This years roster

[the Blades]

At the very end of Uconn's.... RJ Cole announcement.....
" Cole will join incoming guards James Bouknight (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Jalen Gaffney (Columbus, N.J.) as newcomers to the UConn program this year, combining with nine returning players on the Huskies' roster. "

Uconn - RJ Cole Joins Men's Basketball Program

3 + 9 = 12 available scholarships

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I don’t like the big men depth, what about the raw 7’1” guy they are recruiting?

 

[the Blades]

I don’t like the big men depth,(+1000) what about the raw 7’1” guy they are recruiting?

I just posted his ( Rick Issanza- thread) new highlights from 3 days ago....he looks like he's improved/ got stronger, compared to his older highlights.
But yeah this is a scary undersized roster, once Carlton gets 2 quick fouls, like he did a bunch of times last year. Honestly this is insanity, Diarra who's really only about 6' 5" or 6" and always hurt... Whaley and who ? ...Wilson ( at 180lbs.) as a back-up at the 5 and 4. This roster is a joke up front...even worst than last year and we saw how bad and undersized they looked, game after game... and now they don't even have Cobb for 5 fouls.

DH had a year and all he brings in is 3 guards after all the misses he's had......think about it this way, he's replaced Precious and all the bigs below that he missed out on for 2019, with a 6'1" sit out transfer ..RJ Cole:
Kofi Cockburn- Illinois
Aidan Igiehon - Louisville
Karim Coulibaly - Pitt
Tre Mitchell - Umass
Qudus Wahab - Georgetown
Emmanuel Ugboh -Tulsa

 

[the Blades]

I don’t like the big men depth, what about the raw 7’1” guy they are recruiting?

'
Well as usual the Courant's a day late and a dollar short...... but it mentions that " All of UConn’s scholarships for next season are taken " And I guess they just caught up with us on the Charles Coleman news...LOL !

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I don't get it........if you are a young big you have to look at the UConn roster and say, there are minutes to be had here. I don't understand what gives. Usually the numbers game shakes out recruits from other teams into UConn's lap, and it doesn't seem to be working out that way.

 

[Dominicfrank]

This roster next year is athletic but lacks size so badly. Going to be a long long year.

 

[the Blades]

If this roster is really done then Borges got lied to in this article and like you guys have mentioned it's 2 years in a row with no depth in terms of size or height. I count 1 guy over 210lbs ( Diarra played 2 games and can't even move) ...




So RJ Cole was Hurley's back up plan for the frontcourt and he can't even play ???....SMH !

 

[Dominicfrank]

I cant help it, I HATE it when these kids do the Lebron thing and join other top recruits. Its the new age where being the top dog means nothing, working hard and becoming the best player you can be means nothing, and fluff means EVERYTHING. Oh well, guess that just means I have getting old. So be it, I wish for this team to be good but fail in the first round of the tournament after losing the conference title to us.

 

[the Blades]

NO (on the tweet below) he landed a small commit....Makes you wonder why they brought in the 7-1 kid if they didn't have a scholly for him ? Sounds like Uconn Daily thinks Hurley's done too. But if he wants to play the long game again with no height, ( wasn't he supposed to bring in height in 2019...you could of fooled me with all the bigs that visited) .... this will get old real fast for the fans.

" It also leaves UConn two players short, with an ineligible transfer taking up a roster spot and one scholarship lost due to NCAA violations. UConn could have held out and decided to use that slot on a much-needed inside player, but Hurley looks like he is willing to play the long game with the roster and decided to take talent when he can get it, even if we’re going to have to wait a year to see it. "

Also :Stadium ranked Cole late last month as the fourth-best undergraduate transfer

 

[the Blades]

hmmm... still recruiting for 2019......very interesting.........and also how he says that he needs value from all his schollies in the interview, rotation players at the minimum....I can think of a few guys that he got none of that from last year.

 

[the Blades]

I think Borges read our thread:

 

[the Blades]

Finally some clarity :

" Although UConn is at its scholarship allotment of 12 (the program docked itself a scholarship for violations under Kevin Ollie’s tenure), it is still recruiting for one more spot. Nothing’s official about how that final scholarship will open up, but it appears Mamadou Diarra’s basketball career may be over. The 6-7 power forward has been beset by chronic knee problems since high school and played in just two games last season. “It’s been a tough couple of years for Mamadou,” Hurley said. “He’s a warrior and a winner and a guy that wants to get out on the court, but he’s been just besieged by difficult injury stuff that very few players have to deal with — before he got to UConn, and pretty much since he’s been here.”....

Also interesting: Hurley said the team is still looking to fill one or two more slots on its schedule, and the quality of opponent(s) will largely be determined by how the Huskies wind up filling out their roster.

 

[the Blades]

This quote makes more sense when it's more than a twitter blurb:
“Our greatest need is to continue to recruit really good players to help win a championship,” Hurley said. “Obviously, we still need to add to our overall depth and talent level. We feel real good about (positions) 1 through 4, got some qualtiy, young talent. We need someone to play behind Josh right now, but what’s the greater need: filling a role behind your starting center as a back-up player, or continuing to add the type of quality that’s gonna lead to championships?”

 

[the Blades]

 

[the Blades]

More good quotes from William Paxton's home page article: Dan Hurley on His Outlook for Season Two

“In this game now, I don’t think your roster is ever set,” Hurley said. “We are still talking about what our ’19 options would be if we were to have a scholarship, what direction do you go? “Do you look for a backup big that can compete with Isaiah (Whaley) for minutes in the front court, maybe play a little bit of ‘4,’? … Or do you continue to try to find players that are in two to three years can lead you to where you want to be, which is at a much higher level than we are now.” UConn has been courting 6-foot-4 guard Demarr Langford , who ranks 69th in the Class of 2020, but could reclassify to 2019 this summer. "

I guess alot has to do right now with Mamadou's situation and respecting how that plays out. So until some announcement is made, DH really can't say to much and right now Whaley has to be his guy even though it's probably to much to ask of him on backing up the 4 and 5. Remember even last year when they started out they had 3 guys to back up Josh at the 5 , Cobb, Yakwe and Whaley. Missing that 13th scholly hurts, but the more I think about Issanza, he would be the perfect program player like Okwandu. Especially with the way DH wants to play ball pressure all over the court and needing a big shot blocker. Issanza in his new tape has some serious get up and seems made for that role and would be a big plus .

But now like it says in Borges article.......everything in time :
" Diarra is home for break now and will return to campus for the start of summer classes, at which time some decisions will be made. “Mo’s a valued member of the program, and we have a lot of respect for Mo,” Hurley said. Then comes filling that final precious scholarship slot. Not Precious, but certainly precious. "

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Blades,

Let’s be careful with the comparisons to Chuck O. Okwandu set various school records for fouls accumulated per minute and fastest disqualifications his first two years, before developing into the key big off the bench in the 2011 Championship Season. Who can forget his Elite 8 closeout on Derrick Williams which prevented a possible game tying shot. Okwandu was a major defensive force off the bench. If Issanza could be 1/10 of what Okwandu was as a Senior I would take it. All they need is maybe 10-15 minutes of lane clog, blocked shots and a few boards and tip backs. If he could develop into what Okwandu was I would be very pleased. It won’t happen that he is senior Chuck O next year, though, that’s just not happening.

 

[the Blades]

Blades,
Let’s be careful with the comparisons to Chuck O. Okwandu set various school records for fouls accumulated per minute and fastest disqualifications his first two years, before developing into the key big off the bench in the 2011 Championship Season. Who can forget his Elite 8 closeout on Derrick Williams which prevented a possible game tying shot. Okwandu was a major defensive force off the bench. If Issanza could be 1/10 of what Okwandu was as a Senior I would take it. All they need is maybe 10-15 minutes of lane clog, blocked shots and a few boards and tip backs. If he could develop into what Okwandu was I would be very pleased. It won’t happen that he is senior Chuck O next year, though, that’s just not happening.

Yes nothing new...I've watched Uconn hoops and players development too....but details details...And agreed Okwandu's D will always be legendary because of that NC run, but other than that he was always just a so so player.

Hence why I called Issanza a program player. You don't get a finish product from the start but with Kenya Hunter's development record like at Georgetown with Hibbert, Monroe, Porter and Co. + what he's done with Josh so far I'd take him in a heartbeat .. Josh's first tape I posted from Dematha was terrible, bigs take longer. So considering that Big Rick has only played hoops for 3 years and just the difference in his tape from a year ago.... he may have a higher ceiling than Okwandu. So as a 13th player he would be perfect ...but right now they don't even have a 12th.

 

[the Blades]

So who would you take with #12 if the choices become ???
Coleman
Issanza
Langford
Joel Ntambwe, who has to sit a year

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Coleman or Issanza, whichever one you can get

 

[the Blades]

Coleman either has the best PR team ever or the offers really do keep coming, First Georgia, Uconn, Duke, Pitt...and then Cincy and Creighton.
But I'd have to stick with my original guess from May 10th before anyone committed: So who are the 2 commits ???

My guess for the "2" was RJ Cole and Issanza, but I did notice Rivals has a visit but doesn't list him with a Uconn offer....only offers from OU, TCU, TX Tech and Denver

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Coleman seems to have more of a grown man body than Issanza does, and might be closer to the Okwandu prototype that we seek. I would take the 2008 Okwandu over either one of them, although if you guys recall the 2008 Okwandu was derided by fans for record setting foul issues, setting some school records on fastest DQs and fouls per minute. He improved a lot and was a hellacious defender in the middle by his senior year. He was highly underrated among backup big men historically at UConn. I put him up there with Souleymane Wane.

 

[the Blades]

Coleman seems to have more of a grown man body than Issanza does, and might be closer to the Okwandu prototype that we seek. I would take the 2008 Okwandu over either one of them, although if you guys recall the 2008 Okwandu was derided by fans for record setting foul issues, setting some school records on fastest DQs and fouls per minute. He improved a lot and was a hellacious defender in the middle by his senior year. He was highly underrated among backup big men historically at UConn. I put him up there with Souleymane Wane.

But don't forget boys and girls, Okwandu's D at the end of his SR year brought him to mythical levels in some fans minds. But in actuality other than playing with Kemba on his run of the ages, Charles was a complete dud on offense for his whole career...read them and weep. .
played 3 years - ave 1.9 ppg/ 43.3% FT and 0.3 APG.....to go along with his 2.1 rebs and 0.8 blocks...if Charles is the standard we're not asking for much
Charles Okwandu[URL='https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwivrpq5_q_iAhWt1FkKHfN8DtAQFjADegQIBhAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sports-reference.com%2Fcbb%2Fplayers%2Fcharles-okwandu-1.html&usg=AOvVaw1xDRePHj40D3ezsUIJTSjY']- Uconn stats[/URL]

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Okwandu was a stud on D!

 

[the Blades]

So who would you take with #12 if the choices become ???
Coleman
Issanza
LANGFORD
Joel Ntambwe, who has to sit a year

Langford staying as a 2020 recruit-

 

[the Blades]

Current roster:

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

So there are 2 spots available?

 

[the Blades]

So there are 2 spots available?

No ...1 was lost from the KO sanction...so now 1 is currently open

 

[the Blades]

Here's another name who could become available... but he's high on UK according to - 247Sports --Cliff Omoruyi, Roselle Catholic, NJ (class of 2020)

Latest on UK basketball recruits
Cliff Omoruyi — a 6-10 center from Nigeria, now playing for the New Jersey alma mater of Isaiah Briscoe and Kahlil Whitney — needs only a couple of summer courses for his high school graduation, but it seems unlikely he’d get much playing time next season with Richards, Sestina and Montgomery on the (UK) roster.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Go get him......another big man is needed, badly. Remember with the bigs Memphis now had, bodies are needed to combat them. You need 20 fouls at least.

Does anyone remember when Emeka Okafor fouled out all 3 Duke centers in the 2004 Final 4? 1 was Shelden Williams, the other 2 were stiffs. Emeka beasted them. This is what UConn is facing in Wiseman and Achiuwa.

 

[the Blades]

Go get him......another big man is needed, badly. Remember with the bigs Memphis now had, bodies are needed to combat them. You need 20 fouls at least. Does anyone remember when Emeka Okafor fouled out all 3 Duke centers in the 2004 Final 4? 1 was Shelden Williams, the other 2 were stiffs. Emeka beasted them. This is what UConn is facing in Wiseman and Achiuwa.

So true as I posted above and vs. any of the numerous Power 6/7 teams that Uconn plays..they can get away with it vs. the OOC low/ mid majors........but..

Uconn went from having Cobb, Yakwe and Whaley to back up Carlton.... to Whaley or beanpole stretch 4 Akok this year....(so without another big) you have small ball city, where 185 lb guards have to defend & rebound vs. 230 lb forwards.

 

[piantinofamily_a_gmail.com]

So with Diarra coaching who might UCONN get with the open scholarship? A big from transfer that is eligible, JC player or a high school kid it has been awfully quiet.

 

[the Blades]

So with Diarra coaching who might UCONN get with the open scholarship? A big from transfer that is eligible, JC player or a high school kid it has been awfully quiet.

Well this thread started back in May when Diarra's situation was still unknown. If you read back from the top of this thread Uconn has brought in and whiffed on plenty of bigs, but this late in the recruiting season it seems like no one is left on the board. Looking at Rivals top 150 Prospects 2019 ... RJ Hampton( who isn't a Uconn target anyway) is the only undecided HS player left. I listed 2 guesses above who's situation might change for them to become 2019 adds, but I'm beginning to think at this point Hurley would have to do a Geno and pull a Euro recruit out of his ass. Maybe The Fieldhouse might have some info since this is supposed to be a paid recruiting site with insider knowledge, but I kind of doubt it.

 

[the Blades]

Also from the recent tweets regarding Uconn's summer practice I'll take a shot and say this is what the rotation looks like:

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Blades that starting lineup is rebounding-challenged. What did Polley average, like 2 boards a game last year? I think Akok Akok may need to start unless Alosi managed to beef up Polley to the point where he can provide semi-manly rebounding production.

Getting a Eurobigman would be nice, and there are probably some good Euroguys out there, but you have to be somewhat connected and in tune with the Euroball circuit and I don’t see what Hurley has on that.

 

[the Blades]

True, but it's the same challenged line-up Hurley started last year, minus Jalen, so I don't expect him to surprise me. I'd also say Akok could be a good addition over Polley, but we'll see and AA is way to unknown right now...plus these tweets are what I made my guess by:


and regarding James Bouknight ...Hurley in that podcast interview said he's the best scorer of all the guys coming in, he want's to play 3 guards and this:

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

I hope Polley is stronger and can grab around 5 boards a game. His shooting is good, it’s just the rebounding that was really weak last year. We will have to see how it all pans out. All these preseason euphemistic statements are just that until they are actually seen and observed on the court in actual games against solid teams.

 

[Dominicfrank]

Here is the lineup I see:

Gil
Vital (kills me)
Bouk
Akok
Carlton

Polley COULD start early on but I dont care what I hear about him I think he doesnt have a high ceiling and Akok was here all last year getting ready.....PLAY HIM. Vital gets the quick hook for Gaffney or play Bouk at the 2 and Akok and Wilson together with Carlton.

 

[the Blades]

Here is the lineup I see:
Gil
Vital (kills me)
Bouk
Akok
Carlton

Polley COULD start early on but I dont care what I hear about him I think he doesnt have a high ceiling and Akok was here all last year getting ready.....PLAY HIM. Vital gets the quick hook for Gaffney or play Bouk at the 2 and Akok and Wilson together with Carlton.

The line-up above is the one I hope to see, because that means the team will be upgraded and better defensively with Akok's shot blocking. I just don't know
if Hurley will grab Polley's starting spot away.....Also in the interview DH just did on the Courant podcast, he confirmed once again that he loves guards and always wants to play 3 guards at a time. So hopefully he keeps recruiting bigger guards for the 3 spot like JC use to have at times. Like when he played Sheffer, Ray and Ollie together or Ricky, KEA, and Rip, for example.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Polley's game makes him ideally suited to be a 6th man. You like a guy who can come off the bench and stroke a few 3s and that is what he can do. How he rebounds should determine whether he starts. You cannot be a starting 6'8" forward and put up the kind of board production he did last year -2.3 boards per game in 27.5 mpg. WTF is that? A 6'8" forward cannot have those numbers and be starting. Is 5 a game asking for a lot??????

 

[the Blades]

Polley's game makes him ideally suited to be a 6th man. You like a guy who can come off the bench and stroke a few 3s and that is what he can do. How he rebounds should determine whether he starts. You cannot be a starting 6'8" forward and put up the kind of board production he did last year -2.3 boards per game in 27.5 mpg. WTF is that? A 6'8" forward cannot have those numbers and be starting. Is 5 a game asking for a lot??????

+1........and it's crazy that's exactly what we saw last year with him starting for DH....How many times did he get destroyed trying to rebound and defend normal sized 4's...but DH kept running him out there...SMH !... at least now Hurley has a legit option he can go to at the 4 over TP with " the Cook "....(but AA also needs to find the dinner table like most of these kids)