Final 2020-21 roster spot
- Thread starter the Blades
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Is Uconn the best fit for this guy ?..even though he could play right away..
Brandon Johnson (Stats -15.4 pts / 8.1 reb) ...PF...6-8/220...Grad SR...Western Michigan
Sanogo would be the hope (future)..... looks like he could take some major PT at the 4 and 5 right now, especially with Akok (redshirt ?) a huge question mark to play at all.... With Josh, Whaley and Polley gone as SR's from the frontline next year, Sanogo would be a major player as a soph and give JBF more time to develop physically.
Brandon Johnson (Stats -15.4 pts / 8.1 reb) ...PF...6-8/220...Grad SR...Western Michigan
Sanogo would be the hope (future)..... looks like he could take some major PT at the 4 and 5 right now, especially with Akok (redshirt ?) a huge question mark to play at all.... With Josh, Whaley and Polley gone as SR's from the frontline next year, Sanogo would be a major player as a soph and give JBF more time to develop physically.
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I think UConn takes whichever of the 2 it can get. Sanogo looks like he can be an effective rebounder, but Johnson is an experienced player who can score and rebound from day 1. Just hope UConn can get one of the 2.
Is the 200 pounds correct on Johnson? Because in the tape he looks like he is playing downhill for a guy who only weighs 200. Getting 8 boards a game is something we haven't seen from the 4 spot in recent years. Kentan Facey, at 206 pounds, yanked down 7.1 rpg his senior year, but his others seasons were 1.7, 5.2 and 3.6, and he averaged 4.6 for his UConn career. There is a certain manliness in being able to yank down 8 or more boards a game. Andre Drummond in his only season at UConn only managed 7.6 boards per game; at stoppage of the NBA this year he was leading the league with 15.2, although his stats declined badly after he was traded to Cleveland, for reasons that are not clear.
Johnson's 3 point FG% was 33.3%, which was the exact national average on 3s last year from the new college line. That means he is respectable shooting the 3, for someone who plays at the 4. This is one advantage of Johnson over Sanogo, as a guy who can grab 8 boards and shoot an average % on 3s is rare.
Of the 4 guys you mentioned Gaffney in particular has a very nice looking stroke and I would expect him to mature into a very good 3 point shooter.
Good call, that looks like it's it. Plus DH's gonna need Richie to step up big time off the bench until Akok (?) can make it back if Sanogo is a Seton Hall lean,
as alot of the internet chatter is suggesting.
I'd say Whaley actually played more effective, so it might be him & Akok later on. Rothstien just put out his TOP 45, he's got your line-up (minus Polley/Akok w/ the injuries) and Uconn at # 36 ( 4th ranked BE )...... They also could go 3 guard like they did this spring w/ Cole, Gaf and Bouk on the wing if Polley ain't ready.
edit: he's got Jackson for Polley now..
Also: fun fact 6 BE teams in the top 45......how many from the AAC ??? .....1 Houston
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I think Jackson plays a lot, Blades. Definitely when we go small with Carlton coming out. DH thinks he’ll have a Bouk like frosh year, just in a different way. You probably posted that and then I read it. 
Adams and Gaf will play a ton too. We’ll need a Big to contribute until Akok can play.
If we did take another transfer, you’d think it would be a front court player.
If Cole can become an all big east quality player(not necessarily first team) and Akok can help down the stretch, it could be a very enjoyable year. Sweet 16?
Adams and Gaf will play a ton too. We’ll need a Big to contribute until Akok can play.
If we did take another transfer, you’d think it would be a front court player.
If Cole can become an all big east quality player(not necessarily first team) and Akok can help down the stretch, it could be a very enjoyable year. Sweet 16?
Regarding Martin ( ranked #6 ) here's another on the Top 20 Transfers from 24/7 Sports ( both sit-out and or maybe waivers) :
If they pass this it will be a flood gate.......I love the one time only part......kids cant keep tranferring.
Having Martin next year would be huge and I think we will get the VaTech kid possibly as well. If not Sanogo would be epic.
Having Martin next year would be huge and I think we will get the VaTech kid possibly as well. If not Sanogo would be epic.
Nolly is the same position as Martin so why would he even consider UConn? Besides that, it is fairly clear that the other scholarship needs to be used on a big man due to questions on whether Polley or Akok will be able to play as well as questions on the readiness of JBF and Springs.
Regarding Sanogo, Seton Hall just landed his HS point guard as a grad transfer from Harvard and that may have bolstered SHU's recruitment of Sanogo:
https://www.nj.com/setonhall/2020/0...-help-seton-hall-on-the-recruiting-front.html
Regarding Sanogo, Seton Hall just landed his HS point guard as a grad transfer from Harvard and that may have bolstered SHU's recruitment of Sanogo:
https://www.nj.com/setonhall/2020/0...-help-seton-hall-on-the-recruiting-front.html
I thought that as well but from what i read Martin while listed as a SF is more of a guard while Nolly is more of a SF.
Yeah I don't see it either .....the key will probably be if Martin can play, but Nolley is an underclassman too, so if one gets a waiver, you'd think both would. And they really only need one. (plus there's been talk Nolley might even go pro) So I think they're all set at the wing/ 3 spot with some of the 3 guard lineups DH is talking about playing if Martin gets the one-time transfer waiver.....
Polley was at the 3 last year & starter. Then you'd have AJ, Martin and sometimes Bouknight who could all slide in there. Up front they're better depth wise than last year( if Akok can get back by BE play as DH has been talking) with everyone back, plus 2 more bigs they didn't even have. Springs and JBF.
So until then (Akok) the same crew as last year can rotate with much more size across the board. (Below)......But I see it as you do. One more playable big
( besides JBF ) would really be the need with Akok out indefinitely.
I also think fans could be sleeping on Richie. He's a solidly built kid who can move and was just 17 when he got here last year. Him and James were prep team mates so they should have decent chemistry to begin with. When you look at what Richie did playing AAU last summer( went up to 13 pts /13 reb vs. top comp).... he was no joke.
Especially when you at Richie's numbers compared to his PSA Cardinals teammate Franck Kepnang (Jalen Gaffney's, prep team mate) who everyone rates even higher than Sanogo as a Top 30 in the 2021 rankings.....With all his Uconn connections, Kepnang could also be a top target in 2021 with Josh and Whaley gone..... depending on what happens with this last spot.
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Richie Springs and Adama Sanogo seem very similar and I can certainly see Springs being as good a player as Sanogo is- but we need Sanogo for depth. And I have seen tape on Springs and I think Springs will be good. At this point it is just a question of having enough bodies and size. We know Carlton is very foul prone, and we also know Akok will likely miss most of the season. So that leaves Whaley as the only experienced big besides Carlton, but if you have 3 freshmen behind them it is better than 2. All these freshmen will likely be foul prone, and JBF can be expected to be raw and a year or two away from major contributions. It's for those reasons I would like to see 2 active bangers off the bench rather than one, and with Springs and Sanogo you can have twin bangers.
Let's not forget that strong bodies are also needed to set picks for Bouknight and Cole and Polley. Very few people appreciated Jake Voskuhl when he was here but nobody since him was as skilled at setting picks without commiting offensive fouls. The dude could pick and they should bring him in to coach any banger players.
It's a fundamental rule of basketball that if you have young and foul prone bigs, have more of them, so the fouls can be spread out.
Let's not forget that strong bodies are also needed to set picks for Bouknight and Cole and Polley. Very few people appreciated Jake Voskuhl when he was here but nobody since him was as skilled at setting picks without commiting offensive fouls. The dude could pick and they should bring him in to coach any banger players.
It's a fundamental rule of basketball that if you have young and foul prone bigs, have more of them, so the fouls can be spread out.
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It's funny what a difference a year makes and you have to give Hurley credit for adding more size across the board and building up the roster. Last year we talked all summer about the hope of getting just one big to play behind Josh for foul trouble. Thread- This years roster
Eventually they ended up with Springs, who had to sit for academics....then Whaley ended up carving out a role that almost nobody expected. Now DH has Richie ( for 4 years) and Whaley plus JBF and we want even more ( we sure are greedy, but I agree).... Sanogo ? .....Makes me not feel bad that Uconn "missed out" on these 4 who now seem like no great loss :
................................G---- MIN---- PTS/ REB---- FT%
Emmanuel Ugboh--27----8.1-------1.7/ 1.7-------- 31% (Tulsa)
Karim Coulibaly-----24----9.2------- 2.4/ 1.5--------39% ( PITT)
Charles Coleman---30----16.7------3.0/3.0---------44% ( ECU)
Rick Issanza ------------redshirt (OKLA)
Officially signed, 12 man roster... one to go ( now that KO's sanction is over)....I wonder if DH banks the scholly if Martin gets the waiver & he doesn't get the player he wants for 13?
Didn't Ollie bank scholarships one year, only to be harshly criticized when there was a rash of serious injuries? We have to remember that the 12 is really 11 or maybe 10 given Akok and Polley's highly uncertain post serious injury statuses. Or 9 if Martin doesn't get the waiver. That makes 3 "ifs".
Hurley might be able to bank the scholly if he can't get Sanogo- but he would be rolling the dice on the rest of the roster staying healthy and not needing an extra body at some point.
The way I would look at Akok is possible found money if he comes back next season and is the same shot blocking fiend we all know and love. But you never count on finding a $50 bill in the parking lot when you walk to your car. I one time found $100 bill in the parking lot of Trumbull Shopping Park. That's basically how Akok's roster spot should be viewed at this point.
Hurley might be able to bank the scholly if he can't get Sanogo- but he would be rolling the dice on the rest of the roster staying healthy and not needing an extra body at some point.
The way I would look at Akok is possible found money if he comes back next season and is the same shot blocking fiend we all know and love. But you never count on finding a $50 bill in the parking lot when you walk to your car. I one time found $100 bill in the parking lot of Trumbull Shopping Park. That's basically how Akok's roster spot should be viewed at this point.
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New article today with quotes on Martin and the roster from DH:
Right now they'll be at the same number (10 players) to start the year as last season. With Polley as DH says, "who, has progressed "very well..... still on track to be ready for the season opener. " Last year they had 10 because Richie and RJ weren't playing and they could only go lower with injuries, suspensions, etc. (as they did) ....Martin will be the X factor if he can play to give them 11, "We're certainly aware of that vote that is going to happen "....Then anything they get from Akok could put them at 12 later on. So this year it has a chance to be going in the right direction, especially if DH finds that right player for 13.
" Hurley and his coaching staff may not be done adding to the roster. They'll likely target a forward to fill their last remaining scholarship. ...But Hurley won't bring in a player unless he's a good fit. Plus, the Huskies are pretty well-stocked with talent. They return seven players, including four starters, while redshirt Richie Springs and transfer R.J. Cole will be eligible to play after sitting out a season. They're also welcoming two freshmen in Andre Jackson and Javonte Brown-Ferguson."
Akok looks great," Hurley said. "His surgeon says he couldn't look any better. His range of motion is much improved. He's off the crutches and in the boot. ... He's got such a great work ethic. Whatever his time is to be ready to go, he's going to surprise people."
Full read-
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“It’s probably a different situation than with R.J.,” Hurley noted. “With the way our roster was shaped last year, it made a lot of sense for R.J. (to sit out). He wanted the year to use the resources that UConn has to really make improvements physically before he stepped out there. Whereas I think that’s probably not where Tyrese’s mindset is at.”
“We’ve established a level of talent and level of player and a level of quality kid that we just don’t want to rush and fill a spot," Hurley said on a conference call with state media on Thursday. "It could come from a transfer, if that rule passes, a transfer that will have a waiver opportunity, a junior college player, potentially a grad. Players have to fit where we’re at as a program... .“It’s probably scary for a grad transfer right now,” Hurley said, “because we return four starters and we look like we have a pretty good squad on paper. … Our preference with that scholarship would be somebody that could help us, but not at the expense of lowering our standards in terms of talent and culture fit.”
With Tyrese Martin in the fold, Dan Hurley searches for the right fit for UConn men’s last scholarship........" It could be tricky. The NCAA is considering a rules change that would make one-time transfers, like Martin, eligible immediately, but the decision won’t come until May "
With Tyrese Martin in the fold, Dan Hurley searches for the right fit for UConn men’s last scholarship........" It could be tricky. The NCAA is considering a rules change that would make one-time transfers, like Martin, eligible immediately, but the decision won’t come until May "
True and I think it was mutual...with Uconn having no need /wanting him.. even though he had them on his so called Top 11 list...LOL!....the need's a legit big as mentioned above
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I have faith in DH filling the last spot wisely. We have enough kids to put a REALLY good team on the court. I agree that we can't just go get a kid.
Sanogo is who I want and I want him to stay in 2021 class.
Sanogo is who I want and I want him to stay in 2021 class.
Looks like a shooting specialist and not really a PF. That whole tape is of him shooting. Can't really tell if he can board or defend. To be worthy of a Giffey comparison I need to see him play some D. The reason for his ranking must be that they don't know how well he will defend in college ball. There are not a lot of Eurodudes who come over with great defensive reputations, they have to earn them over here. In Henefeld and Giffey, UConn had 2 of the better Euro defenders we have seen. You can't really ask for a better 3 and D glue guy than Giffey. I don't remember seeing one, other than Michael "Coop" Cooper of the Lakers on the pro level. He was one of the all time great 3 and D specialists.
Doncic is a rare bird. The good Eurowings in the NBA the last 25 years were guys like Petrovic and Toni Kukoc and they were not nearly as good. Doncic came into the NBA with a man's body and game at age 19. He is a once in a generation Eurostar, on a way different level than anyone before him.
True....but he will define the next group of kids coming from there. This kid is early on but Luka is a superstar and known for years.....it will rub off on kids so if this kid is 25% of him he would be a big get potentially. Of course, that is dream land but it does make it interesting.
This is being discussed somewhat dramatically in social media but it's completely contrived drama because Bouknight wasn't on any draft boards and isn't really ready for the NBA at this stage. He does have NBA talent, but he needs to improve in a number of areas. Players who are far better than he is have stayed in college for 3 years, and I think from the physical standpoint he would be well served to do the same.
He did and he was going to............ that's why I don't know why it's even being discussed...it shouldn't be....... because it's been a moot point for a while now...from James himself....
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One other thing, now that this years deadline has passed and they know who's in or out....James is listed as a 1st round pick on today's new ESPN mock for 2021:
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