Even with the 2025-26 season only a few weeks away, Dan Hurley is looking towards the future. The two-time national champion head coach landed his first recruit in the Class of 2026 with four-star guard Junior County, who announced his commitment to UConn on Wednesday. County, a 6-foot-4 guard from Manti, Utah, chose UConn over Maryland, Indiana, Arizona and Purdue and is rated as the No. 40 prospect in the 247 Composite rankings.
County visited UConn on September 26 as his last visit during his recruitment
process. The Wasatch Academy product is a prototypical Hurley-era UConn guard with size, length and high basketball IQ. He’s the No. 3 shooting guard in the Class of 2026 and the top player in the state of Utah.
“County is strong and physical with long arms and loads of winning intangibles,” 247Sports Adam Finkelstein says in his scouting report of County. “While he’s a versatile scoring threat and capable of creating his own shot from all three levels, he understands how to play within the flow, move the ball, and keep the dominos falling when the opposing defense is scrambling (3.4 assists with 2.1 turnovers). That requires both unselfishness and a high basketball IQ. Similarly, he throws ahead in transition, makes quick/simple reads with the ball, cuts well, and just knows how to play in offensive structure. He’s shown significant growth with his handle and is blossoming into a legit big guard because of it. He’s always had a good left hand, as both a driver and a finisher, and been able to absorb contact.“
County is listed as a shooting guard, but his improving handle and passing ability makes it possible for him to see point guard duties for stretches. While UConn has backcourt depth in spades this coming season, Alec Millender and Malachi Smith will graduate this year, and starting point guard Silas Demary Jr. is likely to test the NBA Draft waters once again. The Huskies’ starting point guard for 2026 may still be on the recruiting trail or in next offseason’s transfer portal, but County provides legitimate depth with an opportunity for major minutes as the backcourt turns over.
