Zach Brown wants to reclass to 2016

[JimHurley]

Ideally Brown reclassifies to 2016 and then the staff goes hard after another elite center prospect for 2017. Get all the talent you can on campus and then worry about the rest. The best guys will play. Hard to believe there's even a debate about this after the few down years we've had in recruiting recently.

Why would we go after another elite center prospect for 2017? Is 2 (Enoch + Brown) not enough?

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Ideally Brown reclassifies to 2016 and then the staff goes hard after another elite center prospect for 2017. Get all the talent you can on campus and then worry about the rest. The best guys will play. Hard to believe there's even a debate about this after the few down years we've had in recruiting recently.

I don't see us getting another elite center for atleast a few years. Elite centers want to get to the NBA as quickly as possible. Don't see why he would come here and fight for playing time with Enoch, Brown, Durham, etc...

 

[bmo22]

Why would we go after another elite center prospect for 2017? Is 2 (Enoch + Brown) not enough?

No, you can never have enough talent. Hopefully they both turn out to be great but you can't bank on it. Worrying about having too much depth is ridiculous. We'll have Adams and Gilbert on the roster next year as well, but we absolutely should be (and are) recruiting an elite PG prospect in 2017.

 

[tentoes4rings]

If he does reclassify, I think more than ever that we need to get a real, qualified big man coach in here. Our other bigs haven't developed that well under this staff, and the only one to have a good back to the basket game wasn't even developed here. Excited to have what could be one of our best and deepest front courts to date if they can get the proper coaching.

 

[UCweCONN]

After seeing him in person, I think he needs another year. He is quite thin in the upper body and was looking around a lot when on defense looking for help on where to be (that could just be from being new to the team).

With that said, if he could come in 2016, at least that locks him up for UCONN and eliminates the shenanigans factor over the next year. Also, while I think he needs another year, he's already better than anyone we have currently. I like how he keeps the ball high and goes up strong. Too many of our recent big men from Thabeet to Oriakhi to Brimah have the frustrating habit of bringing the ball down to settle before going up and having it knocked away. Brown's entire offense consists of dunking and a baby hook which is fine with me. I don't like centers to try to do to much. Rebound and dunk and I'm happy. He also has excellent hands.

Another take away from yesterday's game, our recruits and targets on PSA did not shoot free throws well. What a surprise.....

 

[Fishy]

Obviously the staff has a better idea of what they want and when, but I think the best course is to bring him in next year....and then redshirt him.

And for the love of God, bring someone in who can coach the bigs.

 

[bmo22]

I don't see us getting another elite center for atleast a few years. Elite centers want to get to the NBA as quickly as possible. Don't see why he would come here and fight for playing time with Enoch, Brown, Durham, etc...

I'm not saying we'll land every player we recruit, but the staff wouldn't be doing their jobs if they used that logic.

Also, the "fighting for playing time" reasoning is thrown around here all the time. The elite players don't worry about that. If they think they're good enough to play one year and jump to the NBA I highly doubt they're worried about the big men currently on UConn's roster.

 

[upstater]

After seeing him in person, I think he needs another year. He is quite thin in the upper body and was looking around a lot when on defense looking for help on where to be (that could just be from being new to the team).

With that said, if he could come in 2016, at least that locks him up for UCONN and eliminates the shenanigans factor over the next year. Also, while I think he needs another year, he's already better than anyone we have currently. I like how he keeps the ball high and goes up strong. Too many of our recent big men from Thabeet to Oriakhi to Brimah have the frustrating habit of bringing the ball down to settle before going up and having it knocked away. Brown's entire offense consists of dunking and a baby hook which is fine with me. I don't like centers to try to do to much. Rebound and dunk and I'm happy. He also has excellent hands.

Another take away from yesterday's game, our recruits and targets on PSA did not shoot free throws well. What a surprise.....

Thanks for the write-up. Understood everything except the last sentence. Are you saying that the 2016 class are all poor free throw shooters?

If not, does it refer to current players? Someone recently wrote that UConn is top 10 in the country in free throw shooting at 77%.

 

[Matrim55]

Another take away from yesterday's game, our recruits and targets on PSA did not shoot free throws well. What a surprise.....

We're currently 6th in the country in FT%.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/statistics/team/_/stat/free-throws

All your posts are bad and you should feel bad.

 

[JimHurley]

No, you can never have enough talent. Hopefully they both turn out to be great but you can't bank on it. Worrying about having too much depth is ridiculous. We'll have Adams and Gilbert on the roster next year as well, but we absolutely should be (and are) recruiting an elite PG prospect in 2017.

You can only play 1 Center at a time. Having 3 would be ridiculous. If Brown chooses to reclassify, we need to put 100% effort into Diallo and Ashton-Langford - never mind another C.

 

[UCweCONN]

Thanks for the write-up. Understood everything except the last sentence. Are you saying that the 2016 class are all poor free throw shooters?

If not, does it refer to current players? Someone recently wrote that UConn is top 10 in the country in free throw shooting at 77%.

I am more referring to players such as Drummond, Purvis etc. and many player in general, not saying our team isn't good overall. I just hate to see guys not hit free throws. it was only one game yesterday so maybe they just had a bad day. Free throws are the one aspect of the game anyone can get good at with practice. Shaq would have been the NBAs all-time leading scorer by far if he could've hit 70% which is not unreasonable. Same with Drummond, 23 misses in a game?

I wasn't a great player, but when I was in college I went to the gym whenever I had a break in class and practiced free throws. The reason I did this was when we played pickup games, we'd shoot to see who from a big crowd of players would play. I didn't want to miss out because I couldn't hit the qualifying free-throws. With practice, I got up to making 80-90% (granted without opposing fans simulating giving birth in the stands behind the backboard to distract me). It was all about rhythm and a consistent approach. If I was a top recruit, I'd make becoming a deadly free-throw shooter a priority.

Don't kids play H-O-R-S-E anymore? If I saw a friend couldn't hit foul shots, I'd take all my shots from the free-throw line and end that competition really quickly.

 

[bmo22]

You can only play 1 Center at a time. Having 3 would be ridiculous. If Brown chooses to reclassify, we need to put 100% effort into Diallo and Ashton-Langford - never mind another C.

We have 3 centers on the roster now and how has that worked out for us? We could certainly use another. Players get hurt and sometimes, regardless of what their rankings are on recruiting sites, guys don't pan out. Your second point makes no sense. We need a big class in 2017 and putting 100% of the staff's effort and resources into two guys won't get us there. I'm glad they don't listen to you.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I believe he could enter the draft in 2017 if he comes in next year.

Theoretically he could but do you believe that he would accomplish enough next year at UConn (assuming he does reclassify) to make entering the draft a realistic option?

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

We have 3 centers on the roster now and how has that worked out for us? We could certainly use another. Players get hurt and sometimes, regardless of what their rankings are on recruiting sites, guys don't pan out. Your second point makes no sense. We need a big class in 2017 and putting 100% of the staff's effort and resources into two guys won't get us there. I'm glad they don't listen to you.

Yes we have 2 centers on the roster right now. And I'm not sure if you are referring to Nolan, Miller or Facey as the 3rd center.
You're missing the point. The difference is there are no legitimate NBA centers on our roster right now. Enoch could go either way, it's too early to tell. You are suggesting that we add another ELITE center prospect (as in, NBA prospect) to Brown (NBA prospect) and a Junior Steve Enoch (who could be a very solid big man at that point).
All I'm saying, biased aside, if I'm a top 20 center in 2017 and focused on getting to the NBA I'm going to go to a school that is primarily 1) A very good school that produces NBA centers and 2) A school that is in need of a center. UConn only provides one of those.
We should add atleast another 6-11+ big man by 2017, but he's not going to be an ELITE prospect, probably a 4 year player.

 

[Jerry1714]

Theoretically he could but do you believe that he would accomplish enough next year at UConn (assuming he does reclassify) to make entering the draft a realistic option?

Accomplishment means nothing when it comes to the NBA draft. The only thing that matters is potential. And at his size, he would definitely be drafted if he did nothing his freshman year.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Accomplishment means nothing when it comes to the NBA draft. The only thing that matters is potential. And at his size, he would definitely be drafted if he did nothing his freshman year.

Do you believe Enoch would get drafted if he entered after this season?

 

[Jerry1714]

Do you believe Enoch would get drafted if he entered after this season?

No, but Enoch is not close to Brown. Brown is considered a top 10 prospect for the 2018 draft, I have not seen any draft board with Enoch on it.

I am not saying he should go, just saying if he wanted to be a 1 and done I believe he would be drafted on his size and potential alone

 

[bmo22]

Yes we have 2 centers on the roster right now. And I'm not sure if you are referring to Nolan, Miller or Facey as the 3rd center.
You're missing the point. The difference is there are no legitimate NBA centers on our roster right now. Enoch could go either way, it's too early to tell. You are suggesting that we add another ELITE center prospect (as in, NBA prospect) to Brown (NBA prospect) and a Junior Steve Enoch (who could be a very solid big man at that point).
All I'm saying, biased aside, if I'm a top 20 center in 2017 and focused on getting to the NBA I'm going to go to a school that is primarily 1) A very good school that produces NBA centers and 2) A school that is in need of a center. UConn only provides one of those.
We should add atleast another 6-11+ big man by 2017, but he's not going to be an ELITE prospect, probably a 4 year player.

Like I said in my previous post, who knows if we'll land one or not, but your logic that we might as well not even recruit an elite player because we have Enoch and Zach Brown (zero college games played) is crazy.

Nick Richards, a top-15 player in the 2017 class and a center, just recently said UConn is one of the schools recruiting him the hardest. He said this after the Brown commitment. Glad the staff doesn't agree with settling for lesser prospects like people on this board.

 

[bmo22]

Yes we have 2 centers on the roster right now. And I'm not sure if you are referring to Nolan, Miller or Facey as the 3rd center.
You're missing the point. The difference is there are no legitimate NBA centers on our roster right now. Enoch could go either way, it's too early to tell. You are suggesting that we add another ELITE center prospect (as in, NBA prospect) to Brown (NBA prospect) and a Junior Steve Enoch (who could be a very solid big man at that point).
All I'm saying, biased aside, if I'm a top 20 center in 2017 and focused on getting to the NBA I'm going to go to a school that is primarily 1) A very good school that produces NBA centers and 2) A school that is in need of a center. UConn only provides one of those.
We should add atleast another 6-11+ big man by 2017, but he's not going to be an ELITE prospect, probably a 4 year player.

Also, when has Nolan played anything other than center this year?

 

[intlzncster]

No, you can never have enough talent. Hopefully they both turn out to be great but you can't bank on it. Worrying about having too much depth is ridiculous. We'll have Adams and Gilbert on the roster next year as well, but we absolutely should be (and are) recruiting an elite PG prospect in 2017.

Exactly. What if you land a guy who, as a freshman, is better than both of them. You never know. Then you're laughing.

Get as much talent in the door as you can. Worry about playing time and roles and egos and things like that later.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Like I said in my previous post, who knows if we'll land one or not, but your logic that we might as well not even recruit an elite player because we have Enoch and Zach Brown (zero college games played) is crazy.

Nick Richards, a top-15 player in the 2017 class and a center, just recently said UConn is one of the schools recruiting him the hardest. He said this after the Brown commitment. Glad the staff doesn't agree with settling for lesser prospects like people on this board.

I never said we should not recruit anymore elite centers. I'm just saying one wouldn't commit to us. Obviously it would be great to have 2 top 50 recruits at every position but it's just not realistic that recruits would agree to that. You can tell me to shove it though if we do end up getting another top 10 center in the same class.

 

[JimHurley]

We have 3 centers on the roster now and how has that worked out for us? We could certainly use another. Players get hurt and sometimes, regardless of what their rankings are on recruiting sites, guys don't pan out. Your second point makes no sense. We need a big class in 2017 and putting 100% of the staff's effort and resources into two guys won't get us there. I'm glad they don't listen to you.

You make zero sense. Why do we need a big class in 2017? We'll have Diarra, Durham, Gilbert, Jackson, and Brown as sophomores. Larrier, Adams, and Enoch as juniors. Then Hamilton as a senior. That's 9 impact players. We only need 2 players, ideally Diallo and Ashton-Langford, in 2017 to round out our roster. Think before you post!

 

[bmo22]

You make zero sense. Why do we need a big class in 2017? We'll have Diarra, Durham, Gilbert, Jackson, and Brown as sophomores. Larrier, Adams, and Enoch as juniors. Then Hamilton as a senior. That's 9 impact players. We only need 2 players, ideally Diallo and Ashton-Langford, in 2017 to round out our roster. Think before you post!

So 9 players assuming no transfers and no NBA departures. That's 4 open scholarships. According to you, we should only recruit 2 players. What if one doesn't come here? There's also a good chance that a player or two will transfer or go pro over the next two years (look at history, we have a transfer almost every year). If the staff did what you say, they'd be risking having 8-9 scholarship players. Since you joined this board you've posted more nonsense than probably anyone else, and that's saying something. The fact that you disagree with adding as much talent as possible is stupid and mind boggling.

 

[tcf15]

You make zero sense. Why do we need a big class in 2017? We'll have Diarra, Durham, Gilbert, Jackson, and Brown as sophomores. Larrier, Adams, and Enoch as juniors. Then Hamilton as a senior. That's 9 impact players. We only need 2 players, ideally Diallo and Ashton-Langford, in 2017 to round out our roster. Think before you post!

Because we'll have 4 open scholarship. No way should UConn be banking 2 scholarships in 2017.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Obviously the staff has a better idea of what they want and when, but I think the best course is to bring him in next year....and then redshirt him.

And for the love of God, bring someone in who can coach the bigs.

Sorry Fishy, but I was thinking like you on this one. Reclassify to get him onboard and then redshirt to develop him.

I can see this becoming the next means of locking kids in early when they commit during their junior season. Get them out of the high school mindset, get them in to a proper nutritional program and start developing them.