The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
UConn’s Hurley talks about ex-huskies NBA Draft prospects
With the NBA Draft later this month, UConn coach Dan Hurley was asked Monday about his program’s three entrants.
Jordan Hawkins, a potential lottery pick, is just starting his NBA team workouts.
“If you’re watching the NBA playoffs, and if Jordan’s not moving up in mock drafts and you’re watching the importance of 3-point shooting ... a team that passes on him in the top 10, top 12 picks, for a guy that shoots the ball in a way that you hardly ever see in college,” Hurley said.
Adama Sanogo, the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, may have an uphill climb to be selected in the two rounds on June 22 as he’s deemed a bit small (6-7½ at the NBA combine) for an NBA five-man.
“Unfortunately, with the amount of mistakes that everyone makes in terms of talent evaluation, an organization’s going to look past him, I guess, not having the premier height,” Hurley said. “Kind of like they do in the NFL, where now you don’t have to be 6-5 as a quarterback. They’ve got to get over his measurables, I guess, and see a guy that got better every year, made 3s this year, went off the dribble, passed so much better. If he’s not an NBA player, then there’s something wrong with the way the NBA plays.”
“He won a national championship, and he’s dominated big guys who are playing in the NBA right now.”
(Hello, Walker Kessler).
Andre Jackson Jr. may have had the toughest decision of the three. He finally announced he would be remaining in the NBA Draft last week.
“I’m not surprised he went, very happy for him,” said guard Tristen Newton, who returned to UConn after exploring his NBA options. “I’m glad he went for himself. Obviously, I’ll miss him as a teammate, but you come here so you can take the next step. We won a national championship like he wanted to do, now there’s nothing left to prove in college. So, I’m happy for him.”
Added Hurley: “To do what we did with them, at this point in their careers, the rhythm of things were for those three guys to go to the NBA. We win a national championship, and they go. (Jackson) deserves to be a first-round pick, in my opinion. He’s that impactful, in terms of what we can do for an organization. At worst, if he’s early second round, then it was a really good decision. He deserves to be picked there.”