The Legacy of Alex Karaban

[Deepster]

With 13 regular season games and the postseason remaining.....

a) Where does the legacy of Alex Karaban currently sit? Think about where he was at the end of last season, saying he was coming back for this season and now where that sits,

b) What can he do to repair or reclaim anything he's dented or lost so far this season?

Random thoughts....there were comments prior to the season of him being one of the greatest Huskies of all time. How much, if any, has he actually improved his draft stock? I'll admit. I groaned when Alex had 0 in the first half yesterday and I wanted Solo or Jaylin to take the last shot yesterday. Is it a confidence issue, the fact he's not an alpha, just a limited skill set that we've seen the best of, a combo of all of that?

 

[CTBasketball]

To quote a Canadian who should’ve been convicted of vehicular manslaughter…

“without [Alex Karaban] we wouldn’t have won 10 f£$!ing games this year. Not 10.”

 

[TheHorde]

I will always view Alex fondly as a great Husky winner and important role player on championship teams. The comp that comes to mind is Kevin Freeman. Alex is a terrific third or fourth or fifth most valuable player on a winning team. But he’s not really a first or second option. But I choose to focus on the positives with him and what he is versus what we hoped he could be.

 

[RuffRuff]

Delicious side, not a main course.

 

[willie99]

Alex has nothing to prove

 

[boog204]

I will always view Alex fondly as a great Husky winner and important role player on championship teams. The comp that comes to mind is Kevin Freeman. Alex is a terrific third or fourth or fifth most valuable player on a winning team. But he’s not really a first or second option. But I choose to focus on the positives with him and what he is versus what we hoped he could be.

There’s the comp I was looking for not necessarily in style of play but in legacy. Freeman is a beloved (and for good reason) guy in UConn lore. He was excellent as your third guy on really good teams. When the time came for him to try to be the alpha, it was painfully obvious he just wasn’t that guy from a skillset perspective. While KFree is still a “great” here it does hurt his rep a bit especially the way it went down with him, reportedly, forcing JCs hand to play him at the 3.

AK is similar. He was the third or fourth option on two great teams. It was beyond clear years one and two what AK was and he seemingly tested the draft process and was told the same. He is at his best as the other guy to the other guy. We don’t really have that this year and AK is tasked with trying to do some things that he is not very good at. So it does tarnish the legacy just a tad. But that’s also the fan bases fault for thinking he was something that he’s not. If you came into this year thinking all of a sudden he would develop a handle, have additional athleticism, or be the alpha then really, that’s on you. Hell go down as a great UConn player whether he scores another point here or not. But the expectation that he’s “supposed to be an all-American” is the fan base not seeing him for what he is.

 

[TheHorde]

There’s the comp I was looking for not necessarily in style of play but in legacy. Freeman is a beloved (and for good reason) guy in UConn lore. He was excellent as your third guy on really good teams. When the time came for him to try to be the alpha, it was painfully obvious he just wasn’t that guy from a skillset perspective. While KFree is still a “great” here it does hurt his rep a bit especially the way it went down with him, reportedly, forcing JCs hand to play him at the 3.

AK is similar. He was the third or fourth option on two great teams. It was beyond clear years one and two what AK was and he seemingly tested the draft process and was told the same. He is at his best as the other guy to the other guy. We don’t really have that this year and AK is tasked with trying to do some things that he is not very good at. So it does tarnish the legacy just a tad. But that’s also the fan bases fault for thinking he was something that he’s not. If you came into this year thinking all of a sudden he would develop a handle, have additional athleticism, or be the alpha then really, that’s on you. Hell go down as a great UConn player whether he scores another point here or not. But the expectation that he’s “supposed to be an all-American” is the fan base not seeing him for what he is.

The 1999-2000 UConn team has a lot of parallels to this year’s addition too imo.

 

[my2cents]

He has two rings which puts him way ahead of just about every former Husky. He has also hit so many clutch shots that his respect is well earned.
I think with this year's team when he has an off game, we may lose the game.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

I'm a little bummed he hasn't lived up to his preseason all-american billing. But that's more an issue with my expectations than his legacy

 

[Palatine]

His legacy is written as one of our all time greats.

The problem is -right now- he is not playing like a all conference player.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Great player, not sure he’ll be remembered in UConn lore though. Which is okay, it’s a tough list to make. In a strange way his legacy may have been improved by going pro after the back-to-back. Still thankful he came back though.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Alex has nothing to prove

I would presume he thinks differently.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Great player, not sure he’ll be remembered in UConn lore though. Which is okay, it’s a tough list to make. In a strange way his legacy may have been improved by going pro after the back-to-back. Still thankful he came back though.

He was a starter and key piece of back to back championships. He will be remembered in UConn lore.

 

[REB1094]

Starter and invaluable piece of historic back to back national championship teams

And the story is still being written..

 

[husky429]

Can we pin this thread? I'm going the enjoy the takes next time Alex wins a game for us

 

[UConnTrumbull]

He was a starter and key piece of back to back championships. He will be remembered in UConn lore.

Guess it depends how you define lore. He’s on a similar level as Niels Giffey. Of course he will be remembered. But not as one of the greatest of all-time. And that’s ok!

 

[Scrutineer]

We need Ricker to speak with him and get him straightened out ......... as he's the reason Alex is here!

Maybe it's something as simple as he's just not what DH tried to make him and is pressing in his attempt to be the leader while he's most comfortable as an exceptional complementary piece.

Mahaney may be another example of someone brought here to be something he's not. Like AJ Storr at Kansas (two in a row for Self if you include Timberlake).
Former Badger star is flailing and the disdain at his new school is growing

 

[REB1094]

Guess it depends how you define lore. He’s on a similar level as Niels Giffey. Of course he will be remembered. But not as one of the greatest of all-time. And that’s ok!

Giffey

• 4 seasons
• 640 points
• 354 rebounds
• 88 3PM
• 2 championships

Karaban

• 2.5 seasons
• 1130 points
• 452 rebounds
• 190 3PM (5 away from top 10 all time. If he keeps up his current rate then he will be #8 by the end of the regular season)
• 2 championships

 

[RuffRuff]

Guess it depends how you define lore. He’s on a similar level as Niels Giffey. Of course he will be remembered. But not as one of the greatest of all-time. And that’s ok!

Not sure about that - AK will most likely get 2nd team all BE this season. Did Niels sniff a BE team? Freeman is a decent comp if this needs comping.

 

[UCan3]

Guess it depends how you define lore. He’s on a similar level as Niels Giffey. Of course he will be remembered. But not as one of the greatest of all-time. And that’s ok!

I think one thing that might have hurt Alex - and it’s not his fault! - is the outpouring of accolades and his place in UConn history - while he’s got a full season to play. Wish this would have waited until the last few games of the season or after we wrapped season up.

These expectations of having to be perfect have to weigh on him. I think we saw that at the Free throw line at Villanova and with some of his ill advised end of game shots that had no prayer of going in.

He is an excellent role player and I agree with the Niels Griffey comparison. Only difference is IMO Niels deserved more (not less) recognition for what he did in a Husky uniform.

Alex just isn’t the type of player to “put the team on his back” but a superb team player that makes everyone around him better. A forever great Husky that had expectation’s IMO unfairly heaped upon him in his last year in a Husky uniform.

But with that being said, the story is not fully written yet! Let’s hope for the best as the real season starts in 6 weeks!

 

[temery]

No Karaban the last two years, no championships. He currently has the yips, nothing more, nothing less.

In the past two years he's had better players around him. So if he had a bad game, they still had a good chance of winning.

Nothing positive will come from trashing the kid.

 

[Marat]

No Karaban the last two years, no championships. He currently has the yips, nothing more, nothing less.

In the past two years he's had better players around him. So if he had a bad game, they still had a good chance of winning.

Nothing positive will come from trashing the kid.

I would not be surprised if Alex puts the recent challenges behind and helps the team succeed in the BET and NCAAs. I'm sure he will be laser focused .

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Guess it depends how you define lore. He’s on a similar level as Niels Giffey.

Wait, what???

Fun fact: Karaban is averaging career highs in points (15.6 ppg), 3P% (41.7%), assists (2.8 apg) and blocks (1.8 bpg).

Sounds good to me!

 

[RuffRuff]

No Karaban the last two years, no championships. He currently has the yips, nothing more, nothing less.

In the past two years he's had better players around him. So if he had a bad game, they still had a good chance of winning.

Nothing positive will come from trashing the kid.

There is an argument to be made that this team was good enough to win with or without AK last year, as easily the 5th best player in our starting lineup. Not worth diving into.

 

[Deepster]

No Karaban the last two years, no championships. He currently has the yips, nothing more, nothing less.

In the past two years he's had better players around him. So if he had a bad game, they still had a good chance of winning.

Nothing positive will come from trashing the kid.

I don’t mean to trash him. But I don’t think this season has gone nearly how he’d have liked it so far and I hope there’s another gear that he finds down the stretch.

I do think Freeman is a good comparison as mentioned not for the skills but the manner in which their last season played out a bit.