HARTFORD, Conn. — Dan Hurley spoke to his underclassmen through the media on several occasions during the 2023-24 national championship season, getting the re-recruitment process started before any opportunity in the portal could enter their minds. His staff reached out to families and met with the players during the season, letting them know that they’re part of future plans, that “great players are one-uniform guys.”

That rising sophomore class — Jayden Ross, Solomon Ball, Jaylin Stewart and Youssouf Singare — didn’t need much of a re-recruitment.

“I can’t see myself at any other school, to be honest. It wasn’t really necessarily a decision to come back, it was just a decision to stay committed to the process and everything that Hurley’s about,” said Ball, who started a few games with Stephon Castle injured early in the season but then saw his usage decline. “Him coming back was really big for us and the connection we have already with the team has been great. It feels like the locker room’s been together for like a year or two already. That’s what I’ve really loved so far.”

“I don’t think I’ve really ever had any swaying feelings of wanting to leave or anything like that,” Ross said Thursday morning, as he, Stewart, Ross and Hassan Diarra served coffee at Dunkin’ in East Hartford for National Iced Coffee Day. “We stick to the process and trust the coaches every day, then we’re gonna end up being where we want to be.”

The staff had to be conscious again this offseason. Facing the likelihood, now reality, of losing four starters to graduation and the NBA and having to replace more than 60% of the team’s scoring in order to contend again.

Now a destination spot, a place to come, develop and win, UConn had to be careful not to add too many transfers and limit opportunities for those who decided to stay.

The Huskies added ex-Michigan big man Tarris Reed Jr. swiftly, not long after center Donovan Clingan, a potential top-three pick in this week’s draft, announced his decision to declare. Liam McNeeley joined Ahmad Nowell and Isaiah Abraham in the already promising freshman class as one of the program’s highest-ranked recruits and, days later, Aidan Mahaney, an experienced and versatile guard from Saint Mary’s, jumped on board.

“Liam’s been doing really well, pretty much all of the freshmen have been doing well,” Ball said. “Even Aidan and Tarris – everyone’s been doing well, to be honest.”

The sophomores will be expected to step up and fill the remaining needs.

“I think it’s going great,” said Ross, after more than a week of summer workouts. “Both the freshmen and transfers have done a good job of coming in and really buying into the culture pretty quick. One thing our coaching staff is really good with is bringing in players that will fit our culture personality-wise as well as team-wise on the court. They buy-in pretty quick, they understand that this is a premiere program and the quicker the buy-in, the better.”

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