Karaban, Spencer putting in the work

CHICAGO — The UConn men’s basketball team’s entire starting five will be in the Windy City to begin NBA Combine workouts this week.

Two of those players have already been in Chicago for weeks.

Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban have been here the past few weeks working out with their agency, Priority Sports, in preparation for the combine, which will be held at Wintrust Arena (home of DePaul).

The two have worked out together over the past few weeks under the stewardship of CEO founder Mark Bartelstein, but are on separate paths, at least for the next week. Spencer has exhausted his college eligibility (no, he’s no longer pursuing an extra year) and is hoping to work his way into the NBA Draft, which will be held June 26-27 in New York City.

“He’s ready to go,” said his father, Bruce. “He’s a very focused young man.”

Karaban, who just finished his redshirt sophomore season with a second straight national title, has maintained his collegiate eligibility and can return to UConn in search of a three-peat if he doesn’t feel it’s in his best interest to remain in the draft.

“We’re excited for the opportunity,” Karaban’s mother, Olga, told CT Insider. “It’s a win-win for him, either way. Exciting to see what happens after the combine, and if he comes back to UConn, it’s going to be another great year.”

Donovan Clingan, who has been working out the past few weeks in Miami, Stephon Castle and Tristen Newton will also be in Chicago this week. Clingan and Castle are likely lottery picks; Newton, like Spencer, is hoping to be taken in the second round, if not higher.

Needless to say, all five players are ultra-focused. How focused is Spencer? He’s made a couple of “inand-out,” one-day trips to UConn over the past

month. Both days, he managed to get a pair of workouts in before leaving.

“He’s all-in, 110 miles per hour,” Bruce Spencer said.

Indeed, it’s been pretty much all basketball for Cam Spencer since finishing off his one and only season at UConn with a national championship victory on April 9 in Phoenix. Sure, there was a wedding outing for a good buddy in Cooperstown, N.Y., that included a trip to

the Baseball Hall of Fame, a round of golf and a night at a casino. Otherwise, he’s been working hard, even undergoing a workout with an NBA team.

For Karaban, his performance at the combine, and the feedback he gets from NBA personnel over the next week, will go a

long way toward whether he opts to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA, or returns to UConn. It’s a similar decision to what Andre Jackson Jr. faced a year ago. Jackson waited until just about the last minute to decide to turn pro. He was selected in the second

round of the NBA Draft, and was a contributor off the bench for Milwaukee this season.

While it was undoubtedly the right decision, even opting to enter the draft process was a difficult one for Karaban.

“He loves UConn so much, so just the thought

of it was tough,” Olga noted. “But he’s excited to see what’s ahead.”

Family can attend and watch the combine workouts and scrimmages over the next few days. Bruce Spencer and Quannette and Stacey Castle will be there; Bill Clingan and the Karabans will not.