Who are the five most important recruits of the Hurley era? (including transfers) | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Who are the five most important recruits of the Hurley era? (including transfers)

This is a tough one to answer.

You could list the starting five from the 2022-2023 season and not be wrong, yet:

Where would we have been at that point if we didn't bring in Bouknight?

The earlier transfers (Martin/Cole) added a lot of credibility, which I imagine was needed at the time we recruited a few of the guys who followed (many who played a role in at least one of the two titles).

Clingan warrants a spot as in his freshman year he was the second part of a nightmare (for the opponents) center tandem and as a sophomore was a massive part of the title team.

I'm thinking my top five has nine or more names on it.
 
In some order I think it's these 5. Bouknight was the first major recruit and got the UConn NBA pipeline opened back up. The rest I think are pretty obvious why

Bouknight
Clingan
Newton
Sanogo
Spencer

HM: Cole, Jackson, Karaban
 
1st) Sanogo- Danny getting him to commit to UConn was big. It was even acknowledged by other coaches in the league, saying it was a turning point. Plus, once he got to UConn, his work ethic matched Danny and the staff's and great things happened.

2nd) Clingan-He was going to be great, but I think battling Sanogo every day in practice helped his development. He had two different roles in his two years and played them both perfectly.

3rd) Castle- I think landing him and seeing what he is doing (real shot at ROY) and how you can play and be a team player and give up stats, but still be a lottery pick and get NBA ready is really good for the program.

4th) Newton- He is still undervalued for what he brought to UConn outside of Storrs.

5th) AK-He has just been solid. It's tough to leave Cam out, but I just give an edge to the guy with one more ring and who came early to get ready to play.

Honorable Mention- Cam of course, AJax, Samson (because he had to keep recruiting him and do so successfully) and Hawkins, he was a shooter they needed to help Sanogo out.
 
Clingan because he was so dominant for two titles

Andre Jackson because he was a supreme culture setter

James Bouknight as he was the blueprint for Hurley to show guys they can go to the NBA again from here

Castle as he’ll be able to show his success as a OAD here and at the next level.

Newton blueprint for high level transfers to show the kind of success they can have here
 
Bouknight showed Hurley could develop you into lottery pick
Clingan home town kid. Must protect in state kids
Sanogo big time recruiting win top 30 before he reclass and best player on Hurley first title team
Newton 0 star kid who transferred up and showed Hurley knows how to utilize transfers
Castle top 10 recruit who showed you can be 1 and done at UConn
 
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btw, shout out Brendan Adams, Hurley's first-ever recruit. Didn't realize he'd had such a great super-senior year at GW. Put up 17.5/4/3 on 47/38/84 shooting splits. Playing pro now overseas.

Forever a Husky.

Not top 5, obviously, or even top 10. But he was a credible recruit who gave us good minutes during a hard time.
 
The number 1 is Clingan.

Newton/Karaban/Jackson/Sanogo would be my other 4, think you can put them in any order depending on criteria.

HM: Cole/Bouk/Martin/Whaley/Spencer/Castle

First 4 laid the foundation for championship success, and could’ve played on our championship level teams.
 
I’ll just state the obvious, and in not liking the limit of 5, I’ll make it 10. 5 recruits, 5 transfers.

Recruits (more or less chronological order)
Sanogo
Jackson
Karaban
Clingan
Castle

Transfers:


Newton
Diarra
Spencer
Reed (better return, buddy)
Demary (the doctor requested you)
 
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1) Newton, led us to two titles
2) Karaban, led us to two titles
3) Clingan

after that, it's a log jam
 
Based on 'importance' not play (per se):

Bouknight was must see TV and I really think his freedom of play attracted recruits. I believe he was his first UConn NBA draftee (attending the event) which brought even more positive attention to UConn.

Sanogo (He made Clingan/Johnson better and allowed Clingan to ease into Div 1 and readied them for Championship #2)
Jackson (unselfish leader who made himself and everyone else better brought into Hurley plan and executed it)
Diarra (without him no one to run the expertly run offense or execute it properly). Season could have been horrible without him.
Newton (Hurley's first All American)
 
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Dutch Boyd said:
Can’t sleep on Sanogo.
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The level of disrespect for Sanogo is wild! Hes the answer. The only answer. He led the turnaround in his SO season when he stepped up and became a force in the post to help out RJ Cole and taking us to the tourney which set the foundation for the following year where he was even better and dominated in the post bringing us the national title. Yes guys like Ajax and Newton deserve a lot of love but Sanogo was the guy. He stepped up from day one and carried the team to a title. I also believe his success early on solidified Clingan coming here also. DC saw what Dan Hurley did with Sanogo and what was being built.
 
TheChamps990411 said:
The level of disrespect for Sanogo is wild! Hes the answer. The only answer. He led the turnaround in his SO season when he stepped up and became a force in the post to help out RJ Cole and taking us to the tourney which set the foundation for the following year where he was even better and dominated in the post bringing us the national title. Yes guys like Ajax and Newton deserve a lot of love but Sanogo was the guy. He stepped up from day one and carried the team to a title. I also believe his success early on solidified Clingan coming here also. DC saw what Dan Hurley did with Sanogo and what was being built.
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Completely agree. You can take guys off the 23 team and we probably still win, but if you take Sanogo off the team we definitely don’t win. Ajax and Newton are two of my all time favorites, but Sanogo was the man.
 
Dutch Boyd said:
Completely agree. You can take guys off the 23 team and we probably still win, but if you take Sanogo off the team we definitely don’t win. Ajax and Newton are two of my all time favorites, but Sanogo was the man.
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He`ll never get the credit he deserves imho. He also gave that absolutely legendary quote of "They thought they could win, they could not". Lol!
 
.-.
Clingan - as much as he was valued his impact on both teams is still underrated
 
superjohn said:
1) Clingan- in-state giant we had to have. One of the best players ever from state of CT. Best defensive player in the country both seasons, two time national champion. Future defensive player of the year in NBA.

2) Tristen- struggled some his first season but was huge in title game. First team all-American at the most important position his second season. He stirred the drink. 2 time national champion.

3) Sanogo- best player on best team. Won a national championship which brought us back to the top of college basketball. Was dominant in the tournament.

4) Cam- he was the difference between an elite 8 type of team and the most dominant team we've ever seen. Gave us another creator/ballhandler, clutch as all hell, and he was the fire on the team. Our best offensive player on our best team ever IMO.

5) Castle should probably be higher because he was the best perimeter defender in the country, gave us physicality, scoring, and a third ball handler creator and he's going to pay huge dividends for the program as rookie of the year and a future star in the NBA
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Great list. Castle also incredibly accepted his role on the team and did what was asked/needed without complaint. Certainly he could have done more offensively.
 
In no particular order, my clear 4:

Sango
Clingan
Newton
Castle


Tough choice for me between Jackson and Hawkins for the last spot.
 
TheChamps990411 said:
The level of disrespect for Sanogo is wild! Hes the answer. The only answer. He led the turnaround in his SO season when he stepped up and became a force in the post to help out RJ Cole and taking us to the tourney which set the foundation for the following year where he was even better and dominated in the post bringing us the national title. Yes guys like Ajax and Newton deserve a lot of love but Sanogo was the guy. He stepped up from day one and carried the team to a title. I also believe his success early on solidified Clingan coming here also. DC saw what Dan Hurley did with Sanogo and what was being built.
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You're right. I'm realizing now in my conception of it, I focused too much on what getting the player meant in the larger scheme of things and a little too much what they turned into post-UConn.

Fact is, Sanogo was the first player Hurley got who was good enough to be the best player on a title team, AND he showed how much work Hurley and staff could do re: player development over his three years, and he was a great teammate and culture builder.

I think I still have Jackson No. 1 b/c he checked basically every box as a recruit, as a player, as a leader and as a draft pick. But Sanogo's right there with him, as are Newton and Clingan.

Now I've got to rethink my fifth.
 
superjohn said:
1) Clingan- in-state giant we had to have. One of the best players ever from state of CT. Best defensive player in the country both seasons, two time national champion. Future defensive player of the year in NBA.

2) Tristen- struggled some his first season but was huge in title game. First team all-American at the most important position his second season. He stirred the drink. 2 time national champion.

3) Sanogo- best player on best team. Won a national championship which brought us back to the top of college basketball. Was dominant in the tournament.

4) Cam- he was the difference between an elite 8 type of team and the most dominant team we've ever seen. Gave us another creator/ballhandler, clutch as all hell, and he was the fire on the team. Our best offensive player on our best team ever IMO.

5) Castle should probably be higher because he was the best perimeter defender in the country, gave us physicality, scoring, and a third ball handler creator and he's going to pay huge dividends for the program as rookie of the year and a future star in the NBA
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I second everything said here. It leaves off a lot of other folks that deserve mention, but gun to the head, if I had to pick 5, it would be this 5 and basically in the same order.
 
Luke Murray is the best recruit in the Hurley era. The rest is just fodder for conversation.
 
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