Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies fell short in their bid to win a third consecutive NCAA title, losing to eventual champions Florida in this year’s March Madness. For the Huskies to return to the mountaintop, they will need to find top prospects from the high school ranks who can make a major impact right away, like one-and-done star Liam McNeeley did last season.
The Huskies strengthened their lineup following McNeeley’s departure, signing incoming freshmen Braylon Mullins, Eric Reibe, and Jacob Furphy. The onus is on Hurley and his staff to add more talented recruits to UConn’s lineup ahead of the 2026-27 NCAA season. Here are the top five players he could target in the Class of 2026.
Top 5 Recruiting Targets for Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies in Class of 2026
1. Cole Cloer
Among the players on the Huskies’ recruiting board is Cole Cloer. The four-star prospect recently narrowed his list to eight schools, with UConn right in the mix to sign the IMG Academy star.
Cloer shared his thoughts about UConn in a recent interview with On3 Sports‘ Jamie Shaw. He paid tribute to Dan Hurley for bringing excellence to the Huskies’ basketball program.
“They’ve been the best program in college basketball over the past four or five years,” Cloer told Shaw. “They won back-to-back championships. Coach Hurley is a maniac, and that is exactly what you want. You want a coach who loves basketball. You don’t want anything else other than that.”
Cloer noted that he loves both head coach Hurley and associate head coach Kimani Young and that his relationship with them has grown in recent weeks. Cloer put on a show in front of Hurley during the Peach Jam tournament, dropping 29 points in the first half of one of his outings.
Top 25 ranked Cole Cloer caught fire in front of UConn’s Dan Hurley and dropped 29 points in the first half tonight 🤯🔥@slam_university @colecloerr @NikeEYB pic.twitter.com/4Bl7fokfXT
— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) July 12, 2025
2. Junior County
Another player who is highly regarded by UConn’s coaching staff is Junior County. The Wasatch Academy star recently competed in the Nike EYBL with the Utah Prospects, averaging 13.3 points, 5.5 boards, and 2.7 dimes per contest.
The four-star prospect is strong on both ends of the floor, using his 6-foot-5 frame to his advantage. Dan Hurley would love to have County’s scoring prowess in his rotation for the 2026-27 NCAA season.
3. Arafan Diane
The Huskies will need to bolster their frontcourt after the 2025-26 season ends with senior center Tarris Reed Jr. set to exit UConn’s lineup. A possible replacement for Reed has emerged, with CTInsider naming 7-foot-1 center Arafan Diane as a frontcourt target for UConn.
Diane has impressed this summer for Iowa United on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit, averaging a double-double with 16.9 points and 10.8 rebounds through 13 games. The Huskies will need to act fast to recruit the big man, as he has already received offers from Kansas, Kentucky, BYU, Arizona, and Arkansas.
4. Dylan Mingo
The race to sign five-star prospect Dylan Mingo is on. He is one of the most sought-after players in the Class of 2026, with UConn, Virginia, Ole Miss, Texas, Washington, Virginia Tech, St. John’s, Alabama, Cincinnati, Illinois, Florida State, and North Carolina all extending offers to the Long Island Lutheran point guard.
One advantage that Hurley has, compared to other coaches, is his ability to develop guards and make them NBA-ready quickly. Stephon Castle led UConn to the national championship in his freshman year (2024) before making the jump to the NBA to join the San Antonio Spurs. Mingo could follow the same path if he signs with the Huskies.
5. Qayden Samuels
Top prospect Qayden Samuels is another target that Dan Hurley would love UConn to sign. The Bishop McNamara star dazzled in the Nike EYBL circuit, averaging 21.2 points and 5.1 rebounds through his first 11 games.
Getting Samuels won’t be easy for the Huskies as he has received offers from several schools, including powerhouse teams Kansas, Texas, and Alabama.
KEEP READING: Dan Hurley Circles Back On Major Reason Behind UConn’s Season-Ending Collapse vs Florida
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