Blanca Quinonez

[ERWUC65]

This isn't an Azzi vs. Ashlynn argument. This is an "Ashlynn will play less because of an incoming kid that's played zero minutes of American college basketball" argument. Geno has two spots in his starting line up to fill, and if you take a look at the current roster, it's slim pickins between kids trying to come back from long term injuries or those that have never played at this level. Geno has a grand total of 7 healthy experienced players right now, so two of Ice/Shade/Arnold/Ziebell are likely to fill those spots.

If he does not go to the portal to fill those two spots, I agree completely.

 

[MHD789]

Pretty good stats for an 18 year old playing in the Italian professional league with a bunch of grown women.

Almost half the players on her team are teenagers (not all "grown women"). I read one poster state that she would be the #7 pick in the WNBA draft this year. I'm starting to feel sorry for the young lady given the expectations.

Another question: is the "paint" a lot wider for international play? It seems like the majority of her highlight reel is layups and/or short shots.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Another question: is the "paint" a lot wider for international play?

I believe it's 16 vs. 12 feet wide.

 

[MHD789]

I believe it's 16 vs. 12 feet wide.

Wow. I'd say that is definitely an area for "adjustment". I thought it seemed a lot less crowded in the highlights.

 

[oldude]

Almost half the players on her team are teenagers (not all "grown women"). I read one poster state that she would be the #7 pick in the WNBA draft this year. I'm starting to feel sorry for the young lady given the expectations.

Another question: is the "paint" a lot wider for international play? It seems like the majority of her highlight reel is layups and/or short shots.

So I guess Geno doesn’t know what he’s doing? Your efforts to downplay Blanca’s overall ability is oddly reminiscent of all those folks who downplayed Nika when she arrived at Storrs, even after she became the conference DPOY while breaking UConn’s all time assist record.

For the record, in the European pro league, many teams carry several young, developmental players on their rosters, who don’t actually get paid a salary, and don’t actually play a lot of minutes. The team covers their expenses and they maintain their amateur eligibility should they decide to play college basketball in the US, which is exactly what Blanca has done.

Campobasso has 8 players, age 23-36 on their roster who play most of the minutes. Blanca is an exception to most of the other young players on the team and league in that she plays meaningful minutes. I don’t know how you can look at her explosive athleticism on film and believe she will not develop into a star at UConn under the very best coaching staff in WBB.

 

[MHD789]

So I guess Geno doesn’t know what he’s doing? Your efforts to downplay Blanca’s overall ability is oddly reminiscent of all those folks who downplayed Nika when she arrived at Storrs, even after she became the conference DPOY while breaking UConn’s all time assist record.

For the record, in the European pro league, many teams carry several young, developmental players on their rosters, who don’t actually get paid a salary, and don’t actually play a lot of minutes. The team covers their expenses and they maintain their amateur eligibility should they decide to play college basketball in the US, which is exactly what Blanca has done.

Campobasso has 8 players, age 23-36 on their roster who play most of the minutes. Blanca is an exception to most of the other young players on the team and league in that she plays meaningful minutes. I don’t know how you can look at her explosive athleticism on film and believe she will not develop into a star at UConn under the very best coaching staff in WBB.

I truly hope Geno has discovered the female version of Michael Jordan that everybody else missed.

And, of course, I believe that arguably the greatest coach of all-time knows what he's doing.

With that said, recruiting is not a game of certainty and I'm sure this board could rattle off a bunch of fairly recent highly regarded (and athletic/skilled) recruits that did not achieve "stardom" at UConn (never mind recruits at every other program in the country). Amari DeBerry, Qadence Samuel, Mir McLean, Aubrey Griffin, Ice Brady (TBD), Ayanna Patterson (TBD). Now if you said a "good" positive contributor on an excellent team, that's a much different characterization.

Finally, I do confess that I'm a hard grader and that I wasn't on the Board at the time but I was not a huge Nika fan. In my mind, her offensive liability (we know that sometimes teams did not even cover her) largely offset her defensive contribution. And I felt that the reason she surpassed Sue Bird was simply because she never shot the ball and Sue did.

 

[oldude]

I truly hope Geno has discovered the female version of Michael Jordan that everybody else missed.

And, of course, I believe that arguably the greatest coach of all-time knows what he's doing.

With that said, recruiting is not a game of certainty and I'm sure this board could rattle off a bunch of fairly recent highly regarded (and athletic/skilled) recruits that did not achieve "stardom" at UConn (never mind recruits at every other program in the country). Amari DeBerry, Qadence Samuel, Mir McLean, Aubrey Griffin, Ice Brady (TBD), Ayanna Patterson (TBD). Now if you said a "good" positive contributor on an excellent team, that's a much different characterization.

Finally, I do confess that I'm a hard grader and that I wasn't on the Board at the time but I was not a huge Nika fan. In my mind, her offensive liability (we know that sometimes teams did not even cover her) largely offset her defensive contribution. And I felt that the reason she surpassed Sue Bird was simply because she never shot the ball and Sue did.

Aubrey was extremely effective when healthy. As for Nika, you must have missed her senior year when, in addition to being named conference DPOY, she took 127 x 3pt shots, shooting over 40%, second only to Paige.

 

[Jim R]

Almost half the players on her team are teenagers (not all "grown women"). I read one poster state that she would be the #7 pick in the WNBA draft this year. I'm starting to feel sorry for the young lady given the expectations.

Another question: is the "paint" a lot wider for international play? It seems like the majority of her highlight reel is layups and/or short shots.

Two things stand out in the her film; 1) she’s fearless driving to the hoop, and doesn’t mind a bit of contact….and, can finish, 2) she’s got a pretty fair handle (yes, she handles the ball well)….both of those are traits we can certainly use.

 

[ec33]

With that said, recruiting is not a game of certainty and I'm sure this board could rattle off a bunch of fairly recent highly regarded (and athletic/skilled) recruits that did not achieve "stardom" at UConn (never mind recruits at every other program in the country). Amari DeBerry, Qadence Samuel, Mir McLean, Aubrey Griffin, Ice Brady (TBD), Ayanna Patterson (TBD). Now if you said a "good" positive contributor on an excellent team, that's a much different characterization.

We will see with Blanca, but having grown up playing the game in Europe she will be far more skilled in the fundamentals of the games than her American counterparts (the highly-debatable "highly regarded athletes"). She also seems to play the game intelligently. That is part of playing in Europe where the offenses require a team approach (as does UConn).

It might take time to adjust to what Geno wants in particular and the ways that refs call the game here, but she is not raw.

Her biggest problem is overcoming her less-than-stellar 3-point shooting. But it isn't that awful. She makes enough to keep people honest.

 

[Alydar]

Aubrey's best year was 11 pts. and 29% 3-pt. shooting. I think people on this board are predicting much, much more from Blanca (i.e., starter and third leading scorer next year). Aubrey is/was extremely athletic but not a super skilled b-ball player. Hoping/expecting that Blanca's skills are significantly more advanced but don't expect her to be year #1 starter. That's a lot to ask unless we have another rash of injuries similar to two years ago.

If you measure Griffin by her points you weren't looking.

There is little to no chance that Quinonez will be even half the rebounder and defender that Griffin was next season. If she is that good then a 29% 3pt avg. will be tolerated.

Strong 6'2
Ducharme 6'2
Cheli 6'2
Quinonez 6'2
Patterson 6'2

Five very versatile players is depth.

 

[Bone Dog]

Strong 6'2
Ducharme 6'2
Cheli 6'2
Quinonez 6'2
Patterson 6'2

Five very versatile players is depth.

And if we do a conversion from Hartley units, Sarah and Ayanna are probably closer to 6’3”. I can’t get a read on Blanca’s actual height, but I’d guess it’s a Hartley or two above 6 feet. And Allie is probably just a Hartley shy of 6’1”. All told, this is probably the biggest lineup Geno’s had for over a decade if you count Gandy and if everyone’s healthy.

 

[Rudy1927]

More than half of the people on this board didn’t have Strong starting never mind the player being an All American as a Freshman. We will all see. But I will tell you this every team in the country wanted her.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

Almost half the players on her team are teenagers (not all "grown women"). I read one poster state that she would be the #7 pick in the WNBA draft this year. I'm starting to feel sorry for the young lady given the expectations.

Another question: is the "paint" a lot wider for international play? It seems like the majority of her highlight reel is layups and/or short shots.

This is another example of you:

• representing that you are using better information,
• believing that you have an “incontrovertible” conjecture based on said information, and
• belittling other’s opinions.

In this case, your represented “incontrovertible” conjecture is Blanca cannot be part of next season’s “Big 3”.

• Imo and some others, there is a possibility (and Geno will be the ultimate arbiter of that given it is his call on who the starters are);
• normally, I would let your opinion slide as an unspoken “let’s agree to disagree” moment;
• but since you seem to have this off-putting pattern, FWIW, let’s quickly go through why, even thoughyou are 100% entitled to your opinion — even claiming to be a hard grader — others have more credible opinions than yours (and that includes Geno and the Seattle Storm on Nika).

And no one is claiming Blanca is the 2nd coming of Michael Jordan.

===

Have you considered the following sampling of credibly-sourced information?

Betty Lennox, The Next on 7/27/2022

• “But the overall tournament standout is 15-year-old Blanca Quiñones. The 6’3 forward dominated games, led in scoring and had obvious generational court vision.”
• ““I have a major superstar on my team: Blanca [Quiñones] from Ecuador; 15 years old, no way,” Lennox said. “She reminds me so much of Tamika Catchings. She has a huge upside, and… I don’t think Tamika was that good at this age.””

Cinnamon Lister & NBA Development Program, CTInsider 10/16/2024:

• “Quinonez first became involved in the NBA development system in 2022 when she was selected as one of 40 top international players to attend the NBA’s Academy Games in Atlanta.”
• “Former UConn players Nika Mühl (Croatia) and Aaliyah Edwards (Canada) and current Husky Jana El Alfy (Egypt) were all put on UConn’s recruiting radar thanks to the NBA development program.”
• “Playing overseas is common for top international high school players. … When an international player finishes their senior year of high school, they have a decision to make officially become a professional by signing a contract with a team and earning a salary or go to the United States and play through the NCAA system while receiving a college education.”
• ““She let the game come to her,” said Lister. “She made it look very easy. She was very fluid. I was mostly impressed with her ability to finish around the rim and how efficient she was. I don't think I saw her miss a layup. …”
• “”Her handle was very good for her size. She’s 6-1 and has a great wingspan. She's very physical. And just her overall skills, like how well she was able to dribble the ball, how well she was able to pass the ball, and her vision was; I don't know. I haven't seen a player like that in a long time. That has just that kind of feel.””
• “That’s why when UConn got involved in, Lister knew it was a perfect fit. Lister knows the Husky system well without ever having played in Storrs. Her twin sister, Jasmine, was an assistant coach for the Huskies. And Lister, herself, spent the 2022 WNBA season as an assistant coach on the Phoenix Mercury’s staff, working with all-time UConn great Diana Taurasi.”

BobbyJ (HuskyNan (formerly of Hoopgurlz) vouches for him):

• 10/25/2024: “I do think that Quinonez is better than any of the pure wings that were available in the 2025 US class other than possibly Davidson.”
• 11/20/2024: “Easy to see that BQ is an exceptional athlete and knows what she’s doing. Get her over here to the states and schedule her a couple shooting sessions with Napheesa Collier’s husband and UConn’s got themselves a baller. Hope there’s no hang up with her recruitment/admission, she could be really good.”
• 12/8/2024: “Now that I've seen her shooting stroke, I'm all in.”
• 2/8/2024: “Strong's new running mate. Not gonna be a skinny, hesitant freshman. She's built, skilled, and confident.”
• 2/15/2025: “Actually attacking the defense with some creativity instead of trying to avoid it? Pump fakes and reverse spins? No wonder Auriemma said it's different. Gimme some of that.”
• 2/25/2025: “Positional defense and footwork is outstanding. Quick twitch and has a lot of shake on offense. And how about the backdoor pass at 1:57?”
• 3/14/2025: “This kid is electric. Two hand stuff on Juhasz at 2:20. Two beautiful spin moves at 3:05 and 4:38. And a nice floater down the lane at 5:00. Strong is getting some serious help next season.”
• 3/14/2025: “I happen to agree with your opinion of her impact. Although I think Auriemma has a very good idea of what she’ll bring to his program next season. She’s on another level from most first year collegiate players both athletically and experience wise.”
• 3/29/2025: “With those matching hands and anticipation, she and Strong are going to be quite a pair.”
• 4/7/2025: “She has excellent passing and penetration skills for a wing but I don't see her in a PG scenario.”

Geno, 3/13/2025 (CT Insider): “I think everybody will be excited to see her because she's a young kid who's played a lot of professional basketball with a lot of older players, so she comes with a lot more experience than the average college kid, than the average freshman in college.”

From what I gather about junior amateur players in professional Eurobasket, it is by invitation by a club. Blanca supposedly won (@9:14) in 2022 the MVP youth player award playing with senior club professional team members on a team playing UConn-adjacent basketball.

 

[Molisanos]

Blanca was the younger “foreigner” to ever play in Top league in Italy at 14 years old. And for a team to sign a 14 years old kids instead of an American for example it’s not an easy decision. She won 2 national teams in Under 17 and Under 19 being by far the MVP of both competitions. The fact why Blanca is not more hyped is because she’s not Italian and so Italian federation doesn’t considerate her for “awards” and Ecuador doesn’t have any international exposure. Blanca can play defense against PG to C. Probably her only lack is rebounding because she prefers to run. But the small starting five with Blanca and Sarah… Oh good, you guys don’t have an idea of what bright will be the future in Storrs…

 

[HuskyNan]

Almost half the players on her team are teenagers (not all "grown women"). I read one poster state that she would be the #7 pick in the WNBA draft this year. I'm starting to feel sorry for the young lady given the expectations.

Another question: is the "paint" a lot wider for international play? It seems like the majority of her highlight reel is layups and/or short shots.

True, but most of the teenagers have limited minutes, unlike Blanca, a starter. We’ve seen clips of her defending and scoring against WNBA pros, including our own Dorka Juhasz

 

[MHD789]

This is another example of you:

• representing that you are using better information,
• believing that you have an “incontrovertible” conjecture based on said information, and
• belittling other’s opinions.

In this case, your represented “incontrovertible” conjecture is Blanca cannot be part of next season’s “Big 3”.

• Imo and some others, there is a possibility (and Geno will be the ultimate arbiter of that given it is his call on who the starters are);
• normally, I would let your opinion slide as an unspoken “let’s agree to disagree” moment;
• but since you seem to have this off-putting pattern, FWIW, let’s quickly go through why, even thoughyou are 100% entitled to your opinion — even claiming to be a hard grader — others have more credible opinions than yours (and that includes Geno and the Seattle Storm on Nika).

And no one is claiming Blanca is the 2nd coming of Michael Jordan.

===

Have you considered the following sampling of credibly-sourced information?

Betty Lennox, The Next on 7/27/2022

• “But the overall tournament standout is 15-year-old Blanca Quiñones. The 6’3 forward dominated games, led in scoring and had obvious generational court vision.”
• ““I have a major superstar on my team: Blanca [Quiñones] from Ecuador; 15 years old, no way,” Lennox said. “She reminds me so much of Tamika Catchings. She has a huge upside, and… I don’t think Tamika was that good at this age.””

Cinnamon Lister & NBA Development Program, CTInsider 10/16/2024:

• “Quinonez first became involved in the NBA development system in 2022 when she was selected as one of 40 top international players to attend the NBA’s Academy Games in Atlanta.”
• “Former UConn players Nika Mühl (Croatia) and Aaliyah Edwards (Canada) and current Husky Jana El Alfy (Egypt) were all put on UConn’s recruiting radar thanks to the NBA development program.”
• “Playing overseas is common for top international high school players. … When an international player finishes their senior year of high school, they have a decision to make officially become a professional by signing a contract with a team and earning a salary or go to the United States and play through the NCAA system while receiving a college education.”
• ““She let the game come to her,” said Lister. “She made it look very easy. She was very fluid. I was mostly impressed with her ability to finish around the rim and how efficient she was. I don't think I saw her miss a layup. …”
• “”Her handle was very good for her size. She’s 6-1 and has a great wingspan. She's very physical. And just her overall skills, like how well she was able to dribble the ball, how well she was able to pass the ball, and her vision was; I don't know. I haven't seen a player like that in a long time. That has just that kind of feel.””
• “That’s why when UConn got involved in, Lister knew it was a perfect fit. Lister knows the Husky system well without ever having played in Storrs. Her twin sister, Jasmine, was an assistant coach for the Huskies. And Lister, herself, spent the 2022 WNBA season as an assistant coach on the Phoenix Mercury’s staff, working with all-time UConn great Diana Taurasi.”

BobbyJ (HuskyNan (formerly of Hoopgurlz) vouches for him):

• 10/25/2024: “I do think that Quinonez is better than any of the pure wings that were available in the 2025 US class other than possibly Davidson.”
• 11/20/2024: “Easy to see that BQ is an exceptional athlete and knows what she’s doing. Get her over here to the states and schedule her a couple shooting sessions with Napheesa Collier’s husband and UConn’s got themselves a baller. Hope there’s no hang up with her recruitment/admission, she could be really good.”
• 12/8/2024: “Now that I've seen her shooting stroke, I'm all in.”
• 2/8/2024: “Strong's new running mate. Not gonna be a skinny, hesitant freshman. She's built, skilled, and confident.”
• 2/15/2025: “Actually attacking the defense with some creativity instead of trying to avoid it? Pump fakes and reverse spins? No wonder Auriemma said it's different. Gimme some of that.”
• 2/25/2025: “Positional defense and footwork is outstanding. Quick twitch and has a lot of shake on offense. And how about the backdoor pass at 1:57?”
• 3/14/2025: “This kid is electric. Two hand stuff on Juhasz at 2:20. Two beautiful spin moves at 3:05 and 4:38. And a nice floater down the lane at 5:00. Strong is getting some serious help next season.”
• 3/14/2025: “I happen to agree with your opinion of her impact. Although I think Auriemma has a very good idea of what she’ll bring to his program next season. She’s on another level from most first year collegiate players both athletically and experience wise.”
• 3/29/2025: “With those matching hands and anticipation, she and Strong are going to be quite a pair.”
• 4/7/2025: “She has excellent passing and penetration skills for a wing but I don't see her in a PG scenario.”

Geno, 3/13/2025 (CT Insider): “I think everybody will be excited to see her because she's a young kid who's played a lot of professional basketball with a lot of older players, so she comes with a lot more experience than the average college kid, than the average freshman in college.”

From what I gather about junior amateur players in professional Eurobasket, it is by invitation by a club. Blanca supposedly won (@9:14) in 2022 the MVP youth player award playing with senior club professional team members on a team playing UConn-adjacent basketball.

Boy, I really touched a nerve(s). And I apologize if I have upset anyone.

I root for all our Husky women & men to play great, stay healthy and realize their dreams. All my comments/opinions were based on the board's relative expectations for this incoming freshman in year #1 (which I interpreted as super high and perhaps unfair) and the stats that are available on the various websites.

I believe it was Molisanos that posted he/she felt that Blanca would go #7 in last night's WNBA draft --- which is fine. But that shared type of evaluation is what got me started on trying to temper expectations for the poor girl.

It's certainly "possible" that she could start and be a double/double contributor in year #1. I'm hoping we land a strong, experienced transfer so it's all a moot point and we can exploit the generational player we already have.

************************************************************************

And, yes, Nika's shooting improved her final year but unfortunately I've already confessed that I had already soured on her net contribution even though I knew she was (and always will be) a huge fan favorite.

 

[MHD789]

And if we do a conversion from Hartley units, Sarah and Ayanna are probably closer to 6’3”. I can’t get a read on Blanca’s actual height, but I’d guess it’s a Hartley or two above 6 feet. And Allie is probably just a Hartley shy of 6’1”. All told, this is probably the biggest lineup Geno’s had for over a decade if you count Gandy and if everyone’s healthy.

One more 6'4" player from Wisconsin would be wonderful.

 

[HuskyNan]

Boy, I really touched a nerve(s). And I apologize if I have upset anyone.

I root for all our Husky women & men to play great, stay healthy and realize their dreams. All my comments/opinions were based on the board's relative expectations for this incoming freshman in year #1 (which I interpreted as super high and perhaps unfair) and the stats that are available on the various websites.

I believe it was Molisanos that posted he/she felt that Blanca would go #7 in last night's WNBA draft --- which is fine. But that shared type of evaluation is what got me started on trying to temper expectations for the poor girl.

It's certainly "possible" that she could start and be a double/double contributor in year #1. I'm hoping we land a strong, experienced transfer so it's all a moot point and we can exploit the generational player we already have.

************************************************************************

And, yes, Nika's shooting improved her final year but unfortunately I've already confessed that I had already soured on her net contribution even though I knew she was (and always will be) a huge fan favorite.

You’re new here so you may not realize how common it is for UConn fans to declare a freshman a potential starter or even All American before she even reports to campus. The fan base is especially, and understandably, giddy right now so hyperbole is to be expected

We also tend to be somewhat protective of Our Girls. They are essentially surrogate granddaughters. Woe to the outsider or newbie that criticizes one of them

 

[donalddoowop]

Boy, I really touched a nerve(s). And I apologize if I have upset anyone.

I root for all our Husky women & men to play great, stay healthy and realize their dreams. All my comments/opinions were based on the board's relative expectations for this incoming freshman in year #1 (which I interpreted as super high and perhaps unfair) and the stats that are available on the various websites.

I believe it was Molisanos that posted he/she felt that Blanca would go #7 in last night's WNBA draft --- which is fine. But that shared type of evaluation is what got me started on trying to temper expectations for the poor girl.

It's certainly "possible" that she could start and be a double/double contributor in year #1. I'm hoping we land a strong, experienced transfer so it's all a moot point and we can exploit the generational player we already have.

************************************************************************

And, yes, Nika's shooting improved her final year but unfortunately I've already confessed that I had already soured on her net contribution even though I knew she was (and always will be) a huge fan favorite.

Blanca is a basketball recruit, not a "poor girl". More than likely a very good basketball recruit.

 

[NYCHUSKIES]

Blanca is going to be a nightmare match up for most top teams. She's going to live in that free throw line. She's going to fit in so nicely with Sarah and Ayana on that wing. Such diversity Geno will have on the 3 spot. Add in the versatility of Morgan playing the 2 or 3. Next years roster has multi-dimensional players on all 5 positions. How can anyone prepare for a game against Uconn.

 

[MHD789]

Blanca is a basketball recruit, not a "poor girl". More than likely a very good basketball recruit.

Don't know why you'd write such a comment but apparently you got two thumbs up. Baffling.

 

[Charliebball]

You’re new here so you may not realize how common it is for UConn fans to declare a freshman a potential starter or even All American before she even reports to campus. The fan base is especially, and understandably, giddy right now so hyperbole is to be expected

We also tend to be somewhat protective of Our Girls. They are essentially surrogate granddaughters. Woe to the outsider or newbie that criticizes one of them

This UConn fan still has too has good two eyes and Blanca's talent stands out like a sore thumb..........it doesn't take a seasoned scout to see what her potential impact on the team could be next season.......the fact that she's doing it at the professional level with and against skilled players (some with WNBA experience) who are as much as 5-8 years older just strengthens that opinion.......

 

[Bone Dog]

This UConn fan still has too has good two eyes and Blanca's talent stands out like a sore thumb..........it doesn't take a seasoned scout to see what her potential impact on the team could be next season.......the fact that she's doing it at the professional level with and against skilled players (some with WNBA experience) who are as much as 5-8 years older just strengthens that opinion.......

Exactly. It's not that Blanca is playing against the NY Liberty every game, or that she's already a superstar. But she's playing against a higher level of competition than most if not all US high school recruits and this is worth considering.

I mean, in high school, the seniors who get recruited by a D1 team have been playing against HS teams that may have a player or two who play at their level and will also be recruited, as well as players who will not get recruited at the D1 level, and a bunch of kids who are only 14 or 15 years old. Then these seniors show up at college and they go from being the oldest most seasoned veteran on the team to being the youngest, greenest recruit overnight. It usually takes most kids more than one season to get up to speed at the D1 level.

There are exceptions, but they are unusual. Paige was one, Sarah another -- they were D1 ready from their first day. This isn't to say they didn't get even better over time. But their starting point was higher. Same could be said for Caroline who carried the team for a stretch of her freshman year before the injuries took their toll on her. She was already playing at a D1 level early on. I'd also say this about Juju, and about Kennedy Smith, and Caitlin Clark, and Joyce Edwards. But these kids are the exception, not the rule.

Blanca will arrive at Storrs with a different sort of experience than almost all other recruits. She's already spent 2 seasons playing with and against seasoned veterans 5-8 years older than her. And some of them were indeed WNBA players. This doesn't mean she's another Paige or Sarah. But it does suggest that the baseline for her as a freshman is considerably higher than normal, and the learning curve is probably not nearly as steep. I expect this will show up on defense and in the transition offense first, and then gradually appear in the rest of her offensive skills.

 

[Molisanos]

Juste Jocyte was number 5th pick yesterday and Ajsa Sivka 10th trust me Blanca is better than them...

 

[Charliebball]

Exactly. It's not that Blanca is playing against the NY Liberty every game, or that she's already a superstar. But she's playing against a higher level of competition than most if not all US high school recruits and this is worth considering.

I mean, in high school, the seniors who get recruited by a D1 team have been playing against HS teams that may have a player or two who play at their level and will also be recruited, as well as players who will not get recruited at the D1 level, and a bunch of kids who are only 14 or 15 years old. Then these seniors show up at college and they go from being the oldest most seasoned veteran on the team to being the youngest, greenest recruit overnight. It usually takes most kids more than one season to get up to speed at the D1 level.

There are exceptions, but they are unusual. Paige was one, Sarah another -- they were D1 ready from their first day. This isn't to say they didn't get even better over time. But their starting point was higher. Same could be said for Caroline who carried the team for a stretch of her freshman year before the injuries took their toll on her. She was already playing at a D1 level early on. I'd also say this about Juju, and about Kennedy Smith, and Caitlin Clark, and Joyce Edwards. But these kids are the exception, not the rule.

Blanca will arrive at Storrs with a different sort of experience than almost all other recruits. She's already spent 2 seasons playing with and against seasoned veterans 5-8 years older than her. And some of them were indeed WNBA players. This doesn't mean she's another Paige or Sarah. But it does suggest that the baseline for her as a freshman is considerably higher than normal, and the learning curve is probably not nearly as steep. I expect this will show up on defense and in the transition offense first, and then gradually appear in the rest of her offensive skills.

I'm sure she will still have a learning curve on and off the court, but I'd assume that a kid sent to Italy from Ecuador as a fourteen-year-old will somehow manage to adapt to her new life in Storrs without major difficulty........after all she says she loves Italian food.....