STORRS – A new era begins for the UConn men’s basketball team.
For the first time in four years, Alex Karaban will not be filling the four spot for the Huskies next season. And, as loaded as the transfer portal is, it won’t be so easy to replace a 150-game starter who scored 1,880 career points and made 292 3-pointers on his way to becoming the program’s all-time winningest player.
As difficult as it will be to fill in the production – 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game on 37.4% shooting from 3 over his four-year career – the more significant challenge in replacing the captain will be supplanting everything he did without the ball in his hands. Dan Hurley has long credited Karaban for his role in making the Huskies’ complex offensive scheme successful, along with his coach-like presence on the court and off of it.
That responsibility will largely fall on the shoulders of the returning players. As of Wednesday afternoon, that is only Jayden Ross, who has the loyalty aspect down, and Silas Demary Jr., who is more than capable of becoming the vocal leader and face of the program. UConn is still awaiting decisions from Jaylin Stewart, Braylon Mullins and Solo Ball, along with Jacob Ross.
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“Everyone that returns has got to do more to replace Alex’s maturity. What he did for the culture, that guy. … I hear (ESPN broadcaster) Fran Fraschilla talk about culture warriors when he does Houston games, that’s exactly what he’s talking about. The person that puts pressure on everyone around them to work harder, be about the right things. The people that are going to return, Jayden Ross (and Silas Demary Jr. who’ve) already made the decision, or more people that are going to decide this week … those people have got to carry on what AK was able to do there,” Hurley said.
“And then you got these freshmen coming in that, you expect a Junior County, you expect a Colben Landrew to come in here and continue to add to your culture. You expect the transfers that we bring in, too, to be our type of guys, to be UConn men,” he said. “But the people that are going to return and the people we’re gonna bring in, they’re being told while they’re visiting and while we’re recruiting them that this is what we do here. And if this isn’t what you’re about, then we should just end the visit here.”
Of the incoming freshmen, Landrew is a big-bodied 6-foot-6 wing who was ranked around the top-30 in the 2026 high school class. His natural position would be at the three, potentially replacing Mullins if he goes to the NBA Draft, though it is difficult for a freshman to step in as a day one starter. County, a 6-4 two-guard ranked in the top 50, could also find himself in the rotation.
Jayden Ross, 6-7, took on and thrived in the sixth-man role down the stretch of the season and throughout the NCAA Tournament, providing a spark with his energy, particularly on the defensive end and in transition. He picked up a mentor in Andre Jackson Jr. after the Huskies’ regular-season finale in Milwaukee, where Jackson plays for the Bucks. He could provide a similar impact – with some more 3-point shooting ability – in his senior season, whether that means starting or a large role off the bench.
Stewart, also 6-7, has filled into the starting lineup 12 times over the last two seasons with players injured. Will his game take a leap and allow him to earn more opportunity with the Huskies on a consistent basis? Or will he look to move on for a potential full-time starting role somewhere else?
UConn will likely be looking to the portal for Karaban’s replacement. And the task won’t be as simple as finding another 6-8 shooter who can move without the ball and have a strong feel for what Hurley wants to run on offense.
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“It doesn’t (need to be a 3-point shooter). Who returns kind of determines the skill set (we’re looking for). So a lot of what you’re doing now is you’re preparing scenarios, if this player returns or that player returns, or these two players return. … You’re working scenarios,” Hurley said.
UConn, with more holes to fill in its front court given the departures of Tarris Reed Jr. (eligibility) and Eric Reibe (transfer), reportedly hosted Seton Hall center Najai Hines on Tuesday. Duke forward Nikolas Khamenia, a former top-20 prospect and a potential Karaban replacement, was on campus Wednesday. Khamenia had a smaller role than expected in his freshman year with the Blue Devils, averaging 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game off the bench. He made a 3-pointer and had seven points, an assist, a block, and two rebounds against the Huskies in the Elite Eight.
UConn could also potentially have Syracuse forward Donnie Freeman in for a visit on Friday, according to reports. Freeman, a 6-foot-9 rising junior, is one of the more sought after players in the portal after he averaged 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds for the Orange last season, though he only shot 30.2% on 3.7 3-point attempts per game.
The tricky part for the Huskies is figuring out who is coming back, and what needs will be left to address. At this point, they have to sell recruits on the idea of a role on a roster that remains far from put together.
“I just keep saying to myself, ‘This is what everyone’s dealing with,’” Hurley said. “And then just being so behind everyone else, and the fact that we’re not rushing our players to decide what they’re doing, I think it’s the right thing, it obviously puts us up against this deadline over the weekend into Monday, but our guys deserve it. Even if it puts us in a little bit of a delicate situation, I think you want to give a group that did such a great job for you the grace of not rushing a big decision.”
