The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
UConn’s Carlton enters transfer portal
UConn center Josh Carlton confirmed to Hearst Connecticut Media Thursday that he has entered the transfer portal.
Carlton will graduate this spring and has spent four seasons with UConn, but he is eligible for another season after the NCAA granted athletes an added year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Carlton will play at another school as a graduate student.
“It was pretty tough,” he said of his decision. “I was at UConn for four years, it’s never easy to do. I enjoyed my time here.”
Carlton, a 6-foot-11 center, averaged 3.5 points and 3.7 rebounds in 19 games this season, including one start. Carlton started 64 games over the previous two seasons, but lost his starting spot to freshman Adama Sanogo this season.
As a junior, Carlton averaged 7.8 points and 6.1 rebounds in 31 games. He averaged 9 points and 6.2 rebounds in 33 games as a sophomore when he was named American Athletic Conference Most Improved
Player, after starting 17 games (4.4 points, 3.7 rebounds) as a freshman.
He became a reserve this season as Sanogo emerged as the starter. But Carlton continued to contribute off the bench and a leader.
“It was tough,” he confessed, “but I just tried to stay positive through all of it and support my teammates regardless of what was going on, and contribute when I was asked to make contributions.”
Carlton has already heard from a few schools, including ECU (which is right near his hometown in Greenville, North Carolina), UNC-Charlotte, Pittsburgh and Southern Illinois. He wouldn’t mind playing closer to home, but will wait to make the right choice.
“Right now, I’m just taking my time with it,” he noted. “I’m not in any type of rush.”
Carlton could have returned to UConn for another season.
“I considered everything — staying at UConn, going pro. I just thought, for my career, going into the portal is the best thing for me.”
Carlton, who averaged 11.2 minutes this season, played four minutes in a loss to Creighton the Big East tournament and just two minutes in the NCAA Tournament loss to Maryland.
“Josh was raised by an incredible family, in terms of his character and how he’s handled everything this year,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said late in the season. “It’s a tough situation for a guy who has started as many games, and his expectations. He’s battled his tail off every single day.
“He has fought and pushed Adama and pushed himself to try to regain his spot, or increase his role. He’s been relentless. But by the same token, he’s been an incredible teammate and a mentor for Adama and an incredible teammate for our players.”
Carlton is the second UConn player to enter the transfer portal. Guard Brendan Adams, who is graduating in three years, announced on Monday he is transferring. Seniors Tyler Polley and Isaiah Whaley are also eligible for another season and could transfer.