Ahmad Nowell set to bring "Philly Dog" mentality to UConn Basketball

As a shifty, powerful, and well-built point guard, Ahmad Nowell is known for his explosiveness and boundless energy.

Nowell plays with a savvy and swagger emblematic of a Philadelphia-bred guard.

The UConn-signee, a Class of 2024 product at Imhotep Institute, Nowell is an elusive off the dribble scoring threat. With his devilishly slick handle and adeptness for creating space, he is able to shred through defenders and score it in a variety of ways.

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Whether it is by way of the mid-range pull-up, a 3-pointer amid draping close-outs, or a thorough surge to the rim and hard finish through traffic, Nowell is buoyed by his ability to play possessed.

Nowell changes speeds, changes directions, closes up passing lanes with his blanketing defense. He instigates turnovers, picks off passes like a defensive back, and converts live ball turnovers into transition buckets.

The 6-foot, 185-pound guard has proven himself as a creative play-making guard, firing in darts with either hand.

With his unique combination of ferocity and versatility and polished skill set, Nowell culminated his career as the Pennsylvania MaxPreps Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season.

Nowell averaged 21.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.0 steals in helping pilot Imhotep to a 29-3 overall record and third straight 5A state championship.

Yet for a guy who is constantly full throttle on the court, motoring his way to the rim with his downhill game or picking his spots offensively with burst, Nowell was actually sitting still in his living room on Monday night.

It was a rare moment. A high energy, high-wired act subdued and waiting patiently for the national championship game to start.

"I'm so excited for this game," said Nowell, just an hour prior to UConn's historic, second straight NCAA tournament title with a 75-60 victory over Purdue.

With his eyes pasted to the TV screen, as Nowell discusses the evolution of Huskies guard Tristan Newton (who wound up scoring 20 points, seven assist, and five rebounds in the title game) and the stellar play of freakish freshman Stephon Castle (15 points, five boards, and three assists in what may have been his last game as a Husky), Nowell's attention quickly shifts.

He's asked about his own well-rounded, two-way grittiness as a player and how he envisions himself carrying on the tradition in Storrs, Conn. Now that his final high school season is over, the next chapter is a subject of his life he's readily preparing for.

"When people try to say what I do best, or ask what type of player I am, I tend to look at myself as a swiss army knife," Nowell said.

"I honestly give a lot of everything, so much that I don't like to put it into one category in particular. I want to win. I give a lot of energy, toughness, I bring a lot with my shooting ability. So for me, personally, it is kind of hard to define what I do best. I'll do whatever it takes to win. Being a winner, that's what I do best."

UConn is again a winner, establishing itself as the first NCAA DIvision-I program to win back to back national championships since Billy Donovan-coached University of Florida in 2006 and 2007.

We caught up with Nowell, who broke down aspects at the core of his decision to choose UConn, the culture, and the honor he feels prolonging his career in Storrs.