6’4″ Versatile 2018 NY Frwd Danielle Cosgrove = Rising Star

[CocoHusky]

I WANT THEM ALL. If you think that's greed listen to this. I WANT ALL OF THE BEST FROM 2019 TOO. Is that so wrong?

I want 4 with variety C-Collier, PF Cosgrove, Wing/SF DeCosta,G Williams to replace departing seniors Natalie Courtney, Kia & Gabby. That would put the roster at 14 (assuming Megan Walker picks UCONN) and very balanced by class with 3 Seniors, 4 Juniors, 3 Sophmores and 4 Freshmen. Also incredible depth
C: C. Collier & Camara
PF: Stevens ,Irwin, & Cosgrove
SF: KLS, N.Collier, DeCosta, Gordon
SG: Walker, C. Williams & AEH
PG: Dangerfield & Bent

 

[SCGamecock]

I hope you guys get at least two of these young ladies. If The UConn doesn't win next year I hope Dawn takes it. WBB needs a real rivalry. Now. The amount of great fans you guys bring to the table along with a good rivalry with the Husky's could really boost WBB's cache.

Dawn has been dreaming since day 1 of selling out our arena so it was awesome to see the fans come through and fulfill a dream for her. Our fans just love to see execution at a high level, win or lose, so when UCONN came to SC it was great because it allowed our fans to see great basketball of a completely different style up close. We obviously wanted to win, but we respect a good opponent and after seeing it up close, most of our fans left that game with an idea of what Dawn is trying to build at SC.

I'm gonna try any which way I can to attend the UCONN/SC game this year. Tickets will definitely be hard to come by.

 

[Kibitzer]

Dawn has been dreaming since day 1 of selling out our arena so it was awesome to see the fans come through and fulfill a dream for her... . I'm gonna try any which way I can to attend the UCONN/SC game this year. Tickets will definitely be hard to come by.

You will know you have hit it big-time when you see a couple free lance entrepreneurs outside the arena, one asking passers-by, "Got extra tix?," and the other furtively mumbling, "Need good seats?"

 

[CocoHusky]

Dawn has been dreaming since day 1 of selling out our arena so it was awesome to see the fans come through and fulfill a dream for her. Our fans just love to see execution at a high level, win or lose, so when UCONN came to SC it was great because it allowed our fans to see great basketball of a completely different style up close. We obviously wanted to win, but we respect a good opponent and after seeing it up close, most of our fans left that game with an idea of what Dawn is trying to build at SC.

I'm gonna try any which way I can to attend the UCONN/SC game this year. Tickets will definitely be hard to come by.

Much respect to Dawn for building that program into a nation contender. Many other coaches could "learn some lessons" from her success.
On a personal note, my peeps in Orangeburg would like to thank Dawn for taking South Carolina State off the schedule thus avoiding the annual brutal smack down.

 

[jdubct]

I want 4 with variety C-Collier, PF Cosgrove, Wing/SF DeCosta,G Williams to replace departing seniors Natalie Courtney, Kia & Gabby. That would put the roster at 14 (assuming Megan Walker picks UCONN) and very balanced by class with 3 Seniors, 4 Juniors, 3 Sophmores and 4 Freshmen. Also incredible depth
C: C. Collier & Camara
PF: Stevens ,Irwin, & Cosgrove
SF: KLS, N.Collier, DeCosta, Gordon
SG: Walker, C. Williams & AEH
PG: Dangerfield & Bent

Great roster. It's great fun to speculate. Coombs's decision would impact this.

 

[CocoHusky]

Great roster. It's great fun to speculate. Coombs's decision would impact this.

Yes there are several wildcards that could impact the size and make up of the 2018 roster-Coombs '17 is among the wildest. The other wildest is Amaya Brown '18 (G) who like Coombs is also holding a UCONN offer.

 

[Charliebball]

Based on what has been written and on her own social media, I would say the oddds are that Coombs will commit to UConn as long as she feels there are minutes for her in their rotation

 

[CocoHusky]

Based on what has been written and on her own social media, I would say the oddds are that Coombs will commit to UConn as long as she feels there are minutes for her in their rotation

I'm not in that universe, can you please summarize or repost what she has written.

 

[bags27]

as long as she feels there are minutes for her in their rotation

This is such an interesting problem for all teams who are stockpiling McD AA's, but in particular for UConn if CocoHusky's dream team above (or something similar) eventuates. I know of two models for using such depth:
1. The Kentucky men's team of 2 years ago, which essentially had two equal squads getting ~ equal time. Substitutions by squad broke down a bit based on situations and need. But is it a good thing to have an entire squad sitting for a while? It's not like ice hockey where the cardio requirements after only a few of minutes force entire lines off the ice.

2. This past year, Geno was able to keep everyone involved, because there were so many conference blow outs that starters averaged only ~ 22 minutes. Until the final minutes, Geno rotated players in and out, rather than fundamentally send in a second team all at once. But that was a special situation as the core 3 were comfortably the greatest players in the game and were putting the goal of 4 NCs above all else, and an elite group of benchers may not be advisable when playing tight games against top teams. They'll want their time, too, but frequent substitutions aren't necessarily the best way to develop team cohesion and flow.

I guess I don't really have a point other than to say that some potential recruits would find this situation attractive and others might worry that somehow their future prospects would be diminished by it. Gabby is the poster child for seeing this as constructive and a positive approach, but then again, she was first (or second: sometimes it was Napheesa) coming off the bench and was effectively as much a starter as the starting 5.

 

[CocoHusky]

This is such an interesting problem for all teams who are stockpiling McD AA's, but in particular for UConn if CocoHusky's dream team above (or something similar) eventuates. I know of two models for using such depth:

1. The Kentucky men's team of 2 years ago, which essentially had two equal squads getting ~ equal time. Substitutions by squad broke down a bit based on situations and need. But is it a good thing to have an entire squad sitting for a while? It's not like ice hockey where the cardio requirements after only a few of minutes force entire lines off the ice.

2. This past year, Geno was able to keep everyone involved, because there were so many conference blow outs that starters averaged only ~ 22 minutes. Until the final minutes, Geno rotated players in and out, rather than fundamentally send in a second team all at once. But that was a special situation as the core 3 were comfortably the greatest players in the game and were putting the goal of 4 NCs above all else, and an elite group of benchers may not be advisable when playing tight games against top teams. They'll want their time, too, but frequent substitutions aren't necessarily the best way to develop team cohesion and flow.

I guess I don't really have a point other than to say that some potential recruits would find this situation attractive and others might worry that somehow their future prospects would be diminished by it. Gabby is the poster child for seeing this as constructive and a positive approach, but then again, she was first (or second: sometimes it was Napheesa) coming off the bench and was effectively as much a starter as the starting 5.

Coombs will make up her own mind, but I can't see Geno committing to anything regarding minutes for a potential recruit. I also don't thing he would be a fan of the Kentucky men's five in-five out either.
Geno has successfully managed a 5 guard rotation to a national Championship as recently as 2013 Mins/game noted.

Faris 29.7
Hartley 26.7
Banks 17.1 * Played in only 21 games.
Jefferson 17.4
Doty 16.5

Should Coombs accept the UCONN offer, her Freshmen year she will be competing against 6 guards at a minimum. Maximum would be 7 assuming Walker chooses UCONN.
Nurse
Ekmart
Gordon
Dangerfield
Bent
Espinosa-Hunter

Before someone says well some of these players are not going to play guard, the other positions are equally crowded. Don't know what an acceptable amount of minutes would be to Coombs, but I'm having trouble envisioning double digits.

 

[bags27]

Should Coombs accept the UCONN offer, her Freshmen year she will be competing against 6 guards at a minimum. Maximum would be 7 assuming Walker chooses UCONN.
Nurse
Ekmart
Gordon
Dangerfield
Bent
Espinosa-Hunter

And of course, Nurse and Ekmart would be seniors while we can bracket Dangerfield and Bent as points (though I suspect Bent could play either point or the 2). That would still leave, 2-3 very fine players at the 2 position going into her sophomore year. I realize that there are too many variables for this projection to mean very much, but sometimes that's the way people think--especially if their whole identity is wrapped up in the outcome.

 

[Charliebball]

I'm not in that universe, can you please summarize or repost what she has written.

I know that she has praised Geno and the program, and in addition to UConn Bball she has been a follower of future and past UConn players including C Dangerfield, AEH, Lexi G, B. Stewart.

 

[JordyG]

Much respect to Dawn for building that program into a nation contender. Many other coaches could "learn some lessons" from her success.
On a personal note, my peeps in Orangeburg would like to thank Dawn for taking South Carolina State off the schedule thus avoiding the annual brutal smack down.

Aside from Dawn doing all things the right way down in Columbia, she seems to have done it without antagonizing or appearing arrogant to the rest of the WBB world. She recruits young women with character and they leave strong willed young women with their character enhanced. Dawn is one of those who recognizes Geno as the coaching treasure he is and is willing to learn from him and the other great coaches like Doug Bruno in USA basketball. She is willing to acknowledge her coaching weaknesses and works constantly to improve. She's adopted that Summitt/Auriemma philosophy of fearlessly playing any team anywhere. She seems to have the kind of big personality WBB needs and players rally behind, that's more than X's and O's. What's not to like? I'll watch and root for any Dawn team. Yeah, it's good a cupcake like SCS is off the sched. Maybe an yearly beat down of Baylor could be substituted?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Did anyone see Stewart play against anyone her size / skill last year ?

Size, yes. Skill, no. Even in the W, there are few with that combo of size and skill. Her shooting has been off lately, but her future superstar status is obvious.

 

[Charliebball]

I'm not in that universe, can you please summarize or repost what she has written.

Coombs thoughts on recruiting including UConn:

The New Haven Register Blogs: Elm City to Eagleville: UConn recruitiing target Mikayla Coombs making up for lost time

 

[donalddoowop]

And of course, Nurse and Ekmart would be seniors while we can bracket Dangerfield and Bent as points (though I suspect Bent could play either point or the 2). That would still leave, 2-3 very fine players at the 2 position going into her sophomore year. I realize that there are too many variables for this projection to mean very much, but sometimes that's the way people think--especially if their whole identity is wrapped up in the outcome.

CoCo and bags27, who the heck is Ekmart?

 

[bags27]

CoCo and bags27, who the heck is Ekmart?

UCONNHUSKIES.COM :: Official Women's Basketball Roster :: University of Connecticut Huskies Official Athletic Site :: Women's Basketball

 

[CocoHusky]

CoCo and bags27, who the heck is Ekmart?

Ekmart is a misspelling-my apologies. It is actually Courtney Ekmark.

UCONNHUSKIES.COM :: University of Connecticut Huskies Official Athletic Site :: Women's Basketball

 

[UcMiami]

When Uconn has a really good team, even with a heavy OOC schedule they typically only play a half dozen 'competitive' games (next year that number likely goes up) out of 38 +/- games in the season - which leaves a lot of minutes for bench play in the other 30+ games. And on the USA team, Geno has used a bit of a two shift substitution patterns but in college it is really rare to have ten good enough players to execute that kind of thing.
With Coco's roster, he might have the horses!
I do think smart players (and especially women's college players) understand the team concepts and 'pecking order' and biding their time - if you want to be on a championship quality team, there are only a rare few HS players that can start as freshman on such a team. And I think the Uconn coaching staff do a really good job of communicating what is going on within the team minutes and player roles which also helps.

 

[HuskiesU]

Coombs will make up her own mind, but I can't see Geno committing to anything regarding minutes for a potential recruit. I also don't thing he would be a fan of the Kentucky men's five in-five out either.
Geno has successfully managed a 5 guard rotation to a national Championship as recently as 2013 Mins/game noted.

Faris 29.7
Hartley 26.7
Banks 17.1 * Played in only 21 games.
Jefferson 17.4
Doty 16.5

Should Coombs accept the UCONN offer, her Freshmen year she will be competing against 6 guards at a minimum. Maximum would be 7 assuming Walker chooses UCONN.
Nurse
Ekmart
Gordon
Dangerfield
Bent
Espinosa-Hunter

Before someone says well some of these players are not going to play guard, the other positions are equally crowded. Don't know what an acceptable amount of minutes would be to Coombs, but I'm having trouble envisioning double digits.

It doesn't matter how many guards. Uconn is a guard school. Geno likes guards and the more guards you have with size is a plus

 

[caramel]

Dawn is one of those coaches that does coaching the right way.She wants excellence,commitment,and the will to learn,and she makes no promises like playing time and stardom.She asks for support from the fans,and gets it,without pretending that the team is immortal.There are several head coaches that young girls should seriously consider to get the best out of them,both on and off the court,and Dawn is one of those coaches.I can see many years of success at the University of South Carolina,as long as she is there.

 

[CocoHusky]

It doesn't matter how many guards. Uconn is a guard school. Geno likes guards and the more guards you have with size is a plus

If Coombs and Walker both choose UCONN the 2017-18 roster would be full @ 15 (scholarship limit) with 8 guards, plus two outstanding offers to guards (Amaya Brown & Christyn Williams ) in the 2018 class. Eight is Enough was not just a great show & 8 guards of this caliber would be at least two many-IMO. Not sure when UCONN has ever had a roster at the scholarship limit.

 

[Charliebball]

If you were a basketball player who would you least like to be really angry at you Geno, Dawn Staley or Kim Mulkey?

 

[UcMiami]

If Coombs and Walker both choose UCONN the 2017-18 roster would be full @ 15 (scholarship limit) with 8 guards, plus two outstanding offers to guards (Amaya Brown & Christyn Williams ) in the 2018 class. Eight is Enough was not just a great show & 8 guards of this caliber would be at least two many-IMO. Not sure when UCONN has ever had a roster at the scholarship limit.

2001 I believe for being at the limit.
Considering that a number of those guards could as easily be classified as 'wings' or '3s' it is a pretty balanced universe, 8 players filling 2.5 positions on the floor and seven filling 2.5. With three guard/wings graduating in 2018, the 2018 recruiting is a long way away.
If you are saying 15 players are too many to have on a team ... maybe I agree, but I don't hear a lot of screams from the schools or about the schools that consistent bump up to that limit. With Uconn averaging a transfer per year for most of the last 16 years, and with national transfer rates if anything rising, all the planning on roster size/balance two years away is subject to pretty dramatic change.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

but I don't hear a lot of screams from the schools or about the schools that consistent bump up to that limit.

Those are mostly 3rd tier or lower teams that spread out PT among decent-at-best players. This would be a very different situation.

 

[UcMiami]

Those are mostly 3rd tier or lower teams that spread out PT among decent-at-best players. This would be a very different situation.

Like UNC and Baylor and Louisville and OSU - I agree!

 

[JordyG]

Like UNC and Baylor and Louisville and OSU - I agree!

Finally someone agrees with me and sees Mulkey as a 3rd tier coach on a 3rd tier team. Hopefully she doesn't win another championship next year. That could conceivably move her and her team up a tier. All joking aside, Mulkey's comment last year that the winning streak for UConn players will end finally came true. MoJeff, Stewie and Tuck finally did lose some games.

 

[CocoHusky]

Considering that a number of those guards could as easily be classified as 'wings' or '3s' it is a pretty balanced universe, 8 players filling 2.5 positions on the floor and seven filling 2.5. With three guard/wings graduating in 2018, the 2018 recruiting is a long way away.

Reclassifying any of the 8 guards in this scenario as wings will not alleviate the problem because the wing position is already completely stacked with 2 AA potential caliber players in KLS and N. Collier. With the addition of Stevens and Camara (eligible in 2017-18) Gabby might also not be relegated to a post position either so correct numbers could be 11 players ( Samuelson, Williams, Collier, Walker, Ekmart, Nurse, Gordon, Coombs, Dangerfield, Bent, & Espinosa-Hunter) competing for minutes at 3 positions (PG, SG, & SF).

 

[jdubct]

Reclassifying any of the 8 guards in this scenario as wings will not alleviate the problem because the wing position is already completely stacked with 2 AA potential caliber players in KLS and N. Collier. With the addition of Stevens and Camara (eligible in 2017-18) Gabby might also not be relegated to a post position either so correct numbers could be 11 players ( Samuelson, Williams, Collier, Walker, Ekmart, Nurse, Gordon, Coombs, Dangerfield, Bent, & Espinosa-Hunter) competing for minutes at 3 positions (PG, SG, & SF).

Depending on team matchups, we may see a lot of 4 guard lineups.

 

[CocoHusky]

Depending on team matchups, we may see a lot of 4 guard lineups.

Huh, had to let that percolate for a second. When Eligible Stevens will start-the only Non-Guard in your scenario. Kia will be a senior =Guard #1.
The three best returning UCONN players ( KLS, Collier, & Gabby) are not guards. Calling them guards would be sort of cosmetic. So for a 4 guard line up to actually happen and be effective in 2017-18 three other guards would have to step up and play the guard position better than Gabby, Napheesa, & KLS play position- highly unlikely IMO. The numbers/minutes are just not adding up regardless of how they are stacked and as @Sluconn Husky is alluding to it is the high caliber of players that adding to the imbalance.