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STORRS, CT – Norman Dale, the fictional coach at the center of "Hoosiers," had his five starters.
Dan Hurley has his roster, and on Friday, the UConn men’s basketball coach made clear he has no intention of shopping for any more players, even as college basketball’s portal chaos rages on around him.
"My team is on the court," Hurley said after Friday’s practice, riffing on the "Hoosiers" line to make clear the Huskies are done making changes to their roster.
More: Dick Vitale announces he's progressing well in latest cancer battle
The quip doubled as a statement of contentment, with Hurley closing UConn’s summer practice slate by saying he’s not looking to add any new players to his roster following the recent pool of players who were granted eligibility.
Last week, a federal judge in Colorado ruled athletes from the high school class of 2022, who used up their fourth season of eligibility this spring, can return for a fifth year in 2026-2027. It’s a decision the NCAA is expected to appeal, and one that threatens to upend rosters just as school gets underway.
The ruling effectively opened a fresh, unplanned wave of transfers in the first week of August, with dozens of newly eligible players searching for a landing spot.
For Hurley, who has been outspoken about the state of college basketball, the timing only sharpened his frustration.
"Now let's unleash 80 players into the sport in the first week of August," Hurley said. "We can't go on like this. And anyone who acts like it's great, it's good for college basketball, they've already taken the stance that this is what they've wanted, and now they're just defending their position. It's total chaos and it's not sustainable."
Hurley said the summer has been a “roller coaster,” but he’s impressed with the talent and depth of this year’s group.
"There are days you walk out of here and you want to let the company that makes the banners know that we might have a shot at one this year. And then there's days you walk out of here and think your team sucks, and you want to beat your head against the wall,” Hurley said.
UConn returns stars Braylon Mullins and Silas Demary Jr., but also has had an infusion of notable transfers such as Na'jai Hines, Oskar Giltay, Nils Machowski and Nik Khamenia.
The Huskies will have a gauntlet of a nonconference schedule that includes matchups with Duke, Kansas, Arizona, Illinois and Michigan.
Demary is having a great summer so far.
The all-Big East first-team selection and 2026 Naismith defensive player of the year showcased a jump in his offensive game during the scrimmage portion of Friday’s practice. Demary was dominant as a pick-and-roll ball handler while also showcasing high-level shot making from all three levels.
But while the work on the court has improved, Demary is hoping to take another leap as a leader.
“I think being a senior here and being a returner is definitely a lot,” Demary said. “I think just talking to the coaches and knowing that I'll have to step up in that leadership role. They’re helping me, even on my tough days. They’re still telling me how to be a leader and how to figure those things out.”
Demary started all but one game last season when he averaged 10.5 points and 5.7 assists. He said he learned a lot from last year’s seniors Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. to adjust to being in a front-facing role.
“Just being able to go through last year with them and then now being that that older guy to experience the senior on this team, like it's cool. It's a lot of fun, it's cool to see them come to me and ask me about different questions about plays and different reads. I feel like I'm in a great spot, and it's great to see those guys leaning on me.”
Guard Junior County and forward Colben Landrew were among Friday’s standouts.
County, the 2026 Utah Gatorade player of the year, averaged 19.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 blocks per game this past season at Wasatch Academy.
“Junior is one of the most prepared freshmen we've had come in here,” Hurley said. “The guy's maturity level, the high school program, his parents –– he came in with great pedigree. You have summers where you just love the way a player comes in, and he probably stands out more than anyone this summer.”
Landrew was a highly touted prospect coming out of Wheeler High School in Georgia. The 6-6, 236-pound forward was a two-sport star as an all-state wide receiver.
“Colben is talented like these early entry guys to the draft have looked like,” Hurley said. “It's the hardest work he's ever done in his life. ... As his body and his mind and his emotions learn to handle that, he'll unleash all of his abilities. But he's got early entry NBA ability.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dan Hurley swats away roster moves amid 'total chaos' of re-opened transfer portal
Continue reading...
Dan Hurley has his roster, and on Friday, the UConn men’s basketball coach made clear he has no intention of shopping for any more players, even as college basketball’s portal chaos rages on around him.
"My team is on the court," Hurley said after Friday’s practice, riffing on the "Hoosiers" line to make clear the Huskies are done making changes to their roster.
More: Dick Vitale announces he's progressing well in latest cancer battle
The quip doubled as a statement of contentment, with Hurley closing UConn’s summer practice slate by saying he’s not looking to add any new players to his roster following the recent pool of players who were granted eligibility.
Last week, a federal judge in Colorado ruled athletes from the high school class of 2022, who used up their fourth season of eligibility this spring, can return for a fifth year in 2026-2027. It’s a decision the NCAA is expected to appeal, and one that threatens to upend rosters just as school gets underway.
The ruling effectively opened a fresh, unplanned wave of transfers in the first week of August, with dozens of newly eligible players searching for a landing spot.
For Hurley, who has been outspoken about the state of college basketball, the timing only sharpened his frustration.
"Now let's unleash 80 players into the sport in the first week of August," Hurley said. "We can't go on like this. And anyone who acts like it's great, it's good for college basketball, they've already taken the stance that this is what they've wanted, and now they're just defending their position. It's total chaos and it's not sustainable."
Hurley said the summer has been a “roller coaster,” but he’s impressed with the talent and depth of this year’s group.
"There are days you walk out of here and you want to let the company that makes the banners know that we might have a shot at one this year. And then there's days you walk out of here and think your team sucks, and you want to beat your head against the wall,” Hurley said.
UConn returns stars Braylon Mullins and Silas Demary Jr., but also has had an infusion of notable transfers such as Na'jai Hines, Oskar Giltay, Nils Machowski and Nik Khamenia.
The Huskies will have a gauntlet of a nonconference schedule that includes matchups with Duke, Kansas, Arizona, Illinois and Michigan.
Silas Demary ready for bigger role with UConn in 2026-27
Demary is having a great summer so far.
The all-Big East first-team selection and 2026 Naismith defensive player of the year showcased a jump in his offensive game during the scrimmage portion of Friday’s practice. Demary was dominant as a pick-and-roll ball handler while also showcasing high-level shot making from all three levels.
But while the work on the court has improved, Demary is hoping to take another leap as a leader.
“I think being a senior here and being a returner is definitely a lot,” Demary said. “I think just talking to the coaches and knowing that I'll have to step up in that leadership role. They’re helping me, even on my tough days. They’re still telling me how to be a leader and how to figure those things out.”
Demary started all but one game last season when he averaged 10.5 points and 5.7 assists. He said he learned a lot from last year’s seniors Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. to adjust to being in a front-facing role.
“Just being able to go through last year with them and then now being that that older guy to experience the senior on this team, like it's cool. It's a lot of fun, it's cool to see them come to me and ask me about different questions about plays and different reads. I feel like I'm in a great spot, and it's great to see those guys leaning on me.”
UConn basketball freshman standouts
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Guard Junior County and forward Colben Landrew were among Friday’s standouts.
County, the 2026 Utah Gatorade player of the year, averaged 19.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 blocks per game this past season at Wasatch Academy.
“Junior is one of the most prepared freshmen we've had come in here,” Hurley said. “The guy's maturity level, the high school program, his parents –– he came in with great pedigree. You have summers where you just love the way a player comes in, and he probably stands out more than anyone this summer.”
Landrew was a highly touted prospect coming out of Wheeler High School in Georgia. The 6-6, 236-pound forward was a two-sport star as an all-state wide receiver.
“Colben is talented like these early entry guys to the draft have looked like,” Hurley said. “It's the hardest work he's ever done in his life. ... As his body and his mind and his emotions learn to handle that, he'll unleash all of his abilities. But he's got early entry NBA ability.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dan Hurley swats away roster moves amid 'total chaos' of re-opened transfer portal
Continue reading...
