A'ja Wilson ~ Great Article

[meyers7]

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"

I was going to say that (0r something similar, maybe not in as nice a way ), but wasn't sure if any of her teammates where Olympians for the Chinese team. But looking at the Chinese roster I don't see any players from Shanxi Xing Rui Flame. So I guess the wake up call works.

 

[Geno-ista]

I don't think either Tennessee or UCONN leads. I think it's SC all the way. She's been there multiple times. I hope I am wrong. She is a force of nature.

I think if she was going to So Carolina- she would have announced earlier. I think her late announcement means she is not going to So Carolina. Just my opinion. Not saying she is coming here!

 

[Geno-ista]

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.

Vol Fan- Duke has 2 Nat POY's--- and a load of experienced highly ranked experienced players. Why do you think we continue to dominate them?

 

[Huskyforlife]

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.

Lololololol at uconn we can sell the fact we're so great that other teams have to tell recruits that they would have the opportunity to dethrone us if they came there.

 

[cferraro04]

A'ja Wilson's Freshman year at Tennessee would look as follows:

13 Scholarship Players

Andraya Carter 5'9" - So. Guard
Janah Tucker, 6'0" So. guard
Jordan Reynolds, 5'11" So. Guard
Jaimie Nared, 6'1" Fr. Guard
Alex Middleton, 5'9" Fr. Guard
Kortney Dunbar, 6'1" Fr. Guard
Ariel Massengale, 5'7" Sr. Guard

Rashara Graves, 6'2" Jr. Forward
Jasmine Jones, 6'2" Jr. Forward
Cierra Burdick, 6'2" Forward

A'ja Wilson, 6'5" Fr. Center
Isabelle Harrison, 6'3" Sr. Center
Mercedes Russell, 6'6" So. Center

Probable Starters: Ariel Massengale, Andraya Carter / Janah Tucker, Rashara Graves, Isabelle Harrison, Mercedes Russell

A'ja Wilson's Freshman year at UConn would look as follows:

12 Scholarship Players

Saniya Chong 5'8" So. Guard
Moriah Jefferson 5' 7" Jr. Guard
Brianna Banks 5'9" Sr. Guard
Courtney Ekmark 6'0" Fr. Guard
Sadie Edwards 5'10" Fr. Guard
Gabby Williams 5'11' Fr. Guard
Kia Nurse 5'11" Fr. Guard
Tierney Lawlor 5'7 So. Guard - (Walk-on???)
Briana Pulido 5'7" Jr. Guard - (Walk-on???)

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis 6'0" Sr. Forward
Morgan Tuck 6'2" Jr. Forward
Breanna Stewart 6'4" Jr. Forward

A'ja Wilson 6'5" Fr. Center
Kiah Stokes 6'3" Sr. Center

Probable Starters: Moriah Jefferson, Saniya Chong, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Breanna Stewart, Morgan Tuck / Kiah Stokes

A'ja Wilson's freshman year at North Carolina will look like the following:

15 Scholarship Players

Jaimie Cherry 5'7" Fr. Gaurd
Allisha Gray 6'0" So. Guard
Diamon DeShields 6'1" So. Guard
Jessica Washington 6'1" So. Guard
Meagan Buckland 6'0" Jr. Guard
D'Nea Bryant 6'0" Jr. Guard
Latifiah Coleman 5'9" Sr. Guard
Danielle Butts 5'10" Sr. Guard
Brittany Roundtree 5'9 Sr. Guard
Erica Johnson 6'1" Sr. Guard

Stephanie Mavunga 6'3" So. Forward
Hillary Fuller 6'2" So. Forward
Hillary Summer 6'2" So. Forward
Xylina McDaniel 6'2" Jr. Forward

A'ja Wilson 6'5" Fr. Center

Probable Starters: Diamond DeShields, Xylina McDaniel, Stephanie Mavunga, Allisha Gray, Jessica Washington

A'ja Wilson's Freshman year at South Carolina will look like the following:

15 Scholarship players

Kaydra Duckett 5'10" Fr. Guard
Bianca Cuevas 5'6" Fr. Guard
Olivia Gaines 5'7" So. Guard
Khadijah Sessions 5'8" So. Guard
Tiffany Davis 5'7" So. Guard
LeAnna Morrison 5'5" Jr. Guard
Tina Roy 5'11" Jr. Guard
Tiffany Mitchell 5'9" Jr. Guard
Asia Dozier 6'0" Sr. Guard / Forward

Jatarie White 6'4" Fr. Forward
India Farmer 6'0" Jr. Forward
Aleighsa Welch 6'0" Sr. Forward

A'ja Wilson 6'5" Fr. Center
Alaina Coates 6'4" So. Center
Elem Ibiam 6'4" Sr. Center

Probable starters: Tiffany Mitchell, Aleighsa Welch, Khadijah Sessions, Asia Dozier, Elem Ibiam / laina Coates,


A'ja Wilson's sophomore year at Tennessee will look like the following:

11 Scholarship players (plus recruits ?????)

Andraya Carter 5'9" - Jr. Guard
Janah Tucker 6'0" Jr. guard
Jordan Reynolds, 5'11" Jr. Guard
Jaimie Nared 6'1" So. Guard
Alex Middleton 5'9" So. Guard
Kortney Dunbar 6'1" So. Guard

Rashara Graves 6'2" - Sr. Forward
Jasmine Jones 6'2" Sr. Forward

Nia Moore, 6'3" Sr. Center,
Mercedes Russell 6'6" Jr. Center
A'ja Wilson 6'5" So. Center

Recruits?????

Probable Starters: Jamie Nared, Andraya Carter / Janah Tucker, Rashara Graves, A'ja Wilson, Mercedes Russell

A'ja Wilson's Sophomore Year at UConn will look like the following:

9 Scholarship players (Possibly 13)

Asia Durr 5'10" Fr. Guard ????
Saniya Chong 5'8" Jr. Guard
Moriah Jefferson 5' 7" Sr. Guard
Courtney Ekmark 6'0" So. Guard
Sadie Edwards 5'10" So. Guard
Gabby Williams 5'11' So. Guard
Kia Nurse 5'11" So. Guard

De'Janae Boykin 6'2" So. Forward ???? - (Recruiting Target)
Katie-Lou Samuelson 6'3" Fr. Forward ???? - (Recruiting Target )
Morgan Tuck 6'2" Sr. Forward
Breanna Stewart 6'4" Sr. Forward

Kalani Brown 6'4" Fr. Center ???? - (Recruiting Target)
A'ja Wilson 6'5" So. Center

Probable Starters: Moriah Jefferson, Gabby Williams, Morgan Tuck, Breanna Stewart, A'ja Wilson

A'ja Wison's Sophomore year at North Carolina will look as follows:

11 Scholarship Players (plus Recruits????)

Jaimie Cherry 5'7" So. Gaurd
Allisha Gray 6'0" Jr. Guard
Diamon DeShields 6'1" Jr. Guard
Jessica Washington 6'1" Jr. Guard
Meagan Buckland 6'0" Sr. Guard
D'Nea Bryant 6'0" Sr. Guard


Stephanie Mavunga 6'3" Jr. Forward
Hillary Fuller 6'2" Jr. Forward
Hillary Summer 6'2" Jr. Forward
Xylina McDaniel 6'2" Sr. Forward

A'ja Wilson 6'5" So. Center

Recruits?????

Probable Starters: Diamond DeShields, Xylina McDaniel, Stephanie Mavunga, Allisha Gray, Jessica Washington - Who sits to make room for A'ja Wilson?????

A'ja Wilson's Sophomore year at South Carolina will look like the following:

12 Scholarship players (plus recruits????)

Kaydra Duckett 5'10" So. Guard
Bianca Cuevas 5'6" So. Guard
Olivia Gaines 5'7" Jr. Guard
Khadijah Sessions 5'8" Jr. Guard
Tiffany Davis 5'7" Jr. Guard
LeAnna Morrison 5'5" Sr. Guard
Tina Roy 5'11" Sr. Guard
Tiffany Mitchell 5'9" Sr. Guard

Jatarie White 6'4" So. Forward
India Farmer 6'0" Sr. Forward

A'ja Wilson 6'5" So. Center
Alaina Coates 6'4" Jr. Center

Recruits?????

Probable starters: Bianca Cuevas, Khadijah Sessions, Jetarie White, A'ja Wilson, laina Coates,


Either way the way I see it A'ja Wilson will be starting for either Tennessee, South Carolina or UConn by her sophomore year. She will probably see significant minutes as a freshman for either team. I see some problems with A'ja Wilson starting at North Carolina her sophomore year not because she doesn't have the talent but because overall youth of North Carolina with Diamond and Mavunga starting for two years and Washington, Xylina and Gray all starting for 3 plus years who is going to give up their spot? Who sits?

All teams appear to be guard heavy with North Carolina and South Carolina being obscenely guard heavy with UConn and North Carolina being slightly thinner in the post than Tennessee and South Carolina. The word on the street is that A'ja wants to play the wing...however, at 6'5" I just don't see anyway she doesn't play the Center position. All four of her final choice schools will need her in the post...they are all heavy at the guard position and relatively thin at the post.

I can easily see her be used in Geno's system in much the same way as Stefanie Dolson is utilized. Play the post and pop out to shoot the foul line / 3 point extended jumper. She can also be interchanged like matching bookends with Breanna Stewart. One could play the post and the other the wing and then they could exchange roles. It would be a very flexible front court. With the new 10 second clock teams need fast guards to bring the ball up.

Finally, let's face it any of the four teams would have a good chance of making the final four with A'ja Wilson on their roster but, UConn and Tennessee have the strongest line-up with regards to being a viable contender for a national championship. A'ja Wilson will put either UConn or Tennessee over the top if she joins them in my opinion. Also I believe that UConn has a better chance of defeating a Tennessee team with A'ja Wilson on it than Tenn has of defeating a CT team with A'ja Wilson on it.

This is my predictions depending on where A'ja eventually goes.

Wilson on UConn = 3/4 Championships
Wilson on Tenn = 2/3 Championships
Wilson on North Carolina = 1 or 2 championships
Wilson on South Carolina = 0 - 1 championships

 

[pinotbear]

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".

I am tempted to say that Pat was "a God, not THE God", but, it's Geno that's been accused of beatification. Plus, there is a very slight resemblance, and there is a PA city 'tude involved..

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Well Tennessee is certainly making a case for needing help in the first half against LSU.

 

[huskeynut]

Well Wilson has seen UT's offense, average at best. She has seen Uconn's offense, one of the best. Which will she choose?