When Tyrese Martin went home to Allentown, Pa., last month due to the coronavirus pandemic, he took a full-time job to help support his family.

Martin, a Rhode Island transfer who committed to UConn on Tuesday, juggles working 8:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m. with taking online classes to finish the semester and working out.

"I'm doing a warehouse job, trying to help my mom during this virus thing," said Martin, who also has three younger sisters. "She got laid off from work."

James Johns, Martin's mentor and AAU coach, says that is a prime example of his former player's work ethic.

"He's an unbelievable young man," Johns said.

Martin announced his decision on Twitter, picking the Huskies from a list of finalists that also included Seton Hall, Oregon, Georgia and Mississippi.

An athletic 6-foot-6, 205-pound swingman, Martin will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out a season as a transfer. He played two seasons for the Rams.

UConn's championship history and the program's return to the Big East were drawing cards for Martin.

"I knew I would only leave Rhode Island for an elite program like UConn," Martin said. "I left a great program for an elite one. It was nothing personal with Rhode Island."

Martin fits the mold of the type of big guard that coach Dan Hurley likes on his roster.

His relationship with Hurley, who recruited Martin while in charge at Rhode Island, made it an easy choice for Martin.

"In this situation with the coronavirus, you can't really visit schools," Martin said. "So I had to go with who I could trust and who I'm familiar with. Hurley recruited me at Rhode Island. I like the way he went about things at Rhode Island. I saw what he was doing at UConn when he got there. Since he got there, he changed the program a little bit.

"I like the intensity that he brings every day to games and practices. He just pushed his players to be the best they can be."

Last season, Martin started all 30 games as a sophomore, averaging 12.8 points and 7.0 rebounds in 34.2 minutes per game while shooting 43.3 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from 3-point range and 66.2 percent from the foul line.

In a narrow win at Fordham on Feb. 26, Martin had career highs for points and rebounds with 24 and 16, respectively.

"I improved a lot," Martin said of his sophomore season. "Most of it had to do with confidence. I feel like I've got another big jump waiting ahead for me."

When asked about Martin's game, Johns called him a "swiss army knife." Johns added that he'd like for Martin to improve his 3-point shooting and assist-to-turnover ratio.

"Other than that, he does a little bit of everything well," Johns said. "I think he has a chance to be really, really special."

Martin looks forward to joining the UConn basketball family. He's never been to the Storrs campus but took a virtual tour of the basketball facilities while searching for a new college basketball home.

"I think I fit in good, honestly," Martin said. "I'm a two-way player. I can defend multiple guard positions. I'm a big rebounder on both ends. I can step in and make shots and make plays for my teammates."

Martin is under the assumption that he has to sit out a year before playing at UConn, according to Johns. The NCAA is considering allowing transfers to be eligible immediately.

"Right now, it was about finding the right fit for him and making the best decision," Johns said. "We'll sit down with coach Hurley and the rest of the staff and figure out what's next. He's definitely open to sitting out and getting better."

The Huskies will likely fill their last remaining scholarship with a forward. Both Akok Akok and Tyler Polley are recovering from injuries. While Polley is on target to return for the season opener, Akok is not expected to be ready until at least the Big East Conference season.

g.keefe@theday.com