We need to be going hard after Devonta Pollard

[huskymagic]

Guys and girls, fellow boneyarders, we have been constantly debating our small forward production, and our lack of great offensive talent at the small forward position. Now since we didnt get our guy Moe Harkless last year, we need to be going hard after the beast that is Devonta Pollard for next year while he is still being recruited. He is 6'8 200 pound wing who has the skill set of a point guard in a small forward's body. This kid is a special player and reminds me of a young Lamar Odom.

I dont care what it takes we need to get this guy, because he is exactly what we need to win a championship. Watch the highlights of this guy

 

[Wolferowski]

that was a goaltending @ :26. but he looks good, lol!

 

[HuskyBballFan]

This kid is in the class of 2012. As long as this postseason tournament ban remains unresolved, we are not going to get anyone additional to commit to us for next year.

Secondly, look up DeAndre Daniels high school highlights on youtube. He looks like the second coming of Scottie Pippen.

 

[huskymagic]

This kid is in the class of 2012. As long as this postseason tournament ban remains unresolved, we are not going to get anyone additional to commit to us for next year.

Secondly, look up DeAndre Daniels high school highlights on youtube. He looks like the second coming of Scottie Pippen.

I have an eye for talent you know that and I can spot great talents. This kid will be special and his vision on the court is something that is innate and cant be taught. Like I said we need to do whatever it takes to get him.

P.S. I wont even mention Daniels as my opinions of him are well known

 

[HuskyBballFan]

I have an eye for talent you know that and I can spot great talents. This kid will be special and his vision on the court is something that is innate and cant be taught. Like I said we need to do whatever it takes to get him.

P.S. I wont even mention Daniels as my opinions of him are well known

And what's your plan for convincing him to come to Uconn and possibly be banned from postseason play his freshman year?

 

[gibhunter]

In no way should we go after him. We have Giffey, Daniels and possibly Roscoe that could play wing and only 3 guards for 1 and 2. We need more guards, period.

 

[tower1]

We have players, They need to be turned loose, they are scared to make a mistake.

 

[DogMania]

I hope the staff finds a way to fill whatever open ships we have with talented players but it's going to take another prove-me-wrong effort. I was shocked that with all the bad press swirling around the past two years the staff was able to land a couple very talented classes that included both highly ranked and under-ranked talent in Lamb, Roscoe, Napier, Drummond, Boatright & Daniels to name a bunch. Some of these players seem to need more seasoning that we wish, but the fact is, I didn't think the staff could overcome all the obstacles it faced. Maybe the impending 2013 NCAA Tourney band, which could change if they change the way they calculate the APR but likely won't be known until after many of the 2012 hold-outs decide where to play next fall, will be the straw the breaks the camel's back. Until the book is closed on the 2012 class, I'm not counting JC and his staff out just yet.

Assuming they will be able to add some more players, I expect them to add the best available talent at the guard (likely a strong combo-guard w/ some size), another Big to replace AD if he goes pro, and I would not be shocked if they add a wing since none of the current ones have seemed to put it together. I think a couple more years under their belts and Daniels, Giffey and Roscoe can all be very productive wings. I think Roscoe's best shot it to transform his game into a Lamar Odem type 4-3 combo, while the other two look more like true wings.

 

[mauconnfan]

I have an eye for talent you know that and I can spot great talents. This kid will be special and his vision on the court is something that is innate and cant be taught. Like I said we need to do whatever it takes to get him.

P.S. I wont even mention Daniels as my opinions of him are well known

Yeah you sure do Roscoe was phenomonal vs the Cuse as you stated he would be??!?!

 

[Burnsbros23]

You had a good call on Harkless and starting Boat(which I argued in support of you). However your Roscoe call was off.

Now lemme share a lil story about Devonta Pollard. His mother walked onto the court and pulled him out of a game because he wasn't playing tough enough............. I'm not sure if he could handle Calhoun. Also he is a freak athlete who skill set is developing. I think we need a skilled high IQ player, not another long athlete.

However I like this kid and if we added him I wouldnt be mad but I dont see it.

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

He doesnt even have UConn on his list. Kentucky, Mississippi State, N.C. State, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Ole Miss, Florida State, Missouri, Georgetown and LSU are amongst his many faves, and seems like Calipari is all over the kid. Sorry to disappoint you magic, but i dont think getting Pollard is going to be a reality for us.

 

[HuskyFan32]

In no way should we go after him. We have Giffey, Daniels and possibly Roscoe that could play wing and only 3 guards for 1 and 2. We need more guards, period.

Well apparently he is a point forward type so he could assume some of the guard duties. Secondly, Roscoe is far better suited to play the 4. And lastly Giffey is a nice player and Daniels looks like he may be good someday, but neither one of them is any reason at all to not recruit a great player. Were not talking about Caron Butler or Rip here. Were talking about Niels Giffey and Deandre Daniels who have averaged about 6 points between them this year.

 

[huskymagic]

You had a good call on Harkless and starting Boat(which I argued in support of you). However your Roscoe call was off.

Now lemme share a lil story about Devonta Pollard. His mother walked onto the court and pulled him out of a game because he wasn't playing tough enough............. I'm not sure if he could handle Calhoun. Also he is a freak athlete who skill set is developing. I think we need a skilled high IQ player, not another long athlete.

However I like this kid and if we added him I wouldnt be mad but I dont see it.

How was I wrong about Roscoe? I never said this guy was a star, I just said that he deserved to start from the beginning of the year because he is better than both Daniels and Giffey, and he was disrespected by Calhoun and the fans despite being a big part of our title last year. I thought he would play beter than he did against Syracuse but he did have a nice reverse under the basket. Don't worry Roscoe will be fine and I dont worry about him. I am fully aware of Roscoe's capabilities and limitations.

Remember I am also the guy that said I would want Stanley Robinson back for all of our small forwards. My loyalty is to the players who are best suited to helping us win, and Scoe is one of those players. For me Devonta is the next Lamar Odom in the making and we should be going hard after him and maybe get a surprise commitment similar to what we did with Daniels.

P.S. I know the Devonta's mother on the court story because I have been reading up on the kid, but believe me this kid is a natural talent, a natural scorer, a natural point in a small forwards body. This kid is going to be a great player, and this is the type of small forward we need to be recruiting and getting. This guy is what all of you guys thought Daniels would be.

 

[huskymagic]

He doesnt even have UConn on his list. Kentucky, Mississippi State, N.C. State, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Ole Miss, Florida State, Missouri, Georgetown and LSU are amongst his many faves, and seems like Calipari is all over the kid. Sorry to disappoint you magic, but i dont think getting Pollard is going to be a reality for us.

Thats because were not recruiting him hard enough if at all. We should be , and this is similar to Daniels who didn't have us on his list either but we got a surprise commitment from him. Devonta, Nerlens, and Chris Obekpa should be our top priority hopefully getting 2 out of those 3 if we want to win a championship withing the next 2 years.

P.S. I doubt UCONN will be banned from postseason next year. We should win in Appellate court because not only did they deduct scholarships from us for "texting too much" for a player who neevr played a game for us and which is something that wont be illegal anymore after this year, and now they want to ban us from the postseason for players that are not even here anymore. It doesn't make any sense and any reasonable arbitration hearing should rule in our favor.

 

[specialisthusky]

your posts annoy me please stop attempting to shove your opinion down my throat. You have no idea if this kid is going to be a great player, and your evaluation of talent hasn't impressed me in the least thus far.

 

[huskymagic]

your posts annoy me please stop attempting to shove your opinion down my throat. You have no idea if this kid is going to be a great player, and your evaluation of talent hasn't impressed me in the least thus far.

I dont really care if they annoy you or not. I am here to share my well informed opinions on players, recruits, and our team. Feel free to contribute an informative or at least entertaining post once in a blue moon if you feel so strongly about me or this team

 

[tykurez]

DeAndre Daniels is going to blow up ... there, I said it.

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

Thats because were not recruiting him hard enough if at all. We should be , and this is similar to Daniels who didn't have us on his list either but we got a surprise commitment from him. Devonta, Nerlens, and Chris Obekpa should be our top priority hopefully getting 2 out of those 3 if we want to win a championship withing the next 2 years.

P.S. I doubt UCONN will be banned from postseason next year. We should win in Appellate court because not only did they deduct scholarships from us for "texting too much" for a player who neevr played a game for us and which is something that wont be illegal anymore after this year, and now they want to ban us from the postseason for players that are not even here anymore. It doesn't make any sense and any reasonable arbitration hearing should rule in our favor.

To start, this is not similar to Daniels. He decomitted from two schools and UConn came in late to get him. He was up in the air, we were a good fit, so it worked. Nothing like that with Pollard.
Secondly, yeah of course getting those guys should be a top priority....so should getting Shabazz Mohammed and any other top recruit. The reality is that if the interest on the recruit's part isnt there...well I think you can figure out the rest.
I know you consider yourself to be a "recruiting guy" and a "talent evaluator" but lets be realistic here. Our tourney status for next year is up in the air right now, we arent sure what will happen with Coach, so the situation may not be all that enticing to a recruit at this point and time. Thinking that we're going to snap our fingers and recruit two of the top players in next year's class then get them to sign is not realistic.

 

[Walker11]

There is an ignore button, FYI.

 

[Burnsbros23]

I have said this many times dont compare kids recruitments to DeAndre Daniels' it was the most odd recruitment of the 2011 class. He was consider a lock to UK and Duke at one point then was suppose to announce and didn't. Then he was gonna reclassify and didn't. Devonta Pollard has a real list and a more normal recruitment. Expect it to be Mississippi State or UK. Also I dont think this kid is as good a shooter as the video suggest, probably not as good a handler either. If you are forming your opinion on just watching highlights its a total crapshoot.

And you were wrong about Roscoe he hasn't played a minute of SF and he shouldnt. He has the worse basketball IQ I have seen, absolutely no idea how to play. His minutes are were they should be and they have all been at PF. If you gonna brag when your right you gotta admit when your wrong.

 

[caw]

I have said this many times dont compare kids recruitments to DeAndre Daniels' it was the most odd recruitment of the 2011 class. He was consider a lock to UK and Duke at one point then was suppose to announce and didn't. Then he was gonna reclassify and didn't. Devonta Pollard has a real list and a more normal recruitment. Expect it to be Mississippi State or UK. Also I dont think this kid is as good a shooter as the video suggest, probably not as good a handler either. If you are forming your opinion on just watching highlights its a total crapshoot.

And you were wrong about Roscoe he hasn't played a minute of SF and he shouldnt. He has the worse basketball IQ I have seen, absolutely no idea how to play. His minutes are were they should be and they have all been at PF. If you gonna brag when your right you gotta admit when your wrong.

I hope you mean offensively, he is pretty good defensively at both the 3 and 4. He also is one of the few that tries to box out.

 

[huskymagic]

I have said this many times dont compare kids recruitments to DeAndre Daniels' it was the most odd recruitment of the 2011 class. He was consider a lock to UK and Duke at one point then was suppose to announce and didn't. Then he was gonna reclassify and didn't. Devonta Pollard has a real list and a more normal recruitment. Expect it to be Mississippi State or UK. Also I dont think this kid is as good a shooter as the video suggest, probably not as good a handler either. If you are forming your opinion on just watching highlights its a total crapshoot.

And you were wrong about Roscoe he hasn't played a minute of SF and he shouldnt. He has the worse basketball IQ I have seen, absolutely no idea how to play. His minutes are were they should be and they have all been at PF. If you gonna brag when your right you gotta admit when your wrong.

You and alot of people are just feeling good that Scoe didn't play great just to prove me wrong. Roscoe played only 12 minutes and shot 2 twice and made one shot a reverse layup and had 3 rebounds. You act like the guy played the whole game and didn't do anything. Olander was solid but that was because he was wide open and had easy looks against a weak ass zone of Syracuse who is an overrated team that UCONN can definitely beat if we play to our potential. Have you seen Daniels and Giffey compared to Roscoe seriously you guys need to realize the value that Roscoe brings to the tables and the intangibles he brings.

 

[caw]

I wish you were right about all the positive things you have said and wrong about all the negative. Honestly, I was happier you were "wrong" about Napier, who had a pretty good game offensively.

 

[huskymagic]

I wish you were right about all the positive things you have said and wrong about all the negative. Honestly, I was happier you were "wrong" about Napier, who had a pretty good game offensively.

I myself gave him props and was pleasantly surprised and hope it continues. However, I think that Olander and Napier's good showings can be more attributed to Syracuse's lack of pressure and weak zone defense that gave them easy looks than anything they did. These 2 guys tend to struggle when teams play man to man and when they are pressured by quicker and bigger guys. Right now I dont even care, I just want to see a dominating performance against Depaul and Marquette.

 

[caw]

I myself gave him props and was pleasantly surprised and hope it continues. However, I think that Olander and Napier's good showings can be more attributed to Syracuse's lack of pressure and weak zone defense that gave them easy looks than anything they did. These 2 guys tend to struggle when teams play man to man and when they are pressured by quicker and bigger guys. Right now I dont even care, I just want to see a dominating performance against Depaul and Marquette.

I think most would agree. I don't care if it's Daniels, Oriakhi, Lamb or Wolf who leads the charge.