What is the reality of the UCONN program right now?

[EricLA]

Obviously I'm a fan, but don't post as much on the men's board because quite simply, I know far less than most of the posters on here. After reading some of the doom and gloom over all the kids we've swung and missed on, I was wondering what the realistic status of the program is?

We brought in a new Assoc Head Coach (Chillous) to replace Miller. Killings just finished up his first year. Before everyone dumps on Chillous, he was " credited as the key to Washington’s highly-ranked recruiting classes of 2010. 2011, the No. 7-rated class of 2015, and the outstanding class of 2016, which included Top 10 recruit Markelle Fultz". Not too shabby. Let's give the guy a chance, shall we? I think UCONN is maybe not as easy a sell at the moment...

We lost several kids due to transfer and canceled verbals. We have not replaced them with any real high level recruits (we have 2 4'ish star kids in Polley and Carleton, 3-star Whaley, and unranked Cobb). I looked it up on ESPN.com's recruiting site. Is that correct? Do we have any transfers coming in? For 2018 we have a bagel so far.

Again, not looking for a thread to "let's dump on Ollie and UCONN", but rather some intelligent insight as to where we are at the moment, and a realistic assessment of where we are heading in the immediate future. Last year some predicted we'd be a top 15 team. We ended up with a less than .500 record and 6th in the conference. What are realistic expectations for this season? Thanks...

 

[jibsey]

You seem to know as much as anyone else here, but based on your findings if the 4'ish and the 3'ish don't give us something we ain't gonna fin'ish, because our front court seems very questionable. Sure we have great guards and Larrier who we will rely on big time but I for one am quite concerned.

 

[whaler11]

I don't think it's an unreaonable expectation to make the tournament. I think it's a stretch goal but it's not impossible.

Problem is the games that can move the needle are early so they need a bunch of guys who haven't played together to come together quickly.

That's sort of the nature of the sport but most major programs don't play most of their big games before new year's.

They certainly need health and they need someone to surprise in the front court.

The more time I spend looking the football roster the more I am worried the next ten months are going to be brutal.

 

[MSGSeven]

I have no idea how this season is going to turn out nor what the future holds for the UConn men's basketball program. But in my opinion, the current team most mirrors Ollie's 2014 NC team with Jalen being like Shabazz, Gilbert like Boatright and Larrier like Daniels. Also, we got an A10 double digit scoring transfer in Anderson like Kromah. We also got a tough glue guy like Vital who can shoot the three like Griffey. I understand the teams aren't identical as far as personnel and maybe even talent but it's the closest Ollie has had to his best team. Let's hope for the same results.

 

[James]

I have no idea how this season is going to turn out nor what the future holds for the UConn men's basketball program. But in my opinion, the current team most mirrors Ollie's 2014 NC team with Jalen being like Shabazz, Gilbert like Boatright and Larrier like Daniels. Also, we got an A10 double digit scoring transfer in Anderson like Kromah. We also got a tough glue guy like Vital who can shoot the three like Griffey. I understand the teams aren't identical as far as personnel and maybe even talent but it's the closest Ollie has had to his best team. Let's hope for the same results.

Not a bad comparison honestly. I think many people are excited about the season, just worried how things will look come 2018. It's a crucial recruiting year for sure.

 

[UConnNick]

It all depends upon whether you're part of the glass is half empty or glass is half full crowd. If you're in the half empty crowd, next season is going to be an unmitigated disaster because we have no highly rated frontcourt players with any experience. If you're part of the half full crowd, we'll take a wait and see approach on whether the frontcourt players will develop quickly enough to make a solid contribution. I don't think too many disagree that our backcourt will be the strength of the team, so perimeter play and three point shooting will be critical to our success, given that we don't know whether the frontcourt will be dependable from a scoring standpoint.

Last season was pretty much a wash because we lost two of our best backcourt players in the first couple weeks of the season, a freshman big man never suited up to play due to an injury, and other injuries throughout the season resulted in only six scholarship players suiting up for weeks at a time.

Next season's performance may very well end up somewhere between an unmitigated disaster and pleasant surprise. 20 wins may be hard to get to. Those of us hoping for the best are likely relying on our recent past history of rising from the ashes, like the 2013 APR ban, or the disasterous finish to the 2011 regular season, and doing great things. In this case, great things likely won't involve another big NCAA tournament run, but at least an NCAA tournament berth. Anything short of that and there will be a lot more speculation about Ollie's future.

 

[superjohn]

I have no idea how this season is going to turn out nor what the future holds for the UConn men's basketball program. But in my opinion, the current team most mirrors Ollie's 2014 NC team with Jalen being like Shabazz, Gilbert like Boatright and Larrier like Daniels. Also, we got an A10 double digit scoring transfer in Anderson like Kromah. We also got a tough glue guy like Vital who can shoot the three like Griffey. I understand the teams aren't identical as far as personnel and maybe even talent but it's the closest Ollie has had to his best team. Let's hope for the same results.

lol.

I have no idea how this season is going to turn out nor what the future holds for the UConn men's basketball program. But in my opinion, the current team most mirrors Ollie's 2014 NC team with Jalen being like Shabazz, Gilbert like Boatright and Larrier like Daniels. Also, we got an A10 double digit scoring transfer in Anderson like Kromah. We also got a tough glue guy like Vital who can shoot the three like Griffey. I understand the teams aren't identical as far as personnel and maybe even talent but it's the closest Ollie has had to his best team. Let's hope for the same results.

So you are expecting Jalen to play like Shabazz (the best guard in the country?) Alterique who hasn't played a lick of D1 to play like a junior year Boat? Larrier who hasn't played in 2 seasons to play like a junior year Daniels? Who is your Giffey clone? Once you take into account this team has no experience playing together while 2014 had a ton of experience playing together, the comparison looks sillier.

 

[JSM1970]

The guys who will play the most minutes at the 4-5 have never played a minute of college basketball, and only 1 kid was barely top 100

I like the idea of playing TL at the 3 and having Vital backup 1-2 and for some critical stretches maybe move TL to 4

Need a quality win or 2 OOC and finishing top 3 in the AAC

 

[MSGSeven]

lol.

So you are expecting Jalen to play like Shabazz (the best guard in the country?) Alterique who hasn't played a lick of D1 to play like a junior year Boat? Larrier who hasn't played in 2 seasons to play like a junior year Daniels? Who is your Giffey clone? Once you take into account this team has no experience playing together while 2014 had a ton of experience playing together, the comparison looks sillier.

Are you a UConn fan? Regardless of that answer you're definitely a clown.

 

[superjohn]

Are you a UConn fan? Regardless of that answer you're definitely a clown.

You write childlike fantasy posts and don't expect to get called out by people living in reality. It doesn't make you any more of a UConn fan because you post about unicorns and lollipops.

 

[JSM1970]

I agree in general, but JA, AG and TL are potentially much better players respectively

But the talent level falls off a cliff after those 3

But I agree, no reason to think this team can't make the tourney if they stay healthy

lol.

So you are expecting Jalen to play like Shabazz (the best guard in the country?) Alterique who hasn't played a lick of D1 to play like a junior year Boat? Larrier who hasn't played in 2 seasons to play like a junior year Daniels? Who is your Giffey clone? Once you take into account this team has no experience playing together while 2014 had a ton of experience playing together, the comparison looks sillier.

 

[champs99and04]

There's a lot going on.

If you were to try to build some sort of statistical model to forecast the success of next years team, there would be a lot of variance. The sheer quantity of variables at play (will Jalen be good or great? do Gilbert and Larrier show any lingering effects from injury? do we get anything from the front court?) allow for a wide pendulum of results.

A world exists where this team is very good. A world also exists where the long-term health of the program is stabilized by a nucleus of incoming young talent that has been - in my opinion - sold short by this board. We're not killing it on the trail, but whatever lag effect exists with last years class - in conjunction with what we have coming in this year - could as well work to our benefit as our detriment, because for all the hand-wringing about how thin the current class is, Gilbert and Diarra are essentially freshman and by all indications they can both play. Vital is a sophomore who we know can play. Those three players represent three potential cornerstones that could take you through 2020.

Jay Wright was a year removed from a 13-19 season when he stumbled into the best class in Villanova history. The class did not consist of players anybody expected to resurrect the program. They were wedged unceremoniously between an ocean of variance, just as the 2017-18 Huskies find themselves months before practice begins. Jenkins was ranked 74th, Hart 84th. Scroll a couple notches north to #76 and find AP POY Frank Mason. Reverse a few spots to #66 to find Kentan Facey.

This is a guessing game at the end of the day, folks. I don't care if you're huskyfandan or Jim Calhoun. College basketball is fickle as hell. This year could be awesome, it could be a disaster. Me? I'll start worrying about the future of this program when I'm not charged up opening day. This won't be that year.

 

[JMick]

Are you a UConn fan? Regardless of that answer you're definitely a clown.

The clown in this scenario is you

 

[MSGSeven]

The clown in this scenario is you

lol you're the ringleader of the clowns on this board

 

[JMick]

lol you're the ringleader of the clowns on this board

Maybe in the same universe that Jalen is shabazz and Gilbert is boatright.

 

[pj]

lol.

So you are expecting Jalen to play like Shabazz (the best guard in the country?) Alterique who hasn't played a lick of D1 to play like a junior year Boat? Larrier who hasn't played in 2 seasons to play like a junior year Daniels? Who is your Giffey clone? Once you take into account this team has no experience playing together while 2014 had a ton of experience playing together, the comparison looks sillier.

That's why next year's team resembles the 2012-13 Huskies more than 2013-14. Still a good team, and if the band can be kept together for 2018-19, watch out.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

You write childlike fantasy posts and don't expect to get called out by people living in reality. It doesn't make you any more of a UConn fan because you post about unicorns and lollipops.

Actually, posting unicorn and lollipop takes does make him more of a fan than you. That's kind of what being a fanatic is all about.

And why do positive takes require being "called out?" This is a fan site, is it not? If I'm wrong about this being a fan site, then what exactly is this place?

 

[MSGSeven]

Maybe in the same universe that Jalen is shabazz and Gilbert is boatright.

In any universe

The point of my original post was the teams and players are "similar" and this team was the closest to the 2014 team. If you don't think Jalen and Gilbert have strong similarities to Bazz and Boat you don't know shiz about basketball period let alone UConn basketball. Jalen and Gilbert might have more individual talent than Bazz and Boat.

 

[JMick]

In any universe

The point of my original post was the teams and players are "similar" and this team was the closest to the 2014 team. If you don't think Jalen and Gilbert have strong similarities to Bazz and Boat you don't know shiz about basketball period let alone UConn basketball. Jalen and Gilbert might have more individual talent than Bazz and Boat.

The only people who think Jalen and Shabazz are similar are the people on this board. If you're going to compare Jalen to a UConn great at least go with Kemba.

 

[ucp990411]

The reality of the program today is that we are an average team in a bad conference who just had 3 of their top 8 players transfer and their top recruit bailed. Fired a long time proven assistant coach and has a head coach with a lot to prove. And the money is drying up. Does not look good. And our history means next to nothing.

 

[Robertelamin]

I think Jalen will have an amazing year.

 

[MSGSeven]

The only people who think Jalen and Shabazz are similar are the people on this board. If you're going to compare Jalen to a UConn great at least go with Kemba.

The people on this board are the ones who have watched those players the most and would be able to make that comparison. Plus, some of the posters here were actual high level athletes, basketball players and/or coaches besides being diehard UConn fans. You make it very clear you're not one of those people.

 

[whaler11]

The people on this board are the ones who have watched those players the most and would be able to make that comparison. Plus, some of the posters here were actual high level athletes, basketball players and/or coaches besides being diehard UConn fans. You make it very clear you're not one of those people.

Sure the guy who played 3.5 games is Ryan Boatright. You can't even tell them apart without a program.

Happy now?

 

[JMick]

The people on this board are the ones who have watched those players the most and would be able to make that comparison. Plus, some of the posters here were actual high level athletes, basketball players and/or coaches besides being diehard UConn fans. You make it very clear you're not one of those people.

 

[JMick]

Sure the guy who played 3.5 games is Ryan Boatright. You can't even tell them apart without a program.

Happy now?

they're both under 6ft tall and play basketball. the similarities are endless!