Vital, still brimming with confidence, looks back at UConn career and ahead to the pros

[HooperScooper]

I wish him luck. He was frustrating sometimes but he certainly gave everything he had to UConn.

Asked what he’d like his UConn legacy to be, he added: “A guy who stayed, wasn’t the most talented, worked on his game, understood he needed to improve himself and needed to help others. Who had the ability to help and lead others, but needed to take on that responsibility, and not just think about what he has going on. I honestly think that was the changing point of my career … when I really brought my teammates together.”

Vital, still brimming with confidence, looks back at UConn career and ahead to the pros

Christian Vital, whose dream to add a “fifth banner” to the rafters at UConn was...

www.ctinsider.com

 

[husky429]

I wish him luck. He was frustrating sometimes but he certainly gave everything he had to UConn.

Asked what he’d like his UConn legacy to be, he added: “A guy who stayed, wasn’t the most talented, worked on his game, understood he needed to improve himself and needed to help others. Who had the ability to help and lead others, but needed to take on that responsibility, and not just think about what he has going on. I honestly think that was the changing point of my career … when I really brought my teammates together.”

Vital, still brimming with confidence, looks back at UConn career and ahead to the pros

Christian Vital, whose dream to add a “fifth banner” to the rafters at UConn was...

www.ctinsider.com

One of my favorite huskies ever. He stuck around when he had every reason not to. Punched up a 2 weight classes from day 1. 6'2 guards aren't supposed to rebound like he does--all heart.

 

[Husk04ies]

I wish him luck. He was frustrating sometimes but he certainly gave everything he had to UConn.

Asked what he’d like his UConn legacy to be, he added: “A guy who stayed, wasn’t the most talented, worked on his game, understood he needed to improve himself and needed to help others. Who had the ability to help and lead others, but needed to take on that responsibility, and not just think about what he has going on. I honestly think that was the changing point of my career … when I really brought my teammates together.”

Vital, still brimming with confidence, looks back at UConn career and ahead to the pros

Christian Vital, whose dream to add a “fifth banner” to the rafters at UConn was...

www.ctinsider.com

God I'm going to miss him....

 

[8893]

Asked what he’d like his UConn legacy to be, he added: “A guy who stayed, wasn’t the most talented, worked on his game, understood he needed to improve himself and needed to help others. Who had the ability to help and lead others, but needed to take on that responsibility, and not just think about what he has going on. I honestly think that was the changing point of my career … when I really brought my teammates together.”

I'd say that's dead-on.

 

[JimHurley]

I knew has was playing well, but not that well. In his last 7 games he averaged 23.9ppg, 48% shooting, 42% from 3, 90% from the line, with 19 steals. That is literally 1st or 2nd team All-American numbers. Gonna miss CV big time!

 

[gsmooth]

I knew has was playing well, but not that well. In his last 7 games he averaged 23.9ppg, 48% shooting, 42% from 3, 90% from the line, with 19 steals. That is literally 1st or 2nd team All-American numbers. Gonna miss CV big time!

Yeah he was kicking a--. I give my condolences to all affected by this pandemic, whether it was death, sickness, bad working conditions, not getting income etc. That's by far the worst thing about this Covid-19 pandemic.

On a sports level, though, the thing I hate the most was not being able to see him and Alterique play in the post season. I think the AAC would've been an entertaining free for all battle with all those teams on the bubble for the NCAA tournament (maybe the best of all the conference tourneys). UConn I think would've made the NCAA if they just reached the final, never mind winning it. But UConn, with the way they were playing, were definitely going to make the NIT and I would've still loved to see Vital and Gilbert get some wins that tourney. It would've been the only time, besides 1988 and 1989 that I would've felt great for them making the NIT. All the other NIT years, although important for development, I am not going to lie, I really didn't care.

Hell, I drove down all the way from Boston to see Senior Night. I am really glad for him that he was able to go out on a high note with AG and win that game in from of his fans. His speech was really good ,too. He and AG deserved that moment.

 

[Ts5034]

It really was a shame that we could not see Vital and this team finish the journey, especially since things were looking so good at the end of the season. With that said, Im happy with the way things went on Senior night. We had an emotional win vs Houston, and the chance for Vital to give that speech at the end of the game and the chance for the fans to show their appreciation for him and the team. It almost reminded me of the last game of the 2013 season vs Providence at Gampel where they had a little ceremony at the end of the game knowing that was the last game the team was going to play because of the post season ban.

 

[Kenny11]

CV was on a damn mission before Corona hit.

 

[8893]

Hell, I drove down all the way from Boston to see Senior Night. I am really glad for him that he was able to go out on a high note with AG and win that game in from of his fans. His speech was really good ,too. He and AG deserved that moment.

That was a great night and, given what has happened since, I am even happier that I decided to attend. I was on the fence because things were just starting to get real elsewhere and I remember debating if it was foolish to attend, but the risk seemed pretty minimal then (although I remember commenting at the time that I had never seen so many guys washing their hands in a men's room before).

In retrospect, it was one of the last remotely normal moments in my life. Campus was electric, Gampel was rocking and CV and AG at least got go out with style and sheer joy.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

God I'm going to miss him....

When he beat Syracuse with two clutch foul shots at MSG as a freshman sub his legacy was assured.
He is possibly the most overachieving player in UConn history

 

[mussels]

I think he will be missed more than most here think. We're stacked with potential, but there was an energy and competitiveness there that is both hard to define and hard to replace.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Gonna miss the kid

 

[HooperScooper]

Dom Amore follows suit with a similar article. Vital was on a teleconference today with the beat reporters.

“When I came in, I was the lowest rated recruit,” he said. “I was at the bottom of the list. I felt [slighted] by that, I made that known throughout my college career. I feel like, if you have the will and determination to finish things, and to improve, self-correct and not just stay in that bad, or good moment, you can make the better out of a situation that’s not going your way.

“From freshman year to senior year, there were so many things that happened within the program, the team, players, myself personally, there was just a lot that went on at UConn that was really crazy. To look back on it and realize I was right in the middle of all that and was still able to, not to say come out on top, but I left it better than the situation I was in, it just shows that if you work hard you can get in a better spot.”

‘You could see the magic starting to happen:’ Christian Vital reflects on his UConn career, the empty finish and his basketball future

It took Christian Vital a period of time to process the way the UConn men’s basketball season ended, his college career abruptly halted just as the big payoff was in sight. “The first c…

www.courant.com

 

[HooperScooper]

And the New London Day one.

"The team is going to take it to a whole other level next year," Vital said. "What we were able to do this year to start the resurgence, that's something I won't take credit for but I'll definitely take pride in being a part of, for sure."

Vital looks back on his UConn career

Christian Vital has a plethora of fascinating stories to tell about his UConn basketball career. A great deal happened during a crazy ride that featured more turmoil than triumph at times. Vital arriv...

www.theday.com

 

[Hoophound]

He should get credit. He’s a UConn hero in my book. On top of that, I’m sick of people saying he overachieved or he had deficiencies. You know what? All players have deficiencies, every single one. This kid turned himself into an excellent college basketball player. Just because he isn’t a lottery pick, that doesn’t mean he wasn’t a very good player. He’s a stud and he should absolutely get the respect all UConn greats get. He’s a loyal, solid and enthusiastic Husky. God bless this kid for what he brought to our program at a time of need.

 

[BlueDogs]

What CV did is on the order of Scotty Burrell/Tate George era in IMO - setting a signature of intensity and will power that set the stage for the subsequent ascendency of the program to greatness. He willed a flip of the switch when they could have packed it in after a tough stretch this year. He picked up another level, made guys believe and left the program with a huge gift in being ready to go the next step.

 

[UCTitleTown]

I love CV. I can't believe how quickly four years have passed. We need to clone that young man.

 

[3rdbass]

I knew has was playing well, but not that well. In his last 7 games he averaged 23.9ppg, 48% shooting, 42% from 3, 90% from the line, with 19 steals. That is literally 1st or 2nd team All-American numbers. Gonna miss CV big time!

Yeah, unfortunately was robbed of playing in the post-season even if it as the NIT. He is one of my favorite husly players. He willed us to wins at the end of the year. He was big time.

 

[storrsroars]

Over years of being in the chat room during games, I cannot recall a single player who went from "don't give the ball to CV" at the start of the season to "let CV finish this thing" at the end.

CV brought the joy back to watching UConn hoops. Sure, he had plenty of help in Bouk and Whaley (another good story) and the supporting cast, and I have little doubt they would've found a way to the AAC finals even while still with a short bench. There's a good argument that probably no other college hoops player has had his future more affected by the pandemic than CV. He was writing a great story but didn't get to finish.

There are players of lesser ability who find their way to a NBA payday and I hope he gets there. But I think he's a lock to play pro ball somewhere, and who among us was confident in saying that back in November?

He will get a well deserved standing O next time he enters Gampel, whenever that is.