2020/21 UConn Recruiting

[Huskie02]

I see UConn just got a verbal committment from Mir McLean, a 5’9” guard. She is ranked in the mid thirties. I didn’t even know she was offered. Still no commitment from a biggie.

 

[Jordyballer]

Athletic young lady

 

[Sluconn Husky]

The one you can’t figure out is Henderson State University Reddies. D2

Nope, never would've gotten that one.

Think we can safely say Foster's list isn't one of offers.

 

[Shaffer0011]

Welcome Mir McLean

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I see UConn just got a verbal committment from Mir McLean, a 5’9” guard. She is ranked in the mid thirties. I didn’t even know she was offered. Still no commitment from a biggie.

You just shaved 2 inches off her height! 5' 11" according to recruiting services. For example:

mir-mclean

 

[Huskie02]

You just shaved 2 inches off her height! 5' 11" according to recruiting services. For example:

mir-mclean

I hope this isn’t going to be a rerun of Lexi Gordon. Both highly rated coming out of high school. Gordon scored over 2000 points in high school. Both are the same size 5’11” and both play the wing. Gordon was rated around 29 overall and 4 at her position. McLean was rated overall around 32 and 5 at her position. I would much rather have Edwards. Anyone hear if there is anything new with her recruitment?

 

[DaBball]

I hope this isn’t going to be a rerun of Lexi Gordon. Both highly rated coming out of high school. Gordon scored over 2000 points in high school. Both are the same size 5’11” and both play the wing. Gordon was rated around 29 overall and 4 at her position. McLean was rated overall around 32 and 5 at her position. I would much rather have Edwards. Anyone hear if there is anything new with her recruitment?

Gordon and McLean have extremely different games. Gordon was more of big guard, but McLean seems to be more of a forward. Gordon was probably more skilled and a better shooter, but Mir is definitely far more athletic, and at the very least, we know she is going to be able to rebound and defend at the college level.

And, by UConn recruiting standards, 25+ is not a highly ranked recruit I think we'll see McLean end up top-20.

 

[Blueberries]

Our super must-watch player list for Sarajevo

SARAJEVO (Bosnia and Herzegovina) - The FIBA U18 Women's European Championship 2019 in Sarajevo will be packed with stellar talent and we've taken some time to pick out just some of the best.

www.fiba.basketball

“Nika Muhl - Croatia

A skilled playmaker, it's been an incredible rise to prominence in the last 12-18 months for Muhl. The Croatian ace starred last summer at the 2018 edition of this event and has since been recruited by leading NCAA College, UConn. She has also appeared at the prestigious Basketball Without Borders Global Camp. Expect her to be riding high in the the assists charts and to one day go on to play in EuroLeague Women - one of her ambitions.”

And yet ESPN has her rated as a 3 star?

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Scream warning on the vid....

 

[Go/huskies]

Scream warning on the vid....

With the way the game is going, and with her shooting I’m surprised Bates isn’t listed in the top 25 for the 22 class by espn, did she get any USAB invites?

 

[Sluconn Husky]

With the way the game is going, and with her shooting I’m surprised Bates isn’t listed in the top 25 for the 22 class by espn, did she get any USAB invites?

I don't think she was invited but she could've tried out anyway and chose not to. She's not a part of any of the Blue Star camps either. Tends to stay local with everything. Hopefully, we see her in more national tourneys at some point.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I will mention that Bates was at Louisville's prospect camp recently. But then, I just assume every player with a pulse probably was.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

And yet ESPN has her rated as a 3 star?

5 Star 97 on my ESPN rating screen??? mir-mclean

 

[WiseOne]

5 Star 97 on my ESPN rating screen??? mir-mclean

I think they were referring to Nika Muhl.

 

[Blueberries]

I think they were referring to Nika Muhl.

Yup, sorry, referring to Nika. I expect that will rise when she is seen by more rating services. I was surprised to see her listed at all since Anna/ Ania isn’t, but more surprised at the 3 star rating.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I think they were referring to Nika Muhl.

Ah, well they thought Kia Nurse was a nobody! All that rating signals was they really had no rating for her. Over 50 scholarship offers, including 2 final four teams. The ratings of foreign players have always been sketchy and unreliable and the budget cuts at "the Mothership" have not improved their quality.

 

[DaBball]

Ah, well they thought Kia Nurse was a nobody! All that rating signals was they really had no rating for her.

Not quite. Prospects Nation had her as the #1 international recruit and HoopGurlz also had her a 5* in the mid-30s. There are a fair amount of people ranked in the mid-20 to mid-30 range who end up being Kia’s level.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Ah, well they thought Kia Nurse was a nobody! All that rating signals was they really had no rating for her. Over 50 scholarship offers, including 2 final four teams. The ratings of foreign players have always been sketchy and unreliable and the budget cuts at "the Mothership" have not improved their quality.

Not quite. Prospects Nation had her as the #1 international recruit and HoopGurlz also had her a 5* in the mid-30s. There are a fair amount of people ranked in the mid-20 to mid-30 range who end up being Kia’s level.

Recruiting Rankings -- Kia Nurse (2014)
#1 -- Prospects Nation (International Ranked Players)
#10 -- Blue Star Report
#14 -- ASGR (All Star Girls Report)
#33 -- espnW (also listed with a 97 rating and as a five-star recruit)

@EricLA , @ucbart

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Recruiting Rankings -- Kia Nurse (2014)
#1 -- Prospects Nation (International Ranked Players)
#10 -- Blue Star Report
#14 -- ASGR (All Star Girls Report)
#33 -- espnW (also listed with a 97 rating and as a five-star recruit)

@EricLA , @ucbart

Why did you step on a perfectly good tear with the facts! Dang @CamrnCrz1974

 

[Alydar]

I think that it was Muhl's play at that NBA sponsored training session that opened some eyes. Before that I think the level of her competition was suspect. I'm seeing several UConn recruits who actually like to play defense and are pretty good at it. Geno praised Griffin's defensive skills, and after her we get Muhl, McLean and Bueckers.

The teams coming up, starting this year, are going to be a joy to watch play.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Azzi Fudd underwent her ACL surgery on May 29th.


I can’t jump yet, but my goal is to be able to shoot threes by August.

My return date is completely up in the air. It all depends on how my physical therapy and rehab go. I’m hoping to get back sooner, but I’m in no rush with it.

The Azzi Fudd Blog: Surgery done, Gatorade banquet, ESPYS and more

St. John’s College High School (Washington, D.C.) sophomore shooting guard Azzi Fudd is one of the top players in the country, regardless of class, and is the reigning ALL-USA Player of the Year. Fudd led the Cadets to the GEICO Nationals title game this season and is being

usatodayhss.com

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I think that it was Muhl's play at that NBA sponsored training session that opened some eyes.

That may well be @Alydar, but Rachel Galligan, who owns a recruiting service in Europe, reports that it was her performance on Croatia's U18 teamin the European tourney last August that woke all sorts of people up -" Less than a month after that tournament, Muhl was contacted by 45 to 50 American universities. And just a few months after that, she received her life-altering email." Rumor has it it was Galligan who gave UConn the heads up .

When UConn called, it was game on for Croatian recruit Nika Muhl

 

[RockyMTblue2]

And yet ESPN has her rated as a 3 star?

I went back and looked at that rating. It is based on a single evaluation in August 2017:

"FIBA U17-August 2017: Agile lead-guard, smooth off the dribble, delivers in traffic; savvy floor game changes pace in uptempo game, exploits the defense with 2-man game; defends, anticipates and converts plays from turnovers; a crafty playmaker. (Olson) "

So I'd pay that rating as much heed as it is worth ... bupkis.

Prospects Nation is even barer. Zip info. Nadda.

After the August U18 European tourney Blue Star Europe wrote: " Basketball Without Borders Europe unofficial MVP frontrunner to Goksen Fitik, Nika Mühl is back in Croatia and WABA league with her Tresnjevka 2009 side and she picked up things where she left them in this great all-round versatility kingdom of hers! High versatility and multiple impact sources become Mühl’s trademark. This season is no different, the 17 year old averages 9,5ppg-7rpg-6,3apg-4,5spg but also 5,5topg in 33mpg after 4 games in CRO league. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see her name for the first time on the CRO NT preliminary roster at least for this November’s Euro qualifying window. Wait and see… " That's when 45 or so colleges started pursuing her. Europe's 2001-2002 generation watch-list early-season round-up - Bluestar Media

And the following month: "The moment everybody knew would happen rather sooner than later is here: Nika Mühl received her first call with the Croatian NT at just 17. Even if she doesn’t make the final cut, the experience she will gain from participating to the camp can only be beneficial for her development. The do-it-all teen sensation, known for posting triple and even quadruple doubles on a regular basis at youth level, shines in both Croatian and WABA leagues so far this season with Tresnjevka 2009. In the Adriatic League, after three games, she has already posted twice 11 assists and leads the competition with 10,3 apg! This NT call should come as great motivation for the talented and ambitious PG whose name we will see many more times on the Croatian roster in the future. " 8 rising stars to follow in the #EuroBasketWomen 2019 Qualifiers window - Bluestar Media

 

[Lwrc]

Recruiting Rankings -- Kia Nurse (2014)
#1 -- Prospects Nation (International Ranked Players)
#10 -- Blue Star Report
#14 -- ASGR (All Star Girls Report)
#33 -- espnW (also listed with a 97 rating and as a five-star recruit)

@EricLA , @ucbart

I notice one ranking system in this bunch that’s an outlier. Significantly off on his assessment again. For the Olson defenders out there, here is another example of him missing the mark significantly. As I’ve mentioned before I think ASGR and Bluestar are the best out there. Dans assessments don’t seem to take into account future college success. He’s sees flashiness on the court (usually from small PGs) and ranks the player high. A taller player like Nurse (5’11”?) gets pushed down with him because of it.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I notice one ranking system in this bunch that’s an outlier. Significantly off on his assessment again. For the Olson defenders out there, here is another example of him missing the mark significantly. As I’ve mentioned before I think ASGR and Bluestar are the best out there. Dans assessments don’t seem to take into account future college success. He’s sees flashiness on the court (usually from small PGs) and ranks the player high. A taller player like Nurse (5’11”?) gets pushed down with him because of it.

@WBBfolllwer , with all due, I think it is a bit difficult to make such a sweeping judgment based on one player's rating.

First, on his website, Olson does take into account an element of projected collegiate performance.

Second, it is also impossible to predict how well a player will perform for one coach, as compared to another. Would, for example, Nurse developed as well at Indiana (under then-HC Curt Miller) or Penn State (under then-HC Coquese Washington) -- her other finalists -- as she did at UConn? Perhaps, perhaps not.

Third, in the UConn Commitments -- Blue Star Report (2012-2019) thread, I posted Mike Flynn/Blue Star's ratings for all UConn commitments/signees from 2012-2019 (excluding transfers). For the HS Class of 2017, Blue Star report had the following player ratings for UConn's class:

RANK​	PLAYER​	YEAR​
#1	Megan Walker	2017
#8	Mikayla Coombs	2017
#10	Andra Espinoza-Hunter	2017
#21	Alexis (Lexi) Gordon	2017

In response to your post about Olson's rating of Kia Nurse, I would submit that perhaps the ratings for Coombs, AEH, and Gordon were too high, whereas Prospects Nation had them significantly lower (and Olson had them lower by a lesser amount).

As an aside, ASGR (All Star Girls Report) also had the players from 2017 rated incredibly high -- and arguably too high for three of the four players)
ASGR Rankings -- UConn Commitments (Class of 2017)

• No. 2 Megan Walker
• No. 4 Mikayla Coombs
• No. 11 Lexi Gordon
• No. 15 Andrea Espinoza-Hunter

*** As an aside, ASGR ranked Evina Westbrook #1 in the HS Class of 2017. Westbrook committed to and played for Tennessee, before transferring to UConn.

t is not an exact science. Obviously, rankings will vary based on player performance, number of times seen/evaluated by the recruiter, whether evaluations were with the high school team at major tournaments (including state championships) or AAU events, etc.

Personally, I like that Olson updates his rankings incredibly frequently, after he has a recent evaluation of the players. It allows for a present sense impression (to borrow a term from the Federal Rules of Evidence), rather than going back months later and trying to compare.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

The just completed U18 Nordic Championships:

Finland went 5-0 and Awak Kuier won MVP despite playing in just three games. Kuier averaged 17 points and 13.3 rebs on 56% from the field and a 23.3 Efficiency rating. She was 3/9 from three and 2/6 from the line.

Denmark went 4-1 behind Julianna Okosun who was named an all-star. Okosun played in four games and averaged 13.3 points and 10.3 rebs on 54% from the field and a 16.3 Efficiency rating. She was 13/18 from the foul line.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

The U19 team about to being training.

2019 USA U19 World Cup Team Ready to Begin Training

The 2019 USA Women’s U19 World Cup Team will return to Colorado Springs, Colorado, on July 5 to begin training for the FIBA U19 World Cup. Additionally, Diamond Miller has been added to the USA roster

www.usab.com

The Canadian U19 team hasn't even been picked yet. They just started a training camp to determine their roster. Aaliyah Edwards hoping to make it.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The U19 team about to being training.

2019 USA U19 World Cup Team Ready to Begin Training

The 2019 USA Women’s U19 World Cup Team will return to Colorado Springs, Colorado, on July 5 to begin training for the FIBA U19 World Cup. Additionally, Diamond Miller has been added to the USA roster

www.usab.com

The Canadian U19 team hasn't even been picked yet. They just started a training camp to determine their roster. Aaliyah Edwards hoping to make it.

Edwards was picked to play a 5 game European exhibition tour with CA's senior women's team, so I'd think she's a lock.

Edwards added to Canadian senior women's basketball team

 

[Blueberries]

So, I clearly am an novice, but from all I've ready here and elsewhere I though that UConn was a contender for Azzi Fudd, now I accidentally stumbled upon a board for UVA (Virginia) women's hoops, and they seem to think that it's between them and South Carolina, since their head coach and Dawn have been spending the most time watching here and getting acclimated with her parents.... Is there validity to this? (I ask those who clearly know more than I seem to know or hear regarding recruiting...)

 

[Sluconn Husky]

So, I clearly am an novice, but from all I've ready here and elsewhere I though that UConn was a contender for Azzi Fudd, now I accidentally stumbled upon a board for UVA (Virginia) women's hoops, and they seem to think that it's between them and South Carolina, since their head coach and Dawn have been spending the most time watching here and getting acclimated with her parents.... Is there validity to this? (I ask those who clearly know more than I seem to know or hear regarding recruiting...)

Can't tell you where Fudd will end up, but I can tell you that she's visited the campus twice and Hartford twice, that her best friend will begin play as a Husky next season, and that every assistant on Geno's staff follows not just her but her father on numerous social media accounts.

UConn is a heavy favorite.