The 2024 Portal Conundrum

[RuffRuff]

That’s the key though, he was never a PG. He had large shoes to fill and forced him into a role he’s never played.

We don’t need a 6 1 off ball guard that can’t defend. Most team don’t.

 

[auror]

That’s the key though, he was never a PG. He had large shoes to fill and forced him into a role he’s never played.

Well he did play PG for St. Mary's last season. But he was not very good at it and got pushed off ball halfway through the year and Marciulionis took over most of the on ball duties. So more accurate to say a role he's never played well.

The staff aren't going to miss a detail like that. They brought him in expecting him to be a Spencer-like player. But then quickly realized he would not be able to defend 2s because he was smaller than expected and Ball had a good Fall. Which left him stuck as either a PG or a bench player.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

That’s the key though, he was never a PG. He had large shoes to fill and forced him into a role he’s never played.

I was saying that all summer. It was always going to be a huge adjustment for him especially because of what we were asking of him.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Hardest part of building great teams is getting the right players. Great players are 100% the key indicator to success, far more than culture and development. JC knew this, and sold his soul a little bit on it later into his career. For some of today's great coaches, what stands in their way is typically player selection/roster building.

Gutt here is that staff was riding a little too high off the B2B, over-valued current group and their ability to develop, under-valued straight up talent. Nothing else explains Mahaney as a PG.

I think one of the more underrated parts about JC teams is that guys had very clear roles that he developed players in. Outside of maybe 2012 because the roster just wasn’t a fit, most years guys knew what their jobs were when they went on the court and the jobs made sense to get the most out of guys.

This season I don’t think there were any clear roles going in because there was competition at almost every position. Things are more settled at this point when Liam comes back, but players like Nowell, Ross, and Stewart still don’t seem to have roles and responsibilities they are comfortable giving to the team consistently. Mahaney seems like he has a clear role at this point and is just about him becoming comfortable excelling in it.

It’s especially disappointing for Nowell because he should be on a Marcus, Kemba, Shabazz, Boatright style freshman secondary ballhandler plan but that’s not happening currently.

 

[ctchamps]

Well he did play PG for St. Mary's last season. But he was not very good at it and got pushed off ball halfway through the year and Marciulionis took over most of the on ball duties. So more accurate to say a role he's never played well.

The staff aren't going to miss a detail like that. They brought him in expecting him to be a Spencer-like player. But then quickly realized he would not be able to defend 2s because he was smaller than expected and Ball had a good Fall. Which left him stuck as either a PG or a bench player.

Interesting. So the staff were going to roll with Nowell and HD as our point guards coming into this season?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

You guys act as if NIL is an infinite resource and we can just keep adding top tier talent. Most teams seem to be able to afford 8-10 deep of legitimate high level talent. In the old days, a UConn team might go 12 deep with the last two being 50-150 ranked freshmen who may or may not have been able to step up. This has not really changed, but I think the older talent pool is deeper and better than it was in the past.

Injuries are always a huge problem in basketball because the rosters are smaller and every team is dependent upon a couple of scorers. So, UConn builds a team that is a little young to begin with in an era of older teams, then loses its leading scorer. This January stretch is what happens next.

We aren’t the only team that got into trouble because it lost its best player. Kalkbrenner didn’t miss many games, but he was nowhere near 100% for the stretch in November and December where Creighton lost 5 games in 3 weeks. Kalkbrenner stays healthy and they are 18-2 or 17-3 right now and Top 10. Xavier lost its best inbound transfer, Traore (sp?) for the season and Freemantle for 3 games. Those two stay healthy and Xavier is a 15 or 16 win team right now.

Teams have a little less depth and there are more and better older players, so an injury really throws a season off the rails.

Basketball is a game of millimeters, where a couple of shots are just a little off or a little more on target changes a game and a season. That Colorado loss was a terrible, terrible loss, followed by a pretty bad Dayton loss. UConn beats Colorado, its next game is Iowa State, and win or lose that game, the trajectory of UConn’s season feels very different.

 

[CTBasketball]

We don’t need a 6 1 off ball guard that can’t defend. Most team don’t.

So where does Solo Ball fit in at 2” taller? He’s clearly worse defensively. He is one of the best off ball 3-pt shooters in the land, but can’t create his own shot.

We have two huge deficiencies in both Mahaney (size) and Solo (defense, shot creation). Tough to live with both and both on the court at the same time.

Well he did play PG for St. Mary's last season. But he was not very good at it and got pushed off ball halfway through the year and Marciulionis took over most of the on ball duties. So more accurate to say a role he's never played well.

The staff aren't going to miss a detail like that. They brought him in expecting him to be a Spencer-like player. But then quickly realized he would not be able to defend 2s because he was smaller than expected and Ball had a good Fall. Which left him stuck as either a PG or a bench player.

Eh I watch a ton of west-coast late night hoop, Marcuulionis was always the guy who stirred the drink. Mahaney was primarily SG and was used to get into the paint and shoot.

I was saying that all summer. It was always going to be a huge adjustment for him especially because of what we were asking of him.

If you want to be tough on Hurley, at the current moment the miss was trying to force him into a PG. I’m not ready to give up on him like most are.

 

[RuffRuff]

So where does Solo Ball fit in at 2” taller? He’s clearly worse defensively. He is one of the best off ball 3-pt shooters in the land, but can’t create his own shot.

We have two huge deficiencies in both Mahaney (size) and Solo (defense, shot creation). Tough to live with both and both on the court at the same time

Exactly the point - don’t need two of them. Solo offsets his deficiencies with shooting. If we have a tough defensive matchup out there I want a Swiss Army knife of a roster, not a bunch of guys with the same holes.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

So where does Solo Ball fit in at 2” taller? He’s clearly worse defensively. He is one of the best off ball 3-pt shooters in the land, but can’t create his own shot.

We have two huge deficiencies in both Mahaney (size) and Solo (defense, shot creation). Tough to live with both and both on the court at the same time.

I meant to mention the Mahaney/Ball/Diarra size issue in my post. An A-10 team can get away with playing 3 players like that at the same time, but a Big East team can not. I think Mahaney has been fine this season offensively, and his defensive issues do not stand out on a team with a lot of defensive issues, but one of those 3 has to be a backup, and it is Mahaney this season.

 

[freshler40]

We expected a starting PG and got a guy who has been barely playable 95% of the season. It is a huge whiff.

I don't really feel bad saying this stuff like I would have 5 years ago. He got paid plenty to wear our uniform

Expectations change with all the money around. Players have moved from development to expected pro level, likely beyond what most can produce. Were in an adjustment period for fans and players.

 

[Tex-Lager93]

I haven't watched as much of the field this year, but it doesn't feel like there have been any huge leaps by portal players this year. Last year, Spencer was way beyond expectations as well as a guy like Knecht. I don't feel that same buzz this year. The best players are either freshman or remained on their current team.

 

[auror]

Eh I watch a ton of west-coast late night hoop, Marcuulionis was always the guy who stirred the drink. Mahaney was primarily SG and was used to get into the paint and shoot.

In the early season in Novembrer when they were struggling, they were kind of operating as co-PG (which is something Bennett likes to have). In the first 7 games, Marciulionis had games with 5 assists, and three games with 0 or 1 assist (in up to 29 minutes). From December on, he only had less than 3 assists in 1 out of the 26 games.

Mahaney had a 19% assist rate in November and a 13% assist rate the rest of the way. Marciulinus had a 16% assist rate in that first stretch (less than Mahaney's) to 31.5% the rest of the way. My friend is a St Mary's alum, and I talked to him a lot about it. Bennett made a change in their deployment.

 

[RuffRuff]

I haven't watched as much of the field this year, but it doesn't feel like there have been any huge leaps by portal players this year. Last year, Spencer was way beyond expectations as well as a guy like Knecht. I don't feel that same buzz this year. The best players are either freshman or remained on their current team.

There are some very good portal players. Broome is out of the portal, coming from Morehead St a couple years ago. PJ Haggerty on Memphis, Chaz Lanier at Tenn, Walter Clayton at UF, Michigan has multiple. The list is long.

The entire UK team is out of the portal. The thing about the portal is that it’s rare you’ll get so-called NBA talent unless a clear case of a late bloomer, but you’ll get men with mature bodies that have experience playing at a high level, often at a mid major.

 

[Inyatkin]

Well he did play PG for St. Mary's last season. But he was not very good at it and got pushed off ball halfway through the year and Marciulionis took over most of the on ball duties. So more accurate to say a role he's never played well.

The staff aren't going to miss a detail like that. They brought him in expecting him to be a Spencer-like player. But then quickly realized he would not be able to defend 2s because he was smaller than expected and Ball had a good Fall. Which left him stuck as either a PG or a bench player.

Smaller than expected? They measure height differently out west?

 

[RuffRuff]

Smaller than expected? They measure height differently out west?

Staff played against him in 2023-24 so I’m sure they knew what they were getting. I was surprised at how small he was when I saw him for the first time. He is not his listed height, but I know most aren’t. I’m 6’4” and stood next to him in Texas and he’s a stretch at 6’2”, probably in the 6’1” and change neighborhood.

 

[boog204]

Smaller than expected? They measure height differently out west?

Hilton units are an East Coast thing...

 

[boog204]

Well he did play PG for St. Mary's last season. But he was not very good at it and got pushed off ball halfway through the year and Marciulionis took over most of the on ball duties. So more accurate to say a role he's never played well.

The staff aren't going to miss a detail like that. They brought him in expecting him to be a Spencer-like player. But then quickly realized he would not be able to defend 2s because he was smaller than expected and Ball had a good Fall. Which left him stuck as either a PG or a bench player.

He was their PG when we played them in the tourney. And I distinctly remember Dan Hurley saying pregame that we needed to play great PNR defense because Aidan would kill us if we didn't.

 

[boog204]

The other thing that I think we tend to do that I don't like is leaving an open scholarship. I don't know the full NIL situation but I have to think there was either a PF or PG out there who could have been insurance of sorts to fill out that slot.

Kentucky grabbed Ansley Almonor from FDU pretty late in the game to be like their 10th or 11th guy. I think he was going to transfer to Siena before Kentucky popped in. That dude can play and signed on to play like 10 minutes a game there at best and be like the 4th big man. He would've been a fantastic pickup as insurance for an injury or if Jaylin/Ross didn't develop like we thought. Hoping we don't just leave an open scholarship this year if there is someone/anyone who can fill it to be insurance/compete.

 

[ctbro1999]

So where does Solo Ball fit in at 2” taller? He’s clearly worse defensively. He is one of the best off ball 3-pt shooters in the land, but can’t create his own shot.

We have two huge deficiencies in both Mahaney (size) and Solo (defense, shot creation). Tough to live with both and both on the court at the same time.

The times we've had Diarra, Ball, and Mahaney on the floor at the same time, I've cringed because of the height we're giving up on defense to pretty much any power conference team. Last year, we usually had Newton (6'5), Castle (6'6) and Spencer (6'4) 1-3, who were all taller than their counterparts for the vast majority of opponents. We haven't had the Diarra/Ball/Mahaney combo on the floor much and usually it only gets deployed when we're in foul trouble, but just underlines how good we had it on the perimeter the last couple of years.

Of course once McNeeley returns, we'll probably never see Diarra/Ball/Mahaney on the floor together again (hopefully).

 

[RuffRuff]

The other thing that I think we tend to do that I don't like is leaving an open scholarship. I don't know the full NIL situation but I have to think there was either a PF or PG out there who could have been insurance of sorts to fill out that slot.

Kentucky grabbed Ansley Almonor from FDU pretty late in the game to be like their 10th or 11th guy. I think he was going to transfer to Siena before Kentucky popped in. That dude can play and signed on to play like 10 minutes a game there at best and be like the 4th big man. He would've been a fantastic pickup as insurance for an injury or if Jaylin/Ross didn't develop like we thought. Hoping we don't just leave an open scholarship this year if there is someone/anyone who can fill it to be insurance/compete.

It’s a good point. This recent portal season felt rushed and incomplete. I thought going in 3 was the target. The number of players gotten, the players gotten and number of players entertained felt light. In 2023, Calc, Alleyne, Hassan, Newt were all portal and key contributors. This last one felt incomplete, with the reasoning being belief in the rising sophs.

 

[boog204]

It’s a good point. This recent portal season felt rushed and incomplete. I thought going in 3 was the target. The number of players gotten, the players gotten and number of players entertained felt light. In 2023, Calc, Alleyne, Hassan, Newt were all portal and key contributors. This last one felt incomplete, with the reasoning being belief in the rising sophs.

I didn't think it was rushed or incomplete at all. I think we keyed in on three or four guys. As of right now, we missed what Aidan would be. I think he's had flashes offensively where you can see that he can play. But the defensive adjustment has been quite slow and the speed of the game (in all aspects) has at times been way too fast for him. I believe the staff thought we were getting our starting PG. They were very wrong on that.

I have no issues whatsoever with Tarris. He's easily as good as any of the other 5's that were portaled and we'll have him next year where, if he's used correctly, he could easily be a 14-10 guy every night.

I just would've liked to see us use that last schollie. It just seems pointless to leave it open if it's a guy who's going to be gone in a year anyway. Again, no idea if the NIL budget even was there. But Dan Hurley has liked to leave a scholarship open the last few years and it makes little sense to me.

 

[dennismenace]

I’m curious. Would we have brought in guys for depth from the portal?

We got Mahaney and brought in Liam. Those were supposed to be to be our starters that we brought in. Were we supposed to to bring in another PG or SG? A SF to compete with Liam or for depth?

Hurley couldn’t both ask Stewart to come back and then bring in a guy who would start over him in Liam and then another guy in the portal to take all his minutes.

Spot on. This is where the real conundrum is. There is going to be a real logjam next year as well. Those guys aren't coming here for garbage minutes next year.

 

[RuffRuff]

Spot on. This is where the real conundrum is. There is going to be a real logjam next year as well. Those guys aren't coming here for garbage minutes next year.

I didn't think it was rushed or incomplete at all. I think we keyed in on three or four guys. As of right now, we missed what Aidan would be. I think he's had flashes offensively where you can see that he can play. But the defensive adjustment has been quite slow and the speed of the game (in all aspects) has at times been way too fast for him. I believe the staff thought we were getting our starting PG. They were very wrong on that.

I have no issues whatsoever with Tarris. He's easily as good as any of the other 5's that were portaled and we'll have him next year where, if he's used correctly, he could easily be a 14-10 guy every night.

I just would've liked to see us use that last schollie. It just seems pointless to leave it open if it's a guy who's going to be gone in a year anyway. Again, no idea if the NIL budget even was there. But Dan Hurley has liked to leave a scholarship open the last few years and it makes little sense to me.

I'm fine with Tarris, but he's certainly not the type of profile that we lost in a rim protector. There were a lot of bigs in the portal. The way this offense/defense runs, the 5 needs to rebound, set picks, pass out high and rim protect. Offense is gravy. Hard to know if Hurley wanted to give Samson his chance all along. There is no way you're rolling out a contender you feel confident in with Samson as your starting 5. You have to constantly compensate, like expecting guards to be key rebounders.

Losing 4 starters to the NBA * seeing your fifth guy entertain the draft, portal was critical. We brought 2 guys in, entertained 3, 1 guy was an experiment. That put a lot of emphasis on a freshman & sophomore leaps. Doesn't feel like a winning recipe, especially as you look around rosters at top teams this year with seniors everywhere. Hindsight is 20/20.

Logjams are ok to avoid if you really believe in the guys you're trying to retain. This is the trickiest part of the portal era, knowing when to cut bait with kids you have invested in. It takes a clinical approach. Why this portal season is going to be fascinating to watch.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Spot on. This is where the real conundrum is. There is going to be a real logjam next year as well. Those guys aren't coming here for garbage minutes next year.

Yeah I can’t see us hitting the transfer portal and keeping the sophomore group.

I also don’t see us winning big with the core group of talent being transfer players. It’s kind of the sophomore and upcoming freshman class or bust.

As it stands the roster looks like this.

PG: Nowell, Mahaney? Adams? Furphy
SG: Solo, Mahaney, Adams? Mullins?
SF: Ross, Mullins, Adams, Stew
PF: Karaban?, Stew, Abraham
C: Reed, Reibe, Singare

Not meant to be a depth chart. And I’m not sure if Mahaney is playing PG next year or Adams. We may want to bring one in if Nowell is okay with it. But we have a full on log jam at 2-5 especially if Karaban decides to stay.

We for sure need a true PG in the 2026 class regardless. Would be nice if we can develop Nowell to be good enough to start by then and have the 2026 PG as a nice apprentice for him.

 

[navery12]

The other thing that I think we tend to do that I don't like is leaving an open scholarship. I don't know the full NIL situation but I have to think there was either a PF or PG out there who could have been insurance of sorts to fill out that slot.

Kentucky grabbed Ansley Almonor from FDU pretty late in the game to be like their 10th or 11th guy. I think he was going to transfer to Siena before Kentucky popped in. That dude can play and signed on to play like 10 minutes a game there at best and be like the 4th big man. He would've been a fantastic pickup as insurance for an injury or if Jaylin/Ross didn't develop like we thought. Hoping we don't just leave an open scholarship this year if there is someone/anyone who can fill it to be insurance/compete.

Dan Hurley has been very open that they're not going to use all 13 scholarships so I don't see that changing next year. Even Kentucky only filled 12 scholarships, and the last 3 spots were with freshmen who are barely playing