By Ed Daigneault
UConn’s Ryan Boatright
NEW YORK — The shadow cast on Ryan Boatright the last few years has been lifted. Now there’s simply the matter of successfully taking over the spotlight.
The UConn senior guard was named the American Athletic Conference’s preseason Player of the Year during the league’s media day Wednesday at the New York Athletic Club. There is no longer the welcomed specter of Shabazz Napier looming.
Not that it matters to Boatright.
“If (the coaches) think I’m the best player in the league, that’s nice,” Boatright said. “I appreciate that, but I don’t pay any attention to it. I’m not worried about individual accolades. I’m just worried about my team.
“I’d rather be the preseason leader of the year, to be honest. I want to lead my team back to where we were last year. If that happens, I’ll be happy.”
As a group, the Huskies were also chosen the preseason favorites to win the AAC, but just barely. The defending national champions secured six of the 11 first-place votes while the other five went to SMU. Memphis was picked third followed by Cincinnati, Tulsa, Temple, Houston, USF, Central Florida, East Carolina and Tulane.
UConn freshman swingman Daniel Hamilton was chosen as the preseason rookie of the year, giving the Huskies a sweep of the only preseason honors the league bestows.
All of it, of course, means nothing depending on perspective.
“I won’t even look at the poll,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said. “I don’t care if we were picked No. 1 or last. I think it’s a burden if you’re picked to win. Now you have to go tell your guys that we still haven’t won a game.”
UConn coach Kevin Ollie has a similar approach in one fashion: He pays no attention to the preseason poll. He differs from Cronin on the burden part, however.
“I don’t think it’s a burden,” Ollie said. “How can it be a burden if I don’t care? It really doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me is hopefully we’re No. 1 in team chemistry. If we’re No. 1 in team chemistry, that’s going to allow us to be where we want to be in March and April.
“I care about Ryan getting player of the year in the preseason because I didn’t vote for that. That shows what the coaches think of him. It’s a good honor for him, but humbling because I know he’ll work hard to prove those coaches right.”
