The Huskies’ very own, Alex Karaban, almost tested the NBA waters, but there was always a thought in the back of his mind about the opportunity waiting for him at UConn. It was a golden ticket to be remembered as one of the most successful college basketball players in history. Being one of the winningest lured him back. But, for Dan Hurley, that wasn’t quite enough—he has one more demand from the Huskies’ sensation.

It’s for him to become a stronger leader in the Huskies’ locker room. Head Coach Dan Hurley appeared on ‘Fox 61’s October 30 interview to discuss the upcoming season, and naturally, the 21-year-old star was a major topic. “This is a critical year for Alex to develop his voice in the locker room, to take some of that pressure off the coaches, and to truly make this his team,” Hurley shared.

According to the coach, Karaban still needs to build certain off-court skills so that every player on the team respects and listens to him. This came shortly after the redshirt junior was named to the Jersey Mikes Naismith Trophy Men’s Player of the Year Watch List alongside fellow Husky, the 19-year-old Liam McNeeley.

His selection comes amidst a slew of accolades for the Huskies forward.

Hours ago, Karaban also made it to the 20-member preseason watchlist for the 2025 NABC Division I Player of the Year award, becoming one of the only four BIG EAST players on the list. The 2x champion holds an impressive average of 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, along with a staggering 49.5 percent shooting accuracy. He’s led with 77 total starts over the last two seasons with the Huskies. But the head coach needs him to do more than that as an experienced player.

It isn’t the first time Karaban has been on Hurley’s radar

Just a week ago, Hurley expressed similar thoughts when asked about Karaban’s potential drive for a three-peat. “I don’t think it’s enough,” the coach shared with dissatisfaction after the Huskies’ last practice session. He even mentioned that if he were Alex, he’d be running around “screaming at people”—exactly what he reiterated today. But there’s a reason behind this demand that he’s already revealed.

For Hurley, Alex needs to rise “in terms of standing in the sport, career claim, and the draft objectives he’s aiming for. I would make it more of an Alex-led team,” he added. Does this sound like a challenge? That’s exactly the intention, and Hurley emphasizes it every chance he gets.

He went on to reveal, “I know he’s going to see this… and I’m communicating to him and to my team through you people.” The “you people” were the crowd of reporters around Hurley, just as they had been around Karaban on media day. This is a strategy by the head coach, who believes the way to get to him is through trust and direct communication. This approach is critical, as UConn aims for their third consecutive national championship—a feat last achieved by UCLA in the 1960s and 1970s. Will he be able to fulfill what’s expected of him?