Dawn Staley Gives Huge Shoutout to Kiah Stokes

[bschwartz]

Did you know Kiah came very very close to quitting basketball at UConn to play volleyball? (Source: Kiah Stokes)

 

[Carnac]

Kiah spent a lot of time in Geno’s “Dawg House” early on that was the subject of a lot of conversation and debate here in the yard. How close she was to leaving was anyone’s guess. To me, she didn't appear to be happy her first 3 years. If you remember, she and Saniya Chong lost their starting positions in 2014 after the 2nd game of the season after that loss to Stanford. UConn would go on to run the table from that point and win the national championship.

Someone talked her into not quitting on the team, Geno or herself. It’s a good bet that her parents had a large part to do with her decision to stay and stick it out. I'm glad she did. For different reasons, she and Moriah Jefferson have always been two of my favorites.

 

[ucbart]

Geno going to our big lineup(Dolson/Stewart/Stokes) in the 2014 FF against Stanford was just what the team needed. She was a huge part of that win. I think Kiah is the best post defender in UCONN WBB history and she should've been the NDPOY in 2015.

 

[Charliebball]

clearly one of the most gifted natural shot blockers I've ever seen......

 

[enigmatic]

Kiah was my favorite player on the 2015 team. Recorded a triple double and was among the nation's leader in blocks statistically all doing so coming off the bench. I have yet to see a UCONN player since then rebound and post defend the way she did.

 

[HuskyNan]

Kiah spent a lot of time in Geno’s “Dawg House” early on that was the subject of a lot of conversation and debate here in the yard. How close she was to leaving was anyone’s guess. To me, she didn't appear to be happy her first 3 years. If you remember, she and Saniya Chong lost their starting positions in 2014 after the 2nd game of the season after that loss to Stanford. UConn would go on to run the table from that point and win the national championship.
View attachment 77801
Someone talked her into not quitting on the team, Geno or herself. It’s a good bet that her parents had a large part to do with her decision to stay and stick it out. I'm glad she did. For different reasons, she and Moriah Jefferson have always been two of my favorites.

Are you sure you’re not think of Charde? I don’t remember that Kiah was that unhappy or thinking of leaving

 

[Carnac]

Are you sure you’re not think of Charde? I don’t remember that Kiah was that unhappy or thinking of leaving

No. I was not a full-time UConn fan/follower while Charde was here (2004-2008). I didn’t start following UConn until after the 2008 season when I retired and had more leisure time to do so. I remember that Maya Moore was a sophomore when I started following the Huskies.

I never expressed any doubt on line that I thought she was unhappy. Just casual observations I made along with some observations made by several posters. I never read anywhere where she said or suggested she was contemplating leaving.

 

[HuskyNan]

No. I was not a full-time UConn fan/follower while Charde was here (2004-2008). I didn’t start following UConn until after the 2008 season when I retired and had more leisure time to do so. I remember that Maya Moore was a sophomore when I started following the Huskies.

I never expressed any doubt on line that I thought she was unhappy. Just casual observations I made along with some observations made by several posters. I never read anywhere where she said or suggested she was contemplating leaving.

You said someone talked her into staying. It’s simply not true. This is how some of the nonsense we see on the Boneyard becomes a “fact” that “everyone knows”

Yet Kiah and her dad insist that she never wanted to transfer.

"To play at UConn is a tremendous honor," Greg, 51, said. "Kiah had two goals when she decided to go here. One was to be pushed as hard as she could be pushed and the other was to win national championships. She definitely got what she signed up for.

Stokes Has Two Tough Guys, Both Father Figures, In Her Corner

STORRS — Kiah Stokes smiled mischievously when asked what she will say to Geno Auriemma when they hug at center court of Gampel Pavilion during Senior Day ceremonies Saturday. “Maybe th…

www.courant.com

 

[bschwartz]

I got a few seconds to chat with her following a Liberty game. I said one of the reasons I was a big fan of hers is because of her persistence. Not many bench players have a WNBA team trade up fore them in the first round. She said she nearly quit to play volleyball. So glad she stuck with it. She gets a lot of grief for her offense, but she is a role player that fits her role well. Offenses is not the Aces challenge. She has made a good career in the WNBA and in Turkey. I like rooting for the players who aren't the biggest stars.

 

[Bigboote]

Kiah should have been the rookie of the year in 2015. The voters didn't take anything into account except points. Okay, maybe draft position. She's a really underrated player.

 

[eebmg]

Kiah should have been the rookie of the year in 2015. The voters didn't take anything into account except points. Okay, maybe draft position. She's a really underrated player.

I am happy Kiah has carved out a niche in this league as a good rebounder but I am a bit surprised she has not been the stud shot blocker she was in her rookie year.

 

[Alydar]

More than a few posters were on Stokes for most of her UConn career. It was always about her offense along with comments that Geno's meager use of her would likely lead to a transfer. On other boards her pro potential was seen as meager due to her lack of offense and the fact that she never started.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I am happy Kiah has carved out a niche in this league as a good rebounder but I am a bit surprised she has not been the stud shot blocker she was in her rookie year.

Fewer minutes have lowered her stats.

 

[HuskyNan]

More than a few posters were on Stokes for most of her UConn career. It was always about her offense along with comments that Geno's meager use of her would likely lead to a transfer. On other boards her pro potential was seen as meager due to her lack of offense and the fact that she never started.

Again, that never happened. We do not allow transfer threads - ever

 

[eebmg]

Fewer minutes have lowered her stats.

I took that into account. 2.0 Blocks per game in 25 minutes rookie year. Folowing seasons scaled to 25 minutes, varies from 1.4 lowering to about 1.0 last season although I see an uptick this season to about 1.4 scaled to 25 minutes.

 

[Carnac]

You said someone talked her into staying. It’s simply not true. This is how some of the nonsense we see on the Boneyard becomes a “fact” that “everyone knows”

Yet Kiah and her dad insist that she never wanted to transfer.

"To play at UConn is a tremendous honor," Greg, 51, said. "Kiah had two goals when she decided to go here. One was to be pushed as hard as she could be pushed and the other was to win national championships. She definitely got what she signed up for.

Stokes Has Two Tough Guys, Both Father Figures, In Her Corner

STORRS — Kiah Stokes smiled mischievously when asked what she will say to Geno Auriemma when they hug at center court of Gampel Pavilion during Senior Day ceremonies Saturday. “Maybe th…

www.courant.com

You're much closer to the program than I am. Like Will Rogers, all I know is what I read in the newspapers and on the boneyard. We have a poster that claims she came close to transferring to South Carolina to play volleyball, you say it never happened. I'm in the middle.

bschwartz: "I got a few seconds to chat with her following a Liberty game. I said one of the reasons I was a big fan of hers is because of her persistence. Not many bench players have a WNBA team trade up fore them in the first round. She said she nearly quit to play volleyball. So glad she stuck with it. She gets a lot of grief for her offense, but she is a role player that fits her role well. Offenses is not the Aces challenge. She has made a good career in the WNBA and in Turkey. I like rooting for the players who aren't the biggest stars."

You say it never happened, He says it did, and got it directly from her. I'm NOT saying it did or didn't. I just commented on bscwartz's comments. When someone, anyone is contemplating something, they may (not all the time) share those feelings with someone they trust, and usually get some feed back. I'm assuming that happened here. Do I know it as fact, no. Perceptions and situations change. That's why there are so many players entering the transfer portal every year. Programs that seemed like a perfect fit to a recruit on the outside looking in, can change once the player is on the inside. I'm not saying it did here, just that it's possible. UConn has had its share of players leaving the program recently.

If someone is contemplating divorce, they may share those feelings with a trusted person who is going to give them feed back. Whether they follow it is another matter. All I'm saying is "IF" it did happen, she probably shared those feelings and someone talked to her and suggested it would be in her best interest to stay. You may be able to convince me that she never contemplated leaving. Not sure you'll ever convince bschwartz of that. Until proven otherwise, I think bschwartz has much credibility as any other poster here.

 

[GoingPostal]

I'd have to say that Kelly Faris and Kiah Stokes were two of my favorite Huskies all time. They weren't the all americans but were the supporting cast that filled the roles that needed to be filled to bring the championships back to Stores. Nike Muhl is cut from the same cloth.

 

[Skeets]

You're much closer to the program than I am. Like Will Rogers, all I know is what I read in the newspapers and on the boneyard. We have a poster that claims she came close to transferring to South Carolina to play volleyball, you say it never happened. I'm in the middle.

bschwartz: "I got a few seconds to chat with her following a Liberty game. I said one of the reasons I was a big fan of hers is because of her persistence. Not many bench players have a WNBA team trade up fore them in the first round. She said she nearly quit to play volleyball. So glad she stuck with it. She gets a lot of grief for her offense, but she is a role player that fits her role well. Offenses is not the Aces challenge. She has made a good career in the WNBA and in Turkey. I like rooting for the players who aren't the biggest stars."

You say it never happened, He says it did, and got it directly from her. I'm NOT saying it did or didn't. I just commented on bscwartz's comments. When someone, anyone is contemplating something, they may (not all the time) share those feelings with someone they trust, and usually get some feed back. I'm assuming that happened here. Do I know it as fact, no. Perceptions and situations change. That's why there are so many players entering the transfer portal every year. Programs that seemed like a perfect fit to a recruit on the outside looking in, can change once the player is on the inside. I'm not saying it did here, just that it's possible. UConn has had its share of players leaving the program recently.

If someone is contemplating divorce, they may share those feelings with a trusted person who is going to give them feed back. Whether they follow it is another matter. All I'm saying is "IF" it did happen, she probably shared those feelings and someone talked to her and suggested it would be in her best interest to stay. You may be able to convince me that she never contemplated leaving. Not sure you'll ever convince bschwartz of that. Until proven otherwise, I think bschwartz has much credibility as any other poster here.

Knowing One, I think Nan was saying (Nan, please correct me if I'm wrong) that a transfer discussion never happened on the BY.

 

[asuwish]

Did you know Kiah came very very close to quitting basketball at UConn to play volleyball? (Source: Kiah Stokes)

I believe Kiah had a 4.0 gpa at UConn. Very smart person!

 

[Carnac]

Knowing One, I think Nan was saying (Nan, please correct me if I'm wrong) that a transfer discussion never happened on the BY.

I know that. I've only been in the yard since 2015, The policy of "discussion/debate" of possible transfers of active UConn players here in the yard was in place long before I joined, and has been vigorously enforced since I've been here. It's very possible you are correct in my perceiving her "It never happened" incorrectly. Thanks for the heads up. I try to stay between the lines when I post.

To me. this is a moot point at his time. Kiah left after the 2015 season. She's been gone 7 years. Whether she did or didn't really doesn't matter now in 2022. Once again, I'm still a BIG fan of hers, I'm thrilled she played all 4 years at UConn, I'm glad she's still in the league, and I enjoy watching her play.

 

[Alydar]

As much as I'm a fan of UConn I don't believe any college sports information office is a font of truth and openness. Only happy thoughts allowed there. Remember, it may be a university and dedicated to truth but those turnstiles at the door make it a business. And in the US today it's OK to cheat lie and steal as long as you are a business ... and you don't get caught.

 

[TCC Kid]

Kiah spent a lot of time in Geno’s “Dawg House” early on that was the subject of a lot of conversation and debate here in the yard. How close she was to leaving was anyone’s guess. To me, she didn't appear to be happy her first 3 years. If you remember, she and Saniya Chong lost their starting positions in 2014 after the 2nd game of the season after that loss to Stanford. UConn would go on to run the table from that point and win the national championship.
View attachment 77801
Someone talked her into not quitting on the team, Geno or herself. It’s a good bet that her parents had a large part to do with her decision to stay and stick it out. I'm glad she did. For different reasons, she and Moriah Jefferson have always been two of my favorites.

Kiah, during a spell, I believe just before her Junior year wanted OUT. But her Dad spoke to Geno and said--she isn't leaving, she started she'll finish. I'm not so sure tht sat well with Kiah but she stuck it out. I was then and still now her fan. Uconn never had a greater "back stop", few driving guards got past her.

 

[TCC Kid]

Geno going to our big lineup(Dolson/Stewart/Stokes) in the 2014 FF against Stanford was just what the team needed. She was a huge part of that win. I think Kiah is the best post defender in UCONN WBB history and she should've been the NDPOY in 2015.

That is one Boneyard comment, on Kiah, I truly believe. (second /3rd sentences).

 

[TCC Kid]

More than a few posters were on Stokes for most of her UConn career. It was always about her offense along with comments that Geno's meager use of her would likely lead to a transfer. On other boards her pro potential was seen as meager due to her lack of offense and the fact that she never started.

Possibly, she could have scored more. Look at the lineup she was in games with, she filled a role that was necessary--more than scoring. However, when she had the opportunity--I refer you to nearly all her games as a Jr/Sr--she scored. It was an illusion Geno, in jest or probing, gave to the public.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Kiah Stokes left her mark at UCONN.

She holds the UCONN record book for blocks in a game with 10 and is one of the 5 (yes, 5) triple doubles recorded in UCONN history with 10pts/11rebounds/10blocks versus ECU in 2015