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UConn's Dan Hurley Isn't Saying It, But He Has to Be Thinking About Solo Ball's Return
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- UConn's Dan Hurley Isn't Saying It, But He Has to Be Thinking About Solo Ball's Return
Last week, as he spoke with CBS College Basketball Insider Jon Rothstein, University of Connecticut men's basketball coach Dan Hurley didn't have to much to say about a possible return for point guard Solo Ball this season.
But he should absolutely be thinking about it.
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Let's get you caught up on what's going on:
The Solo Ball file
A rising senior from Virginia, Ball averaged 12.8 ppg for the Huskies last year. He played in all 39 games, also pulling down three rebounds and dishing out more than one assist per game.
With Silas Demary in the fold at point guard, Ball was able to play at the shooting guard spot, but his shooting numbers regressed. He was just 30 percent from three-point range after leading the Big East in the same category (41.4 percent) as a sophomore.
Ball ruptured two ligaments in his left wrist, which was clearly a driving force in that regression. It was announced this spring that he would miss the entire season this year because of surgery to repair those ligaments.
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He helped UConn win the national title as a freshman in 2023-24 and helped it back to the national title game in 2025-26 as the Huskies lost to Michigan.
How things may have changed
Ball has played three seasons in three years. As part of the NCAA's new "age-based eligibility model," athletes are given five calendar years to play five seasons in their sport. As such, there are no more official redshirts and no more medical redshirts. If a player misses a year, it simply counts as one of their five.
As such, there's no eligibility-based reason for Ball to sit out the entire year anymore. If he can come back, he can come back, and he'll still have the option to play a fifth year if he wants to.
UConn Huskies guard Solo Ball (1) dunks against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second half of a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
How Hurley's mindset should be
With this in mind, Hurley and Ball have to treat this as a professional team would treat an injury.
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Hurley needs to coach up the players that he has, preparing them for an extremely difficult schedule . He can't necessarily "worry" about Ball or "plan" for Ball to come back. But he needs to know it's a possibility.
As for Ball, he needs to rehab on the side and he needs to do all he can to get back.
While he shouldn't rush back, and he shouldn't be risky in his recovery, if Ball can get back, he should. Whether that's for one game or one month, it doesn't matter. UConn should be prepared to use him if he can get healthy. Again, there's no tangible benefit to holding him out, at least from an eligibility standpoint.
And if we get to the point where Ball is able to play, then it will be up to Hurley to find a way to re-integrate him into the lineup, and it will be up to Ball to adjust to whatever role he has.
But it's something everyone should be thinking about.
Up next
UConn will continue to practice on its own before the start of official practice in late September. The season begins on Nov. 2.
