Stars of Storrs: Previewing UConn's inaugural TBT squad

In July of 2023, Marc D’Amelio, a UConn alum and social media influencer, announced that UConn was set to field a team in the 2024 TBT (The Basketball Tournament). For those unfamiliar with the tournament, it’s an annual 64 team competition that pits the best basketball players in the world not playing in the NBA against one another to vie for a $1 million prize.

The differentiator with TBT is that instead of playing out the clock, the game concludes with the Elam Ending, basically establishing a “target score,” with the first team reaching that score winning. At the under-4 timeout, the target is set by adding eight points to the leading team’s current point total. The purpose of this is to avoid needless fouling at the end of games and create a situation where every matchup has a game-winning shot to close it out.

This UConn alumni squad–The Stars of Storrs–is the program's first, as the tournament heads into its 11th year of existence. There has been buzz all year about who may–or may not suit up for the Huskies, so let’s get into the roster that is quickly shaping up.

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The head coach of the team is none other than the Huskies’ all-time point leader, Chris Smith. At 54 years old, he’s finished his playing days, but is a great pick for the Stars’ leader. He has experience at the highest level of basketball and has the college accolades to back up a deservingness as the coach.

His assistant, Chris Smith Jr., also happens to be his son. Smith Jr. has been tabbed as the team’s lead recruiter and has spent time as a Nike EYBL coach and graduate assistant at Indiana Wesleyan University. Like his father, Smith Jr. is also a nice addition to the team with his experience in the college recruiting and college basketball world.

The final head coach is Tyler Olander, who notably was the starting center on the 2011 championship team and came off the bench for 2014’s title squad. Olander spent time playing baseball in the Toronto Blue Jays' system and has volunteer coached for D-III St. Joe’s in Hartford, CT. Quite the resume. Given that he’s not suiting up, having someone with so much experience winning is a great character to bring to the sidelines. And it doesn’t hurt that he has more championships than former Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.

Cole missed UConn’s fifth championship by a year, but the mark he left on the Huskies has not been lost on fans. In his two years in Storrs, the point guard was a leader, especially stepping up in his final campaign. He led the Huskies in scoring and notably hit the game-winning shot and drew a subsequent charge to emerge victorious over No. 8 Villanova. He wasn’t drafted and has been overseas, most recently winning the 2024 Lithuanian championship with BC Rytas Vilnius. Cole was among the best Huskies during the title drought and will have a hunger to bring home a championship in the blue and white.

Daniels stayed in Connecticut for three years and departed after serving as a pivotal piece in their 2014 title. He added 13.1 points and 6 rebounds per night that season, starting every game. Daniels’ massive 20 point, 10 rebound, performance in the Final Four likely played a big factor in his decision to leave for the NBA, where he was drafted No. 37 overall. He’s bounced around the G-League and has played overseas, though has never gotten the NBA call. His vital role in the 2014 championship makes Daniels an easy pick, as one of the best Huskies of all time.

Boatright was the Robin to Shabazz Napier’s Batman in 2014, scoring 12 points per game out of the two-guard spot en route to the championship. Always playing bigger than his 5-foot-11 frame, the guard routinely soared high for dunks and was a fan-favorite. His 17 points per game and 4 assists were ultimately not enough to take Connecticut to the tournament the following year, though his heroic 3-pointer against Cincinnati in the AAC tournament quarterfinals gave fans something to cheer for. After a short stint with the Pistons’ D-League squad, Boatright has played in Europe and back in the states, recently with Greek squad Apollon Patras.

Calcaterra is the most-recent Husky to commit to the Stars of Storrs, playing as a key bench piece for the 2023 championship squad. The then-grad student seemingly always delivered a big three and will be perfect off the bench for this team. “Joey Calafornia” exploded for the Huskies when he had to in wins over Georgetown and St. John’s, but was also fine taking fewer minutes when the team needed him to. His confidence and emphatic celebrations made him a fast fan favorite. He currently plays for the LA Lakers’ G-League team.

A forward for some of the best UConn teams that didn’t win a championship, Adrien will look to finally get his ring as a Husky this summer. From his sophomore to senior seasons, he was remarkably consistent, scoring between 13-15 points and grabbing 9-10 boards. Adrien started every game in that span, including during the Huskies’ lone Final Four when they exited prematurely. A tough, hard-nosed player who has 153 games of NBA experience, he will certainly look to bring energy to the Stars. Adrien currently plays for Piratas de Quebradillas of the top league in Puerto Rico and has excelled most in the Israeli league.

Dyson overlapped with Adrien for three years and the duo seemed poised to help the Huskies to their third championship. Fate had other plans, as Dyson’s season ended early thanks to a torn meniscus. He was averaging 13 points, 4 boards and 3 assists prior. The guard went undrafted, but played in the D-League before finding a successful career in the Israeli League, as the league's top scorer in 2013. Dyson last notably played in Poland, but will be able to provide key leadership with his wealth of pro experience.

Dubbed by coach Kevin Ollie as the “Ferrari in the garage” during his redshirt transfer season, Purvis had a solid career during the darkest days of UConn basketball. He scored in double figures each of those three seasons, aided by his strength and a decent 3-point stroke. He had his moments, like a 28 point eruption against SMU, and helped the Huskies make the NCAA tournament in 2016. Purvis played 16 games in the NBA for the Magic and has recently suited up for Spartak in Bulgaria.

Majok had one of the more bizarre careers in Husky history, playing just 26 games in his two year career. After emerging as a top player in the 2008 recruiting class, he was prevented by the NCAA from playing during what would have been his freshman year. He was eligible the next year but couldn’t find significant minutes. His memorable moment came during a 5 point, 6 board and 4 block outing in a victory over Texas. In the years since, Majok has had 30 different stints with various teams around the world. He is currently in his third stint with Tunisian club US Monastir.

A player who bridged the gap between the Ollie and Hurley eras, Williams was mostly a benchwarmer for the Huskies. Totaling just 32 career points, he was better renowned for the excellent dunks he posted on social media. Williams’ Instagram currently boasts a following of over 100K.

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