ESPNW Article on Kia Nurse

[Wbbfan1]

Good Read. ..

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-comme...-women-basketball-tournament-tv-canadian-home

 

[huskyblooz]

Can't wait to watch her play

 

[Dickers]

I think that many Uconn fans are going to be amazed at what Kia can do. She will not be your typical freshman with her wealth of international experience in her tool belt. International basketball is much more physical than the NCAA. And she has handled it. We are certainly going to miss Bria Hartley, but her clone may be arriving just in time.

 

[Fiftyish]

Wow, based on the picture included in the linked article it looks like she has an actual "jump shot" not a push shot. Makes me all warm and fuzzy.

 

[jdubct]

Sounds like a lock-down defender like Kelly Faris.

 

[intlzncster]

I like the sound of this kid's bball attitude. Hoping her game translates well at UConn. Could be a player.

Her family is super athletic, and her uncle by marriage is Donavon McNabb!

"Nurse, who was 17 at the time, said her defense didn't win her any popularity contests with her international opponents. "I tend to annoy people," she said. "I'm pretty quick, and I'm a pest.

"The older women didn't like me. I don't think they were expecting a 17-year-old kid on the team. When you are 17, you have a lot of energy. So I ended up getting chirped at in a lot of different languages.""

 

[intlzncster]

Sounds like a lock-down defender like Kelly Faris.

Never watched her play, but from the article she sounds like a pre knee surgery Caroline Doty. Two way game with attitude.

 

[VAMike23]

Sounds like part of the reason we were late in recruiting her is that we thought she was class of 2015..!!

"Five schools became six at that point," Nurse said with a laugh. "They had thought I was a junior, and that's why they were late. I was confused at first, but then I was OK with it -- they are a great program."

:-O

 

[UcMiami]

I said this in a thread on Ekmark but will repeat - we have two recruits that have really not followed the classic path to their freshman year at Uconn - Nurse who has the experience of playing with and against unlimited age international competition and Ekmark who chose to go into training full time rather than compete as a HS senior and has been playing in men's rec leagues for fun. Stewart has a ton of international experience but it was always age specific (except the Pan Am games) and while she played up it was just a couple of years. Nurse has been playing with women who were 10 -15 years her senior, and not just playing, but starting as PG for her team. And while Canada is not the USA, they are a very respectable national team and not 'East Timor' for example.
They are both going to have the freshman learning experience issues at Uconn but they are both coming in from very different places than typical freshman.

 

[UcMiami]

Sounds like part of the reason we were late in recruiting her is that we thought she was class of 2015..!!

"Five schools became six at that point," Nurse said with a laugh. "They had thought I was a junior, and that's why they were late. I was confused at first, but then I was OK with it -- they are a great program."

:-O

Now who is the head of the basket5ball recruitment operation at Uconn?! CD ... I'm talking to you!
And ... for Nurse and her family I have to believe that line on Geno's resume that reads CURRENT USA basketball national team head coach might just possibly, maybe have had a little bit to do with the decision.

 

[Dickers]

For Kia Nurse, and to a degree Ekmark, the learning curve will be Geno's system. Not shyness or fitting in. It looks like they will not have to learn toughness of the game. In fact, I bet Nurse schools a few teams with her lock down defense. Playing against a 17, 18 or 19 year old college freshman or sophomore is not like playing against a 25 to 35 year old skilled international player. And as we saw in the 2012 olympics, there are quite a few good players on national squads. Can't wait till next year. But first things first. Let's win that 9th NC!!

 

[DobbsRover2]

Just wow.

 

[semper]

And 6 feet according to this story. Grew an inch...great news! Is she our new Bria?

 

[jdubct]

For Kia Nurse, and to a degree Ekmark, the learning curve will be Geno's system. Not shyness or fitting in. It looks like they will not have to learn toughness of the game. In fact, I bet Nurse schools a few teams with her lock down defense. Playing against a 17, 18 or 19 year old college freshman or sophomore is not like playing against a 25 to 35 year old skilled international player. And as we saw in the 2012 olympics, there are quite a few good players on national squads. Can't wait till next year. But first things first. Let's win that 9th NC!!

In other words, they should be expected to contribute considerably throughout their freshman seasons.

 

[Icebear]

And 6 feet according to this story. Grew an inch...great news! Is she our new Bria?

More a bigger Kelly with her upper class offensive skills than Bria.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I like the way Kia thinks. I think Geno got himself/us a winner. A post script: As I think about it, when a young athlete comes out of a family with a rich athletic history I think the "all in all the time" mentality can be imbued at an early age. We may have that here.

 

[MilfordHusky]

She tends to annoy people by the way she plays defense. Between her and Moriah, the opposing players will be totally frustrated.

She may be a lock-down defender like Kelly, who was also a superb athlete. If she's really 6'0", she may be taller than Kelly.

She'll be filling in for Bria to some degree, and she's about 3" taller. She'll come in as a better defender than Bria was initially.

Stewie has often "played up." Playing on the senior national team while still in high school is really playing up.

She is apparently outplaying Philypaitis. As the leading scorer on her team, she may be better than Natalie Achonwa, who is no slouch and is 4 years older than Kia.

Kia sounds scary good. I'm so glad we have her!

 

[Icebear]

Everything I have seen does indicate that she is 6'. That would be 2" taller than Kelly.

 

[Geno-ista]

Sounds like if we can remain healthy- between the athleticism & length returning with Stewie and Kiah, and the 4 addl ball handlers and superior athletes coming in- we may have a team that can make it difficult to cross half court. Could be a whole different style and look for us- and exciting. I pray Morgan will be a big part of it by late next season. If she were healthy now- I don't think anyone would have even a prayer against us this year! Go Huskies!

 

[John Glass]

Will she start as a freshman ? I think she has a good chance...... based on never seeing her play, plus a few videos

 

[Icebear]

Most likely Geno will follow his extensive history of not starting freshmen. He prefers their early career be spent watching and observing and being coached from the bench. Stewie sat, Maya sat, Diana sat and all learned, by mid season if there is reason and she has proven herself in practice then we might see Nurse start. I expect she will get plenty of time just begin the season on the bench.

 

[connboy77]

Most likely Geno will follow his extensive history of not starting freshmen. He prefers their early career be spent watching and observing and being coached from the bench. Stewie sat, Maya sat, Diana sat and all learned, by mid season if there is reason and she has proven herself in practice then we might see Nurse start. I expect she will get plenty of time just begin the season on the bench.

Kia Nurse is not your typical freshman. I think there is a very good chance that Geno goes against his extensive history and starts Kia. If not, she will still get extensive playing time, probably more then the other freshmen.

 

[msf22b]

Everything I have seen does indicate that she is 6'. That would be 2" taller than Kelly.

At least,
maybe 6-0 and a half!
What a find!

 

[sawxfan23]

Most likely Geno will follow his extensive history of not starting freshmen. He prefers their early career be spent watching and observing and being coached from the bench. Stewie sat, Maya sat, Diana sat and all learned, by mid season if there is reason and she has proven herself in practice then we might see Nurse start. I expect she will get plenty of time just begin the season on the bench.

I agree with you Icebear that she will start the season on the bench and by mid-season she will be starting. She is simply just too good to not start after she learns the ins and outs of the UConn offense.

 

[UcMiami]

Who starts I think depends primarily with how Banks and Chong respond next season - if they come back from summer with nice improvement then one or the other will start in the back court. If they do not, then it will be a wide open competition. Geno prefers to have freshman come of the bench, but only if he has returning players he feels confident in.