College Basketball: Can Connecticut Win Back-to-Back National Championships?
With the college season still a little over two months away, we have time to look through the rosters of all the college teams and see how their rosters stack up with everyone else. Connecticut had one of the most dominant tournament runs we’ve ever seen as they rolled through the competition in the six games they played to win the 2023 NCAA national championship.
The Huskies had a lottery pick in Jordan Hawkins who was arguably the best pure shooter in the entire draft last year paired with Andre Jackson who was one of the most athletic players in that draft while also being a very talented passer. Those two prospects paired with Adama Sanogo who was considered one of the most productive bigs in all of college basketball is what made their team so talented.
They played off of each other and the chemistry that team had was unmatched. They’ll be losing three of their most valuable players in Hawkins, Jackson and Sanogo as they all pursued the NBA. Let’s dive into how this team looks heading into the 2023-2024 season and if it’s realistic to believe that they can win back-to-back national championships.
Key Returners
Donovan Clingan is a projected lottery pick for the 2024 NBA draft due to his elite size, rim protection, rebounding and finishing ability at the rim. He was a vital part of the Huskies championship run last year as he was able to change the direction of games due to his interior presence. He’ll be a sophomore this upcoming season and is looking to have a breakout year as he’ll be the full time starter at the center position with more minutes being played due to Adama Sanogo leaving for the NBA.
Alex Karaban is a 6-foot-8 forward that was the starting power forward all season long for the Huskies last season. He is a projected second round pick with first round upside due to his elite shooting ability at his size. Karaban serves really well as a connector piece on this UConn team and potentially as an NBA player due to the little things he does well. He crashes the offensive glass with toughness, shoots it at an extremely high level and plays unselfish basketball. With a bigger role on Connecticut this upcoming season, it’ll be interesting to see how much he improved heading into his sophomore year.
Tristen Newton doesn't get enough credit as a prospect or how much of a positive factor he played in helping get the UConn Huskies a national championship. Newton is a sleeper second round prospect due to his shot-making ability, great touch and creativity as a passer. This past season he led the Huskies in assists, as he averaged 4.7 per game. The fifth-year senior will be given a much bigger role due to them losing Hawkins and Jackson so there’s a real chance Newton finally gets his name on more draft radars for his final year in college.
Key Incomer
Stephon Castle is a five-star recruit that’ll be suiting up for the Huskies this upcoming season. He is currently projected to be a lottery pick along with Clingan. At 6-foot-6, Castle has positional size for a combo guard which goes well with his elite playmaking potential. Castle will likely be the lead guard for this team this upcoming year due to how talented he is with the ball in his hands.
The pick-and-roll game between him and Clingan could be ridiculously good and something their team goes to often given their team personnel. Some scouts believe Castle has a chance to be a top-five pick in the 2024 NBA draft so he’s definitely a prospect that could take the Huskies far in the tournament once again.
Projected Starting Five
Guard: Stephon Castle
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Guard: Tristen Newton
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Wing: Cam Spencer
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Forward: Alex Karaban
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Center: Donovan Clingan
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Team Outlook
After winning the 2023 NCAA National Championship, this UConn team lost three of their most important players that resulted in them winning a championship so the major question is how can they get back there?
It’s not going to be easy as this team will have to play a much different style of basketball given their personnel but there’s no denying that they’re clearly one of the most talented teams in the country and talent can take you a long way.
If Clingan and Karaban can take that next step forward with bigger roles while Castle comes in and plays like a top five pick, this team will be one of the best in the country yet again and will have a real shot at winning back-to-back national championships.
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.