UConn’s Potential Transfer Portal Triumph

Silas Demary Jr. is expected to commit to UConn. The commit might just reinvent the former Champions

Parts, Unknown— In the raw aftermath of UConn’s second-round NCAA Tournament loss to Florida on March 23, 2025—a defeat that snapped a 1,102-day March Madness win streak—Dan Hurley was reeling. I asked him a question that cut deep, and the two-time national champion coach broke down in tears. “The players change your life,” he said, voice trembling as he named Alex Karaban, Hassan Diarra, and Samson Johnson. It was a gut-punch moment, a testament to the bonds built in Storrs. But beneath those tears, Hurley was likely shedding one for the storm he saw on the horizon: the transfer portal, a force that could tear his roster apart.

Fast forward to April 2, 2025, and that storm has parted. The mass exodus Hurley dreaded never hit. The core is back, battle-scarred and resolute, and the expected¹ addition of Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr. has turned a potential collapse into a reload that could propel UConn back to the top. This isn’t just a team dodging chaos—it’s a program rewriting its future.

Let’s own the misses. On my podcast last week, I leaned on whispers from usually airtight sources. I had Solo Ball, the electric guard whose playmaking sparked the season, pegged to test the NBA waters. Nope. Jaylin Stewart, the sophomore forward whose 17.9 minutes per game and defensive grit screamed upside, was supposedly portal-bound after his dad posted what looked like a “farewell” to Storrs—turns out, it was gratitude, not goodbye. I was braced for an 0-for-2 on those calls, but I’m grinning as I walk them back. Then there’s Tarris Reed Jr., the 6-foot-10 sophomore who stepped up big—sources, not just mine, swore he was gone. Tarris Reed Jr. Gaffe.² Now? He’s trending toward a return to anchor the frontcourt with Samson Johnson graduating. And don’t sleep on Alex Karaban, the ultimate team player that Dan Hurley calls, “The Brain Center” the forward, whose draft stock slipped—he might be back for a senior year, a move that’d jolt the Big East.

Note to self: Trust nobody. I’m sticking to my gut from now on—not what even the most reliable voices swear—unless Dan Hurley himself pings my cell. For now, I’m good.

Tristen Newton arguably the greatest transfer portal player in the short history of NIL. 2 Year, 2 titles and a MOP of the final four/Husky Ring of Honor. Is that good?

Hurley’s not just weathering the storm—he’s harnessing it. Back to the expected arrival of Silas Demary Jr., the 6-foot-5, 195-pound point guard from Georgia, the kid feels like he was built for Hurley’s system. He averaged 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists as a sophomore for the Bulldogs, hitting 37.4% from three and racking up 158 free-throw attempts with his downhill ferocity. His numbers and stature—6-foot-5 combo guard—reek of Tristen Newton, a comp this team will continue to recreate there formula of past success. He’s a big, physical guard who can run the show, switch on defense, and punish teams from deep or at the line—everything UConn missed with Aidan Mahaney’s rocky stint.

Mahaney, the Saint Mary’s transfer with All-WCC hype, never clicked in Storrs. His 4.5 points per game and struggles against Big East physicality made him a culture clash in Hurley’s relentless, pressure-driven offense. Demary’s the upgrade fans ached for. Picture this: Demary steering the attack, Solo Ball slashing off the wing, Stewart crashing the glass, and Reed (and maybe Karaban) stretching the floor or dominating inside. It’s a lineup that blends size, speed, and versatility—the DNA of Hurley’s championship teams.

The offseason magic doesn’t end there. UConn’s roster moves are a masterstroke. Freshmen Ahmad Nowell, Isaiah Abraham, and sophomore Youssouf Singare—none of whom cracked the rotation meaningfully—are out, paving the way for the nation’s No. 3 recruiting class: guards Braylon Mullins, Darius Adams, and Jacob Furphy, plus Center Eric Reibe. These four don’t just plug holes; they elevate the ceiling. Mullins and Adams bring elite shooting and playmaking, Furphy adds length and upside, and Reibe offers a skilled big-man presence to pair with Reed. Meanwhile, Jayden Ross, the athletic sophomore forward, seems to be trending toward staying, giving Hurley another dynamic weapon.

Braylon and Darius could be the best shooting freshman tandem in the country. Coupling them with Solo ball is absurd

So what’s the next move? With the core intact and Demary as the portal prize, does Hurley stand pat—or swing for one more piece? Two names leap out: Quinnipiac’s Amarri Monroe and Indiana’s Mackenzie Mgbako.

Monroe, the 6-foot-7 MAAC Player of the Year, averaged 18.1 points and 9.1 rebounds this season—a stat line that screams “Hurley guy.” He’s a rugged, do-it-all forward who could shine as a high-impact reserve or push for a starting spot if Karaban departs. Then there’s Mgbako, the 6-foot-8 stretch 3-4 who UConn offered in 2021 before he landed at Indiana. Now in the portal after two seasons with the Hoosiers, Mgbako’s size, athleticism, and shooting—he hit 40.4% from three as a freshman—could be the final flourish. Imagine a closing lineup of Demary, Ball, Mgbako, Karaban, and Reed: it’s a matchup nightmare, with spacing, switchability, and scoring at every spot.

Amarri has been linked to UConn given his last year of eligibility and close proximity to Storrs. Mgbako, the former UConn target is set to visit Kentucky but remains available at the time this article was researched and written

Hurley’s never one to rest, and with the portal open through April 22, the itch to add one more shooter or athletic wing must be relentless. Mgbako feels like the dream target—a player who could turn a very good UConn team into a terror. But even if he stops here, the turnaround is jaw-dropping. A team Hurley wept for after Florida, fearing the portal’s wrath, has instead kept its soul, upgraded its engine, and added blue-chip talent.

This isn’t a rebuild. It’s a reload—and a damn good one. Hurley’s tears that day weren’t just for the players who’d changed his life—they were for a storm he thought would break his team. Instead, with Silas Demary Jr. at the helm and a roster deeper, tougher, and more dynamic than the one that fell, the Huskies are already clawing at another title run. The Big East better buckle up—Storrs is staying stormy.

1. Silas Demary Jr has not yet committed. UConn got a crystal ball prediction from 247’s Travis Barnham, and On3’s Jamie Shaw as well. As well as I received confirmation from another 247 recruiting and transfer portal expect. As well as another “It’s Done” direct message from a scout at The Athletic.

2. From the Show i mentioned Tarris Reed speculation @11:07 mark
"Now here's the headline: Tarris Reed Jr., former top 30 recruit, is expected to enter the transfer portal. Listen, Reed wasn’t coached well at Michigan by Juwan Howard and staff. He came in finesse-heavy for a guy who’s 6’10”, 265. UConn wanted to change that. They wanted to turn him into a Clingan-type bruiser, Adama Sanogo with the feet he has—you know, mini-Adama—all that. Pair him with Samson and match opponents with physicality and speed. They were trying to bring the grizzly bear out of him, and he had flashes. Whether it was confidence, scheme fit, or just mentality, we have to be honest—it wasn’t consistent."

This is where you introduce the idea of Reed’s expected departure, framing it as the "headline" of your emergency episode and diving into the reasoning behind it. You elaborate further on his fit, mentality, and the staff’s frustration in the subsequent lines, but 11:07 is the precise moment you first bring up Tarris Reed leaving