Aubrey Griffin Making an Early Impression

[Sluconn Husky]

Wow, Gabby-ish athleticism it sounds like - could she be Gabby with a consistent outside jumper...? Now that is a sweet and delectable dream.

Gabby wasn't a great player due to her athleticism. She was a great player because of her mind. That is what normally separates the good players from the elite. We'll see about Aubrey, but being Gabby Williams is a difficult goal.

 

[Steelerone]

She came in under the radar which is probably a good thing. The type of player that causes other coaches to whine "Unconn gets all the best players". Not, "Geno gets a lot of players who are good and when he gets done with them they move into the great category".
"

 

[Alydar]

Gabby wasn't a great player due to her athleticism. She was a great player because of her mind. That is what normally separates the good players from the elite. We'll see about Aubrey, but being Gabby Williams is a difficult goal.

Agreed. Gabby was totally focused. In June, Geno was talking about Griffin. " “She is athletic as s—t. She is a member of her family, let me tell you,” Auriemma said. “That kid goes, and goes, and goes. I don’t know what position she is, she’s a guard, she’s a forward, I don’t know. But that sucker rebounds the ball, she plays defense -- I’ve been really impressed by her. Really impressed.”

Geno has blown smoke in the summer before but his recent comments reinforced what he said in June. We will see.

 

[JordyG]

Obviously, Aubrey can be good. Can she be really, really, really good?

Once again you left out a "really". Clearly the young lady is rawer than steak tartar, but if she does the four things he's asked of her and does them well, she'll get minutes. But she's going to have to do those things every time on the floor.

 

[JordyG]

Wow, Gabby-ish athleticism it sounds like - could she be Gabby with a consistent outside jumper...? Now that is a sweet and delectable dream.

We ain't heard anything about a shot, mid range or otherwise. I think Geno would have mentioned it.

 

[Triad]

We got a good one

“She is athletic as s—t. She is a member of her family, let me tell you,” Auriemma said. “That kid goes, and goes, and goes. I don’t know what position she is, she’s a guard, she’s a forward, I don’t know. But that sucker rebounds the ball, she plays defense -- I’ve been really impressed by her. Really impressed.”

What Geno is comparing her to has no athletic ability at all--at least my doesn't.
We BY'er knew last spring she was a Gabby impersonator and goes and goes, now Geno is finding out. (Kidding Geno wouldn't have recruited her if she were less.

 

[Triad]

We ain't heard anything about a shot, mid range or otherwise. I think Geno would have mentioned it.

I know I'm speaking to [USER=6819]@JordyG[ so all kinds of respect is headed your way. You know as we do that Uconn needs a Rebounder that playes defense and is the energize bunny in disguise. Rebounding should give her scoring opportunities. Gabby wasn't Gabby her frosh and soph years. She got minute even with top player on the floor because she was go go go, and jumped out of the gym

 

[Triad]

Obviously, Aubrey can be good. Can she be really, really, really good?

I'll take that one step further---she will be good 5 really's good.

 

[DEpup]

Geno says she plays defense

Then she'll probably get on the court when the game still matters. Hopefully she watched Walker as a freshman and won't repeat it...

 

[MilfordHusky]

Aubrey is different from Gabby. Recall that Gabby was a national-class high jumper at age 15. Then she had 2 ACL tears. Gabby is 5'11", a human pogo stick, and very strong. Her athleticism is unusual, not just in the degree, but also in the type.

Aubrey is a more typical elite basketball athlete. She is long and lean, very fast with a long stride, and excellent hops. She's about 2" taller than Gabby, with longer legs and longer arms, but with considerably less strength. Who does Aubrey resemble? Diamond DeShields.

 

[CL82]

Clearly the young lady is rawer than steak tartar,

Maybe, but I expect that we hear her rawer, and I’m not lion.

 

[Bama fan]

Maybe, but I expect that we hear her rawer, and I’m not lion.

Oh ,my!

 

[Rixxx]

Maybe a taller Courtney Williams???

 

[MilfordHusky]

A taller, right-handed version of Tiffany Hayes.

 

[oldude]

How about a really talented version of Aubrey Griffin?

 

[bluedevil]

First there has to be a really cap..no more than 4 in a sentence. Also AG is not steak tartar..more like sushi..

 

[oldude]

First there has to be a really cap..no more than 4 in a sentence. Also AG is not steak tartar..more like sushi..

Actually, the Geno scale maxes out at 3 really's. If Geno ever uses 4 really's in a sentence, the BY would probably explode.....

 

[DEpup]

I've heard a lot and seen some tape about her driving, defense, and rebounding. I haven't heard a lot about passing, mid range or 3 pt shooting so I'm looking forward to seeing her on the court and getting a feel for her game.

 

[Carnac]

Aubrey is going to get minutes this year. Because of the depth and talent on this year’s team, she’ll be allowed to progress and develop at her own pace. She’s going to be an exciting and productive player. Probably not until late next season, or her junior year.

It’s going to be fun watching her grow, develop and mature into the player Geno envisions her becoming. She will get there. A quick glance at my crystal ball shows that it will happen. It’s just a matter of time.

 

[Alydar]

Once again you left out a "really". Clearly the young lady is rawer than steak tartar, but if she does the four things he's asked of her and does them well, she'll get minutes. But she's going to have to do those things every time on the floor.

I take exception to that part. You are suggesting that she and Gabriel are at the same stage of development? and that is simply not true. I suggest you google her play for Ossining. She also made the cut to 18 at the USA trials so if she is "raw" then so is every freshman in her class except perhaps 17.
She certainly has a lot to learn but that has been true of every freshman at UConn, even the anointed ones. My experience watch UConn has been that Geno likes to find something that his freshman can do well and if there aren't too many things they do poorly then they get spot minutes. He won't let them flounder unless he has no other options, and this year he has options.
I'm confident that Aubrey will get minutes early, not major minutes but as long as she competes in games like she does in practice. I would expect 10/game.

We ain't heard anything about a shot, mid range or otherwise. I think Geno would have mentioned it.

Geno has talked about Griffin twice. Both quotes are in this thread. They may not be the most positive things he ever said about a freshman but I don't remember any. It's obvious that he sees much more potential and as always it will be up to her. Gabby admitted that she didn't work hard enough as a freshman. Griffin seems to have gotten up to speed earlier.

And for evidence of her shooting there is that mystery player he talks to off camera in a practice video. Many here are guessing it was Griffin and one of things he told her she should focus on is shooting open 3's. If she had no shot he wouldn't have mentioned it.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Agreed. Gabby was totally focused. In June, Geno was talking about Griffin. " “She is athletic as s—t. She is a member of her family, let me tell you,” Auriemma said. “That kid goes, and goes, and goes. I don’t know what position she is, she’s a guard, she’s a forward, I don’t know. But that sucker rebounds the ball, she plays defense -- I’ve been really impressed by her. Really impressed.”

Geno has blown smoke in the summer before but his recent comments reinforced what he said in June. We will see.

At this time in Gabby's career Geno was saying he didn't know what to do with her. She was a guard tht couldn't dribble or shoot. It looks like Aubrey is starting with a better skill set then the Gabulous one.

 

[BroadwayVa]

very true and maybe that's a good thing for her development....

Some of us actually saw the potential of Aubrey possibly starting---The kid apparently has talent, energy and can jump out of the court. Geno saw that of her in HS Defense is the key to play for Geno and she defends.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I take exception to that part. You are suggesting that she and Gabriel are at the same stage of development? and that is simply not true. I suggest you google her play for Ossining. She also made the cut to 18 at the USA trials so if she is "raw" then so is every freshman in her class except perhaps 17.
She certainly has a lot to learn but that has been true of every freshman at UConn, even the anointed ones. My experience watch UConn has been that Geno likes to find something that his freshman can do well and if there aren't too many things they do poorly then they get spot minutes. He won't let them flounder unless he has no other options, and this year he has options.
I'm confident that Aubrey will get minutes early, not major minutes but as long as she competes in games like she does in practice. I would expect 10/game.


Geno has talked about Griffin twice. Both quotes are in this thread. They may not be the most positive things he ever said about a freshman but I don't remember any. It's obvious that he sees much more potential and as always it will be up to her. Gabby admitted that she didn't work hard enough as a freshman. Griffin seems to have gotten up to speed earlier.

And for evidence of her shooting there is that mystery player he talks to off camera in a practice video. Many here are guessing it was Griffin and one of things he told her she should focus on is shooting open 3's. If she had no shot he wouldn't have mentioned it.

While I believe all that Geno has recently said about Aubrey I remember excellent words he had to say about some that transferred for lack of PT. Sometime these words are to motivate--yet, I doubt that with Griffin.

 

[JordyG]

I take exception to that part. You are suggesting that she and Gabriel are at the same stage of development? and that is simply not true. I suggest you google her play for Ossining. She also made the cut to 18 at the USA trials so if she is "raw" then so is every freshman in her class except perhaps 17.
She certainly has a lot to learn but that has been true of every freshman at UConn, even the anointed ones. My experience watch UConn has been that Geno likes to find something that his freshman can do well and if there aren't too many things they do poorly then they get spot minutes. He won't let them flounder unless he has no other options, and this year he has options.
I'm confident that Aubrey will get minutes early, not major minutes but as long as she competes in games like she does in practice. I would expect 10/game.


Geno has talked about Griffin twice. Both quotes are in this thread. They may not be the most positive things he ever said about a freshman but I don't remember any. It's obvious that he sees much more potential and as always it will be up to her. Gabby admitted that she didn't work hard enough as a freshman. Griffin seems to have gotten up to speed earlier.

And for evidence of her shooting there is that mystery player he talks to off camera in a practice video. Many here are guessing it was Griffin and one of things he told her she should focus on is shooting open 3's. If she had no shot he wouldn't have mentioned it.

Sorry, but when I first saw Gabby she was raw as raw can be. Time will tell if Aubrey can shoot, has a handle, has a drop step and can finish with either hand from either side. Diamond, whom she has been compared to, although lacking a drop step, walked onto UT with all of that. So did Evina.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Some of us actually saw the potential of Aubrey possibly starting---The kid apparently has talent, energy and can jump out of the court. Geno saw that of her in HS Defense is the key to play for Geno and she defends.

Aubrey usually plays with high energy and uses her length in the passing lanes and to contest shots. I expect that she needs to improve her footwork, but she could become an elite defender. How did Gabby evolve as a defender? She defended 4 or 5 positions and became National Defensive Player of the Year. Aubrey is not as strong as Gabby, but she's longer. Her potential is very high.

We'll see Aubrey et al. in 12 days. I'm betting there is no one on the opposing team in the exhibition games who comes close to matching up with her. Aubrey may throw the ball away or miss a layup, but the athleticism will attract your attention.