Aaliyah Edwards to UConn!!!

[Carnac]

Always my thought when I see someone detail the prospective team 2, 3, 4 years out. Of course I also think I want to watch my granddaughters grow up!

Bingo!!

 

[Tonyc]

This is huge. Geno has done it again. Patience is golden and Geno has a roster of Gold. Geno didnt panic. He kept to his values and what got him to where he is today and what he was looking for in a player. Those kids who wanted to play for Geno and waited, well guess what you may have waited to long. Those people who rank players guess what it really doesnt matter where you rank them, Geno knows more about great players then any services who rank them. Genos criteria for recruiting.... he sees them, evaluates them. and either says yes or no when he deciedes to recruit them.

Talk about loaded. Uconn is so overloaded their spilling over with great players that are on their roster, committed over next year, and the year after. Geno is magic. Everybody on the team from the trainer to the players to the coaches are all on the same page. The spacing of the players who are on the roster and coming in is great too. There will be playtime for everybody. This team is gonna be hard to beat and you know what? Theyre only gonna get better over the next 2 years. Looking ahead we have a shot blocker and intimadator, we have height at the wings with athleicism, we have shooters rebounders tall guards great ball handlers and passers, an we have elite players and we have depth. This is gonna be fun to watch over the next 6 years. When Fudd and Debarry commit this may be the start of another win streak that could last a few years. The most important thing we have is Geno to develop these girls into a team.

Now Ive read some posts about these kids rankings. Understand Geno knows in his mind who can play for him and thats about all that matters. His evaluation process and criteria for recruiting a player, who has the right midset is above all the polls that rank girls. When you get kids who are dedicated, with goals, and are committed with a good attitude Geno can handle the rest and make them the player they want to become. LOL just think about all those kids that went elsewhere thinking I want to beat UConn. LOL well what are they thinkin now? Think about this. There are a bunch of coaches who wont schedule UConn because they fear a devastaing loss would hurt their rankings in the polls and will hurt them for a good seed in the NCAAs.
Dont think Geno is finished recruiting yet.

Knowing you can and knowing you cant is a mindset. That mindset and confidence comes from and is instilled in you from your coach and from repetition working as a team. Its tuff when everybody is depending on you and its tuff when you know you have to do it alone. Thats the difference in attitude. When you can depend on your team running plays versus depending on yourself to do everything well that usually doesnt work in a team game.

So Aaliyah welcome to UConn. You sealed the deal and your now a Husky...forever. Your committment has filled a need for this teams future. We UConn fans are looking forward to your 4 years hear and fwiw the WCBB nation isnt.

 

[Siestakeyfan]

Wonderful news from Crestwood Prep. With the addition of Aaliyah Edwards to an already uber-talented recruiting class, UConn has now secured a complete set: 1 Center, 2 Guards & 2 Forwards. A few random thoughts:

• I am truly impressed that a 17-year-old can stand up in front of a crowd and speak contemporaneously for 15-20 minutes. Aaliyah’s obvious emotion during one of the most important days in her life was genuinely moving.
• While UConn’s 2020 Recruiting Class will have to compete for PT with some really talented players, both ahead and behind them, most schools in the country would happily take this class as their starting 5 for the next 4 years. They have talent, incredible athleticism, size and enormous potential.
• Over the past few years, some of us may have felt Geno was losing a step or two after missing on several high-profile recruits. But there are a couple things that we should never forget about Geno: he adapts better than any other WBB coach and he is a fierce competitor. From the moment last season ended Geno and his staff were incredibly active patching up this season’s holes in the roster with talented transfers/international players and then going out and landing 5 really talented players for next year.
• As for Aaliyah, while I certainly don’t know the details concerning her recruitment, I will speculate that a couple assists should be handed out. I’m certain the four prior 2020 commits worked hard on her to seal the deal this past weekend at First Night, but I also suspect that Paige took it as a personal challenge to land Aaliyah as her teammate. I am already fantasizing about Paige racing down the middle of the court with the ball in her hands, leading a fast break, with Mir on one wing and Aaliyah on the other. SHOWTIME!!!
• In addition, I suspect that another assist should be handed out to a young lady who also hails from north of the border and was a member of the Canadian National Team while still in HS. To UConn fans, Kia Nurse was a fierce competitor and relentless defender. To Canadians, particularly young WBB players, Kia Nurse is something of a Rock Star. For those that don’t know, Crestwood Prep is a “basketball factory” in Canada. It’s my understanding that there are several really talented young ladies at Crestwood who are dreaming about playing for UConn, where they can follow in Kia, and now Aaliyah’s footsteps.
• Finally, we can dispense with any additional speculation. I’m calling it now. UConn’s 2020 recruiting class will be the #1 Class in the Nation.

Excellent write up !!!!!

 

[bluedevil]

I read a quote years ago from Geno saying he didnt image himself coaching when he turned 70..Has that changed? Anyone have good intel about this?

 

[bluedevil]

imagine..sorry

 

[oldude]

I read a quote years ago from Geno saying he didnt image himself coaching when he turned 70..Has that changed? Anyone have good intel about this?

For Geno I think how long he coaches comes down to two things: his health and his passion for the game. At present, Geno appears to be in good health and his passion for the game is as strong as ever.

 

[Beemer]

Welcome to UConn Aaliyah and good luck!!!!

 

[intlzncster]

Welcome to UCONN Ms Edwards. I would imagine that does it for UCONN for the 2020 class. And what a good one it is.

And as I always say to the Chicken Littles around here, whenever Geno has a "down" recruiting year (and it didn't end up very "down" anyway - Griffin and Makurat), the next year's class is almost always a bumper year. And History repeats itself, again. Chicken Littles are so annoying.

Chicken little's definitely had a point when it came to quality posts though. Looks like he nailed a good one in Edwards and a nice developmental prospect in Gabriel.

Grade: A-

 

[hoopsfan22]

I read a quote years ago from Geno saying he didnt image himself coaching when he turned 70..Has that changed? Anyone have good intel about this?

You're thinking of an interview he gave maybe ten years ago where he said he didn't want to be one of those coaches hanging on into their late 60s or 70, but I think that's easier said than done when the finish line is so far in the distance. Now that he is a bit closer, I think as long as he can keep doing well on the recruiting trail and CD wants to keep doing this, he'll keep on coaching.

 

[Boreifs]

ESPN.com hasn’t even mentioned this yet. They had an article about the Gabriel commitment; this is really strange.

 

[intlzncster]

I read a quote years ago from Geno saying he didnt image himself coaching when he turned 70..Has that changed? Anyone have good intel about this?

Belichick said the same thing. It's how you feel when you are younger. But then you get to 70 and realize....this is what I like to do.

 

[HoopsMom14]

Just curious...the article mentions Aaliyah is a track star. Anyone know what events she performed in? Sprint distances, high jump? Was she actively recruited for track? That training brings other special.kinds of skills!

She's a sprinter.

 

[UcMiami]

For Geno I think how long he coaches comes down to two things: his health and his passion for the game. At present, Geno appears to be in good health and his passion for the game is as strong as ever.

Add a third - the people he is able to recruit. If he is able to continue to get a stream of players he really enjoys coaching it becomes really hard to quit, to walk away two years into working with Lou and Napheesa, and then you know there is Paige out there ready to come in.

 

[soxfan23]

I read a quote years ago from Geno saying he didnt image himself coaching when he turned 70..Has that changed? Anyone have good intel about this?

I don't think anybody knows when Coach Auriemma is going to hang up the whistle, including Coach Auriemma. I am purely speculating here, but I think he leaves with the class of 2021 in 2025.

 

[Waquoit]

Well now there are two choices.
1) Geno has completely lost his recruiting touch or,
2) Break up the Husky's.

Funny how any "touch" Geno may have lost came back the instant we put the pathetic AAC in our RVM.

 

[j66kicker]

I read a quote years ago from Geno saying he didnt image himself coaching when he turned 70..Has that changed? Anyone have good intel about this?

I read a quote from Mick Jagger saying he couldn't imagine singing Jumpin' Jack Flash when he was 50. He's 76 and touring right now.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Add a third - the people he is able to recruit. If he is able to continue to get a stream of players he really enjoys coaching it becomes really hard to quit, to walk away two years into working with Lou and Napheesa, and then you know there is Paige out there ready to come in.

I think, health permitting, Geno stays at least until the end of Azzi's 4 years. Of course, that assumes that Azzi wants to play with BFF Paige.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

From a Canadian coach and player development director:

 

[oldude]

I think, health permitting, Geno stays at least until the end of Azzi's 4 years. Of course, that assumes that Azzi wants to play with BFF Paige.

On the one hand, it seems logical that Geno would stay on through the completion of a superstar’s 4 seasons at UConn, like Paige or Azzi. On the other hand, there’s always another superstar in waiting. As an example, about 4 years from now Gianna Bryant will be a senior in HS. Let’s say she becomes the #1 player in her class, and she wants to head East to play for Coach Geno. Do you think Geno might be enticed to hang around for another 4 seasons to coach Kobe Bryant’s little girl?

 

[MilfordHusky]

On the one hand, it seems logical that Geno would stay on through the completion of a superstar’s 4 seasons at UConn, like Paige or Azzi. On the other hand, there’s always another superstar in waiting. As an example, about 4 years from now Gianna Bryant will be a senior in HS. Let’s say she becomes the #1 player in her class, and she wants to head East to play for Coach Geno. Do you think Geno might be enticed to hang around for another 4 seasons to coach Kobe Bryant’s little girl?

If Gigi is that good, yes.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

On the one hand, it seems logical that Geno would stay on through the completion of a superstar’s 4 seasons at UConn, like Paige or Azzi. On the other hand, there’s always another superstar in waiting. As an example, about 4 years from now Gianna Bryant will be a senior in HS. Let’s say she becomes the #1 player in her class, and she wants to head East to play for Coach Geno. Do you think Geno might be enticed to hang around for another 4 seasons to coach Kobe Bryant’s little girl?

This is silly speculation. The right answer is Geno stays on until Awak Kuier graduates.

 

[MilfordHusky]

This is silly speculation. The right answer is Geno stays on until Awak Kuier graduates.

Do you know with any certainty, what class Awak is in?

 

[pacific 44]

From what i've seen she must be lonely because she's in a class by herself.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Do you know with any certainty, what class Awak is in?

No, either '21 or '22. The only person I've seen make a definitive statement is PBR's Mark Williams who said '22. A recent article stated she'll graduate in just over a year and then would have to decide on her future. If she indeed graduates late next year I would think she'd be in the '21 class. She's so good that it's kinda hard to see her going to college though.

 

[Centerstream]

No, either '21 or '22. The only person I've seen make a definitive statement is PBR's Mark Williams who said '22. A recent article stated she'll graduate in just over a year and then would have to decide on her future. If she indeed graduates late next year I would think she'd be in the '21 class. She's so good that it's kinda hard to see her going to college though.

This is silly speculation. The right answer is Geno stays on until Awak Kuier graduates.

Then why bring her into this (swerved) thread?