UConn men’s basketball is about to host Demarcus Henry, the No. 3 overall recruit in the entire country, this weekend. This visit comes on the heels of another top-tier talent, NaVorro Bowman Jr., already making his official trip to Storrs, and what’s really wild is how both these hoops stars have deep, undeniable connections to the gridiron. Huskies coach Dan Hurley is definitely leaning into a tough, football-minded recruiting style, and it shows.
NaVorro Bowman Jr. Brings Serious NFL Pedigree
NaVorro Bowman Jr., the No. 14 overall player and No. 3 combo guard in the nation, just finished his official visit to UConn over Labor Day Weekend. This dude isn’t just a baller, he’s got Hall of Fame-level football blood flowing through him. His dad, NaVorro Sr., was a three-time Pro-Bowler and four-time AP first-team All-Pro linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers! Bowman Sr. retired from the NFL in 2017 after eight seasons and recently left his gig as linebackers coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. Bowman Jr. seemed to really dig his visit to UConn, even sharing photos on Instagram that got comments from UConn greats like Richard Hamilton. But don’t sleep on his other options: he’s heading to Illinois this weekend, then Texas on September 19, and Arizona on September 25.
Demarcus Henry And Hurley’s Football-First Mindset
Now, this weekend, it’s Demarcus Henry’s turn. The 247Sports No. 3 overall recruit is slated to make his official visit, and his family also has serious NFL ties. His older brother, Chris Jr., is a highly-regarded freshman receiver at Ohio State this fall. Even more heartbreaking, his father, Chris, played receiver for five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals before tragically dying in a vehicular accident in 2009 at just 26 years old. This isn’t just a coincidence for Hurley’s squad either. On the current UConn roster, Colben Landrew was a highly-touted high school football player in Georgia before switching to basketball. Junior County’s dad was even a junior-college football teammate of UConn athletic director David Benedict. Na’jai Hines? He earned high-major offers as a tight end down in North Carolina.
UConn is in the middle of a whirlwind six weeks, hosting a dozen high-level recruits, and while not all of them have those gridiron backgrounds, it’s clear their two most coveted prizes certainly do. With Henry visiting this weekend, it’s all eyes on Storrs as Hurley tries to lock down the future of Huskies basketball.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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