Sluconn Husky
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You know this how?
Azurá Stevens hopes practice leads to perfection
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You know this how?
JoePgh
Cranky pants and wise acre
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I recall reading that a coach at another school is not permitted to initiate such contact. I don't know whether the player could do it "legally" (per NCAA).
I can't imagine that there is, or could be, any restriction on a player communicating through third parties to the school(s) that she is interested in, or in those schools responding to such an inquiry -- as long as the whole thing is initiated by the player and not the other school.
Didn't the same scenario play out when Brittany Hunter transferred from Duke to UConn? Somehow, before she burned any bridges, she would have had to find out if UConn would be receptive to her transferring.
Great article about Stevens. I'm as eager to see her on the court as anyone.
But, I really want to comment on the revisited discussions in this thread of who will start next year. Obviously none of us knows what will be in Geno's head about starters next November (I can't imagine him thinking at all about it now as we fans do except for looking forward to both transfers being able to play next year.)
Having said that, from where I sit I think it is ludicrous to think that any of the core four, all potential AAs, will be on the bench for the first tip-off next season. The core four plus Stevens will be the starters. Just as he has been doing for more than 30 years, Geno will adjust his offense and/or defense to fit his players. I think too many fans have the 2 guard, 2 forward, 1 center mindset. How often has UCONN played in this construct?
Gabby came in as a guard. She is not a natural post player and will not be in the pros. She is playing there because she can. When she was a freshman it was what the team needed. It quickly became clear that she had the talent, athleticism, and ups to play there. She has become so good in that role that she is a serious AA candidate, but next year either KLS or Gabby will play more like a guard in whatever offense Geno creates to fit these 5 great players.
Not every guard needs to be a great 3 pt shooter. If you think Gabby doesn't have the speed, ball-handling skills and passing ability to play guard, I submit you haven't been paying attention. If you think Gabby won't be working on her own this off-season to improve all of her guard skills, you haven't been paying attention to that character trait as well.
But, I really want to comment on the revisited discussions in this thread of who will start next year. Obviously none of us knows what will be in Geno's head about starters next November (I can't imagine him thinking at all about it now as we fans do except for looking forward to both transfers being able to play next year.)
Having said that, from where I sit I think it is ludicrous to think that any of the core four, all potential AAs, will be on the bench for the first tip-off next season. The core four plus Stevens will be the starters. Just as he has been doing for more than 30 years, Geno will adjust his offense and/or defense to fit his players. I think too many fans have the 2 guard, 2 forward, 1 center mindset. How often has UCONN played in this construct?
Gabby came in as a guard. She is not a natural post player and will not be in the pros. She is playing there because she can. When she was a freshman it was what the team needed. It quickly became clear that she had the talent, athleticism, and ups to play there. She has become so good in that role that she is a serious AA candidate, but next year either KLS or Gabby will play more like a guard in whatever offense Geno creates to fit these 5 great players.
Not every guard needs to be a great 3 pt shooter. If you think Gabby doesn't have the speed, ball-handling skills and passing ability to play guard, I submit you haven't been paying attention. If you think Gabby won't be working on her own this off-season to improve all of her guard skills, you haven't been paying attention to that character trait as well.
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Gabby didn't come in as a guard. Geno said so himself during recruiting that she wasn't a (college level) guard. I don't know where all these ideas cane from that everyone on the team can play a guard position whether that be KLS or Gabby neither of whom have ever been listed as a guard when they show/announce the starting line ups.
meyers7
You Talkin’ To Me?
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Poor comparison. Should be KLS is a guard as much as KML was a guard. Granted neither one of them were an actual 1 or 2. Both are really pretty pure 3's.
However, KML slid over into the 2 spot quite a bit her senior year with Jefferson being the only "real guard" out there. KLS can certainly do the same. In fact KLS probably has a better "handle" than KML did and it worked out just fine with KML.
As for bringing the ball up. UCONN is not going to have any trouble with guards preventing them from bringing the ball up. KLS can pass over any 1 or 2 guards and Williams can bring the ball up against any 3/4 who would be guarding her.
NOT a problem at all with having KLS at the 2 spot.
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I respectfully disagree
OK, fine. Excuse me for not stating it perfectly. Gabby left HS as a guard. She was listed as a guard by both HoopGurlz and Prospects Nation. Geno says a lot of things including (and I'm paraphrasing here) that Gabby had no skills whatsoever when she first arrived. You may choose to think that Geno always means exactly what it sounds like he is saying, but I think most of the time he is speaking as Geno Auriemma, master psychologist. Those comments were all made to light a fire under Gabby's butt just like some of things he said to Stewie the 4 years she was in Storrs.
What is your expertise that allows you to state that someone can't play guard or is this just your opinion? Are you or were you a high-level coach? Were you a high-level player? Or, are you just a fan who thinks he knows more than any other fan?
As for KLS being listed as a guard, check the UCONN official roster. She is listed as a guard/forward. Whereas Stevens is listed as a forward/guard. Call me crazy but I interpret that as guard is KLS' primary position. Someone at UCONN thinks KLS is a guard. I also think that if you went back and looked at the starting lineups for the 2015/2016 season you'll find that on most occasions they included 3 guards and 2 forwards. I'm not going to spend any time doing the research but you can if you choose. Absent that, I'll continue to believe what I believe and you can continue to believe what you believe. Neither of us is more right than the other 21.
BTW, nobody but you used the phrase "everyone on the team can play a guard position". I certainly didn't.
Considering Geno had KLS playing backup point guard as a freshman I'm pretty sure he has confidence in her handling ability and considers her a guard offensively. She's only improved in that area and will only continue to do so, and she shouldn't ever have to play point guard like she did as a freshman next season.