A'ja to Announce College Decision on April 16th (merged)

[PacoSwede]

I now very much doubt if A'ja is coming to UConn because I can't remember any other top recruit UConn got that committed via a national live presser. Such an individualized event seems to go against UConn's mantra of putting the team ahead of the individual - no names on uni's, earn playing time, team win over individual stats, etc.

That's not to say that Ms. Wilson isn't a perfectly lovely person who'll do fine elsewhere. But how she's announcing doesn't seem to fit w/UConn. Hope I'm wrong.

Perhaps ESPN is the instigator of all that? Just another thing to hype and maybe get a few more viewers. Maybe a high school senior would just go along without a second thought? Being susceptible to flattery isn't a huge crime.

 

[Icebear]

Perhaps ESPN is the instigator of all that? Just another thing to hype and maybe get a few more viewers. Maybe a high school senior would just go along without a second thought? Being susceptible to flattery isn't a huge crime.

I expect that may be true.

 

[Icebear]

I haven't waded through the A'ja threads so I don't know if this is a repeat.
Carl reports in Friday's JI that her decision will be televised on ESPNU.
No mention of time...perhaps right after the school day?

That is Wednesday a week from now on 4/16. Correct?

 

[pap49cba]

I read somewhere that she was going to declare her choice on ESPNU. Did anyone else hear that?

Yes. It will be aired at 3PM.

 

[LesMis89]

Perhaps ESPN is the instigator of all that? Just another thing to hype and maybe get a few more viewers. Maybe a high school senior would just go along without a second thought? Being susceptible to flattery isn't a huge crime.

Entirely possible. And it wouldn't be a 'crime' at all.

 

[msf22b]

this is what the starting 5 looked like in the next 2 games when they handily beat Maryland and Penn State in road games.
recruit rank as per ESPN
Hartley #14
Jefferson #2
Dolson #39
Stokes #42
Stewart #1

Certainly they had a talented team but not overwhelmingly so…

Not overwhelming?
4 All-Stars and a shot-blocking, rebounding machine
Ridiculous guard play and monster height inside.

 

[bschwartz]

I read somewhere that she was going to declare her choice on ESPNU. Did anyone else hear that?

Yes. It will be broadcast at 3:00

 

[bschwartz]

Coaches cannot comment on recruits until they sign a LOI. Not altogether unlikely that she has told the other coaches of her decision. Geno's casual comment about Stewie's signing speaks volumes to me. He is a master communicator, whether direct or casually indirect. The fact that her announcement will be made on tv and he references this as a casual comment...it may not be a coincidence.

I had the same thought and agree with you 100%

 

[JS]

She's likely already made up her mind but I can guarantee that she hasn't told the other coaches. There's no point to doing that unless she wants her decision leaked out before she announces it.

Case in point on this likelihood:

EDD's decision for UConn was leaked by the Tennessee staff and made it onto the Summitt even though EDD had promised the scoop to Hoopgurlz.

 

[oneresult]

Lets get real, She Told Nowbody, or the Press would have it all over the place.......

 

[hjoerring]

Maybe time to start expanding the criteria a bit? Kids change and the times change as well... What worked 10, or even 5 years ago, won't necessarily work today or 5 years down the road. I get that there will always be some line that they have to draw in the sand, but it seems like we have missed out on a bunch of kids who apparently "weren't UCONN material", yet they go on to have terrific careers at other schools and be come terrific players...

I get that they are cautious about kids who might disrupt the chemistry, but it's got to be worrisome to hear that the pool of kids who meet the UCONN criteria is shrinking every year. At some point, by the laws of logic, there will be no recruits left who meet UCONN's criteria...

Faulty logic if ever there were one. Is there a risk of running out of kids that are 182cm? good team players? willing to (make an effort at) conducting themselves well on- and off the court? coachable? Do you really think there is a chance of running out of these types? We have them and so do Stanford, ND, MD, etc.............. Of course this is not the only road to a NC.

It really would be more of a surprise if she chose UCONN. Would love to get her but I've resigned myself to congratulating the Game c o c k s in the next few weeks...

 

[hjoerring]

Case in point on this likelihood:

EDD's decision for UConn was leaked by the Tennessee staff and made it onto the Summitt even though EDD had promised the scoop to Hoopgurlz.

What I find interesting Brianna who is on her way to ND. What really happened that we stopped or she looked past us? She and Calhoun have really been shinning in these kind of events. I have always liked Briana and was sorry when she chosed ND. It might come to haunt us. And now that Stanford has gotten to the final 4- win or loose, they may have plugged the leaking of Samuelson running away from the West Coast. She is to Stanford what A'ja is to SC!

 

[sivad40]

Case in point on this likelihood:

EDD's decision for UConn was leaked by the Tennessee staff and made it onto the Summitt even though EDD had promised the scoop to Hoopgurlz.

I remember a month before Diamond committed to UNC it was all but comfirmed that she was going to an ACC school but most people thought it was going to be Maryland.

The latest rumor about A'ja (take this with a grain of salt) that her choice is between the Carolinas.

 

[hjoerring]

I think it would be no surprise if it's South Carolina, but are you saying she has made up her mind and didn't tell the other three coaches just so she can announce on 4/16?

Why would this be a surprise? If Geno knows there is little he can do: expose her. Covering up by saying he's no longer pursuing her? In this meaningless discussion about where she will go- we know her final list and I think a lot of us would be surprise if she were to pick Tenn or NC. But any one of the 4 could make sense for similar and different reasons. I am enjoyng all the talk and the willingness to argue that 'if she really wants to win championships she should come here or go there ..... It's all a laugh. Unless Nurse turns out to be other then what we think, A'ja would be a luxury even if she were to become the best player. What I personlly like is her personality and team over showmanship. I have not seen the Mac game- only read the articles- but she stayed out of the showwomanlike behaviors that get you notice by the media and get you attention.

 

[rvwsleep]

Not overwhelming?
4 All-Stars and a shot-blocking, rebounding machine
Ridiculous guard play and monster height inside.

Correct. Not overwhelming as per their rank. What they turned into is something else. The whole point was about coaching. Other teams have equal or better recruits then those 5 when it comes to rankings. Why is UCONN more successful ? Geno.

 

[EricSD]

What I find interesting Brianna who is on her way to ND. What really happened that we stopped or she looked past us? She and Calhoun have really been shinning in these kind of events. I have always liked Briana and was sorry when she chosed ND. It might come to haunt us. And now that Stanford has gotten to the final 4- win or loose, they may have plugged the leaking of Samuelson running away from the West Coast. She is to Stanford what A'ja is to SC!

Faulty logic. She lives nowhere close to Stanford, Wilson is 15 miles away from SC's campus. Wilson has no siblings at SC, KLS has 2 at Stanford. Stanford is solid this year but lose Ogwumike, James, and Ruef. SC is less solid this year but has a terrific core of youngsters. UCONN and ND seem to lead for Samuelson, while SC seems to lead for Wilson. Other than being top 2 kids in their respective classes, there is nothing in common between the 2...

 

[EricSD]

Correct. Not overwhelming as per their rank. What they turned into is something else. The whole point was about coaching. Other teams have equal or better recruits then those 5 when it comes to rankings. Why is UCONN more successful ? Geno.

Actually not correct. Hartley was 3/6 per blue star and ASGR. Stokes was 14/9 per the same folks. Dolson 24/12. I don't disagree that Dolson has been a huge "surprise" from a development standpoint and a terrific story in transforming her body and game, but every other kid on the list was a top 10 player coming out of HS, or very close to that. While we all love looking at HG's rankings because they are free and easily available, they are most often the farthest off from reality. Remember Faris? top 10 for everyone but HG who had her at 34. Chong they had at 75.

 

[rvwsleep]

Actually not correct. Hartley was 3/6 per blue star and ASGR. Stokes was 14/9 per the same folks. Dolson 24/12. I don't disagree that Dolson has been a huge "surprise" from a development standpoint and a terrific story in transforming her body and game, but every other kid on the list was a top 10 player coming out of HS, or very close to that. While we all love looking at HG's rankings because they are free and easily available, they are most often the farthest off from reality. Remember Faris? top 10 for everyone but HG who had her at 34. Chong they had at 75.

And other teams don't have 4 top 10 players on their roster ?

 

[hjoerring]

Faulty logic. She lives nowhere close to Stanford, Wilson is 15 miles away from SC's campus. Wilson has no siblings at SC, KLS has 2 at Stanford. Stanford is solid this year but lose Ogwumike, James, and Ruef. SC is less solid this year but has a terrific core of youngsters. UCONN and ND seem to lead for Samuelson, while SC seems to lead for Wilson. Other than being top 2 kids in their respective classes, there is nothing in common between the 2...

My point is this. SC is saying to Wilson: you will be the missing piece- even more so now that they have made it to a 1 seat and the final 8. Samuelson is a West Coast girl (with 2 sisters already on the team) and Stanford is in the final 4 (where 2 other shools of interest are to be found). Had they been eliminated earlier in the tourn. it would have been easier for her to look beyond them (and she might), but as a legit contender to the NC and with a core of players returning the coach (and her sisters) can say come here and we will get bak to the top- you can be the one (ND and Uconn are loaded). Both players must be feeling a press to be the diff makers. Both players must have a feeling that they can be the one to take the teams in question to the next level (or at least hold them where they happen to be).

 

[doggydaddy]

Why would this be a surprise? If Geno knows there is little he can do: expose her. Covering up by saying he's no longer pursuing her? In this meaningless discussion about where she will go- we know her final list and I think a lot of us would be surprise if she were to pick Tenn or NC. But any one of the 4 could make sense for similar and different reasons. I am enjoyng all the talk and the willingness to argue that 'if she really wants to win championships she should come here or go there ..... It's all a laugh. Unless Nurse turns out to be other then what we think, A'ja would be a luxury even if she were to become the best player. What I personlly like is her personality and team over showmanship. I have not seen the Mac game- only read the articles- but she stayed out of the showwomanlike behaviors that get you notice by the media and get you attention.

I said it would be NO surprise.

 

[RadyLady]

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[Tonyc]

Well I disagree with most of you. I think shes coming to UConn based on her comments at the McD tourney when she said it was about her future and a school/coach taking care of her after college. That to me means UConn and there is no other school that can claim that. Hey Geno is the Olympic coach right. I will wait and see and dont forget her dad said if it comes down to BB it will be UConn and from her McD's comments its about BB. JMO folks and I dont have any inside info.

 

[rvwsleep]

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Almost there

 

[EricSD]

And other teams don't have 4 top 10 players on their roster ?

But that isn't what you said. You said our talent wasn't "overwhelming" based on their HS rankings. You said other teams have equal or better talent than the 5 that were listed. I was just pointing out that going off ESPN/HS's rankings is often misleading because they are often so far off that it's mystifying...

 

[pap49cba]

Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? where? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? where? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?where? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? where? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? where? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? where? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? where? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? where? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? where??!!!??

Yes. Only 10 more days.

 

[rvwsleep]

The point of the original post was to demonstrate that those 5 UCONN players didn't have an overwhelming advantage over some other schools based on their HS rankings. You brought in ranking services other than ESPN which had the UCONN players ranked higher. But the point still stands. Other schools sign top 10 players. What explains the difference in outcomes if other teams (e.g.Tennessee) have 4 or more top ten ranked players on their roster too ?

 

[RadyLady]

Seriously - do you not get the point of my post(s)? There is such endless repetition in this thread ALONE, asking the same questions over and over again, even though they have been answered. Honestly, don't people read threads before they start posting?

I am reminded of a little kid, in a car for 30 minutes asking the driver with an endless stream of "are we there yet? Are we there yet? etc" from the moment the car has left the parking space....

Sheesh!


***This post has been brought to you by sittightandwaitforit, the non-entitlement store that isn't sweeping the nation- but should be***

 

[Blue Huskie]

Seriously - do you not get the point of my post(s)? There is such endless repetition in this thread ALONE, asking the same questions over and over again, even though they have been answered. Honestly, don't people read threads before they start posting?

I am reminded of a little kid, in a car for 30 minutes asking the driver with an endless stream of "are we there yet? Are we there yet? etc" from the moment the car has left the parking space....

Sheesh!


*This post has been brought to you by sittightandwaitforit, the non-entitlement store that isn't sweeping the nation- but should be*

Doggy : I think there is ample evidence on a daily basis that many posters do NOT review the previous comments before they say something.

 

[johnnyc]

Seriously - do you not get the point of my post(s)? There is such endless repetition in this thread ALONE, asking the same questions over and over again, even though they have been answered. Honestly, don't people read threads before they start posting?

I am reminded of a little kid, in a car for 30 minutes asking the driver with an endless stream of "are we there yet? Are we there yet? etc" from the moment the car has left the parking space....

Sheesh!

So.....do you think Wilson is going to go to SC?

 

[doggydaddy]

Doggy : I think there is ample evidence on a daily basis that many posters do NOT review the previous comments before they say something.

Yeah, probably true. They also quote the wrong post when they mean to reply to someone else....lol.