2026 Recruiting: - Transfer Portal | Page 2 | The Boneyard

2026 Recruiting: Transfer Portal

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Huskyforlife said:


It’s starting up again. Seen a lot of UConn fans clamoring for this guy already. Not sure I like the fit tbh.

CCSU Star Darin Smith Jr also announced yesterday. Averaged 20 points.

Also as a reminder. Let’s not get this thread locked, this is to discuss potential incoming transfers only.
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I saw him being a bit resistant to the coach and looked like he was going rogue a few times. Not UConn material if what I perceived is real.
 
Umami Zen said:
Athletic 4 as a first piece would be where I'd use NIL first for incoming portal adds. AK graduation creates an obvious need. Might have been who Vaaks's teammates were but he seemed ball dominant in that PC offense. I'm sure his NIL ask will be a chunk of change.
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He’s got Zona or MSU written all over him. Kentucky will need to fix this season via portal so…
 
HuskyHawk said:
We'd need to be really sure that Hurley can coach up his defense. Starting him at the 3 next to Ball is a recipe for disaster. I'd rather just roll with Landrew and Ross and see what we can add at PF, C and PG. Adding a defensively deficient wing doesn't make much sense.
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It would probably depend on what the rest of the team looks like. We don't know how Hurley will construct the roster for next season. It may look very different but everyone who can return is returning at this point as far as the board is concerned.
 
karstenkibbe said:
If we are just throwing out names for roster needs, I’d love to get a guy like Paulius Murauskas from St. Mary’s at the 4.

www.espn.com

Paulius Murauskas - Saint Mary's Gaels Forward - ESPN

View the profile of Saint Mary's Gaels Forward Paulius Murauskas on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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On first glance he fits the profile, but 2-10 and 5-14 against Gonzaga, I'd be worried he's a low-major mirage.
 
karstenkibbe said:
Zero interest in Vaaks. Absolutely lights it up from time to time. Completely craps the bed other times. Shoots 40% overall and shows zero interest in playing D. Wouldn’t even fit an amended version of Hurley’s system.
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He's the last thing we need. I'd take Jones though.

We need kids that can defend and be a physical presence on the floor.
 
I would think Vaaks could find a spot in the rotation next year. At 6'7 he can play the 2/3. Playing in an offense like UConn runs, he may be even more impactful having played more of a Euro style ball up until this year in the Estonian/Latvian leagues, and also the Estonian U18 national team. There is a higher ceiling here, and I've heard Hurley in interviews speak glowingly of Vaaks.
 
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auror said:
1 Allen Graves please.
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Season 4 Agree GIF by The Office


I liked his play in some of the WCC games. He is projected to be late first round in the NBA Draft. Hopefully, and selfishly, I hope he gets feedback that he is a 2nd rounder and decides to play another year of college ball... preferably at UConn.

We will get to see him in the first round vs. Kentucky. I primarily work from home, I will come up with an excuse to why I was away from computer for at least 1 hour to watch this one.
 
karstenkibbe said:
If we are just throwing out names for roster needs, I’d love to get a guy like Paulius Murauskas from St. Mary’s at the 4.

www.espn.com

Paulius Murauskas - Saint Mary's Gaels Forward - ESPN

View the profile of Saint Mary's Gaels Forward Paulius Murauskas on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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YES!!! A Lithuanian. Thank you!!!
After the bracket reveal, I mentioned getting a Lithuanian to Dan Hurley (we've talked about this before and about him playing at Seton Hall with Bulls VP Arturas Karnishovas) and he said, "yes... like the big kid at Arizona". 😉
I looked it up, he hung 9 and 14 on us in November.
 
Diop is beyond perfect as a fit in our projected rotation. Not only can he start at PF and split time with Stew but he can split time with Reibe at C too. That is easier to spin to Reibe’s camp who might not otherwise react well to bringing in a transfer C that would directly challenge him for the starting spot. If the rumors that were swirling this year have any truth to them.
 
alexd said:
YES!!! A Lithuanian. Thank you!!!
After the bracket reveal, I mentioned getting a Lithuanian to Dan Hurley (we've talked about this before and about him playing at Seton Hall with Bulls VP Arturas Karnishovas) and he said, "yes... like the big kid at Arizona". 😉
I looked it up, he hung 9 and 14 on us in November.
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Is it still the case that foreign players cannot receive an NIL money?
 
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uconngb said:
I’d take Vaaks in a heartbeat. Guy is a born shot maker. No one on PC played D so hard to say if he can or cannot be taught. But I’ll take an elite scorer/shotmaker ANY day of the week.

And we’ll find room for him
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He has a lot of upside offensively but I don't see how he fits in a Dan Hurley program that demands defensive effort and sharing the ball. My thoughts on this guy when I first saw him was that he was a gunner and would not fit into a "best shot offense" like ours. We have offensive systems with optional make a play/shot. He seems to be the other way around. Perhaps this is because of how PC plays but he is obviously used to being "the man" at PC and perhaps back in the Latvia-Estonia League. Announcers were raving about him being a pro and maybe so. We don't play hero ball.
 
I think Hurley could reign Vaaks in and make him a more efficient and REALLY GOOD player that gets shots in the flow of an offense. Right now Vaaks makes BAD decisions with the ball because he has no structure

I’m assuming Vaaks wants to shoot 500 shots per game. He won’t want to come here
 
dennismenace said:
He has a lot of upside offensively but I don't see how he fits in a Dan Hurley program that demands defensive effort and sharing the ball. My thoughts on this guy when I first saw him was that he was a gunner and would not fit into a "best shot offense" like ours. We have offensive systems with optional make a play/shot. He seems to be the other way around. Perhaps this is because of how PC plays but he is obviously used to being "the man" at PC and perhaps back in the Latvia-Estonia League. Announcers were raving about him being a pro and maybe so. We don't play hero ball.
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That's the "offense" Kim English was running this season. Get the ball up as quickly as you can because we're going to score 95 ppg and play no defense. His terrible coach shouldn't be held against him.
 
AdamaNation said:
I saw him being a bit resistant to the coach and looked like he was going rogue a few times. Not UConn material if what I perceived is real.
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The entire team was rogue…..it was Kim English!!!
 
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superjohn said:
We need that but we also need some guys who can create their own shot and he's as good as it gets at that.
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This board has spent the last two months lamenting that we don’t have that very thing!! Not all 5 guys have to be Castle level defenders
 
Hoophound said:
Man, a lot of people sound like they don’t want a guy who can go get a basket. That’s exactly what this team needs.
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No, I don’t want a guy who can’t play defense when we can get a shot creator who doesn’t have the same issue. It’s not hard to find someone who can do that and be at least average on D.
 
FightOnCT said:
No, I don’t want a guy who can’t play defense when we can get a shot creator who doesn’t have the same issue. It’s not hard to find someone who can do that and be at least average on D.
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No one on PC even attempted to play defense. We have no idea if this kid can play defense or not. But we know damn well he fits a glaring need on this team. You all act like Cam and Tristen were MJ and Scottie……
 
bendm said:
Diop is beyond perfect as a fit in our projected rotation. Not only can he start at PF and split time with Stew but he can split time with Reibe at C too. That is easier to spin to Reibe’s camp who might not otherwise react well to bringing in a transfer C that would directly challenge him for the starting spot. If the rumors that were swirling this year have any truth to them.
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Agree. If he can back up Eric at center we won't need to sign a backup 5 man. We kind of get a 2 for 1 deal, we can use the NIL savings to sign another impact player.
 
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With Reibe returning at Center, I’m penciling him in as the starter. We need to surround him with physicality, and wings/forwards willing to get dirty on the boards, I would love a Dillion Mitchell type player. The PC wing/forward that I’m eying is Jones, think our staff would turn him into a monster. Vaaks is redundant with Solo.
 
Huskyforlife said:
With Reibe returning at Center, I’m penciling him in as the starter. We need to surround him with physicality, and wings/forwards willing to get dirty on the boards, I would love a Dillion Mitchell type player. The PC wing/forward that I’m eying is Jones, think our staff would turn him into a monster. Vaaks is redundant with Solo.
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Agree we need to pair Reibe with that type of player but we’ll have Ross and Landrew on the wing. They both bring athleticism and Landrew brings physicality. I think we need to go bigger at PF eg Diop.
 
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Huskyforlife said:
With Reibe returning at Center, I’m penciling him in as the starter. We need to surround him with physicality, and wings/forwards willing to get dirty on the boards, I would love a Dillion Mitchell type player. The PC wing/forward that I’m eying is Jones, think our staff would turn him into a monster. Vaaks is redundant with Solo.
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Jones is a good prospect too for sure if he decides to transfer, 6'6, different kind of player, certainly more athletic. I don't know that Vaaks is redundant with Solo though; I don't think we've seen his whole game, just the Providence version.
 
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