It’s no secret that the 2023-24 UConn men’s basketball team has one of the most dangerous rosters in the country. With talent from head to toe, this team is currently coming off an Elite Eight win in which the program smoked Illinois after going on an unbelievable 30-0 run. Featuring players from All-American Tristen Newton to future NBA Draft pick Donovan Clingan, the Huskies have shown that they can grab a bucket from plenty of players on this roster. However, what if you could add one of these players to your intramural squad and elevate your lineup to new heights? That’s the question on our minds in this week’s edition of the Daily Campus Sports Roundtable, as our writers give their takes on which current Connecticut player they’d love to play with on the intramural hardwood.
Evan Rodriguez
Associate Sports Editor
He/Him/His
Donovan Clingan
It’s the most obvious answer on the board, but there is practically no one in my mind who can defend Donovan Clingan if I were to add him to my intramural basketball team. Considering how the 7-foot-2 giant looked in UConn’s massive Elite Eight win over Illinois, just imagine how he’d play against people who could only dream of playing Big East basketball. The fact that I’d be able to look like Chris Paul the way that I’d be throwing alley-oops on every possession to the current Huskies big man is almost comical, but that’s how impressive Clingan would be. On top of that, the Bristol, Conn. native would be an utter force on the defensive end, blocking any ball near the basket. Even if my team may not be the most athletic or have the best shooting, I’d be able to count on one thing: Clingan would look like a prime Shaquille O’Neal in the paint and would give my squad a massive advantage over anyone.
Stratton Stave
Sports Editor
he/him/his
Samson Johnson
There are no wrong answers here, but to everyone else: I’m right. Yes, someone like Cam Spencer would light it up from the shortened three-point line, or Tristen Newton could get a triple double, but I want certainty with this pick, which is why I’m going with the pogo stick, Samson “Slamson” Johnson. While shots can be streaky, dunks are not. Every trip down the floor, I’m tossing a lob above the rim and letting Johnson throw it down with authority. The man makes his living off his athleticism and throwing down thunderous slams. There is nothing more reliable than that. And with his 6-foot-10 frame, what would other teams be able to do to stop it? Centers in intramural basketball are like 6-foot-5 max and no one will be able to match his athleticism. I’m suspecting the box score at the end of games will include 70 points for Johnson and 35 assists for everyone else. No other offense is needed.
Brayden Gorski
Campus Correspondent
He/Him/His
Cam Spencer
Even though Cam Spencer is a top player on a top team in the country, the intensity that he will bring to the intramural basketball court is why he is vital for any squad. It doesn’t matter if he is playing against Terrence Shannon Jr. or the business major on the other intramural team when it comes to Cam Spencer’s play style. He will scream in their face, talk trash to whoever listens, fire up whatever crowd is there, and light it up from the three-point and mid-range areas. He’s the glue guy to your intramural basketball team but he is also the best player at the same time. Furthermore, intramural basketball tends to get a little chippy and free throw shots become important. Who else would you want at the line other than a 92% free throw shooter in Spencer? Spencer will stop at nothing to win, which is why he is necessary on any intramural basketball squad.
Cole Stefan
Senior Columnist
He/Him/His
Hassan Diarra
I have broadcasted more recreational basketball games, including the Pearlman Jam between the Daily Campus and UCTV Sports, than I have played. Despite not knowing as much ball as everyone else in this esteemed roundtable, Hassan Diarra would give my hypothetical rec team the best shot at victory. Although he won the Big East Sixth Man of the Year award, Diarra has all the qualities of a starting point guard. The Queens, N.Y. native would be as much of an X-factor for my intramural squad as he is with this year’s UConn men’s basketball team. Diarra is averaging a career-high 6.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, doing so in just 19.4 minutes. He is as much of a triple threat as unanimously selected First Team All-American Tristen Newton. With the Texas A&M transfer on the floor, there is no reason why my rec team could not go on a 30-0 run like the men’s team did in the Elite Eight.