his defensive instincts and spying the next pass were something we haven’t seen in a little while.

 

[444JR]

And that’s why half this board thinks Stewart is going to start in front of him. Someone I would call a star is not going to have Stewart starting in front of him. I mean no disrespect to Stewart because I think he will be an above average player but not a player who will make a BE first or second team.

I understand some agree but there is a good percentage that I believe are not truly believing that this kid could be good enough to make BE first or second team as a freshman.

I actually think he could be good enough and be depended on enough to score for us next year that he is going to get some consideration as an all American if we are a top five team for most of the year.

I appreciate the clarification on your stance. It would obviously be great if all of that happens for Mullins and UConn stays top 5 all season. I’d imagine that all but guarantees the continued stream of at least one star 1&Done freshman every year going forward.

That being said, count me in the camp that wants to see Stewart start, however, I wouldn’t bet the odds on JStew3 landing 1st or 2nd All BE team either. He would have to assert himself in a way that he hasn’t yet and considering UConn’s other four starters are all likely All BE 1st or 2nd team selections, he would have to really shine. I’m hopeful he will, b/c he has a deep offensive bag. I’m willing to argue that all day long. Still, I don’t believe it would be the intelligent bet to predict Stewart to be All BE.

The way I see it, we have six starters, the same way Montverde’s former coach referred to Liam McNeeley and Cooper Flagg’s team — Curtis Givens came off the bench, but was starter level and a high major talent(committed to Ohio State, then switched to LSU and averaged 19 minutes a game as a freshman).

I hope you’re right about Mullins. I see a lot Hawkins & Bouknight level talent in his game. Maybe he comes in more polished and closer to the level Bouk & Hawk were at as Sophomores.

Great problems to have.

 

[Lafayette]

Mullins fits into a 2-3 type of game, while Stewart a 3-4 game.

If we need to stretch their frontcourt - we go AK, Reed, Jr, Stewart with 2/3 can pop outside for a 3 or body up against a big.
If we need to stretch their backcourt - we go Demary Jr., Ball, Mullins with 3/3 can catch and shoot, dribble drive, dribble handoff, etc.

Starting seems to be a charged word and really it's about the matchup and our needs at the moment in games.