NBA Bound Stephan

[navery12]

Flip said that? Interesting cope. Yeah only 80% of the guys. Nbd being the 20% who so happened to not be good enough.

Nobody said that, just saying it's easier to walk into a living room when you have successes along with the failures. Most kids aren't thinking worst case scenario

 

[willie99]

It's not nonsense, getting to the NBA is priority 1, 2 and 3 for the top 10-20 recruits every year. And that would be used by every single opposing coach in future recruitments, the same way Hurley would try to point to Bouknight and Hawkins when he's recruiting a 50th ranked guard

It's nonsense

The program already has a great reputation for developing players. Emphasis in developing players. A high school kid that didn't produce as expected is not going to change that.

We never relied on one and done to begin with. My Avatar certainly didn't. Let the one and done players go to UK and now DOOK, where the program can be disappointing year after year.

Again, I'm not knocking Castle and want nothing but the best for him. But if he doesn't go lottery next year, it doesn't harm UConn whatsoever ever.

Losing games and not developing players would hurt more

 

[navery12]

It's nonsense

The program already has a great reputation for developing players. Emphasis in developing players. A high school kid that didn't produce as expected is not going to change that.

We never relied on one and done to begin with. My Avatar certainly didn't. Let the one and done players go to UK and now DOOK, where the program can be disappointing year after year.

Again, I'm not knocking Castle and want nothing but the best for him. But if he doesn't go lottery next year, it doesn't harm UConn whatsoever ever.

Losing games and not developing players would hurt more

You're completely missing the point of the discussion. Nobody is saying it's going to hurt UConn as a program. We're still going to win championships and have elite recruiting classes regardless. It's only going to hurt with getting in the door and closing on one and done recruits. Not the end of the world, but that would absolutely happen

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Nobody said that, just saying it's easier to walk into a living room when you have successes along with the failures. Most kids aren't thinking worst case scenario

That makes more sense. Yeah Duke at this point has a long history of producing one and done and NBA guys. Whether Scheyer deserves the credit for it or not.

 

[UCan3]

While I think it’s waaaayyyy too early to start insinuating Castle is a bust, he did look absolutely lost out there last night. And frankly, Danny gave him more minutes than he should have.

Castle will find his way, and what better place to do this than Uconn, he’ll get there.

 

[willie99]

Duke is a different brand, unfortunately.

That's contortionism in my world

 

[willie99]

You're completely missing the point of the discussion. Nobody is saying it's going to hurt UConn as a program. We're still going to win championships and have elite recruiting classes regardless. It's only going to hurt with getting in the door and closing on one and done recruits. Not the end of the world, but that would absolutely happen

For the love of God, what could I possibly be missing? I understand fully what you're saying, and I categorically disagree.

This is not some complex subject matter

Personally I think some people just like to be negative. Their comfort zone is to complain about some problem they've created. I just don't live in that universe.

It's OK, I'm cool with that

 

[Tenspro2002]

It isn’t going to be good for us perception wise if Castle has to come back a second year.

I’m not making any judgments on him until he’s starting again and has a solid role in the offense.

Yeah, unfortunately it's kind of a no-win (or at least few-win) situation here. You don't want to root for Castle to come back, and there are a lot of ways where he underperforms but leaves anyway.

If Castle's stock drops enough that he would consider coming back, that reflects horribly on the program and we're going to have a hard time attracting any more of that legitimate top-10, one-and-done level of talent, on top of the fact that it would likely mean that his/our season went badly. Maybe we get NBA-level Castle as a sophomore, but that would be merely a hope and damage would already be done.

He may even be merely "OK" and leave anyway with his stock having dropped, which means a mediocre season this year and no benefit from him next year (think 2012 Drummond).

The only really great scenario is he suddenly finds it, is amazing the rest of the way, propels us to a deep run, and gets drafted high while demonstrating to future recruits that we are a destination for top 10 talent. But with each game that seems more and more remote.

 

[UCan3]

Yeah, unfortunately it's kind of a no-win (or at least few-win) situation here. You don't want to root for Castle to come back, and there are a lot of ways where he underperforms but leaves anyway.

If Castle's stock drops enough that he would consider coming back, that reflects horribly on the program and we're going to have a hard time attracting any more of that legitimate top-10, one-and-done level of talent, on top of the fact that it would likely mean that his/our season went badly. Maybe we get NBA-level Castle as a sophomore, but that would be merely a hope and damage would already be done.

He may even be merely "OK" and leave anyway with his stock having dropped, which means a mediocre season this year and no benefit from him next year (think 2012 Drummond).

The only really great scenario is he suddenly finds it, is amazing the rest of the way, propels us to a deep run, and gets drafted high while demonstrating to future recruits that we are a destination for top 10 talent. But with each game that seems more and more remote.

The one thing in our defense is no one can say Danny not giving him every opportunity to make a case for himself as a 1st round draft pick - even to the detriment of the team.

This one is all on Castle. Even if your shot not dropping he can do other things like dive for loose balls, set picks, draw fouls, out hustle, get to FT line… he did none of that last night. I don’t think anything that may or may not happen to Castle is on us.

But with all this being said, let us not forget ALL UCONN players played poorly last night.

Diarri looked like a college rec player
Karaban, like someone sitting on the bench in a college rec game
Cam, pouting out there with lazy fouls, treating it like it was a pick up game

SH came to play and must have been wondering what team from UConn showed up last night?

 

[BGesus4]

I think we’ve underestimated just how bad microplastics are for people’s brains

 

[Excalibur]

You are missing a seismic change happening in college basketball. As college basketball becomes a man’s game instead of a boy’s game, you will see fewer NBA teams willing to burn high picks on projects that won’t develop for three years. A kid better be a top level talent, ready to contribute on day one, to one-and-done, or he could have an unpleasant draft night.

College hoops will never be dominated by older players as much as it is now (and next year). Once the Covid guys are gone, everything gets younger.

 

[TheHorde]

It’s a long season. Hawkins had a bumpy patch around last January like most of the team, which had me questioning if he was ready. By March and April it wasn’t even a question. Donovan was getting questioned a few weeks ago, then looked dominant in recent games. Alex looked like one of the most improved players on the team for a long stretch until the last couple of games. Let’s let the season play out and see the longer body of work.

 

[J187Money]

College hoops will never be dominated by older players as much as it is now (and next year). Once the Covid guys are gone, everything gets younger.

Lots of guys will stick around due to NIL money. They aren’t choosing between zero $ and Europe.

I’m not a huge fan of one and dones anyway. Not saying getting one here and there is bad but I don’t want 3 of them a year. I don’t think this is a big problem especially since he was hurt and is just getting into a rhythm.

 

[hasheemthedream]

Can Whitmore is a similar comparison. I didn’t think he was anything special last year in the games that I saw him play and he was drafted 20th based on “future potential”

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Yeah, unfortunately it's kind of a no-win (or at least few-win) situation here. You don't want to root for Castle to come back, and there are a lot of ways where he underperforms but leaves anyway.

If Castle's stock drops enough that he would consider coming back, that reflects horribly on the program and we're going to have a hard time attracting any more of that legitimate top-10, one-and-done level of talent, on top of the fact that it would likely mean that his/our season went badly. Maybe we get NBA-level Castle as a sophomore, but that would be merely a hope and damage would already be done.

He may even be merely "OK" and leave anyway with his stock having dropped, which means a mediocre season this year and no benefit from him next year (think 2012 Drummond).

The only really great scenario is he suddenly finds it, is amazing the rest of the way, propels us to a deep run, and gets drafted high while demonstrating to future recruits that we are a destination for top 10 talent. But with each game that seems more and more remote.

Agreed on all points. Also would like to say it’s just one loss and one game and the first of Big East play. Both the team and Castle have a lot of time to figure it out.

This is the time where we really get to figure out what kind of rotations we need and get to the nitty gritty of what we’ll need down the stretch. There’s going to be some turbulence between now and late January probably and it’ll be okay as long as we figure it out by then.

 

[husky429]

Can Whitmore is a similar comparison. I didn’t think he was anything special last year in the games that I saw him play and he was drafted 20th based on “future potential”

Would've gone higher too, if it wasn't for him bombing his interviews and I think he has some knee issue(?). People were shocked he fell that low.

 

[Dutch Boyd]

Duke is a different brand, unfortunately.

Oh please. Stop playing little brother.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

I am no NBA scout. Not my area of expertise. Heck, I thought Bouknight would be great, and boy was I wrong! But as I watch Castle, I see a talented 'prospect'. The kid can't shoot. His handle is subpar (for a lead guard), and he has not shown an ability to score off the dribble with any consistency. I am not espousing reasons for all of this. I am just calling a spade a spade. I do not see a lottery pick, just yet.

 

[huskyjawz]

If the draft is based purely on high school, then why are there NBA scouts at the college games?

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Oh please. Stop playing little brother.

Not little brother. Just more blue collar. It’s the reality of the situation.

 

[Lefty2one]

I am most surprised at how passive he is. Maybe he's not comfortable with his knee yet but he wasn't exactly aggressive before the knee injury.

You can see the flashes of potential though. A 6'6" athletic playmaker will not slide out of the lottery. I fear it may be another Drummond situation for us: a good future pro who's underwhelming during his one season in Storrs.

 

[SubbaBub]

You clearly saw his individual NBA level skills. He's still trying to fit in and will likely struggle playing 3rd/4th option on offense until he cracks the starting lineup.

 

[gtcam]

Oh please. Stop playing little brother.

If you can't see that Dook and Kentucky are different brands from UConn - so be it...................

 

[HooperScooper]

Who's Stephan? Is he Tristan's cousin?

 

[husky429]

I fear it may be another Drummond situation for us: a good future pro who's underwhelming during his one season in Storrs.

This is true for the vast majority of one-and-dones. They're still freshman. Look at the draft from the last few years... very few were exceptional college players. Most were streaky but decent.