UConn lands Saint Mary’s transfer Mahaney

• Jeff Borzello Close Jeff Borzello ESPN Staff Author Basketball recruiting insider. Joined ESPN in 2014. Graduate of University of Delaware.Jonathan Givony Apr 29, 2024, 01:23

• PM ET Saint Mary’s transfer Aidan Mahaney, among the very best available guards in the portal

• , has actually devoted to

UConn, he told ESPN.Mahaney is the 2nd important addition for the Huskies in recent days, following five-star hire Liam McNeeley, who devoted on Friday night.

The player from Lafayette, California, visited Storrs late recently, however then took a trip to check out Kentucky this past weekend. He had also gone to Creighton and Virginia, however Dan Hurley and the ruling back-to-back nationwide champs won out.Editor’s Picks

“I picked UConn due to the fact that

I wish to complete for championship games,”Mahaney stated.” UConn is a location that keeps the main point the main point. The training staff has shown themselves to be the best in the nation the last 2 years. Offensively with Luke Murray, I’ll remain in a different system that ought to enable my game to grow much more. And defensively with Kimani Young, I’ll be challenged to end up being the very best I can be. Coach Hurley will push me to be the very best player I can be and I can’t wait to choose his brain and the rest of the personnel. Every subsection from supervisors to grad assistants and DOBOs all work extremely difficult and are detailed down to a T with everything.

“I picked UConn to be pressed, to be a part of something bigger than myself, to contend for a championship game and to become a pro.”

A crucial consider Mahaney’s choice was UConn’s desire to make history once again and choose a third successive national championship.

“The coaching personnel doesn’t reconstruct at UConn, they refill,” he said. “There is no tiptoeing around the fact that the program is going all out all again, and I am ready to be a part of that journey towards continued success. One game at a time, clearly, however the objectives at UConn are set the minute you walk into the centers. National champs.”

A two-time first-team All-WCC selection, Mahaney has actually been one of the premier mid-major guards in the country throughout his very first 2 seasons in college. The 6-foot-3 guard burst onto the scene early as a freshman, scoring 25 points versus Oral Roberts in his launching and scoring 20-plus 6 more times the rest of the season.But it was his efficiency in an overtime win over Gonzaga in February of his freshman season that made Mahaney a national name. He scored 10 straight points down the stretch of guideline and scored or helped on 19 of 21 points during an eight-minute stretch in regulation and overtime to lead Saint Mary’s to a resurgence win.Mahaney was simply as efficient as a sophomore, with outings of 25 points against New Mexico, 22 points against Utah and averages of 19.7 points on 50% 3-point shooting in 3 games versus Gonzaga. He had 23 points in the WCC competition title game win over the Zags.In two seasons with the Gaels, Mahaney averaged 13.9 points and shot 37.5% from 3-point range on more than 6 attempts per game.Mahaney is a much-needed backcourt addition for the Huskies, who have already lost 4 beginners from the sport’s first back-to-back nationwide champs considering that Florida in 2007. Guards Tristen Newton and Webcam Spencer are out of eligibility, while forecasted lottery choices Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle went into the NBA draft. Redshirt sophomore Alex Karaban likewise stated for the NBA draft, but he’s a forecasted second-round choice and has actually exposed the choice to go back to Storrs.Hurley will rely on Big East Sixth Male of the Year Hassan Diarra to take on a bigger function, while Samson Johnson and Solomon Ball– who each earned a number of starts this past season– will see increased minutes. UConn is welcoming in 3 ESPN 100 recruits in McNeeley(No. 9), Ahmad Nowell (No. 34) and Isaiah Abraham( No. 58), as well as a set of transfers in Mahaney and previous Michigan huge name Tarris Reed.