This UConn men’s newcomer has big shoes to fill, but brings a vast skill set to Dan Hurley’s Huskies

STORRS — Dan Hurley knows how to pick a team, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be basketball. When sides were chosen for the team’s annual summer softball game last week, Hurley found a way to get Na’jai Hines on his team. “He understands sports,” Hurley said. “You can put him at shortstop or centerfield on a baseball diamond, you could throw him in at safety or quarterback and he’ll do a five step drop. He’s a natural athlete.” Hines, 19, who played baseball in junior high and football in high school, did not disappoint. He blasted a homer and, scouts report, played some elite defense in centerfield and first base. “I have played other sports, I played football, baseball in middle school.” Hines said. “What I’ve learned about me is I’m a very aggressive guy, super competitive, and I just try to do the best of what I can do with my ability, but at the same time being a team guy.” Hurley likes to be on the winning side in these team-bonding events, and for this one he can thank senior Jayden Ross, who drafted players and homered himself, and Hines for his summer of ’26 victory. When he went looking for the next UConn center, to replace Tarris Reed Jr., he’d seen enough of Hines, 6 feet 11 and 278 pounds, in two games against Seton Hall last year to identify him as his target. He likes to get his transfers, especially at this position, early in their college careers, experienced, but with room to grow and time to develop them, like Reed. “Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure on me,” Hines said, “but I’m just going to do what I do and, you know, be me.” The Huskies began to their surge back to national prominence when Hurley and his staff began hitting with their choices of big men. Adama Sanogo was first, and after three years he had keyed the 2023 national championship and moved on to play, albeit briefly, in the NBA. Hurley got 7-1 Donovan Clingan from Bristol Central and, after backing up Sanogo as a freshman, he led the Huskies to the repeat title in 2024, then went to the NBA as a lottery pick. Samson Johnson came next, who proved capably whenever called upon and is now in the G League. Looking for semi-immediate help, Hurley went to the portal to get Reed from Michigan, and over the course of two years at UConn he turned into a monster, especially during the 2026 NCAA Tournament, and is now in the NBA. The lineage is not just testament to choosing wisely, it’s a testament to player development. Hines, who led the Big East in blocks, 2.2 despite playing only 18 minutes per game as a freshmen, had noticed. “It’s a lot of pressure, but I’m at an amazing program,” Hines said. “They’re very developmental with big (men), all I’ve got to do is trust the process and I’ll be good.” Hines, one of a family of 14 children, grew up in Garner, N.C. and received major college football offers to play tight end. The family moved to Plainfield, N.J. and he began to focus on basketball, and he became an All-Stater, considered the top recruit in the state by 247Sports after his senior season, during which he averaged 18.8 points, 16.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks — getting to double digits in scoring and rebounding in every game. Hines stayed close to his family to play for Shaheen Holloway at Seton Hall, averaging 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, shooting 60.9 percent from the floor as the Pirates played their way into the top tier of the conference and onto the NCAA Tournament bubble. In Seton Hall’s two games against UConn, Hines had 10 points, five rebounds in 19 minutes, and 11-11 in 29 minutes. “Na’jai is as talented as any of the centers that have been here,” Hurley said. “He can score over wither shoulder, he’s a massive human being and still athletic, He’s got natural athleticism, the guy can pass. … There’s a maturity level, a professionalism, buying all the way into our culture and our identity.” Dom Amore’s Sunday Read: Meet UConn men’s impressive freshmen; another Sun legend honored, and more Reed averaged 14.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists, becoming the dominant center the coaches envisioned during the Huskies run to the Final Four and the championship game. It’s a lot of production to replace, and Hurley liked to use two centers to keep both out of foul trouble and both pairs of legs fresh. Eric Reibe, the backup last season, transferred to Southern Cal. Oskar Giltay, 6-11, came to UConn from Stanford and Elmir Dzafic, from Bosnia, transferred here from Arkansas. “There’s lot of pressure on the players in that center room,” Hurley said. “They’re going to obviously get better throughout the year.” When the Huskies, who wrapped up the summer sessions this week, start the season in November, with a big early test against Michigan on Nov. 6 in Boston, a lot of eyes will be on Na’jai Hines. How close to a finish product he looks like, how close to Reed’s production he can get, will tell a lot about how far the Huskies can go. “There’s still a lot of things I need to work on,” Hines said, “just getting acclimated to what we do on defense, because it’s very different, though at the same time similar to what we did at Seton Hall, so I’ve just got to figure out what the right positions are and that’s when I start being the shot blocker I was (last) year. As for a self-description, Hines said: “(Fans) will say, ‘He’s strong, super strong, super aggressive, a high energy guy. … just a beast.'” UConn’s Dan Hurley makes another impassioned plea on hot topic: ‘We can’t go on like this’