A'ja Wilson to Visit So. Carolina

[Kibitzer]

Besides, you wouldn't want to present UConn fans as a selfish, petulant and/or otherwise unattractive lot. Those of us who are that way are mostly good at hiding it.

No, we're not.

 

[stamfordhusky]

If may is the time, Geno needs to save the scholarship for 2015, no-one is more important then the team.

Geno has never used all of his allowable scholarships and never will. Thus there is no need to "save" the scholarship.

 

[stamfordhusky]

A'ja isn't waiting until after the National Letter of Intent. She's proposing to sign during the regular signing period.

Of course, the regular signing period is in reality the late signing period these days. And the early signing period is the regular signing period, because most players sign during the early signing period.

Is that all clear, Bagger?

Early signing period begins Nov. 13, 2013 and ends Nov. 20, 2013.
Regular signing period begins April 16, 2014 and ends May 21, 2014.

Just to clarify, although the regular signing period ends May 21st, that only affects when a player can sign a National Letter of Intent. But a player is always free to commit after that date - and a school can commit to giving her a scholarship. It happens a number of times each summer. In fact, it is even allowable for the player and school to sign a binding contract - it just cannot be the NLI.

 

[Phil]

OK, I think we've piled on enough

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

OK, I think we've piled on enough

Good point. I deleted.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Ummm are you seriously calling her selfish for wanting to take her time and make the right decision? I have nothing but respect for teenagers who are mature enough to do that.

Unless you are being sarcastic, in which case I take it all back.

I totally agree that she and her family should be allowed to take whatever time they think is necessary, though her father seems to think that waiting til May would allow her more time to concentrate on her studies and other related things???? It seems that sometimes the longer a star athlete lets their recruiting go on, the MORE distracting it would be for them. Just my opinion. I agree that it's an important decision and she should take all the time she needs to make the appropriate decision FOR HER! She comes across as a really sweet, thoughtful girl and I'm sure whatever decision she makes will be well thought out!

 

[Kibitzer]

Good point. I deleted.

I followed your good example. Deleted mine. (But I confess, I wish our target poster had turned his other cheek.)

 

[UConnCat]

Jatarie White (NC) and Dekeiya Cohen (SC) were also visiting South Carolina with A'ja.

BTW, there was a thread on Cohen a while back after she tried to recruit UConn. (http://www.the-boneyard.com/threads...hoping-uconn-comes-calling.10475/#post-125633) She had a pretty good summer but UConn never came calling.

 

[meyers7]

Geno has never used all of his allowable scholarships and never will. Thus there is no need to "save" the scholarship.

Well actually he has, 98/99 and 00/01, but he has not been close in recent years. I agree, he's got plenty if he wants to use them.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Well actually he has, 98/99 and 00/01, but he has not been close in recent years. I agree, he's got plenty if he wants to use them.

Yes I should have been clearer. I meant he hasn't ever gone to 15. In those older years - such as 2000-01 - I believe the max was 13.

 

[meyers7]

Yes I should have been clearer. I meant he hasn't ever gone to 15. In those older years - such as 2000-01 - I believe the max was 13.

hmmmm in 00/01 I have Ralph, Abrosimova, Schumaker, Czel, Rigby, Bird, Williams, Cash, Jones, Walters, Johnson, Taurasi, Conlon, MValley, Battle, Moore (16 total, not sure if Czel had a scholarship that year).

In 98/99 I have Duran, Gaines, Abrlic, Sauer, Hansmeyer, Rigby, Ralph, Abrosimova, Schumaker, Czel, Glenney, Bird, Williams, Cash, Jones, Walters (Clark had Xfer'd) - 16 again.

I suppose I could be off. (ha-ha)

 

[caramel]

Unofficials are like the girl you have a crush on,coming over to visit your sister,and she says hi and smiles at you.They get your hopes up,but in many cases,it has no foundation in the end.Same with a lot of things potential verbals do say.Diamond comes to my mind.

 

[Kibitzer]

Just a reminder. Maya visited UConn for the Super Show with her mom, UNOFFICIALLY, just prior to committing.

 

[Jim]

Probably also attending the football game. Border war tonight between South Carolina and North Carolina on ESPN at 6pm.

If A'ja chooses her college based upon the quality of the football team, we're DOOMED!

 

[Phil]

If A'ja chooses her college based upon the quality of the football team, we're DOOMED!

If A'ja chooses where she wants to play basketball on the basis of the quality of the football team, then I question her decision making process (Plus I'll introduce her to Kristy Curry).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristy_Curry

 

[JRRRJ]

Unofficials are like the girl you have a crush on,coming over to visit your sister,and she says hi and smiles at you.They get your hopes up,but in many cases,it has no foundation in the end.Same with a lot of things potential verbals do say.Diamond comes to my mind.

But aren't unofficial visits funded by the recruit? To me, that would indicate more interest, not less.

 

[caramel]

But aren't unofficial visits funded by the recruit? To me, that would indicate more interest, not less.

Yes they are,and in many cases,there is a genuine interest by the young lady in the school she is visiting.However,I am sure there are other reasons why a young lady would unofficially visit a school,which is not usually apparent.Parents could have a desire for their daughter to attend a specific school,and pay her way there,hoping she will like it.Friends,whether on the specific college's team or other friends could pressure her to check out so and so school.After all,no matter how talented they are,they are still young,and can change their mind,sometimes over and over.Peer pressure can be a crime at times,at least to me.

 

[Sonny44]

I still hope she comes to UCONN.
But I was hoping that playing USA ball with three of our young stars would have pushed her over the top to an early sign.
Now I can't help but think our chances go down with time because of her ties to the south.

 

[Icebear]

Kids, also, use unofficial visits to check out schools closer to home vs official visits on the schools dime to go to those farther away. Thus unofficial visits can, also, be an issue of economic praticality.

 

[HuskyNan]

I still hope she comes to UCONN.
But I was hoping that playing USA ball with three of our young stars would have pushed her over the top to an early sign.
Now I can't help but think our chances go down with time because of her ties to the south.

This is a common misconception. Recruits can't sign their National Letters of Intent (aka NLOI, NLI or LOI) until one of the two signing periods in her senior year of high school.

The early signing period for basketball - Nov. 13 - 20, 2013

Regular signing period for basketball - April 16 - May 21, 2014

(here's more info on LOIs)

LOIs signed early are not valid.

Many recruits, although not all, give an oral (also called a verbal) commitment. These are not regulated by the NCAA and are not required. It's simply a statement by a recruit that she intends to sign her LOI for that school during one of the signing periods. It's not binding on either party and, in fact, it's not unknown for a recruit to change her mind and make an oral commitment elsewhere. UConn had a recruit give an oral commitment to the Huskies at the Super Show, then a week later declared she was going to, um, LSU? but when she signed her LOI it was to Florida which shocked everyone, including the LSU and Florida coaches. No rules were broken since there are no rules for oral commitments. (btw, she played 2 years at Florida before transferring)

Incidentally, schools can pull scholarship offers at any time including after a recruits gives an oral commitment. There've been several times when a school has pulled an offer late, especially in football. Unethical maybe, but it breaks no rules.

You may know all this stuff, Sonny. I'm just tacking this onto my response to you for general informational purposes.

 

[Sonny44]

This is a common misconception. Recruits can't sign their National Letters of Intent (aka NLOI, NLI or LOI) until one of the two signing periods in her senior year of high school.

The early signing period for basketball - Nov. 13 - 20, 2013

Regular signing period for basketball - April 16 - May 21, 2014

(here's more info on LOIs)

LOIs signed early are not valid.

Many recruits, although not all, give an oral (also called a verbal) commitment. These are not regulated by the NCAA and are not required. It's simply a statement by a recruit that she intends to sign her LOI for that school during one of the signing periods. It's not binding on either party and, in fact, it's not unknown for a recruit to change her mind and make an oral commitment elsewhere. UConn had a recruit give an oral commitment to the Huskies at the Super Show, then a week later declared she was going to, um, LSU? but when she signed her LOI it was to Florida which shocked everyone, including the LSU and Florida coaches. No rules were broken since there are no rules for oral commitments. (btw, she played 2 years at Florida before transferring to Baylor)

Incidentally, schools can pull scholarship offers at any time including after a recruits gives an oral commitment. There've been several times when a school has pulled an offer late, especially in football. Unethical maybe, but it breaks no rules.

You may know all this stuff, Sonny. I'm just tacking this onto my response to you for general informational purposes.

Thanks Nan,
I certainly did not know all of that, but was hoping for a verbal hint or two if not formal intent.

 

[UcMiami]

I would add one item to all this discussion - most of the top end of any year's recruiting pool (the recruits that can basically choose any school to attend as almost every coach would be happy to have them) have spent years going to USA basketball camps/trials and in most cases have played on multiple USA teams. Wilson missed all those opportunities because of academic conflicts until this past summer when she got her first chance to experience both the trials and an international competition. I think that experience has a 'mind altering' effect on a young player and it takes some time to digest the experience. Add to that the time commitment devoted to USA basketball cutting into the time period in which she was planning to do her college research and I am not surprised that she feels she might need more time to evaluate her options.

 

[stamfordhusky]

This

Incidentally, schools can pull scholarship offers at any time including after a recruits gives an oral commitment. There've been several times when a school has pulled an offer late, especially in football. Unethical maybe, but it breaks no rules.

Probably unethical to pull an offer after a recruit has committed. Not unethical at all to pull an offer before a commitment - no matter how late in the process. Most schools give multiple offers for every position.

 

[Vowelguy]

Wilson will visit Tenn next month.

http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/9/6/4702256/nations-top-recruit-to-visit-tennessee-october-5

 

[CannonVol]

Wilson has been to Tennessee at least three times on unofficial visits and is now coming on her official on the weekend Tennessee plays Georgia in football. Like an earlier post said, you have to question the decision making process if a recruit chooses a school just because of the football team. However, there is a reason that many schools will schedule an official visit around a football weekend. Simply put, the atmosphere can have a decided impact, much like the reason that UConn tries to arrange a visit from an important recruit during your First Night activities.

While I surely hope that Wilson will give Tennessee serious consideration, Tyree, a regular poster on the Georgia board has indicated that his sources indicate that Dawn Staley and South Carolina are the leaders and probable location for Wilson's eventual commitment. And, most of the rumblings that I have heard lead me to believe that, also, at this point. And yes, I know that A'ja Wilson and her family have stated that she is wide open as far as the status of her recruiting as of now, but the speculation and the give and take between fan bases is what makes following recruiting the fun that it is. So take everything I have posted as a fwiw.

Jim