UConn Lands Baby Shaq: Transfer Portal Big Man

0:00Yukon just landed a massive get in the transfer portal with Jaden Hines committing from Seton Hall. This 6-foot-10, 265-pound freshman center, nicknamed Baby Shack, steps in right when the Huskies needed a dominant big man after, losing Terris Reed Jr. to graduation and Eric Rybe to the portal. Earlier this week, Hines made it official, helping shape the 2026-27 roster. Last season, he averaged 5.5 rebounds in just 18 minutes per game off the bench, ranking high nationally in offensive rebound rate, at 15.3%. Fans are buzzing because Hines held his own against top Biggie's front courts, like dropping 10 points and 9 rebounds over 2 games versus Yukon's own bigs. One of 14 kids from a tough background, he models his game after Shack and Giannis, bringing that back to basket power and shop blocking flair. Hines was a top 75 national recruit out of New Jersey, a former 3 star football tight

1:01end prospect, with offers from schools like West, Virginia and South Carolina. He exploded at Peach Jam last summer, averaging 13 points, nearly 10 rebounds, and almost 3 blocks to lead his team to the finals. Looking ahead, Coach Dan Hurley sees Hines as the starter in a 2-big rotation, playing 19-27 minutes like recent centers. He'll need to cut down on fouls, averaging over 5 for 40 minutes last year, but Yukon still hunts a backup to keep that dominant front mind. Rolling strong. Hartford News today, powered by AI bringing you what matters.