2026 Recruiting: Transfer Portal

[HW611]

Stew is not a 4. He’s 6’7” 215. That’s a body type of a 3. We may play him at the 4 when AK is on the bench but we need more size at the 4.

Our website says he’s 225. Karaban is 230.

We’ve watched him guard Eric Dixon. Don’t think size is any sort of problem for Stew.

Jaylin Stewart - Men's Basketball - University of Connecticut Athletics

Jaylin Stewart (3) Forward - 2024-25 (as a sophomore): Was a rotation regular, one of four Huskies to appear in all 35 games…made 12 spot starts and scored i...

uconnhuskies.com

 

[FfldCntyFan]

It's a good thing that this season ended so we can spend all of our energy speculating on next year's team.

 

[3rdbass]

My personal hope for next years roster and transfer portal efforts.

Silas/ County/ Millender type transfer (or the Euro develops that we have)
Mullins/ Solo / Furphy
Ross/ Landrew / Furphy
Stew / Transfer
Reibe / Transfer

Hopefully the transfer 4 can also moonlight at as a backup 5. But I’ll take one of each if necessary.

Mullins won't be here next year and no way Stew and Ross both start next year.

 

[husky429]

Stew is not a 4. He’s 6’7” 215. That’s a body type of a 3. We may play him at the 4 when AK is on the bench but we need more size at the 4.

He's 225. Definitely a swing 3/4. And more well-suited to defending 4s.

 

[superjohn]

FWIW that lineup has.

A potential All American at PG

A McDonald All American returning for a sophomore year expecting to go lottery

A rising 3 and D senior to match our PGs defensive ability

A former top 50 recruit as a senior who helped us win a lot of big games as a starter this year

A McD AA Center

A top 40 guard as a backup

A senior guard who averaged 14 PPG

A top 25 wing off the bench

Then whatever transfers is needed to fill out the bench. I’m not sure how that’s not enough talent to win with or how that’s anywhere close to a bubble team. That sounds overdramatic.

That starting lineup would have two guys with career averages of 2.8 ppg and 4.1 ppg and career high seasons of 4.7 ppg and 5.4 ppg.

That starting 5 is also small and doesn't have a single physical elite athlete on it. Running what we have back with just adding a couple of bench portal guys would be a disaster.

 

[Donyell 360]

Newton came from East Carolina from the AAC so while not direct as we were in the Big East it would be similar since we played against them for a few years as part of the AAC.

But we need a 4 with both PFs eligibility ending. Not a 2.

II think Hurley's principle is more about protecting the conference he is in than protecting the one he is leaving. If Uconn left for another conference, I bet Hurley would see it differently and change his loyalty to the new conference. When your conference is stronger your team is stronger. That's how Hurley sees it I think.

 

[HW611]

That starting lineup would have two guys with career averages of 2.8 ppg and 4.1 ppg and career high seasons of 4.7 ppg and 5.4 ppg.

That starting 5 is also small and doesn't have a single physical elite athlete on it. Running what we have back with just adding a couple of bench portal guys would be a disaster.

6’4, 6’5, 6’6, 6’7 and 7’ is small?

The starting 5 doesn’t have an elite athlete but everyone would be above average to good athletes at the very least. No one in that lineup lacks athleticism nor would they have a size disadvantage like we rolled out this year (which I called out and you specifically said we were going to be fine because Mullins would be up to the task of being our best defender).

Our current size and athleticism disadvantages come from having to play Ball at the 2 and move Mullins to the 3 (where both have size disadvantages) and Karaban has athletic disadvantages at the 4. So we pretty much have a disadvantage 2-4.

This lineup moves Mullins to a spot where he can pretty much be Hawkins size and athleticism wise against opponents, gets our best athlete in Ross on the floor at the 3, and get a plus athleticism guy on the floor in Stew at the 4 to fix exactly that issue. With a 7’ as a starter.

You’d be returning a group of guys who would all know and be comfortable in their roles who have chemistry from playing the year before and know the offense as well.

 

[HooperScooper]

Stew is not a 4. He’s 6’7” 215. That’s a body type of a 3. We may play him at the 4 when AK is on the bench but we need more size at the 4.

He's listed at 225 pounds. Karaban at 230. No real difference.

2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster - University of Connecticut Athletics

The official 2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster for the University of Connecticut Huskies

uconnhuskies.com

 

[husky429]

He's listed at 225 pounds. Karaban at 230. No real difference.

2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster - University of Connecticut Athletics

The official 2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster for the University of Connecticut Huskies

uconnhuskies.com

7'3 wingspan vs Alex's 6'11 as well. Effectively playing the same size.

 

[HuskyHawk]

7'3 wingspan vs Alex's 6'11 as well. Effectively playing the same size.

Jumps better than Alex too.

 

[HW611]

Jumps better than Alex too.

He’s been waiting YEARS to be a focal point in our offense to show what he’s capable of scoring wise.

Also, did anyone notice this was Alex’s lowest PPG year since his freshman year?

 

[Donyell 360]

That wouldn't be a team that could win it all.

You could actually argue we have 5 starters already penciled in: Demary, Ball, Ross, Stewart, Reibe (4 seniors and a sophomore). But if all we get are backups to those guys, it could be a tough year even with the addition of Landrew and County.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

You could actually argue we have 5 starters already penciled in: Demary, Ball, Ross, Stewart, Reibe (4 seniors and a sophomore). But if all we get are backups to those guys, it could be a tough year even with the addition of Landrew and County.

I think there’s pretty much one person arguing we have 5 starters penciled in. There’s basically zero chance all five starters next year are currently on our roster.

 

[uconndennis]

You could actually argue we have 5 starters already penciled in: Demary, Ball, Ross, Stewart, Reibe (4 seniors and a sophomore). But if all we get are backups to those guys, it could be a tough year even with the addition of Landrew and County.

thats not a tournament team

 

[Donyell 360]

That's a bubble team.

I don't know. If Mullins came back stronger, image what he could do as a sophomore? But otherwise I agree if Ross and Stew are both starting, then we have not gotten better at those spots.

 

[HW611]

I hope you're right. But if we are writing in pencil that means we can erase. Right now that's our starting 5 (assuming Reibe comes back). We need to improve at least 2 of those staring spots, preferably 3.

I think moving from Karaban to Stew will be a lot like moving from Tyrese Martin to Jordan Hawkins.

 

[HW611]

Would be the perfect backup center to take over for Reibe the year after if he’s open to it.

 

[uconngb]

Jackson was like having a 2nd PG on the court and a star defender. He wasn't a scorer, but he was an insane passer and a lob threat. Also really good at those backdoor cuts which have seemingly vanished from our system after 2024. I would take him 100/100 times over a guy like Vaaks who is a one trick pony

A one trick pony who happens to possess the thing we need the most, both this year and next: a shotmaker and cold-blooded scorer

How many lobs do you think AJ had in 2023 over the course of the year? I bet it's less than 15. As I said, he was a VERY limited offensive player. Remember we just stuck him in the corner for half the year on offense? I'm not downplaying his value, I'm just saying that to suggest he was any kind of two way player is disingenuous and you know it.

 

[uconngb]

You could actually argue we have 5 starters already penciled in: Demary, Ball, Ross, Stewart, Reibe (4 seniors and a sophomore). But if all we get are backups to those guys, it could be a tough year even with the addition of Landrew and County.

That 5 wouldn't average 60 points a game