Azzi Confirms Return

[msf22b]

The financial issues noted by Meyer and 33 for Azzi may well play a role...
How could they not? they also apply to Paige (and all of this year's talented grads).

Next year's rookie contract will certainly be richer and probably likely less binding...
They might also allow the recruiting of underclassman... of possible interest to JuJu (among others).

Which makes Paige's certainty of leaving and where for whom and with whom she might wind up playing for and with, an interesting conundrum...

I would love to be that "fly on the wall" at discussions with her undoubtedly highly professional staff regarding the range of choices she faces.

To be followed with great interest.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

I feel totally vindicated. I said she'd come back a few weeks back and was roundly mocked for it. Well, maybe I deserved a little mockery, since my credibility isn't the greatest. But the important part is

AZZI IS COMING BACK

I am glad that you are vindicated!!!

Apparently, I was off by a week, and the announcement was in social media instead of a microphone...

 

[Topdawg]

She just launched a website. She has much to learn from Paige who has built a strong following. College basketball is a great place from which to launch a platform and build a following. If you have game and are in the news and on TV, you are likely to garner many more high profile deals. I am sure many of you have been seeing ads featuring Paige. next year, those could well be Azzi.

i wish her the very best for the years ahead. Her game is a pleasure to watch!

 

[BRS24]

So, if anyone is thinking about the roster for 2025-26, I won't be updating it until aaaallllll the dust settles. Just sayin'

 

[Bone Dog]

She has much to learn from Paige who has built a strong following

I think Azzi has been learning right alongside Paige this whole time. She may not be making >$1m per year like Paige, but she’s not far behind. She has an agent, money managers, etc.

 

[hookshot]

Yep. Geno will build next year's team with a core of KK, Azzi, Ashlynn, Sarah, with Jana/Ice holding down the 5 spot. Not a bad way to kick off your off-season rebuild knowing you have an upperclassmen laden starting five that have played a ton of minutes together with a pretty deep and versatile bench.

Will need some portal help to secure the 5 spot, unless Jana has more upside

 

[browns]

Great great news !!!

 

[hookshot]

I expect Jana to be a much more impactful person on offense next year for several reasons. She will be further healed from her Achilles injury and will be be more confident as a result. Physically, if it held her back with jumping ability, that will improve too. But during the off-season, she will work constantly on big player skills- drop step, pivoting for better shot position, when and how to carve out space for entry pass & how to maintain that. Her overall conditioning will benefit from dedicated summer training. She will become a real monster soon!

Hummm, would be nice

 

[BBallF]

Let's just focus on the news itself which is great. Another team next year with 2 All Americans.

 

[DefenseBB]

OMG! I spit out my Brisk iced tea laughing at this. Please post a warning next time. This is great.

 

[DefenseBB]

I feel totally vindicated. I said she'd come back a few weeks back and was roundly mocked for it. Well, maybe I deserved a little mockery, since my credibility isn't the greatest. But the important part is

AZZI IS COMING BACK

To be fair, you could have been mocked for any number of things you post vs. that which seems innocuous…

 

[AmeriConn]

 

[packwrap]

I think Azzi has been learning right alongside Paige this whole time. She may not be making >$1m per year like Paige, but she’s not far behind. She has an agent, money managers, etc.

She is already very close. She has marketing deals with Under Armour, Chipotle, Buick, Nerf, Biosteel sports drink, Bose and American Eagle.

The Under Armour Deal is enormous! They will launch a female CurryBrand shoe, now presumably in March '26 with Azzi as the 'face of the franchise.'

There is always yapping that her deals are based on her hs reputation. Well now this year we have seen her also performing in ncaa at that level. Knock on wood, with continued good health, she can really get there in 25-26.

One other huge benefit of not going pro this year is also simply the calendar. Going pro meant ncaa, draft, WNBA season, unrivaled season.

Not going pro means ncaa, rest period, summer strength&flexibility work, skills development, finish yr 2 of her masters, 25-26 UConn season. This option she chose is much better for her to continue rehabbing from her injuries, rather than entering gauntlet of year round pro play.

 

[Dove]

The health insurance must be great.

 

[Fossil]

Guess we'll see how the core improves over the summer. I'm optimistic that Jana will take a sophomore leap with her first season of playing under her belt and a year removed from major injury rehab. It's also possible Ice steps up and takes that spot we shall see. I ultimately chose the core based on the players most familiar with the UConn system, playing time, chemistry with teammates, and how they've performed. Given the departures and who is left, the five I've chosen are the most obvious based on that criteria. If Geno had another Paige, or Stewie, or Maya coming in over the summer that would change the calculus, but he doesn't. He has what he has today minus Paige/Chen/Aubrey plus a bunch of kids that have played little or zero minutes of college hoops.

I agree that two of the incoming are really inexperienced, but hasn’t Blanca been playing professionally overseas and she looks to be the real deal. Smooth bigger stronger she does not look like a high school kid. I believe we’re all going to be pleasantly surprised by her. Hopefully. And I believe if Morgan is playing consistently she will put up 8 to 12 a game and if Caroline is healthy, she could easily be that third scorer.

 

[boontonbomber]

She is already very close. She has marketing deals with Under Armour, Chipotle, Buick, Nerf, Biosteel sports drink, Bose and American Eagle.

The Under Armour Deal is enormous! They will launch a female CurryBrand shoe, now presumably in March '26 with Azzi as the 'face of the franchise.'

There is always yapping that her deals are based on her hs reputation. Well now this year we have seen her also performing in ncaa at that level. Knock on wood, with continued good health, she can really get there in 25-26.

One other huge benefit of not going pro this year is also simply the calendar. Going pro meant ncaa, draft, WNBA season, unrivaled season.

Not going pro means ncaa, rest period, summer strength&flexibility work, skills development, finish yr 2 of her masters, 25-26 UConn season. This option she chose is much better for her to continue rehabbing from her injuries, rather than entering gauntlet of year round pro play.

Mr. Under Armour, Kevin Plank, is a local D.C. area guy, and has probably had his eye on Azzi since she was in high school.

 

[huskyd]

Yep. Geno will build next year's team with a core of KK, Azzi, Ashlynn, Sarah, with Jana/Ice holding down the 5 spot. Not a bad way to kick off your off-season rebuild knowing you have an upperclassmen laden starting five that have played a ton of minutes together with a pretty deep and versatile bench.

Still wouldn't mind having a real 5 with experience and upside. Ice may have more to give, so let's hope.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

That same analysis applies to Paige, though last night she gave every indication that she was done.

I suspect that sponsor money goes up for a player like Paige ( name one) on entering the WNBA and she might pick up a couple of new ones.

 

[CL82]

I suspect that sponsor money goes up for a player like Paige ( name one) on entering the WNBA and she might pick up a couple of new ones.

I'm not sure, but I think you may be right. I also think that for other people leaving college might cause sponsor money to decrease.

 

[Bald Husky]

Regarding Jana, the team should hire an experienced center, ala Lisa Leslie, to work with Jana during the summer.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm not sure, but I think you may be right. I also think that for other people leaving college might cause sponsor money to decrease.

I can see that. Some may have a large regional draw that dissipates as the player joins a WNBA team halfway across the country. A number of factors involved. Some players move on with a strong national identity.

 

[StarMan]

Hooray!!!!!

 

[oldude]

Regarding Jana, the team should hire an experienced center, ala Lisa Leslie, to work with Jana during the summer.

Jamelle (AKA the Post Whisperer) is about as good as it gets developing centers.

 

[DefenseBB]

Jamelle (AKA the Post Whisperer) is about as good as it gets developing centers.

Not being mean but where is this evidence? Who, exactly has she developed and if she developed someone, what were they developed into? ONO, Piath, Ice, Jana, Ayanna? Dorka was already a 2 time All Big 10 first team selection that couldn’t achieve first team Big East. That leaves Aaliyah Edwards. So that is 1 for 7. Not exactly great accolades….

 

[Centerstream]

Mr. Under Armour, Kevin Plank, is a local D.C. area guy, and has probably had his eye on Azzi since she was in high school.

Didn't he graduate from the University of Maryland?

 

[Blue Huskie]

Not being mean but where is this evidence? Who, exactly has she developed and if she developed someone, what were they developed into? ONO, Piath, Ice, Jana, Ayanna? Dorka was already a 2 time All Big 10 first team selection that couldn’t achieve first team Big East. That leaves Aaliyah Edwards. So that is 1 for 7. Not exactly great accolades….

Not sure how we got here in a tread talking about Azzi coming back but.... Jamelle's been around for a while. - Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, Tamika Williams, 2009 Final Four Most Outstanding Player Tina Charles

 

[oldude]

Not being mean but where is this evidence? Who, exactly has she developed and if she developed someone, what were they developed into? ONO, Piath, Ice, Jana, Ayanna? Dorka was already a 2 time All Big 10 first team selection that couldn’t achieve first team Big East. That leaves Aaliyah Edwards. So that is 1 for 7. Not exactly great accolades….

Beg to differ. Liv was not the typical “big bodied post,” but her development relative to defense, rebounding, passing from the post was excellent. When Dorka transferred from tOSU, she was largely an outside shooter with little to no low-post game. Under Jamelle, Dorka developed a solid low-post game. You mention Aaliyah who struggled when she first arrived. By her senior year, she had developed an excellent low-post game, earning AA honors in the process.

Ayanna is a “incomplete” until she has a healthy season under her. Ice has struggled, but let’s see if a light turns on. I am confident that Jana will get there. But why would you leave out Sarah? Do you assume that she’s so good that she doesn’t need coaching?

 

[DefenseBB]

Not sure how we got here in a tread talking about Azzi coming back but.... Jamelle's been around for a while. - Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, Tamika Williams, 2009 Final Four Most Outstanding Player Tina Charles

Jamelle left and then came back so..what has she done lately? I once coach a baseball team to the state finals 22 years ago but that means nothing now. Again, I like Jamelle but don’t make it like we have awesome post play, year in and year out when it has been our biggest weakness otherwise why did we look at Beers last year and want Serah Williams this year in the portal.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Beg to differ. Liv was not the typical “big bodied post,” but her development relative to defense, rebounding, passing from the post was excellent. When Dorka transferred from tOSU, she was largely an outside shooter with little to no low-post game. Under Jamelle, Dorka developed a solid low-post game. You mention Aaliyah who struggled when she first arrived. By her senior year, she had developed an excellent low-post game, earning AA honors in the process.

Ayanna is a “incomplete” until she has a healthy season under her. Ice has struggled, but let’s see if a light turns on. I am confident that Jana will get there. But why would you leave out Sarah? Do you assume that she’s so good that she doesn’t need coaching?

I rarely disagree with you, oh wise one, but I have to here. Not about Jamelle; I know nothing about that. But since before Jamele's time a weakness in our recruiting has been bigs and it is still the case. Jana is here because of that. This board counts people as bigs who should not be and when Geno uses them as bigs it distracts from the developement of their core competencies. Anyone who tries to tether Sarah to the hoop would be a fool. Gabby Williams was used as she was largely because there was no other alternative and she devloped much of her now dazzling game after she left UConn. Why are we unable to attract highly rated true bigs? This has vexed me for a long time.

 

[mainerhuski]

I am swimming upstream here but i think the decision took awhile to get to.

She is healthy, has her undergraduate degree and a consensus top ten WNBA pick. Seeing what happened to JuJu I bet gave her pause to reconsider.

Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled she is back but there were definitely pros and cons to whatever she decided IMO.

I think she’s halfway through a master’s program.