Azzi Fudd to UCONN

[Boreifs]

Probably, but I still wouldn't put her on those tiers. Different time really. If I was doing another Tier, then sure.

Did you see her play? I didn’t, but Geno still says that she would be his first choice to get the ball when a game was on the line. That’s pretty lofty praise.

 

[Waquoit]

Hard to separate Collier and Samuelson into different tiers, given how linked and similar their careers were.

Except for the fact the Collier was the much better player.

 

[Kaizen]

Except for the fact the Collier was the much better player.

Katie Lou didn't meet the right team and the right coach. She will be as good as Collier if she is in Storms or Lynx.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Agree. Bird and Jefferson are pretty close offensively. However, there's a decent gap defensively in Jefferson's favor.

Here are my tiers.

Mt Rushmore (legends) - DT, Moore, Stewart
1st Tier - Lobo, Abrosimova, Bird, Charles, Jefferson, Collier
2nd Tier - Rizzotti, Wolters, Sales, Cash, Ralph, KLM, KLS

I think there's a lot of people who would definitely think of Sales as worthy of the first tier .... she had it all and in my mind, deserves 1st Tier ahead of Charles and Rizzotti .... I'm in no way trying to demean either of those two but she was the gold standard .... she came in as a freshman and was easily more prepared than was Jefferson or Charles and more gifted athletically than was Jennifer .... again, no disrespect to any of those ladies

 

[Buzzyboy]

Except for the fact the Collier was the much better player.

Definitely don't agree with "much better player" .... the fact is that KLS was a three time A/A .... that doesn't suggest that Collier could be MUCH BETTER ....

 

[Buzzyboy]

Agreed. In college, if Lou had not been injured for those 10 games, her stats would have likely eclipsed Napheesa's. Pheesa has blossomed much faster in the W than Lou, so people seem to sometimes focus on that more, but from a college perspective, Pheesa is not (IMHO) a tier or level above Lou...

Having said that, we are so blessed as fans to even be able to have this discussion. There are probably at least 20 players from our history that could be in the discussion for all time greats, put on "greats" lists, etc. And the train just continues. Williams, ONO, Makurat, Edwards, Bueckers, Fudd, and probably a few others on our current or future team will have careers that will vault them into the stratosphere discussions!

Williams will definitely have to show a lot more than she did for most of last season because for more than a half a season, she had positively REGRESSED from her freshman year instead of taking THE LEAP ... thankfully she showed the promise of her freshman year in the latter part of the season ...

 

[Buzzyboy]

Do you think there's a way you can squeeze Bria Hartley into the 2nd tier?

I think Hartley fell a bit short of 2nd tier ... she had some wonderful moments but didn't have the consistency of those listed on the 2nd Tier list

 

[Buzzyboy]

Some people seemed to forget that Christyn played a lot of 3 on 3 basketball the Summer of 2019 and I think she got burned out. She should be fresh and determined this season. She takes pride in her ability to play top level basketball.

I think what have contributed to Christyn's play last season is somewhat irrelevant ... how many players have had nagging injuries that contributed to a lesser season that to me, is much more significant than "I just played too much basketball and was worn out" .... Shea Ralph played with numerous severe injuries throughout her career at UConn and I don't hear a lot of excuses regarding her career .... obviously there are many other players who have had ACL's, broken fingers, Achilles strains and tears and rib injuries, etc, etc ...... Nykesha Sales is another player who had a major injury that impacted her career and the fact that Christyn played too much and burned herself out is really weak in comparison to injuries that directly affect one's ability to perform at a high level

 

[Buzzyboy]

EricBeverlyHills is right about being fortunate to be able to have this discussion. The players in the second tier (3rd group) would have been the best players in the history of about 300+ other schools. It’s easy to understand why recruits and incoming freshman are so impressed by the banners in the Werth Center. There’s also the larger-than-life banner of 4-time consensus/unanimous (?) All-American Magnificent Maya.

I love that MAGNIFICENT MAYA reference .... thank you for that!

 

[Buzzyboy]

I don't think Bird's injuries take her out of the running for college at all. She had 3 great years. Those last-second game-winning shots, like in the BE championship game with ND, were iconic. Remember all those back-door passes to whack Tennessee in the 2000 NC game. Good enough in college to be the #1 overall WNBA draft pick in a killer class (Cash #2, Williams #4, Jones #6 - heh heh). For me it's between her and Lobo for the 4th Mt. Rushmore slot (right now anyway, and Paige or Azzi had better be REALLY REALLY good for 4 years if one of them is gonna take it away).

I personally think Lobo is one of the main reasons why UConn became the center of women's basketball and for that she deserves a great deal of love and respect but I think that Sue Bird was a better basketball player for the Huskies though it's obviously not by a BIG margin .... her career at Storrs was wonderful and she was an amazing player and leader and would have been even better had she not been severly injured during her freshman year .... how many titles has she had in the course of her career ... national champion, WNBA champion, Olympic champion .... always has been a winner in every sense of the word

 

[Cuango]

If all goes according to plan, Azzi should play in 4 national championship games, instead of 2, that will probably help her catch Maya, I also expect her to pass Kelsey Mitchell as the NCAAW all time career leader in 3 pointers made.

I personally think Lobo is one of the main reasons why UConn became the center of women's basketball and for that she deserves a great deal of love and respect but I think that Sue Bird was a better basketball player for the Huskies though it's obviously not by a BIG margin .... her career at Storrs was wonderful and she was an amazing player and leader and would have been even better had she not been severly injured during her freshman year .... how many titles has she had in the course of her career ... national champion, WNBA champion, Olympic champion .... always has been a winner in every sense of the word

I would have to say that Sue (total career) doesn’t take a back seat to anyone! There is something wrong when the greatest point guard ever is relegated to second tier. Although the others were bigger, stronger, possibly more exciting to watch, they did not have to run the whole team like Sue. Well, I guess Dee did for two years. I think Sue belongs up with the big three on the top tier!

 

[donalddoowop]

I think what have contributed to Christyn's play last season is somewhat irrelevant ... how many players have had nagging injuries that contributed to a lesser season that to me, is much more significant than "I just played too much basketball and was worn out" .... Shea Ralph played with numerous severe injuries throughout her career at UConn and I don't hear a lot of excuses regarding her career .... obviously there are many other players who have had ACL's, broken fingers, Achilles strains and tears and rib injuries, etc, etc ...... Nykesha Sales is another player who had a major injury that impacted her career and the fact that Christyn played too much and burned herself out is really weak in comparison to injuries that directly affect one's ability to perform at a high level

It is really silly to compare one player with another. You don't know one player's threshold of being worn out or how they handle an injury compared to another's. Players handle situations differently. I was not making an excuse, just giving my opinion. Just because Ralph, Sales and other players had injuries, what does that have to do with Williams? Some players play well after coming back from an injury and some do not. I thought about it and that is what I came up with. Deal with it.

 

[MSGRET]

If all goes according to plan, Azzi should play in 4 national championship games, instead of 2, that will probably help her catch Maya, I also expect her to pass Kelsey Mitchell as the NCAAW all time career leader in 3 pointers made.

With fewer shots then Kelsey took to get that number.

 

[Biff]

I think Hartley fell a bit short

I see what you did there.

 

[meyers7]

Well, other than Bascom, I watched every one of these players play practically every one of their UConn games - either in person or on TV. So IMO I’m eminently qualified to put together my list.

Me too. I just like to back up the eye test with stats, awards.

 

[meyers7]

Did you see her play? I didn’t, but Geno still says that she would be his first choice to get the ball when a game was on the line. That’s pretty lofty praise.

I did not see her play live. I've seen some videos though, and it was a different era. 1 AA, and no NC's. Mostly no NC's because she didn't have the players with her. But his also makes her stats a bit less impressive. She was the scorer, she was the rebounder. She didn't have to share those stats with other great players. Put her on a team with some of these other stars, and she becomes 2nd, 3rd option.

But that's just my rational for my list. When Geno makes his list, he can put her where he wants.

 

[Boreifs]

I did not see her play live. I've seen some videos though, and it was a different era. 1 AA, and no NC's. Mostly no NC's because she didn't have the players with her. But his also makes her stats a bit less impressive. She was the scorer, she was the rebounder. She didn't have to share those stats with other great players. Put her on a team with some of these other stars, and she becomes 2nd, 3rd option.

But that's just my rational for my list. When Geno makes his list, he can put her where he wants.

Rationale

I did not see her play live. I've seen some videos though, and it was a different era. 1 AA, and no NC's. Mostly no NC's because she didn't have the players with her. But his also makes her stats a bit less impressive. She was the scorer, she was the rebounder. She didn't have to share those stats with other great players. Put her on a team with some of these other stars, and she becomes 2nd, 3rd option.

But that's just my rational for my list. When Geno makes his list, he can put her where he wants.

Rationale

 

[Waquoit]

Definitely don't agree with "much better player" .... the fact is that KLS was a three time A/A .... that doesn't suggest that Collier could be MUCH BETTER ....

I was just talking about for UConn. In the pros it's not even close, Collier is a star while KLS is a journeyman just hoping to keep a job.

 

[CocoHusky]

I would have to say that Sue (total career) doesn’t take a back seat to anyone! There is something wrong when the greatest point guard ever is relegated to second tier. Although the others were bigger, stronger, possibly more exciting to watch, they did not have to run the whole team like Sue. Well, I guess Dee did for two years. I think Sue belongs up with the big three on the top tier!

This small but important distinction always comes up. If we are strictly talking college career then certainly Moriah Jefferson had a better college career than Sue Bird. If you include professional and olympics then the opposite is true. Which one are we talking?

 

[j66kicker]

This small but important distinction always comes up. If we are strictly talking college career then certainly Moriah Jefferson had a better college career than Sue Bird. If 2021 women's college basketball recruiting class rankings: UConn moves up with Azzi Fudd signing include professional and olympics then the opposite is true. Which one are we talking?

Matter of opinion. IMO Jefferson at her peak may have been better than Sue, but she wasn’t as consistently great over her college career - even with Sue’s freshman year getting wiped out by injury. Sue came back from that and won three Liebermans. Who does that??

 

[CocoHusky]

Matter of opinion. IMO Jefferson at her peak may have been better than Sue, but she wasn’t as consistently great over her college career - even with Sue’s freshman year getting wiped out by injury. Sue came back from that and won three Liebermans. Who does that??

As has already been mentioned it was on the defensive side of the ball where Moriah separated herself from Sue IMO.

 

[MilfordHusky]

As has already been mentioned it was on the defensive side of the ball where Moriah separated herself from Sue IMO.

On the defensive end, Mo separated herself from pretty much EVERYONE.

 

[BobbyJ]

On the defensive end, Mo separated herself from pretty much EVERYONE.

Except the poor kid she was guarding.

 

[meyers7]

Rationale

Rationale

 

[Sluconn Husky]