STORRS, Conn. — On a team of Huskies, freshman guard Ahmad Nowell is a bulldog.
The six-foot, 195-pound consensus top 40 prospect from Philadelphia chose UConn over SEC powers Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. He arrived in Storrs this summer with a physical build that is ready for the college game.
Beyond his strength, Nowell is known for being competitive on both ends of the court. Scouts describe him as a gym rat who has developed his outside shot through steady hard work. Perhaps, Nowell’s greatest attribute is his ability to take contact and finish at the rim, a character trait that will prove to be valuable in the tenacious Big East.
Head coach Dan Hurley said Nowell was able to use the summer practice session to learn how UConn competes relentlessly and moves the ball with fluidity. Hurley described Nowell’s game after he impressed fans during an open practice at Gampel Pavilion on Aug. 3.
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“Toughness, physicality at the guard spot, on ball defense, and I think the best he played this summer was definitely in the open practice,” Hurley said during media availability Aug. 9. “That’s always a thing too; when the lights come on, that’s a nice thing to see – that a guy can level up his performance… And Ahmad showed some of that.”
Speaking to the media not long after Hurley, Nowell said he believes UConn’s tough summer practice schedule will give the team a competitive advantage when the season begins. He was able to watch a practice on a recruiting visit to Storrs, but participating in one was a different experience.
“Just seeing it and then being on the court, I definitely say it was probably on a scale of [10], eight times harder,” Nowell said. “[It’s about] being able to embrace everything that’s going on, the coaching, the pressure that your teammates are putting on you and just being able to settle in and be the player that your coach recruited you to be.”
Thousands of people filled the lower level at Gampel Pavilion for the Aug. 3 open practice. Nowell described the fan base’s dedication as amazing. He said the fans helped influence his decision to commit to UConn.
“That was one of my biggest things about coming here. Just our fan base; they’re great people,” Nowell said. “It’s amazing to have that many people supporting you and behind you, so it was an amazing feeling to see so many people come.”
When asked if he was overwhelmed at all, Nowell quickly said he wasn’t. He said that during his recruitment process, he was consistently told that he was a “Big East guard,” meaning he had the build and game style to succeed in one of the country’s most physical conferences.
Despite his potential, Nowell will likely begin the season playing behind fifth-year guard Hassan Diarra, a team leader. Earlier in August, Nowell was asked how Diarra has impacted him thus far. Nowell said that Diarra has helped both on and off the court.
“That’s definitely like big bro. I always come to him just because he’s been through it as a two-time champion. He’s just been through so much and experienced everything that I’m going through, so I definitely always try to pick his brain whenever I can,” Nowell said.
Speaking on freshman forward Isaiah Abraham, a fellow top 100 recruit, Nowell said they have already built a strong relationship. At the Allen Iverson basketball camp, the two players spent time together.
“When he won the dunk contest, he jumped over me, so we got an early relationship and bond. It was good,” Nowell said.
Regarding freshman forward Liam McNeeley, a top 10 recruit in last year’s high school class, Nowell said he has gotten the better of the Texan twice. When they met in middle school, Nowell defeated McNeeley, and history repeated itself more recently when the two faced off in another showcase.
“I got that win too,” Nowell said. “It’s really good playing against Liam. He’s a great player.”
After a reporter asked Nowell what makes McNeeley special, Nowell responded with, “Everything.”
Nowell praised McNeeley’s ability to compete, bring high energy to the gym and shoot the basketball.
“He can go when he’s making shots. He has such a good shot that it makes defense harder to guard him because once he makes moves, he has great touch around the rim,” Nowell said.
By all accounts, Nowell fits seamlessly into UConn’s gritty, team-first way of existence. He spoke on how the locker room is already tight knit, nearly three months before the regular season begins.
“Off the court, we’re all great teammates and good to each other and positive, but on the court, we’re like dogs. Always going against each other, head-to-head,” Nowell said.
And through the course of the summer, Nowell feels he improved. From his conditioning to his vision to his ability to process film, Nowell is more prepared.
Entering the season, Nowell is prepared to do whatever Hurley asks of him, as the two-time champion coach has “been able to make NBA guards in the short term and in the long term, so [I’ll] just listen to the sensei. I’ll say that.”
While Nowell said it was incredible watching the past two national championship seasons from afar, he looks forward to writing his own chapter in UConn history. The freshman made it clear he will do whatever is asked of him during the 2024-2025 season.
“I feel like I’m going to be able to help everywhere, just embracing what the coaches are asking for and doing whatever they’re asking for to the best of my ability,” Nowell said. “If that’s playing defense and guarding people full court, then that’s what it will be. If it’s playmaking, if it’s making shots when it’s time to make shots, that’s what I’ll be.”
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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