Championed Amongst the Best Guards in the 2024 Men’s Transfer Portal, Who Is UConn’s Latest Recruit Aidan Mahaney?

The Huskies have been running through the NCAA fields for two years as champions now. But can they repeat the history again for themselves? Probably. Turns out, after their stellar pick of Liam McNeeley a couple of days ago, Dan Hurley has found another fit for Storrs. One of the top guards in the 2024 men’s basketball transfer portal — Aidan Mahaney — is now officially a Husky. With so much already built upon his name, who is he and what has he achieved so far?

Growing up in Lafayette, California, Mahaney was always a leading scorer for his high school team Campolindo Cougars. Averaging in double digits from the moment he stepped foot in the Moraga-based varsity team as a freshman. In fact, in his very first season with the Cougars, the stellar guard swept the DII State Championship. Excelling his numbers further, as a senior, Mahaney brought 17.2 points to the team’s total. Consequently, he received the honor of Bay Area News Group Player of the Year. Ending his career on a high note, the 6-ft-3 hooper chose to go with the St. Mary’s Gaels. He declined offers from the prestigious Princeton and Stanford to focus on his game.

With the Gaels too, Mahaney kept up his performance. He consistently averaged in double digits. However, what was impressive about his freshman season in Moraga was his transition. The 4-star high school recruit was selected as a reserve guard. But his very debut in the team’s season opener showed everyone his potential. In the game against Oral Roberts, Mahaney added 25 points with 26 minutes of game time. Consequently, he became one of the starting players for the SMC team. He received the first-team All-WCC team and WCC All-Freshman team honors for his exemplary performance.

Continuing his impeccable performance, Adian Mahaney led Saint Mary’s to the WCC regular season and tournament titles. He also received the first-team All-WCC honors in his sophomore year. However, there was more that this standout player was looking for. Something he found in Dan Hurley’s UConn.

Will Aidan Mahaney help UConn “reload?”

Mahaney’s primary reason to go with the Huskies was essentially their winning mindset. When talking to ESPN about his decision, he said, “I chose UConn to be pushed, to be a part of something bigger than myself, to compete for a national championship and to become a pro.” Continuing the praises about his new team, the freshly minted Husky said, “The coaching staff doesn’t rebuild at UConn, they reload. There is no tiptoeing around the fact that the program is going for it all again, and I am ready to be a part of that journey towards continued greatness.”

Previously, Dan Hurley had confessed to JJ Reddick, “Storrs is not the sexiest place you can go to college, for lack of a better word. So, what does it attract? It attracts serious people. No one ever picks UConn for the wrong reasons.”

Certainly, this is what Hurley also saw in the Northern California native. He has proven time and again that even if he is not surrounded by people of his own caliber, he can do a lot of damage to his opponents. Something, he can excel at as a Husky. It will certainly be interesting to see if UConn will be able to complete their threepeat tourney in the 22024-25 NCAA championship with Aidan Mahaney onboard.