Based on the roster as we know it right now, who do you think starts next season?

[Charliebball]

I really like Nika's game and she adds a lot to the offensive flow, but if Azzi is as good as they say and is healthy, I don't see any way she doesn't start

I expect Nika and perhaps Westbrook will log plenty of minutes coming off the bench........how great to have a bench full of starter quality talents...........

 

[Hayven]

Nika may start at the beginning of the year but Aaliyah is too good to keep of the court. I just hope Geno develops a deep bench. He mentioned that he will be coaching at the final four next year, developing Azzi and Aaliyah are key for the championship next year

 

[JellyBean]

I went with the 5 that finished the season; E, CW, ONO, PB, and AE. So many things to factor in before October. As well know any spot is open going into the season. Just a matter of who has the confidence and the attitude that is willing to come in and play hard and just take someone's spot.

 

[Rb335]

PB, CW, EW, AE, ONO

I think since we have the post depth, Geno will utilize it. Our size will match up with just about any team nationally. I'd guess Azzi is first off the bench, either for AE/ONO if we go small, or CW/EW if we remain big. She provides an immediate scoring punch which Geno has been known to like (Maya, KML, Gabby). From there he has the options to bring in experience with Nika/Aubrey or some of our less experienced underclassmen.

 

[chrissaran]

I agree about the need for Aaliyah to start, but disagree about your disparagement of Liv.

How many points did Olivia have against Baylor and Arizona? Four points from the starting center. That is unacceptable.

 

[mattlow710]

Geno : PB Evina CW ONO

My Bias ： PB Evina CD AE

 

[BBallF]

I'd be very surprised if the best shooter in college basketball is on the bench at the start of any UConn game unless she's injured................I'm hoping I never see that.......

The reason I chose Nika over Azzi to start is because of how often Geno talks about the team being so much better with her on the floor. He likes her at the point, I think also for her on ball defense. Azzi can come off the bench and still play as much as a starter since the four guards can be rotated out for breaks. I think Nika will improve a lot over the summer but it all depends on how the practices go.

 

[Childhood]

Geno : PB Evina CW ONO

My Bias ： PB Evina CD AE

I like this idea

 

[Dillon77]

Geno talked about positionless basketball, spreading the floor, where everyone can shoot the 3. So I’m going all in on my fantasy starting 5 for next season:

Evina
Christyn
Paige
Nika
Azzi

How’s that for positionless basketball?

I love it. You and I had this discussion earlier re: Geno and Niele's approaches to "positionless" basketball. Niele prefers to have one big behind/supporting the other four.

So, with it in mind:
- Liv
and

• Christyn
• Paige
• Evina
• Azzi

Depending on opponent and ebb/flow of the game, I fully suspect Aaliyah, Aubrey and Nika to rotate in (particularly Aaliyah and Nika). Coach Drew of Baylor said his top 8 all got starter minutes. I could see Geno doing that with his top 7. (Candidly, he could do it with 8, even 9, of his players and it could help down the road.)

 

[HopJim]

How many points did Olivia have against Baylor and Arizona? Four points from the starting center. That is unacceptable.

Agree on ONO's lack of offense in big games but have to ask, " how may points did the bigs on the other teams get against her?" Look at Smith from Baylor, Boston from SC, ect. All these teams have 2-3 strong bigs - who would you have guard them? UConn likely to have a 4 guard lineup much of the year, but will need ONO and Edwards in the playoffs.

 

[ucbart]

Nika
Paige
Christyn
Evina
ONO

This year we were young, next year we're experienced and seasoned. I've mentioned this before, but Alliyah is probably going to be the most important player on the team besides Paige, but she will still only be 29 games into her basketball career in November. She has a tendency to get into foul trouble and I think her starting each half on the bench will be 3-4 more minutes in each half that she can't pick up fouls. Could you imagine playing against that starting 5 and then all of a sudden, E and Nikka are replaced with Fudd and Edwards to shake things up?

 

[oldude]

I love it. You and I had this discussion earlier re: Geno and Niele's approaches to "positionless" basketball. Niele prefers to have one big behind/supporting the other four.

So, with it in mind:
- Liv
and

• Christyn
• Paige
• Evina
• Azzi

Depending on opponent and ebb/flow of the game, I fully suspect Aaliyah, Aubrey and Nika to rotate in (particularly Aaliyah and Nika). Coach Drew of Baylor said his top 8 all got starter minutes. I could see Geno doing that with his top 7. (Candidly, he could do it with 8, even 9, of his players and it could help down the road.)

Of course I think UConn will need at least one Big on the court, so my suggested starting 5 is in fact a fantasy. As you point out, the rotation could get to 8 or 9, and perhaps even more. If Caroline can knock down shots from the cheap seats in college, she will earn PT. At 6’5”, Amari may posess the best offensive skill set of any UConn Big. The continued development of Mir, Saylor and Piath could also furnish a surprise or two.

Geno and his coaches are going to have a real challenge in blending together all this talent and allocating PT. But as I said before, it’s a challenge most coaches would love to have.

 

[Mrhoops33]

I expect Nika and perhaps Westbrook will log plenty of minutes coming off the bench........how great to have a bench full of starter quality talents...........

How many points did Olivia have against Baylor and Arizona? Four points from the starting center. That is unacceptable.

At 6'5' ,3 year starter, and scores only 1 pt. against Ariz. and also comes up short in every big game in 3 years ,its time to move on from her. She will not get better, all she wants to do is shoot from the outside where she hits 1 out of 10 shots .Player against weaker smaller teams, shes a beast ,against really good teams she struggles. next year we got another big 6'5" girl coming in ,she should start and develope her quicky for the Huskies, bring Liv off the bench she may be more productive .

 

[Charliebball]

Agree on ONO's lack of offense in big games but have to ask, " how may points did the bigs on the other teams get against her?" Look at Smith from Baylor, Boston from SC, ect. All these teams have 2-3 strong bigs - who would you have guard them? UConn likely to have a 4 guard lineup much of the year, but will need ONO and Edwards in the playoffs.

how about how many baskets did she prevent with her defense and shot blocking abilities............her consistent impact on the game takes place on the defensive end of the court and even AE can't duplicate that......

 

[Charliebball]

The reason I chose Nika over Azzi to start is because of how often Geno talks about the team being so much better with her on the floor. He likes her at the point, I think also for her on ball defense. Azzi can come off the bench and still play as much as a starter since the four guards can be rotated out for breaks. I think Nika will improve a lot over the summer but it all depends on how the practices go.

if it was just your ordinary highly ranked high school recruit I would agree but is as good or better than PB in many ways and that kind of rare talent doesn't sit very often......

 

[Happydad745]

Geno talked about positionless basketball, spreading the floor, where everyone can shoot the 3. So I’m going all in on my fantasy starting 5 for next season:

Evina
Christyn
Paige
Nika
Azzi

How’s that for positionless basketball?

Azzi Fudd: what is she bringing that we need? I've read the hype, tell me truthfully, why are we jumping up and down about it?

 

[Charliebball]

At 6'5' ,3 year starter, and scores only 1 pt. against Ariz. and also comes up short in every big game in 3 years ,its time to move on from her. She will not get better, all she wants to do is shoot from the outside where she hits 1 out of 10 shots .Player against weaker smaller teams, shes a beast ,against really good teams she struggles. next year we got another big 6'5" girl coming in ,she should start and develope her quicky for the Huskies, bring Liv off the bench she may be more productive .

I appreciate your concerns but in case you haven't noticed ONO is a major factor in UConn's defensive success.............she'll be starting for as long as she is at UConn and I'm glad that they have her.........I believe she'll improve offensively next season and while she may never meet your standards, she'll be playing in the WNBA in two years......

 

[MilfordHusky]

Azzi Fudd: what is she bringing that we need? I've read the hype, tell me truthfully, why are we jumping up and down about it?

Shot-making. Azzi is possibly the best shot-maker ever. Think Paige, Kaleena, Maya, Diana, and Sue. She’s also very good all around.

 

[Stymie]

Will not be popular here but based on the incredible strides she’s made in only one season, Aaliyah Edwards will probably come out of next preseason as the best #5 on the roster. I believe she’s should rotate as a starter depending on our opponents personnel.
She probably won’t but I believe she should.
May be an inch or two taller, but even if not- she brings the physicality we’ve lacked in the big games.
Now, if Olivia can develop her 8-12 ft jumper, it might be a LITTLE different story.
But I am not confident in that.

 

[Rb335]

Azzi Fudd: what is she bringing that we need? I've read the hype, tell me truthfully, why are we jumping up and down about it?

To me, the biggest impact is her ability to hit from the perimeter. Paige shot 46%, or statistically the 9th best season average in Uconn history. If Azzi can replicate that, you have two incredibly dangerous perimeter threats, similar to KLS/Kia from 2016-2018. The ability to keep defenses honest should help our interior players get more 1v1 opportunities. This year, Evina/CW/Muhl were just average (around 33%) from the outside which made it easier for defenses to help off.

 

[Rudy1927]

We need shooters on the floor. Azzi opens things up for Paige. The same people who thought Paige wouldn’t start ( never mind player of the year) Azzi will be starting.

 

[oldude]

Azzi Fudd: what is she bringing that we need? I've read the hype, tell me truthfully, why are we jumping up and down about it?

Great all around basketball skills and the best HS shooter I’ve ever seen.

 

[Redux]

ONO is a major factor in UConn's defensive success.............she'll be starting for as long as she is at UConn and I'm glad that they have her.........I believe she'll improve offensively next season

I agree on her defense. Granted she has walkabouts, not really related to the caliber of opponent, but she is almost always solid, and will always start. The singe biggest factor in improving ONO's offensive performance will be better UConn perimeter shooting, of which ONO (through coaching and controlling her own inclinations) is never again to be any part of.

 

[EricLA]

For the record, I've enjoyed this thread. Obviously I have my own opinion about who starts, and disagree with some of the comments in the thread, but it's just the beginning of summer and only 1 of the Fab 4 freshmen has set foot on campus thus far (Saylor).

We all have our expectations, but no one knows for sure the reality of just how good they will be. Geno commented on Paige when asked about his expectations of her, and the reality... he said something like

"I knew she was going to be good, I just had no idea she was going to be so good so fast. It was clear after the first few weeks that she was the best player on the team".

 

[Charliebball]

I agree on her defense. Granted she has walkabouts, not really related to the caliber of opponent, but she is almost always solid, and will always start. The singe biggest factor in improving ONO's offensive performance will be better UConn perimeter shooting, of which ONO (through coaching and controlling her own inclinations) is never again to be any part of.

I'm pretty sure she needs the outside shot to be effective at the next level so I would expect you will see it, perhaps with a bit of of arc next season........first things first........if she would just finish under the basket at a more consistent rate she would be an 18-20 pt per game scorer.....