2026 Recruiting: Transfer Portal

[RuffRuff]

Half the board wants to bring in 4 transfer starters and the other half thinks we have 4 returning starters. 1 guy thinks we have 5 returning starters.

The reality is that it's somewhere in between. I'd be more worried about the latter of the two.

The only position I feel like we should have locked at this point is Silas as a starter, and not necessarily the PG (but likely). If Mullins is back, would gladly take him at the 3, but would 100% want a very diff guard to pair with Silas. It generally feels like rolling back 3/5 of your starting roster while making upgrades where necessary in the portal in the other two spots seems like the right balance.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Do people really believe that at the start of the current year's NCAA tournament it's a good idea to trash current players (who by the way have been loyal to the program and have provided quality minutes during moments of great success)?

Additionally, what exactly is driving many of you to suffer through the torment of piecing together next year's roster while we are still finishing up this season? This isn't a situation where the program will benefit because a few lunatic fans got an early start on something the cannot influence.

 

[RuffRuff]

Do people really believe that at the start of the current year's NCAA tournament it's a good idea to trash current players (who by the way have been loyal to the program and have provided quality minutes during moments of great success)?

Additionally, what exactly is driving many of you to suffer through the torment of piecing together next year's roster while we are still finishing up this season? This isn't a situation where the program will benefit because a few lunatic fans got an early start on something the cannot influence.

Because it’s fun? And these kids are being paid good money. Let’s stop treating them like porcelain.

 

[formerlurker]

 

[navery12]

You realize we haven’t lost a game when starting Jaylin Stewart right?

I did not realize this

 

[bendm]

The reality is that it's somewhere in between. I'd be more worried about the latter of the two.

The only position I feel like we should have locked at this point is Silas as a starter, and not necessarily the PG (but likely). If Mullins is back, would gladly take him at the 3, but would 100% want a very diff guard to pair with Silas. It generally feels like rolling back 3/5 of your starting roster while making upgrades where necessary in the portal in the other two spots seems like the right balance.

I think Demary is 100% the starting PG he averaged 6.2 APG which is the same as Newton in 23-24. Agree we need another ball handler/shot creator in the lineup but that’s the issue with both Ball and Mullins on the wing.

It’s an issue with any 2 of Ball/Mullins/Ross/Landrew on the wing…

 

[HW611]

I did not realize this

View attachment 118309

I understand this is a case of someone not literally being right.

But you’re also showing a game where he scored better and rebounded better than the guy people are currently terrified of him replacing next year. While shooting 50% from the field against one of the top teams in the country.

Just funny in the context of the conversation.

 

[aburks41]

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.

Lol if you think Vaaks is the solution to this team’s problems, then I’m not sure you even understand what the problem is. We need another creator on the floor. Someone who can grab a rebound and initiate the offense in transition. You know who excelled at that? Andre Jackson. He was so freaking fast he could get down the court and find Hawkins on the wing faster than the defense even knew what was happening. THATS the type of player we’re missing on this squad.

And regarding the corner thing, yeah that was just during the January stretch when teams sagged off Andre. We adjusted by putting him in the dunker spot and then we never had that issue again lol. There is more to offense than scoring points. And Andre Jackson did everything else at an elite elite level. If we could move Solo to the bench and add an Andre Jackson type of player to this roster right now, this team would be unbeatable.

 

[aburks41]

I think Demary is 100% the starting PG he averaged 6.2 APG which is the same as Newton in 23-24. Agree we need another ball handler/shot creator in the lineup but that’s the issue with both Ball and Mullins on the wing.

It’s an issue with any 2 of Ball/Mullins/Ross/Landrew on the wing…

Correct, which is why this only works if we move Solo to the bench next year. He mucks it up if he’s starting.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Lol if you think Vaaks is the solution to this team’s problems, then I’m not sure you even understand what the problem is. We need another creator on the floor. Someone who can grab a rebound and initiate the offense in transition. You know who excelled at that? Andre Jackson. He was so freaking fast he could get down the court and find Hawkins on the wing faster than the defense even knew what was happening. THATS the type of player we’re missing on this squad.

And regarding the corner thing, yeah that was just during the January stretch when teams sagged off Andre. We adjusted by putting him in the dunker spot and then we never had that issue again lol. There is more to offense than scoring points. And Andre Jackson did everything else at an elite elite level. If we could move Solo to the bench and add an Andre Jackson type of player to this roster right now, this team would be unbeatable.

Doing everything else was what got him drafted. Also his energy is infectious

 

[bendm]

Correct, which is why this only works if we move Solo to the bench next year. He mucks it up if he’s starting.

I hear ya loud and clear but then what happens to County? He needs to be the backup SG/9th in the rotation. There’s no easy fix…

 

[Inyatkin]

Do people really believe that at the start of the current year's NCAA tournament it's a good idea to trash current players (who by the way have been loyal to the program and have provided quality minutes during moments of great success

It’s epidemic

 

[Edward Sargent]

This should be shut down until after we win it all

 

[Drfla]

The reality is that it's somewhere in between. I'd be more worried about the latter of the two.

The only position I feel like we should have locked at this point is Silas as a starter, and not necessarily the PG (but likely). If Mullins is back, would gladly take him at the 3, but would 100% want a very diff guard to pair with Silas. It generally feels like rolling back 3/5 of your starting roster while making upgrades where necessary in the portal in the other two spots seems like the right balance.

If Mullins comes back he’s a 2

 

[RuffRuff]

Doing everything else was what got him drafted. Also his energy is infectious

Andre may have been the twitchiest player all time at Uconn. Not sure there was a better athlete or anyone with the type of potential be had to be a track & field star. 39.5 vertical. In terms of leaping, accelerating along with a great handle/vision, he was a unique player. Steph is a 40. Any of these online posted numbers for Solo having a 44 inch have to be false - it says it's reported by "Ball".

 

[NJHusky]

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.

What about Solo?

 

[imno1]

Both wings actually. I don't think Vaaks is a 4 anyway, I see him as a 3. But in any event, you're right and I have commented several times that when we high hedge the 3 and 4 both have defined rim protection responsibilities. It's one reason our metrics were better when Stewart was starting for Mullins (although the best lineup was Mullins at the 2).

I don't know what Dan will do, but I think he's going to care about those defensive concerns.

Vaaks is going to a school that will play him at the 2 I believe.

 

[HW611]

What about Solo?

Wagner at Arkansas moved to the bench this year. I hope Solo would be able to do the same and thrive as a microwave in that role.

 

[PAHusky]

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?

You’re talking about Stewart here who’s been, according to you, just waiting for the right moment to step into the spotlight and become the focal point of the offense? The guy who has had plenty of opportunities to do just that on teams starved for offense the last two seasons sometimes and averages 4.5 a game? We can’t wait for Karaban, an all time great husky, to get out of the way for him?

I know you shotgun approached the comments in this thread but maybe slow down and filter some of these thoughts out between your brain and your keyboard

 

[WhereistheDove?]

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?

Alex shot 48/40/82. Your irrational disdain for Karaban is so bizarre.

 

[HW611]

Alex shot 48/40/82. Your irrational disdain for Karaban is so bizarre.

His FG% is also the second lowest of his career.

 

[aburks41]

I hear ya loud and clear but then what happens to County? He needs to be the backup SG/9th in the rotation. There’s no easy fix…

Eh. We thought the same thing about Furphy this year. My new philosophy is to assume any freshmen that aren’t 5* stud guards/wings like Castle/Mullins/McNeeley/Landrew won’t play rotation minutes. Big men are a different story but we don’t have any frosh big men coming in next year

 

[superjohn]

6’4, 6’5, 6’6, 6’7 and 7’ is small?

Yes, small and without any elite physical athletes. The starting lineup you want would be a disaster and also wanting County as our only backup point guard is ridiculous.

 

[HW611]

Yes, small and without any elite physical athletes. The starting lineup you want would be a disaster and also wanting County as our only backup point guard is ridiculous.

You know that lineup is pretty much the same size as both the 23 and 24 rosters right?

 

[RuffRuff]

Eh. We thought the same thing about Furphy this year. My new philosophy is to assume any freshmen that aren’t 5* stud guards/wings like Castle/Mullins/McNeeley/Landrew won’t play rotation minutes. Big men are a different story but we don’t have any frosh big men coming in next year

I think he'll get minutes, maybe just not as a primary PG backup.

With these OAD frosh, if we are to keep that going, you really have to make sure that if you're starting them, they are firmly in a role position or absolute stars.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Why two PF's?? One yes and another center, okay.

Redundancy. For one thing UConn usually has a couple of injuries at the start of every season and they are held out til mid-Dec.

 

[bendm]

Gimme Pettiford and Diop.
Tahaad can start at either G spot or backup both. Diop can start at PF and split time at C with Reibe. They’d give us a lot of looks with their versatility.

 

[HuskyHoosier]

Pettiford shot less than 30% from 3 this year - don’t think that would work for us

 

[DCKembaFan]

Beyond the top 20 guys, guessing how freshmen will look on campus is a crapshoot. Hopefully the new guys will be long term players, but they might also be the next Ahmad Nowell or Isaiah Abraham and leave for greener pastures. We won't know until we know

 

[bendm]

Pettiford shot less than 30% from 3 this year - don’t think that would work for us

Now Pettiford isn’t good enough for us?? He was at 37% last year and auburn was a mess this year. He’s exactly the kind of secondary ball handler/shot creator we were missing this year. Plus he’s from Jersey.