UConn Basketball: Taking Down the Tarheels

To me, there is a fair amount of symbolism behind these players’ exits.  By all accounts, all three are quality young men who were well liked by their teammates, coaches, fans, and the media covering the team.

However, there seemed to be an underlying vibe with the departed trio: They didn’t have the fire in their bellies to want to be great, to put in the extra work needed to become a champion.  Those are not the type of attitudes you want in the locker room when you have legitimate Final Four aspirations.

Exit Wiggins, Kelly, and Robinson; enter Nate Miles, Kemba Walker, and Ater Majok, who are the three most likely newcomers to make their presence felt next year.

Walker, the heir apparent to Price at the point, is expected to contribute right away.  He also gives Calhoun the enviable option of being able to shift Price to the shooting guard position for stretches of action.

Majok gets to slide into a role of being a beast off the bench.  The Huskies couldn’t be more rock solid at the 4-5 positions with four-year warrior Jeff Adrien manning the four and likely 2009 lottery pick Hasheem Thabeet at center.  Majok can come in, fly under the radar, go up against two studs in practice every day, and give the Huskies fifteen quality minutes off the bench.

As much as Majok and Walker will be counted on to contribute, it’s probably the much-traveled Nate Miles (I’ve lost count as to how many high schools he attended) who will be the most critical newcomer based on the way the circumstances have shaken out.  The small forward position is there for the taking, and Miles appears to have the talent to seize it.

One thing in his favor is he’ll be replacing the mercurial Robinson, inconsistency’s poster boy, so it’s not hard to imagine him equaling or even surpassing Robinson’s numbers.  With the surrounding firepower, Miles won’t need to drop 17 a night, but he’ll be expected to knock down triples when the bigs get doubled or the guards slash and look to kick.

The final X-factor is Jerome Dyson.  Dyson—who, by the way, was the team’s best player two years ago—seemed to suffer from a sophomore slump last year.  His midseason suspension took him out of the flow, and he never seemed to fully get back in the picture after his return.  However, his noble performance in last year’s tournament loss would seem to signify a return to form for Dyson in 2008-2009.

Add it all up, and UConn appears to have the ingredients to return to their powerhouse days from the 1998-2006 era.  In fact, one can make a case that this team might produce more future pros than the mighty Heels.

Can they come together and gel in time for a run at the title?  I think so—and maybe on the right night in Motown they can steal UNC’s seemingly preordained title.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?