Cam Spencer and Thoughts on the Portal

[stickybuddy]

Is there any way Cam has another year of eligibility? He’s using his Covid year now but only played in 5 games his sophomore year. Could he claim that as a redshirt?

 

[Tenspro2002]

You're making a big assumption about Karaban. He's a very good college player, but we're going to have him another year is my guess. He still needs to work on things to overcome the fact that he doesn't have elite athleticism for his size.

I've said over and over again that Karaban (and arguably Newton and Spencer) have enormous gaps between their college productivity and their NBA potential/draftability. A guy like Tyler Hansbrough stayed all 4 years despite dominating in college his whole career.

Frankly, I'm glad that Hurley is prioritizing, or at least filling out the roster, with that sort of player, rather than the opposite (e.g. Drummond).

 

[JohnnyJr]

You're making a big assumption about Karaban. He's a very good college player, but we're going to have him another year is my guess. He still needs to work on things to overcome the fact that he doesn't have elite athleticism for his size.

I agree he needs another year but some people have said he’s first round on some draft boards. If he’s hearing that after the season I can’t imagine he’s coming back. I hope he does tho

 

[Hurleyman216]

Yeah, it's way too early to speculate on guys going to the NBA next year. At the beginning of the season we thought Clingan and Castle would be gone next year. If Clingan doesn't get healthy he won't be going anywhere, even with his size. Castle looks like an NBA player already, but hasn't had his chance to show it on a big stage. If and when that happens he'll have the option to go. We'll obviously be losing Cam and Newton which is a big blow.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Well now that the ncaa changed the rules on NIL things will even get more dicey in the portal. I think Pitino is right this is going to eliminate the mid majors. Think about it you have a two year -layer who has developed more than his high school rating indicated. No way they stay for years three and four. Those are the years they could lead the mid majors to success in the tourney. They are going to have to set some type of cap structure or this will be really messy. Now if I was a billionaire alumni I can go right to the student or student agent by pass the university and pay the player anything I want too. I can say if I was a billionaire I would help buy players for UConn just as I imagine the rest of you diehard fans would do the same. Can’t believe we have not started a specific thread that analyzes the changes and what they mean. I would prefer that to taking Pitino’s word.

 

[tzznandrew]

Yeah, it's way too early to speculate on guys going to the NBA next year. At the beginning of the season we thought Clingan and Castle would be gone next year. If Clingan doesn't get healthy he won't be going anywhere, even with his size. Castle looks like an NBA player already, but hasn't had his chance to show it on a big stage. If and when that happens he'll have the option to go. We'll obviously be losing Cam and Newton which is a big blow.

Castle is going regardless. He's got positional size and great playmaking. Think of someone like Derek Lively getting drafted despite being terrible last year.

I think Clingan goes as well, unless he utterly tanks his draft prospects.

 

[navery12]

Is there any way Cam has another year of eligibility? He’s using his Covid year now but only played in 5 games his sophomore year. Could he claim that as a redshirt?

Same season as the Covid redshirt he's using, so unfortunately no

 

[tzznandrew]

I agree he needs another year but some people have said he’s first round on some draft boards. If he’s hearing that after the season I can’t imagine he’s coming back. I hope he does tho

These are generally terrible websites that say this, not actual talent evaluators. He's a late second round fringe pick as it stands now. He needs to perform better against athletic bigs and against size for us to worry about him going to the pros this year.

 

[Umami Zen]

Portal is a necessary part of CBB for roster construction and specific needs. Hurley/staff have done an excellent job of blending strategic portal adds and HS targets. Not worried about next year yet..Enjoying this year

 

[navery12]

These are generally terrible websites that say this, not actual talent evaluators. He's a late second round fringe pick as it stands now. He needs to perform better against athletic bigs and against size for us to worry about him going to the pros this year.

I'm not so sure about that, actual talent evaluators are starting to take notice. And when him and his family are already talking NBA after this year I don't think it should be easily dismissed

 

[ctchamps]

CFJ departure and how this forum reacted seems like a century ago.

 

[husky429]

I'm fine with the portal, but it places a ton of responsibility on good scouting. It's often really hard to project whether someone who is productive at one level is going to be comparably productive at a much higher one (i.e., which is a common model in the portal). It requires some really good scouting and judgment to determine that a guy who was recently in the Patriot League has the stuff to start at the two position for a national championship caliber team.

And let's be honest -- if Timberlake chooses us over Kansas (as we all wanted at the time, myself included) we're having a very different conversation. It's just really hard, and luck happens.

It is WAY easier to get a sense of someone's productivity as a transfer than a high school player. The challenging part of transfer recruiting is that you have so little time to create a relationship.

 

[Palatine]

There's a negative connotation to the portal in this new era, about guys changing schools at the drop of a hat, going somewhere for a year before moving on, "mercenaries."

But after seeing Cam Spencer last night, and really over the entire last month, it's hard not to feel like this guy embodies UConn toughness and embraces being here and wearing our uniform, not merely finding "a change of scenery" or "a new opportunity."

The portal means different things for different players, different programs and shouldn't be poo-poo'd.

So now that we got a good player through the portal, you like it now?

Cam is great. The portal has been a disaster for most of college sports. We're stuck with it, but it sucks.

 

[Tenspro2002]

So now that we got a good player through the portal, you like it now?

Cam is great. The portal has been a disaster for most of college sports. We're stuck with it, but it sucks.

Not remotely my point.

The portal is what you (players and programs) make of it.

Some treat it like a money grab. Some find a home.

It is much more nuanced than "portal good" or "portal bad."

 

[Edward Sargent]

Jaylin Stewart will be starting in one of those spots. So maybe 2 starters from the portal, and I'm not convinced we'd bring in a starting PG from the portal anyway

Who would play point?

 

[navery12]

Who would play point?

Ahmad Nowell and Diarra to back him up

 

[champs99and04]

It's worth remembering that Cam presumably would have been considered a grad transfer, which have been afforded immediate eligibility for a decade or more. The first grad transfer I can remember UConn taking was R.J. Evans prior to the '12-'13 season, who was followed by several more high impact guys (Kromah, Miller, Gibbs, and more recently Calcaterra, Spencer, etc.)

The portal is one of those topics where I really have to check my own hypocrisy at the door, because while I generally think of it as anti-ethical to what I love about college sports (particularly when leveraged with NIL, which is often the case), there are plenty of cases where all parties benefit. It also feels wrong to limit a player's earning potential by forcing them to stay somewhere that can't pay as much.

Hurley, to me, has done a pretty good job at striking a balance between transfers and high school kids. Maybe more importantly, he hasn't really lost any high impact guys to competing programs.

While my hunch is still that the portal will hurt the sport long-term, it's probably too early in the experiment to make any conclusions right now.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Ahmad Nowell and Diarra to back him up

Love Nowell, really doubt we go with a freshman starting pg who isn’t Castle/lottery level.

 

[UCHuskies08]

I don't have a problem with the portal, it's the combination of the portal plus NIL money that creates an atmosphere that isn't so great. This is much more an issue in football currently, but to be seen how it continues to push into basketball. Just hope we can keep up. Easier with a basketball team, a lot fewer mouths to feed.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I love Newton and Spencer, very glad they’re playing for us. But objectively I don’t love the open transfer system anymore. It’s relegating programs to AAA status, non P5/Big East leagues pretty much exist to develop players for their overlords. Its killed any hope UConn football has at being competitive as an independent.

I think the more natural solution is to allow transfers based on clearly defined criteria. If your coach leaves for any reason, you get a pass. The problem before was the lack of fairness that allowed coaches freedom of movement, and this would level that inequality a fair amount.

 

[BuffaloHusky]

Re: Timberlake specifically and how he would have fit in. Danny hasn't really missed yet in the transfer portal with RJ, Tyrese, last year's crew and Cam. I think Danny does a better job of building self confidence than Self does and Timberlake would have been a far more significant piece here if not the same quality as Cam.

 

[mauconnfan]

Portal will be huge even if some stay. It’s a must actually and should be very interesting.

 

[navery12]

Love Nowell, really doubt we go with a freshman starting pg who isn’t Castle/lottery level.

In an ideal world I'd agree, but not sure if there's a top level transfer PG who'd come with Nowell already here

 

[Huskyforlife]

In an ideal world I'd agree, but not sure if there's a top level transfer PG who'd come with Nowell already here

I think there’d be a wink wink agreement that said PG would start, assuming he produces in practice as advertised. Nowell would have to surpass expectations in year 1 for him to start over an established veteran stud anyways.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Fwiw I would bet my bottom dollar we go after a transfer guard or two that can play point if needed.

If Diarra isn’t back, definitely. If Diarra is back? It depends on if Dan thinks Solo can do it. Also depends on what is out there. We can use depth at SG too. Cam 2.0 would be ideal of course.