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UConn Sports Weekly: Draft SZN
The NBA, PWHL, and NHL drafts just went down. Plus, football recruiting stays hot!
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Headlines
First Round Fellas
UConn and Dan Hurley have produced two more first-round NBA Draft picks. Both Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban were involved in draft-day trades as their teams moved up to grab them on Tuesday night.
The Denver Nuggets picked Reed at No. 26, trading his draft rights to the San Antonio Spurs. After the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Karaban at No. 29, they dealt his rights to the Sacramento Kings.
It marks the fourth straight year in which a Husky was selected in the first round. Reed and Karaban are the 10th and 11th members of the program to be drafted since 2021.
UConn is one of four teams (Baylor, Duke, Tennessee) with a draft pick in each of the last six drafts, and one of three teams (Baylor, Duke) with a first-round pick in each of the last four drafts.
Reed joins the reigning Western Conference champion Spurs and is set to immediately contribute to a team in need of frontcourt help behind megastar Victor Wembanyama.
The UConn Blog’s Patrick Martin gauges what Reed can bring to his new team, making pro comps to the likes of Pistons’ All-Star Jalen Duren, among others. Reed also joins former Husky Stephon Castle in San Antonio, where the two can swap as many Dan Hurley stories as they’d like. Despite just two years in Storrs, Reed’s time with the Huskies was surely memorable ($).
Karaban joins a Kings team in dire need of help behind the three-point line. Sacramento finished tied for last in the NBA last season in three-point percentage (34%). Karaban, a career 37.4% shooter from three at UConn, can raise that floor immediately. His playstyle and NBA comp, a Sam Hauser-like fit with the Boston Celtics, is Karaban’s key to NBA longevity. Alongside No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr. of Arkansas, Karaban looks to help turn around an organization that went 22-60 last year.
Oh, and next year’s team is already in the gym, don’t worry. It’s right back to work for the national champion runner-up Huskies ($). Early draft projections have Braylon Mullins as a top-10 pick while freshman Colben Landrew is also generating some 2027 draft attention.
More football recruits
Jason Candle and staff continue to gain steam on the recruiting trail, picking up more pieces for the 2027 class. They flipped safety De’Shawn Wylie’s commitment from Toledo to UConn and gained verbal commitments from a pair of WRs, Curtis Ellis Jr. and Raymond Liggins III.
The program picked up two more commitments just this week, adding a big-name OL from a powerhouse high school in Georgia in Wilder Brasher. Down in Atlantic City, NJ, the Huskies landed DE Javon Lane on Wednesday, who picked UConn over Syracuse and Temple. Jamarr Malcolm, an OT from Cardinal Hayes (NY), is the most recent commitment.
The class of 2027 now stands at 24 commits. According to 247Sports, UConn currently has the 79th-best recruiting class heading into next season, around the likes of Baylor, JMU, App. State, and Temple. On3.com ranks the Huskies at No. 66 as of publication, between USF and San Diego State, and ahead of Oklahoma State and Washington State.
Three Huskies taken in PWHL draft
The Professional Women’s Hockey League held its fourth draft last Wednesday, and three former Huskies heard their names called, setting a new program record. All three are going to expansion teams.
Goaltender Tia Chan was the first Husky off the board, selected in the third round by San Jose. Chan is UConn’s all-time leader in wins, save percentage and shutouts, and was named Hockey East Goaltender of the Year twice.
Forward Kyla Josifovic was the next to go, selected in the fourth round to Detroit. One of four Huskies to put up 40 points in a season, Josifovic played in 144 games for UConn across four seasons, putting up career-best numbers in goals and assists in 2025-26.
Hamilton selected forward Megan Woodworth three picks later. Woodworth turns pro coming off her best season as a Husky, also turning in career-best numbers in goals, assists and points.
Morrison drafted by the New York Rangers
Live from the UConn Hockey Hub…
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Baseball to play in Bruce Bolt Classic
The Huskies will participate in the Bruce Bolt Classic in Houston from March 5-7, joining a six-team field along with Texas A&M, Louisville, Houston, Utah, and Louisiana Lafayette.
The three-day, six-team event is held at Daikin Park, home of the Houston Astros.
Also noteworthy from Texas was the debut of former UConn Husky Kyler Fedko, who was called up by the Minnesota Twins last week to join the major league roster. Fedko made his major league debut June 15 in Arlington against the Texas Rangers and has appeared in five more games with the Twins since.
Fedko has yet to record his first hit in the bigs, but did pick up an RBI on a sacrifice fly … hitting against a position player.
Weekly Rewind
Men’s Basketball
UConn men’s hoops to face Syracuse in exhibition at Mohegan Sun – This marks the third exhibition game. The women will also play Syracuse in an exhibition at the casino the day before.
The UConn Fast Break: Hot Husky Summer – We discuss the recruiting trail, NBA Finals, NBA draft, and the new assistant coach.
UConn’s First NBA Draft Lottery Pick, Donyell Marshall, Raised the Program’s Profile ($) – Clayton Trutor details Marshall’s story and its ripple effect on the program that is still being felt.
Jayden Ross’ Senior Moment ($) – Ross enters his final college season as a veteran leader and a top defender with upside still to reach.
UConn 2026 NBPA Top 100 Camp Recruiting Update ($) – See who UConn had its eye on and how they performed at one of the biggest recruiting events of the summer.
Women’s Basketball
The Weekly: NCAA approves major eligibility changes – All athletes can play five seasons over a five-year span.
Nelson-Odada Emerging, Bueckers and Fudd Deliver Big Moments ($) – The latest key storylines of former Huskies in the W.
Jamelle Elliott ‘just felt like it was time’ to leave UConn, begin new chapter – More on the departure of UConn’s longtime assistant coach
The Weekly: UConn unveils new jersey numbers – Paige Bueckers’ No. 5 is already back in rotation.
Sarah Strong reveals battle with Achilles injury last season – Strong says she is still feeling the effects of the injury into the summer, plus more injury updates on Blanca Quiñonez and Morgan Cheli.
Huskies in the Pros: Bueckers Reaches 1,000 Points, Fudd Sets Career High – Bueckers is tied for the fourth-fastest player in WNBA history to reach the mark.
The Notebook: What Geno wants in UConn’s new assistant coach – The Huskies don’t need someone with previous ties to the program, though it would be a “benefit.”
How UConn retains its players in the transfer portal era – The Huskies never seem to lose impact players despite player movement at an all-time high.
Football
UConn football to get increased revenue share, but P5 hopes may be in danger – Reports warn of new legislation that aims to freeze power conference membership.
Jalen Moseley, Jeremiah Ogbeifun commit to UConn football – Moseley, a CB, and Ogbeifun, an OL, help make up UConn’s 22-man commitment class and counting.
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