Transfer Portal

[McLovin]

Why would you need more than Diggins and Castle? You bring in a freshman in 2024. People are delusional about how many PGs you keep on a roster. 3 is the max, and that's with one who is a desperation backup (T Sam, Donnell Beverly etc.). Go look at UConn history and see how many PG we rostered. 2014-15 UConn Huskies Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com I'm being generous and counting guys like Craig Austrie as PG and even *Antonio Kellogg. Two of the 1s featured Ben Gordon at SG and all had Tony Robinson as a combo.
From 2014-15 back: 3, 3, 2, 2, 3, 2, 4, 4, 3, 2, 2*, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2

Tony Robinson was a Combo and that allowed UConn to carry fewer PG. I believe Floyd is also considered a PG. There are also years where Ben had a high assiste rate, and Caron had a high assist rate. Jackson also allows us flexibility with his high assist rate.

Here’s the thing, roster construction has changed since those old days.

Pieces are interchangeable. Whatever a guy is listed on paper is irrelevant.

What we need is simple. 2 guys who can create their own shots, handle the ball and hit from 3 at a good clip.

1-4, it doesn’t matter.

If Cole comes back we still need 1 more.

 

[7774]

Ugh. I meant to type "combo guard'. I was comparing him to Tony Robinson.

You meant to type "Tony Robertson"

 

[HuskyHawk]

You meant to type "Tony Robertson"

The point was, flexible guards like Floyd is billed as, mean you need less true PG depth. AJax also means you need less PG depth. Too much focus here on "point guards".

We definitely need another guard, whether Cole or a transfer. But Diggins will play this year. Hawkins will play better. Floyd will play. Karaban will play. You don't want to bury any of those guys on the bench. They will all be guys who can do what @McLovin says is needed. I agree we need "scorers" who can attack off the bounce and shoot. Of the three guys definitely leaving, only one (Martin) could do that. Of the guys coming in, Floyd and Karaban can do that. So add one more and you've upgraded that skill.

 

[uconn1999]

A recap of the FR PGs
Coach Hurley managed to carve out a whomping 45 minutes for our top 10 ranked PG
If I was a recruit, this would make me think twice.
Yet many here expect the #117 recruit to jump right into the rotation, if not starting.

 

[HuskyHawk]

View attachment 74939
A recap of the FR PGs
Coach Hurley managed to carve out a whomping 45 minutes for our top 10 ranked PG
If I was a recruit, this would make me think twice.
Yet many here expect the #117 recruit to jump right into the rotation, if not starting.

Who are you saying is the #117 recruit? There's nobody incoming that isn't top 100.

I don't think any freshman starts this year. I think Karaban will take some of Polley's minutes as a bigger shooter off the bench. I think Floyd takes some of Martin's minutes as a big guard who can defend multiple spots and shoot. Both guys had a partial season with the team. I think Clingan will be deep depth at center probably behind Johnson.

 

[Get a Job]

View attachment 74939
A recap of the FR PGs
Coach Hurley managed to carve out a whomping 45 minutes for our top 10 ranked PG
If I was a recruit, this would make me think twice.
Yet many here expect the #117 recruit to jump right into the rotation, if not starting.

Rahsool might have been the 9th rated PG coming out of high school, but that doesn't mean his readiness to contribute this season was in the top 10 of freshman point guards. I barely watched a single minute of those other players besides Nembhard, so I don't know about these players personally. I do know, however, that as of tip-off of game 1 of the season, the chart you provided is utterly irrelevant to the question of playing time.

 

[Stinger92860]

I agree that's part of what is happening. What I think is comical is anybody thinking that Jalen Gaffney is the reason UConn lost even a single game. That was not the team's biggest problem, not even close.

If he has to Start at PG next year, this will move to the top of the team’s biggest problem List.

 

[Jbirdp5]

Didn’t feel like the need to rush into things was there until the Princeton kid was already on a visit to Alabama. Not I’m really hoping we start to get some news on visits and targets. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter if it happens tomorrow or in June, but I’d much rather it be sooner for all of us.

 

[awfuldan]

Big one.

 

[HuskyHawk]

He also wasn’t the reason we won a single game. And that is a problem. With another guard last season we win another 3-4 games easily

Nonsense. The problem was at forward. Namely the two guys out of eligibility. We love what Whaley brings but he needed to be the backup 5. Polley brings spot shooting but can’t handle the ball or create offense and was a liability rebounding and defending. The team needed a legit stretch 4. Especially since we started a SF that also couldn’t shoot. It was a roster construction problem that has already been solved.

Since we once again seem set to start a SF that has shooting issues, what does a guard do to solve that? Cole, Martin and Hawkins played most of our minutes at guard and they weren’t the issue. Need Akok/Johnson/Karaban to bring what is needed at forward. We do need to replace Cole for sure. If Hurley has no confidence in Akok and sees Johnson more as a 5 due to limited ball handling, then the other need is at PF.

 

[navery12]

Going to be a long line for Hill, would be shocked if he ends up anywhere other than LSU or Arkansas though

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Big one.

Juice Hill is a baller.

13.4p, 2.3r, 5.1a, 1.9 TO, 1.1s, 49.5 2p%, 35.8 3p%, 74.4 ft%. I love his grit and confidence without being careless with his abilities.

 

[bendm]

Since we once again seem set to start a SF that has shooting issues, what does a guard do to solve that? If Hurley has no confidence in Akok and sees Johnson more as a 5 due to limited ball handling, then the other need is at PF

yeah if cole stays then he's starting along w/ Hawk and AJ but that doesnt mean the transfer G we need to bring in still cant average 20-25 mpg off the bench.

if we only have 1 open scholly it's going to a G not a PF. we already have three stretch 4s b/w samson, karaban, and akok.

 

[Blaneylover]

View attachment 74939
A recap of the FR PGs
Coach Hurley managed to carve out a whomping 45 minutes for our top 10 ranked PG
If I was a recruit, this would make me think twice.
Yet many here expect the #117 recruit to jump right into the rotation, if not starting.

I think that this is a fair point. For whatever reason, and I'm sure Coach Hurley has his reasons, Diggins barely played this year. In this age of the transfer portal and no longer having to sit out a year, I think the practice of developing rather than playing freshman may be coming to a close.

 

[auror]

I didn't watch much Purdue this year, but I understand this guy to be a sniper. Was a starter then came off the bench to end the year. Seems really likely he's looking for high major PT as cause of transfer, so I don't know if we can accommodate that off ball, but a name to keep an eye on if we want shooting or if Hurley thinks he can play more on ball (or use him with Jackson as PG?)

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Shooter Alert:

Davidson's Michael Jones. 6'5 210. 11.8 ppg last year. Career 56.5 2p%, 40.3 3p%. Two years eligibility.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I didn't watch much Purdue this year, but I understand this guy to be a sniper. Was a starter then came off the bench to end the year. Seems really likely he's looking for high major PT as cause of transfer, so I don't know if we can accommodate that off ball, but a name to keep an eye on if we want shooting or if Hurley thinks he can play more on ball (or use him with Jackson as PG?)

It's easy to sum up Thompson's game: 39.1 career 3p% and limits mistakes (if you prorate his mpg to 32 mpg, he'd average just 1 TO per game).

 

[HuskyHawk]

Jackson is as much a guard as he is a 4. That’s 3 guards and a point forward. Nova literally started 3 guards. You’re stuck in the past.

Villanova's shortest player is 6'3. You've got two guys under 6'. And no, I don't want to be Villanova. They're boring.

Collin Gillespie	2	SR	G	6-3	190	Warminster, PA	Archbishop Wood High School		15.6 Pts, 3.9 Reb, 3.3 Ast
Justin Moore	5	JR	G	6-4	210	Fort Washington, MD	Dematha HS		14.8 Pts, 4.8 Reb, 2.3 Ast
Jermaine Samuels	23	SR	F	6-7	230	Franklin, MA	Rivers School	45 (2017)	11.1 Pts, 6.5 Reb, 1.4 Ast
Caleb Daniels	14	SR	G	6-4	210	New Orleans, LA	St. Augustine High School		10.2 Pts, 3.8 Reb, 0.9 Ast
Eric Dixon	43	JR	F	6-8	260	Willow Grove, PA	Abington HS	67 (2019)	9.1 Pts, 6.4 Reb, 1.2 Ast
Brandon Slater	3	SR	F	6-6	211	Centerville, VA	Paul VI HS	52 (2018)	8.3 Pts, 3.6 Reb, 1.6 Ast

Now do Duke, Kansas and UNC. UNC in particular is huge. I'm in on having skill all over, and flexible guys. But then they all need to be pretty good sized. Hawkins, Martin, Karaban, Floyd are the type of guys you need. Akok was before injury, maybe will be again.

 

[AntG168]

Villanova's shortest player is 6'3. You've got two guys under 6'. And no, I don't want to be Villanova. They're boring.

Collin Gillespie	2	SR	G	6-3	190	Warminster, PA	Archbishop Wood High School		15.6 Pts, 3.9 Reb, 3.3 Ast
Justin Moore	5	JR	G	6-4	210	Fort Washington, MD	Dematha HS		14.8 Pts, 4.8 Reb, 2.3 Ast
Jermaine Samuels	23	SR	F	6-7	230	Franklin, MA	Rivers School	45 (2017)	11.1 Pts, 6.5 Reb, 1.4 Ast
Caleb Daniels	14	SR	G	6-4	210	New Orleans, LA	St. Augustine High School		10.2 Pts, 3.8 Reb, 0.9 Ast
Eric Dixon	43	JR	F	6-8	260	Willow Grove, PA	Abington HS	67 (2019)	9.1 Pts, 6.4 Reb, 1.2 Ast
Brandon Slater	3	SR	F	6-6	211	Centerville, VA	Paul VI HS	52 (2018)	8.3 Pts, 3.6 Reb, 1.6 Ast

Now do Duke, Kansas and UNC. UNC in particular is huge. I'm in on having skill all over, and flexible guys. But then they all need to be pretty good sized. Hawkins, Martin, Karaban, Floyd are the type of guys you need. Akok was before injury, maybe will be again.

Winning is boring? How did Bazz and boat or Kemba and Bazz work out for us? After that 6’5, 6’7, and 6’9 across your front line is not small for college

 

[Matt1010]

Is anyone also getting slightly concerned that our name isn't even being mentioned with any of these transfers? Even if the staff wasn't totally sold on someone, you'd hope that they would at least reach out and do their homework...

It's still early, but what is the hold up? Danny cannot fall asleep at the wheel this offseason

Danny and the rest of the staff are definitely doing their homework. Over the last couple years they have closed on the large majority of priority recruits/transfers they've wanted so I'm not even remotely concerned at this point. The staff plays these things close to the vest but my best guess is Cole comes back and we add a solid portal player.

If Cole doesn't come back and months go by with the majority of impact transfers signing elsewhere we can start to worry, but it's way too soon for that. Most of these players have only been in the portal for less than a week.

 

[auror]

Is anyone also getting slightly concerned that our name isn't even being mentioned with any of these transfers? Even if the staff wasn't totally sold on someone, you'd hope that they would at least reach out and do their homework...

It's still early, but what is the hold up? Danny cannot fall asleep at the wheel this offseason

There really haven't been that many sure things so far, especially at PG. We were mentioned as contacting Shannon, at least, and he's by far the best available. Llewellyn is the only guy I was hoping to see and haven't so far (but that doesn't always mean much).

Consider this...


There were a few decent additions today after this tweet, so we'll see how this trends going forward.

 

[lange10]

Give Diggins, Floyd, Karaban a chance to play significant minutes this year and we will REAP the benefits come 2023-2024 with a legitimate final four contender.

I’ve said this in this thread - there’s a fine line with this transfer market given our roster construction & where we are at in the rebuild. Recruit over Diggins & I’m not so sure he’s here for the long haul. Don’t tell me he has to “earn it.” Stubbornness kept him off the court this entire year. He deserved a chance given the lack of depth and what the backup PG was (or wasn’t) showing night in and night out. Additionally, not sure how it reflects on our recruiting moving forward where we are willing to recruit over top 75 four star recruits that were never even given a shot.

If things happen that we cannot speculate about on here, then you can take on another guard IMO. We don’t need 6 of our 13 scholarships (7 if you count Jackson as a guard) to be guards just because this year Cole was the only player who could handle the ball and breakdown his defender.

 

[UofCT]

 

[navery12]

The real account this time. I know we recruited him out of HS and wouldn't hate us reaching out, but he was bad last year and can't shoot so not really a fit

 

[aburks41]

No they didn’t… mark vital was nothing like a guard, besides in height.

Jared Butler 6'3" 30 MPG
Macio Teague 6'4" 32 MPG
Davion Mitchell 6'2" 33 MPG
Adam Flagler 6'3" 23 MPG
Mark Vital 6'5" (Listed as a G/F) 23 MPG

They were even smaller than Nova is this season. Flagler didn't start but he played just as many minutes as Vital who was a starter. Size doesn't matter anymore in college if you have shooters. The game has completely changed