Can Kaleena Become A Legendary Shooter?

[Sonny44]

.....along with Diana, Sue and Maya, Geno said point blank last year Kaleena would have to make a couple with the game on the line. This is her last year. Poor girl, she may never get a chance.

 

[chuckhusky]

.....along with Diana, Sue and Maya, Geno said point blank last year Kaleena would have to make a couple with the game on the line. This is her last year. Poor girl, she may never get a chance.

You meant to post this on April 1st, right?

 

[HoopsFan21]

.....along with Diana, Sue and Maya, Geno said point blank last year Kaleena would have to make a couple with the game on the line. This is her last year. Poor girl, she may never get a chance.

You never know, there could be a close game in the tournament where one of her shots decides it, though if I were a betting man I'd bet against it. I'm going to wait a year before thinking about her legacy.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Maya didn't have many opportunities with the game on the line.

Kaleena missed one at the buzzer against ND as a soph in a game when she had a quad contusion. When she's healthy, I want K taking that shot if the game is on the line.

How about the California state championship game in which she outscored the entire Berkeley team in the second half to get the victory? Not only was the game on the line, it was the biggest game of the year.

I'm not sure what the NCAA stats are, but I expect K will be in the top 5 in career tournament scoring. She's scored at least 12 points in each of 17 games. She has 293 points and counting. That's clutch!

 

[msf22b]

Not a chance

 

[01Neaggrad02]

.....along with Diana, Sue and Maya, Geno said point blank last year Kaleena would have to make a couple with the game on the line. This is her last year. Poor girl, she may never get a chance.

Kaleena showed what a baller she is during the NCAA tournament. She lead us throughout and was the most consistent. She won the MVP for the regional. She carried us when we needed to be carried.

I also love she hit the last basket against Notre Dame in the first half with 2 seconds left... and then she started the second half with an immediate basket. I think it took her 10 to 12 seconds to score that basket.

 

[DaddyChoc]

become? she is

(look at my profile pic)

 

[MilfordHusky]

Her shot was dubbed The Lewis Launch when she was 15 years old. Not even Diana, Sue, or Maya have had their shots named.

 

[caramel]

If Lewis can get a full season healthy,I would believe that she would be a legendary shooter this year.

Look at her statistics from her sophomore year per wikipedia:FG%-48.0,3PTFG%-49.2,FT%-89.5.

These outstanding statistics tell me,that when she is healthy,she is primed to excel this year?Why?Even though she was injured and ill last year,she still learned from watching the coaches and team,affecting her maturity.She has had all this summer to work,not only on recapturing her shooting touch,but strengthening her agility and quickness.

I am not coach,but if she is given the opportunity this year in a must score situation,I think she will light up the scoreboard.

There is one more thing.Jefferson has another year of experience,and I would bet Lewis will see more open looks this year,thanks to Jefferson's ability and intelligence to get her the ball in the open court.

 

[jdubct]

Thinking additionally in NBA terms, will she be regarded like a Reggie Lewis or a Ray Allen. By the time her career is over she will be.

 

[Kevin G]

Have we ever had anyone BESIDES KML lead the country in 3pt shooting % for the year??

 

[geneticrex]

KML's shooting prowess is well documented......

Not only is she THE 3pt threat, her mid-range and inside shooting skills are top shelf. Whether or not she can get the opportunities to hit "game on the line" shots depends on how many games come down to the wire and that remains to be seen as she enters her senior year.

That being said and as great a shooter as KML is, there is only one player I want with the ball in her hands with the game hanging in the balance and that player is Diana Taurasi. That woman hit more big shots, from more places on the court, against the best competition, than anyone I can remember.

Absolute ice water.....

 

[HoopsFan21]

KML's shooting prowess is well documented.

Not only is she THE 3pt threat, her mid-range and inside shooting skills are top shelf. Whether or not she can get the opportunities to hit "game on the line" shots depends on how many games come down to the wire and that remains to be seen as she enters her senior year.

That being said and as great a shooter as KML is, there is only one player I want with the ball in her hands with the game hanging in the balance and that player is Diana Taurasi. That woman hit more big shots, from more places on the court, against the best competition, than anyone I can remember.

Absolute ice water.....

I'll never forget that Taurasi 3/4 court shot (thanks to YouTube) against Tennessee at the halftime buzzer. Granted that probably wasn't her biggest shot in her UConn career, but that was just awesome.

 

[Icebear]

But even Taurasi isn't Taurasi anymore.

 

[phil sampieri]

But even Taurasi isn't Taurasi anymore.

Naw she only had 10 assists, double digit points & 2 steals. Diana knows she has to save her body at this point in her career and aspires, now to do what she did in 03-04 make everyone better
by dishing. One shot 2 seconds left there is noone but her I would want taking that shot, even today.

 

[alexrgct]

I believe KML is 105 three-pointers off from the NCAA record. As she was for all intents and purposes 100% her sophomore year, when she hit 118 threes, that record is certainly in play. Meanwhile, she is only 41 three-pointers off from the record for career three-pointers in UConn history (owned by Diana, seven ahead of Maya). Barring catastrophic injury, KML absolutely will set that record. There's a good chance she will overtake Wendy Davis in the very first game of next season, Ann Strother by game six, Maya by game 12 or 13, and D's record by game 20.

She has to be something of legendary shooter, doesn't she? With 105 threes, I think there's no debate, and if she has the UConn record, it's a strong argument.

 

[phil sampieri]

I believe KML is 105 three-pointers off from the NCAA record. As she was for all intents and purposes 100% her sophomore year, when she hit 118 threes, that record is certainly in play. Meanwhile, is only 41 three-pointers off from the record for career three-pointers in UConn history (owned by Diana, seven ahead of Maya). Barring catastrophic injury, KML absolutely will set that record. There's a good chance she will overtake Wendy Davis in the very first game of next season, Ann Strother by game six, Maya by game 12 or 13, and D's record by game 20.

She has to be something of legendary shooter, doesn't she? With 105 threes, I think there's no debate, and if she has the UConn record, it's a strong argument.

Agree and many times she has made a big 3 when the opponent was gaining momentum. Best 3 point shooter at UCONN and best anywhere.

 

[meyers7]

become? she is

(look at my profile pic)

That was my first thought. Become??

 

[HoopsFan21]

Guess it depends on your definition of legendary. As Geno said during last year's Final Four she has to make some when the game is on the line to be considered in the same class as Bird, Taurasi, and Moore.

 

[meyers7]

Have we ever had anyone BESIDES KML lead the country in 3pt shooting % for the year??

I believe Bird still holds the UCONN record for 3 pt % for a year with 49.7. Although she only took 145 shots compared to KML's 240. KML does hold the record for Most Made in a season.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I believe KML is 105 three-pointers off from the NCAA record. As she was for all intents and purposes 100% her sophomore year, when she hit 118 threes, that record is certainly in play. Meanwhile, she is only 41 three-pointers off from the record for career three-pointers in UConn history (owned by Diana, seven ahead of Maya). Barring catastrophic injury, KML absolutely will set that record. There's a good chance she will overtake Wendy Davis in the very first game of next season, Ann Strother by game six, Maya by game 12 or 13, and D's record by game 20.

She has to be something of legendary shooter, doesn't she? With 105 threes, I think there's no debate, and if she has the UConn record, it's a strong argument.

Thanks. I thought Kaleena's lost games this past season cost her a chance at Laurie Koehn's NCAA career mark. Apparently, it is still in reach. The overall record, regardless of gender, set by J.J. Redick, was reachable before, but appears safe now. I think K would need 130 or a little more. I hope she gets it, but in the concept of team play, 100-120 seems more likely.

 

[jcoton56]

Guess it depends on your definition of legendary. As Geno said during last year's Final Four she has to make some when the game is on the line to be considered in the same class as Bird, Taurasi, and Moore.

Many times we have seen K snuff out rallies and even more disheartening to the opponent, she has not permitted any offensive momentum. She has never had to come to the rescue, but seems to have a good sense of the game. Finally we have seen her come out of the locker room for the second half several times and drop a couple of 3's on the other team. she just seems to take the air out of the other guys. We have commented about how many of our women would have been prolific scorers on other squads. In the high assist UConn scheme, it is safe to start calling K legendary.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Many times we have seen K snuff out rallies and even more disheartening to the opponent, she has not permitted any offensive momentum. She has never had to come to the rescue, but seems to have a good sense of the game. Finally we have seen her come out of the locker room for the second half several times and drop a couple of 3's on the other team. she just seems to take the air out of the other guys. We have commented about how many of our women would have been prolific scorers on other squads. In the high assist UConn scheme, it is safe to start calling K legendary.

I'll call her legendary when Geno does. He tends to have the perspective us fans lack, especially when you're talking about over the history of the program, the first half of which I only know about through reading, ESPN Classic, and YouTube. The hard part about comparing teams/eras is the fact that you take Kaleena off last year's team, they could still win the title, mostly because of the huge interior mismatch advantage UConn had. You take Moore or Taurasi away from their teams and Pat still has the national championship record and by a comfortable margin. Again it's going to be a hard distinction to give because Kaleena's role on the team has never been the same as Taurasi, Moore, or even Stewie. Is she legendary because of her prolific 3 point shooting? Can you be legendary for your free throw shooting or shot blocking or any other statistical category where one excels? I don't think so, and that's kind if how I interpreted Geno's comments - there's more to it than just chucking up and making a ton of threes.

 

[Sonny44]

Legendary or not, she has the most beautiful shot I have ever seen. Fluid, efficient body, smooth release, nice high arc, takes forever to come down just to torture the defense, descends out of the clouds and nestles into the nest with a gentle TWISH. We'll never see another one like her's.

 

[alexrgct]

I'll call her legendary when Geno does. He tends to have the perspective us fans lack, especially when you're talking about over the history of the program, the first half of which I only know about through reading, ESPN Classic, and YouTube. The hard part about comparing teams/eras is the fact that you take Kaleena off last year's team, they could still win the title, mostly because of the huge interior mismatch advantage UConn had. You take Moore or Taurasi away from their teams and Pat still has the national championship record and by a comfortable margin. Again it's going to be a hard distinction to give because Kaleena's role on the team has never been the same as Taurasi, Moore, or even Stewie. Is she legendary because of her prolific 3 point shooting? Can you be legendary for your free throw shooting or shot blocking or any other statistical category where one excels? I don't think so, and that's kind if how I interpreted Geno's comments - there's more to it than just chucking up and making a ton of threes.

The title of this thread asks whether Kaleena can become a legendary SHOOTER, not just legendary in and of itself...