UConn reloads for another title run with McDonald's All-American trio

Darius Adams, Braylon Mullins, and Eric Reibe have yet to suit up for UConn, but you might have not known that by the way they spoke about their future school at the McDonald’s All-American Games media day.

The Huskies' commits recently competed in the prestigious high school basketball event, becoming the program's first-ever trio to take part in the same year. They've kept tabs on UConn all year long and hope to help the team battle for another national title next season after its three-peat bid ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to eventual champs Florida.

"It was definitely frustrating," Adams told reporters, including theScore, of watching UConn's season-ending loss from afar. "They played such a good game from my point of view. I wanted to help them so bad. I wanted to be in that spot. And so I kind of felt the pain, too."

Reibe, the second-ranked center in the 2025 class, was similarly driven by the Huskies' early exit from the Big Dance.

"I just see it as extra motivation just to work harder. Get on that grind again," Reibe said.

All three incoming freshmen could immediately find themselves in UConn's rotation.

Mullins and Adams rank 14th and 27th, respectively, on the ESPN 100 for 2025. Both guards have elite positional size and are among the top 3-point marksmen in this year's class. They each thrived at the high school level as movement shooters, which has been a staple of the motion-based offense devised by Huskies head coach Dan Hurley and assistant Luke Murray.

Jordan Hawkins of the New Orleans Pelicans, Cam Spencer of the Memphis Grizzlies, and current UConn guard Solo Ball are among the recent players that flourished in the complexed system.

However, shooting is just part of the equation.

Players must be able to read and react to opposing defenses on the fly. That could mean exposing a one-on-one mismatch caused by the Huskies' chaotic screening actions or hitting an open cutter.

Mullins excelled as playmaker in the halfcourt and transition, averaging 4.2 assists during his senior year at Greenfield-Central High School. Meanwhile, Adams is dangerous coming off screens, punishing defenses with his downhill driving ability and passing.

"Dan Hurley's offense is one of a kind," Adams said. "Just the way he gets his players open, it's dangerous for sure."

Adams added: "I'm a shooter. But just being able to do that and dribble and pass ... creates open opportunities for other people. It's really gonna be hard to stop (Mullins and I)."

Hurley looks for the same type of offensive versatility in his big men.

Donovan Clingan was known first and foremost as an elite rim-protector during his time in Storrs, but the 7-foot-2 center was also an integral part of UConn's top-ranked offense in 2023-2024 before joining the Portland Trail Blazers.

Clingan was frequently setting screens to free up shooters on the perimeter. If the defense was switching on ball screens, he could slip to the hoop for an easy basket.

Clingan served as a playmaking hub, too, facilitating from the high post. The future lottery pick was great at recognizing when to hand off the ball to a guard and when to deliver it to a cutter instead. His ability to set up others from the perimeter drew the opposing team's shot-blocker away from the paint and left a clear path to the basket for cuts.

Reibe brings a lot of the same offensive skills to the table.

The 7-foot German can score out of the short roll, pass from the top of the key or on the block with his back to the basket, and he's been used in dribble-handoff actions.

What makes Reibe different from Clingan and incumbent center Tarris Reed Jr. is his ball-handling skills and shooting range.

Reibe can fake a handoff and take the ball all the way to the rack instead. He's a legitimate floor-spacing weapon in pick-and-pops, and he showcased his 3-point stroke as a member of Germany's under-18 team at last year's Albert Schweitzer Tournament, making nearly two threes per game on a 57.9% clip.

Teams have to respect Reibe's jumper, and that gives him chances to put the ball on the floor whenever they close out too aggressively.

Reibe credits former coach Nemanja Calasan for ingraining an all-around approach into him. The ex-Purdue big man began working with Reibe when he was 8 years old and always stressed the importance of being a shooter, passer, and ball-handler.

Those early lessons always stuck with Reibe and will serve him well as he transitions to a Huskies offense that's all about versatility.

"Just how coach Hurley used Donovan Clingan on the offensive side - giving handoffs, rolling (to the rim). … I could see myself in that position," Reibe said.

But X's and O's were only part of the draw to UConn.

Each of the highly touted freshmen have cited their relationship with Hurley as a factor in their commitment.

Adams spoke about the special connection they made from their shared New Jersey roots. Mullins appreciates that Hurley is "very upfront" and gives him hard coaching.

Hurley's intense nature isn't everybody's cup of tea, but Reibe believes it comes from a good place.

"I just think that it kind of reflects his passion for the game and his love for his (players) and coaches," Reibe said. "He just has high expectations, as he should."

UConn is poised for a bounce-back campaign despite losing starters Liam McNeeley, Samson Johnson, and Hassan Diarra.

Reed was a double-double threat in extended minutes, while Ball developed into one of the nation's top 3-point snipers during his first full season as a starter.

Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr. has drawn comparisons to ex-Huskies floor general Tristen Newton with his size, defense, and shot-making at the lead guard position.

Alex Karaban's return would solidify UConn's starting five.

But the Huskies' title hopes may ultimately hinge on the development of their star-studded recruiting class.

Mullins understood the lofty standards in Storrs when he committed to the six-time national champs last October, and that hasn't deterred him or his fellow freshmen one bit as they prepare for their own quest to college basketball's summit.

"Coming off a year where they got beat in the second round, it's just something that coach Hurley is just gonna harp on every single day that they didn't win that third in a row," Mullins said. "He wants to prove something wrong to other people and wants us to win three in four (years)."