NEWTOWN – When it comes to basketball clinics, Alex Karaban has become a pro.
The two-time national champion UConn men’s basketball player appeared right at home when he walked into the gym at Newtown’s NYA Sports and Fitness Complex on Saturday morning. His grand entrance was met with a smattering of applause from the 191 boys and girls divided up by age group, 6-16, all wearing their No. 11 Alex Karaban Camp T-shirts.
“A hundred ninety-one is crazy. I would’ve never thought that. I mean, it’s a huge blessing that their willing to come to my camp and just spend time with me, it means a lot,” Karaban said. “I’ve always wanted to use basketball to give back to people and give back to communities.”
As he made his entrance, Karaban teased that he may have a special guest joining. One kid asked if it was Liam McNeeley, another if it was LeBron James. But it was Andre Drummond, who played at UConn in 2012 before going off to the NBA, where he just finished his 13th professional season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Karaban helped out at a Drummond camp last summer and the two-time NBA All-Star wanted to repay the favor.
That’s 191 No. 11s pic.twitter.com/gAEjVDon0W
— Joe Arruda (@joearruda9) April 19, 2025
Dealing with kids and teaching the game, Karaban is a natural.
“I do want to get into coaching once I’m done with my basketball career,” the Huskies’ captain said. “I’ve always liked coaching, just being around the sport is something I want to do when I’m done playing.”
That is a decision that’ll come way down the line.
There is another one, more pressing, that Connecticut is waiting for.
Will Karaban return to UConn for his redshirt senior season, or will he opt to enter his name into the NBA Draft? The question is just as tough as it was last year, when he entered his name in the draft and tested at the combine before withdrawing just before the deadline.
“It’s just as tough because I’m just not really too sure on what to do. It’s been a long wait, I know, it’s been a process just trying to decide what I want to do. I’ve been at UConn for a while and I just love this place so much. It is hard to leave places that you love, but at the same time it’s also my dream to go to the NBA,” he said. “Just trying to go into the details about what I want to do and really just see what’s best for my future.”
The last several weeks have been loaded with meetings between Karaban and the UConn coaches, his parents and his agency. The early entry deadline for the draft is April 26 and Karaban wants to have his decision made soon so he can inform his coaches and his teammates.
“I do want to do it soon. No exact timeline yet,” he said. “The coaches have been super supportive about whatever decision I do (make) and they’re by my side no matter what and they’re letting me take as much time as I need.”
Meanwhile in Storrs, Dan Hurley’s staff is working to navigate the chaos of the transfer portal, which closes for players to enter on Monday. They’ve been relatively successful in retention with Solo Ball, Jaylin Stewart, Tarris Reed Jr. and Jayden Ross all deciding to stick around. UConn has a three-man recruiting class coming in that is ranked among the best in the nation, highlighted by two McDonald’s All-Americans in Braylon Mullins and Eric Reibe, in addition to Australian wing Jacob Furphy.
Darius Adams, another McDonald’s All-American guard, decommitted and reopened his recruitment on Saturday.
The Huskies replenished their backcourt in the transfer portal, where they added two experienced guards in Silas Demary Jr. from Georgia, and Malachi Smith from Dayton.
“Great guys,” Karaban said. “Silas is an amazing point guard, he had a big-time year at Georgia, bigger guard too and I know he’s gonna help the team right away. And Malachi, we obviously played him in Maui and he’s just a terrific scorer, playmaking-wise, off the charts. But both of them are such elite guards and their playmaking is really gonna help us out.”
The Huskies are still looking to fill out their 2025-26 roster, and Karaban’s decision is likely the next major domino to fall.
He could decide to test the waters again, like he did last summer, leaving the option open to return before the June 15 withdrawal deadline, but Karaban says he’d prefer to just rip the Band-Aid off.
“I think I am able to test, I just don’t know if I’ll do that,” he said. “I think I’d rather just decide if I want to stay or go and just make that decision.”
Originally Published: April 19, 2025 at 1:06 PM EDT
