Anna Makurat Commits to UConn | Page 6 | The Boneyard

Anna Makurat Commits to UConn

eebmg said:
Boy Geno is at his best when scrambling. Came in late on Nika and stole her away and just did the same with Ania. That charisma is going strong. :D
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You sure it's not the garlic that's strong? :D
 
eebmg said:
Not a 100% sure but I think she was on the team but not being paid (amateur status). In the article, she said that the team was going to offer a contract but after hearing about UConn, they said go with our blessings.
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Correct. Much like Ezi Magbegor last year, Anna was playing w/out pay but her team could offer her some as incentive to stay.
 
Geno has commented very pointedly on how hard it has become to find and recruit enthusiastic team players. I say the following without directing any of it to our recent commits from the good old USA, but: It is beyond refreshing to have Nika and Anna express their wonderment and joy to be embraced by Geno and the Husky program.

A sample:

“It was kind of impossible to me,” Makurat said. “I thought it was a joke and somebody was kidding me. It’s a dream come true. It was my dream program.”

Initially, Makurat seriously considered Oregon, saying she was “almost sure I was going to commit there.” She was also interested in South Florida, Ohio State and Utah, where her sister, Ola, will play after transferring from Liberty.

She didn’t spend anymore time wrestling over her decision, though, after UConn head coach Geno Auriemma visited her home on March 13.

“He’s like a rock star everywhere,” Makurat said. “It’s the best program in history, and I think he’s the best coach. I think it’s super special to meet him and talk with him and to be his player. It’s something special and I couldn’t imagine that someday it’s going to happen.”

Polish guard Ania Makurat excited to play for ‘rock star’ Geno Auriemma at UConn
 
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RockyMTblue2 said:
Geno has commented very pointedly on how hard it has become to find and recruit enthusiastic team players. I say the following without directing any of it to our recent commits from the good old USA, but: It is beyond refreshing to have Nika and Anna express their wonderment and joy to be embraced by Geno and the Husky program.
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and don't forget Paige who's excitement clearly makes her an honorable European who just happens to live in the US by accident. ;)
 
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Great news. But we still need a 6'5" post player and a 6'3" power forward. Guards will only carry us so far.
 
Fairfield Fan said:
Great news. But we still need a 6'5" post player and a 6'3" power forward. Guards will only carry us so far.
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giphy.gif
 
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Hayven said:
Geno is just over 6 feet tall, and she’s taller than him in this pic. Maybe 6’2”?....don’t ask me to covert that to Bria Hartley measurements
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No he's not, unless I've gained four inches. I'm about 6 feet, and he's a bunch shorter than I am.
 
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Centerstream said:
Exactly @EricLA! I was going to post the same thing but add that it only took 159 posts to get our first Debbie...
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I didn't mean for it to come across overly snarky, but in a thread where everyone is super excited that we have a terrific guard/wing with lots of upside and potential, to be lamenting the lack of posts is a total
42830
 
A further point of confusion is that Ola also goes by Alexandr (or similar). Maybe one is her "stage" (basketball) name.
 
Kaizen said:
Ola, oldest: Liberty University VA
Ania (or Anna): UConn
Aqata , youngest, 12 years old now.
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Ola spent her first two years at LU, transferred to Utah, and will be eligible this year.
Anna is headed to the basketball capital of the world.
Agata is 14 (born December 2004) and is going to spend the next 4-5 years figuring out how to be better than her sisters.
 
Argonaut said:
Ola spent her first two years at LU, transferred to Utah, and will be eligible this year.
Anna is headed to the basketball capital of the world.
Agata is 14 (born December 2004) and is going to spend the next 4-5 years figuring out how to be better than her sisters.
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Maybe Agata is the rebounding Makurat. :cool:
 
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RockyMTblue2 said:
I agree with the observation and UConn is blessed with a great staff.....BUT as Paige made plain too, the ultimate, defining draw was this guy called Geno. I don't need to see the campus. I just have to know that is where Geno is. Nika was very clear about how Geno visited and put her at ease and also taught her so much even in that one encounter. Ania/Anna was funny about the in home meeting “my family still cannot imagine that it happened.”

Geno, the Closer.

“No, it wasn’t hard to commit without visiting first,” Muhl said. “Thinking about UConn, I didn’t need a visit to prove to myself that I wanted to go there. I am just so excited to get to campus and see what it’s all about and get to work.” COLLEGE BEAT: Being first across the pond helped Geno bring Croatia star to Storrs
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When you have a chance to play for a legend of the sport it is the ultimate recruiting tool. Lou Alcindor went from east coast to west coast to just to play for John Wooden. Players want to play for coach K. Yes duke is a great academic institution but coach K is on the mt. Rushmore of men’s bb. That’s why when I hear some things that people say about Geno on the BY about how he’s lost it I think it speaks to the crazy expectations we as fans have now of UConn. Anyways we will all gain a greater appreciation of him when he retires and UConn has a new coach. Very very unlikely we will see someone of his success in WBB again.
 
ABCDFE said:
When you have a chance to play for a legend of the sport it is the ultimate recruiting tool. Lou Alcindor went from east coast to west coast to just to play for John Wooden. Players want to play for coach K. Yes duke is a great academic institution but coach K is on the mt. Rushmore of men’s bb. That’s why when I hear some things that people say about Geno on the BY about how he’s lost it I think it speaks to the crazy expectations we as fans have now of UConn. Anyways we will all gain a greater appreciation of him when he retires and UConn has a new coach. Very very unlikely we will see someone of his success in WBB again.
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The name is Lew...we (Bruins fans) thank you..
 
eebmg said:
A more reserved analysis of the strength and weaknesses of Anna and how she can fit and help UConn.

Film Review: What Will Anna Makurat Bring to UConn Women’s Basketball?

One thing that is not clear to me is whether Geno has actually scene her play in person?
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Not particularly helpful as the "analysis" is based off of highlights that are at least 2 years old. A better and more relevant analysis would be based on watching her play for her pro team Arka Gdynia. Many of those games are available on YouTube and they show how Anna plays today against pro players, the good and the not so good. I've watched all of Arka Gdynia's games available on YouTube and think Jas Thomas's comments to Carl Adamec summarize her game pretty well.
 
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