On Tuesday, one of the most important deadlines for NBA-hopeful college basketball athletes passed, giving a major update on the talent that will be returning to college.
Quite possibly one of the biggest updates, at least in the Big East, came for the UConn Huskies, who received news that a three-year starter would return for his fourth year at the program.
The Huskies are fresh off a 24-11 season, which saw them finish third in the Big East with a 14-6 in-conference record. They were eliminated in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by eventual national champion Florida, 77-75. Led by head coach Dan Hurley and still two years removed from their back-to-back national titles, the Huskies have been an active force in the transfer portal this offseason.
Hurley and his staff picked up several key transfers who are expected to contribute immediately, adding former Georgia guard Silas Demary Jr. and Dayton point guard Malachi Smith to a solid returning core. Additionally, Hurley, well-regarded as a great high school recruiter, picked up a pair of McDonald's All-Americans in Braylon Mullins and Eric Reibe.
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The Huskies will return starting shooting guard Solomon Ball and center Tarris Reed Jr., but on Tuesday received news that one of the key pieces of Hurley's championship-lifting teams would return.
In what Jon Rothstein called "significant Big East News", Alex Karaban withdrew his name from the NBA Draft process, electing to return to UConn.
Karaban, who in his freshman and sophomore seasons played a big part in lifting the national championship with UConn, will now return to Storrs, Connecticut, for his senior season. The Huskies now return three of their four leading scorers.
It may come as a shock to some that Karaban decided to return, but it is ultimately a huge win for UConn and Dan Hurley, who return who ESPN's Jonathan Givony says would have been picked in this year's draft.
"Karaban was most recently projected as the No. 35 prospect in ESPN's NBA draft rankings, giving him a reasonable chance of working his way into first-round consideration with a strong predraft process," ESPN's Jonathan Givony wrote. "Karaban also entered the 2024 NBA draft, attending the NBA combine and playing in a pair of scrimmages before ultimately electing to return for his junior season."
Karaban seems confident in his decision, though.
"After deliberating the last few weeks with my coaches and family about my future, I've realized that my heart remains in Storrs, and I have unfinished business to chase another national championship with my brothers," Karaban said in his Instagram post. "Let's run it back one last time!"
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