UConn Enters First Practice With 'Best Position Battle' At Center

The Huskies starting lineup is difficult to predict this season

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The 2024-25 UConn Huskies will participate in their first practice on Friday.

Head coach Dan Hurley has a wealth of talent at his disposal this year, and figuring out minutes allocation for such a deep group could be challenging.

CT Insider’s David Borges published a piece on Thursday pointing to UConn’s depth chart puzzle, the pieces of which Hurley and his staff will be fitting together over the next month and a half. 

“This will be a fascinating six-week period for the Huskies,” Borges said. “Never in Hurley’s prior six years as UConn coach has the team had this much positional competition, with this much talent depth.”

Borges asserted that — as of now — there are no sure bets in UConn’s starting lineup outside of junior forward and preseason First Team All-American Alex Karaban.

And while Borges believes multiple players are vying for playing time at guard and wing spots, Borges interestingly declared that the battle for the Huskies’ starting center spot is the most interesting.

“Samson Johnson is the senior returnee and two-time national champion,” Borges said. “He provided a boost of energy and athleticism off the bench last season, spelling Donovan Clingan. … It seems that Johnson's time to join the starting lineup has arrived.”

“He will be pushed greatly, however, by junior Michigan transfer Tarris Reed Jr., a more traditional, back-to-the-basket big with great skills and footwork, not unlike Adama Sanogo (except at 6-foot-10, two inches taller).”

“This could be the best positional battle over the next six weeks.”

Johnson, Reed, and other UConn players will have many opportunities to separate themselves before the Huskies’ November 6 opener.

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