2019/20 UConn Recruiting

[Charliebball]

Not sure if its a final list or a list at all. Maybe offers?

it's getting harder to know if these lists are wishful thinking or actual offers.............don't see UConn so perhaps Poole was the reason UConn was watching.........

 

[Sluconn Husky]

AAU action:

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Dillon77]

Mark Lewis of Blue Star Media does an "after the fact" write-up on the DC event. Most of his write-up pertains to 2019-20 prospects but there are a few 2021 but feel free to go through the link.

"DC" - 31st Annual USJN National Championship - Bluestar Media

There are a few thumbnails that caught my eye for various reasons, ranging from being on a top player to recent posts on this board to the Irish factor (I put a comment or so in parenthesis on a few.)

Rickea Jackson – 2019 – 6-3 – Wing / Forward – Sports City U– Without peer in D.C…Took over multiple games in multiple ways…Impact player on both ends…Not just what she does but how she does it…Can defend any spot on the floor in any scheme…Attacks the boards with a vengeance…Focus is there regardless of score…Elite among the elite
(Still scratching my head as to how she's not in Belarus, given Carla's preference for rangy wings.)

Kateri Poole – 2020 – 5-9 – Point Guard – New heights NYC– Highly regarded…Physically strong and assertive with the ball…Explosiveness off the move…Change of speed is exceptional…Initiates contact to keep defenders off balance…Gets to the rim…Smooth touch with time…Consistency will keep closeouts honest

Madeline Westbeld – 2020 – 6-2 – Wing – Angels Basketball Club– Added size and strength…Slow start but strong finish…Mixes her attack more efficiently…Range and touch open up penetration options…Can score in streaks…Challenging match up decision for opposition…Turnovers need to be reeled in at times.
(Scroll down the linked article and you'll see a picture of her...no, that's not Kat Westbeld, her older sister. The apple does not fall far from the tree...)

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Thanks for the links.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Dillon77]

Thanks for the links.

No problem. With all the tourneys this week, you've been working serious OT.

 

[CocoHusky]

Mark Lewis of Blue Star Media does an "after the fact" write-up on the DC event. Most of his write-up pertains to 2019-20 prospects but there are a few 2021 but feel free to go through the link.

"DC" - 31st Annual USJN National Championship - Bluestar Media

There are a few thumbnails that caught my eye for various reasons, ranging from being on a top player to recent posts on this board to the Irish factor (I put a comment or so in parenthesis on a few.)

Rickea Jackson – 2019 – 6-3 – Wing / Forward – Sports City U– Without peer in D.C…Took over multiple games in multiple ways…Impact player on both ends…Not just what she does but how she does it…Can defend any spot on the floor in any scheme…Attacks the boards with a vengeance…Focus is there regardless of score…Elite among the elite
(Still scratching my head as to how she's not in Belarus, given Carla's preference for rangy wings.)

Kateri Poole – 2020 – 5-9 – Point Guard – New heights NYC– Highly regarded…Physically strong and assertive with the ball…Explosiveness off the move…Change of speed is exceptional…Initiates contact to keep defenders off balance…Gets to the rim…Smooth touch with time…Consistency will keep closeouts honest

Madeline Westbeld – 2020 – 6-2 – Wing – Angels Basketball Club– Added size and strength…Slow start but strong finish…Mixes her attack more efficiently…Range and touch open up penetration options…Can score in streaks…Challenging match up decision for opposition…Turnovers need to be reeled in at times.
(Scroll down the linked article and you'll see a picture of her...no, that's not Kat Westbeld, her older sister. The apple does not fall far from the tree...)

Sounds like you and Mark were comparing notes as it relates to Jackson, or was that great minds thinking alike? ND have any interest in Jackson? Full disclosure: I jumped off the Jackson bandwagon to get on the Jones bandwagon because UCONN did not show much interest in Jackson. Jackson has grown and added range since I jumped off the bandwagon but that intensity that Mark is talking about was always there. Jackson is going to be special from this class also.

 

[Charliebball]

nice to see Ms Darius who as a reminder is Olivia Miles' Blair running mate get some more recognition of her own..................she is no slouch believe me............

 

[Dillon77]

Sounds like you and Mark were comparing notes as it relates to Jackson, or was that great minds thinking alike? ND have any interest in Jackson? Full disclosure: I jumped off the Jackson bandwagon to get on the Jones bandwagon because UCONN did not show much interest in Jackson. Jackson has grown and added range since I jumped off the bandwagon but that intensity that Mark is talking about was always there. Jackson is going to be special from this class also.

Sorry I'm late getting back to you. Was on the phone with Mark .
Hard not to have something in common with Mr. Lewis, you and me when it comes to Ms. Jackson. Agree with your sentiments and observations...she's added more tools to the arsenal and has kept the motor running on everything from defense to attacking the boards.

I'm not aware of any interest between Jackson and the Irish, and can't recall seeing any over on The Bench. Given that Jackson is from Detroit, you would think it would be worth a relative short drive at some point. They kicked the tires with Breanna Beal in Illinois, but never heard anything in this case.

Could easily see her being a headliner for Michigan State, but could also see her playing for Dawn. Stay tuned.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Caitlin Clark can’t keep track of how many college scholarships she’s been offered.

....

“Caitlin’s being recruited by virtually every university in the United States,” said Jensen, who noted nearly every major program in the country, save for Connecticut, has offered her. “She will have, basically, wherever she wants to go to college.

....


Clark’s college selection process will ramp up this fall, and this weekend, she named some of the characteristics she’s looking for in her college home.


“A family culture, I would say,” she said. “Somewhere that has a good tradition of basketball. Somewhere that wins. I’m not sure how far or close I want to be to home yet, so I’m still figuring that out.”


Attack point guard coveted by entire nation — including ISU

 

[Charliebball]

Caitlin Clark can’t keep track of how many college scholarships she’s been offered.

....

“Caitlin’s being recruited by virtually every university in the United States,” said Jensen, who noted nearly every major program in the country, save for Connecticut, has offered her. “She will have, basically, wherever she wants to go to college.

....


Clark’s college selection process will ramp up this fall, and this weekend, she named some of the characteristics she’s looking for in her college home.


“A family culture, I would say,” she said. “Somewhere that has a good tradition of basketball. Somewhere that wins. I’m not sure how far or close I want to be to home yet, so I’m still figuring that out.”


Attack point guard coveted by entire nation — including ISU

not sure why UConn hasn't been recruiting her...........in many respects she's as good as PB and Hailey Van Lith

 

[CocoHusky]

not sure why UConn hasn't been recruiting her......in many respects she's as good as PB and Hailey Van Lith

The article doesn't say UCONN has not been recruiting her, it said UCONN has not offered- big big difference. The article from February states that she is a UCONN recruit.
Undefeated, top-ranked Aquinas faces team with UConn recruit Saturday

 

[Sluconn Husky]

A compilation of Paige Bueckers highlights from the U17 tournament:

 

[Charliebball]

The article doesn't say UCONN has not been recruiting her, it said UCONN has not offered- big big difference. The article from February states that she is a UCONN recruit.
Undefeated, top-ranked Aquinas faces team with UConn recruit Saturday

I figured that if they were recruiting her they'd have already offered by now as she appears to be one of the top three PG's in the class and has the kind of attributes that UConn looks for

 

[CocoHusky]

I figured that if they were recruiting her they'd have already offered by now as she appears to be one of the top three PG's in the class and has the kind of attributes that UConn looks for

That is not how recruiting works for UCONN. Caitlin just completed her sophomore year of HS, virtually unprecedented for UCONN to offer sophomores. The only recent recruit I can remember UCONN offering as a sophomore was Erin Boley. 2019 class has priority right now, starting with a Horston visit in September.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

The only recent recruit I can remember UCONN offering as a sophomore was Erin Boley.

Bueckers, Fudd, and Van Lith all got offered last year.

Add Espinoza-Hunter too.

Whoops, forgot Brunelle also prior to her sophomore season.

 

[CocoHusky]

Bueckers, Fudd, and Van Lith all got offered last year.
Add Espinoza-Hunter too. Whoops, forgot Brunelle also prior to her sophomore season.

All correct. The point I'm trying to get across to @Charlieball is that UCONN is very selective and a lot can change between Freshmen year and Junior year. Even when you achieve number 1 in the class still does not mean UCONN will automatically offer especially as HS Freshmen or Sophomores. It is always a very tough message for a highly ranked recruit to hear from UCONN that you: "need to keep working and we'll keep watching" and sometimes that causes recruits to look at and commit to other schools. That UCONN approach is not going to change any time soon. Kylee Watson (then #1) & Anaya Peoples (then #4) in the class both visited UCONN and walked away with that message and no UCONN offer. We can definitely use Brunelle as an example of things changing rapidly. We can also use Jones and Horston as validation of the UCONN recruiting philosophy.

 

[Bronx23]

All correct. The point I'm trying to get across to @Charlieball is that UCONN is very selective and a lot can change between Freshmen year and Junior year. Even when you achieve number 1 in the class still does not mean UCONN will automatically offer especially as HS Freshmen or Sophomores. It is always a very tough message for a highly ranked recruit to hear from UCONN that you: "need to keep working and we'll keep watching" and sometimes that causes recruits to look at and commit to other schools. That UCONN approach is not going to change any time soon. Kylee Watson (then #1) & Anaya Peoples (then #4) in the class both visited UCONN and walked away with that message and no UCONN offer. We can definitely use Brunelle as an example of things changing rapidly. We can also use Jones and Horston as validation of the UCONN recruiting philosophy.

CocoHusky,
Love your posts especially on recruiting which I am fascinated by but know little about.
My only comment on this one is validation of the U Conn recruiting philosophy is when they hopefully land Jones & Horston.
It's great still being in the game / hunt but what counts most is getting what you strive for.
Bronx23

 

[CocoHusky]

CocoHusky,
Love your posts especially on recruiting which I am fascinated by but know little about.
My only comment on this one is validation of the U Conn recruiting philosophy is when they hopefully land Jones & Horston.
It's great still being in the game / hunt but what counts most is getting what you strive for.
Bronx23

No doubt this will be a form of validation but not THE validation I was speaking off. The validation I'm speaking off is the danger of offering the player too young (as a Freshmen or Sophomore) AKA: The Louisville philosophy. Sure there are can't miss players who will beat the curve and are worthy of offers as Freshmen. Elena Delle Donne for example was getting offers as a 12 year old and Azzi Fudd appears to be on a similar path. If UCONN had offered perceived better performers than Jones & Horston 2-3 years ago and those players accepted, UCONN would be without scholarships today to pursue Jones and Horston or be in the sad position of having to renege on a offer to a committed player. UCONN swims in the deep end of the recruiting pool, freshmen or even Sophomore year is way early to determine who the UCONN worthy swimmers are going to be for the vast majority of recruits. At that age bodies are still developing and generally the level of competition is probably at least two galaxies removed from the galaxy in which UCONN WBB resides.
BTW thanks for the opportunity to explain. I get very frustrated with those that fail to understand the UCONN recruiting philosophy, yet somehow those same people are convinced that it needs to change.

 

[Go/huskies]

A compilation of Paige Bueckers highlights from the U17 tournament:

Paige looks like the real deal, but I’m not ready to call her the next DT.

 

[Charliebball]

That is not how recruiting works for UCONN. Caitlin just completed her sophomore year of HS, virtually unprecedented for UCONN to offer sophomores. The only recent recruit I can remember UCONN offering as a sophomore was Erin Boley. 2019 class has priority right now, starting with a Horston visit in September.

I view Clark as equal to Bueckers or Van Lith and given that UConn has offers out to both of them already in an incredibly competitive recruiting environment, I would have thought that Clark would also be given similar consideration to cover all of the best options at the PG position...........if UConn doesn't land Horston in 2019 and strikes out with Bueckers and Van Lith which is certainly possible, who is going to be running the team going forward? I'll answer my own question with a possible name that has come up lately..........Kateri Poole?

 

[meyers7]

I view Clark as equal to Bueckers or Van Lith

Wouldn't seem UCONN does though.

 

[Charliebball]

Wouldn't seem UCONN does though.

very true............that does seem to be the case..........just for the fun of it, take a look and judge for yourself...........

 

[oldude]

Whoops, forgot Brunelle also prior to her sophomore season.

There is some dispute on whether or not UConn offered Brunelle. SB says she was offered. One of the UConn beat reporters says she was not. The mysterious BY poster Dolphin implied that the offer was rescinded. I am 100% confident that we will never know for sure.

 

[JordyG]

That is not how recruiting works for UCONN. Caitlin just completed her sophomore year of HS, virtually unprecedented for UCONN to offer sophomores. The only recent recruit I can remember UCONN offering as a sophomore was Erin Boley. 2019 class has priority right now, starting with a Horston visit in September.

Who?

 

[Crossover]

very true..that does seem to be the case.....just for the fun of it, take a look and judge for yourself......

Nothing about this video makes me think Clark is on a part with Bueckers or Van Lith. (1) It is a highlight reel whereas we have had a chance to watch Paige and Hailey play complete games. (2) The competition in the compilation is vastly inferior to the competition faced in the FIBA U17 tournament. (3) Caitlin appears to be playing in slow motion compared to Paige and Hailey.

 

[JordyG]

I view Clark as equal to Bueckers or Van Lith and given that UConn has offers out to both of them already in an incredibly competitive recruiting environment, I would have thought that Clark would also be given similar consideration to cover all of the best options at the PG position......if UConn doesn't land Horston in 2019 and strikes out with Bueckers and Van Lith which is certainly possible, who is going to be running the team going forward? I'll answer my own question with a possible name that has come up lately.....Kateri Poole?

I don't know. Buekers looks a little bit quicker from the inbounds to the lane, with a quicker first step. Bueckers also has great body control, but Clark is no slouch. Clark seems to have equally nice court vision, an equally nice handle and a higher release on her shot. Long arms too. Clark seems to make everything look very easy and smooth. I've been a Bueckers fan too long though to jump off that Horse(ton) mid gallop, and it's hard to question Bueckers decision making having seen her in action against tough oponents.

 

[Orangutan]

Nothing about this video makes me think Clark is on a part with Bueckers or Van Lith. (1) It is a highlight reel whereas we have had a chance to watch Paige and Hailey play complete games. (2) The competition in the compilation is vastly inferior to the competition faced in the FIBA U17 tournament. (3) Caitlin appears to be playing in slow motion compared to Paige and Hailey.

Clark was the best player on the team that won the EYBL Nike Nationals, which seems to be the highest level of AAU competition. I just checked to see if any of those games are online. They are, but they are on the flohoops subscription service.

Of course, all the USAB U17 players were away for that tournament. But at worst she is "best of the rest".

Bueckers may be a better athlete but Clark seems to have no trouble getting to her spots. Besides, a great point guard does not necessarily need great athleticism. I think everyone agrees that Bird remains one of the best PGs in the world, if not the very best. And there are certainly many point guards far more athletic than she is.

 

[UConnCat]

Bueckers may be a better athlete but Clark seems to have no trouble getting to her spots. Besides, a great point guard does not necessarily need great athleticism. I think everyone agrees that Bird remains one of the best PGs in the world, if not the very best. And there are certainly many point guards far more athletic than she is.

Far more? I don't know if you're talking about now or when Sue Bird was Clark's age but she was and is a tremendous athlete. She is still one of the fastest players with the ball in the league.

“A lot of times what got overlooked was just how incredibly athletic she was,” Auriemma said Friday at Mohegan Sun, where he appeared for an autograph session. “They know her leadership skills, how smart she is as a player and her ability to run a team. But I think they forget just what an incredible athlete she was and is to this day.”