Deauzya Richards 2017 guard

[Nuyoika]

I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a bunch of transfers next year and the year after.

 

[uconnell]

You are walking a thin line here. We have a rule against harmful speculation - stick to facts, not to what you think Jeff Walz believes.

Sorry Nan, I lost respect for Walz for the Baylor game. Whether he instructed his players to get that physical or not,he did not tell them to stop. I don't even particularly like Baylor but that game got me very upset.

 

[Go/huskies]

It appears that Kim Mulkey (who has become a master recruiter) is getting "first dibs" on the top talent across the state, while the other Texas programs are left to fight for her left overs.

What a reversal in fortunes. It was only a few years ago when it was the other way around. Make no mistake about it. Baylor has become a coveted destination by the local talent. Mulkey has put Baylor on the map of highly ranked WCBB programs.

Mulkey has a strong relationship with the DFW program.

 

[Carnac]

Here's an article on that commitment: http://espn.go.com/espnw/sports/art...rds-gives-verbal-commitment-baylor-lady-bears

Not that familiar with her, but she seems to be an off-guard. Will be interesting to see if she and 2016 recruit Natalie Chou -- about the same size, but listed as a combo guard -- fit together. Baylor is starting to resemble OSU and Maryland -- so many parts coming in, how do you find the best way to assemble them?

I hope we don't have to hear anymore talk (claims/assertions) about UConn getting ALL of the blue chip talent. Baylor, Notre Dame, South Carolina and Louisville are soaking up all of the top talent now, be they transfers or recruits.

 

[Nuyoika]

I hope we don't have to hear anymore talk (claims/assertions) about UConn getting ALL of the blue chip talent. Baylor, Notre Dame, South Carolina and Louisville are soaking up all of the top talent now, be they transfers or recruits.

That argument was always more of an excuse than a reality. UConn generally keeps their roster to 11 or 12 scholly players and then you see these other teams with all the players they are trying to shuffle in and out to make room or what have you and I think hold on.... didn't you say UConn gets ALL the players? lol

 

[Carnac]

I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a bunch of transfers next year and the year after.

Yeah! It looks like the old ball coach (Mulkey) is playing "musical chairs" down there in Waco. You know what happens when the music stops.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Yep, the meme that Connecticut "gets all the best talent" has always been wrong. UConn has sometimes got the best player in the country- Diana, Maya, Breanna, or Tina. But lots of great players have given Connecticut a pass: Jewel Lloyd, Taya Reimer, A'ja Wilson, and lots and lots of others. Not only does Coach Geno not use all of his scholarships, but UConn has often played with an almost nonexistent bench. And not because he likes it that way, but because a lot of kids he wanted went elsewhere.

But he's overcome those recruiting losses (remember when Kelly Faris was his only recruit one year, or that Saniya Chong was also a one-recruit recruiting class?) with coaching genius.

 

[easttexastrash]

Yeah! It looks like the old ball coach (Mulkey) is playing "musical chairs" down there in Waco. You know what happens when the music stops.

And we get to have our cake and eat it too.

 

[easttexastrash]

Yep, the meme that Connecticut "gets all the best talent" has always been wrong. UConn has sometimes got the best player in the country- Diana, Maya, Breanna, or Tina. But lots of great players have given Connecticut a pass: Jewel Lloyd, Taya Reimer, A'ja Wilson, and lots and lots of others. Not only does Coach Geno not use all of his scholarships, but UConn has often played with an almost nonexistent bench. And not because he likes it that way, but because a lot of kids he wanted went elsewhere.

But he's overcome those recruiting losses (remember when Kelly Faris was his only recruit one year, or that Saniya Chong was also a one-recruit recruiting class?) with coaching genius.

You got Stewart, Tuck and Jefferson in the same class. Are you saying that Geno has not had the top talent for the past four years? The real test will be next year when Geno ONLY has three top 10 players in Samuelson, Collier and Dangerfield, plus Canadian National Team member Nurse.

 

[easttexastrash]

Yeah! It looks like the old ball coach (Mulkey) is playing "musical chairs" down there in Waco. You know what happens when the music stops.

Transfers are part of the game, as evidenced by UCONN's current roster being impacted by the transfer-out of Edwards and Byokin, and transfer-in of Butler. Baylor has lost two transfers out at the guard position in the past couple of seasons with Small and Wright choosing to leave the team. Both saw the writing on the wall that their playing time would be limited with the transfer-in of Jones. Buckner also chose to leave when Mulkey landed the two top post players in the 2015 class.

It would not surprise me to see Baylor lose a couple of players after this season as there are a few who simply are not going to get much playing time. But they may have the same decision to make that some UCONN players have to make, stay for the chance at a national championship or leave and go somewhere else for more playing time.

 

[Carnac]

You got Stewart, Tuck and Jefferson in the same class. Are you saying that Geno has not had the top talent for the past four years? The real test will be next year when Geno ONLY has three top 10 players in Samuelson, Collier and Dangerfield, plus Canadian National Team member Nurse.

Easy ET. Slow your roll. No one is throwing darts at Baylor. I'm glad for all of the success she's having. All I said was I hope that with all of the top blue chip recruits committing and signing else where, the UConn haters and dissidents will stop whining and complaining that UConn "gets ALL of the best" recruits every year. THAT is just not the case.

Go to ESPN's "hoop girlz" and look at the past 5 classes (2012-2016). Start with The class of 2012. Notice where the top 10 rated players went in each of those classes. UConn did get some, but not get all of them. There are some genuine gold nuggets that are not in the top 10-15. Some of the lower raked girls became some of the best players in the game today.

Aerial Powers (Michigan State) was rated #98, Tiffany Mitchell (South Carolina) ranked #46. Courtney Walker (Texas A&M) ranked # 32., etc. None of them were ranked in the top 25, yet ALL of them are the one of the best players on their respective teams.

Its not where or how highly a player is ranked, but what you do (train, teach & develop) with the ones you get. Geno Auriemma is recognized and acknowledged as one of the nation's best recruiters and teachers in WCBB. He recruits players that can fit into his already established and proven program.

There is a method to his madness. He does not recruit a player just because she averages 25 pts/15 rebounds a game. He recruits players that he can work with, that want to work with him. He does not recruit selfish or its all about "me" players.

He can/has done more with less than most other coaches. That is a tangible fact that cannot be argued. The proof is setting in UConn's trophy cases in the Werth Family Basketball Champions Center on campus.

 

[easttexastrash]

Easy ET. Slow your roll. No one is throwing darts at Baylor. I'm glad for all of the success she's having. All I said was I hope that with all of the top blue chip recruits committing and signing else where, the UConn haters and dissidents will stop whining and complaining that UConn "gets ALL of the best" recruits every year. THAT is just not the case.

Go to ESPN's "hoop girlz" and look at the past 5 classes (2012-2016). Start with The class of 2012. Notice where the top 10 rated players went in each of those classes. UConn did get some, but not get all of them. There are some genuine gold nuggets that are not in the top 10-15. Some of the lower raked girls became some of the best players in the game today.

Aerial Powers (Michigan State) was rated #98, Tiffany Mitchell (South Carolina) ranked #46. Courtney Walker (Texas A&M) ranked # 32., etc. None of them were ranked in the top 25, yet ALL of them are the one of the best players on their respective teams.

Its not where or how highly a player is ranked, but what you do (train, teach & develop) with the ones you get.
Geno Auriemma is recognized and acknowledged as one of the nation's best recruiters and teachers in WCBB. He recruits players that can fit into his already established and proven program.

There is a method to his madness. He does not recruit a player just because she averages 25 pts/15 rebounds a game. He recruits players that he can work with, that want to work with him. He does not recruit selfish or its all about "me" players.

He can/has done more with less than most other coaches. That is a tangible fact that cannot be argued. The proof is setting in UConn's trophy cases in the Werth Family Basketball Champions Center on campus.

I agree that Geno is an incredible coach, but I am hard pressed to find a NC that did not include the top player in their respective recruiting classes. To imply that Geno's success is not a correlation to talent level on the team is a weak argument. And there is nothing wrong with that. Part of being a great coach is having great players. Heck, even a lousy coach like Pat was, according to many on this board, managed to win a couple with Candace Parker.

But I do agree that if neither Notre Dame, Baylor or South Carolina can we a championship over the next two or three years that the myth of UCONN winning without top talent will be completely dis-proven.

 

[easttexastrash]

e are some genuine gold nuggets that are not in the top 10-15. Some of the lower raked girls became some of the best players in the game today.

Aerial Powers (Michigan State) was rated #98, Tiffany Mitchell (South Carolina) ranked #46. Courtney Walker (Texas A&M) ranked # 32., etc. None of them were ranked in the top 25, yet ALL of them are the one of the best players on their respective teams.

You left out Nina Davis, who was ranked #52. And Niya Johnson, who was ranked #43.

 

[Carnac]

Transfers are part of the game, as evidenced by UCONN's current roster being impacted by the transfer-out of Edwards and Byokin, and transfer-in of Butler. Baylor has lost two transfers out at the guard position in the past couple of seasons with Small and Wright choosing to leave the team. Both saw the writing on the wall that their playing time would be limited with the transfer-in of Jones. Buckner also chose to leave when Mulkey landed the two top post players in the 2015 class.

It would not surprise me to see Baylor lose a couple of players after this season as there are a few who simply are not going to get much playing time. But they may have the same decision to make that some UCONN players have to make, stay for the chance at a national championship or leave and go somewhere else for more playing time.

UConn's recent transfers did not leave because they were being pushed out due to "over recruiting". Sadie Edwards left because she wanted more playing time than she was getting, and (this is my own personal opinion) her parents were not happy with her lack of time either. On the depth chart, she was right in front of the two walk-ons. She transferred to USCw , where she became a starter the day she became eligible this past December. Looking from the outside in, it appears that someone brokered that deal for her. I would not say that the departure of Boykin and Edwards negatively impacted our program. The program has done OK in their absence. Geno and staff have recruited players from the 2016 class to cover those vacancies.

I do not know the real reason De'Janae Boykin left. Maybe some of the other posters know, and can help me out on that one. Boykin never played a minute this season. The official reason given was that she wanted to be closer to home. At the time she left, she was recuperating from some health issues, and was also experiencing some challenges in the classroom. To my knowledge, neither one of them were asked or forced to leave the program.

Natalie Butler dropped in our lap. She was not happy at Georgetown because of recent team coaching changes. To my knowledge, Geno did not recruit or ask her to come to Storrs, since to do so would have been a major NCAA violation. The same can be said about Breanna Banks (Penn State). She left on her own. She was not forced or asked to leave. She too wanted more playing time. Most of the posters here in the Boneyard were disappointed to see them leave. We wished them all the best. None of us were happy to see them go.

I don't keep track or follow Baylor basketball. I have no idea what Mulkey is doing. It just seems TO ME (based on the media reports we get) that she appears to be over recruiting the number of available scholarships that she can give out. What's going on behind closed doors is anybody's guess. Whatever she is doing, is of no concern to me. I'm sure she'll stay within the restraints of NCAA Division 1 athletic recruiting protocol. You're much closer to their program than I am. I must bow to your knowledge about anything concerning Baylor women's basketball.

 

[Carnac]

You left out Nina Davis, who was ranked #52. And Niya Johnson, who was ranked #43.

Agreed, you get my drift. Most top ranked programs would love to have both of them on their rosters.

 

[Carnac]

I agree that Geno is an incredible coach, but I am hard pressed to find a NC that did not include the top player in their respective recruiting classes. To imply that Geno's success is not a correlation to talent level on the team is a weak argument. And there is nothing wrong with that. Part of being a great coach is having great players. Heck, even a lousy coach like Pat was, according to many on this board, managed to win a couple with Candace Parker.

But I do agree that if neither Notre Dame, Baylor or South Carolina can we a championship over the next two or three years that the myth of UCONN winning without top talent will be completely dis-proven.

You're suggesting that Geno had the top 1-2 ranked players in every class in the years UConn won a championship? Without researching that, I'm pretty sure that is not the case. When you say "the top player", you're referring to the #1 ranked player in each class. If you are going to make that argument, then you need to support your argument with some facts. You would have to go back to 1995, and look at all of the classes since then to now, to research and document your comment. Without looking, I doubt Geno got the #1 (the top) recruit from each class as you claim for all the years that UConn won a NC. Prove me wrong.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

You got Stewart, Tuck and Jefferson in the same class. Are you saying that Geno has not had the top talent for the past four years? The real test will be next year when Geno ONLY has three top 10 players in Samuelson, Collier and Dangerfield, plus Canadian National Team member Nurse.

Look at the tremendous haul of talent by Baylor, by Notre Dame, by Maryland. And look back at the recruiting class with Maya Moore. I seem to recall that there were only two seniors on senior night recognized. And between the departure of Diana Taurasi and the arrival of Tina Charles, there were about five years of a drought in talent. Diana willed the team to her third championship. And then the team lost eight games in one season. I think it was only in the third year after D left that Tina Charles arrived. Then the next year we had Maya, and the rest was history.

 

[masshusk77]

Easy ET. Slow your roll. No one is throwing darts at Baylor. I'm glad for all of the success she's having. All I said was I hope that with all of the top blue chip recruits committing and signing else where, the UConn haters and dissidents will stop whining and complaining that UConn "gets ALL of the best" recruits every year. THAT is just not the case.

Go to ESPN's "hoop girlz" and look at the past 5 classes (2012-2016). Start with The class of 2012. Notice where the top 10 rated players went in each of those classes. UConn did get some, but not get all of them. There are some genuine gold nuggets that are not in the top 10-15. Some of the lower raked girls became some of the best players in the game today.

Aerial Powers (Michigan State) was rated #98, Tiffany Mitchell (South Carolina) ranked #46. Courtney Walker (Texas A&M) ranked # 32., etc. None of them were ranked in the top 25, yet ALL of them are the one of the best players on their respective teams.

Its not where or how highly a player is ranked, but what you do (train, teach & develop) with the ones you get. Geno Auriemma is recognized and acknowledged as one of the nation's best recruiters and teachers in WCBB. He recruits players that can fit into his already established and proven program.

There is a method to his madness. He does not recruit a player just because she averages 25 pts/15 rebounds a game. He recruits players that he can work with, that want to work with him. He does not recruit selfish or its all about "me" players.

He can/has done more with less than most other coaches. That is a tangible fact that cannot be argued. The proof is setting in UConn's trophy cases in the Werth Family Basketball Champions Center on campus.

Its interesting when you look at the WNBA drafts and where the players started. I looked through this years mock draft on Excelle Sports and here is the draft and what they were ranked coming out of high school according to the hoop gurlz rankings. Its proof positive that Geno really does develop his players and make sure they improve throughout their time in Storrs.

Round 1
1. Breanna Stewart-UConn (1)-2012
2. Moriah Jefferson-UConn (2)-2012
3. Rachel Banham-Minnesota (19)-2011
4. Morgan Tuck-UConn (6)-2012
5. Imani Boyette-Texas (11)-2012
6. Aerial Powers-Michigan St. (98)-2012
7. Tiffany Mitchell-South Carolina (46)-2012
8. Jonquel Jones-GW (17)-2012
9. Courtney Williams-USF (Not Ranked)-2012
10. Megan Podkowa-DePaul (Not Ranked)-2012
11. Adut Bulgak-Florida St. (Not Ranked-JuCo)-2012
12. Temi Fagbenli-USC (13)-2011

Round 2
13. Jamie Weisner-Oregon St (41)-2012
14. Ruth Hamblin-Oregon St (Not Ranked)-2012
15. Sheeresha Richards-Albany (Not Ranked)-2012
16. Lexi Eaton-BYU (Not Ranked)-2011
17. Shacobia Barbee-Georgia (83)-2012
18. Niya Johnson-Baylor (43)-2012
19. Katie Hempen-Arizona State (Not Ranked)-2011
20. Bria Holmes-West Virginia (29)-2012
21. Jillian Alleyne-Oregon (Not Ranked)-2012
22. Rachel Hollivay-Rutgers (9)-2012
23. Bashaara Graves-Tennessee (5)-2012
24. Tabitha Richarson-Smith-Seton Hall (Not Ranked)-2012

Round 3
25. Nicole Seekamp-South Dakota (Not Ranked)-2011
26. Madison Cable-Note Dame (52)-2011
27. Ameryst Alston-Ohio St (Not Ranked)-2012
28. Brene Mosley-Maryland (70)-2011
29. Kyley Simmons-Illinois (Not Ranked)-2011
30. Kahleah Copper-Rutgers (18)-2012
31. Zahna Medley-TCU (Not Ranked)-2012
32. Whitney Knight-FGCU (73)-2011
33. Rachel Theriot-Nebraska (Not Ranked)-2012
34. Aliyyah Handford-St John's (55)-2012
35. Jordan Jones-Texas A&M (15)-2012
36. Tori Jarosz-Marist (Not Ranked)-2010

Stats
1-36 Coming out of high school= 12
37-100 = 9
Not Ranked = 15

http://www.excellesports.com/news/wnba-mock-draft-monday/

 

[CocoHusky]

Its interesting when you look at the WNBA drafts and where the players started. I looked through this years mock draft on Excelle Sports and here is the draft and what they were ranked coming out of high school according to the hoop gurlz rankings. Its proof positive that Geno really does develop his players and make sure they improve throughout their time in Storrs.

There is no doubt that Geno develops his players and that his player improve throughout their time in Storrs but I'm not sure this layout & correlation proves that he is the best at it. Of the three only Morgan is being drafted ahead of where her high school ranking would project, while a player like Ariel Powers' draft position is significantly ahead of her HS rank. So if I am to believe the correlation I might wrongfully conclude that Suzy Merchant did a better job of developing Powers than Geno did of developing Morgan.

 

[masshusk77]

There is no doubt that Geno develops his players and that his player improve throughout their time in Storrs but I'm not sure this layout & correlation proves that he is the best at it. Of the three only Morgan is being drafted ahead of where her high school ranking would project, while a player like Ariel Powers' draft position is significantly ahead of her HS rank. So if I am to believe the correlation I might wrongfully conclude that Suzy Merchant did a better job of developing Powers than Geno did of developing Morgan.

I think it is equally impressive that the 3 UConn players were able to stay in the top 36 (= the # of draft slots). Only 12 of the 36 coming out of high school stayed in the top 36. That means that it is about a 33% chance that any player would stay in the draft slots. The likelihood that 3 players come in and all 3 players go out in the top 36 is 1 in 27 which is about a 3.7% likelihood. Obviously this isn't perfect science as it is just 1 year and there is the built in fact that the "best 36" weren't actually the best 36 and there were mistakes made by the evaluators. But there is no denying that these 3 have all improved immensely while at UConn.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I think this thread has diverged.

 

[UcMiami]

masshusk77 - good stuff, but a few caveats:
#3 Jones - likely Redshirt
#4 Loyd - #1 pick last year
#11 Stafford - RS (?)
etc.

 

[easttexastrash]

You're suggesting that Geno had the top 1-2 ranked players in every class in the years UConn won a championship? Without researching that, I'm pretty sure that is not the case. When you say "the top player", you're referring to the #1 ranked player in each class. If you are going to make that argument, then you need to support your argument with some facts. You would have to go back to 1995, and look at all of the classes since then to now, to research and document your comment. Without looking, I doubt Geno got the #1 (the top) recruit from each class as you claim for all the years that UConn won a NC. Prove me wrong.

I do not believe that Geno has won a NC in recent years, I don't know about ever, without at least one player that was ranked number 1 in her class. I may have described my point incorrectly. I am not sure what Tina Charles was ranked, but I am pretty sure that Stewart, Maya and DT were ranked number 1.

Next year UCONN will have a number 1, 2, 7 and 14 ranked player on the team, along with a Canadian Olympian. It is a bit amusing to read about UCONN not having top talent.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Next year UCONN will have a number 1, 2, 7 and 14 ranked player on the team, along with a Canadian Olympian. It is a bit amusing to read about UCONN not having top talent.

Course, those first three will be underclassmen.