C. Collier De-commitment

[Kaizen]

It is better now than later.
I also have the feeling we will get CW. Hope I am right.

 

[CocoHusky]

Really bad look on Flynn to bring unsubstantiated stuff like that up in a column about Charli Collier. One of his examples is of course Candace Parker. But I'm pretty sure Parker played in the 2012 Olympics when Geno was coaching. I guess he hid his snubbed-UConn agenda for that one.

Slu unless USA basketball=Geno Mike has not connected the Langhorne or Parker exclusion from USA basketball teams to Geno in any way. That would be a very lazy (dead wrong) inference typical of the orange tin foil brigade. When Andre Drummond was left off the Olympic team I didn't hear anyone blaming Coach K.

 

[HoopsFan21]

It is better now than later.
I also have the feeling we will get CW. Hope I am right.

Hope so too, but I am disappointed as I saw Z as the bridge to Collier as we've had a dearth of bigs lately. I know the game is changing and having a big immobile center is a bit antiquated, but we still need some players that are 6-4, 6-5 that can bang down low and rebound.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

"I know people will be mad at me about this," Collier said by phone on Friday. "But it's my decision."

...


Collier, whose home was spared by Hurricane Harvey, said she started to waiver in her decision over the past couple of months.

....


"No disrespect to UConn; they're the top team," Collier said. "I wish them the best."


Charli Collier decommits from Connecticut Huskies women's basketball, commits to Texas Longhorns

 

[Blueballer]

How many Centers do they need at Texas? Seems like they have a lot.

 

[oldude]

Difficult to candy-coat this one. It hurts to lose a 6'5" C/PF with range out to the arc. While Geno & his staff have done a wonderful job lining up talented g/w's, he has missed on 3 top Bigs in 4 yrs. (Wilson, Cox & Collier). Thank goodness for Z and Batouly.

 

[Tenspro2002]

What I am getting from Charli is that she has strong ties to her family and her friends, and the hurricane brought out some emotions to make her want to stay closer to home. All that is understandable. I like that she helped people affected by the hurricane and wish her the best in Austin.

I don't like that she de-committed twice and think she would have been developed more at UConn, but her priority is family. We've seen that before.

Why does this sort of stuff only ever hurt UConn and never help UConn?

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Very disappointing. But, hey, this is a 17 year-old kid. They change their minds. At the end of the day, I think we all want this young lady to have a successful career and be happy. It's not as if a 31 year-old pro dissed us.

Good luck to her. Onwards and upwards!!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Why does this sort of stuff only ever hurt UConn and never help UConn?

Because the talent pools are in Texas, California, Georgia, and Florida. When the kids stay closer to home, that rules out Connecticut.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Oh, crappy deim. Was not to be I guess. Better this than a mopper who goes how in December.

 

[JS]

Sorry, I call bulls--- on Flynn. There is no retribution. EDD made Team USA when healthy. Langhorne is a decent WNBA player with limitations. She's not Team USA caliber. The Parker situation was discussed at great length. She never decommitted from UConn, and she played in London in 2012.

All correct.

Here's the very garbled Flynn statement raising the specter of USA basketball retribution for leaving UConn.

it’s well known the pressure to leave comes with the inference that any future with USA Basketball could be doubt as witnessed by long-time WNBA and Euro stars Candace Parker (Tennessee-LA Sparks) and Crystal Langhorne (Maryland-Seattle Storm) stories.
​

First of all, one assumes he means pressure not to leave comes with that inference, but he says the opposite. OK, a little sloppy.

But then, in addition to the poor example of EDD (as others have pointed out), he refers to Parker and Langhorne, neither of whom ever committed much less left.

UConn never even recruited Parker, because her father told Geno he'd be wasting his time. There are lots of outstanding players not recruited by the best programs because it's clear they're going elsewhere.

If Geno were inclined to strike back at everyone in this category, he's spend all of his time plotting and none of it winning championships. But the orange-tinted conspiracy theory lives on, it seems.

Why Flynn even brings up this sort of flailing at the air at this point is a mystery.

The more interesting story line here, to me at least, is how a program like UConn, that recruits nationally and little from its own state, is vulnerable to mind changes because of situations that make recruits want to stay closer to home.

A hurricane here; the death of an uncle there (second Samuelson sister); an air travel safety scare (9/11, Nikki Blue); family needs (EDD); even rumored romantic attachments (so as not to be gossipy, will leave the several examples that come to mind unspoken).

But great basketball does prevail plenty enough of the time to allow UConn to carry on and thrive with its general appeal, not so?

 

[augustaTC]

Been said before, and applies to all sports, but I HATE the concept of early "Commitments". They mean absolutely nothing - just fuels the many recruiting web-sites, polls, etc., etc. Nonsense. Until the kids sign on the dotted line, its just talk. Move the signing date up perhaps, but otherwise "commitments" are silly.

 

[SCGamecock]

How many Centers do they need at Texas? Seems like they have a lot.

Agreed. That front court is getting very crowded.. Prince and Collier will join Joyner, Boothe and White. Uber talented though.. all top 10 players out of high school.

Long term though, I think Prince anchors the paint as a "stretch-5".. Joyner starts at 4.. then they'll rotate Collier and Boothe in as needed.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I don't have the energy tonight to scan the day's chat on this, but has anyone speculated about the influence of all the "news" about a potential 33 million budget cut vs Texas drowning in football bucks?

 

[Plebe]

Player development hasn't been a strong point of Coach Aston to this point.

2012
Imani Stafford
2014
Ariel Atkins
Brooke McCarty
2015
Higgs and Hosey

Only McCarty have some what improved.

Did you see Imani play in her freshman or sophomore years?!

 

[Go/huskies]

Did you see Imani play in her freshman or sophomore years?!

Yes, but I wouldn’t say she became outstanding, for a 6’7 player she couldn’t dominate the big 12.

 

[donalddoowop]

Agreed. That front court is getting very crowded.. Prince and Collier will join Joyner, Boothe and White. Uber talented though.. all top 10 players out of high school.

Long term though, I think Prince anchors the paint as a "stretch-5".. Joyner starts at 4.. then they'll rotate Collier and Boothe in as needed.

Based on some of Booth's comments about her ability, I don't think she will like that rotating.

 

[Coach]

Very disappointing. But, hey, this is a 17 year-old kid. They change their minds. At the end of the day, I think we all want this young lady to have a successful career and be happy. It's not as if a 31 year-old pro dissed us.

Good luck to her. Onwards and upwards!!

Better for her to change her mind now rather that after spending a year at UCONN and then transfer. We'll miss out in her talent but in the end, I think it'll work out for everyone.

 

[Charliebball]

Why does this sort of stuff only ever hurt UConn and never help UConn?

because at the moment many of the best players in the country are located in the Southwest and Southeast...............if and when New England and the New York metro area produce great players that want to stay close to their families, UConn will be in the driver's seat.................

 

[RockyMTblue2]

How many Centers do they need at Texas? Seems like they have a lot.

Don't worry, they have been huge for a while now and still manage to muck it up.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Oh wow.... just picking up on this now..... if she will be happiest at UTexas, then good for her... I wish her great luck and happiness.....

 

[uconn34]

A. Boston better player, better fit!

 

[uconnfan68]

Why does this sort of stuff only ever hurt UConn and never help UConn?

So you don't count transfers as karma? Getting Z and Batouly were strokes of genius by them.

 

[Carnac]

Quick BY poll........since Collier has decommited, what players from the 2018 class would you like to see UConn offer and sign?

 

[TitleTown]

Don't worry, they have been huge for a while now and still manage to muck it up.

That's because college basketball(women's and men's) is played from the outside in. You can have all the talent in the world at the post position, but if you don't have the guards needed to get them the ball or make jump shots to keep defenses from packing the paint, then they are pretty much useless.