April Recruiting Thread

[visitingcock]

Hello,
In the warmups before the USA 3X3 girls team / games in
Europe this past summer "Yanna" Patterson would dunk the
ball as the opposing team watched. You can view it on
line.. if you GOOGLE the FIBA videos for the entire tournament and
select the games that the USA plays in.
The USA team won in the Finals. The Team consisted of
KiKI Rice, Mikaylah (sp) Williams, Janiah Barker, and Ayanna
Patterson. They were all terrific! I encourage you to view
the game against Russia ( many blocks by Ms. Patterson, and the Finals
( Spain , I believe ).
There is even a video of Germany with the younger Sabally
lady on the German squad. Germany lost earlier. The French
were favored but..... that is how it goes. There was even
a dunking contest for the boys and for the girls. There
were " style" points involved and Yanna did not win.
So.... she dunks , and has done so on many occasions.
Take Care, Thus Spake Z

So. You have not seen her dunk in a game either. Yeah, I know she can dunk in warm ups and that ability is to be respected because it shows jumping ability and coordination. I was responding to someone who said he expected to see multiple dunks from her next year in games. I don’t expect her to get many opportunities to do so and don’t think she will jeopardize a Sure layup for a dunk that she might miss.

A dunk is two points. So is a layup.

Yeah, I have seen the game against Russia. And there were no dunks in that game.

 

[Mdoggie]

Why so much talk about dunks?

 

[TeamFirst!]

That new kid for South Carolina probably has 3-4 dunks next year. No problem.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Blakeon18]

I haven't seen a 'sure lay-up' [OK... after it's made] in either the men's game and especially in the women's
game. Nor have I seen a 'sure dunk' til after it goes in.

Unfortunately our very own beloved make uncontested lay-up shots a 50/50 try [at best] often times.
I have seen that Geno comment that if you try to dunk you better make it. What would he do...pull the player if she missed? Just wondering...has he ever commented that if you try an uncontested layup you better make it?

 

[Charliebball]

So. You have not seen her dunk in a game either. Yeah, I know she can dunk in warm ups and that ability is to be respected because it shows jumping ability and coordination. I was responding to someone who said he expected to see multiple dunks from her next year in games. I don’t expect her to get many opportunities to do so and don’t think she will jeopardize a Sure layup for a dunk that she might miss.

A dunk is two points. So is a layup.

Yeah, I have seen the game against Russia. And there were no dunks in that game.

I think she would only do it in under certain game conditions and if she had the green light from Geno.......while it may only count for two points, from a marketing standpoint it might add some excitement to women's basketball.......

 

[Cuango]

I haven't seen a 'sure lay-up' [OK... after it's made] in either the men's game and especially in the women's
game. Nor have I seen a 'sure dunk' til after it goes in.

Unfortunately our very own beloved make uncontested lay-up shots a 50/50 try [at best] often times.
I have seen that Geno comment that if you try to dunk you better make it. What would he do...pull the player if she missed? Just wondering...has he ever commented that if you try an uncontested layup you better make it?

I think he probably meant, if the game is in doubt! I doubt there would be much angst on his part if we were up 28 with 2 minutes left and she missed the dunk at the end of the shot clock. Who we are playing might also factor into his response. As for me, I could care less if we never see a dunk! However, Que sera…, I suppose it’s inevitable as the women become more and more athletic.

 

[visitingcock]

That new kid for South Carolina probably has 3-4 dunks next year. No problem.

I doubt it. Maybe 3 or 4 in her entire career. MAYBE! First of all, I don't see much PT for her next year. The front court is VERY crowded with Boston, Saxon, Cardosa, Amihere and Feagan.

Watkins has made several gametime dunks - in high school - against generally weak competition. They are on breakaways. I don't see her chancing a dunk with her limited time - or getting many breakaways as a power forward in Dawn's offense. Perhaps a layup or two that are near/above the rim that might be called dunks by some and layups by others. Perhaps.

I don't think much of dunks and I will drop this tangential discussion of a Gamecock that is taking away from the purpose this thread. Sorry Mods and @Sluconn Husky .

 

[MilfordHusky]

Chris Dailey now following this player, Kelis Fisher, a 2025 PG from Roland Park, Maryland. Fisher seems very pro-UConn as her social media suggests. That includes calling Ashlynn Shade a "great player!" in the replies to the video of Shade I posted from last weekend.

As a reminder, Mir played at Roland Park. I don't think her coach developed her very well.

 

[CocoHusky]

I doubt it. Maybe 3 or 4 in her entire career. MAYBE! First of all, I don't see much PT for her next year. The front court is VERY crowded with Boston, Saxon, Cardosa, Amihere and Feagan.
Watkins has made several gametime dunks - in high school - against generally weak competition. They are on breakaways. I don't see her chancing a dunk with her limited time - or getting many breakaways as a power forward in Dawn's offense. Perhaps a layup or two that are near/above the rim that might be called dunks by some and layups by others. Perhaps.
I don't think much of dunks and I will drop this tangential discussion of a Gamecock that is taking away from the purpose this thread. Sorry Mods and @Sluconn Husky .

Watkins and Patterson are very intriguing prospects and I'm anxious to see how they both develop. Both made excelled choices for college IMO. What will be very evident for both at the first practice is that each player is the best athlete in the gym. From there the basketball development will take one of three possible path. Path 1 could be along the lines of Aquira DeCosta where the basketball skill never developed to match the athleticism. Path 2 could be along the lines of Fran Belibi or Joyner Holmes where they develop good enough basketball skills to become contributors on very good teams. Path 3 could be an expansion of the basketball skills to match the athleticism like NyLyssa Smith. I'm predicting path 2 for Watkins and path 3 for Patterson mainly because Geno and Dawn are the respective coaches.

 

[Mdoggie]

As a reminder, Mir played at Roland Park. I don't think her coach developed her very well.

Development of a player is not on the HS coach. Most developed players have trainers. When you see videos of players like Paige or Azzi putting up shots and working out, do you think that is with their HS teams? Many HS coaches are teachers and don’t have the time to develop individual players in the 1 to 2 hour TEAM practices during the week.

 

[Carnac]

I'd say there's a fair chance Ms. Patterson may attempt a dunk this coming season..........I think Geno once said, if you're going to dunk you just better make it.......

I'd bet my turban and cape on it, and feel real good about it!!

 

[CocoHusky]

Development of a player is not on the HS coach. Most developed players have trainers. When you see videos of players like Paige or Azzi putting up shots and working out, do you think that is with their HS teams? Many HS coaches are teachers and don’t have the time to develop individual players in the 1 to 2 hour TEAM practices during the week.

I have to disagree with that at least partially. The high school is at least partially responsible for the development of a players. Even if it is only a few hours per week the HS has a responsibility to maximize those hours for the player's development especially if those players have the potential to play at the next level. Additionally, not everyone has the financial means as Azzi and Paige did to invest in personal trainers or many AAU & or travel teams.

 

[Mdoggie]

I have to disagree with that at least partially. The high school is at least partially responsible for the development of a players. Even if it is only a few hours per week the HS has a responsibility to maximize those hours for the player's development especially if those players have the potential to play at the next level. Additionally, not everyone has the financial means as Azzi and Paige did to invest in personal trainers or many AAU & or travel teams.

Disagree all you want. Times have changed.

 

[Carnac]

This video package is incredibly small, but what you can see is impressive:

I hate to be critical here, but who ever produced this video made a horrible choice on the selection of background audio. Bobby Bland died 9 years ago, so did that audio recording. There are too many other audio files available to use instead of one that bad. No background audio was needed. A nice upbeat instrumental would have been a better choice.

 

[Carnac]

You haven't seen Fran Belibi dunk in a game? She did it during the NCAA Tournament this year. I've even seen her dunk in a high school game. Candace Parker dunked in a UConn game,,,

In case you missed it.............here it is. She did it against Montana State on March 18, 2022. Belibi has been dunking basketballs in regulation games for years. No big deal.

 

[Charliebball]

I have to disagree with that at least partially. The high school is at least partially responsible for the development of a players. Even if it is only a few hours per week the HS has a responsibility to maximize those hours for the player's development especially if those players have the potential to play at the next level. Additionally, not everyone has the financial means as Azzi and Paige did to invest in personal trainers or many AAU & or travel teams.

I don't know of a high school player with D1 potential in the past ten years in NJ that hasn't worked with a trainer.............many of the better trainers will take on kids for little or no money if they are really good because they attract other players to train.........Tiny Green the most respected of all basketball trainers in NJ will never turn down a player if they don't have the means to pay.......he's trained hundreds of players that have gone on to play college ball...,...high school coaches these days tend to spend the bulk of their time working on set offenses and defenses as opposed to individual skills......

 

[BobbyJ]

I have to disagree with that at least partially. The high school is at least partially responsible for the development of a players. Even if it is only a few hours per week the HS has a responsibility to maximize those hours for the player's development especially if those players have the potential to play at the next level. Additionally, not everyone has the financial means as Azzi and Paige did to invest in personal trainers or many AAU & or travel teams.

While I mostly agree with this point, I don't believe a majority of HS coaches are capable of providing high level skills training for the kids with higher aptitudes for BB. A lot of them don't know a drop step from a dance step. Pretty much all of the athletically gifted kids know by Jr. high that they're just better than the other kids and the ones who have the inner drive to be really good find a way to get there. Unlike Fudd and Sarah Strong '24, 99% of the kids don't have that built in family coaching available but the hungry ones seek it out. Access to a good trainer is obviously a good way to go but it can be done the way we did it before trainers. Watch the best players, learn, and experiment in the gym for hours against other good players.

 

[BobbyJ]

I don't know of a high school player with D1 potential in the past ten years in NJ that hasn't worked with a trainer.............many of the better trainers will take on kids for little or no money if they are really good because they attract other players to train.........Tiny Green the most respected of all basketball trainers in NJ will never turn down a player if they don't have the means to pay.......he's trained hundreds of players that have gone on to play college ball...,...high school coaches these days tend to spend the bulk of their time working on set offenses and defenses as opposed to individual skills......

Exactly. The highly motivated kids will put down their phones and find a way.

 

[cutebball]

6' 4 Breya Cunningham will not be attending UCONN. Her top 2 are UCLA and the other is a pac 12 school

 

[Stoli]

not sure what this means if anything if red herring I am sorry

 

[WFFL]

not sure what this means if anything if red herring I am sorry

Who's the other school she narrowed down too besides UCLA ?

 

[Purchase1]

Who's the other school she narrowed down too besides UCLA ?

From the looks of her social media it’s either Texas or Arizona

 

[WFFL]

From the looks of her social media it’s either Texas or Arizona

Damn....another big going elsewhere..

 

[Charliebball]

not sure what this means if anything if red herring I am sorry

disappointing but hardly unexpected if true.......

 

[Mdoggie]

Who's the other school she narrowed down too besides UCLA ?

Her HS point guard is already committed to UCLA.

 

[visitingcock]

Watkins and Patterson are very intriguing prospects and I'm anxious to see how they both develop. Both made excelled choices for college IMO. What will be very evident for both at the first practice is that each player is the best athlete in the gym. From there the basketball development will take one of three possible path. Path 1 could be along the lines of Aquira DeCosta where the basketball skill never developed to match the athleticism. Path 2 could be along the lines of Fran Belibi or Joyner Holmes where they develop good enough basketball skills to become contributors on very good teams. Path 3 could be an expansion of the basketball skills to match the athleticism like NyLyssa Smith. I'm predicting path 2 for Watkins and path 3 for Patterson mainly because Geno and Dawn are the respective coaches.

I think you've hit it pretty close. I see Watkins as our next Saxon. Maybe a slight bit more athletic - very slight. I guess that makes her a 2 under your framework. Belibi is a good comparison but Watkins may have an edge as a defender.

I also think Patterson has more offensive skills at this point and more room for offensive development. She also will have more opportunity for meaningful PT as a frosh. Maybe she'll be a three. We'll see. It will be fun to watch.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Watkins athletic ability is so crazy good that who knows what she will become. Labradford Smith or Michael Jordan/ When I saw LBradford Smith throw down a dunk once in college I thought he would be off the charts good as an NBA player but it's more than athletic ability. Nothing beats a work ethic and look how long it takes a lot of NBA players to emerge as real superstars ( 3-4 years quite often even among top draft picks ). If either of them achieve Victrai Saxton level I'd be happy as heck. They both might top it. I sense that Patterson never got the training that so many top kids get. If she spends some time with Paige's coaches she will improve a lot. That level of work would make the difference for her.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

As predicted and stated. It was very well known from AAU circuit that she was staying on west coast. UCLA is a very good possibility. Always thought Oregon could be a landing spot as well with her former teammate PaoPao. She will do great wherever she lands.

 

[CocoHusky]

Exactly. The highly motivated kids will put down their phones and find a way.

I don't know that you, @Charliebball , @Mdoggie and I are that far apart on this. Yes the vast majority of HS kids aspiring to the next level have trainers. Some very good trainers out there and some looking to line their pockets as well. Yes the vast majority of HS coaches aren't worth a damn as far as preparing players to get to the next level. Those are two very broad statements that reflect most of reality. I'm speaking of what should be not what is and I'm also sticking up for some very good high school coaches who do a very good job of preparing the kids for the next level-including my daughter. Do you seriously mean to tell me that Paige's HS coach didn't have anything to do with how prepared she was to come to UCONN and be NPOY? @Mdoggie is right it shouldn't be on the HS coach but when that's all you have-some kids and HS coaches make that work also.