A rising senior at St. John Bosco in Los Angeles, Hamilton recently described UConn as an "up-and-coming" program to ESPN. Purvis, the heralded transfer from N.C. State, took the opposite approach after Thursday's workout at Gampel Pavilion. Retired coach Jim Calhoun -- the one constant all those years -- is enjoying a new role in the athletic department, replaced on the sidelines by Kevin Ollie. A native of Raleigh, N.C., he originally opted to stay home for college, choosing N.C. State over UConn in September 2011. On Thursday, feeling "refreshed" and ready for "a new beginning," Purvis recalled his initial recruitment, the days when Calhoun, then the coach, would pitch his program. "The first thing he was really saying was `players make plays, and that's what we want you to do,'" Purvis said. Per transfer rules, he'll have to wait until 2014 to make those plays (although he can make as many as he wants in practice). Jeremy Lamb, ranked 76th in 2011, became the 12th pick in the 2013 NBA draft. Once you get to the NCAA tournament, it doesn't matter who you're playing. [...] Purvis' take? Can Kevin Ollie recruit elite talent in spite of the Huskies' league affiliation?