Spring Break
Adrien, seniors ready for last chance
Justin Verrier
Issue date: 11/14/08 Section: Husky Hoopla
Each offseason has become a guessing game as to whether not Hasheem Thabeet will make the jump to the pros, but this spring's sideshow appears to be the last.
The 7-foot-3 center waited until the last day before underclassmen had to put their names into the NBA, and with a generally weak class expected for next season's draft, Thabeet seems to be a sure-fire lottery pick.
And with Walker, who looks like a future All-American after averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 assists in the preseason while commanding the floor like a seasoned vet, and Jerome Dyson only having to play in supporting roles, now may be UConn's last shot before another retooling effort is needed.
"[Thabeet's] going to be a lottery pick," Walker said. "Most everybody on our team is going to get to that level, so that's definitely going to be a tremendous feeling."
Adrien, Price and Austrie, know the frustration of rebuilding all too well.
The Huskies' 2006 team might have been one of the most talented rosters of the past decade. While even fringe prospects were willing to forego college to chase after the dollar signs flashing in front of them, the Huskies were able to hold on to not only key players, but assemble a team chock full of blue-chippers.
UConn's roster would've made a competitive NBA franchise. But all the talent in the world wasn't enough.
Adrien will be the first to admit that.
The forward had his coming-out party in the Huskies' Elite Eight loss to George Mason in 2006, scoring a then-career-high 17 points, but was still catching a plane back to Storrs the next day.
Coach Jim Calhoun expects Adrien to use that experience, and the sting he felt afterward, as motivation to get back there again
That's why after Adrien and Price put in less-than-stellar performances against AIC, Calhoun said he needed a bit more from two players that could decide the Huskies' fate.
"Just think of Jeff Adrien's career: No. 1 in the country, 30 wins, final eight, a good year last year and when we were lousy in '07, knocked out of both the Big East and NCAA tournaments - and now a chance," Calhoun said. "I expect him to be hungrier than that. I'm not just blaming Jeff. I expect A.J. to be hungrier; I expect everybody to be hungrier."
The 7-foot-3 center waited until the last day before underclassmen had to put their names into the NBA, and with a generally weak class expected for next season's draft, Thabeet seems to be a sure-fire lottery pick.
And with Walker, who looks like a future All-American after averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 assists in the preseason while commanding the floor like a seasoned vet, and Jerome Dyson only having to play in supporting roles, now may be UConn's last shot before another retooling effort is needed.
"[Thabeet's] going to be a lottery pick," Walker said. "Most everybody on our team is going to get to that level, so that's definitely going to be a tremendous feeling."
Adrien, Price and Austrie, know the frustration of rebuilding all too well.
The Huskies' 2006 team might have been one of the most talented rosters of the past decade. While even fringe prospects were willing to forego college to chase after the dollar signs flashing in front of them, the Huskies were able to hold on to not only key players, but assemble a team chock full of blue-chippers.
UConn's roster would've made a competitive NBA franchise. But all the talent in the world wasn't enough.
Adrien will be the first to admit that.
The forward had his coming-out party in the Huskies' Elite Eight loss to George Mason in 2006, scoring a then-career-high 17 points, but was still catching a plane back to Storrs the next day.
Coach Jim Calhoun expects Adrien to use that experience, and the sting he felt afterward, as motivation to get back there again
That's why after Adrien and Price put in less-than-stellar performances against AIC, Calhoun said he needed a bit more from two players that could decide the Huskies' fate.
"Just think of Jeff Adrien's career: No. 1 in the country, 30 wins, final eight, a good year last year and when we were lousy in '07, knocked out of both the Big East and NCAA tournaments - and now a chance," Calhoun said. "I expect him to be hungrier than that. I'm not just blaming Jeff. I expect A.J. to be hungrier; I expect everybody to be hungrier."
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