All about Paige Bueckers Vol 2

[oldude]

@MilfordHusky re the video freezing after twenty seconds. If you have been to Minnesota in January, you would know that nearly everything freezes after twenty seconds or so .

I have a friend who is a lawyer at a firm in Minneapolis who was promoted to Junior Partner. I congratulated him, and suggested he must be excited about the raise. He told me there was no raise, but he was clearly excited nonetheless, because the promotion came with a new parking space where he could plug in his car, so he could be sure it would start on those brutally cold winter nights when he put in a late night at the office.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I had a friend who went to UConn and then started grad school at Arizona. After a year, he transferred to Minnesota. He then took a year off and went back to Connecticut for a year off before finishing his degree at Minnesota. I joked with him that moving from Tuscon to Minneapolis caused him to need a year to thaw out.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Paige's game will be streamed tonight at 7:00 central at the link below.


Hopkins vs Wayzata

nspn.tv

www.prepspotlight.tv

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Charliebball]

In spite of her exceptional skills the two most important traits I have seen in Bueckers are her competitiveness and her confidence.
While several Huskies have had great freshman years only Moore "took the world by storm day one". It just isn't the UConn system. Geno's players adapt to his offense, they don't get an offense designed for their game.

I believe PB is ready made to run the UConn offense yet has the entire three level arsenal necessary to carry the team when the offense isn't clicking...............I've said many times that she could have played serious minutes for UConn this year never mind next year and predict she will average around 14 points and 6 assists per game which mirrors Sabrina Ionescu's freshman season..............I'll be very, very surprised if her name doesn't end up on the GP wall........

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[JordyG]

Actually the first person I saw to really popularize that shot was George McGinnis.

 

[donalddoowop]

Actually the first person I saw to really popularize that shot was George McGinnis.

Was that during or after high school? I know he played high school ball in Indiana.

 

[Alydar]

What I like about Bueckers' moves is that she makes the shot. I see lots of college players who seem to have spent many hours learning a spin move for example but they come out of the move and throw the ball at the board so hard it bounces to the ft line. I miss Moore's finger roll. Soft hands required.

 

[Alydar]

Pardon to Sluconn Husky but I dug up what appears to be the first Bueckers post from almost 3 years ago featuring a quote from a Prospect Nation assessment from 6 years ago that really hasn't changed: There's a picture on the linked article that explains why her early coaches called her Olive Oil. :

Might as well put this 7th grade assessment from Prospects Nation here:


Paige Bueckers (St. Louis Park, Minn.), North Tartan 2020

Bueckers is only a seventh grader in the 2020 class and already is making noise on the court. All the teams that tried to put pressure on her this weekend found out that she has the gate and explosiveness to get by defenders in the open court and in the lane. She showed shiftiness and grit getting to the basket and really can knife-up the defense. She shoots the ball with great release and was knocking down shots from a lot of areas on the floor. What is great about her game is her command on the court. She is a leader and can handle the decision-making for the team. Hanging your hat on a kid like Bueckers is a great move in the basketball world, because she has a lot of tools and court savvy to her game.


Check Me Out Midwest -- Underclass | Prospects Nation

 

[jabstep]

Geno will also have the ability to sit Paige down and insert Nika in the lineup. That should get her attention.

Nika game remains me of Molly Bent. She will have to cut down on her turnovers to play for Geno. What better teachers to play for than UCONN

 

[Charliebball]

Bueckers has more offensive weapons then the US military!!!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Nika game remains me of Molly Bent. She will have to cut down on her turnovers to play for Geno. What better teachers to play for than UCONN

Molly's turnovers often come from being tentative or a little slow. Nika is much faster and far more aggressive. Her turnovers seem to come from being over-aggressive.

 

[oldude]

Molly's turnovers often come from being tentative or a little slow. Nika is much faster and far more aggressive. Her turnovers seem to come from being over-aggressive.

In 7 games during the 2018 U-18 World Championships, Nika averaged 5.7 apg vs 2.9 tpg, or a little less than an a/to ratio of 2. That’s pretty good against good competition. In addition, many of her assists are spectacular in nature. When Paige & Nika get to Storrs it’s gonna be an extraordinary dime-dropping show.

 

[cohenzone]

If this kid shows up and doesn’t walk on water right away, she’s gonna look like a flop. Not too many expectations.

 

[jabstep]

Molly's turnovers often come from being tentative or a little slow. Nika is much faster and far more aggressive. Her turnovers seem to come from being over-aggressive.

When watching Paige play the point I feel she is always in control and knows where she wants to go with the ball. She doesn't seem to force the ball where it shouldn't go. Its like giving a big girl the ball on a fast break with someone right in front of her and she is bound to have a turnover. Slowing down mentally to make the right pass is an art that not many have.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I looked at this little video snippet and it brought up for me one pretty intangible concern for Paige. It's a concern which I will typically get annoyed when applied to other female athletes. But it won't leave me, so I'll just say it here and hopefully that will be it. She's sorta twiggy, with thighs that look more like calves. She's going to be banged around in Div. I like she has never been. She reminds me of a Stewie like frame shrunk down to 5' 11+.

If I'm right about Paige's body type, then there is little that can be done except keep her in a lot of pads. She's tough and does not shy away from contact, but it can sure wear on you.

 

[JordyG]

Was that during or after high school? I know he played high school ball in Indiana.

The first time I saw George do that ladder shot was with Indiana in the ABA and that championship team. Later in the NBA of course.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Keil Moore of Prospects Nation breaks down Paige's game:

 

[eebmg]

Probably should never leave this thread after OU

 

[MilfordHusky]

When watching Paige play the point I feel she is always in control and knows where she wants to go with the ball. She doesn't seem to force the ball where it shouldn't go. Its like giving a big girl the ball on a fast break with someone right in front of her and she is bound to have a turnover. Slowing down mentally to make the right pass is an art that not many have.

Paige plays differently, but she's in control like Sabrina is in control.

 

[Go/huskies]

I have high hope for Bueckers, but she seems more like a highlight pass 1st guard. What good will her passes do if Williams can’t hit shots and Walker can’t show up in big games when needed? UConn hasn’t had a player who could just take over a game since Stewart. Will Bueckers be more on the lines of Moore and Stewart? Or Lou, Walker, and Williams ?

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Paige Bueckers makes the final 10 for the Naismith trophy.



Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls Trophy 2020 Semifinalists | Citizen Naismith Trophy

 

[Alydar]

I have high hope for Bueckers, but she seems more like a highlight pass 1st guard. What good will her passes do if Williams can’t hit shots and Walker can’t show up in big games when needed? UConn hasn’t had a player who could just take over a game since Stewart. Will Bueckers be more on the lines of Moore and Stewart? Or Lou, Walker, and Williams ?

Go back several years before Moore.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[JoePgh]

I looked at this little video snippet and it brought up for me one pretty intangible concern for Paige. It's a concern which I will typically get annoyed when applied to other female athletes. But it won't leave me, so I'll just say it here and hopefully that will be it. She's sorta twiggy, with thighs that look more like calves. She's going to be banged around in Div. I like she has never been. She reminds me of a Stewie like frame shrunk down to 5' 11+.

If I'm right about Paige's body type, then there is little that can be done except keep her in a lot of pads. She's tough and does not shy away from contact, but it can sure wear on you.

Sort of like Moriah and Crystal? That worked out fine in both cases.

 

[BostonBay]

I have high hope for Bueckers, but she seems more like a highlight pass 1st guard. What good will her passes do if Williams can’t hit shots and Walker can’t show up in big games when needed? UConn hasn’t had a player who could just take over a game since Stewart. Will Bueckers be more on the lines of Moore and Stewart? Or Lou, Walker, and Williams ?

Yeah, I think people are way optimistic about next year's team. We'll still have the same problems next year like this year, if MW and CW continue to be inconsistent & dont show up for big games. Actually, we'll lose the "best" player from this year's team in CD, who consistently scores as well. We'll still have a lack of inside presence, the major problem with this year's team.

Lets face it, Geno has had a string of poor recruiting seasons, & it will take a few years to dig out of it.

 

[Alydar]

Yeah, I think people are way optimistic about next year's team. We'll still have the same problems next year like this year, if MW and CW continue to be inconsistent & dont show up for big games. Actually, we'll lose the "best" player from this year's team in CD, who consistently scores as well. We'll still have a lack of inside presence, the major problem with this year's team.

Lets face it, Geno has had a string of poor recruiting seasons, & it will take a few years to dig out of it.

While the last few recruiting classes have been thin, in part due to them hanging their hats on a few key targets who ended up going elsewhere, and partly due to players deciding (or encouraged) to transfer, There were also 2 NPOY's and a couple of top 5 types, who would be welcomed with trumpets blaring at any other program. Five players are leaving but four of them haven't added much this year. If nothing else Bueckers, Westbrook, Edwards and McClean will add a lot more quickness and if utilized in an open court style can add a great deal to the team's depth. And given that both Oregon and Baylor will be losing key players and will be a lot younger and less experienced, UConn will be in the thick of it and very competitive against the top teams.
I am convinced that this year's problems is a direct result of a failure of the sophomores and junior and the senior to a lesser extent not being integrated more aggressively into the offense in the last 2 years. The reasons for that are unclear but the net result has been a 6 player rotation that had little to no experience playing together. There are diamonds on this roster but until they learn to play as one unit they won't look like it.
I am highly optimistic that this year's trial and tribulations will pay dividends next season. I have noticed that in many team sports some fans are unwilling to give players a chance to get better. If a rookie struggles there are calls to "trade them/waive them", "they aren't the answer", and "draft/sign XXX or YYY, they are what we need". It becomes an endless process where games are filled with unforced errors due almost entirely to a lack of experience. As much as I scream with frustration at my TV this season I am convinced that things will be much better next year.
As far as Bueckers physical readiness for college I agree that she needs to get stronger and better conditioned. I looked up Taurasi's freshman stats and she averaged 24 minutes/game. Of course she was joining a team filled with proven stars but she wasn't the cut and muscled guard we see today or we saw in her senior year. Bueckers will be fine. She is 7 inches taller than Dangerfield, who came in with a cut body, and 5 inches taller than Jefferson, who came in as thin as Bueckers. She'll be even stronger next season and If they want to bang her they'll have to catch her first.