Top Connecticut players never to play at UCONN

[Waquoit]

That was unfortunate. parade all American, but wasn't in the best shape when he got to Syracuse, ends up losing a few teeth in a fight and struggles academically.

Had he chose UConn, Calhoun probably might have gotten the best out of him.

He was a Perno recruit, iirc. I think Boeheim didn't really want him. He just swooped in so he wouldn't go to UConn and maybe give the sleeping giant some momentum.

 

[Waquoit]

In the early days of the Big East, nothing would aggravate me more than having to play against BC and all of that Connecticut talent.

their Elite 8 team started 4 CT guys. Connecticut HS coaches always like to mess with UConn back then. JC put them in their place.

 

[TheHorde]

Is Pressley actually from CT?

I don’t think originally but he played high school ball here. I also remember during pregame introductions he was introduced as being from Mystic, CT.

 

[karstenkibbe]

He was a Perno recruit, iirc. I think Boeheim didn't really want him. He just swooped in so he wouldn't go to UConn and maybe give the sleeping giant some momentum.

Definitely not a Perno recruit. Harris was a freshman at Syracuse in ‘91-92.

 

[superjohn]

I don’t think originally but he played high school ball here. I also remember during pregame introductions he was introduced as being from Mystic, CT.

He moved to Connecticut when he was 5.

 

[CCSUblue]

I'm pretty sure about few players on these lists played at UConn even if they didn't play for UConn.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

I don’t think originally but he played high school ball here. I also remember during pregame introductions he was introduced as being from Mystic, CT.

No he was from here from like 5 or 6 year old. From Mystic. There was a recruiting controversy at St bernards just as he was leaving in early 80s as they tended to make alot of contact with talent from new london area etc as 8th graders

Where are they now? Pressley has changed coasts, but not his penchant for giving

 

[LIUCHusky]

I alway forget vin

Tom Roy

 

[WrenchFan69]

Kuran Iverson is a recent-ish CT guy that didn't make anyone's list. Useful player at URI under Hurley

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Rick Mahorn (Weaver)
Charles Smith (Harding)
Michael Adams (HPHS)
John Bagley (Harding)
Wes Matthews (Harding)
Marcus Camby (HPHS)
Vin Baker (Old Saybrook)
Tremont Waters (New Haven)
Chris Dudley (arguable)
Malcolm Huckaby (Bristol)
Keith Closs (HPHS)
Courtney Alexander (Masuk)
Will Solomon (East Hartford)
Aaron Jackson (Northwest Catholic)
Jordan Williams (Torrington)
Ryan Gomes (Wilby)
Tyson Wheeler (New London)
Kris Dunn (New London)
Donovan Mitchell (grew up in Greenwich)
Tremont Waters (New Haven)
Mustapha Heron (Sacred Heart, Waterbury)

Who Am I missing?

Johnny Spaceman Egan
The others I though of we named
There were others who had good college careers who never succeeded in the NBA like Villanova’s
Jensen , Pinone , Presley

 

[Waquoit]

Definitely not a Perno recruit. Harris was a freshman at Syracuse in ‘91-92.

Wasn't there an Anthony Harris, Top 25 guy in the 80's? Went to Cuse for a cup of coffee?

 

[fordfv]

Vinnie Del Negro (Suffield Academy). He was from Springfield, per Wikipedia, but did play in CT.

Billy Finn .

 

[fordfv]

Billy Finn .

Coach Gary Pallidino ,a contemporary, of Finn ( then Notre Dame West Haven coach) said Finn should have been playing for Michigan after graduating from Sacred Heart in 1962.Also Billy Rado, Naugatuck, Soph of the year at Georgia in the SEC. Going way back but very deserving of a mention.

 

[HuskyNationJE]

John Williamson - Wilbur Cross (New Mexico St). Jason Benton - Wilbur Cross (Manhattan). Geary Claxton - Career (Penn St). Craig Benson - Hamden High (QU). Dave McClure - Trinity Catholic (Duke). Rob "Fluff" McKiver - Hillhouse (Providence & Houston). Terrell Taylor - Bridgeport Central (Creighton & FL?).

 

[cullaville]

John Smyth - Stamford

2.5 .800

Ernie Cobb was insane. Averaged 37.6 PPG his junior year at Stamford High under Herm Alswanger. Chose BC over UCLA, Kentucky and dozens of other schools who recruited him.

That team also included Ernie's cousin Gary Cobb who went on to play football at USC and in the NFL

 

[gsmooth]

I have not read any of the other posts and the first answer that comes to mind that still hurts right here (I am pointing at my heart, LOL), is .......
Marcus Camby
Marcus Camby
Marcus Camby

He was right in our backyard on Garden Street in the hood in the North End of Hartford. I even hung out with his buddies and played basketball with them many times in Elizabeth Park, a cool story I know, LOL.

Can you imagine what those very good UConn teams in 1994-1996 would have been like?!! UConn wouldn't have beaten BYU as the lead for most NCAA tournament appearances without a Final Four. The heartbreak of those years sucked and especially when you add to it that UMass made the Final Four in 1996.

 

[fordfv]

John Williamson - Wilbur Cross (New Mexico St). Jason Benton - Wilbur Cross (Manhattan). Geary Claxton - Career (Penn St). Craig Benson - Hamden High (QU). Dave McClure - Trinity Catholic (Duke). Rob "Fluff" McKiver - Hillhouse (Providence & Houston). Terrell Taylor - Bridgeport Central (Creighton & FL?).

Apologize for an above error, Finn , Sacred Heart high class of ‘61.

 

[Windham4th]

Wasn't there an Anthony Harris, Top 25 guy in the 80's? Went to Cuse for a cup of coffee?

1991 is pretty close to the 80s... sure your memory isn't a bit off. Harris was a big name in HS hoops, from Danbury. And he went there for a year so he fits the bill

 

[Lefty2one]

Gotta throw Tim Abromaitis out there. Better player than quite a few already mentioned. Knew he was a diamond in the rough/sleeper.

 

[jdb50]

Bob Nash. Went to HPHS. Played for Hawaii 70=72. Was 9th overall pick in 72 NBA draft by the Pistons. Played in NBA till 78-79.

 

[storrsroars]

Ernie Cobb was insane. Averaged 37.6 PPG his junior year at Stamford High under Herm Alswanger. Chose BC over UCLA, Kentucky and dozens of other schools who recruited him.

I remember when Ernie couldn't afford a new pair of sneakers.

Makes me wonder how good some of these 60s-70s guys could've been if they had decent footwear instead of old Chuck Taylors.

 

[Windham4th]

I played a season of rec league hoops in Chuck Taylors. What a mistake that was. Brutal on back and knees even though I was like 20 at the time.

 

[karstenkibbe]

I remember when Ernie couldn't afford a new pair of sneakers.

Makes me wonder how good some of these 60s-70s guys could've been if they had decent footwear instead of old Chuck Taylors.

And his journey back to Stamford after a stint in a youth detention facility in Meriden, and admitting to Alswanger that he was illiterate… makes his story of a successful life post-BC even more impressive.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Dwight Tolliver went to uri

 

[Horatio]

John Williamson - Wilbur Cross (New Mexico St). Jason Benton - Wilbur Cross (Manhattan). Geary Claxton - Career (Penn St). Craig Benson - Hamden High (QU). Dave McClure - Trinity Catholic (Duke). Rob "Fluff" McKiver - Hillhouse (Providence & Houston). Terrell Taylor - Bridgeport Central (Creighton & FL?).

Good list. Fluff Mckiver has a banner up at Houston and a bunch of records and great C-USA awards. Definitely could’ve played at UConn. Superior Collegiate shooter.

 

[Husky68]

Jack Kvancz Harding, Johnny Egan Hartford Weaver. Both players were top in high school their senior year. Went to BCU and PC respectively.

 

[storrsroars]

And his journey back to Stamford after a stint in a youth detention facility in Meriden, and admitting to Alswanger that he was illiterate… makes his story of a successful life post-BC even more impressive.

It wasn't really a secret that Ernie was illiterate. No idea how he ever got out of Dolan to get to SHS. I know kids who were held back and was always surprised he wasn't. I know he was Garry's cousin (who's older brother James was also a star athlete with SHS in the late 60s), but the two were nothing alike.

It's a good thing he had basketball.

 

[mauconnfan]

Bill Eason
Mickey Heard
John Bagley
Jay Murphy

John Nelson of Hall High I think who played at URI with Sly also was a nice player.

 

[Lefty2one]

Good list. Fluff Mckiver has a banner up at Houston and a bunch of records and great C-USA awards. Definitely could’ve played at UConn. Superior Collegiate shooter.

I don't think he would have lasted a week under Calhoun. I played with and against Fluff for ages. My man is a gunner's gunner with no regard for defense.

 

[karstenkibbe]

It wasn't really a secret that Ernie was illiterate. No idea how he ever got out of Dolan to get to SHS. I know kids who were held back and was always surprised he wasn't. I know he was Garry's cousin (who's older brother James was also a star athlete with SHS in the late 60s), but the two were nothing alike.

It's a good thing he had basketball.

Agree. Garry Cobb was a laser focused badass. 9th round pick, but played in the NFL for a decade. If Ernie didn’t have basketball, he would have ended up like his older brother.