#1 national high school recruits- can the trend continue

[alexrgct]

If you want to talk about tradition at UConn, #1 national kids make up a huge part of. Consider if you will there recruits' names (recruiting year, #NCs- Years won NC)

Nykesha Sales (1994, 1 NC- 1995)
Shea Ralph (1996, 1 NC- 2000)
Tamika Willians (1998, 2 NC- 2000, 2002)
Diana Taurasi (2000, 3 NC- 2002, 2003, 2004)
Annie Strother (2002, 2 NC- 2003, 2004)
Tina Charles (2006, 2 NC- 2009, 2010)
Maya Moore (2007, 2 NC- 2009, 2010)
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (2011, 1 NC- 2013)
Breanna Stewart (2012, 1 NC- 2013)

There you have it: all eight NCs accounted for by at least one high school #1, at least one such kid on the roster since 1994, each one of whom got to be on at least one of those eight NC-winning teams.

My only question: can this trend continue? I never want it to end. Yes, the 2014 and 2015 recruiting classes aren't finished yet, but life would be easier if UConn hit on at least one of the national #1s, who would join at the tail end or just the conclusion of Stewie's college career.

What doe think the odds are that this UConn beat goes on?

 

[wallman]

"the odds are forever in your favor"

 

[doggydaddy]

Well, if they don't get Wilson, there is always Durr in 2015. Stewart leaves in two years, so if they get the #1 in 2016 the streak can continue.

 

[xHunt3r]

How many of the other #1 recruits, that didn't go to UConn, won a NC?

Where can i find a list of #1's going back to 1994?

 

[DaddyChoc]

and if EDD...

 

[PacoSwede]

If you want to talk about tradition at UConn, #1 national kids make up a huge part of. Consider if you will there recruits' names (recruiting year, #NCs- Years won NC)

Nykesha Sales (1994, 1 NC- 1995)
Shea Ralph (1996, 1 NC- 2000)
Tamika Willians (1998, 2 NC- 2000, 2002)
Diana Taurasi (2000, 3 NC- 2002, 2003, 2004)
Annie Strother (2002, 2 NC- 2003, 2004)
Tina Charles (2006, 2 NC- 2009, 2010)
Maya Moore (2007, 2 NC- 2009, 2010)
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (2011, 1 NC- 2013)
Breanna Stewart (2012, 1 NC- 2013)

There you have it: all eight NCs accounted for by at least one high school #1, at least one such kid on the roster since 1994, each one of whom got to be on at least one of those eight NC-winning teams.

My only question: can this trend continue? I never want it to end. Yes, the 2014 and 2015 recruiting classes aren't finished yet, but life would be easier if UConn hit on at least one of the national #1s, who would join at the tail end or just the conclusion of Stewie's college career.

What doe think the odds are that this UConn beat goes on?

Was BHunter a No.1? Of course, she became a Husky after injury and transfer.

Not all our #1s were consensus #1, right? Even D was ranked lower, if I recall. And wasn't Elizabeth Williams ranked above one of our heroes (KML?) by some (which we see now was a total joke). I don't watch all Duke's games, but EW has unimpressed me more than the opposite.

 

[HuskyNan]

How many of the other #1 recruits, that didn't go to UConn, won a NC?

Where can i find a list of #1's going back to 1994?

You need to hunt around for the older HoopGurlz, Blue Star, ASGR, etc lists on Google.

Here are the Naismith HS POYs (not all are seniors)

 

[Vowelguy]

I believe blue star had Ashley Robinson as#1, and DT as #2.

 

[Geno-ista]

"the odds are forever in your favor"

If u r "Hungry" for #1 recruits- " May the odds be ever in your favor"!

 

[Geno-ista]

Was BHunter a No.1? Of course, she became a Husky after injury and transfer.

Not all our #1s were consensus #1, right? Even D was ranked lower, if I recall. And wasn't Elizabeth Williams ranked above one of our heroes (KML?) by some (which we see now was a total joke). I don't watch all Duke's games, but EW has unimpressed me more than the opposite.

She has been totally un impressive !

 

[Aluminny69]

2002 was a strange year. Seimone Augustus was clearly the #1 recruit, yet some Services had Ann Strother as #1. At least one had Nicole Wolff as #1.

 

[MilfordHusky]

As noted, there were some years when the #1 wasn't a consensus pick. And the Naismith winner isn't necessarily the top college prospect. Ann or Seimone? Courtney or Tina? Skylar or Britney?

To answer Alex's question, I think it can continue. Will it be in 2014 or 2015 or 2016? Or 2 or more of those? We're in play with A'ja and in good shape with Asia Durr. I think we have a good shot at at least one of them.

The next obvious question: Is having a #1 recruit a necessary or sufficient condition to win a NC? Obviously, it's not a sufficient condition, because some of those players did not win a NC. For UConn, it appears to be a necessary condition, at least empirically.

I think EDD's situation raises an interesting question. To me, some of the success of the 2008-9 team resulted from a will to prove to people that we could win without EDD. Renee and Kalana, in particular, seemed to have an edginess about that. But if EDD had stayed, what would have happened? Maybe we wouldn't have won in 2009 or 2010, but I really think we would have. Those teams were loaded. Adding another ace would have overwhelmed the opposition. We came close in 2011. In my view, Stef's foul trouble against ND was the key factor in not winning the NC. I think EDD would have put us over the hump. Similarly, in 2012, adding EDD to a mix that included Tiffany, Kelly, Stef, Bria, and Kaleena would have put us over the hump. If that is the case, Maya would have had 3 NCs and EDD would have had 4. That is not a huge leap in logic, though obviously it is not provable.

 

[Sonny44]

Well, if they don't get Wilson, there is always Durr in 2015. Stewart leaves in two years, so if they get the #1 in 2016 the streak can continue.

If?

 

[Sonny44]

She has been totally un impressive !

But what could she have been if only ?????????????????????

 

[doggydaddy]

As noted, there were some years when the #1 wasn't a consensus pick. And the Naismith winner isn't necessarily the top college prospect. Ann or Seimone? Courtney or Tina? Skylar or Britney?

To answer Alex's question, I think it can continue. Will it be in 2014 or 2015 or 2016? Or 2 or more of those? We're in play with A'ja and in good shape with Asia Durr. I think we have a good shot at at least one of them.

The next obvious question: Is having a #1 recruit a necessary or sufficient condition to win a NC? Obviously, it's not a sufficient condition, because some of those players did not win a NC. For UConn, it appears to be a necessary condition, at least empirically.

I think EDD's situation raises an interesting question. To me, some of the success of the 2008-9 team resulted from a will to prove to people that we could win without EDD. Renee and Kalana, in particular, seemed to have an edginess about that. But if EDD had stayed, what would have happened? Maybe we wouldn't have won in 2009 or 2010, but I really think we would have. Those teams were loaded. Adding another ace would have overwhelmed the opposition. We came close in 2011. In my view, Stef's foul trouble against ND was the key factor in not winning the NC. I think EDD would have put us over the hump. Similarly, in 2012, adding EDD to a mix that included Tiffany, Kelly, Stef, Bria, and Kaleena would have put us over the hump. If that is the case, Maya would have had 3 NCs and EDD would have had 4. That is not a huge leap in logic, though obviously it is not provable.

Lynn Dunn's head would have exploded.

 

[easttexastrash]

I'm surprised UCONN was ever able to win a national championship with this list.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Lynn Dunn's head would have exploded.

Agreed. And would that have been a good or bad thing?