As we get closer to the start of the UConn basketball season, more buzz forms around what each player will bring to the table. On a team where the top four options have all departed, there’s a lot of room for opportunity. With that comes excitement, especially when the fanbase knows that they have the best coach in the game. One of the bigger uncertainties on the roster this year is freshman point guard Ahmad Nowell.
In the long line of excellent UConn recruits, Nowell is in the upper tier, a very high four-star, who easily could have gotten a fifth star had the class been less saturated with elite talent. He’s an undersized point guard at just 6-foot, but is about as stocky as they come, at 195 pounds. When thinking of a comparison to another player with this build, an easy one is Jalen Brunson, who has very similar measurements. Yes, it’s a bit early to be putting a college freshman up against an NBA All-Star, but it’s not an unfair one.
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Given his measurables, Nowell is everything a team could want in a guard. First off, the Philadelphia-native is a tough competitor, bringing a level of intensity that is necessary to have if a team wants to be championship-caliber. He dives for loose balls, goes 100% on the fastbreak and plays every possession like the world depends on it. A traditional Hurley point guard.
One of the benefits of being a small, sturdy guard is having a low center of gravity, which Nowell uses to his advantage. He’s not afraid of contact, actually utilizing it to create space on the interior. It certainly helps that he has great touch around the rim, able to finish on difficult and moderately flashy layups. Along with laying it in amid bumps, Nowell can also use his quickness to avoid contact, with a variety of nifty moves at his fingertips. All of this combines to make him a surprisingly exceptional finisher in spite of his size, creating advantages of his disadvantages. And don’t be surprised if he throws down a dunk every now and then on the fastbreak, something that will send the Gampel or XL crowd into a frenzy.
Outside the paint, Nowell is just as great. He uses the same quickness that helps him get to the basket to free up some space for his quick release on a reliable shot. Though mid range shots are a bit of a lost art, Nowell isn’t afraid to let it fly from that zone, taking the opportunities that the defense gives him. He’s a very good 3-point shooter too, with the ability to knock them down regardless of if he’s stationary or on the move. That flexibility is huge for college-readiness, a test that Nowell passes with flying colors.
His vision and ball-handling were both excellent at the high school level, but that’s something that can take even the best prospects some time to get right in college. Fortunately, he won’t be tasked with being the team’s top option right away and will have experienced teammates to take pointers from. Nowell’s defensive intensity is also admirable, which will be one of the things that allows him to get early minutes.
STORRS IMPACT
It seems unlikely that Nowell will draw many starts this year given the backcourt talent the team has returning. As good as he is, experience often trumps youthful talent, though Hurley has been keen on having 1-2 freshman contributors on teams. Hassan Diarra will almost certainly draw everyday starts and Aidan Mahaney and Solo Ball are duking it out for the secondary guard spot. With Samson Johnson/Tarris Reed holding it down at center and Liam McNeeley and Jaylin Stewart competing for the forward spot next to Alex Karaban, there aren't any starter spots left.
Another hurdle Nowell will have to endure is that he is a smaller guard, which has not been part of Hurley’s recent recipe for success. In 2023, the primary guards were Tristen Newton, Andre Jackson Jr., Nahiem Alleyne and Jordan Hawkins, whose heights ranged from 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-6. Last year was Newton, Stephon Castle, Cam Spencer and Hassan Diarra. The first three were between 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-6, with Diarra as the outlier at 6-foot-2. Hurley can adapt his roster to the players on it, but being a plus defender in spite of his size will be critical for Nowell, since he does deviate from the formula.
All said, Nowell projects to be a key reserve for the team this year, with a high likelihood to be the everyday point guard his sophomore year. Even as talented as Nowell is, there’s nothing wrong with taking a year to grow and be a less critical member of the team. That’s especially true when entering a program like Connecticut that has won back to back championships and looks poised to compete for another. Nowell will be an elite bench piece for the Huskies, giving a lot of energy in limited minutes.
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