INDIANAPOLIS – There will be no tough decision, but only a tough separation this offseason for Alex Karaban, the all-time winningest player in UConn men’s basketball history who’s won the second-most games as a starter in the history of the NCAA Tournament. A career that will stand the test of time in this modern era of the sport will rightfully come to an end in the national championship game Monday night.
And for the first time in four years, Dan Hurley will have to find a new four-man to be introduced into the starting lineup for his Huskies.
UConn will need a replacement for Tarris Reed Jr., who’s proven his worth in leading the program back to the title game for the third time in four years. It may also need another guard to replace Braylon Mullins, who hit some of the biggest shots of his life on the biggest stages he’s ever played on and could become the program’s third one-and-done first-round NBA Draft pick in the last three years.
Mullins may consider returning, depending on his projection after the pre-draft process. It will be a loaded draft class, and he might be better off coming back and proving himself as a potential lottery pick after his sophomore season.
If he does, the Huskies would likely be set up with another backcourt group, including Silas Demary Jr. and Solo Ball, that could compete for another national title. Ball has also been mentioned as a potential late-second round pick, but he would likely return to raise his stock.
As for the frontcourt, where most of the turnover will happen, could Eric Reibe develop in time to take over for Reed as a sophomore, like Donovan Clingan did for Adama Sanogo? Could Jaylin Stewart step into a more stable role and take Karaban’s place as a senior?
Reibe has definitely had his moments and led the Huskies to some wins when Reed was out, especially in nonconference games at Kansas and at Madison Square Garden against Illinois. He held his own with 15 points and four rebounds before fouling out against Arizona, and had big games in Big East play against Providence and Xavier, but he has struggled in limited minutes throughout the NCAA Tournament, accumulating just six total points, three rebounds, a block and 10 fouls along the road to the title game.
Stewart has started 12 games in each of the last two seasons because of injuries ahead of him. But he’s dealt with his own ailments down the stretch of the season and into the NCAA Tournament. When he’s been available, the Seattle native has made some critical shots and snared some meaningful rebounds. But he’s only averaged 4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds with limited opportunities, playing just 14.2 minutes per game over his first three years in Storrs.
Where does that leave Jayden Ross?
Ross has been a revelation as the sixth-man for the Huskies over the last two months of the season. His defense has been critical and his shot-making a plus. Could he fit into the starting lineup as a potential replacement for Mullins, or would Hurley and his staff attempt to keep him in the role he’s flourished in while bringing in a sharpshooting transfer to compete for the starting spot? If that is the case, does Ross stick around or look for a larger role elsewhere, as he, and Stewart, have opted against doing earlier in their careers?
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UConn has a two-man freshman class coming in and both players, Colben Landrew and Junior County, could find themselves in the rotation right away. Landrew, a big-bodied, 6-foot-6 wing, was Gatorade Player of the Year in Georgia, and County, a 6-foot-4 offensive-minded guard, was Gatorade Player of the Year in Utah.
Roles for Ross’ brother, Jacob, who redshirted this season, and the rest of the end-of-the-bench players – Jacob Furphy, Uros Paunovic and Rrezon Elozaj – remain unclear. Furphy was a player the Huskies were high on coming in, and he could develop into a rotation player this summer.
UConn will need a backup point guard with eligibility expiring for Malachi Smith and Alec Millender, and another center to fill Dwayne Koroma’s spot.
So it will be a heavy load for Hurley and the UConn staff, which will also have to replace assistant coach Luke Murray as he begins as Boston College head coach this week. But the Huskies have had success in the transfer portal over the last few years, and have only helped their status in the minds of potential recruits with this latest NCAA Tournament run.
