Concerned About KK

[HuskyNan]

Stefanie was not predominantly down low,

Huh?

Kia never an offensive threat,

So what? There’s more to basketball than scoring Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes stars in her role - Andscape

Olivia really has developed in the WNBA,
…after her skills were developed at UConn

Tameka 6'2" more a power forward.
…who played in the post. She played center and received the coaching that gave her the skills to succeed there, like Tina

 

[HopJim]

Geno would also be surprised to hear concern about KK.
There is not a player on the roster that can replicate what she brings to the team. She is the team’s best perimeter defender, & it’s not close. The team can kiss goodbye the shots she creates for others in transition along with good decision making at that speed. Every player at all times is either bringing positive energy to the team or sucking it away. If KK is not #1 in this category you can count the ones ahead of her on one hand and have several fingers left. Maybe question her teammates & coaches about what she means to this group’s success and you would find she is a solution not some phantom problem. JMO

Perhaps the best word to describe KK is "irreplaceable." A minor concern with UConn this year has been the number of 3 pointers that the opposition has been able to make with Michigan the best example. When KK is guarding a shooter, they are lucky to get the ball past half court, much less set up for a shot. Her offense this year is also greatly improved. While Azzi is special, when KK graduates, I will have the same concerns about replacing her skills as I do with Fudd.

 

[H Dog]

Perhaps the best word to describe KK is "irreplaceable." A minor concern with UConn this year has been the number of 3 pointers that the opposition has been able to make with Michigan the best example. When KK is guarding a shooter, they are lucky to get the ball past half court, much less set up for a shot. Her offense this year is also greatly improved. While Azzi is special, when KK graduates, I will have the same concerns about replacing her skills as I do with Fudd.

In total agreement, anyone who thinks that there are concerns regarding KK or that she shouldn't be starting or will be replaced by somebody else at the point is being nonsensical. There's a reason why in a tight game like Michigan she plays 37 minutes and why when she was out in the 2nd quarter of the Utah game our offense went in the tank and we were almost outscored. She is the engine that fuels the entire team on both offense and defense and is the team's emotional floor leader. I believe that Geno and the whole team know how valuable and talented she is and that a PG on this team doesn't need to score a lot of points to be highly effective with 2 other prolific AA scorers and other very capable offensive players. She often makes the pass that leads to the pass that gets the assist or defensively causes the disruption or makes the play that leads to the steal or the turnover for someone else. The last few games she's made a lot of perfect passes that just weren't converted so she didn't get the assist, but the point is that her decision making, ball handing and passing have been spot on all year and she has been more under control then anyone on the team and her defense is unparallelled. She is also a very good rebounder for a guard and totally unselfish. On almost any other team in the country she'd be one the focal points of the offense and probably average close to 20 points and 8-10 assists. Kayleigh Heckel is a fine player and will hopefully continue to improve and learn the Husky system and be a boon to the team but anyone who is claiming that she is more talented or a better defender or faster than KK or should be starting instead of her is just ridiculous. If she hadn't been in crowded talented backcourts with Paige and Nika and Ash 2 years ago and Paige Azzi Kaitlyn and Ash last year she'd be capable of putting up stats where she'd be considered an AA candidate. There's a reason why she was unanimously chosen as Top Dawg at Kelsey Plum's select camp of the top college guards training for the WNBA, she is an elite talent and we are lucky to have her for 2 more years.