The University of Connecticut men's basketball program kicked off its summer workouts on Monday, marking the first step toward a campaign that could deliver the Huskies a fourth Final Four appearance in just five seasons.
Head coach Dan Hurley, known for his devotion to veteran returnees, faces a roster that blends just three players from last year's national runner‑up squad with eight fresh faces, including a promising freshman and several portal additions.
Among the newcomers, Oskar Giltay, a 6‑foot‑10 rim protector from Stanford, has been slotted in as the backup center, while Nils Machowski, who shot 38 percent from three‑point range last season at Wofford, will operate as a combo guard, bringing ball‑handling depth.
A Grueling Non‑Conference Road
UConn's non‑conference slate is arguably the toughest in program history, opening with a November showdown against Michigan, the team that knocked them out of the championship game, and continuing with matchups versus Arizona, Duke, Illinois, Kansas, Ohio State, and Virginia.
Silas Demary Jr. is projected to be one of the nation's top point guards next season, and together with Braylon Mullins they could form the country's most potent backcourt tandem, with Mullins likely to handle more ball‑handling duties.
Depth at point guard will also be provided by Junior County, the anticipated primary backup, and Jaye Nash, a transfer from Jacksonville State, ensuring the Huskies have multiple options at the position.
Early projections place Mullins at the top of the scoring list, expecting roughly 16.7 points per game, while the collective output of the new roster aims to offset the loss of key rotational pieces from last year.