The fact that you can even debate whether UConn’s frontcourt, backcourt or wings are more loaded shows you the type of depth the Huskies have this year.
Successful college basketball backcourts need a blend of catch-and-shoot threats, off-script shotmakers, table setters, defensive stoppers, and Swiss army combinations of the above. This year, the Huskies backcourt has all of that all through a mix of youthful pedigree, experience, international flavor and homegrown talent. If there’s a weakness,
its that there are too many mouths to feed, and the staff will have to get really creative to scheme up a balance. But these are champagne problems to have as November looms.
Starters
Solo Ball – 6-foot-4, Junior
The Jordan Hawkins, Ray Allen comparisons are going to follow Solo around all year. That’s what happens when you hit nearly 100 threes and shoot 41% from beyond the arc. But to really rub elbows with the those names, the Virginia native will have to add round out his game and avoid the “specialist” designation. Ball had only three games all year where he didn’t crack double-digit scoring, and one of them unfortunately was a 2-11 performance against Florida in the NCAA tournament. He’s the type of player to take that personally and spend some serious time on the holes in his game.
Ball was the third-best player in the Big East on offense, per Evan Miya’s BPM, but graded out as a Top 100 player at best on defense (in the Big East, mind you). It wasn’t for lack of effort or ability, he just seemed a step slow or in the wrong place at the wrong time. With the rest of the roster hopefully raising the defensive floor, all Solo has to do is not get hunted in isolation or mismatches. But given his pedigree and personality, the tools are there to become a capable defender.
This ^^^ will not happen this year.
A unit of Demary Jr, Ball, Jaylin Stewart, Alex Karaban, and Jayden Ross earned a shot clock violation against Michigan State on Tuesday, a play that demonstrated the unit’s switchability. Solo Ball held his own in that group.
If I told you Ball had 30 points total in the two exhibition games, how many threes would you say he hit, eight? Ball poured in 30 points in the two warmups, and hit only two threes! It’s just exhibition, but Solo has looked much more comfortable getting paint touches and finishing. His five three throws against MSU would be the second-most he made all last year.
A shooting guard attacking closeouts, getting after it on defense, and pouring in two-to-five threes per game is the exact type of production that sent Jordan Hawkins to the lottery.
Silas Demary Jr. – 6-foot-4, Junior
It took all of one minute for UConn fans to fall in love with their prized transfer. After nursing a calf injury versus Boston College, Demary Jr. canned two threes in the first minute of his UConn debut versus Michigan State, almost sending the hype train off its track. The only thing that stopped the Georgia transfer that night was the refs.
If Ball gets the Jordan Hawkins comparisons, it’s pretty obvious who Demary Jr. reminds fans of. A 6-foot-4 point guard that can do a little bit of everything, coming from a decrepit program to run a complex offense? Why not run it back for another version of that. Arguably a better athlete than Tristen Newton, Demary Jr. has point-of-attack potential on defense and Newton’s same ability to draw fouls. If (when) Demary develops Newton’s shotmaking, there’s a spot on an NBA roster waiting.
How soon he gets there will depend on decision-making at the PG spot; when to go off script and when to get guys in the right spots. Running UConn’s intricate sets and counteractions takes time; it took Tristen the better half of a season to hone. But an outside shot and height are two requisites to buy the time and space as UConn runs through its motions.
If one game is any indicator, Demary Jr. seems to be ahead of the curve; he had the game’s best plus/minus versus the Spartans, despite foul trouble. Who came in when the Spartans cut the lead to eight with 3:30 to play? Silas Demary Jr.
There’s enough shotmaking on this team that all Demary Jr needs to do is pick his spots wisely, and take over if all breaks down.
With a projected BPM of 5.75, the analytics agree — Demary Jr. could be a top five player in the Big East. Anything higher than that, and the Huskies may not get to enjoy Silas for long.
Braylon Mullins – 6-foot-6, Freshman
Castle, McNeeley, and now Mullins—three straight years UConn’s star freshman has lost some of the season due to injury. Mullins, a top 12 recruit out of Greenfield, Indiana, started the opening exhibition vs. Boston College and put up 12 points, displaying the three-level scoring that gets you on the court as a freshman.
A six-week timetable puts Mullins’ return time right around when the Huskies head back to Allen Fieldhouse, on Dec. 2. Similar to Castle and McNeeley, what Mullins brings is versatility. His frame, athleticism, and shooting mean he be used off-ball, as a secondary creator or even a facilitator. UConn will sorely need Mullins’ catch-and-shoot range with perfect mechanics and lift, but don’t sleep on his ability to attack closeouts on the dribble and make plays for others. He also has shown point-of-attack tendencies and has the makings of a tough college defender. Anyone that saw the Boston College game saw a live body flying around the court; his mistakes were of overeagerness and too much energy.
With the injury delaying Mullins’ development, he’s the biggest question mark on the roster right now. We pretty much know what we’re getting from the returnees, the transfers, and Reibe at this point. Mullins has the arguably the highest ceiling on the team, and his floor is a wound-up sparkplug looking to make up for lost time in the Big East.
Malachi Smith – 6-foot-1, Redshirt Senior
No one will believe me, Malachi Smith has been my favorite player in college basketball since 2022 and has been on my personal portal wish list for two years now. I love pesky, undersized guards and the infectiousness that Smith played with; it’s just what the doctor ordered for a roster that will miss Hassan Diarra’s New York toughness and charisma. The kid also has a great story that makes him easy to root for.
A career 39% 3-point shooter, a 2.5 career assist-turnover ratio, relentless ball pressure, and shotmaking chops are all you could ever ask for from a sixth man on a team looking to make a deep run. It sounds a lot like Hassan Diarra in 2024. But don’t be surprised if Malachi plays his way into closing lineups, or the staff experiments with him and Demary Jr. together; that’s how easy of a piece he is to plug in to lineups.
With an assist rate that was 12th in the country last year, Smith is most effective in pick-and-roll, but he can also play off-ball as a connective piece, like when he paired with Posh Alexander some last year for the Flyers.
His seven-point, five assist effort starting in place of Demary Jr. versus Boston College underscores his actual impact. There will be many more nights like that, where you may not see his impact on a box score, but you could feel it watching the game.
Jacob Furphy – 6-foot-6, Freshman
It sure was fun to get a dose of UConn news in the summer when Furphy was lighting up the FIBA U-19 Summit, averaging 16.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Reports like these from Draftnik Sam Vecenie sent UConn Twitter into a frenzy; this kid was going to be the ninth man?!
This was the first sign, to me, that something special might be brewing in Storrs this year. The 6’6 freshman from Tasmania may struggle to crack a deep rotation this year, but if the opportunity arises, smart money is that he takes advantage.
Billed as a knock-down shooter with a feel for the game, the only question for Furphy year one is can his defense catch up in time to break into a guard rotation of veterans.
He had a ho-hum shooting night vs. the Spartans, but two of those threes were halfway down, and he always seemed to be around the ball, a skill you can’t teach. His ball handling and size could come in handy right away in the Big East as the rest of his game catches up.
Bench Depth
Alec Millender – 6-foot-1, Graduate
You know that nervousness you get watching baseball, when your team goes to the bullpen? UConn won’t have that problem this year. Alec Millender, by way of IU Indianapolis, can provide a calming presence to the backcourt if things are out of sorts. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s a career 43.5% shooter from three on nearly four attempts per game.
Whereas this spot would normally be reserved for a freshman, Millender’s been around the block and won’t be phased by a rowdy Big East road environment. He may only be called on for a few minutes here and there, but that adds up over the course of the season, and is so valuable to have that insurance policy on the bench.
Uros Paunovic – 6-foot-3, Junior
Adding a 6-foot-3, professional 22-year old to your roster in August is never a bad thing.
You can do worse with your roster than add that type of intrigue. Uros probably won’t see meaningful minutes this year, but if the light switch goes on, there could be a lot of openings in the backcourt next year.
