Today, the UConn men’s basketball team got some great news. Sophomore guard Silas Demary Jr. announced that he’s transferring to the Huskies, their first commitment of the portal season.
The Georgia-transfer entered the portal after a nice sophomore year and projects to have a huge impact in Storrs.
One of the biggest pain points for Connecticut this season was their lack of a big guard. Over the course of their two championship runs, they had a handful of oversized ball-dominant guards who could get things done. Think Tristen Newton, Steph Castle, Andre Jackson Jr.. All three were exceptional ball handlers who were also over 6-foot-5.
This past season, they were missing that, with the starting point guard being 6-foot Hassan Diarra. Diarra had trouble getting lobs over defenders to Samson Johnson, who made much of his impact in 2024 as a rim-runner. The solution? Demary Jr.
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There is no better player in the transfer portal to solve this problem than him. Above all else, he can play as a point guard. He averaged just three assists per game last season, but Georgia’s offense didn’t lend itself to creating assists. He led the team there and will likely thrive in UConn’s assist-heavy offense that was fourth in the country. Georgia was in the bottom half nationally in that department.
Standing at 6-foot-5, he has the size to find centers for lobs near the rim. And he has the touch to do so too. He’s poised to lead a complicated UConn offense that is designed for a player like him. Big and can pass.
"I wanted to be the next great [UConn] point guard," Demary Jr. said Thursday. "Obviously, guys that won back-to-back, great guards like Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle, you look back even farther, Shabazz Napier, Kemba Walker. I want to be a part of one of those names. I want to be part of a program that's been about winning."
As a shooter, he’s serviceable too. For a Bulldog team that was a 9-seed in the tournament and fought to an 8-10 conference record, he shot 37% from deep, which put him in the top-500 in the nation. For reference, Newton never eclipsed 37% from beyond the arc. Demary Jr. has the shooting touch to stretch the defense out and make them respect his shot, which is again crucial in UConn’s offense that requires every non-center to be a shooting threat.
He’s no worse inside the arc. He’s excellent at drawing fouls, at nearly five per game last year. The guard also makes the opposition pay at the line, hitting 80% of his free throws. A player who can shoot, drive, generate contact and pass is invaluable to a coach, but that’s not even the end of it.
Demary Jr. is also a plus defender, making the proper gambles to nab steals. He has the weight to not get pushed around too, which is also important. Hurley likes to have players who can switch onto anyone from 1-4 and they were hurt not being able to do so last year. Demary Jr. fits that mold perfectly, along with pretty much every other one too.
STORRS IMPACT
As discussed over and over again throughout this article, there is no better fit in the portal for Connecticut than Demary Jr.. He’s exactly what UConn was missing last year in a bevy of different ways.
He scores, passes, defends and everything else too. He’ll slot in immediately as the Huskies’ starting PG, right alongside Solo Ball.
Demary Jr. is a piece that UConn needed to get if they wanted to compete for a third championship in four years. They know what type of roster will get them a ring and they have a sense of what type of roster will take them to the round of 32. Demary Jr. appears to be a key cog to the former type and will make a huge impact. His hustle gives him the chance to be a fan-favorite and who knows, he could end up on one of the Huskies’ walls some day.
“Silas is the type of big guard we love at UConn and we can’t wait to get him in the mix,” head coach Dan Hurley said in a release. “He can score from all three levels, play-make and use his length to guard multiple positions. Silas comes from a great family and will fit our championship culture to a tee.”
LOOKING FORWARD
With Demary Jr. now committed, the Huskies sit at seven confirmed players for next year’s team, a promising core. Alex Karaban, Jayden Ross and Tarris Reed Jr. are yet to confirm whether they’re staying or going, while Ball and Jaylin Stewart are returning.
A lot of their needs depend on whether those three in limbo stay. If they do, then their biggest needs are likely role player-wings who can defend at a high level and play off the ball. If Ross plays to his potential, that's a role he could fill too. Defense is an emphasis after having Hurley’s worst defensive team ever at UConn…
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