The transfer portal opens today

[RedStickHusky]

Portal is high-stakes; everyone's a phone call away from getting Timberlaked.

 

[bendm]

I set the O/U at 2.5 correct starters here come beginning of the season

Im going over but just barley (3)

 

[HooperScooper]

Reed wasn't even one of the better players on a horrible Michigan team so this one would definitely leave a lot to be desired

I would think at this point that we need to give Hurley the benefit of the doubt on these things.

 

[auror]

Didn't he take one of these pictures last year or am I imagining it? Is this a recurring bit?

 

[auror]

Didn't he take one of these pictures last year or am I imagining it? Is this a recurring bit?

Found it.

 

[ThabeetDown]

The line up will look completely different but I appreciate your loyalty to the players.

I set the O/U at 2.5 correct starters here come beginning of the season

Im going over but just barley (3)

If Diarra returns, I'd expect 4 of those 5 to start at minimum. As I said, Solo could very much go to the bench. You're not gonna be able to recruit top 100 players if you stick them on the bench for 2 years in the favor of a shiny transfer. One year + limited playing time, sure, that's fine. But if I was a top 100 player and I was being replaced by a transfer, I would not stick around even if it meant leaving the best staff in the country. And you're insane if you wouldn't do the same.

Would love to hear who doesn't start from that list other than Solo...

 

[nomar]

The line up will look completely different but I appreciate your loyalty to the players.

I love our guys but that lineup doesn’t scream “Three-peat,” does it?

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

If Diarra returns, I'd expect 4 of those 5 to start at minimum. As I said, Solo could very much go to the bench. You're not gonna be able to recruit top 100 players if you stick them on the bench for 2 years in the favor of a shiny transfer. One year + limited playing time, sure, that's fine. But if I was a top 100 player and I was being replaced by a transfer, I would not stick around even if it meant leaving the best staff in the country. And you're insane if you wouldn't do the same.

Would love to hear who doesn't start from that list other than Solo...

It would suck if we didn’t find a way to get the most out of a talent like Solo while he’s here. His ceiling is so high.

 

[KemBuckets21]

Im going over but just barley (3)

I’d go under just wheat

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I love our guys but that lineup doesn’t scream “Three-peat,” does it?

Unless we bring in one of the most impactful centers in the country, I don’t think any transfer guard is going to carry us over that hump this year. We need a game changing center more than anything.

Don’t know if I’d want to continue to push off the development of our own guards to bring in someone with a possibly higher floor.

 

[gsmooth]

Was rooting for FAU to beat Northwestern until I watched Goldin in that game. Fillipowski is Vlad light by comparison at least based on that game.

I see what you are saying, but UConn would've steamrolled FAU and I respect the 2 year run FAU had. FAU is a smaller team and UConn's guards are bigger and could shoot easily over them.

 

[husky99]

This is my roster as of now for Game 1:

G: Diarra | Nowell
G: Solo | TRANSFER SHOOTER
F: JStew | Ross | Abraham
F: Karaban | Apostolos
C: Samson | TRANSFER | Singare

I think anyone listed as a forward can play either one for the most part in Hurley's system so thats not a concern. However, I do have some question marks for next year's team for it to be truly special, and that pretty much depends on the quality of the two transfers:

1) Guard: I am not sold on Solo to be a starter. I know he got a taste and held his own, but since he left the starting lineup and was replaced by JStew he did not play well at all. His shot selection was one of the worst I've ever seen on a well-coached team. Granted, it was garbage minutes half the time, but still. He need to have a huge summer to get to the next level, which I think he can. With that said, I have no problem with him playing Diarra minutes off the bench next year anyways if we get a transfer the level of Cam who starts. If we get more of a Joey transfer, Solo can start, but I expect a lot of Nowell playing the Diarra role with starter minutes off the bench. I also think there is a scenario where Nowell starts, Diarra at the off-ball guard and Solo off the bench, in which case having another combo guard off the bench as the transfer would be critical.

2) Center: Samson is going to be an awesome starter. He has big shoes to fill from the last two starters, but I am exciting for him to continue to grow. We need a beefy rim protector as the backup though. Someone more similar to Freshman Clingan than this past year's Samson. The change up works well for us on offense vs opposing D and its something we need to continue to exploit.

3) Transfers Out: If 1 does leave, I honeslty would be OK with it. We could add another shooter/guard to provide some better depth there as a lot of our depth is taken up by wings/forwards. But who? Ross/Singare are projects, but I feel like the fit in the locker room well and will probably stay? Ross is going to be everyone's default answer but I trust the staff to communicate properly to everyone on the roster. Solo less of a project but essentially got demoted, but again, feel like he also fits well with the off-court aspect so maybe that's a non-issue? I also want Apostolos being a rotation player. He's long, can shoot. Why not? I don't see why he can't play 8-10 mpg minimum. If Hurley can't promise that to him this summer, I hope he transfers to place that will let him play.

If solo is our 2 we are in trouble

 

[AntG168]

If solo is our 2 we are in trouble

I disagree

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

If solo is our 2 we are in trouble

If solo isn’t our 1 or 2, where does he fit?

 

[FlexOnEm]

If solo is our 2 we are in trouble

Strongly disagree. Hurley has made it a point multiple times throughout the season how good of a shooter he is. You can see it in flashes. He’s also a great defender. For a while in the KO years, we got used to expecting no player development but that isn’t the case with the current staff. I expect a big jump from him in year 2. I think he’ll play 20-25 minutes a night and average around 10 points a game. Curious as to why you aren’t as high on him?

 

[ec33]

If solo is our 2 we are in trouble

Solo hit the freshman wall. I suspect he will come back looking much improved.

Good enough to start? We will see. But if he is starting it will be because he earned it.

 

[UCPharma11]

This is my roster as of now for Game 1:

G: Diarra | Nowell
G: Solo | TRANSFER SHOOTER
F: JStew | Ross | Abraham
F: Karaban | Apostolos
C: Samson | TRANSFER | Singare

I think anyone listed as a forward can play either one for the most part in Hurley's system so thats not a concern. However, I do have some question marks for next year's team for it to be truly special, and that pretty much depends on the quality of the two transfers:

1) Guard: I am not sold on Solo to be a starter. I know he got a taste and held his own, but since he left the starting lineup and was replaced by JStew he did not play well at all. His shot selection was one of the worst I've ever seen on a well-coached team. Granted, it was garbage minutes half the time, but still. He need to have a huge summer to get to the next level, which I think he can. With that said, I have no problem with him playing Diarra minutes off the bench next year anyways if we get a transfer the level of Cam who starts. If we get more of a Joey transfer, Solo can start, but I expect a lot of Nowell playing the Diarra role with starter minutes off the bench. I also think there is a scenario where Nowell starts, Diarra at the off-ball guard and Solo off the bench, in which case having another combo guard off the bench as the transfer would be critical.

2) Center: Samson is going to be an awesome starter. He has big shoes to fill from the last two starters, but I am exciting for him to continue to grow. We need a beefy rim protector as the backup though. Someone more similar to Freshman Clingan than this past year's Samson. The change up works well for us on offense vs opposing D and its something we need to continue to exploit.

3) Transfers Out: If 1 does leave, I honeslty would be OK with it. We could add another shooter/guard to provide some better depth there as a lot of our depth is taken up by wings/forwards. But who? Ross/Singare are projects, but I feel like the fit in the locker room well and will probably stay? Ross is going to be everyone's default answer but I trust the staff to communicate properly to everyone on the roster. Solo less of a project but essentially got demoted, but again, feel like he also fits well with the off-court aspect so maybe that's a non-issue? I also want Apostolos being a rotation player. He's long, can shoot. Why not? I don't see why he can't play 8-10 mpg minimum. If Hurley can't promise that to him this summer, I hope he transfers to place that will let him play.

Samson cannot be our top option at center for the reasons i have mentioned in prior posts. We must get a Vlad Golden/ Michigan Center/Ballo type or Id even take Wolf.

 

[bendm]

Would love to hear who doesn't start from that list other than Solo...

Well that’s the thing that’s not the final list

 

[upstater]

Solo hit the freshman wall. I suspect he will come back looking much improved.

Good enough to start? We will see. But if he is starting it will be because he earned it.

Against North Carolina he was 5 of 8, 3 of 6 from 3, 29 minutes and 2 personal fouls.

It's a one off but he was on a deep roster.

That performance showed promise.

This roster was really loaded.

 

[UCPharma11]

I would love for Hass to start. He just seems like such a career 6th man, and I mean that in the best way possible.

Ball Hawk/Highly athletic 1-2 (6 foot 4 to 6 foot 6 shooter with high 3pt #s, Hausen and Hurleys pick of the PF/C litter.

 

[ec33]

Against North Carolina he was 5 of 8, 3 of 6 from 3, 29 minutes and 2 personal fouls.

It's a one off but he was on a deep roster.

That performance showed promise.

This roster was really loaded.

I suspect the offense next season will also have some tweaks to better take advantage of his skill set (same with Stewart). So Ball will look better by design.

 

[Brochacho]

I think what I like most about our two most likely portal targets is we are building toward a strong core for 2026 while being able to compete for a Final Four in 2025. McNeely fits the mold too - doesn’t seem to be a one and done.

 

[UCPharma11]

The situation he was in was not beneficial to development. And he still averaged 9 and 7 as a sophomore. He’s going to get better

IF and this is a very doable if, the staff sharpens and polishes Reed the same way they did Diarra and many others than he will be a Double Double Monster here. Sign him up.

 

[UCPharma11]

Rylan Griffen enters transfer portal after two seasons with Alabama basketball

6'6" Guard, shoots the 3 at a 40% clip. Had a great NCAA tournament. He would just be an absolute Pac Man in our system gobbling up 3-pointers. Very active player.

 

[controlfade]

He would be a huge get, but what do I know? I trust Hurley and his decisions