Anna Anyone?

[oldhusky]

I watched her closely last year. Many positives. She is in much better shape this year, and has a year under her belt in a new country with a new team. So I expect great things.

Some positives I recall:

Never takes a play off

Bigger and stronger than many think

Excellent shooter and scorer

Great "handle", obviously well coached and many, many hours of dribbling practice

Capable of getting "in the zone" where everything goes in

Creative passer, doesn't make the predictable pass

Very good at pushing tempo even though not a blazer

Drives to the hoop well, but thinks pass off the dribble too much, needs to shoot it more in that event - doesn't get to the line much, but that change would help

This team is potentially a phenomenal, showtime-type passing team.

I think Huskee11 has done a great job of assessing what Anna brings to the table, and she is in better shape, and hopefully won't start 0 for America again. So there are reasons to be encouraged and to expect some significant improvement. Having said that I think Anna can be a very good player, but her ceiling is somewhat capped by ordinary athletic skills.

Her shooting, ball-handling and especially passing can certainly be "All American" level. Her rebounding, defense, shot blocking etc will probably never be, due to athletic ability that is not bad, but not enough to reach elite status for those traits. I also think Anna is closer to being a finished product since her basketball skills are already very good.

As for your last comment about this team possibly being a "showtime-type" passing team, I agree completely and am very much looking forward to that. Imagine if Geno played Nika and Paige together, with Anna at the 3, with maybe Aubrey and Aaliyah running the floor, or if you wanted to completely double down on passing play small ball with Evina at the 4.

 

[chrissaran]

Geno asked Tina Charles when she was going to reach AA level during her junior year. He figured she would be an AA every year. Funny how things work out. Tina was AA her junior and senior year. Also, when Baylor signed Britney Griner, everyone figured they would win 4 NCs. They won 1, and yes, they may have been robbed of a second.

 

[CocoHusky]

I am so happy that so many of my fellow Boneyarders are seeing the player and person that Anna Makarat is. I've been touting her for over a year and have repeatedly stated 'Watch Ann Bloom.' She is my personal favorite among the other wonderful players Geno has brought in. I gave him credit for 'running all over Poland' last year. From my far away observation she appears to be a great kid with unreal enthusiasm. I think she can play in the WNBA right now, if handled properly. She should be a starter and like Paige, is unselfish with the ball. Look back at some video and see what I am talking about. I believe that she was, for whatever reason, not given passes that would have magnified her shooting talent....and her passes...wow. 'Nice young lady' would be the way I would describe her. Go Anna....Go Huskies!!!

Now image if someone else had a different "personal favorite" and hopefully you can begin to see the problem-loss of objectivity. Which leads to statements like "I believe that she (Anna) was, for whatever reason, not given passes that would have magnified her shooting talent & I think she (Anna) can play in the WNBA right now." Really? Anna handed out plenty of passes and received many more. Anna took her share of shots ( some wide open) missed some and made some= the nature of the game. Anna is barely ready for starting spot at UCONN so the WNBA talk is at best a few years down the road. UCONN doesn't have selfish players. I agree with you that Anna should start, just don't believe in putting down the other players to justify this.

 

[j66kicker]

She was a freshman adjusting to life, school and basketball in a new language and country, and she made some of the UCONN highlight reel plays of all time!

As for your last comment about this team possibly being a "showtime-type" passing team, I agree completely and am very much looking forward to that. Imagine if Geno played Nika and Paige together, with Anna at the 3, with maybe Aubrey and Aaliyah running the floor, or if you wanted to completely double down on passing play small ball with Evina at the 4.

 

[MSGRET]

One of my all time favorite assists of UConn basketball. Reminds me of the tap pass that KLS did on the fast break in the USF vs UConn game where they won 103 to 37 at the XL Center.

 

[Alydar]

Makurat is a good player, but she is NOWHERE near an All American level player! Her playing time is going to be down significantly this year and she may not even start. Don't get me wrong Makurat is a pretty damn good player, but we often forget just how good some of the previous All American greats at UConn were.

Was Gabby Williams an AA as a freshman? NOWHERE near I'd say.

What you have failed to remember is that many UConn AA's weren't so good as freshmen.
Makurat is a dead eye outside shooter who is also an outstanding passer. She is also 6'2" and reportedly in a lot better shape and stronger. she is also a team-first player which can be a detriment to putting up the kind of numbers that AA voters like to see.
I'm hoping that Edwards can contribute so that Makurat can play more outside.

 

[cwaduke]

I think Anna will be great this season. She is in better shape and is such a smart player. I think AA is less relevant than what I hope she does in the WNBA.

 

[DefenseBB]

Last year's team was woefully short on typical UConn ball movement, whereas this years team has an abundant supply of capable passers and shooters that will result in more open 3's for everyone including ANNA. Last year was a significantly down scoring year by UConn standards, whereas I think this year we will be back up to top 3 in the country, hence her scoring and assists should improve. Her all-around game may not approach vintage KML but she has passing skills that KML did not possess so even with an 8 person rotation (9 is pushing it but we shall see) there will be plenty of minutes for Anna to show her improvement. She's proven to be court savvy and team disciplined so I am in agreement she will be a major contributor.

 

[MSGRET]

Here are the highlights of that game, the play is around the 1:02 mark. Gabby blocks the ball, Kia grabs it, passes to Lou who taps it to Gabby while off balance for the lay up.

 

[MD#12Fan]

Anna- so valuable. I think she is not mentioned as much here on BY because in our minds she is penciled in. Paige is a frosh, Evina is coming off injury, will Christyn be an AA, how much progress with Olivia, will Aubrey blossom.....
Anna is so versatile. She is big, which is a huge help with a team that is not one of the biggest in the country. She can handle the rock, which means we always have 3 ballhandlers on the floor. She can hit the open shot. She can run the floor. She is a creative passer. And LASTLY, she can go off offensively.
Long story short: Anna is always contributing when she's on the floor. Like a "stat sheet stuffer" or a "glue guy". Cliche anyone.

 

[DEpup]

Makurat is a good player, but she is NOWHERE near an All American level player! Her playing time is going to be down significantly this year and she may not even start. Don't get me wrong Makurat is a pretty damn good player, but we often forget just how good some of the previous All American greats at UConn were.

Completely disagree! I can't wait until you have to eat crow... a dish best served cold. I think she is the linchpin with her versatility in the middle between the guards and forwards. Mark my words. She will be the one that opposing teams just won't have a response for. They won't be sure how to defend or what to do with her.

 

[soxfan23]

She was a freshman adjusting to life, school and basketball in a new language and country, and she made some of the UCONN highlight reel plays of all time!

So making a couple flashy passes is a metric to judge whether a player is one of the 15 best in the country?

 

[soxfan23]

Was Gabby Williams an AA as a freshman? NOWHERE near I'd say.

What you have failed to remember is that many UConn AA's weren't so good as freshmen.
Makurat is a dead eye outside shooter who is also an outstanding passer. She is also 6'2" and reportedly in a lot better shape and stronger. she is also a team-first player which can be a detriment to putting up the kind of numbers that AA voters like to see.
I'm hoping that Edwards can contribute so that Makurat can play more outside.

And Gabby Williams was NOT an All American her Sophomore year either, so what is your point?

 

[soxfan23]

I hate these threads because it makes it look like I am bashing a player, I am not! Makurat is a hell of a player, but far too often people on this forum through around "All American". AA players are special, I know we are spoiled at UConn because we get so many of them, but I just think it is disrespectful to label virtually every good player UConn currently has as an AA candidate when they have done very little to fit the criteria of an AA, that is all.

 

[jfan]

2 words about Anna's play: Too slow.

 

[soxfan23]

How is that a statement of fact that you know the UCONN rotation prior to them playing a single game?

Do you really think Bueckers, Muhl and Edwards are not going to see significant PT this year?

 

[CocoHusky]

I hate these threads because it makes it look like I am bashing a player, I am not! Makurat is a hell of a player, but far too often people on this forum through around "All American". AA players are special, I know we are spoiled at UConn because we get so many of them, but I just think it is disrespectful to label virtually every good player UConn currently has as an AA candidate when they have done very little to fit the criteria of an AA, that is all.

Calm down just give it a few games and we'll have just as many threads pointing out so and so is overrated or a bust.

 

[Alydar]

And Gabby Williams was NOT an All American her Sophomore year either, so what is your point?

That was my question to the OP.

 

[CocoHusky]

Do you really think Bueckers, Muhl and Edwards are not going to see significant PT this year?

I have said from day one, you know when I thought there was going to be a full season, that the rotation would be 7 deep in meaningful games. These 5 starters ( ONO, Aliyah, Anna, Paige and Christyn). Evina if healthy will be the 3 guard and Aubrey will rotate up front.

 

[huskyd]

Someone asked why Anna (Ania?) hasn't been touted on the board much this season. I believe it has to do with her slow start, not only shooting poorly but passing poorly and lacking foot speed. Old Huskie (sic) described her as having "ordinary athletic skills." I agree. Perhaps it was all about breaking in, but I saw little special about her.
How much she plays depends, IMO, in how Edwards works out. If Aaliyah can be strong on the boards, she should get the bulk of the playing time. Anna isn't primarily a rebounder. She's a long distance shooter. We have plenty of those. We're deficient where we have been historically--on the inside. Makurat is, at the minimum, a nice player to bring off the bench. But I think the starters will be Paige, Evina, Christyn, Liv, and Edwards. (This assumes the other variable: Westbrook's health.)
Can't wait.

 

[eebmg]

I have said from day one, you know when I thought there was going to be a full season, that the rotation would be 7 deep in meaningful games. These 5 starters ( ONO, Aliyah, Anna, Paige and Christyn). Evina if healthy will be the 3 guard and Aubrey will rotate up from.

If Nika is as good as advertised, I think she is part of the main rotation all the way through.

 

[DEpup]

2 words about Anna's play: Too slow.

And we shall see if her new found fitness alters that situation.... KML and KLS weren't the quickest either but they got the job done.....

 

[RockyMTblue2]

These highlights demonstrate some of Anna's strengths and yes its Tulsa, but they are still strengths.



And by the way at 6'~2 she's not Dangerfield quick but she eats up the hardwood with that stride when she kicks it into gear.

 

[soxfan23]

I have said from day one, you know when I thought there was going to be a full season, that the rotation would be 7 deep in meaningful games. These 5 starters ( ONO, Aliyah, Anna, Paige and Christyn). Evina if healthy will be the 3 guard and Aubrey will rotate up front.

There is ZERO chance that Westbrook doesn't start.

 

[MSGRET]

There is ZERO chance that Westbrook doesn't start.

Geno has stated more than once that Westbrook has not completely recovered from the operations and is still having some pain and might not be game ready for a while.