“Falling off without Clingan”: UConn fans left unimpressed by college hoops insider’s starting 5 prediction for Dan Hurley’s UConn

UConn head coach Dan Hurley faces a tough challenge ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, as four of the five players from last season’s championship-winning lineup have left for the NBA. Donovan Clingan, Cam Spencer, Tristen Newton and Stephon Castle were all selected in the 2024 NBA draft.

UConn added Saint Mary's transfer Aidan Mahaney and three freshmen Liam McNeeley, Ahmad Nowell and Isaiah Abraham this offseason to fill the void. On Tuesday, basketball insider Jon Rothstein, who visited UConn's training facility, shared his predictive starting lineup for Hurley's team.

"Early prediction on UConn's 2024-25 starting five: Hassan Diarra, Aidan Mahaney, Liam McNeeley, Alex Karaban, Samson Johnson," Rothstein tweeted.

However, UConn fans were not impressed by his choice and expressed their reactions.

"These guys are falling off without Clingan," one fan wrote.

Some accepted the roster is not as good as previous seasons but still have hopes of a deep playoff run.

"The fact that this lineup is a clear drop off from the past two seasons yet it’s still Final Four good is insane," one fan commented.

"Lineup not as good as last year in terms of star power but the depth is immaculate. Nowell, Solo ball, Stew, Big Hoss, Abraham off the bench," another fan wrote.

Meanwhile, some fans were outraged by Rothstein's projected lineup.

"Bro. Stewart is starting. I respect the hell out of you, but you should consult a die-hard before hitting the send button," one fan said.

"Liam McNeely a starter on UConn when he was CARRIED by Asa Newell what a joke," another fan wrote.

"Totally disagree with this. And it’s very early in the summer to make a starting lineup. The team is very deep," one more fan commented.

How good are Dan Hurley's UConn signings?

Dan Hurley and his staff landed two transfers for the upcoming season: a 6-foot-10 forward, Tarris Reed from Michigan and a 6-foot-3 point guard, Aidan Mahaney from Saint Mary's.

Mahaney had a standout sophomore season, leading the Gaels to WCC regular season and tournament titles. He averaged 13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, earning first-team All-WCC honors.

Meanwhile, another Dan Hurley addition, Tarris Reed played in 32 games at Michigan last season. Reed averaged nine points and led the team with 7.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.