With the will-he-or-won’t-he drama finally over, UConn fans are letting out a collective sigh of relief. It’s been a rough couple of years for Husky fans, forced to watch all of the program’s credibility melt away through two massively underachieving seasons, not to mention seeing a beloved alumnus’s coaching career evaporate in real time. We needed a win, and we got it. (P.E.S.)
So what does it mean? It’s the first sign of life for the program in a while, and it should serve as a reminder to basketball fans, domestic and abroad, that UConn still matters. It should sell season tickets. It should spur better recruiting.
But first, Hurley needs to get on the job. It has been reported that URI Associate Head Coach David Cox was named “coach-in-waiting” and would be owed a buyout if the Rams went in another direction. Additionally, after a big season, URI might want a quick, smooth transition to minimize transfers and de-commits from a top-30 recruiting class. So it’s very likely Cox gets offered the big chair at URI, and I’m going to assume he’d take the job.
Other than that, Hurley is likely to bring company with him. Tom Moore is the obvious choice, given his history at UConn. Another intriguing possibility is Tyron Boswell, the former AAU coach who has been credited with a great deal of URI’s recent recruiting success.
Will any of UConn’s current staff be retained? It would seem to behoove Hurley to talk to current Associate Head Coach Raphael Chillious about staying on board, if for no other reasons than his strong recruiting ties to the DMV. If not, Moore seems to be a likely choice to take on the AHC position.
That brings us to the roster. Before we get too excited, we need to remember that Hurley is taking over a team that loses Terry Larrier after going 14-18, and that currently has Sid Wilson and two sub-150 recruits coming in next season. As has been reported, Hurley recruited many players currently on UConn’s roster, and apparently has good relationships with them. This should keep the current roster mostly intact.
Jalen Adams is, of course, the key. While I normally wouldn’t tell a player in Adams’ position that returning to school could have a significant impact on his future, in Adams’ case, playing in a functional offense for a more effective coach could be a huge benefit to him next year, in terms of visibility and NBA Draft consideration.
Regardless of what Adams does, however, UConn needs to add at least one more guard, and maybe two or three. Alterique Gilbert’s shoulder can’t be trusted at this point, and relying on more than rotation duty from Gilbert would be unwise. Christian Vital appears set to return, and will likely be one of the Huskies’ most important players. Emmitt Matthews can probably play some guard, but it does not appear to be his ideal position. Hurley should kick the tires on Akinjo, but I wouldn’t expect that to go very far.
One possibility would be Maine graduate transfer Aaron Calixte. Calixte averaged 17 points and 3 assists on 48 percent shooting last year for whatever their mascot is, and has announced that he plans to transfer. He would be eligible to play immediately.
Another option could be Fordham guard Joseph Chartouny, who averaged 12 points and 5 assists over three seasons with Fordham, but who only shot 37 percent last year. There’s also Evansville wing Ryan Taylor, who averaged 21 points last year on 42 percent shooting (42 percent from 3). Both would also be eligible to play immediately.
In any case, Hurley has work to do when he gets to town, and UConn has just bet a lot of money that he’s the best man for the job. So let’s hope they’re right.
