7/22/2023 basketball Edit

UConn Hoops keeping pace with nationally ranked guard recruits

Zach Smart • UConnReport

Hoops Recruiting Analyst

The number of prominent UConn guards whose careers are forever etched in Huskies lore is so vast, the names nearly fall off the page.

Khalid El-Amin. Richard Hamilton. Ben Gordon. AJ Price. Marcus Williams. Kemba Walker.

You do not want to do a disservice to anyone by accidentally leaving them off a long, memorable list. The program has been an accurate depiction of a national breeding ground for guards, a handful of whom went on to the NBA.

During the inimitable Hall of Fame career of the fiery Jim Calhoun, UConn churned out guards galore.

With Dan Hurley fresh off a national championship, the Huskies have already upgraded the back court. UConn has now bolstered its lineup with the arrival of hotly pursued Rutgers transfer Cam Spencer. A veteran scoring presence, Spencer averaged 13.2 points and shot it at 43 percent from beyond the arc during the 2022-23 campaign. Entering the 3-point shootout with nothing short of a rifle, Scott connected on 72 3-pointers on the season.

And so, as conventional wisdom would indicate, UConn will again be predicated on guard play.

With highly acclaimed 2024 national recruit Boogie Fland listing UConn in his recently released Top 8, the Huskies have been extremely active on the recruiting trail. Refusing to rest on their laurels following a banner year, the UConn staff has bought into an arduous off-season workload in the area of guards. Here is a look at the status and recent production rate of multiple guards the program is currently recruiting.

The Class of 2024 guard has sustained a tight bond with UConn assistant coach Kimani Young. Like the Bronx native Fland, Young is from New York City. As one of the top recruiters in the country, Young is deeply tied into the most regal recruiting resources New York has to offer. Young holds much clout and a stout reputation throughout the city. Fland has evolved as a certifiable three-level scoring threat. The shifty 6-foot-3 point guard and top-drawer recruit is also an innate creator, one who plays with his eyes perpetually up.

Fland averaged 18.1 points, 4.2 boards, 3.7 assists, and 1.9 assists this past season, catapulting Stepinac to a city championship over UNC-commit Ian Jackson and Cardinal Hayes HS. Fland played possessed during that particular performance, hitting 7-of-7 from the field during the first 15 minutes. He wound up dissecting the defense, pouring in a game-best 30 points. With the pulsating victory, Stepinac avenged a lopsided loss to Hayes during the Intersectional title game.

Operating offense for the PSA Cardinals this summer, Fland has catalyzed the program as a dual threat.

He brings a rare purity of vision with his pocket passes and well-paced, open floor facilitation. Fland also opened up his 3-point shot, significantly, this season.

In a significant portent of his vast improvement as an outside shooter, Fland erupted from 3-point land during the EYBL Session II in Indiana, back during his sophomore summer.

During a 53-50 victory over BABC, Fland turned in a 25-point performance, on the strength of 5-for-7 from 3-point territory. The confidence in his touch translated instantly into his junior season, as Fland had multiple games of four 3-pointers or more. He displayed NBA level 3-point range. He hit his fair share of opportunistic 3-pointers, striking smack in the middle of pivotal runs. Fland generated major headlines when he whittled down his list of finalists. Beyond UConn, Fland has trimmed his list to Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, and St. John’s.

With his unique blend of length and wildly athletic finishing, Thomas has erupted during a wild 2023 AAU season. Buoyed by a manipulative one on one game, crafty off the dribble arsenal, and a smooth stroke, Thomas is an extraterrestrial caliber scorer. He is able to get off his shot amid draping close outs and hard face guarding. In a matter of months, the Class of 2025 Thomas has ascended the national ladder as one of the most gifted, creative, and swagger-spiked scoring threats. Playing for New Heights, Thomas recently turned in a 17-point, nine rebound, and two assist showing against Team Final during Peach Jam.

The killer instinct has been apparent since the start of the AAU season, as Thomas took game-altering scoring matters into his own hands. He scored 21 points to go with four boards during a victory over Team Melo earlier in the summer.

UConn, Auburn, Rutgers, Providence, Alabama, Duke, Kentucky, Xavier, Michigan, and a bevy of high profile offers are on the table for Thomas.

The Class of 2025 off guard brings length, a consistent catch-and-stick game, and proficiency around the rim. Playing for Expressions Elite, Sanon elicits mismatches with his length and long range shooting. He has steadily risen as a Top-15 national level recruit. With his defensive versatility, Sanon is able to really clamp down on guards and cover the 1-5 comfortably. He has the type of athleticism, wiry frame, and fluidity which aligns with the pace implemented by Hurley.

Sanon was offered by UConn less than a month after they culminated an unprecedented post season power surge--one in which they steamrolled the competition round after round--with a 2023 national championship. He holds offers from the likes of Providence, Georgetown, Iowa, Marquette, UMass, Washington, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Boston College, and others.