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UConn men’s basketball season preview: The returnees
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- UConn men’s basketball season preview: The returnees
While it's true that this year's UConn men's basketball team has an influx of new talent between the addition of impact transfers and a highly-touted freshmen class. With all of this turnover, the returning core from last year's team that reached the national title will be relied upon to uphold the standards of quality, excellence and intensity that Dan Hurley has worked so hard to establish in Storrs.
Hurley's ability to bring Silas Demary Jr. and Braylon Mullins for one more run in the backcourt immediately made the thought of a fourth Final Four in five seasons a legitimate possibility. The continued ascension of Jayden Ross has been impressive, and his brother Jacob looks to carve out a role this season. And then there's Solo Ball, one of the most accomplished players in program history, potentially waiting in the wings. The transfers and freshmen will help this team remain one of the top in the country, but if UConn is cutting down nets for title No. 7 in April, it will be because of the contributions from these players who are returning for another year with the Huskies.
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Silas Demary Jr.
After a strong first season in Storrs where the Georgia transfer earned First Team All-Big East honors and established himself as one of the best two-way guards in the country, the senior is back for year two under Hurley with hopes for another deep tournament run. Demary Jr. averaged 10.1 points, 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game last season and shot 38.5 percent from three. He started last year slow as he adjusted to handling the complex UConn offense, but made history with a triple-double against Bryant and slowly start to look for his own shot instead of just serving as a facilitator.
Demary Jr. embodies toughness and everything Hurley wants in his point guards. He's tenacious on defense, using his quickness and length to disrupt opposing guards. He's not afraid to get downhill and create contact offensively and will mix it up on the boards when needed. Despite suffering an ankle injury in the Big East Tournament that caused him to miss the Huskies' first round win over Furman, he gutted out the rest of the tournament to make the Huskies' championship run possible. Even while clearly not 100 percent, he tallied 18 assists to just six turnovers in five tournament games and flirted with a triple-double with seven points, seven assists and nine rebounds in the Final Four win over Illinois.
This season, Demary Jr. is undoubtedly one of the best point guards in the country and has a full year of running the Huskies' offense under his belt. He is unafraid to takeover games offensively and figures to be the heart and soul of this team now that Alex Karaban is gone.
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Braylon Mullins
Early-season injuries and poorer-than-expected shooting numbers turned Mullins from a surefire one-and-done to a potential returnee following title game loss to Michigan. With an NIL package reportedly comparable to the back end of the lottery and an opportunity to be featured even more heavily in the UConn offense, Mullins chose to come back for one more season.
Despite a freshman season that was maybe a little short of initial expectations, Mullins still had an objectively good first year. He averaged 12 points and 3.5 rebounds per game and showcased why he was regarded as one the best shooters in the 2025 class. He was a big reason why UConn took down Kansas in only his second collegiate game, scoring 17 points and hitting two free throws to seal the win. He also singlehandedly lifted UConn to a comeback win at Providence with an insane shooting performance in overtime as part of a 24-point effort.
The Greenfield, Indiana native didn't play in either of UConn's first two exhibition games due to an undisclosed injury but is expected to play against Purdue and already looks noticeably stronger than last season. While he only shot 33.5 percent from three last year, his reputation and mechanics suggest he should shoot considerably better than that mark this season even with more defensive pressure and volume.
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Even with some shooting woes in the NCAA tournament, Mullins found a way to contribute, scoring in double figures in all but one of UConn's six tournament games. Despite shooting just 29.3 percent from three in the tournament, his confidence never waivered, best exemplified by his now legendary buzzer beater against Duke to send the Huskies to the Final Four.
Mullins heads into year two as Storrs as the primary option in the UConn offense, and probably will be the Huskies' leading scorer when it's all said and done. If that's the case, his decision to return will undoubtedly be the right one. Mullins is already slotted in as a lottery pick in this year's NBA Draft and can further rise up the ranks with a strong sophomore season.
Jayden Ross
Ross finally made the leap that so many players do after multiple years in Hurley's system. The then-junior jumped from a fringe bench player to a key rotation piece by the end of the season thanks to elite defense and much improved shooting numbers. Ross shot 39.1 percent from three last season on 64 attempts compared 22.2 percent on 45 attempts as a sophomore.
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The defensive skills and athleticism have always been apparent, but the development offensively meant defenses could no longer sag off Ross and focus on the rest of the offense. Ross didn't just improve as a shooter — he showed the ability to create his own shot when needed, and looked comfortable running the offense for stretches as UConn navigated foul and injury troubles in the backcourt. While Ross averaged just 4.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last year, he was a stabilizing presence on both ends of the floor and averaged over 20 minutes per game in tournament play.
Despite the leadership and two-way ability as a role player that Ross brings to the table, it's not a slam dunk that Ross starts this season due to Colben Landrew's arrival. But whether Ross comes off the bench or starts, he and Demary will terrorize opposing backcourts defensively all season long. Offensively, Ross will be asked to do mostly what he did last year — hit open threes, get out in transition and be ready to run the offense when needed.
Jacob Ross
Jayden's little brother did not appear in any games last season after flipping last minute from Minnesota to join the Huskies. The sophomore forward stands at 6-foot-6 and 208 pounds and appears to be on the outside looking in to earn significant minutes this season.
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Hurley has told the media that Ross could see time this season as the Huskies' small-ball center, a role Karaban played so well during his time with UConn. Ross saw action in that role in the Huskies' exhibition win on the road against Michigan State, playing three minutes alongside Jayden and adding an assist.
Ross has better than average length and moves well for his size. The extra year of practice has allowed him to add some size, and he could easily own the small-ball center role, especially against teams that are too fast for Arkansas transfer Elmir Džafic to see the floor.
Solo Ball
There is no bigger wildcard for this year's team than Ball, who originally was set to redshirt this season after undergoing major left wrist surgery shortly after UConn's loss in the national championship. With eligibility rules changing and Ball progressing faster than expected, it's now entirely possible that Ball, UConn's leading returning scorer, could be back sometime during Big East play.
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Ball's return would be a massive addition to an already loaded backcourt anchored by Demary Jr. and Mullins. He averaged 12.8 points per game last season, and while the wrist injury likely hampered his shooting ability (30 percent from three compared to 41.4 percent in 2024-25), Ball is still a respected 3-point shooter. The floor-spacing ability Ball's return would provide alongside Mullins could make things even easier for Demary Jr. to work on defenders one-on-one and prevent teams from doubling Na'jai Hines in the post.
No other team in the country is able to add a player of Ball's caliber midseason. At the same time, fitting in an established player like Ball into a team with an existing rotation can be tough. It's a problem Hurley would likely love to have, as it means the Huskies are fully healthy deep into the season. Having a healthy Ball to pair with Demary Jr. and Mullins in the backcourt would immediately give UConn one of, if not the very best, backcourts in the country.
It's still too early to tell if and when Ball will return, but the ability to add a versatile scorer with plenty of experience into the fold during conference play would likely be a massive boost to UConn's national championship chances.
