Locked On UConn - Why Dan Hurley and Co are Attracting Stars

In today's episode of Locked On UConn, Mark Zanetto dives into why Dan Hurley and his staff are attracting top-tier talent. Special guest Tobias Bass, a Scout/Analyst and Live News Editor for The Athletic, joins Mark to break down the recent interest in elite recruits, discuss specific top talents linked to UConn, and explore the broader recruiting landscape in college basketball. Enjoy insights, predictions, and thoughtful analysis in this packed episode.

Show Notes

Intro:

Host: Mark Zanetto

Special Guest: Tobias Bass, Scout/Analyst, Live News Editor for The Athletic, and Texas Tech Alum

Episode Title: Why Dan Hurley and Co are Attracting Stars

Housekeeping:

Shoutout to amazing YouTube support.

Encouraging listeners to download the audio version on Apple, Spotify, or wherever they get their podcasts.

Click subscribe on YouTube and follow on podcast platforms to never miss an episode.

Thanking listeners for their support and asking for 5-star reviews to grow the audience.

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Segment 1: Elite Recruiting and Top Talent

Introduction of Tobias Bass

Discussion Prompt: Why Dan Hurley is targeting top talent and breaking from the perceived 3 and 4-star development focus.

Conversation on Meleek Thomas and other notable high school recruits.

Segment 2: Potential UConn Recruits

Interactive segment: Mark names a player, Tobias gives his thoughts and a probability percentage (0-100%) on landing at UConn.

Players discussed:

AJ Dybantsa

Any chance of Boozer twins separating?

Chris Cenac

Acaden Lewis, Braylon Mullens, Nikola Bundalo

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Segment 3: Recruiting Strategy and Formula

Tobias discusses the recruiting formula for UConn and other title-contending teams.

Insights into how the recruiting landscape has evolved in college basketball.

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Segment 4: Understanding the Recruiting Process

Tobias shares insights from a recruit's perspective on navigating the recruitment process.

Discussion on what 4-star and above recruits should look for and how they should approach their decisions.

Analysis of other schools that have figured out recruiting beyond UConn.

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Segment 5: Coaching at Different Levels

Discussion on Dan Hurley's decision to turn down the Lakers.

Debate on whether NBA coaching is the pinnacle of coaching or more of a management role.

Comparisons to MLB managing roles (e.g., Aaron Boone, Alex Cora, Dusty Baker).

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Outro:

Promoting Locked On’s 24/7 national sports streaming channel.

Reminder to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and stay connected.

Closing: "Stay locked in, stay connected, make sure your toughness meter is always rising, and as always, Go Huskies!"