Hurley on roster-building: ‘Have not changed a lot’

Jeff Borzello, ESPN

• Personnel WriterApr 7, 2024, 07:33 PM ET Close Basketball recruiting insider.
• Joined ESPN in 2014.
• Graduate of University of Delaware.GLENDALE, Ariz.– In a college sports

landscape significantly filled with transfer-laden rosters and portal-focused rebuilds, Monday night’s national championship game between Purdue and UConn will feature two teams– and coaches– constructed more in line with an old-school method to roster construction.UConn coach Dan Hurley made his thoughts clear Sunday afternoon.”My greatest motivation, actually, for the

last 2-3 weeks is I simply don’t wish to handle the portal s–,”Hurley said.”That’s why we’re trying to win so hard today. I’m seeing what other individuals are doing, and it’s turmoil. I can conceal behind, hello, my season’s still going on.”While the remark was made in a tongue-in-cheek style, Hurley and Purdue coach Matt Painter’s success over the past couple of seasons has not been down to wholesale lineup modifications every offseason.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated”We truly hold out to get our kind of individuals,” Hurley stated. “We simply haven’t changed a lot. Like, we do not kiss the kids’ass throughout recruiting. We do not kiss it while they

‘re on campus.”Purdue brought back all five beginners from last season, but went into the website and landed Southern Illinois transfer Lance Jones last offseason. The remainder of the Boilermakers’rotation is composed completely of players who signed with Purdue coming out of high school.”We have actually hired towards the production and the functionality of our system, what we’re attempting to do,”Painter said.”A great deal of individuals that are picking out of the portal and doing that, they’re attempting to get the most skilled guys, if they’re getting multiple guys. Someone needs to get six or 7 guys, there’s no chance 6 or seven guys are going to achieve success. It’s difficult, right?”In our scenario, where you need to get a guy or 2– Webcam Spencer is an excellent example. You’re blending in what they already had. What he brings fits what they do, specifically how hard he is, how he has an excellent feel, how he understands offensively. That’s a bit different than somebody entering into the spring and their roster management is two-thirds of their team, right?”UConn has actually leaned more heavily on the portal than the Boilermakers, with its beginning backcourt of Tristen Newton(East Carolina)and Spencer(Rutgers )– and 6th guy Hassan Diarra( Texas A&M)– all arriving as transfers. However Spencer was the only brand-new transfer addition last offseason, when Hurley chose to replace leaving stars Adama Sanogo and Jordan Hawkins with reserve Donovan Clingan and inbound freshman Stephon Castle instead of going for a more tested player in the portal.”Young players with talent that are insulated by returning players to your program that can uphold the culture, “Hurley said of how he balances a lineup.”Then strategic portal additions that can put you over the top.”It will be those “strategic”additions that could wind up playing a pivotal role Monday.

While the majority of the focus will be on Clingan and Zach Edey, two players who signed with their respective schools out of high school, Jones and Spencer– and Castle– could end up identifying the outcome.Jones is Purdue’s finest boundary defender and has actually provided

the Boilermakers a secondary ball handler and yet another consistent 3-point shooter in the backcourt. Webcam Spencer, who was UConn’s only brand-new transfer addition last offseason, has actually become the Huskies’emotional leader and second-leading scorer. Jamie Squire/Getty Images “We felt that we required a combination of some athleticism, some speed, a guy that can make a shot, and

somebody that can safeguard. He’s had the ability to give us all those elements, “Painter stated previously in the week.”We are extremely lucky to be able to get somebody that was a quality player that might step right in. Now we were just sort of piecing the puzzle. “Spencer, who began his career at Loyola Maryland and after that went to Rutgers, has actually become the heart-and-soul of this season’s UConn group, the emotional leader while likewise being the team’s second-leading scorer.”There’s definitely no ass kissing in the recruiting process, and that was my favorite part about it,”

Spencer stated. “They’re going to hold you liable, they’re going to tell you the truth about your strengths and weak points and where they see you suit the program. I think that’s one of the most unique aspects of UConn, particularly nowadays when kids wish to hear all the important things they’re succeeding, and the reality is you probably draw and need to improve at a lot of areas. That’s the something I appreciate about Coach Hurley and our entire staff and just how honest they are with us as players. “Castle got here in Storrs with more buzz than Spencer, mainly since of his status as a top-10 hire and projected lottery choice. But he missed time early in the season with a knee injury and didn’t hit his stride till later on in the season. He has had 2 of his finest games of the season in the NCAA competition, however, opting for 16 points and 11 rebounds versus Illinois and scoring a game-high 21 points versus Alabama on Saturday.”The way he dealt with the recruiting process, it didn’t develop into a mess,”Hurley stated.”He was definitive. He viewed us practice. He saw our culture. He wanted to be coached hard. They wanted an old-school environment for him to be challenged in, to be held accountable. It’s just been the best situation for him due to the fact that his draft stock is right where they desire it to be right now, and he’s won huge.

You can still do both, and everyone can win.”