Could This Be The Best Team Ever?

[hoophuskee]

There is no such thing as "GOAT Team." All have different POV as to what one likes for a team to be GOAT.

I think it can be. It can also be amongst the most disappointing. One key big injury and one nagging injury etc. It's rare for me in that every single player I have a certain excitement to see. Usually I'm excited to see the team and some of the players. In this case every player this season fascinates me in some way. Even the last player on the bench.

A few things I am expecting that "wasn't" last year --

Collier to be terrific defensively now that she is no longer forced to guard most "very big centers."
I expect Stevens and Camara to be able to defend the paint very well.
I expect Stevens to play like a top-tier all-american.
At the end of the season I expect Danger to be very dangerous.
I expect this team to be vicious on the glass after the hurt Miss Sate put on UCONN early in FF.
I expect a couple of Geno meltdowns over the course of this season.

OFC my expectations won't diminish my excitement. I really am hopeful we can get a shot at Miss State again. Anyhow I think a team that has terrific guards that can control tempo would be the biggest worry.

 

[Mdoggie]

I like this ---though, I don't understand it!!!!

Approximately 1 1/2 yrs ago I spoke with coach regarding the Uconn team. He is from California and is very familiar with KLS and Girls High School basketball. He is also a very successful coach at Mt Sac JC (google it). Whenever I hear talk of KLS, who I like very much, it always reminds me of what coach told me about NP.

 

[hoophuskee]

Well said. Have no idea why people will hate Katie Lou?
She is a lovely girl doing her best in UConn women basketball team.
I love her just the same as I love Napheeza, Gabby, Kia, Crystal and now Azura and Batouly, and all the others.

I just think some people don't understand the value of a big-time shooter who happens to be pretty tall vs a one-on-one player. They prefer the super athlete that can go one-on-one.

 

[Kaizen]

Approximately 1 1/2 yrs ago I spoke with coach regarding the UConn team. He is from California and is very familiar with KLS and Girls High School basketball. He is also a very successful coach at Mt Sac JC (google it). Whenever I hear talk of KLS, who I like very much, it always reminds me of what coach told me about NP.

And, who is NP?

 

[Mdoggie]

"NP" NaPhessa

 

[CocoHusky]

You're definitely onto something Triple A. I, too, believe we're about to see something that has never occurred in WCBB. Beyond the greatest Husky team of all time, I'm thinking of the ultimate achievement: 4 NCs in a row with no defeats along the way. Megan graduates as the avatar of the New Perfection and eases Geno into retirement as the greatest coach of all time (if he isn't that already). If you think this is preposterous, recall that it wasn't so long ago that we BYers were speculating on 200 wins in a row--or maybe never losing again.

Also wasn't so long ago (4 month in fact) that some were predicting that KLS would graduate from UCONN UDEFEATED.

 

[Hope]

Gabby wasn't called the best basketball player, women's or men's, last year for nothing. Phee stupendous. KLS ... 10 3s in a row. Kia, the rock other teams break on. Crystal admittedly with stuff to prove. A sophomore leap will have Molly and Kyla being steady relief. The 4 freshman, all scoring machines itching for some time. These are all problems worth having! I have never been able to get into the "this team" versus "that team" thing in any sport and I count that a deficit of mine.

Stewie, Moriah and KML were proven scoring machines. Always excited when they shot the ball and always expected their shots to drop in. I don't think we know if one of the Fantastic Four can approach that level of shooting excellence. But I hope that each of them have the confidence to take the open shot.

 

[TitleTown]

Stewie, Moriah and KML were proven scoring machines. Always excited when they shot the ball and always expected their shots to drop in. I don't think we know if one of the Fantastic Four can approach that level of shooting excellence. But I hope that each of them have the confidence to take the open shot.

Collier scored more points in her sophomore season than Stewart did in her senior season.
Samuelson scored more points in her sophomore season than KML did in her senior season.
Williams scored more points in her junior season than Jefferson did in her senior season.

 

[Golden Husky]

You're definitely onto something Triple A. I, too, believe we're about to see something that has never occurred in WCBB. Beyond the greatest Husky team of all time, I'm thinking of the ultimate achievement: 4 NCs in a row with no defeats along the way. Megan graduates as the avatar of the New Perfection and eases Geno into retirement as the greatest coach of all time (if he isn't that already). If you think this is preposterous, recall that it wasn't so long ago that we BYers were speculating on 200 wins in a row--or maybe never losing again.

Whoa! You do realize UConn is going to lose five pretty good players in the next two years, right? If you can't take it one game at a time, maybe one season at a time?

 

[MSSportsGuy]

This could be a very, very special team. The 16 huskies are to me the best ever with the 02 squad and 98 lady vols not far behind. The talent is there for sure. Geno will have them ready.

 

[chrissaran]

Napheesa is great without question, but she will never dominate on the defensive end the way Breanna did.

 

[Waquoit]

Napheesa is great without question, but she will never dominate on the defensive end the way Breanna did.

But not for lack of trying, just for lack of height.

 

[Wally East]

All of this talk is just so the same as the talk heading into the 2000-01 season.

I know I keep saying that but, wow, it's exactly the same and that just didn't turn out well at all. Things happen during the season. Players develop or don't develop. There are injuries. Opponents emerge. Chemistry develops or it doesn't. A deeper bench does mean there's more of an ability to absorb an injury or two but it also means that chemistry is a lot trickier to deal with. It does sound like from the reports we're getting from practice that the team is doing well on a personal level and that's really important.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[Los24]

Nope. No Stewie, D, or Maya type player on this team. How many undefeated or title seasons have there been without a player like that on the roster?

Are you considering that this team only lost one game in overtime on a last second shot? Many of the players on this team have gone undefeated in a season. They will be better this season as not only will they be one year more experienced and stronger, but their gains in player talent is much better vs what has left. Also, you just listed three of the arguably best NCAA Women's college players of all-time. Having 2 returning all-americans and the DPOY is a solid foundation for an undefeated season.... plus adding another AA candidate in their weakest area last year. Yeah, I think they can go undefeated.

 

[hoophuskee]

All of this talk is just so the same as the talk heading into the 2000-01 season.

I know I keep saying that but, wow, it's exactly the same and that just didn't turn out well at all. Things happen during the season. Players develop or don't develop. There are injuries. Opponents emerge. Chemistry develops or it doesn't. A deeper bench does mean there's more of an ability to absorb an injury or two but it also means that chemistry is a lot trickier to deal with. It does sound like from the reports we're getting from practice that the team is doing well on a personal level and that's really important.

Haven't most of us said that UCONN could lose?

 

[SCGamecock]

Collier is good but Stewart just had this rare combination of height, length, and athleticism coupled with an ability to score anywhere on the floor. Stewart was special. She was so dominant in all facets.. I've always admired Stewart and truly relished watching her play because I've always thought it was unlikely that we'll ever see a college player like her again.. and I still feel that way.

I have no doubt in my mind though that this year's UConn team will be very good though..

 

[cbraarj]

It is hard to judge, because there have never been 4 super stars on one team before. With Maya, D, & Stewie, they stood out and had the spotlight all to themselves. This year that won't happen. This year the super stars are going to have to share the spotlight. I always thought KLS was the second coming of Stewie, and then she found herself on a team with Pheesa and Gabby and learned to subordinate her super star aspirations to play with other super stars. I think it is going to be similar to the Olympic team, where a bunch of super stars had a ball playing together, sharing the spotlight in a true team environment. I bet the players on this team are going to love it.

2002 had 1 1st team AA in Sue Bird, 2 2nd team AA in Cash and Taurasi, 3rd team AA in Aisha Jones and Honorable Mention AA in Tamika Williams! So there is 5 Superstars from 02! WNBA Draft Picks 2 - No.1s, a No.2, a No.4 and a No.6! 2001 IMO was the best team ever!

 

[cbraarj]

Collier scored more points in her sophomore season than Stewart did in her senior season.
Samuelson scored more points in her sophomore season than KML did in her senior season.
Williams scored more points in her junior season than Jefferson did in her senior season.

In the seasons you mentioned above. Three players won NCS in that season and they didnt play last year!

 

[cbraarj]

Azura will play the bigs on defense. That is a given but on offense she can play all 5 spots including the point. She can hit the 3, drive to the hope, post up and hit the mid-range jumper. With her floating out to the 3pt area the middle should be open for Pheese,Gabby and KLS to post up or take it to the hole. 1st team AA and POY IMO.

 

[TitleTown]

In the seasons you mentioned above. Three players won NCS in that season and they didnt play last year!

What?

 

[cbraarj]

Collier scored more points in her sophomore season than Stewart did in her senior season.
Samuelson scored more points in her sophomore season than KML did in her senior season.
Williams scored more points in her junior season than Jefferson did in her senior season.

IN Collier and Samuelson Soph. year and Gabbys JR. season they did score more points than Stewie, KML and Moriah did in their Sr. season. But Stewie, KML and MO won the NC in that season. The other 3 didnt win last year.

 

[bags27]

What a wonderful world for Husky fans (or is is arrogance?). The title of the post asks about the "best team ever" and all we're debating are best UConn teams ever. Guess no non-UConn team is even in that discussion, huh?

 

[TitleTown]

IN Collier and Samuelson Soph. year and Gabbys JR. season they did score more points than Stewie, KML and Moriah did in their Sr. season. But Stewie, KML and MO won the NC in that season. The other 3 didnt win last year.

I understand that. I was just proving the post by Hope that stated the current team has no "proven scoring machines" to be incorrect.

 

[j66kicker]

What a wonderful world for Husky fans (or is is arrogance?). The title of the post asks about the "best team ever" and all we're debating are best UConn teams ever. Guess no non-UConn team is even in that discussion, huh?

Correct.