You can clone any player from UConn basketball history ... | The Boneyard

You can clone any player from UConn basketball history ...

Sibeerian

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You can clone any player from UConn basketball history and have five of them on the floor at once (and four more on the bench). So, five Ray Allens, or five Emeka Okafors, or five Kembas, for example. The opponent is an NCAA-champion caliber team, like Virginia last year. Who's the one player you'd pick?
 

Chin Diesel

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Interesting.

I'll start off with Caronimo because he had a handle, could rebound, play defense and was physical.

Second player would be the Dove for all the same reasons as Caronimo.

Ray would be #3.

The basis of your hypothesis is pick a UConn player whose game was well-rounded, had some ball handling skills and big enough to get some boards.
 
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Caron Butler.

Can't pick a guard because they'd get abused inside. Can't pick a big because they'll get eaten up on the perimeter. Caron is the most well-rounded forward we've had imo. Defense 2-4 would be solid. Just enough size to guard the inside well enough; just enough speed to guard the perimeter well enough. Wouldn't be ideal, but his ability to run and score would make up for it.

He has enough handle/passing ability to run the paint. Obviously has scoring ability, so that won't be an issue. Play 4 or 5 out and go to work.
 

Sibeerian

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Interesting.

I'll start off with Caronimo because he had a handle, could rebound, play defense and was physical.

Second player would be the Dove for all the same reasons as Caronimo.

Ray would be #3.

The basis of your hypothesis is pick a UConn player whose game was well-rounded, had some ball handling skills and big enough to get some boards.

I had the same top two as you. Gave some thought to Scott Burrell also, because I seem to recall JC saying that if he had five Scott Burrells he could beat anyone.
 

Chin Diesel

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I had the same top two as you. Gave some thought to Scott Burrell also, because I seem to recall JC saying that if he had five Scott Burrells he could beat anyone.

I don't think Scott Burrell could handle the ball well enough for the scenario of a full 40 minutes. Of course having 5 Scott Burrell's run a 2-2-1 full court press with four Scott Burrell's on the bench may not ever need to run a half court set.
 
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5 Kemba's. Some may question the size but have fun trying to stay in front of 5 guys with that handle

If you're going that route, just play 40 mins of hellish full-court press. WVU style. Won't have to worry about post D
 

Chin Diesel

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For the record, this entire thread is visualized in my head with a bunch of UConn fans dressed like this in UConn gear.

45569
 
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1. Caron Butler
2. Scott Burrell
3. Nadav Henefeld
4a. Ray Allen
4b. Rip Hamilton
5. Rudy Gay
6. Jeremy Lamb
 
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Butler is the best answer, IMO by a wide margin. After that it's Nadav, Ray, Rip and Donyell.
 
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Wow a lot of people overlooking Donyell.

I'd put 5 Donyells up there with Caron and Rudy.

I just don't think Donyell had the handle for it. It was close but ultimately, I couldn't include him for that reason only. Best player in UConn history if you don't have to count national titles in your criteria.

I think Caron and Scott would actually be ridiculously good. Both could handle bigger and smaller players on defense and both had fairly strong skills in every department. If they had weaknesses, it was shooting.
 
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Butler is the best answer, IMO by a wide margin. After that it's Nadav, Ray, Rip and Donyell.


Your list is great but I don't see how Burrell doesn't make it. He wasn't quite the player these other guys were, but his athletic ability makes him the only guy we had that I'm certain could defend all 5 positions pretty adequately.
 

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