Prince Ali, a prized 2015 recruit, decommitted from UConn last Thursday. And while Daniel Hamilton, a key member of the 2014 class, has yet to sign his letter of intent, the incoming freshman plans to be in Storrs in a few weeks to begin summer school.
“I feel real good about it,” Hamilton said, according to the New Haven Register's David Borges. “I’m excited to come there, ready to work. I know Kevin Ollie likes hard-working dudes. I’m hoping to do both sessions of summer school, get my body right and get that hard-working mentality.”
So why didn't Hamilton ever sign a letter of intent?
To safeguard himself if coach Kevin Ollie bolted for the NBA, though he says he was never too concerned that the championship-winning coach wouldn't be back.
“He told me he was thinking about staying, that he was going to be there for us, he’s not going to leave the kids he recruited,” the 6-foot-7 wing said. “I’m happy he’s there for the kids and stayed loyal to them.”
And if Ollie had taken an NBA job?
“I would have had to talk to my family and with the coaches at UConn and see what my next best move would have been,” Hamilton said.
But Ollie's not going anywhere and Hamilton's headed to UConn where he'll join transfer Rodney Purvis and two other incoming freshmen, Sam Cassell Jr. and Rakim Lubin.
“I think we’ll do pretty well,” Hamilton said. “I think we can make a good run at the tournament again. We’ve got a lot of versatile guys, with Rodney Purvis, Ryan Boatright coming back, and with me coming there. I think Amida Brimah will be ready to play. He’s gonna put on some weight and be ready, be more ready his second year. I think we’re gonna make another run at it.”
