UConn forward Alex Karaban, a starting lineup mainstay during the program’s back-to-back title runs, announced Thursday that he is declaring for the NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility.
“Thank you to my family and friends for all the countless sacrifices and constant support throughout my career, especially during the ups and downs,” Karaban wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
–Alex Karaban (@AlexKaraban) April 18, 2024
“Thank you Coach Hurley, Coach Kimani, Coach Murray and Coach Moore for your belief in me and giving me the opportunity to play at UConn. You not only pushed me to become a better player, but you also helped me become a better man. My experience here has exceeded my expectations and I am fortunate to participate in two consecutive national championships.
The Southborough, Massachusetts native has started 77 of his 78 career games since his redshirt freshman year. In 2023-24, he averaged 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 37.9% from 3 on 5.5 attempts per game.
On loaded UConn teams, where he was often the third or fourth option on offense, the 6-foot-8 Karaban offered both size on defense and floor spacing on offense, a skill set that could making it even more valuable on an NBA roster.
While Karaban struggled in the national championship game against Purdue, scoring five points on 2-of-7 shooting, his 14 points and eight rebounds against Alabama were crucial in what was the Huskies’ toughest challenge throughout the tournament.
Karaban was expected to be selected with pick No. 39 in the upcoming draft, according to AthleticismIt’s Sam Vecenie.
What kind of feedback can Karaban expect?
I imagine Karaban’s preliminary comments will be mostly positive. Vecenie has him as a mid-second rounder in his last draft. He’s definitely a guy who should be drafted and could maybe even sneak into the first round. The NBA loves big wings who can shoot and know how to play.
Karaban is a guy that most NBA coaches would be comfortable including in their rotation because of his ability to adapt to a little-used role. He played in a system where most of his buckets were shots on the catch – 3s in transition, spot-up or off screens – or after a cut. He’s an elite cutter. The only thing NBA teams may want to see is his shooting become more consistent. He shot 40.2 percent from 3 in his redshirt freshman season, then 37.9 percent this season. If he was over 40 this year, it seems like it would be a no-brainer. The only reason I could see him returning is just to show that he can shoot even better and at a higher volume.
If he stays in the draft, it will be a big loss for UConn simply because he fits so well. He’s great with the ball in UConn’s offense, which features a lot of movement. He’s also a solid defender who can guard bigs and on the perimeter. He played mostly at the 4 but UConn was able to play him at the 5 in a pinch. This versatility was valuable. If he leaves, Jaylin Stewart is most likely to benefit and fill that spot for the Huskies. — CJ Moore, college basketball staff writer
Where could Karaban fall in the draft?
Karaban is one of my favorites compared to the current stock of this class. He’s an exceptional off-ball defensive end who does a phenomenal job playing cat-and-mouse on the weak side, and is constantly in the right spot, disruptive in rotation. On top of that, he is a consistent 40 percent shooter from 3-point range at 6-8. It’s really hard to find players with this skill set.
I have Karaban in my top 35 right now and I think he has a very real chance of hearing his name called towards the end of the first round. He’s not a shot creator, and NBA teams actually have a little more worry about shot mechanics than you might think, since it’s a pretty funky charge in the shot. But 40 percent from 3 with impressive team defense while having been a full starter on back-to-back national title teams is an exceptionally intriguing starting point to bet on for teams late in the first round that, overall, have stars. players already and are looking to accentuate them with excellent actors. — Sam Vecenie, Senior NBA Draft Writer
Required reading
(Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)