c/o NCAA
The University of Connecticut men’s basketball team recently made history after securing a fifth national title. Key players such as Jordan Hawkins, Andre Jackson Jr., and Adama Sanogo, helped lead the Huskies to six straight double-digit wins against each opponent that they faced in the tournament. Their success now poses many questions regarding the future of team. Will players transfer to a different school? Will players declare for the NBA draft? Are certain players running out of eligibility, or will they be graduating?
After UConn’s massive win, two of their most impactful players declared for the NBA draft: Adama Sanogo and Jordan Hawkins. This came with no surprise as both of these players’ draft stocks are at an all-time high coming off the win and they are both NBA-caliber players. Sanogo is six-foot-nine inches and in his third year at UConn. This season, he averaged 17.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. The combination of his offense, athleticism, and his gritty perimeter defense, makes him valuable in the eyes of the league. Currently, Sanogo is evaluated as a middle to late second-round pick. Meanwhile, Jordan Hawkins, a six-foot-five sophomore, is an elite offensive threat with great potential. Although he only averaged 16.2 points per game, his 3-point shooting was one of the best in college basketball this year. He shot nearly 39% from behind the arc. To put that into perspective, the all-time 3-point leader, Steph Curry, averages only four percent higher than Hawkins with around a forty-three 3-point field goal percentage. Additionally, with over 280 shots taken behind the arc, Jordan Hawkins is not afraid to let it fly. Many sources project Hawkins as a late first-round to early second-round pick.
At this point, you might be wondering why being a second-round pick in the NBA draft is somewhat worrying in the eyes of a prospective player. This is because, unlike other professional sports leagues, the NBA’s draft is very small and selective. There are only sixty players drafted each year across two rounds. Therefore, players that are projected to be a middle to late second-round pick teeter very close to missing the cut. Moreover, there are many different ways that players can be drafted into the league. In other works, it is not just college students who are considered by the league. NBA managers have started to look at players participating in leagues in Europe and Asia for their draft picks.
As for other starters such as Andre Jackson Jr. and Alex Karaban, nothing has yet been said. Assuming that they stay in Storrs next year, the junior guard and redshirt freshman forward will be important players for Coach Hurley and his plans for the upcoming season. Although the sample size was fairly limited, Karaban shot 40% from behind the arc. Andre Jackson Jr. was an elite-level passer and off-ball player who took to the court in virtually every game that was played this year. Moreover, Bristol resident and freshman center, Donovan Clingan, has made it very clear that he intends to stay at UConn next year. In his first collegiate season, Clingan averaged a little under seven points and around two blocks per game.
Other players, including Tristen Newton and Joey Calcaterra, have reached the end of their NCAA college eligibility and have not indicated that they will put their names in for the NBA draft. Both Newton and Calcaterra averaged double-digit minutes in each of the six March Madness games. Even though these players were integral to the team’s success, they would most likely see no use in the NBA. Finally, another player who saw time in each of the games leading up to the National Championship was the coach’s son, Andrew Hurley, who will be staying with the Huskies next year. During the tournament, Hurley averaged one minute per game and had zero points to his name.
As a fan of UConn and the Huskies, I am not too worried about their roster next year. One of the main reasons that the team performed so well this year was because of their amazing bench players, many of whom will be remaining at UConn. Of course, some players will have to step up but I am confident that the team will rise to the occasion.
Michael Dolce can be reached at mdolce@wesleyan.edu.