Azzi to become the new point guard?

[CocoHusky]

We all know how it works, players can go hot & cold.
What if CW or Evi don't really want to be a PG?
Nika could flunk out of school and not even be part of UConn WBB next year.
Then who will Geno make into a PG besides Paige?
The Big East makes for a good training ground.
It only makes sense that Azzi starts being developed into a PG this year while Paige is out.
It's not so lonely going out on a limb.
Just look at all of the other goats that are doing it.
They're all looking for the same thing, the 12th UConn national championship.
Climb on board!

 

[sun]

So far today, when members of a UConn WBB group page were asked, "Do you think that Azzi Fudd will eventually become one of UConn's point guards in the future?"

66% or 70 voted yes.
22% or 22 voted no.
11% or 12 voted no opinion/ not sure

That represents a 3 to 1 margin of fans that believe that Azzi will eventually be used as a PG.

 

[Centerstream]

So far today, when members of a UConn WBB group page were asked, "Do you think that Azzi Fudd will eventually become one of UConn's point guards in the future?"

66% or 70 voted yes.
22% or 22 voted no.
11% or 12 voted no opinion/ not sure

That represents a 3 to 1 margin of fans that believe that Azzi will eventually be used as a PG.

Was this a FB group page?
If yes, did they ask the people if they knew what a PG is?

 

[sun]

Was this a FB group page?
If yes, did they ask the people if they knew what a PG is?

^^^^ Tough crowd. ^^^^

 

[Longtime fan]

My short answer was "yes, I do" - doubt that she will become the PG when healthy. She's a freshman. She's had a foot injury since she played for Team USA this past summer, maybe longer. It's been lingering for months, and honestly, I'm not sure she will be back any time soon. Azzi has a laid back personality and while a tough, silent assassin on the floor, there is no way she's ready to shoulder the responsibility of being the vocal, emotional, and physical leader of the team. Too much too soon.

Nika is a year older and a true PG. Evina, while TO prone while at Tenn, played PG for 2 years there. It's not ideal - Geno said he does "not like the offense when Paige is not on the floor". I agree with him looking thru a fans' eyes, but now we have no choice. We will need to see what the rest of the team does and who steps up.

Opportunity is not only knocking, but has flung the door wide open. This team has the talent for multiple players to step up.

I think you ae right that AZZi will be out a long time ( I am thinking all of January). By then, someone will be playing point guard.

 

[sun]

I think you ae right that AZZi will be out a long time ( I am thinking all of January). By then, someone will be playing point guard.

The contracts of both Geno and Dawn Staley pay them bonus money for winning post season games.
One thing that they can be counted on doing is to make sure that their teams are prepared to win as many post season games as possible.
That's why they earn the big bucks, to be prepared in advance with a contingency plan.

Contingency:
--------a future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.
--------a provision for an unforeseen event or circumstance.
--------an emergency.

 

[Sifaka]

So far today, when members of a UConn WBB group page were asked, "Do you think that Azzi Fudd will eventually become one of UConn's point guards in the future?"

66% or 70 voted yes.
22% or 22 voted no.
11% or 12 voted no opinion/ not sure

That represents a 3 to 1 margin of fans that believe that Azzi will eventually be used as a PG.

It has been reported that a self-styled Husky WBB group was
asked, “Will Azzi Fudd possibly, at some indeterminate moment in the past, have become one of UConn's point guards in the space/time continuum?”

Of the 18,644 members of the group, 104, or about half of one percent replied. The entire group, collectively, has zero experience coaching a D1 team, an equally minute amount of tenure as a D2 coach, and 1 of the 104 respondents self reports a single semester as a cheerleader for a D3 team, circa 1972.

Therefore, we need pay no heed to the opinions of Chris Dailey, Jamelle Elliott, or other members of the UConn coaching staff, whose names escape me at the present moment in history.

A random sample of barn cats became accustomed to Stravinsky's Rites of Spring while enjoying their human provided supplemental victuals and expressed contrary opinions. They also refused the Brussels sprouts while consuming all the steak fat trimmings.

 

[Centerstream]

It has been reported that a self-styled Husky WBB group was
asked, “Will Azzi Fudd possibly, at some indeterminate moment in the past, have become one of UConn's point guards in the space/time continuum?”

Of the 18,644 members of the group, 104, or about half of one percent replied. The entire group, collectively, has zero experience coaching a D1 team, an equally minute amount of tenure as a D2 coach, and 1 of the 104 respondents self reports a single semester as a cheerleader for a D3 team, circa 1972.

Therefore, we need pay no heed to the opinions of Chris Dailey, Jamelle Elliott, or other members of the UConn coaching staff, whose names escape me at the present moment in history.

A random sample of barn cats became accustomed to Stravinsky's Rites of Spring while enjoying their human provided supplemental victuals and expressed contrary opinions. They also refused the Brussels sprouts while consuming all the steak fat trimmings.

I dug a little deeper and about 18625 members of the group asked the following question in the comments section "Is Azzi a relative of Elmer?".

 

[Alydar]

I would be more concerned that she can compete at the speed of the D1 game when she comes back.

Her opponents haven't changed from her AAU days when she played several years above her age group and dominated. Let's let her get healthy before we pass judgement.

 

[HopJim]

NIka Muhl or Evina Westbrook....... a shared responsiblity.
Azzi is , IMO, the future Shooting Guard ( Caroline on the WING )

While I dont favor Azzi as the primary point guard, unless Mike gains quickness (unlikely coming out of an injury), I don't see her playing this role as well. See Azzi as a approx. 10 min. a game at the point, with Evina holding down the fort.

 

[#12in21]

While I dont favor Azzi as the primary point guard, unless Mike gains quickness (unlikely coming out of an injury), I don't see her playing this role as well. See Azzi as a approx. 10 min. a game at the point, with Evina holding down the fort.

Not sure who Mike is, Is she somebody we picked up from the transfer portal? Evina seems to have handled the point guard role pretty well during the last game (too bad she doesn't have a couple years experience in that role - oh wait...) Maybe when Nika gets back she could get a shot at it. Geno seemed to think the flow on offense and defense were pretty good the games she started last year. Crazy thought, but maybe Azzi should get a try at shooting guard when she's back (heard she won a three point contest last year while wearing a boot - to boot !)

 

[Littlemin]

Her opponents haven't changed from her AAU days when she played several years above her age group and dominated. Let's let her get healthy before we pass judgement.

Who passed judgement? Being “concerned“ is far from a judgmental statement and you can live in the past, I don’t. South Carolina didn’t give a hoot about her “AAU days”, did they? They scouted a player that couldn’t keep up with the game and went right after her, forcing her off the court, hence my “concern”; certainly I hope when she comes back, she can play at the speed required to compete at this level.

 

[visitingcock]

Who passed judgement? Being “concerned“ is far from a judgmental statement and you can live in the past, I don’t. South Carolina didn’t give a hoot about her “AAU days”, did they? They scouted a player that couldn’t keep up with the game and went right after her, forcing her off the court, hence my “concern”; certainly I hope when she comes back, she can play at the speed required to compete at this level.

But why did Dawn see a player who couldn’t keep up with the game? (1) was it because she was already injured? (2)) was it because she was a frosh who just had no adjusted to the speed of the game? (3) was it inexperience in defending against players at this talent level? OR (4) she just doesn’t have the natural quicks to defend at the level of that game?

I would posit that it is not number 4. Probably a combination of 2 and 3 with 1 being a possibility. In other words, her defensive shortcomings in that game can be overcome by tournament time.

Remember our 2020 game? Ty Harris was our team leader and MOP of that game. However, When she was a frosh, y’all hardly even guarded her and she was ineffectual in that game.

Azzi will be fine. You can’t judge a frosh off that one, very early game against a true contender.

 

[CL82]

Not sure who Mike is, Is she somebody we picked up from the transfer portal?

One of the male practice players, no doubt with a wig in false eyelashes…

(NCAA complaint from Tennessee in 3… 2… 1….)

 

[Littlemin]

But why did Dawn see a player who couldn’t keep up with the game? (1) was it because she was already injured? (2)) was it because she was a frosh who just had no adjusted to the speed of the game? (3) was it inexperience in defending against players at this talent level? OR (4) she just doesn’t have the natural quicks to defend at the level of that game?

I would posit that it is not number 4. Probably a combination of 2 and 3 with 1 being a possibility. In other words, her defensive shortcomings in that game can be overcome by tournament time.

Remember our 2020 game? Ty Harris was our team leader and MOP of that game. However, When she was a frosh, y’all hardly even guarded her and she was ineffectual in that game.

Azzi will be fine. You can’t judge a frosh off that one, very early game against a true contender.

I don’t know and don’t really care why Dawn saw and strategized on; I have made no assumptions as to Fudd’s injury status or physical condition. The fact is Auriemna gushed about her ”breakout” game the day before and I posted then I had no idea why Fernandez didn’t have defenders run at her and make her put the ball on the floor. The next day she was taken out of the game after 10 minutes and sidelined. The fact is Fudd was anointed as “generational” by many here before she ever played a game while ignoring the fact that evidently she was coming back from having been seriously injured. I certainly hope she comes back to be the best player she can be but I go by what I see and in the four games I watched her, she could not keep up with the speed of the game, something I and others posted about after the Arkansas opener.

 

[Charliebball]

I don’t know and don’t really care why Dawn saw and strategized on; I have made no assumptions as to Fudd’s injury status or physical condition. The fact is Auriemna gushed about her ”breakout” game the day before and I posted then I had no idea why Fernandez didn’t have defenders run at her and make her put the ball on the floor. The next day she was taken out of the game after 10 minutes and sidelined. The fact is Fudd was anointed as “generational” by many here before she ever played a game while ignoring the fact that evidently she was coming back from having been seriously injured. I certainly hope she comes back to be the best player she can be but I go by what I see and in the four games I watched her, she could not keep up with the speed of the game, something I and others posted about after the Arkansas opener.

she may well be a generational talent, but she obviously never fully recovered from her foot injury and that clearly impacted her play.........if she can get back to 100% this season let's see what she can accomplish............I expect great things from Azzi if she can avoid the injury bug going forward.....

 

[npignatjr]

Here's some newly uploaded highlights of Azzi from 2018 where she shows some of her moves while dribbling.

Before major , MCL and ACL knee surgeries, last full season I believe 2019.

 

[Littlemin]

she may well be a generational talent, but she obviously never fully recovered from her foot injury and that clearly impacted her play.........if she can get back to 100% this season let's see what she can accomplish............I expect great things from Azzi if she can avoid the injury bug going forward.....

That’s fine and I hope you are right but IF is a mighty big, small word and that’s my only point.

 

[Cuango]

Does anyone doubt that Azzi will become the new point guard once she's healthy?

Extremely unlikely! Azzi is a shooting guard with good ball skills who could play pg in a pinch but she is not a natural point guard!

 

[JoePgh]

I don’t know and don’t really care why Dawn saw and strategized on; I have made no assumptions as to Fudd’s injury status or physical condition. The fact is Auriemna gushed about her ”breakout” game the day before and I posted then I had no idea why Fernandez didn’t have defenders run at her and make her put the ball on the floor. The next day she was taken out of the game after 10 minutes and sidelined. The fact is Fudd was anointed as “generational” by many here before she ever played a game while ignoring the fact that evidently she was coming back from having been seriously injured. I certainly hope she comes back to be the best player she can be but I go by what I see and in the four games I watched her, she could not keep up with the speed of the game, something I and others posted about after the Arkansas opener.

I'm not sure where you are headed with this argument. Are you saying that Geno should not have recruited her, despite her amazing shooting skills, because of her slow feet? Or that she will/should be at the end of the bench until she somehow resolves that problem, which you seem to think is beyond her physical ability to do?

KML was quite productive for UConn despite being a slow-footed on-ball defender. I think Azzi is quicker than KML. KLS was not the fastest or the most agile defender either, but she certainly earned her substantial minutes at UConn. Caroline Ducharme seems to be cut from the same cloth as Lou, but she is learning to defend at the college level. (I don't think she would have been successful against the South Carolina guards in the game a few weeks ago, however.) I think Azzi, when healthy, can be at least as quick as Caroline, probably quicker.

Going back further, one can mention Mel Thomas -- in many ways a very similar player to Azzi, but I think Azzi has a much higher ceiling. Even further back, there is Katie Douglas (who won an NC at Purdue), who came into the WNBA as a 3-point shooter with no defensive skills and limited speed and quickness, but who became one of the best defenders in the league by being positionally smart and forcing her opponent into the team's help defense. I think Azzi is as fast and as quick as Katie Douglas already (though not as tall).

You have told us that you think Geno either overestimated or mishandled Azzi. How about telling us now how you think he should have handled her?

 

[marti3td]

What is the time frame on everyone who is out to come back? I cannot keep track of all of them

 

[Charliebball]

I'm not sure where you are headed with this argument. Are you saying that Geno should not have recruited her, despite her amazing shooting skills, because of her slow feet? Or that she will/should be at the end of the bench until she somehow resolves that problem, which you seem to think is beyond her physical ability to do?

KML was quite productive for UConn despite being a slow-footed on-ball defender. I think Azzi is quicker than KML. KLS was not the fastest or the most agile defender either, but she certainly earned her substantial minutes at UConn. Caroline Ducharme seems to be cut from the same cloth as Lou, but she is learning to defend at the college level. (I don't think she would have been successful against the South Carolina guards in the game a few weeks ago, however.) I think Azzi, when healthy, can be at least as quick as Caroline, probably quicker.

Going back further, one can mention Mel Thomas -- in many ways a very similar player to Azzi, but I think Azzi has a much higher ceiling. Even further back, there is Katie Douglas (who won an NC at Purdue), who came into the WNBA as a 3-point shooter with no defensive skills and limited speed and quickness, but who became one of the best defenders in the league by being positionally smart and forcing her opponent into the team's help defense. I think Azzi is as fast and as quick as Katie Douglas already (though not as tall).

You have told us that you think Geno either overestimated or mishandled Azzi. How about telling us now how you think he should have handled her?

I don't think Azzi is particularly fast but she's hardly slow footed either when healthy.......she also has something that many quicker players don't.......... she' smart as hell on the basketball court........like Paige, she usually knows where the ball is going before the pass is made......she'll make plenty of freshman mistakes but there's no doubt in my mind we will witness some really great basketball from this player in the years ahead.....

 

[Skeets]

Extremely unlikely! Azzi is a shooting guard with good ball skills who could play pg in a pinch but she is not a natural point guard!

You want your best shooters to be in a position to shoot, not bringing the ball up court past the mid-court line and then making the first pass. I want Azzi shooting, I want Paige shooting, Nika, you bring the ball up court.

 

[stamfordhusky]

So far today, when members of a UConn WBB group page were asked, "Do you think that Azzi Fudd will eventually become one of UConn's point guards in the future?"

66% or 70 voted yes.
22% or 22 voted no.
11% or 12 voted no opinion/ not sure

That represents a 3 to 1 margin of fans that believe that Azzi will eventually be used as a PG.

What it shows is that this group has very few people who understand basketball, even a little bit. Sounds like they understand this issue about as well as I understand nuclear physics.

 

[Alydar]

But why did Dawn see a player who couldn’t keep up with the game? (1) was it because she was already injured? (2)) was it because she was a frosh who just had no adjusted to the speed of the game? (3) was it inexperience in defending against players at this talent level? OR (4) she just doesn’t have the natural quicks to defend at the level of that game?

I would posit that it is not number 4. Probably a combination of 2 and 3 with 1 being a possibility. In other words, her defensive shortcomings in that game can be overcome by tournament time.

Remember our 2020 game? Ty Harris was our team leader and MOP of that game. However, When she was a frosh, y’all hardly even guarded her and she was ineffectual in that game.

Azzi will be fine. You can’t judge a frosh off that one, very early game against a true contender.

Good post. Thought I had put the 2020 game out of my mind. Thanks for the reminder.

Tell me, did Dawn treat Fudd like just an unproven freshman in her game plan? Watch the game and it's obvious she gave specific instructions that Fudd was never to be left alone. `

I just hope UConn's players have been vaccinated for Juvenile Paranoiaitis because there's a lot of it going around.