Dan Hurley likes where UConn is headed entering pivotal time for program

Looking back on the season, there’s plenty for the UConn Huskies to be proud of, but Dan Hurley would love to have the final 45:07 of it back.

But instead of a mulligan on the Huskies’ finish, it will serve as a driving force into the offseason.

“The last 45 minutes and seven seconds of gameplay should push and drive every member of the organization in this offseason,” said Hurley during a Zoom conference as he wrapped up his third season with the Huskies.

After a 15-8 finish, which included their first NCAA game since 2016, the Huskies appear to be heading in the right direction as a program. The coaching staff and seven players are expected back, but sophomore guard James Bouknight likely won’t be one of them.

Bouknight is being projected as a top-15 pick by multiple media sources in this year’s NBA Draft, so that would be hard to pass up.

“If you’re a lottery pick and you’re able to accomplish that in two years - that's a pretty hard thing to turn down,” Hurley said.

Two players that will graduate in May, senior Josh Carlton and junior Brendan Adams, have entered the transfer portal, but seniors Tyler Polley and Isaiah Whaley have yet to make decisions on their future.

“It’s open-ended for them,” said Hurley, who would welcome both players back. “Part of it is to see what the professional market is for both of those guys. You have to take some time and talk to agents to see what potentially would be out there for them.”

Neither would count against UConn’s 13 scholarship players if they return since the NCAA approved an additional year of eligibility for student-athletes due to the COVID pandemic.

While they could have up to nine players back, Hurley said the main focus now going into the offseason is to help the seven returnees grow.

“There are so many ways we can get better. We just need to continue to take steps forward,” he said. “We have a lot of players that have the ability to take a big step next year.”

At the top of the list are Adama Sanogo and Andre Jackson, who both figured to have bright futures with the Huskies.

Sanogo played his way into the starting center role as a freshman, averaging 7.3 points and 4.8 rebounds. He also earned a spot on the All-Big East freshman squad.

“Adama is a special player,” Hurley said. “He’s got a chance next year to be one of the better big players in the country.”

Jackson missed time with a wrist injury, but his speed and athleticism were impressive along with his passing skills.

“Offense, offense, offensive production,” Hurley stressed. “Putting the ball in his hands and getting him to attack in the paint. He has to continue to work on his perimeter shot, but that’s a guy next year that we need living in the paint with the ball creating offense, pushing that ball in transition, and flying around the court on defense.”

Another reason for the Huskies to be excited is that three top-100 talents are on the way in Jordan Hawkins (45th ranked), Rahsool Diggins (46th), and 6-10 Samson Johnson (77th).

“We have a top-10 class with three, I think, big-time guys coming in,” Hurley said.

UConn also hope to have Akok Akok back to 100 percent from his Achilles’ tendon injury, which he suffered in January 2020.

“Our message to Akok through the year was to give us what you could,” Hurley said. “But we’ve got to have a huge summer and we have to get you where this program needs to get you for next season.”

Also on the breakout summer list is forward Richie Springs, who played sparingly this season, but left favorable impressions with the coaching staff.

“The second half of the year we saw something with Richie that excited the staff,” Hurley said. “He’s got to fight his way onto the court this year. It’s a big year for Richie.”

Of course, the Huskies will also return three veteran guards in seniors R.J. Cole and Tyrese Martin along with junior Jalen Gaffney.

In addition to recruiting to fill the two to three open roster spots with the best available talent, Hurley is looking forward to player development this offseason. It begins with getting everyone vaccinated for COVID, so the program can avoid the start/stops it went through since March 2020.

“It starts with getting all the players vaccinated,” Hurley said. “I think you are going to see a much different off-season in terms of us functioning the way we normally do. Our all-year commitment is a separator for us relative to other programs. I just feel we do as much or more as anyone, and that advantage and that commitment that our staff makes was robbed last summer.”