UConn’s complex offense, derived from styles of basketball all over the world, was beautifully tailored to personnel and virtually unstoppable during the Huskies’ back-to-back national championship seasons.
But last year, with struggles particularly stemming from a lack of size and depth at the point guard position, the Huskies could get bogged down in the script at times and see their offense fall stagnant.
The first priority this offseason was to shore up that spot. Dan Hurley and his staff didn’t stray too far from the championship blueprint, however. Silas Demary Jr., the 6-foot-5 guard from Georgia, possesses qualities similar to Tristen Newton, and backup Malachi Smith, who recently had a minor knee surgery but should return in August, can compare to Hassan Diarra.
The rest of UConn’s probable rotation, minus the incoming freshmen and center Tarris Reed Jr., has been part of a national championship team.
Inside the room where UConn men’s renowned, innovative offense is drawn up
“We probably have a lot more continuity than a lot of people, but we have two quarterbacks that we’ve got to get up to speed,” Hurley said at the NBA Draft last week. “That is the most critical position.”
UConn’s first summer session involved more opportunities to play off script than it has in the past. The new “quarterbacks” weren’t just thrown a playbook.
“I think we did a bad job last year of trying to fit a square peg in a round hole and then not being more flexible with adapting the way we play to the talent of those guys,” Hurley said. “We’re trying to work more on transition offense and getting better in one-on-one situations, getting our players to not be as reliant on the system.”
The system is still important and will remain a significant part of the way players move without the ball, but when the 2025-26 season comes, they’ll have more experience when a part of the script breaks down.
“We’re trying to get these guys to play off script more in the summer, but we’re sprinkling in teaching elements of how we move off the ball because it’s tough for these guys (to pick everything up), but they are really smart players. Silas and Malachi, in particular, are like really, really smart, intuitive. And Braylon (Mullins) picks things up quickly because he played high school ball in Indiana and he played for really good coaches,” Hurley said.
Mullins, this year’s five-star freshman, is another 3-point shooting threat to be paired with Solo Ball. The Huskies return an expert in the system in redshirt senior Alex Karaban, and a pair of wings in Jaylin Stewart and Jayden Ross who are looking to break out.
One point of emphasis, particularly for that junior wing duo, was building strength in the offseason. Hurley said both have put on about 10 pounds, with Stewart getting up to around 225 and Ross to 215-218. “I think that’s where we want them to play at. They look the way we want them to look, much stronger,” he said.
Australian wing Jacob Furphy hasn’t arrived on campus yet but is showing his potential at the FIBA U19 World Cup, where he’s put together a string of strong performances for his national team. And at center, the Huskies’ will again feature two very different styles with a low-post bruiser in Reed and a jump-shooting 7-footer in freshman Eric Reibe, whose versatility opens up a number of possibilities for the Huskies’ offense.
UConn men’s basketball freshmen Jacob Furphy, Eric Reibe shine to start FIBA U19 World Cup
Reibe, playing for Germany at the U19 World Cup, stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points (7-for-14), seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in a win over Canada on Tuesday as Germany finished the group stage undefeated at 3-0. The Huskies are hoping he can reprise some version of Donovan Clingan, who they missed desperately on the defensive end last season.
Back in Storrs, a number of former Huskies have helped the learning process along, including NBA Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, another elite defender they missed last season. Mamadou Diarra, UConn’s director of player development, played a role in getting so many alumni back on campus to work out with next year’s team.
“That’s been awesome. Having a week where it’s like Hawk (Jordan Hawkins) and Steph, followed by The Wrench (Isaiah Whaley), and CV (Christian Vital) and Tyler Polley, just getting all the guys in. It’ll keep going the whole summer,” Hurley said. “It’s great for them because it’s good for their soul to get back to a place they love and a place that means so much, just gets them back to their roots. I think it’s just a really good exercise for those former players and it’s great for our guys, and for the coaches, to have those mentors.”
