Ice Brady is the best post since Breanna Stewart

[The CDR-Ret]

There is a phenomena I've noticed over the years. Even as a very athletic and strong 18 year old, I didn't really hit home runs of any distance until I was 25 or so. Your man strength doesn't really kick in until later in life for many people. It seems to kick in earlier for some ( Anessa Morrow for example ). I'm not seeing Anessa Morrow when I see Ice play and I'm not seeing a lot of quickness, which will hurt her defensively. I do see solid offensive skill shooting and some passing ability and a positive team attitude. I'm seeing some skills that have been worked on. It's not going to be easy but the key will be if she senses a need for urgency. She, like Amari, are really nice kids. They need to both find a way to get angry and have a sense of urgency. Real survival skills. I sense that is the key to greatness for them. Geno might be just the guy to inspire that. It may not be pleasant but it might be key to either having any chance at the WNBA. Quickness and intensity are important. Somehow, Charles Barkley became a great NBA player even without a lot of quickness or leaping ability. Strength and bulk need to be utilized to an advantage.

Understand the spirit of your post, and agree mostly...

Sir Charles was 'edgy' way before he performed at Auburn as the "round mound of rebound."

As opposed to anger, which is a negative emotion that drains one before the fourth quarter arrives, learning how to use your andrenal system properly with positive focus is 'built' in the weight room with a proper diet of nuitrition, hydration, and working out your frustrations vs. the weights and machines in the weight room. Then you can get a good night's sleep, and repeat Geno's mantra towards PB: "Get to the weight room!"

Then, learn how to use the DT "forearm shiver" [vs. Miss Hull, formerly of Stanford - in case you missed it, it was excellent & no foul called] to maximum effect on the opposition...

 

[Carnac]

I can agree here, but I'm bored and need some UConn hot takes to get me through the summer. Not comparing Ice to Breanna, I just think she's the most Stewie-esque as far as height, skill, inside/out game.

Braids, we’re all bored here. Most of us are excited about the coming season and the anticipated play and success of our newbies and Aubrey. This is a dead period of the year for WCBB. This is a rest, recover and relax period for our players also. They need this down time to rehab and heal from nicks and injuries sustained during the season. November will be here before you know it. They can’t be expected to entertain us 12 months a year. Hang in there.

 

[uconnfan68]

Before I even say it, here's who isn't the best post since Breanna:

Azura Stevens - 6'6 but didn't stay long enough or play in the post long enough
Napheesa Collier- 6'1 and frame limited her
Gabby Williams - she was 5'11 but great
Kiah Stokes - she was prior to Breanna
Aaliyah Edwards - Sophomore season was under a witch's spell
Olivia Nelson-Ododa - Defensively better but limited in paint production because everything else she had to

Ice Brady will be that girl. She's 6'3, one inch taller but just as wide as Tuck, with a nice jumper and who's coming off an Olympic summer. She can pass from high, bang down low, make mid-range jumpers/open 3's and will draw a lot of fouls. Geno's going to use her like a chess piece just like Breanna.

No discredit to Dorka, Aaliyah or Amari. But Ice Brady in the paint looks scarier than anyone else on the roster

IMHO, Kiah Stokes was the best college rebounder and shotblocker we've seen in the last 20 years. If Ice Brady is half that, I'll be happy.

 

[Luckystrike]

Love the post- Ice is gonna be awesome. Don’t love the comparisons.. everyone you listed is so different.. hard to compare. I know one thing though, Napheesa Collier was and IS that girl.

 

[shiverz45]

There is a phenomena I've noticed over the years. Even as a very athletic and strong 18 year old, I didn't really hit home runs of any distance until I was 25 or so. Your man strength doesn't really kick in until later in life for many people. It seems to kick in earlier for some ( Anessa Morrow for example ). I'm not seeing Anessa Morrow when I see Ice play and I'm not seeing a lot of quickness, which will hurt her defensively. I do see solid offensive skill shooting and some passing ability and a positive team attitude. I'm seeing some skills that have been worked on. It's not going to be easy but the key will be if she senses a need for urgency. She, like Amari, are really nice kids. They need to both find a way to get angry and have a sense of urgency. Real survival skills. I sense that is the key to greatness for them. Geno might be just the guy to inspire that. It may not be pleasant but it might be key to either having any chance at the WNBA. Quickness and intensity are important. Somehow, Charles Barkley became a great NBA player even without a lot of quickness or leaping ability. Strength and bulk need to be utilized to an advantage.

You are wrong about Charles Barkley. He was quick and had about a 40" vertical leap. He was only 6"4 but his leaping ablility and bulk allowed him to rebound with the best of them.

 

[JellyBean]

My all time favorite post player at UConn and she doesn't get a lot of credit, was Kelly Schumacher aka Schuey!! Top Shelf player.

 

[Teacherdeb]

My all time favorite post player at UConn and she doesn't get a lot of credit, was Kelly Schumacher aka Schuey!! Top Shelf player.

Her game against Tennessee…

 

[TeamFirst!]

Quickness is relative right? Was Barkley quick compared to other 6" 4" players in general? I would think not as most of them were guards right? I just looked up what Barkeley weighed when he came into the league:

Search; "How much did Charles Barkley weigh when he came into the NBA?":

5 pick in the draft,” he said. “I left college after three years and in fairness, I was fat in college. I played at 300 pounds. “The Sixers called me a month before the draft and said, 'We want you to get down to 285 pounds and come in before the draft.Mar 23, 2022".

I'm aware that Barkley was a great player, which was my point overall. Somehow he became great. Hopefully Ice can become great as well. I think he was a great rebounder for a variety of reasons. Apparently he was quick for a big guy and could jump. He was also strong. He blocked out well. He was aggressive. You don't have to have every attribute to be a good rebounder but Ice should have at least several of these attributes and develop the ability to rebound well.

 

[Skeets]

Braids, we’re all bored here. Most of us are excited about the coming season and the anticipated play and success of our newbies and Aubrey. This is a dead period of the year for WCBB. This is a rest, recover and relax period for our players also. They need this down time to rehab and heal from nicks and injuries sustained during the season. November will be here before you know it. They can’t be expected to entertain us 12 months a year. Hang in there.

Knowing one, reading your post the first thought that came to me was the UConn players need to get healthy physically, and the BY people need to get healthy mentally (please note the smiley)

 

[hard2please]

ice is nice, but lets think twice.

 

[JordyG]

There is a phenomena I've noticed over the years. Even as a very athletic and strong 18 year old, I didn't really hit home runs of any distance until I was 25 or so. Your man strength doesn't really kick in until later in life for many people. It seems to kick in earlier for some ( Anessa Morrow for example ). I'm not seeing Anessa Morrow when I see Ice play and I'm not seeing a lot of quickness, which will hurt her defensively. I do see solid offensive skill shooting and some passing ability and a positive team attitude. I'm seeing some skills that have been worked on. It's not going to be easy but the key will be if she senses a need for urgency. She, like Amari, are really nice kids. They need to both find a way to get angry and have a sense of urgency. Real survival skills. I sense that is the key to greatness for them. Geno might be just the guy to inspire that. It may not be pleasant but it might be key to either having any chance at the WNBA. Quickness and intensity are important. Somehow, Charles Barkley became a great NBA player even without a lot of quickness or leaping ability. Strength and bulk need to be utilized to an advantage.

I disagree. Although small for his position, Charles in his prime was a rim rocker with terrific speed on the break, agility, and athleticism. He made a living on the boards, and his ability to quickly get off of his feet like a pogo stick on put backs was his strength. Watch the videos and decide for yourself.

 

[oldude]

Quickness is relative right? Was Barkley quick compared to other 6" 4" players in general? I would think not as most of them were guards right? I just looked up what Barkeley weighed when he came into the league:

Search; "How much did Charles Barkley weigh when he came into the NBA?":

5 pick in the draft,” he said. “I left college after three years and in fairness, I was fat in college. I played at 300 pounds. “The Sixers called me a month before the draft and said, 'We want you to get down to 285 pounds and come in before the draft.Mar 23, 2022".

I'm aware that Barkley was a great player, which was my point overall. Somehow he became great. Hopefully Ice can become great as well. I think he was a great rebounder for a variety of reasons. Apparently he was quick for a big guy and could jump. He was also strong. He blocked out well. He was aggressive. You don't have to have every attribute to be a good rebounder but Ice should have at least several of these attributes and develop the ability to rebound well.

Yes, quickness is relative. Barkley was a 6’6” forward, not a 6’4” guard. As a forward in the NBA, he was plenty quick.

 

[HuskyNan]

Quickness is relative right? Was Barkley quick compared to other 6" 4" players in general? I would think not as most of them were guards right? I just looked up what Barkeley weighed when he came into the league:

Search; "How much did Charles Barkley weigh when he came into the NBA?":

5 pick in the draft,” he said. “I left college after three years and in fairness, I was fat in college. I played at 300 pounds. “The Sixers called me a month before the draft and said, 'We want you to get down to 285 pounds and come in before the draft.Mar 23, 2022".

Hence his nickname- The Round Mound of Rebound. It didn’t slow him down

 

[Cuango]

I disagree. Although small for his position, Charles in his prime was a rim rocker with terrific speed on the break, agility, and athleticism. He made a living on the boards, and his ability to quickly get off of his feet like a pogo stick on put backs was his strength. Watch the videos and decide for yourself.

Agreed! Sir Charles was a badass on the basketball court who admits that one of the main reasons he was able to become a great player was because Moses Malone confronted him and bluntly told him he was fat and lazy. He took those words to heart and now is in the Hall of Fame!

 

[BobbyJ]

Quickness is relative right? Was Barkley quick compared to other 6" 4" players in general? I would think not as most of them were guards right? I just looked up what Barkeley weighed when he came into the league:

Search; "How much did Charles Barkley weigh when he came into the NBA?":

5 pick in the draft,” he said. “I left college after three years and in fairness, I was fat in college. I played at 300 pounds. “The Sixers called me a month before the draft and said, 'We want you to get down to 285 pounds and come in before the draft.Mar 23, 2022".

I'm aware that Barkley was a great player, which was my point overall. Somehow he became great. Hopefully Ice can become great as well. I think he was a great rebounder for a variety of reasons. Apparently he was quick for a big guy and could jump. He was also strong. He blocked out well. He was aggressive. You don't have to have every attribute to be a good rebounder but Ice should have at least several of these attributes and develop the ability to rebound well.

Good job of contradicting yourself. In post #9 you said " Somehow, Charles Barkley became a great NBA player even without a lot of quickness or leaping ability." It's obvious that you followed him very closely.

 

[JordyG]

All this said, I'd be ecstatic if Ice has a career equivalent to Charles'. More than ecstatic. In his prime though Sir Charles was lethal in the open court. Here's hoping.

 

[TeamFirst!]

I've seen Barkley described as quick and fast online but I'm not buying it. Quick for a big bulky guy maybe. I was surprised to see his vertical leap at 39" so that is definitive and I stand corrected on that. The bottom line of my point though is that even relatively short bulky players can often be great rebounders and Barkley is an obvious example of that. Wes Unseld and others. He was reputed to be closer to 6' 4" than 6" 6" but was listed as 6' 6". I think strength is an important rebounding attribute. Look at how many players are tall and get their hands on the ball but somehow lose the rebound to a stronger player. Quick reflexes are different than quick foot speed right? Quick reflexes are possibly more important than foot speed for rebounding. It's like getting a jump on a baseball in Center field. Some players are much better at it than others. There are lots of factors in becoming a good rebounder. Effort, intensity, commitment, blocking out, positioning...lots of factors.

 

[eebmg]

Start small with an Ice Sculpture. Then we can get to Mt. Rushmore.

 

[cancontent]

I've seen Barkley described as quick and fast online but I'm not buying it. Quick for a big bulky guy maybe. I was surprised to see his vertical leap at 39" so that is definitive and I stand corrected on that. The bottom line of my point though is that even relatively short bulky players can often be great rebounders and Barkley is an obvious example of that. Wes Unseld and others. He was reputed to be closer to 6' 4" than 6" 6" but was listed as 6' 6". I think strength is an important rebounding attribute. Look at how many players are tall and get their hands on the ball but somehow lose the rebound to a stronger player. Quick reflexes are different than quick foot speed right? Quick reflexes are possibly more important than foot speed for rebounding. It's like getting a jump on a baseball in Center field. Some players are much better at it than others. There are lots of factors in becoming a good rebounder. Effort, intensity, commitment, blocking out, positioning...lots of factors.

Question is whether you saw any of his games. I'm not sure based on your posts.

I watched a lot of his games in the NBA with Philly and Phoenix. He was very quick for the forward position. If you haven't seen footage, like some others have suggested, go watch his games.

 

[HuskyNan]

Barkley may not have had blazing speed in the open court but he could turn it on when he chose. I guess I’d call him sneaky fast because he didn’t look like he should get up the floor that quickly and his size fooled people into thinking he was slower than he was. A tank going 60 mph looks slower than a Porsche going 60. But, man, he was quick around the basket.

 

[Bone Dog]

We used to call that having a quick first step. The third and fourth steps don’t matter so much once he’s got the defender on his back. This is what folks were hoping for from Zion Williamson, big and quick, similar dimensions to Barkley. Injuries may have cost him that first step too soon.

 

[oldude]

We used to call that having a quick first step. The third and fourth steps don’t matter so much once he’s got the defender on his back. This is what folks were hoping for from Zion Williamson, big and quick, similar dimensions to Barkley. Injuries may have cost him that first step too soon.

One major difference between Barkley & Williamson. Barkley got himself into great shape once he made it to the NBA. Williamson went in the opposite direction. Supposedly, Williamson has worked hard to get his weight down recently. We’ll see.

 

[UHF]

Before I even say it, here's who isn't the best post since Breanna:

Azura Stevens - 6'6 but didn't stay long enough or play in the post long enough
Napheesa Collier- 6'1 and frame limited her
Gabby Williams - she was 5'11 but great
Kiah Stokes - she was prior to Breanna
Aaliyah Edwards - Sophomore season was under a witch's spell
Olivia Nelson-Ododa - Defensively better but limited in paint production because everything else she had to

Ice Brady will be that girl. She's 6'3, one inch taller but just as wide as Tuck, with a nice jumper and who's coming off an Olympic summer. She can pass from high, bang down low, make mid-range jumpers/open 3's and will draw a lot of fouls. Geno's going to use her like a chess piece just like Breanna.

No discredit to Dorka, Aaliyah or Amari. But Ice Brady in the paint looks scarier than anyone else on the roster

Gabby was the Jack of All Trades at UConn.

Let us revisit this thread in 4 years. Assuming that Ice Brady plays 4 years at UConn.

/Thread

 

[MilfordHusky]

Hence his nickname- The Round Mound of Rebound. It didn’t slow him down

I recall seeing highlights of an Auburn game on TV many years ago. Neither the announcers nor I could believe what we were seeing: a really big, but not especially tall, guy rebounding the ball off the rim and dribbling the length of the floor through the entire defense to dunk the ball. He didn't look like a great player, but he sure played like one.