Dan Hurley remade UConn roster in offseason, and while it may appear different, Huskies’ perch atop college basketball is almost unchanged. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and one of the more appealing qualities of UConn basketball in recent years is that the Huskies have not run with the proverbial crowd. Dan Hurley and his staff go their own way with the operation of an elite basketball program.
And if the past two years in particular have been any indication, UConn has its own kind of style that sets it apart. Perhaps that is why the Huskies have captured the collective heart of a fan base that, year in and year out, ranks among the most unique—if not passionate—in college basketball.
Sometimes, it feels like UConn does not fit into the prescribed boxes that define the proverbial blueblood programs associated with the sport. Even with six national championships in the past quarter-century, casual observers of the college basketball world still do not know what lies within the water and locker room in Storrs. And it starts with a simple test to determine whether a recruit is right for the program, according to Alex Karaban.
“If he cares about basketball,” the junior forward said when asked how to weed out a prospective newcomer. “If he’s asking you questions about NIL, if he’s asking you questions about the coaching staff and you get a response from him that wouldn’t really fit in with the team, I think that’s when you could tell he doesn’t fit into the program.”
“As long as the guy wants to be coached hard, cares strictly about basketball and comes in every single day to work harder, become better, then he fits in perfectly with our coaching staff. Coach Hurley knows exactly what he’s doing, and on the visits, you get a great sense (of that). We’ve got a lot of players on the ground to recruit, too, so we know exactly if he’ll fit in with us. (The coaches) ask questions, we really just try to get to know the guys.”
Dan Hurley readily admits that playing for him is not for the weak at heart. Throughout his career as a player and coach, the Jersey City toughness he learned seemingly in utero has reflected itself in his practices usually being more strenuous than the games that follow. Couple that with a program that has the reputation and resume of a UConn, and the process becomes even more selective.
“Not everyone could play for me,” he cautioned. “Not everyone could play at UConn and thrive and succeed. The intensity of the program is enormous, and the pressure to perform in March is very enormous. It’s different than playing at a place where just getting to the tournament and winning the first-round game, everyone’s throwing you contract extensions and flowers. That’s not this place. You have to be a champion here to be remembered and to be celebrated.”
“I think we zeroed in on the type of men that could be successful here, recruiting offensive players that could score and run complex offensive systems and make plays, then we’ll teach them how to play defense. There’s probably a philosophical shift. In a way, I think with the transfers, there’s adjustments that they’ve gotta make because of the work rate, the intensity and environment, how we play every possession. For anyone that comes into the program, particularly a college transfer who’s done it a much different way, it’s almost different than a high school player that you recruited and hasn’t been in college before. It’s almost an easier transition, even though they’re less experienced players.”
The transition takes on a different tone this year as the Huskies replace four cornerstone players who became NBA draft picks four months ago, with only Karaban reprising his starting role. While the veteran admits UConn is more reliant than usual upon development of its role players, the Massachusetts native has come away impressed with the shooting potential on this year’s roster, suggesting that the dynamic offense that defined last year’s championship outfit could be even stronger.
“Every team is a new challenge,” Karaban reiterated. “It’s a reset button and that’s the hardest thing, trying to get back to the level that we were at last year. I’m excited to experience those challenges, to gain new friendships and teammates, and I truly can’t wait. Every season presents new challenges, and we’re looking forward to it.”
“I think our shooting and our offensive ability is something that’s super unique and something that’s different from the last two years. I think it’s just the off-ball movement and the weapons that we have, just how smart we are with our cuts. You see so many actions and sets that look the same, just different actions out of it. I just think we gotta find it on the defensive end and find that toughness as well.”
Among the upgrades to the perimeter are highly-touted freshman Liam McNeeley, who flipped his commitment from Indiana late in the offseason to sign with the Huskies and poses a matchup problem with his length and marksmanship on the wing. Currently nursing a calf injury, Hurley is bringing him along gradually in his recovery—similar to how he did when Stephon Castle was injured last November—but early returns suggest a similar, game-changing impact once the Texan returns to the court.
“He’s big-time,” Karaban said of McNeeley. “I think he’s gonna be one of the best freshmen in the country. The shooting that he presents and just his maturity as a freshman, it’s one of a kind. He’s truly a special player, and I can’t wait for him to get on the court and really just show everyone what he’s capable of.”
The starkest contrast to last season will likely be found inside the arc, where UConn must replace the two-way play of Donovan Clingan after the 7-footer was drafted seventh overall by the Portland Trail Blazers. Samson Johnson, who backed him up last year the same way Clingan did Adama Sanogo the year prior, has been tasked with the majority of the load in the paint. The new starting big man will force teams to attack him differently due to his point center skills, something Hurley and assistant coach Tom Moore have brought to the forefront in a similar vein to former Marquette center Oso Ighodaro, now a member of the Phoenix Suns.
“DC was kind of like, an inside-the-paint guy on offense, and obviously on defense, he was the best defensive center in the country,” Johnson said of Clingan and his impact. “For me, it’s not quite the same thing because I’m not as tall as him, but I can play on the perimeter a little bit. I’m going to play like a point center, distribute it around, pick-and-roll, lob threat, stuff like that. (Hurley) definitely wants me to do some of the things Oso did, grab a rebound, push the ball, get under the point guards trying to get the ball from me, and try to push the pace.”
Still, the main component of Johnson’s work as a center, cleaning up the glass on both sides of the basketball, remains unchanged.
“I feel like I have to grab every rebound possible,” he stated. “That’s my job as a big man, those are things that I have to do as a big man. It’s a work in progress for me. I know last year, I struggled with it a lot, but I’ve been putting the work in just to make sure this year I improve.”
Stepping into Johnson’s role as the change-of-pace big will be Michigan transfer Tarris Reed, a more physical and traditional center compared to the athletic Johnson, who insists his tag team partner will be up for the challenge.
“I think he’s going to be ready, for sure,” he said of Reed. “He’s going to help us a lot. For a guy his size and his height, he moves really well. He’s really strong, too, and he could do a lot of things not a lot of bigs his size and height could do. Pure strength, back to the basket, he could do a lot of things. Offense, defense, blocking shots, stuff like that.”
At the end of the day, though, it comes full circle to the character of the players brought into the program. Just as he is a different coach in terms of how he approaches his job, Hurley is a different evaluator of talent than some of his counterparts. Recent results suggest he has found the right balance between talent and positive impact outside of basketball, a credit to the relationships he has been able to foster and cultivate since taking over for Kevin Ollie in 2018. And what makes the Huskies different makes them beautiful to the man who can simply brush off criticism with trophies and championship rings.
“These unique human beings I’ve had a chance to coach these last couple years,” a proud Hurley gushed, citing the bonds he has been able to build with his recruits. “The Clingans, the Cam Spencers, the Jordan Hawkins, the Andre Jacksons. If we keep getting the right type of people, we’re not gonna go anywhere.”
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