UConn’s frontcourt makeover has centered on two transfer additions who give Dan Hurley very different but equally useful answers inside.
With Tarris Reed off to the NBA and Eric Reibe gone to USC, the Huskies had to restock the paint through the portal if they wanted to stay competitive this season. In Seton Hall’s Na’jai Hines and Stanford’s Oskar Giltay, they appear to have done just that.
Hines arrived with the kind of résumé that made him hard to ignore. The four-star freshman was young for his grade after reclassifying down a year, and at Seton Hall he averaged 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 18.0 minutes per game over 31 games. He also posted a double-double against UConn, finishing with 11 points and 11 rebounds, and turned in four double-doubles and 11 games with double-digit rebounds overall.
Hurley has been openly impressed by what he’s seen. In the preseason, Hines came off the bench against Syracuse and led UConn with 17 points.
He ran into foul trouble as a starter against Michigan State and Purdue, but the upside was obvious. He showed touch around the rim, scored in the post and even helped initiate offense from the five, including a few sharp passes against Purdue.
“Na’jai is as talented as any of the centers that have been here. Can score over either shoulder,” Hurley said.
“The guy can pass, he understands sports. You could put him at shortstop or centerfield on a baseball diamond, you can throw him in at safety or quarterback and he’ll do a five step drop…he’s a natural athlete.”
At 6-foot-11 and 265 pounds, Hines has the size and force to be the starter. He averaged 11 points and five rebounds per game in three exhibitions, and he fits the kind of physical interior presence Hurley wants: someone who can finish through contact, rebound, and protect the rim.
Giltay gives UConn a different look, but one Hurley clearly values just as much. The Belgian native is listed at 6-foot-11 and 245 pounds and began his college career at Stanford, where he played 14 minutes per game and averaged 3.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in a reserve role. His reputation there was built on defense, with praise for his basketball IQ, rim protection and mobility.
“We absolutely had to get Oskar in here. The tools, athletic ability, more of a movement center, rim protection, rebounding, a guy that could do a great job defensively in the ball screen game and then could get off ball screens quickly on the offensive end,” Hurley said.
Hurley has also pointed to Giltay’s growth since the summer. That showed up against Purdue, when he played 18 minutes with Hines in foul trouble. Both bigs were whistled for fouls against Michigan State, but Giltay responded against Purdue by going 5-for-6 for 12 points with four rebounds in 21 minutes.
UConn also brought in Elmir Dzafic, though he is expected to be more of a developmental piece for now.
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