UConn star forward Alex Karaban returning to Huskies for senior season

UConn forward Alex Karaban — the lone remaining starter from the Huskies’ back-to-back national championship teams in 2023 and 2024 — is returning to school for his senior season, he announced Tuesday.

“I pride myself on accepting challenges and holding myself to the highest standard,” Karaban said in a statement. “Last year, we didn’t achieve what we set out to, and I am not running from a chance to make that right!”

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— Alex Karaban (@AlexKaraban) April 29, 2025

The 6-foot-8, 210 pounder was UConn’s third-leading scorer last season, posting career-high averages in points (14.3), rebounds (5.3), assists (2.8), and blocks (1.5) per game.

Karaban’s return finalizes UConn’s offseason roster makeover, likely giving Dan Hurley a top-5 preseason ranked squad. In addition to the Massachusetts native, Hurley also returns starting guard Solo Ball and center Tarris Reed Jr., who should be the Huskies’ top interior option.

In the transfer portal, UConn solidified its backcourt by adding former Georgia guard Silas Demary Jr. — who will also go through the NBA Draft process, according to the league’s early entrant list released Tuesday — and former Dayton guard Malachi Smith. Hurley also signed five-star shooting guard Braylon Mullins and four-star center Eric Reibe from high school.

But for all the pieces at Hurley’s disposal, none are as crucial as Karaban, and for multiple reasons. The first is obvious: As the lone holdover from the Huskies’ consecutive title teams, Karaban will be integral in setting the culture in Storrs. Karaban was critical of his own ability to do that last season — especially after the Huskies’ 0-3 performance in the Maui Invitational in November.

Secondly, strictly from a basketball standpoint, Karaban’s floor-stretching will be critical between UConn’s reworked backcourt and frontline. Five-star freshman wing Liam McNeeley fortified the team’s perimeter this season, but with McNeeley gone to the NBA Draft, more of that onus will fall on Karaban. Karaban started all 33 games he played last season, and his 35.9 minutes per game were most on the team.

The question now is whether or not Karaban still has another level he can reach. On UConn’s title teams, he was a key cog, but hardly the most important piece. Last season, occupying more of a featured role, Karaban’s efficiency lagged as he posted the worst offensive rating of his career, per KenPom, and finished with the lowest 3-point percentage (34.7 percent) of his three college seasons.

He did grow as a playmaker, nearly doubling his assist rate, but his streaky shooting cost UConn in several instances last season, including when he went 2-for-9 from deep in the team’s season-ending NCAA Tournament loss to eventual champion Florida in the round of 32.

The good news is that with UConn’s roster overhaul mostly complete, Karaban won’t have to be near the singular force he was asked to be a season ago. Instead, he can once again serve as connective tissue on the perimeter next to the likes of Ball and Demary, giving Hurley at least three true 3-point threats. Additionally, Karaban’s connection with Reed should continue to pay dividends; per CBB Analytics, Karaban was the second-leading assister to Reed last season behind graduated point guard Hassan Diarra.

Karaban’s return is the best possible news UConn could have asked for. After a down season by Hurley’s standards, the Huskies should once again be considered legitimate national title contenders.

(Photo: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)