By Ken Davis
Chalk up another milestone for coach Dan Hurley’s UConn program.
Guard James Bouknight Thursday night became the latest NBA Draft lottery pick out of UConn as the Charlotte Hornets selected him with the No. 11 pick overall. Bouknight became the first Huskies player coached by Hurley to be taken in the draft, even though the multi-talented sophomore had to wait a little longer than expected to hear his name called.
Some draft projections had Bouknight going No. 6 to Oklahoma City or No. 7 Golden State, but those teams passed, as did Orlando, Sacramento, and New Orleans. Bouknight attended the draft with his parents at the Barclays Center in his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., and pulled on his Hornets cap before stepping up onto the podium.
Bouknight described it as an “up and down” experience.
“I felt like I started to slip a little bit, but I feel like I kept my composure.,” Bouknight said in his press conference. “I know that on draft night anything can happen, and I was just waiting for my name to be called and when it was called all the sadness I guess you could say went away and it was just a big joy.”
The celebration in Brooklyn did fall a little short of expectations. Unfortunately, Hurley and associate head coach Kimani Young were unable to attend the draft in person due to “COVID-related issues among members of the [UConn] coaching staff.” UConn made that announcement Thursday afternoon but did not provide any additional details.
Hurley and Young had been invited to join Bouknight’s family and friends in the Green Room. Hurley traveled to the NBA Top 100 Camp in Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday night and was scheduled to fly to Brooklyn from there.
“It is extremely disappointing that Kimani and I can’t be with James on such a momentous occasion in his life,” Hurley said in the UConn release. “He has done so much to help the UConn program and we couldn’t have been more proud and excited to celebrate with James and his family. We have been in touch with them and they know that we are wishing James nothing but the greatest success as he takes the next step in his basketball career.”
Bouknight, who grew very close to Hurley at UConn, said it was tough not having the UConn coaches with him.
“I found out what happened at the same time everybody else found out what happened, and I was actually talking to Kimani on the phone in the Green Room,” he said. “He was just – they were just telling me how proud they are of me, nothing less, nothing more. Just how proud they are and to keep making UConn proud.”
During a Zoom call with UConn reporters on Tuesday, Hurley predicted draft night would be emotional for him.
“One of my proudest moments as a coach,” Hurley said. “It’s right up there with winning championships at Rhode Island or graduating players … understanding what this accomplishment means for James and his family and future generations of James’ family. The impact that this has on so many people. It’s humbling.”
It is unlikely that changed, even though Hurley was watching from home. Hurley has been guiding the UConn program back in the right direction after the lean seasons in the American Athletic Conference. The Huskies moved back into the Big East Conference last season and returned to the NCAA Tournament. He has put together back-to-back highly-ranked recruiting seasons, led the Huskies through a difficult season defined by COVID and brought the winning mentality back to Storrs.ht
Bouknight’s lottery selection sends another powerful message to the basketball world. He is the 14th UConn player to be selected in the lottery and the first since 2012 when Andre Drummond and Jeremy Lamb were taken at No, 9 and No. 12.
“When you talk about your player development and in terms of what we try and do at UConn … he’s certainly the poster child,” Hurley said. “I don’t think there’s a recruit we’ve gotten since James has been here that James hasn’t impacted some way. Whether that was Andre Jackson seeing him on the visit, Jordan Hawkins watching him, Rahsool [Diggins], players we’re recruiting in ’22, ‘23 and beyond.”
Numerous NBA analysts said Bouknight helped himself in team workouts more than any other player in the draft. Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak had not expected Bouknight to available at No. 11.
“Charlotte was my first workout,” Bouknight said. “I went into that workout and I was ready. It was definitely easily my best workout. I think it for sure is a compliment that [Kupchak] thought I wasn’t going to fall, but since I was here and he picked me, that’s big time and I’m excited to be here.”
The first question Bouknight was asked regarded joining Hornets star LeMelo Ball in Charlotte.
“I’m super excited,” he said. “I think we’re both young players that play with a lot of flare, have a lot of swag in our game and it’s going to be exciting to watch.
“I have high expectations for myself. I never try to sell myself short. I think we’re going to be one of the better young teams in the league. We’re going to be a team that’s fun to watch, super athletic on the wings. Like I said before, just playing with a lot of flare, a lot of excitement. We’re going to be box office.”
Hurley supported Bouknght’s decision to enter the draft throughout the entire process, despite disappointing performances in the postseason.
“[Bouknight is] such a different type of guard, and the NBA has changed so much,” Hurley said. “He’s got such a unique talent because he’s explosive, he can score at all three levels, he’s a dynamic one-on-one player and he makes incredibly difficult shots, which is what the NBA becomes about. Winning match ups and winning one-on-ones because you’ve got a chance to play in space with the defensive rules.
“James wants to be in a very professional culture. He wants to play with other players that have tremendous passion for basketball and are very, very competitive, and want to compete for a championship.”
Before Bouknight arrived at UConn, no one viewed him as a potential top pick in the draft. He changed all of that in two season with Hurley and the Huskies. And Thursday night, he said he is ready to prove everyone wrong again.
“The whole time, every pick, pick after pick I was just sitting there in my head like, okay, I got a chip on my shoulder again, they sleep, you know what I’m saying?” Bouknight said. “So, it’s nothing different.
“My whole life I’ve been slept on and Charlotte took the chance and I’m not going to let them down.”
Bouknight has already made his mark with the Huskies. As the years pass, UConn history will view him like Donyell Marshall, Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton and all the other picks under Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun.
Hurley is certain of that.
“James’ impact is going to be felt for a long time,” Hurley said.
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