After a number of shakeups in the transfer portal and players declaring for the NBA draft, things have quieted down for the UConn Huskies in the past week or so. They lost stars Jordan Hawkins and Adama Sanogo to the NBA officially, as both have signed with agents and forgone any remaining eligibility. Tristen Newton and Andre Jackson Jr. however declared for the draft and kept their eligibility. They’ll get to hear feedback from NBA squads that’ll inform their decision as to whether they’ll return to what has become a depleted Husky lineup. Let’s take a look into these players who are currently in the draft, along with players currently on the roster who could get drafted in the future. It’s important to note that this excludes class of ‘23 players like Stephon Castle or Solo Ball.
Jordan Hawkins, 6-5 guard
Hawkins is the only player on the Huskies roster who will 100% get drafted this summer, unless something absolutely crazy happens. ESPN has him listed as the No. 13 prospect and he had a stellar season. The guard averaged 16 points per game on 39% shooting from deep, numbers that are all the more impressive since he was the focal point for defenses to lock up. He was a master at coming off screens and drawing fouls, and also hitting threes when the defense fouled him. His athleticism and conditioning are both great too, so he’ll likely fit into an NBA rotation pretty quickly. On top of the solid regular season he had, his 98 points in the NCAA tournament was phenomenal, especially when it came on a 21-42 mark from beyond the arc. Simply put, Hawkins is the real deal and he should be floating around the end of the lottery.
Adama Sanogo, 6-9 center
One of the greatest players in UConn basketball history, Sanogo will forever be remembered as the leader of the championship team. He won the MOP in Houston, TX and had an incredible tournament run, averaging 19.7 points and 9.8 boards on over 60% from the field. Even though there’s a high chance Sanogo will go undrafted, his stock will never be higher than it is now. One of the biggest criticisms of his going into his junior year was that he was both undersized and had no game outside of the paint. While he can’t control his size, he did improve on his shot, making 19 of 52 tries from deep. Granted, many of those attempts were uncontested, but towards the end of the year, teams started to respect his shot, spreading the offense nicely. Even with this added aspect to his game and his accolades, Sanogo still stands as the No. 87 prospect according to ESPN. There’s a chance a team takes a chance on him, but it’s unlikely that he gets chosen with any of the first 50 selections.
Andre Jackson Jr., 6-6 point forward
The quintessential glue guy in the country, it’s hard to imagine the Huskies raising their fifth banner without the services of Jackson. He averaged 7, 6 and 5, but made impacts far past his stats. He was the vocal leader of the team–and has been since his freshman year. One of the biggest reasons for Connecticut’s January slump was teams sagging on Jackson from behind the arc and him continuing to toss up bricks. He still doesn’t have much of a shot from deep, but that can always be fixed with elite shooting coaching at the next level. Eventually, Jackson and the Huskies were able to figure out ways to use these defensive strategies to their advantage, helping get open shots for Hawkins with screening action. The appeal of Jackson is his elite feel for the game and winning mentality. He has confidence and drive that pairs well with his athleticism. ESPN has him listed as the No. 30 player on the board, which puts him as a fringe first rounder. He could develop into a great NBA player, but much of that is contingent on whether he figures out his shooting stroke.
Tristen Newton, 6-5 guard
Newton was phenomenal at times this year for Connecticut, but was dead silent at others. He started the Huskies’ win streak off with a 22 point triple double versus Buffalo and continued with 23 points and six dimes against Oregon. Although there were encouraging moments, things didn’t pick up again for the guard until mid January. He was far too passive and that–among any number of other factors–hurt UConn. Newton broke out of his slump in style, capping off six straight double-digit efforts with a triple-double in a win over Big East champions Marquette. Throughout the year, it was evident that when he was playing aggressively, he was a top guard in the country, but when he wasn’t, his value was limited. Perhaps the biggest boost to his stock was his 19 point, 10 rebound and four assist effort in the national championship in front of the entire country. He showed he has what it takes on the biggest stage, but is likely still too old and inconsistent to garner much draft consideration. Of the players who declared, he’s the one who is most likely to return.
Donovan Clingan, 7-2 center
Clingan has already announced his plans to return for his sophomore season, but it was largely accepted that he would have been drafted in the first round had he left after a year. He played just 13 minutes per game, but was the most efficient player in the country in those sparse minutes. He was stuck behind Sanogo in the depth chart, a tough place to be, but he shined whenever he came in. He can block shots like nobody else and has incredible touch at the rim. There are also rumblings of his ability to hit from three, but that has yet to be seen. If Clingan has the season many are expecting him to have, he could be picked in the top 10. All indications point to that, but the only question mark is whether he can replicate what he did this year in starter’s minutes.
Alex Karaban, 6-8 forward
In ESPN’s 2024 mock draft published in February, Karaban was listed as the 41st pick. It’s tough to imagine him leaving before his junior season unless he makes a considerable jump this year. That’s not to say he hasn’t been immensely important–because he was a key, starting piece of the championship squad–but his game and commitment to UConn doesn’t indicate that he’d leave too early. He has size and a sweet shot, which does fit the mold of the modern NBA. If he can demonstrate an increased ability to be a top 2-3 option on the Huskies this year, he could get drafted. However, if he continues to be a do-it-all starter without a major scoring punch, he’ll likely be in Connecticut for a while. Karaban has the tools, but the strides he makes in the next year or so will be a massive determinant.
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