Azzi out for 2 weeks minimum

[ScottCT]

Much of what you say is very accurate, but not all of it (per my recollection). Nicole Wolff did indeed suffer a stress fracture in her freshman year, and that kept her out of serious action until her junior year.

In both her junior and senior years, she was physically healthy by all accounts, showed outstanding effort in practice and led the team in fitness measures. But at that point (for reasons that remain unclear) she suffered from "above the shoulders" issues and couldn't translate her outstanding practice performance into game performance. Geno gave her every opportunity. He made her team captain and also made her a starter in both years (as I recall). She did well defensively (except when she tried to guard Seimone Augustus and the small quick guard from North Carolina whose name I have forgotten). But she never got untracked at the offensive end, so Geno couldn't give her major minutes.

Her issues in her junior and senior years seemed to me to be similar to those of Molly Bent in a later era -- mostly not of a physical nature. I hope it isn't endemic to players from southeastern Massachusetts, or (if it is) that it doesn't affect Caroline Ducharme.

Although Azzi can be harshly self-critical, I don't think she is the kind of person who is likely to have disabling non-physical issues. If that is true, then the precedents of Nicole and Molly shouldn't be expected to apply to her.

Is the North Carolina guard you're talking about Ivory Latta?

 

[JoePgh]

Is the North Carolina guard you're talking about Ivory Latta?

Yes -- thank you. Did she have a significant pro career? If so, I don't recall much about it.

 

[Carnac]

She's been injured at least since her stint with Team USA over the summer. Seems like it's been lingering for a few months at least. Hopeful with complete rest, she's able to heal and not aggravate it - potentially putting her season in jeopardy.

An injury that has been around that long can be a serious concern.

Having said that, possibly silver lining for Caroline and Mir in that they could get extended PT which will bode well for the team once Azzi comes back at full strength... Hopefully Aubrey is available soon as well so we can see what she can do this year...

Agreed. It's time for our “depth” to start paying some dividends.

 

[Heytherego]

Also just to clarify Azzi doesn’t have a stress fracture (yet). She has a stress reaction, which if isn’t treated could develop into a stress fracture. But it looks like they caught it early so shouldn’t develop into a fracture.

 

[Vowelguy]

And for the record, no Nicole Wolff and Molly Bent were not alike.

Nicole never recovered from missing 2 years of basketball, and returning just as the wheels were coming off.
Molly was a hard working but not physically gifted kid who was not expected to be a major player at a top 5 school.

 

[shiverz45]

Yes -- thank you. Did she have a significant pro career? If so, I don't recall much about it.

Latta played 11 years in the WNBA and had at least 2 all star appearances. She had a solid career.

 

[jchusky]

not a doctor but this doesn't sound like a 2 week injury, I would not be surprised if she missed a a couple of months which might be better to be cautious.

 

[UConnCat]

The Boneyard MD strikes again.

 

[ABCDFE]

Stinks. Wishing Azzi all the best and a speedy recovery. Can’t wait to see her at 100%.

 

[Vowelguy]

The Boneyard MD strikes again.

How dare you.
Not a mere MD. Easily an MD-PhD.

 

[gold2323]

She is injury prone not saying this to be negative but she has had several bad injuries….hopefully this will pass sooner than later….she has utmost upside as a player but expecting her to be Paige is not realistic….Paige is Paige no one like her.

She is injured prone not saying this to be negative but she has had several bad injuries….hopefully this will pass sooner than later….she has utmost upside as a player but expecting her to be Paige is not realistic….Paige is Paige no one like her.

 

[huskeynut]

None of us want a player to be injured but that is the nature of sports. I would not be surprised if Azzi doesn't play until January.

Better to have her completely healed than o come back too soon.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Azzi seemed qiuicker and sharper in her cuts as a 15 year old. She had a tremendous pop up jumper which was really the key to her offense overall. She still can be a great player of course but it was clear she was missing something over the past year really. Maybe it takes a couple years to really recover from an ACL also?

 

[Bonpland]

Much of what you say is very accurate, but not all of it (per my recollection). Nicole Wolff did indeed suffer a stress fracture in her freshman year, and that kept her out of serious action until her junior year.

In both her junior and senior years, she was physically healthy by all accounts, showed outstanding effort in practice and led the team in fitness measures. But at that point (for reasons that remain unclear) she suffered from "above the shoulders" issues and couldn't translate her outstanding practice performance into game performance. Geno gave her every opportunity. He made her team captain and also made her a starter in both years (as I recall). She did well defensively (except when she tried to guard Seimone Augustus and the small quick guard from North Carolina whose name I have forgotten). But she never got untracked at the offensive end, so Geno couldn't give her major minutes.

Her issues in her junior and senior years seemed to me to be similar to those of Molly Bent in a later era -- mostly not of a physical nature. I hope it isn't endemic to players from southeastern Massachusetts, or (if it is) that it doesn't affect Caroline Ducharme.

Although Azzi can be harshly self-critical, I don't think she is the kind of person who is likely to have disabling non-physical issues. If that is true, then the precedents of Nicole and Molly shouldn't be expected to apply to her.

Memory (especially in our later years) is selective. Thank you for pointing out the "blind spots" in mine. It is very true as you mention that Nicole did have a chance to prove herself later in her Uconn career but, as has also been pointed out by you and others, she wasn't able to pull her game together enough to make an impact as a player.

She did red shirt for what would have been her sophomore year and so had another year of eligibility remaining at Uconn but chose instead to graduate with her class. I also remember Geno being asked about the '05-'06 team on CCTV before the start of the season and he had to be reminded to include Nicole in his comments which told me then that she had no significant role ahead for her on that year's team.

But this is a thread about Azzi and our mutual hopes that she recovers quickly and establishes herself as a star for this program. I didn't want to hijack the conversation but my (spotty) memory of Wolff and her trials here encouraged me to interject.

 

[CL82]

I had a stress fracture once. It would be fine for months sometimes and then I would just move the foot even once while sitting and it felt like a nail going through the top of my foot. I'd limp some for a couple days and then be fine again. Hasn't happened in 15 years now.

How’s your three point shooting?

 

[CL82]

The Boneyard MD strikes again.

 

[Skeets]

At least it's not described as a stress fracture, which would require months of rest. Come back when you are ready Azzi and not before...

 

[GoUconn7961]

I had a stress fracture once. It would be fine for months sometimes and then I would just move the foot even once while sitting and it felt like a nail going through the top of my foot. I'd limp some for a couple days and then be fine again. Hasn't happened in 15 years now.

I had to give up running for good. No matter how much rest I got the minute I started running it would happen again. But, I'm 60 now; not a teenage athlete.

 

[Blakeon18]

Obviously UConn and Azzi should be cautious about this.
I'd be thrilled if she were back and at 100% health by early January.


Pure speculation: I wonder if she is 'close' at that point. Might Geno and Azzi have a sit-down about delaying her return to a few weeks later....to be conservative about putting her back out there? My understanding is that if a player participates in even one game in the second half of the season she is ineligible for a medical redshirt.

If Azzi decided she wanted to play...say in early/mid February...burning her ;possible redshirt...would everyone [Azzi/Geno/parents] be fine with that. She would have a fair number of regular season games/conference tourney games
to knock rust off and get in a rhythm with her teammates before The Dance started. And we all know that she could be the X factor in number 12.

Get well 100%...best of luck to Azzi.

 

[Geew1992]

The Boneyard MD strikes again.

They stayed at the holiday inn

 

[BostonBay]

Put Azzi in bubble-wrap until March, when she's really needed.

 

[visitingcock]

Put Azzi in bubble-wrap until March, when she's really needed.

I think she will need some warmup games in February to be ready for March.

 

[BostonBay]

All this summer BB activity/Olympics is probably doing more harm than good. In addition to Azzi, AE is clearly not the same this year. Jason Tatum of the Celtics has looked terrible for the most part. The body needs rest. Also, you change your routine.

 

[BostonBay]

Hope this is not a Lou situation. Her foot never fully healed and played hurt most of the year. As long as she's not Bill Walton, the foot injuries usually heal with rest.

 

[Vowelguy]

How many different players can Azzi be compared to in one thread?
Wolff, Bent, Lou …