We Have Problems, Good Problems

[uconn_jack]

It may initially be a 9 man, it will be 7 guys come march. There’s been a strong trend of the better teams going with shorter benches at the end of the year.

I agree a 9-man rotation would be unlikely to maintain going into March, but if the transfers and freshmen pan out, and sophs make a jump, I think an 8-man rotation would be very possible.

 

[Scottobot]

The news is fantastic that Alex is returning and I hope that adequate PT is available especially for Stew because it seems like the kid is ready to break out big time. We can just guess how this will shake out right now and it’s good to have depth because injuries do happen. Then all of a sudden PT is not a problem anymore.
Hope that Stew can get 25 minutes. This team just seems to be loaded with talent.

Players who are good will get playing time. With a year under their belt and a good understanding of offense and defense scheme, both Stewart and Ball should see plenty of playing time, and will be vastly improved over last year.
There are not 4 NBA players + Karaban I’m front of the, this year.

The opportunity for a lot of playing time is there for like 10 different players. It is there for them to grab.If they are not able to make the leap and grab that PT, then that means they need one more year to develop and there is nothing wrong with that.

These guys will get the opportunity, but it is up to them to take it and run with it.

 

[uconn_jack]

I am also excited about the early season non-conference slate this year, we are going to have early opportunities to see how good this team could potentially be.

 

[Bboy Lace]

It may initially be a 9 man, it will be 7 guys come march. There’s been a strong trend of the better teams going with shorter benches at the end of the year.

I would normally agree with this sentiment but I'm thinking this year we'll take full advantage of being this deep in our roster.

 

[Scottobot]

I see Ball, Mahaney, Diarra splitting the 2 guard spot minutes with Nowell potentially getting in there too, depending how ready he is to make adjustment from high school.

Samson and Reed splitting center minutes

Karaban, Stewart, McNeeley splitting forward minutes, with a chance for Ross to get some serious minutes too.

I think Abraham, and Singare will be developing, but just a guess. You never know a player like Abraham could be a surprise.

While I see the minutes being pretty evenly split per group above, I think starting honor will go to whoever shows the best leadership qualities and best embodies the program culture values.

 

[Tenspro2002]

This is the deepest team of the last 3 (last year was the shallowest, but also the most dominant). The question will be can we win individual matchups, especially on defense.

 

[REB1094]

I think there is enough minutes for the guys that we know are going to be strong rotation players

We have 4 promising guards with Diarra, Mahaney, Ball, Nowell. There are 2 starting spots and 2 reserve spots and all minutes will have to be earned. I assume Diarra/Mahaney are the guaranteed 20+ MPG guys and Ball/Nowell will have to prove themselves

I'm assuming McNeeley will start at SF but Stewart will have a strong case. Whoever doesn't get the start will be the 6th man combo forward and get plenty of minutes. Karaban starting PF no question about it

Samson/Reed will have to fight for the starting spot but this will probably be close to 50/50 playing time

The guys that might be left out are Ross, Abraham, Singare. But it's definitely not guaranteed. If they outplay their peers, they'll earn more time

As you said, good problems to have!

 

[Sphinx]

This is the deepest team of the last 3 (last year was the shallowest, but also the most dominant). The question will be can we win individual matchups, especially on defense.

You make an important point that's been overlooked in most of the lineup projections I've seen posted today. Namely, that defensive assignments will have a say in who gets minutes.

Defensively, Diarra figures to have an edge on Mahaney and Stewart on McNeeley and Abraham brings a physicality to the 4 that no one else does. I also think Ross's one and only chance for minutes is on defense.

Last year's defensive shortcomings at the 3 and 4 were disguised by the interior presence of Clingan and the ability of Castle to be deployed defensively where needed. It is not clear that this year's edition has comparable resources to cover what may be a relatively slow-footed corner duo of Karaban and McNeeley.

 

[jibsey]

Stew put his time in, knows the system, is a good defender. Defense will be the determining factor ala Hurley. Can McNeeley play suffocating D as good? They both will play a lot but who starts?

 

[dogpause]

Alex ensures that we are able to pass the baton successfully. Last year he was referred to as the Brain Center, but that role becomes more valuable this year in providing continuity and mentorship. He will be the leader of this team regardless how much he scores.

 

[August_West]

That’s a problem.

In all seriousness it is. The way my mind works I'm waiting for the most severe kick in the nuts imaginable. I mean it’s gotta happen. Nothing be can be as perfect as the last 15 months have been. We have to pay the toll at some point, right? To come off that back to back and then get exactly what we want in the portal, AND a 5 star recruit, AND, then a returning basketball savant, while also keeping our killer class with no transfers. It simply doesn’t happen. It’s too good to be true.

So yeah maybe we DO have a problem.

 

[TheChamps990411]

The news is fantastic that Alex is returning and I hope that adequate PT is available especially for Stew because it seems like the kid is ready to break out big time. We can just guess how this will shake out right now and it’s good to have depth because injuries do happen. Then all of a sudden PT is not a problem anymore.
Hope that Stew can get 25 minutes. This team just seems to be loaded with talent.

The country has a Uconn problem. If Mahaney, Solo, Stewart, AK and ultimately Reed becomes the starting 5 it could be the best starting 5 in the country right up there at the very least with Kansas and Alabama.

 

[UCLJ0211]

I think there is enough minutes for the guys that we know are going to be strong rotation players

We have 4 promising guards with Diarra, Mahaney, Ball, Nowell. There are 2 starting spots and 2 reserve spots and all minutes will have to be earned. I assume Diarra/Mahaney are the guaranteed 20+ MPG guys and Ball/Nowell will have to prove themselves

I'm assuming McNeeley will start at SF but Stewart will have a strong case. Whoever doesn't get the start will be the 6th man combo forward and get plenty of minutes. Karaban starting PF no question about it

Samson/Reed will have to fight for the starting spot but this will probably be close to 50/50 playing time

The guys that might be left out are Ross, Abraham, Singare. But it's definitely not guaranteed. If they outplay their peers, they'll earn more time

As you said, good problems to have!

I’m just waiting for the Rothstein tweet in the Fall: “Isaiah Abraham- buy stock now”

 

[amishboy]

I'm thinking our starting 5 will be

5. Samson Johnson (He knows our system. He'll win out the starting position over Reed. This could change by end of season.)

4. Alex Karaban (McNeeley will sub in for AK and Stewart)

3. Jaylin Stewart

2. Aidan Mahaney (Ball could start over Mahaney. This will be close in practices. I might be wrong here.)

1. Hassan Diarra (Nowell off the bench)

I wonder if AK might even play the 5 occasionally. Given that Johnson and Reed probably won’t contribute much offensively, on a regular basis, playing AK at center might be helpful against smaller, quicker teams, especially if everyone else hits the boards as well as Spencer, Newton, and Castle did last year.

 

[SoCalCanine]

If a guy decides to leave because he's not playing, we really aren't losing much, are we? Maybe a tiny bit of depth, but that can be covered in recruiting and the portal. If guys are good enough, Danny will find them minutes. But "good enough" is getting to be a higher and higher level at UConn.

 

[HooperScooper]

In all seriousness it is. The way my mind works I'm waiting for the most severe kick in the nuts imaginable. I mean it’s gotta happen. Nothing be can be as perfect as the last 15 months have been. We have to pay the toll at some point, right? To come off that back to back and then get exactly what we want in the portal, AND a 5 star recruit, AND, then a returning basketball savant, while also keeping our killer class with no transfers. It simply doesn’t happen. It’s too good to be true.

So yeah maybe we DO have a problem.

This is all payback for the last 2 Ollie years. We're due for at least a great 5 year run for those 2 years. So at least 3 more years of this.

 

[Huskybass]

I wonder if AK might even play the 5 occasionally. Given that Johnson and Reed probably won’t contribute much offensively, on a regular basis, playing AK at center might be helpful against smaller, quicker teams, especially if everyone else hits the boards as well as Spencer, Newton, and Castle did last year.

Why are you writing Reed off from a scoring standpoint? He had 20 points against Illinois and 15 against MSU last year. No reason to think he can't average 10 to 12 points per game this season.

 

[caw]

The country has a Uconn problem. If Mahaney, Solo, Stewart, AK and ultimately Reed becomes the starting 5 it could be the best starting 5 in the country right up there at the very least with Kansas and Alabama.

Those two teams are stacked but Bama is scarier because they have the best player IMO. Maybe the best two.

 

[CL82]

Mahaney

It's like you aren't even trying.

 

[microfich]

Guys coming here not only know the deal, they signed it. 10 legitimate players is in no way a team problem, quite the opposite.
To insinuate individual players have a problem with reduced playing time is on them and they know that coming in. Either leave with your tail between your legs, we won't miss you, or work like heck to improve and be a larger part of greatness, your original goal.

 

[jibsey]

I posted this within seconds of finding out that AK was coming back and my thought for whatever reason was that I hope the forwards on the team especially Stew are not going to be disappointed in their PT which might be reduced than if he didn’t come back.
Im pretty sure that these guys are all in and it won’t be an issue for them but a quote or 2 affirming that will be reassuring.
BTW, today is my birthday- and my wife’s too. Same day same year. Great gift, thanks AK.

 

[Hunt for 7]

I posted this within seconds of finding out that AK was coming back and my thought for whatever reason was that I hope the forwards on the team especially Stew are not going to be disappointed in their PT which might be reduced than if he didn’t come back.
Im pretty sure that these guys are all in and it won’t be an issue for them but a quote or 2 affirming that will be reassuring.
BTW, today is my birthday- and my wife’s too. Same day same year. Great gift, thanks AK.

Congrats on making it another year. Mine is next week one year closer to retiring for me. I am sticking with 65 as my retirement age. It should not have been moved. I understand people are living longer but for most of us that have been in the same business for forty years it’s not a health issue it’s just a how much longer can I deal with the office and corporate culture bs.

 

[Mooch82]

We'll have a 9 man rotation this year. Singare, Abraham and Ross will sit. Hurley and company will spread the minutes among AK, Nowell, McNeeley, Diarra, Johnson, Stewart, Ball, Reed, and Mahaney.

Agreed with this.

2 spots for the 4 guards. I personally think Mahaney and Ball will start but I feel like I'm in the minority with this opinion. Hurley repeatedly has talked about Hassan's role and how he excelled in it last year. I think Solo makes a huge jump. Diarra and Nowell off the bench give us two sparks.

2 spots for AK/Stewie/Liam. Ross has a chance to play if he proves he can consistently knock down jumpers and if we're forced to play AK as a small ball 4 a bit more than we'd like. Abraham will wait his turn this year but has a big future.

1 spot for Samson/Tarris. Sammy as an incumbent may currently be in the driver's seat to start, but I think he is a much better fit as an energy big off the bench. His propensity to foul also hurts his chances to start. For Youssouf, it will be another developmental year...but a big year for him to determine if he can be a true rotational piece behind TRJ in 2025/26.

 

[lateralous]

Practices are going to be insane. Diarra, Ball, McNeeley, Stewart and Reed Jr vs Nowell, Mahaney, Karaban, Johnson and one of Ross/Abraham. Two lineups capable of possibly winning the Big East.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

The competition for minutes is going to be an incredible motivator. I expect players to come off the bench like rocket ships. We can press, players can go at 100% speed the entire game with this many bodies.