“Due to unforeseen circumstances and with a deep heart I asked for my release from the University of Denver. I want to thank Coach Wulburn, Coach Zewe and the rest of the Denver staff. They are top-notch people/program. My recruitment is now 100% open!”
On August 13, 2022, prospective Division I small forward Yarin Hasson posted a tweet containing those words, as well as his highlight reel. Just 11 days later, Hasson signed on with the UConn Huskies via a financial aid agreement.
Hailing from Gan Yavne, Israel, the 17-year-old has played high school ball for Gimnasia Realit in Rishon Le-Zion, the U18 Israeli National Team and club team Maccabi Rishon Le-Zion. The latter of these three teams was recently in the Israeli Basketball Premier League before relegation this summer, playing with the likes of former UConn standout Jalen Adams, who was recently named Sixth Man of the Year.
Hasson received offers from Divison I programs Denver and San Francisco, committing to Denver before de-committing in August. In a release sent out by UConn, Hasson was described as one of the top rising stars in the country. He is versatile and has solid ball control while flashing his dunking and three-point ability, but it will be interesting to see how Hasson’s skillset will transfer to the collegiate game. Per CTInsider’s David Borges, UConn had not seen their new acquisition in person, just off of film by the time he committed to the Huskies.
His highlight reel showcases a plethora of talents on both ends of the court. Hasson is seen, presumably on his high school team, shooting threes, being crafty at the rim and blocking shots inside and on the perimeter.
While Hasson becomes the 12th scholarship player on the 2022-2023 roster, look for him to be buried on the depth chart a bit behind guys like Donovan Clingan, Samson Johnson and Richie Springs. He will turn 18 years old by the start of the season, and is listed at 6-foot-9 and 205 pounds. Bulking up will likely be one of the first things on Hasson’s to-do list after his paperwork is completed and he arrives in Storrs.
Hasson joins a program that has hosted Israeli basketball talent in past years, including guys like Nadav Henefield, Doron Sheffer and Gilad Katz in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Both Henefield and Sheffer were named Big East Rookie of the Year in their respective freshman seasons. Sheffer eventually had his name called during the second round of the NBA Draft, as he was selected 36th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in 1996.
