UConn lands point guard as Silas Demary transfers to Huskies from Georgia

Silas Demary, Jr. announced transfer to UConn Thursday. Former Georgia point guard has two remaining years of eligibility as he joins Huskies. (Photo by Georgia Athletics)

Dan Hurley has found his point guard of the immediate future.

With Hassan Diarra graduating next month, the Huskies needed a floor general to replace the sixth-year senior in Storrs next season and join the returning Solo Ball to anchor the backcourt.

Enter Silas Demary, Jr.

Demary, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, entered the portal in March shortly after his Georgia team ended its season with a loss to Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament. The native of Wake Forest, North Carolina averaged 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game over two years with the Bulldogs, and will have two years of eligibility remaining as he joins a program gunning for a third national championship in four seasons after UConn’s three-peat bid was thwarted by Florida.

“I just want to be the next great point guard,” Demary said in a Zoom call Thursday. “Obviously, guys that won back-to-back, great guards like Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle…you look back even further, Shabazz Napier, Kemba Walker. I want to be one of those names. I want to be part of a program that’s been about winning.”

Demary has drawn comparisons to Newton in particular, the most outstanding player of last year’s Final Four who led the UConn offense to back-to-back national titles. He did not bristle at the similarity when addressing the media, in fact, he embraced it.

“It’s a fair comparison,” he said. “That was the mold (the coaching staff) showed me.

“Silas is the type of big guard we love at UConn, and we can’t wait to get him in the mix,” Hurley said in a release. “He can score from all three levels, playmake, and use his length to guard multiple positions. Silas comes from a great family and will fit our championship culture to a tee.”

Demary is the fifth member of the Huskies’ incoming class, and the first transfer, joining freshmen Darius Adams, Jacob Furphy, Braylon Mullins and Eric Reibe. He was prioritized almost instantly in the portal, however, with assistant coach Kimani Young making it known that Demary was a part of UConn’s plan.

“Man, there goes my point guard,” Demary said of Young’s initial encounter. “Hearing him say that gave me a lot of confidence in myself, and it just made me feel secure with who I was and secure with him knowing he’s going to be there for me. He’s going to be that guy.”