A'ja Wilson ~ Great Article

[caramel]

UConn is the best program now. No debate. However all time, we've never missed a tournament. You have. More NCAA tournament wins, final fours, all time wins, etc. We've been at or near the top longer than anybody. A'ja has the chance to be the second number one player in the country in a row to go to tennessee and if she goes to Tennessee next year, we will have the deepest, most talented team in the country. As Mercedes develops in the low post, she and A'ja would absolutely dominate. Next year's team would be incredible considering we lose Simmons and would bring in 4 extremely talented players. And if in four years of playing, we got multiple titles and continued to gain top recruits, yes, UConn would be dethroned. Would you guys still be at the top? Sure. Would the ESPN announcers be handing you the title in December? Probably not.

Your history facts of Tennessee's woman's success,remind me of an eighty year old man on a park bench shouting....back in, my day.......That was then and this is now.Taking nothing away from Tennessee's recent recruiting success,until Connecticut slides back to the pack,or Tennessee vaults to the front,all the talent in the world by the ratings of the rating services means little,if the results are Connecticut,then everyone else.

 

[Tonyc]

UConn is the best program now. No debate. However all time, we've never missed a tournament. You have. More NCAA tournament wins, final fours, all time wins, etc. We've been at or near the top longer than anybody. A'ja has the chance to be the second number one player in the country in a row to go to tennessee and if she goes to Tennessee next year, we will have the deepest, most talented team in the country. As Mercedes develops in the low post, she and A'ja would absolutely dominate. Next year's team would be incredible considering we lose Simmons and would bring in 4 extremely talented players. And if in four years of playing, we got multiple titles and continued to gain top recruits, yes, UConn would be dethroned. Would you guys still be at the top? Sure. Would the ESPN announcers be handing you the title in December? Probably not.

Well everybody needs a Dream and I guess thats yours. As I said your living in the past and now your explaining everything with a lot of "IF's". Fact is Tenns development of players has not been good. Tenns showing in the NCAAs over the past few years has not been great. Now your talking about dethroning UConn. Tenn lost to who was it Middle Tenn and Louisville a team UConn beat by 30+. You have a long way to go to accomplish that. I don't think you understand how long it takes to build chemistry and get the right players and get them all on the same page. Tenn has always had HS AAs and Tenn has struggled with them. Remember when Maya Caroline and EDD told Tenn and Pat NO. Tenn had a lot of talent and lost to Ball State. I kept saying Pat just grabbed everybody she could and lacked a point guard as well as ball handlers to run the offense. Her teams lacked perimeter defense. You need more then talent in todays WCBB games. Everybodys got talent. Its what you do with that talent that seperates the UConn from everybody else. Tenn has not shown me that yet. Look at this years team. You have Stanford and ND on your schedule and UNC. The SEC is as weak as the AAC. I will give you this. IF you get Wilson you have a chance to compete but a lot depends on the development of Russell and building team chemistry. Let me give you an example about development. Stef Dolson. Compare her to other top teams post players. Genos done a great job with her and is doing a great job getting Breanna better. Now why would a great HS player go any place other then UConn if Basketball is a priority? If BB is not a priority then maybe they don't belong at UConn.

 

[JS]

Tony -

I love you and can't imagine the Boneyard without you, but here's
a tip conveyed by the player bio of the "other Stewie:"

 

[JS]

UConn is the best program now. No debate. However all time, we've never missed a tournament. You have. More NCAA tournament wins, final fours, all time wins, etc. We've been at or near the top longer than anybody.

UConn has made every NCAA tournament since 1989. There's a kind of desperation in claiming to be, as judged now, the "greatest program ever" based on results from before UConn came on the national scene courtesy of Geno Auriemma.

Again, I'll cede you the 20th century. You should concede the 21st to date.

And the overall greatest program? Not exactly the same question as the greatest coach, but as of now and absent further history, it might as well be.

After last year's NC, and based on performance measures eliminating the "cumulative" numbers vol fans like to advance to take advantage of Pat's earlier start, Geno had arguably drawn even with her and was in process of surpassing her as the greatest ever.

IMO this process will be complete sooner rather than later. And that's without even considering the head-to-head record in the regular season and/or for the national championship, which lopsidedly favors UConn.

Flipping back from greatest coach to greatest program, I see no evidence that the LV program in the post-Summitt era will take the mantle back from UConn, but you're a good fan of your team and you have your hopes.

I applaud you for that. Hope does spring eternal.

In the meantime, let me see. Would I rather be a UConn fan or a TN fan? Um, . . . tough choice. Give me a minute with this . . .

Fooled ya. I'll take UConn, and call it the greatest WCBB program ever

 

[Justavisitor]

Still with the Maya has no handles? I would have thought the Vols fans had dropped that old canard by now, especially after Maya won her 2nd WNBA championship (in 3 seasons) and was the Finals MVP. Clearly her time at UConn has hurt her professional career.

Wake me when she wins a title without other Olympians on the roster, because she certainly didn't win a title at UConn without other AAs, including a NPOY on the roster along her side. As for the handles, it's true. She left UConn and could barely dribble and Geno pointed out her weakness, but never fixed it. What's that saying about glass houses?

 

[doggydaddy]

Wake me when she wins a title without other Olympians on the roster, because she certainly didn't win a title at UConn without other AAs, including a NPOY on the roster along her side. As for the handles, it's true. She left UConn and could barely dribble and Geno pointed out her weakness, but never fixed it. What's that saying about glass houses?

Those in glass houses should dress in the basement. Is that the one?

Your over the top comments make you the wonderful troll you are. Barely dribble my a##. She dribbled and dribbles better than your 6'4" point guard.

No college players that she played with were Olympians at the time they played together so your statement is just bullshot. Future Olympians, yes. But using that as a way to diminish Moore's accomplishments just adds to your trolling.

What a genius (going old school on you).

 

[uconnell]

Wake me when she wins a title without other Olympians on the roster, because she certainly didn't win a title at UConn without other AAs, including a NPOY on the roster along her side. As for the handles, it's true. She left UConn and could barely dribble and Geno pointed out her weakness, but never fixed it. What's that saying about glass houses?

OK you've thrown your stone, now go home.

 

[UConnCat]

Wake me when she wins a title without other Olympians on the roster, because she certainly didn't win a title at UConn without other AAs, including a NPOY on the roster along her side. As for the handles, it's true. She left UConn and could barely dribble and Geno pointed out her weakness, but never fixed it. What's that saying about glass houses?

Oh stop. You and other Vol fans continue to embarrass yourselves over Maya Moore. Actually, saying that Maya Moore can "barely dribble" is beyond embarrassing; it's just stupid. A player who can "barely dribble" doesn't become WNBA Finals MVP. A player who can "barely dribble" doesn't win 3 Wade Tropies and isn't a 4-time All-American.

Vol fans like you can't let go of the fact that she chose UConn over Tennessee, won multiple Wade trophies, national championships and now WNBA championships. Vol fans spent years attacking her mother and haven't stopped criticizing Maya's game as she continues to win championships and awards.

Wake me when Vols fans stop blaming coaches and teammates for Parker not winning a WNBA championship.

 

[Icebear]

When Maya was at UCONN it wasn't that she had no handle it was that she simply was not flash and always choose the simplest path to achieving her goals. Playing in the WNBA requires different skills. She still uses them as necessary. Maya never has been one to waste energy to fulfill the same goals when an easier path is available.

Check how many times she lost the ball to people off the dribble by them taking the ball away from her. It didn't happen. In that manner she was much like Kelly Faris. Flash wasn't necessary to be solid fundamentally.

 

[diggerfoot]

Hmmmm. For years the Lynx continued to get attractive picks in the draft, including future World Cup players and Olympians, due to performing poorly regardless of those picks. When one of those attractive picks became Maya Moore they suddenly became champions, yet we are to credit the other Olympians for her success? That's the kind of reasoning I'd expect from another fan board .... oh, wait. Meanwhile, a certain other supremely talented player gets POY honors playing alongside the likes of Ogwumike and Tolliver ..... with once again no WNBA championship to show for it.

As for "handles," Justavistor picks an unmeasurable trait as a flaw to subjectively harp on. How convenient! Let's pick a measurable trait and see how Moore fares shall we? Pick any measurable trait you'd like.

 

[Bestiarius]

Tennessee has one thing the others don't. Candace Parker her role model and favorite player. I'm sure that the visit will have some effect on her decision.

Faulty logic. Tennessee doesn't have Candace Parker. That train has pulled out of the station. Perhaps she could play with Candace some day, and the best chance of that happening would be four years with Geno. Not 4 years with Holly.

 

[doggydaddy]

Faulty logic. Tennessee doesn't have Candace Parker. That train has pulled out of the station. Perhaps she could play with Candace some day, and the best chance of that happening would be four years with Geno. Not 4 years with Holly.

Great point, Bestie.....

It seems that the Tennessee fans think that Pat is still there. Sorry, but that wonderfully fiery coach that could get great performance with just a glare has moved on. In her place is a lifelong assistant. To think that she will just keep things going as it was is just wishful thinking.

There hasn't been one player that Warlick has coached as a head coach that has graduated yet. So who knows how she will develop players and prepare them for the WNBA? That hasn't been determined yet.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Wake me when she wins a title without other Olympians on the roster, because she certainly didn't win a title at UConn without other AAs, including a NPOY on the roster along her side. As for the handles, it's true. She left UConn and could barely dribble and Geno pointed out her weakness, but never fixed it. What's that saying about glass houses?

Early nominee for dumbest post of the year. Bonus points for losing all credibility as a BoneYarder.

 

[VAMike23]

I'll be the contrarian - I think we doth protest too much on this particular issue re: Maya

Maya's ballhandling & dribbling is, at the WNBA level, "OK" but certainly nothing special in and of itself, and these skills are much improved since she came into the league. She's gotten especially good at the behind-the-back dribble when utilizing screens on the perimeter or when starting the fast break. And in general she is *much* more assured with the ball now than she was as a rook. But when facing the basket, she makes hay with the size of her first step and the threat of her pull-up, not with her lateral quicknes, change of direction, or out-and-out ball skills. Against many 2's and 3's in the W, she's has neither the handle nor the lateral quickness to break them down off the dribble in the classic sense, the way Seimone Augustus does (both are about 6' tall). This is simply never going to happen. But it's not a big deal. Seimone is never going to do some of the things that (only?) Maya can do, either. Each has their own particular set of athletic gifts, which they have worked hard to maximize via a particular style of play. Maya has refined a few very good ball-fakes, crossovers, etc. to get space for her jumper. Seimone will more often use these initial moves to get space and then dribble into traffic - which is not Maya's forte. Maya would much prefer to take two power dribbles and then elevate over everyone

Although it would have been fun to watch Maya morph into Marques Haynes while at UCONN (just kidding), it's not terribly surprising that she didn't. For all her 3-point and fast-break prowess, she self-identified as a post (power forward) while in college, plain and simple, *not* a guard in any way, shape or form. As I've said before, I think Maya's ballhandling will continue to improve in the pros.....mostly because at her current position it makes a bigger difference than it used to at UCONN. But Maya Moore is very likely the best player in women's basketball "off the ball." This requires completely different instincts than being a great player "with the ball" (DT would be on the short list here). Why would anyone be surprised that the greatest(IMO) 'off the ball' player is not a super ballhandler?

Having said all this, Candace Parker is a superb ballhandler, full stop, and anyone who thinks that Maya's handle -- taken in isolation -- is anywhere close to CP3's is simply not watching the game very closely...at all. Their games are very different. We diminish the genuine compliments we pay to our own favored players when we understate the level of the competition with such unnecessarily broad strokes.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I'll be the contrarian - I think we doth protest too much on this particular issue re: Maya

Maya's ballhandling & dribbling is, at the WNBA level, "OK" but certainly nothing special in and of itself, and these skills are much improved since she came into the league. She's gotten especially good at the behind-the-back dribble when utilizing screens on the perimeter or when starting the fast break. And in general she is *much* more assured with the ball now than she was as a rook. But when facing the basket, she makes hay with the size of her first step and the threat of her pull-up, not with her lateral quicknes, change of direction, or out-and-out ball skills. Against many 2's and 3's in the W, she's has neither the handle nor the lateral quickness to break them down off the dribble in the classic sense, the way Seimone Augustus does (both are about 6' tall). This is simply never going to happen. But it's not a big deal. Seimone is never going to do some of the things that (only?) Maya can do, either. Each has their own particular set of athletic gifts, and they have worked hard to maximize them via a particular style of play. Maya has refined a few very good ball-fakes, crossovers, etc. to get space for her jumper. Seimone will more often use these initial moves to get space and then dribble into traffic - which is not Maya's forte. Maya would much prefer to take two power dribbles and then elevate over everyone

Although it would have been fun to watch Maya morph into Marques Haynes while at UCONN (just kidding), it's not terribly surprising that she didn't. For all her 3-point and fast-break prowess, she self-identified as a post (power forward) while in college, plain and simple, *not* a guard in any way, shape or form. As I've said before, I think Maya's ballhandling will continue to improve in the pros.....mostly because at her current position it makes a bigger difference than it used to at UCONN. But Maya Moore is very likely the best player in women's basketball "off the ball." This requires completely different instincts than being a great player "with the ball" (DT would be on the short list here). Why would anyone be surprised that the greatest(IMO) 'off the ball' player is not a super ballhandler?

Having said all this, Candace Parker is a superb ballhandler, full stop, and anyone who thinks that Maya's handle -- taken in isolation -- is anywhere close to CP3's is simply not watching the game very closely...at all. Their games are very different. We diminish the genuine compliments we pay to our own favored players when we understate the level of the competition with such unnecessarily broad strokes.

"barely dribble" was the description...

 

[Tonyc]

There are still a lot of bad feelings here with Tenn. We took Maya right out of their backyard. Caroline had attended Pats BB camp and came to UConn. EDD after the LV fans painted their rock for her and after so many LVs attended her HS games she came to UConn. That was the demise of Tenn and Pat and that's why the 37 page report of allegations came about and was fed to the shredder. Tenns accomplishments are a memory just like the .0002 seconds0f in the Baylor game, and Clockwork Orange in the RU game and all the games when Tenn couldn't throw the ball in the ocean for a basket but were bailed out with 40+ foul shots. Nothing like living in the past. Tenn is a has been and your trying to resurrect them as a could've been. Bottom line Tenn is still trying to make the FF. Heck if UConn continues to make it every year many will think they got a bye or its the UConn Invitational. LOL Your dreams of Tenn dethroning UConn are halucinations. Remember this. As great as you think Pat was (past tense) She has a losing record against Geno and has never beaten him in a NC. So let me ask you....how do you think Holly will be able to dethrone Geno????

 

[Cheddie]

Beyond the relative merits of the various schools still vying for her commitment, UConn would seem to be perfectly set up for her career. Geno has a wealth of very talented guard/wing players lined up to play with her, Stef is graduating, Kia will have only one year and she'll be alongside Stewie. Can't think of a better situation to step into.

 

[Jim]

Wake me when she wins a title without other Olympians on the roster, because she certainly didn't win a title at UConn without other AAs, including a NPOY on the roster along her side. As for the handles, it's true. She left UConn and could barely dribble and Geno pointed out her weakness, but never fixed it. What's that saying about glass houses?

Consider yourself woken. She won the China Women's League Championship last February.

"Maya Moore scored 34 points (including a perfect 14-14 from the line) and grabbed 16 rebounds as Shanxi Xing Rui Flame defeated Liz Cambage and Zhejiang Far East 97-87 in the deciding Game 4 of the China Women's League Championship on February 5. Cambage scored 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for Zheijiang, who dropped the best-of-five-game series 3-1"

 

[Icebear]

"barely dribble" was the description...

Exactly, as I said tell me how many times Maya had the ball stolen from her off the dribble. It didn't happen. She used the skills she needed. She has developed more now as needed but she was vastly better than "could barely dribble."

 

[VAMike23]

"barely dribble" was the description...

I understand that.

I was speaking to BYers responses (protesting too much) being similarly hyperbolic in the other direction, or implying that because she wins her game must not have weaknesses.

 

[UConnCat]

I'll be the contrarian - I think we doth protest too much on this particular issue re: Maya

Maya's ballhandling & dribbling is, at the WNBA level, "OK" but certainly nothing special in and of itself, and these skills are much improved since she came into the league. She's gotten especially good at the behind-the-back dribble when utilizing screens on the perimeter or when starting the fast break. And in general she is *much* more assured with the ball now than she was as a rook. But when facing the basket, she makes hay with the size of her first step and the threat of her pull-up, not with her lateral quicknes, change of direction, or out-and-out ball skills. Against many 2's and 3's in the W, she's has neither the handle nor the lateral quickness to break them down off the dribble in the classic sense, the way Seimone Augustus does (both are about 6' tall). This is simply never going to happen. But it's not a big deal. Seimone is never going to do some of the things that (only?) Maya can do, either. Each has their own particular set of athletic gifts, and they have worked hard to maximize them via a particular style of play. Maya has refined a few very good ball-fakes, crossovers, etc. to get space for her jumper. Seimone will more often use these initial moves to get space and then dribble into traffic - which is not Maya's forte. Maya would much prefer to take two power dribbles and then elevate over everyone

Although it would have been fun to watch Maya morph into Marques Haynes while at UCONN (just kidding), it's not terribly surprising that she didn't. For all her 3-point and fast-break prowess, she self-identified as a post (power forward) while in college, plain and simple, *not* a guard in any way, shape or form. As I've said before, I think Maya's ballhandling will continue to improve in the pros.....mostly because at her current position it makes a bigger difference than it used to at UCONN. But Maya Moore is very likely the best player in women's basketball "off the ball." This requires completely different instincts than being a great player "with the ball" (DT would be on the short list here). Why would anyone be surprised that the greatest(IMO) 'off the ball' player is not a super ballhandler?

Having said all this, Candace Parker is a superb ballhandler, full stop, and anyone who thinks that Maya's handle -- taken in isolation -- is anywhere close to CP3's is simply not watching the game very closely...at all. Their games are very different. We diminish the genuine compliments we pay to our own favored players when we understate the level of the competition with such unnecessarily broad strokes.

I don't recall anyone saying in this thread that Maya is a superb ball-handler. She isn't. There's a big difference between saying that -- which I don't think any UConn fan said in this thread -- with saying she can "barely dribble" or left UConn "without handles" whatever the h_ell that means. Ball-handling is not the strongest part of Maya's game though she has improved playing in the WNBA where she plays on the wing instead of the post where she played at UConn. Maya played the power forward in a college offense that emphasized cutting and passing more than taking defenders off the dribble in 1-on-1 play. She's an absolutely superb passer, a skill that was improved at UConn and has carried over to the WNBA. Maya's ball-handling has improved and will continue to do so as she continues to handle it more on the perimeter and learns more about the pace of the game. I heard an interview recently in which she talked about slowing down and not going too fast which has always been one of her issues handling the ball.

No one in this thread said Parker is not a superb ball-handler. She is, particularly for her size, but even she has to give the ball up when pressured by smaller, quicker defenders. I'm not sure what that has to do with this thread, however.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Everyone knows if you want to develop into the best player you can be, win national championships, and have maximum media exposure you go to UConn. This is universally accepted like the sun rising in the east. If a player doesn't want those things, then go elsewhere. It's really not a difficult choice if you're a top recruit.

 

[doggydaddy]

I don't recall anyone saying in this thread that Maya is a superb ball-handler. She isn't. There's a big difference between saying that -- which I don't think any UConn fan said in this thread -- with saying she can "barely dribble" or left UConn "without handles" whatever the h_ell that means. Ball-handling is not the strongest part of Maya's game though she has improved playing in the WNBA where she plays on the wing instead of the post where she played at UConn. Maya played the power forward in a college offense that emphasized cutting and passing more than taking defenders off the dribble in 1-on-1 play. She's an absolutely superb passer, a skill that was improved at UConn and has carried over to the WNBA. Maya's ball-handling has improved and will continue to do so as she continues to handle it more on the perimeter and learns more about the pace of the game. I heard an interview recently in which she talked about slowing down and not going too fast which as always been one of her having a better feel for the pace of the game a

No one in this thread said Parker is not a superb ball-handler. She is, particularly for her size, but even she has to give the ball up when pressured by smaller, quicker defenders. I'm not sure what that has to do with this thread, however.

I confess. I posted this - "She dribbled and dribbles better than your 6'4" point guard".

Personally, I think that saying Parker is a superb dribbler without qualifying it with "for 6'4" is as silly as saying that Moore can barely dribble.

Now, that guard from UCF? That is one superb dribbler.

 

[stwainfan]

Faulty logic. Tennessee doesn't have Candace Parker. That train has pulled out of the station. Perhaps she could play with Candace some day, and the best chance of that happening would be four years with Geno. Not 4 years with Holly.

I know she is not on the team now. She is on campus now, and has been back a few times since she graduated. The current players have met her. The banner raising tonight is to celebrate her career. Btw A'ja has modeled her game after Parker.

 

[doggydaddy]

I know she is not on the team now. She is on campus now, and has been back a few times since she graduated. The current players have met her. The banner raising tonight is to celebrate her career. Btw A'ja has modeled her game after Parker.

No, she compares herself to Parker's game. Now she wants to be like Stewie.

 

[UConnCat]

I understand that.

I was speaking to BYers responses (protesting too much) being similarly hyperbolic in the other direction, or implying that because she wins her game must not have weaknesses.

Expecting UConn fans to respond rationally to hyperbole from Tennessee fans seems a bit much, no?

 

[VAMike23]

Expecting UConn fans to respond rationally to hyperbole from Tennessee fans seems a bit much, no?

I guess so...?

 

[EricSD]

No, she compares herself to Parker's game. Now she wants to be like Stewie.

Exactly. something's not right - she supposedly doesn't want to play in the post, but that's what Parker is - a post player. But the fact remains that A'ja has been quoted as saying that Parker is her role model, and that she has fashioned her game after Parker's. Can't deny that. Also, A'ja is super excited to meet Parker this weekend in Tennessee. It's a brilliant move to have Wilson in Tennessee the weekend they retire Parker's jersey. Candace will get a ton of time to spend with A'ja and help the Vols recruit her.

But Aja's also friends with Stewie and they keep in touch (not sure how frequently), but A'ja certainly built a terrific bond with UCONN players when she played on the US Junior team with Stewie, Morgan and Moriah. And she'd get to play with them for 2 years if she were to come to UCONN.

I wonder if Candace will remind A'ja the comment she made to Delle Donne - that Elena made the right choice in choosing UCONN over Tennessee...

 

[Alydar]

I think that UConn probably leads for Wilson, but she said she was very impressed by the coaches and that's why she's visiting. She has a good relationship if twitter is to be an indicator, with Graves, Reynolds, Burdick, and Russell. And we can sell the chance to dethrone UConn and put the greatest all time women's basketball program back on top. We only lose simmons (which will be a positive in some ways for next year) and bring in a solid group if good glue players to go around the next superstar in Knoxville.

I remember when it was Simmons who was going to be the next Lawson. And Harrison was going to be the next superstar. And I distinctly remember reading that Mercedes Russell was the next Parker.

Every year there is another recruiting target that, if signed, will lead the LV's back to the top of the mountain. It's just like "Groundhog Day".

 

[sawxfan23]

I know she is not on the team now. She is on campus now, and has been back a few times since she graduated. The current players have met her. The banner raising tonight is to celebrate her career. Btw A'ja has modeled her game after Parker.

Well, we know it certainly isn't to celebrate a National Championship or even a Final Four because Tennessee has not been to one of those since 2008.