Where do we go from here?

[ValleyGuy]

You don’t build programs on one and dones. Historically it has not worked.

Stay the course and continue to build with program type of kids. Best of luck to Flagg, UConn will be fine.

 

[bendm]

Fighting for a tourney bid? Come on. It's way better than that. Let's see what we've got before we project these players. Samson could emerge and look like a 1st rounder. Solo could as well. Ross/Stewart could be Karaban like in their impact.

i dont view fighting for a bid as a bad thing. always happy to make the tourney.

but if we're expected to come in third in the BE this season with a team we all think can make a final four run, then it's reasonable/realistic to think next year's team, which is projected to lose four starters, would be middle of the pack in the BE and thus fighting for a bid.

 

[Rico444]

i dont view fighting for a bid as a bad thing. always happy to make the tourney.

but if we're expected to come in third in the BE this season with a team we all think can make a final four run, then it's reasonable/realistic to think next year's team, which is projected to lose four starters, would be middle of the pack in the BE and thus fighting for a bid.

Maybe. A lot can happen in a year. This time last year we were seen as a fringe top 25 team.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

We clearly need to shut the program down. It's over.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Tough couple days on the old cruiting trail.

I don’t think we have any other offers out to 24s.

Do we pivot to purely 25s and then portal?

This sure stings right now, but I know this will only motivate this staff.

Hurley & Co have proven themselves masterful HS recruiters & portal recruiters.

Flagg was a long shot, so I’m not down at all. Confident we are gonna build a strong roster for every year going forward and be perennial contenders for all the trophies & awards.

I’m sure the staff has a good feel already for who could leave for the NBA at the end of this year vs next year, and will prioritize portal vs HS accordingly.

!!!

 

[navery12]

i dont view fighting for a bid as a bad thing. always happy to make the tourney.

but if we're expected to come in third in the BE this season with a team we all think can make a final four run, then it's reasonable/realistic to think next year's team, which is projected to lose four starters, would be middle of the pack in the BE and thus fighting for a bid.

Ignoring all other context, yes. But the top of the Big East is all going to be in a similar position. The reason why Marquette and Creighton are at the top with us this year is they returned a ton of juniors and seniors that they're going to lose. Villanova brought in a bunch of transfers with 1 year left, so they're also going to be losing a ton. A lot can happen between now and May, but the expectation should be we end up in the top tier again

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Tough couple days on the old cruiting trail.

I don’t think we have any other offers out to 24s.

Do we pivot to purely 25s and then portal?

This sure stings right now, but I know this will only motivate this staff.

Please step away from the ledge.

Until at least next April we will carry the label National Champions and we have been recruiting more than well enough recently that nobody qualifies as a make or break recruit. If we land Flagg and/or Ngongba things will be great for UConn men's hoops. If we don't land Flagg or Ngongba things will be great for UConn men's hoops.

Additionally, I don't know why anyone is convinced this is over and we lost. An alleged major Duke insider (from the now closed thread) claimed on Saturday that Flagg was officially committing to Duke on Monday. That didn't happen yet a lot of people are using that insider's supposed knowledge as evidence that this is done.

Again, if we land Flagg and/or Ngongba things will be great for UConn men's hoops. If we don't land Flagg or Ngongba things will be great for UConn men's hoops.

 

[upstater]

I remember the time UConn was accused of loading up the way Duke is loaded right now. It was in 2005. By 2006, all the elements were there.

Look at those rosters and look at the recruiting ranks:

Rudy Gay 5
Charlie Villanueva 18
Rashad Anderson 24
Denham Brown 34

And 5 more top 100s: Marcus Williams, Adrien, etc.

Heck, 2 of the guys that weren't ranked in the top 100 ended up going in the 1st round of the NBA draft: Hilton and Boone.

But what really sent the national media and other coaches over the top was brining in the ACC's Rookie of the Year Ed Nelson. That infuriated people.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Hassan will be starting PG next year

He would need to improve SIGNIFICANTLY on offense to be the starting PG next year. It’s not impossible but I’m not holding my breath. Probably a higher likelihood of a transfer coming in with Diarra continuing to be the defensive energy guy off the bench.

 

[mauconnfan]

Being that Betsey chose Cincinnati, I think it might be a good thing he didn't come here. IQ might not be all there.

Or maybe a Husky via portal?

 

[Husky68]

He would need to improve SIGNIFICANTLY on offense to be the starting PG next year. It’s not impossible but I’m not holding my breath. Probably a higher likelihood of a transfer coming in with Diarra continuing to be the defensive energy guy off the bench.

He could become Taliek, just get an ok shot, continue to play in your face defense and get that drive/dish going. Hopefully next year Solo could be his side kick Ben G. II.

 

[MDHuskFan]

We can’t get top recruits
The one Castle we got wasn’t a top guy at the time he committed
Can’t win close games

I think we really need to start asking if Dan is the right guy for the job.

Sarcasm

 

[Cardiac]

The only thing I saw out there that was a maybe, was Joson Sanon possibly reclassifying to 2024.

Other than that, my guess is they go full press on 2025 recruits. They finally got an offer out to Darius Acuff, who in an interview, talked about how he was a UConn fan as a kid.

 

[Fishy]

Losing the big would be worse than missing on Flagg.

Recruiting is gonna be more of a crapshoot going forward - schools like freaking K State can NIL their way into situations they couldn’t previously.

My hunch is that they’ll just keep their eyes open…players will decommit, transfer, etc., so there’ll be players available. We got DeAndre Daniels and Joey California in June. We got Drummond in August, Kevin Freeman in May, etc., etc. Stuff happens.

 

[kansashusky]

Losing the big would be worse than missing on Flagg.

Recruiting is gonna be more of a crapshoot going forward - schools like freaking K State can NIL their way into situations they couldn’t previously.

My hunch is that they’ll just keep their eyes open…players will decommit, transfer, etc., so there’ll be players available. We got DeAndre Daniels and Joey California in June. We got Drummond in August, Kevin Freeman in May, etc., etc. Stuff happens.

We just lost the big.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Losing the big would be worse than missing on Flagg.

Recruiting is gonna be more of a crapshoot going forward - schools like freaking K State can NIL their way into situations they couldn’t previously.

My hunch is that they’ll just keep their eyes open…players will decommit, transfer, etc., so there’ll be players available. We got DeAndre Daniels and Joey California in June. We got Drummond in August, Kevin Freeman in May, etc., etc. Stuff happens.

We lost the big.

 

[Fishy]

We lost the big.

Not ideal.

 

[EBonz30]

Think we will be pleasantly surprised on how good Youssouf Singare is & how much he will develop over time- great kid with a great motor.

Not concerned at all- never thought Flagg or Patrick were coming- was hoping obviously but always knew we were the underdogs in the situations.

Also, more importantly Danny Hurley is running the program & is a master coach- he will make it work either way.

 

[kansashusky]

@husky99 @NJHoops @Zionn

Any insight to this one? I know Cooper was a long shot, but to miss on Betsey, Flagg and now Big Pat seems strange.

 

[Rico444]

The issue is, we have one commit in that range, and no others on the horizon.

We also have a five man class this year. It's not usual to bring in 4-5 players every year. Add in the fact that the transfer portal is a thing now and honestly we're in fine shape.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

He could become Taliek, just get an ok shot, continue to play in your face defense and get that drive/dish going. Hopefully next year Solo could be his side kick Ben G. II.

I don’t want this to come across as though I don’t like Hassan. I think he’s a great piece to have, but he is MILES away from Taliek offensively. Currently he guards the opposing PG, but he really isn’t able to run the point offensively and is not a good distributor. If he improves enough to be a starter, I would be ecstatic, I’m just not super confident from a guy going on his fourth college season.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I don’t want this to come across as though I don’t like Hassan. I think he’s a great piece to have, but he is MILES away from Taliek offensively. Currently he guards the opposing PG, but he really isn’t able to run the point offensively and is not a good distributor. If he improves enough to be a starter, I would be ecstatic, I’m just not super confident from a guy going on his fourth college season.

I feel like Diarra is more 2009 Beverly than Taliek.

 

[superjohn]

We also have a five man class this year. It's not usual to bring in 4-5 players every year. Add in the fact that the transfer portal is a thing now and honestly we're in fine shape.

We're fine if we bring in some studs through the portal. I don't think they can just be supplemental pieces. We're loaded at wing but there's most likely going to be question marks at point guard and center.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

PG - Ball/Nowell
SG - ??
SF - Ross/Stewart
PF - Karaban (hopefully) Abraham
C - Samson/ Singare

If Karaban and Samson comes back we just need some ball handlers. Another Cam Spencer would actually be perfect.

I can imagine Ball and Nowell having a Boatright/Shabazz kind of on court relationship that year.

If Karaban doesn’t come back we may need a transfer 4 because I don’t think Stewart or Ross should play there full time.

 

[JT-55]

He would need to improve SIGNIFICANTLY on offense to be the starting PG next year. It’s not impossible but I’m not holding my breath. Probably a higher likelihood of a transfer coming in with Diarra continuing to be the defensive energy guy off the bench.

I might be in the minority but I would not be against handing the keys off to Nowell from Day 1 and taking the good with the bad of a freshman point guard. Have Solo at the SG spot to take some pressure off and have Diarra as a veteran PG backup or to spot start if things got super shaky.