Newcomers will continue UConn men’s transformation to Dan Hurley’s type of team

UConn’s transition to Dan Hurley’s team is nearly complete now, with four more of his choices, three freshmen and a transfer, joining the team for his third season. Now 10 of 13 scholarship players are his.

This group of newcomers are in the Hurley mold, mostly tough Northeast kids who defend, rebound. After a summer in Mike Rehfeldt’s strength program, there is nothing small or soft about this group.

Andre Jackson, who chose UConn when many analysts had him headed for Syracuse, is the offensive playmaker of the group, the one who will start out in James Bouknight’s shadow but likely emerge before long.

In Adama Sanogo and Javonte Brown, Hurley has the big men he was seeking for his program with time to develop, where more recently the Huskies have had to rely heavily on freshmen up front.

And in the transfer market, Hurley landed one of the best available in Tyrese Martin, a player with whom he is very familiar and who starred against A-10 competition at Rhode Island. If transfers are akin to pro free agency, Martin is the type of player a team gets when it wants to win now.

The Huskies also have a new walk-on in Andrew Hurley, the coach’s son, who comes from the winning program at East Catholic-Manchester.

It’s a strong 2020 group, one ideal to follow the Bouknight/Jalen Gaffney/Akok Akok Class of 2019. Their time to develop is now, their time in the spotlight likely a year away.

Here is a look at the Huskies' four newcomers:

Andre Jackson

The basics: 6-foot-6, 210 pounds. Guard. Age 19. Freshman.

Last played for: Albany Academy

Known for: Electrifying dunks. He’s a big, athletic guard with all-around skills in the James Bouknight mold, with the kind of “alpha” mentality Dan Hurley likes.

Jackson says: “I wouldn’t really say I pattern my game after one person. I watch a lot of different people and try to take different parts of their game and emulate it in mine. There is not really a player I resemble, but I feel like I take styles from somebody like [Celtics guard/forward] Jaylen Brown. I also like the way Rajon Rondo plays, pass first, but also an athletic finisher, rebounder, defensive player.”

Hurley says: “He’s a freak athlete in every way, a tremendous passer, he’s going to help us on both backboards, he could guard 1 through 4, he could play point guard or any guard spot and he’s shot the ball better than we were anticipating. As a freshman, he’s going to have a major impact and compete to start and have a chance to be one of the most impactful freshman guards in the country.”

What to expect: Jackson missed time recovering from minor knee surgery this summer, but built up his upper body. He may not start right away, but is likely to get more and more playing time as the season goes along, much the way Bouknight broke in last season.

Adama Sanogo

The basics: 6-foot-9, 240 pounds. Center/forward. Age 18. Freshman.

Last played for: The Patrick School, Elizabeth, N.J.

Known for: Big, physical presence. Played soccer as a youth in his native Mali, has picked up basketball quickly once coming to the U.S.

Sanogo says: “I watch a lot of players, but I really like the way [The Heat’s] Bam Adebayo plays. I like him a lot, and I watch him a lot. … Right now, I need to work on my defense. I need to block shots, so I need to work on that, and I need work on my shot.”

Hurley says: “He’s going to be a special player at UConn. He’s a rare individual in terms of his work ethic, his character, his daily approach. A blue-collar, no-excuses type of mentality.”

What to expect: Where UConn has been thin in the front court in recent seasons, there is now depth – enough depth for a freshman like Sanogo to learn without having too much on his shoulders.

Javonte Brown

The basics: 7-foot, 250 pounds. Center. Age 18. Freshman.

Last played for: Thornlea School, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

Known for: A raw talent, but a dominant player in his native Canada. He arrived at UConn a age 17, turning 18 on Sept. 19, and is the program’s first true 7-footer since Amida Brimah.

Brown says: “With my ‘motor,’ I try to build my motor and take that from [the Clippers] Montrezl Harrell, and make good decisions with the basketball — smart reads like Nikola Jokic.”

Hurley says: “He’s just a piece of clay, a 7-footer with tremendous upside, a really, really nice skill set. Just got to figure out how to maneuver his body. He’s a 7-foot, 265-pound puppy who is going to be special.”

What to expect: Like all big men, Brown is a project and could have to wait and work, for playing time. In what is likely to be a truncated season, it may be difficult to find opportunities for him.

Tyrese Martin

The basics: 6-foot-6, 215 pounds. Guard/Forward. Age 20. Junior.

Last played for: Rhode Island

Known for: Recruited by Dan Hurley, he stayed at Rhode Island to play for David Cox and became one of the Rams' top players last year, a scorer, rebounder and passer and a strong defender. He received a waiver to play right away after transferring to UConn.

Martin says: “I feel like [I know] what to expect [from] college basketball, but now being at UConn, it’s a higher level, obviously, so I have to do things differently. The expectations are greater, higher, from the coaching staff’s standpoint. So now it’s all about doing what I have to do on the court, off the court, to make sure I excel, to help the team be successful altogether.”

Hurley says: “He can play anywhere from a second guard to a small-ball four man in a four-guard set up. Super athlete, physically strong at about 220, can be a high, high level defender. Big time finisher. Big time on both backboards. And a guy who’s got a little bit of edge to him, which I put a lot of value in it, being a Jersey guy coaching a Northeastern style of basketball.”

What to expect: With his experience, Martin will likely start, or get starter minutes as the season gets underway. He could become a secondary scoring threat after Bouknight, and he figures to pick up some of the rebounding slack left by Christian Vital’s graduation.

Dom Amore can be reached at damore@courant.com

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