UConn's Calhoun seeks NCAA title No. 4
Call Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun greedy. The 69-year-old had the chance to go out on top after winning his third NCAA championship and becoming one of only five coaches to reach that level. With guard Kemba Walker heading to the NBA after leading the Huskies' magical 11-game run through the Big East and NCAA tournaments, the timing to step aside was perfect.
But no.
Calhoun took one look at what he had coming back, including preseason All-American small forward Jeremy Lamb, point guard Shabazz Napier and veteran big man Alex Oriakhi. Then he considered the freshmen he had coming in, including 6-11, 275- pound center Andre Drummond (who generally is regarded as the top recruit in the nation), 6-8 guard/forward DeAndre Daniels and point guard Ryan Boatright.
Calhoun's decision was a no-brainer. Why should he let someone else have all the fun of coaching a group like that when it just might take him to NCAA title No. 4?
The preseason polls all have North Carolina, Ohio State and Kentucky slotted ahead of UConn, but it's the Huskies who have five key sophomores and a junior with championship experience plus that tremendous freshman class.
"I don't love this team like last year yet," Calhoun said recently. "My biggest concern now is how Andre Drummond develops. Can we find a way to get him the ball? Can Jeremy stand up to be the man as Kemba did night after night? Can Shabazz run the club like we think he will? Is Ryan Boatright the real point guard? Will Alex have the kind of season I hope he does?"
Reflecting on last season's NCAA run, Calhoun said, "When they started double-teaming Kemba, all Jeremy did was average 17 points a game and shoot 53 percent from three. That's the kind of thing we're going to need this year. When they go after Jeremy, who's going to pick it up? We have more good players than we did last year."
That should be a scary thought for the other national title contenders. During the summer, the 6-5 Lamb led the U.S. national under-19 team in scoring during the world championships. He's so good at the small forward position that it will force the 6-8 Daniels to move to shooting guard, but he has the ballhandling and shooting ability to do just that, making the Huskies a matchup nightmare.
Lamb is well-suited to fill the leadership void created by Walker's departure. "Jeremy called me from the 19-unders in Latvia and said, 'Coach, I've got a problem. I can't find a gym,' " Calhoun said. "I said, 'Do you know where the hell you are?' And he said, 'I'm far away from home.' He wanted to go in the gym at night and shoot his 200 shots. He does that every night."
The key to making a run at repeating as NCAA champion, as Calhoun sees it, is how well everyone accepts their roles, especially with so many freshmen capable of making major contributions. The only sure starters appear to be Lamb, Napier and Oriakhi. Roscoe Smith made 33 starts and averaged 6.3 points last season, but he might come off the bench behind Daniels at shooting guard. Tyler Olander made 21 starts at power forward last season and has been impressive in practice, but Drummond could start at center, moving Oriakhi to power forward. Boatright also could push Napier for playing time, and swingman Niels Giffey figures to be in the rotation.
Even if Drummond comes off the bench, he's bound to command major minutes. "Andre is just an incredible 6-11, 275-pound guy with 7 percent body fat," Calhoun said. "He really, really has God's athletic gifts. Now let's take this incredibly athletic, wonderful kid who listens all the time and turn him into a terrific basketball player. He's not that yet, but he does things you can't teach.
"Everybody's got to relish the difference this freshman is going to make for us. These are three really good kids that should have no problem, but to get that initial acceptance . . . So the bottom line is we have to believe in each other and accept what each other can do."
If they can do that, the Huskies might find their way back to the championship pinnacle in April.
