“I do want to do it relatively soon,” Alex Karaban said last week. “No exact timeline yet, but I do want to let the coaches and my teammates know which direction I want to go with relatively fast.” The statement came in the wake of questions regarding Karaban’s future, which was shrouded in mystery, while the player carefully weighed his available options. Whether the forward chose to stay or proceed to the pros, was completely his decision.

Having tested the waters last year, Karaban had decided to stay back and continue college with the UConn Huskies instead. As his season comes to a close, questions and expectations arise among fans and hoops analysts as to which road will the forward take. With all eyes on the promising prospect, each had their own speculations and theories regarding Karaban’s future. A little too good to continue with college, and maybe just not enough to land a desirable pick, some believed that the forward should enter the 2025 NBA Draft, while others were of the view that he should stay under the Huskies.

However, Karaban finally lifted the veil and revealed his decision publicly, shutting down all the speculations. And needless to say, this decision has created quite a stir among national college analysts and reporters. In the latest episode of The Field of 68: After Dark, national college hoops analyst and host Rob Dauster, talked about Karaban’s latest decision to extend another year under the program. Dauster argued that Karaban outrightly rejected an offer worth seven figures, had he decided to go pro.

“Alex, when he decided to come back to school for his junior season to this past year to try to go for the three repeat, he had an offer on the table that would have given him seven figures guaranteed,” Dauster pointed out. “It was not a small number, it was not a small offer, and it was something where he would have been an NBA player with guaranteed money, had he decided to go pro.”

According to the analyst, the offer was available only last season. However, the 22-year-old star showcased loyalty towards the program and to remain under HC Dan Hurley instead of choosing a seven-figure pay and a bench in the NBA. Besides that, Karaban wasn’t physically ready to play in the pros last season because he still had a lot to work upon.

“I think last year was the real decision last year was the one where he had a choice to make. But the offer that was on the table for him, he probably left some money on the table by deciding to come back to school instead of going and taking the the deal that was there in the NBA,” Dauster argued.

So when Karaban returned last season, head coach Hurley declared he was going to have to take the leading role on the team. With the experience he had and all the new faces, it was only right. And Karaban did rise to the occasion, too. The forward finished his season on a 92-22 record, 13-1 in the NCAA tournament, as a two-time National with a Big East championship.

Meanwhile, Dauster further explained that Karaban decided to return to UConn again this year because even he knows that the NBA teams recognise his talents and abilities. Instead of stepping his game up in the pros, he will be asked to perform the same tasks. “He decided to come back to school, right, and that’s because there are NBA teams that that recognise the talent that he has, the ability he has, and the role that he can play at the next level. And with this year’s group, he is going to be asked to play that role once again.”

On the other hand, if Karaban decided to enter his name in the draft this year, he would’ve been a second-round pick, and if things go south, he could see a much lesser valuation on the table. Considering these factors, the Huskies’ star made a smart move when it came to earning money. Known more for his market value than as a professional player, Karaban would probably earn more through endorsements, commercials, and NIL deals than from the NBA.

Shedding light on the financial aspect of the game, Dauster said, “I don’t know right now if that offer would still be on the table for him because of the year that he had, and maybe the team that that had given him that offer had had kind of moved on. The money that he’s going to get for coming back, it’s a big number.”

“Financially this is the right decision to make and not just because he is going to make more money this year than he would if he had put his name in the draft. He’s going to make more money in NIL from UConn than he would if he had gone to the draft from an NBA team. But he will be in a role where he can try to once again put himself in a position where an NBA team will be willing to give him a guaranteed deal,” he added.

While he returned to the program again for unknown reasons, Karaban’s fellow teammates Tristan Newton and Cam Spencer were drafted 49th overall and 53rd overall picks last year, respectively. With these dynamics within the roster, let us explore what the next year has in line for the Huskies?

What’s next in store for UConn Huskies?

When Karaban made an unexpected return to Hurley’s system last year, he improved dramatically. with a much-improved gameplay, over his 111 appearances for the team, Karaban’s junior season was his most productive of all time. He even logged a total of 38 minutes and scored an average of 13 points in the infamous 67–59 win over Oklahoma during the 2025 Big Dance.

After averaging 14.3 points per game with a 43.8% field goal percentage and leading the program, the HC is keen on having players like Silas Demary to build a strong offence behind him. “He will be in that Tristan Newton role where you can run a bunch of actions, and then you need somebody at the end of a clock to go make something happen. That’s Silas Demary.” Dauster said.

Exploring the role of other players on the roster, Dauster compared Solo Ball’s capabilities with that of Jordan Hawkins and said, “I think that Solo Ball will be able to do some of the things that Jordan Hawkins did two years ago. Sprinting them off-screens, using him to manipulate defences with how he turns of those screens will be a constant threat.”

Talking about how Hurley will use the player’s strengths to the team’s advantage, Dauster added, “It’ll be a lot of fun to watch what what Dan Hurley and Luke Murray are going to be able to cook up for Solo Ball and how they’re going to be able to use him to manipulate defences.”

On the other hand, Dauster confesses that the Huskies’ junior center, Tarris Reed Jr., has the potential to become the best low-post scorer in not just the Big East Conference, but also in entire college basketball. Tall claims by Rob, aren’t they? Moreover, talking about Karraban, he claimed that the star is one of those guys who can clearly play six to eight years in the pros and do the job that he will fulfil for the program in the coming season.