If we get Gibbs--is this the best team Uconn has ever had on paper?

[Gurleyman]

Why would we count AJ Price? And I think the talent on that team has become slightly overrated. I would not put that team over 2003-04 on paper, though I do that they had more talent than the '99 team.

A lot depends on how you define talent. Ricky isn't thought of as talented, but he was the best I've ever seen in college at what he did. At 6-2 that didn't translate to the next level (without some offensive punch to go with it). Moxie and creativity didn't translate for Khalid either at 5-10. Jake wasn't immensely talented, but as a positional defender he was as good a big as we've ever had - just not a shot blocker. Freeman was more talented than Hilton or Boone - just a few inches shorter.

We also remember Rashad way more fondly than Albie - part personality, part clutch gene (although Albie had a few moments of his own), part disappointing senior year for Albie. But talent wise, there's not much difference. Albie shot threes at a high clip, as a junior especially, and could create off the bounce a little better. Rash Jones was a double digit scorer at one time who we brought off the bench as a senior as a role player.

I think there is a case to be made for 1999 being a case study in winning with the pieces fitting more than winning with supreme talent - so I get the flip side of the argument. Just in some ways we underrate the talent in 1999 and overrate it in 2006 because guys were drafted higher who weren't really more talented than counterparts on other teams.

 

[TheRogers]

You could add all 3 Gibbs brothers and the answer would still be a resounding no.

Go take a gander at the guys we brought off the bench in 2004.

Not if he was referring to THESE three....

 

[3rdbass]

Well it looks like Scrappy's Dream Team is a reality. It is either that or like I said in the other thread we will sending this thread to the crapper!

 

[scrappy2.0]

Ill leave it like this--if we get Gibbs--to me with what we have--its championship or bust. I doubt we have a better team anytime soon.

 

[Matrim55]

A lot depends on how you define talent. Ricky isn't thought of as talented, but he was the best I've ever seen in college at what he did. At 6-2 that didn't translate to the next level (without some offensive punch to go with it).

Exactly. Too many fans define "talent" as "How good were you in the NBA?" which is why Ricky & KFree get overlooked so often.

Bottom line: If I had to choose from UConn's all-time roster to win one game, Ricky is probably my first guard off the bench. Anyone who saw the 1996 BET championship game knows why.

 

[UConn990411]

A lot depends on how you define talent. Ricky isn't thought of as talented, but he was the best I've ever seen in college at what he did. At 6-2 that didn't translate to the next level (without some offensive punch to go with it). Moxie and creativity didn't translate for Khalid either at 5-10. Jake wasn't immensely talented, but as a positional defender he was as good a big as we've ever had - just not a shot blocker. Freeman was more talented than Hilton or Boone - just a few inches shorter.

We also remember Rashad way more fondly than Albie - part personality, part clutch gene (although Albie had a few moments of his own), part disappointing senior year for Albie. But talent wise, there's not much difference. Albie shot threes at a high clip, as a junior especially, and could create off the bounce a little better. Rash Jones was a double digit scorer at one time who we brought off the bench as a senior as a role player.

I think there is a case to be made for 1999 being a case study in winning with the pieces fitting more than winning with supreme talent - so I get the flip side of the argument. Just in some ways we underrate the talent in 1999 and overrate it in 2006 because guys were drafted higher who weren't really more talented than counterparts on other teams.

I just look at talent as how many good players are on the roster without taking roster construction into consideration (in other words, how good is Team A's 7th best player vs. Team B's 7th best player). I think those two teams are close, but the '06 squad had slightly more talent in my opinion.

Trust me, though - I'm not one of the people on this board who underrates the '99 team. 2004 at its best may have been the top UConn team ever, but they no one ranks ahead of the '99 squad in my eyes.

 

[CTBasketball]

Is it crazy to think Jalen Adams might come off the bench? Unless we run a 3 guard lineup with Hamilton and Brimah...my god the possibilities.

 

[RichZ]

I prize scrappy. We need more of him.

No we don't.

Being a full-time curmudgeon (in all aspects of life, not just Huskyball) I cannot take more than one dose per day of unbridled and rarely warranted optimism. One Scrappy is OK, but two would be saccharine.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Is it crazy to think Jalen Adams might come off the bench? Unless we run a 3 guard lineup with Hamilton and Brimah...my god the possibilities.

If Gibbs really does transfer here, and I feel like that's really likely, I'd think Adams has to come off the bench. This would really transform next year's team. Adams as a sixth man is a pretty spectacular weapon, and Omar as the 7th man should be plenty good enough. If any one of Facey/Nolan/Enoch is good enough to be a regular rotation big, this could be a Final Four team.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Jalen Adams off the bench seems crazy until you remember that Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier also came off the bench as freshmen.

 

[Mooch82]

While I do think it's ridiculous to say this may be our most talented team on paper ever (if we add Gibbs), it will be extremely deep and talented. I actually think on paper the 2011-12 team was the most talented we ever had, but things obviously didn't work out as expected there.

Adding Gibbs would give us 5 solid guard options (Adams, Gibbs, Purvis, Samuel, Cassell), 5 big options (Brimah, Miller, Facey, Nolan, Enoch), and 2 wings (Hamilton, Calhoun). Can go a number of way with lineups...would be fun to watch.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Adams in the Kemba '09 role would be perfect. Ride him when he's hot, and when he inevitably has a few off games, you don't need to rely on him.

 

[tzznandrew]

If Gibbs really does transfer here, and I feel like that's really likely, I'd think Adams has to come off the bench. This would really transform next year's team. Adams as a sixth man is a pretty spectacular weapon, and Omar as the 7th man should be plenty good enough. If any one of Facey/Nolan/Enoch is good enough to be a regular rotation big, this could be a Final Four team.

Bingo. Gibbs makes this team versatile, and means defenses can't key in on Hamilton or Purvis. It allows a talented freshmen to ease his way into the lineup. Couple that with Miller, and suddenly we have a rotation that makes sense, with talent coming off the bench.

We don't need Miller to shoot 3s, but with Gibbs and Purvis, who improved throughout the year from 3, we can really get space in the lane. Hamilton's numbers from 3 didn't improve over the course , but I like his ability nonetheless.

This is still an if, but if it happens, this team is truly dangerous.

 

[James]

If gibbs commits here, I think KO needs to bring purvis off the bench in a dion waiters roll. adams, gibbs , hamilton can all run offense and shoot, very very lethal. Even bring purvis in quickly so you can have a pg on the floor with all the units.

 

[The Funster]

Lot of good discussion. I think 1999 was the best team. They were so resolute, so driven. 2004 is not far behind. That was a seriously deep squad. My favorite non NC - winning squad was 1995. They were like greased lightning.

 

[3rdbass]

If gibbs commits here, I think KO needs to bring purvis off the bench in a dion waiters roll. adams, gibbs , hamilton can all run offense and shoot, very very lethal. Even bring purvis in quickly so you can have a pg on the floor with all the units.

No rather have the freshman come off the bench at least at the beginning of the year. If RP proves to be too inconsistent then maybe we put in JA in the starting lineup. It allows us so much more versatility in our back court. I don't think anyone wants to just rely on TSAM and Sam I Am as the backup options at guard.

 

[Kitaman]

You're kidding around, right? You're UConn's version of Rutgersal.

I really don't believe Scrappy ever kids. I wonder how he reacted after our 2014 Championship. He must have been a visual turn-on for all the ladies for months. Hell I think he remains in perpetual bliss.

Scrappy 10x >Freescooter

 

[Brochacho]

Adams, Enoch, Miller, Gibbs. Too bad Ollie can't recruit.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Adams, Enoch, Miller, Gibbs. Too bad Ollie can't recruit.

Would be a heck of a reload. Miller and Gibbs check every single box in terms of what we were missing this year.

Expectations for next year would become very, very different from what they were two weeks ago.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

Not even top 10.

 

[JimHurley]

If gibbs commits here, I think KO needs to bring purvis off the bench in a dion waiters roll. adams, gibbs , hamilton can all run offense and shoot, very very lethal. Even bring purvis in quickly so you can have a pg on the floor with all the units.

No. In the case Gibbs commits to us, Adams would most likely come off the bench. I would imagine our starting lineup would be Gibbs, Purvis, Hamilton, Miller, and Brimah.

 

[3rdbass]

Not even top 10.

I wouldn't go that far as there is a lot of talent on this team. Just a few players have to step up and realize their talent(RP, DHAM and AB).

 

[Jay-Bone]

Weve had some really great teams--some of the teams that did not win championships had more talent man for man than some that did.

But this team next year might just be a freak team.

I think last years team was a good team that didnt play all the way to its potential for a variety of reasons. But I think ultimately the loss of Daniels in addition to the guys we lost was just to much changeover--especially from the offense.

I may be by myself--but I'm a huge believer in Brimah. It looked like he ran out of gas end of season--Ollie wasnt thrilled with him--but he's a guy who can dominate games on the defense by HIMSELF. We had that before with Okafor but I think Amida--now with the ability to put some muscle/power on and hone his game--may be a stronger rim protector than even Oak. Then we add in Miller at PF who was one of the best defenders in the nation at PF and you throw in the rather lengthy Hamilton who was an incredible re-bounder--and you have the making of an incredibly lengthy athletic frontline that will have much more balance than it had this year. Then our back ups 6-10 Nolan 6-11 Enosch 6-9 Facey--the team is just enormous upfront almost like Kentucky was in some respects this year. And guys like Facey Calhuon Nolan and Samuel are due for a level up in play. If we get Gibbs--look at our backcourt--we could start Gibbs and Purvis and rotate them with Adams and Samuel. A combination of athleticism experience 3 point shooting that I think Duke had this year. The n finish it off with a role player like Calhoun --I mean think about it!

Scrappy, are you betting the farm on 150 to 1 now that Gibbs is a real possibility?

On a more tempered note, surely the addition of Miller and if Gibbs should certainly catapult us into the preseason top 25 discussion.

 

[sammydabiz]

Adams, Enoch, Miller, Gibbs. Too bad Ollie can't recruit.

Smh, we get one of these dumb posts in every thread.... Where's my boy @Stairmaster, he's usually the culprit

Btw, since Gibbs hasn't even signed yet, way to f up the mojo

Dooooooomed

 

[PcketknfNiels]

I wouldn't go that far as there is a lot of talent on this team. Just a few players have to step up and realize their talent(RP, DHAM and AB).

Throw a dart from any team from like 91-12 and 90% it's a better team.

Also, Boat was a fantastic 2 way guard, people here are significantly downplaying what effect losing him will have on the team.