UConn Revving Up Pursuit Of Seven-Footer: ‘Rapidly Becoming A Top Priority’
Mere weeks after sending center Donovan Clingan to the NBA Draft, the UConn Huskies are in hot pursuit of the program’s next great center.
Dan Hurley and assistant coach Luke Murray place a premium on centers who can pass, which is one of the reasons why UConn is attracted to Eric Reibe, a seven-foot center prospect out of Potomac, Maryland.
As the Huskies continue to search for their first commitment from the 2025 class, Reibe has listed UConn as one of his final three choices, according to a new podcast from Locked On UConn’s Mark Zanetto.
“Eric Reibe is a seven-foot, 230-pound forward/center from Maryland,” Zanetto said. “He is very much in the hunt for UConn. … He canceled his visits to Kentucky and North Carolina, narrowing down his choices (to) … UConn, Kansas, and Creighton. … He is actually taking a visit to UConn this weekend. He’ll be here September 6.”
“He is kind of a game-changer, in my opinion. … Think about Luke Murray’s offense. He would fit perfectly into it. Pick-and-roll situations. Name your guard, whether it’s Ahmad Nowell, whether it’s Solo Ball, Aidan Mahaney. … He already excels in the dribble hand-off game … where bigs are expected to make decisions with the ball. … He’s more than just a traditional interior player. … I think he is rapidly becoming a top priority for UConn’s 2025 class.”
UConn is accruing such a talented collection of guards and wings right now. Dan Hurley needs centers who can rebound, of course, but also accentuate the abilities of those guards and wings. UConn believes Reibe has the skill set to do just that, even if he’ll have to put on around 10 pounds of muscle to be able to compete on the glass with high-major bigs.
Reibe also appears to have above-average touch and ability as a distance shooter, making him a potential NBA prospect.
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-6cddf44b9a81eadb9d1a4c19c1b3db49.jpeg "Colin Keane")
Colin Keane is a contributing journalist for "UConn Huskies On SI." Born in Illinois, Colin grew up in Massachusetts as the third of four brothers. For his high school education, Colin attended St. Mark's School (Southborough, MA), where he played basketball and soccer and served as student body president. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Villanova University. Colin currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "UConn Huskies On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org