UConn's Karaban Gets Historic Praise
UConn head coach Dan Hurley told Jon Rothstein that forward Alex Karaban is irreplaceable, declaring "I will never coach another player like him again". Hurley praised Karaban's "exceptional work ethic, maturity, and clutch performance," positioning him as the prototype modern power forward. UConn enters March with a dominant 27-3 record, including an 18-1 Big East run and the strongest non-conference schedule in school history.
Alex Karaban is the winningest player in UConn men's basketball history, with 118 victories. On February 28, 2026, he became the first men's player to be inducted into the "Huskies of Honor" while still an active player. This honor places his name and number in the rafters of Gampel Pavilion. A two-time national champion, Karaban was a key starter on both the 2023 and 2024 NCAA title teams. He is one of only three players in NCAA Division I history with career totals of at least 1,700 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 made three-pointers, and 100 blocks. Should UConn win the title this year, he would be the first men's player to be a three-time national champion since the UCLA dynasty of the early 1970s. The 6-foot-8 forward from Southborough, Massachusetts, was the 2020-21 New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year. After initially declaring for the 2024 NBA draft, Karaban chose to return to Storrs for his final season of eligibility. His return was significant enough that coach Dan Hurley consulted him when considering an offer to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. This season, Karaban is averaging 13.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting over 41% from three-point range. He is on the midseason watch lists for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award and the Wooden Award. NBA draft projections see him as a potential first or second-round pick, valued for his elite shooting and high basketball IQ. UConn's dominance extends beyond individual accolades, with the team recently moving up to No. 4 in the AP Top 25 poll. Coach Dan Hurley, the 2024 Naismith College Coach of the Year, has a history of building powerhouse programs, previously coaching future NBA players like J.R. Smith and Tristan Thompson at the high school level.
