Young UConn Roster Draws Praise From Dan Hurley as Practices Resume

The Huskies opened official practice with six of their top nine rotation players set to be freshmen or sophomores in 2026-27.

UConn men's basketball returned to official practice on Tuesday, Sept. 22, in Storrs, and head coach Dan Hurley came away encouraged by what he sees in a revamped roster. Six of the team's top nine rotation players are freshmen or sophomores, and Russian freshman Egor Amosov could also push for minutes.

Hurley described the group as talented despite its inexperience, saying roster turnover can be a positive because newcomers arrive hungry and eager to experience the program's championship history for themselves. He believes the backcourt of Braylon Mullins and Silas Demary Jr. may rank among the best in college basketball.

Mullins watched practice from the sideline with what Hurley called a minor, undisclosed injury. The coach expects the sophomore shooter back within a week to 10 days and downplayed the concern.

Hurley also discussed a non-conference schedule featuring seven Power Four opponents, admitting he occasionally questions the difficulty of the slate. UConn plays an exhibition against Syracuse in three weeks, with the regular season beginning three weeks after that.

Players said the team has built chemistry since summer workouts began in June. Demary noted the roster's closeness and said the youth is not a concern, while senior Jayden Ross credited returning players with helping new arrivals meet the program's standards.