Connecticut NBA Draft Prospects Star in Win Against Providence

The Connecticut basketabll team is off to another great start.

After winning the NCAA championship in 2023 and 2024, the Huskies reached the NCAA Tournament in 2025, but fell in the Round of 32 at the hands of Florida, who went on to win the national title.

This year, though, the Huskies appear to be back in contention for a championship as the team has started 15-1, with its only loss coming against unbeaten Arizona. In that game, Dan Hurley's squad was without standout freshman Braylon Mullins, who led all scorers in the team's most recent victory.

Mullins notched 24 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals in the Huskies' 103-98 overtime win against Providence. The first-year guard shot 8-of-14 from the field, 6-of-10 from 3-point range and 2-of-3 from the free throw line.

Alongside Mullins, veteran forward Alex Karaban tallied 23 points, 3 rebounds and an assist while shooting 8-of-18 from the field, 5-of-9 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 from the free throw line.

Both Mullins and Karaban will likely be selected in the 2026 NBA Draft, especially if the duo continues to perform well into March Madness. Mullins has the potential to be a lottery selection, while Karaban could be a high-end second round pick.

On the season, Mullins is averaging 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 47.3% from the field and 38.6% from deep. The talented 19-year-old missed the start of UConn's season with an ankle injury, but has notched a few impressive performance since his return.

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 196 pounds, the former five-star recruit has the size and shot-making ability to be a premier pick in this year's class.

Karaban, on the other hand, is a fifth-year senior who has started 126 career games for the Huskies. This season, the 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward is averaging 13.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field and 43.4% from beyond the arc.

The veteran's size, shooting ability and experience should make him a valuable selection in the second round who could help an NBA team immediately as a rotation player.

In addition to Mullins and Karaban, Silas Demary Jr. and Tarris Reed Jr. each had solid outings against Providence. Demary notched 23 points, 15 assists, 3 rebounds, 5 steals and just one turnover while shooting 7-of-11 from the field, 4-of-6 from 3-point range and 5-of-5 from the free throw line.

Reed finished with 20 points, 8 rebounds, an assist, 3 steals and 2 blocks while shooting 8-of-13 from the field and 4-of-6 from the charity stripe.

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