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Dan Hurley, UConn men land Seton Hall big man Najai Hines in transfer portal
TL;DR
UConn men's basketball has signed forward Najai Hines from Seton Hall, marking their first significant offseason move. Hines averaged 6.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during his freshman year.
AP
The UConn menâs basketball team has made its first major move of the offseason, adding forward Najai Hines from Seton Hall in the transfer portal.
During his freshman year with the Pirates, Hines averaged 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 18 minutes per game while shooting 60% from the field.
Hines will arrive in Storrs with three seasons of eligibility remaining.
The 6-foot-10 big man from Plainfield, N.J. will fill a major void for the Huskies, who lost star center Tarris Reed Jr. due to graduation and center Eric Reibe to the transfer portal.
RELATED: Dan Hurley turns UConn menâs basketball into âpro sports organizationâ amid transfer portal
According to 247Sports, Hines is the 27th best player available in the transfer portal and the sixth-best big man in that group.
Hines was impressive against UConn during the Huskiesâ senior day game in Storrs on Feb. 28. In a contest Seton Hall nearly won, Hines scored 11 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots.
He also played well when UConn bested the Pirates on Jan. 13 in New Jersey, scoring 10 points while securing seven rebounds and swatting three shots.
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Hines is a work in progress offensively but hopefully will have several years to develop within the program.
That said, when he arrives at UConn, Hines will already hold a reputation as a strong and dynamic shot blocker and rebounder. He has potential to be one of the best interior rebounders and defenders in the country.
Hines' experience in the Big East should also help, as he is already accustomed to the leagueâs unique level of physicality.
Regardless, UConn still has quite a bit of work to do in the transfer portal, especially as the program pursues another post player to supplement Hines.
Several big names are on the radar, as head coach Dan Hurley continues to rebuild his roster.
RELATED: UConn menâs basketball center Eric Reibe enters transfer portal after freshman season
One major transfer to look out for is 6-foot-9 forward Donnie Freeman, who played the last two seasons for Syracuse.
Last year, Freeman averaged 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 47.4% from the field and 30.2% from beyond the arc.
While heâs visiting several schools, including Kentucky, Freeman will reportedly be on UConnâs campus Friday.
Several outlets say that the Huskies are the favorites to land the former McDonaldâs All-American and No. 6 overall recruit in the country.
If they do, Hurley will have had added two potential stars seemingly overnight.
Dalton Zbierski is a story desk editor and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached atdzbierski@FOX61.com.
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Q&A
What are Najai Hines' stats from his freshman year at Seton Hall?
Najai Hines averaged 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 60% from the field during his freshman year.
How many seasons of eligibility does Najai Hines have left?
Najai Hines has three seasons of eligibility remaining after transferring to UConn.
What impact could Najai Hines have on UConn's basketball team?
Najai Hines could provide UConn with additional scoring and rebounding depth, enhancing their overall performance in the upcoming season.
