Ezi Magbegor - Exclusive Thread

[mag 7]

I]m not sure you can make a definitive judgement about a player's "nonchalance" at the high school level unless you see them play multiple times...even top ten players take a few moments off.......the question is what are they like in competitive games.......if they are lazy under those circumstances then they have a real problem.

I agree. She played to the level of her competition. I was really hoping for someone to play with a little more fire,that's all. We were hoping to see someone whose coach would say of her, “She comes out every game like someone stole her lunch money". And her team did have another player who was giving far more effort to the game.

 

[jaundicedeye]

Atm she is just a prospect, a player with enormous potential.
It'll take a season before you can see what she might become. Same goes for Williams and ododa.

I have a feeling that Christyn Williams will show early on that she is the real deal. She will be an aggressive scoring two who will receive encouragement from the coaches to be just that.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Fascinating background (Capitals youngster Eziyoda Magbegor forging her own legacy):

Seems as though her international background would fit in well at UConn, what with Batouly Camara and Napheesa Collier and Z having African family ties, Kia coming from Canada, and others coming from relatively distant reaches of America: Gabby from Chicago, KLS from California.

"Magbegor's heritage is something she is extremely proud of, having been born in New Zealand to Nigerian parents Patience and Appolus. The family moved to Craigieburn in Melbourne's north when Magbegor was six years old with Patience and Appolus keen to find a better environment to raise their kids in. The emerging basketball star hasn't been to Nigeria yet, but she'd "love to go over the next few years" to connect with her family roots. Magbegor is the third of four kids behind older siblings Elo and Ovie - who is pursuing a college basketball career at the University of West Georgia - and ahead of younger brother AJ.

"But she was the first to leave home when she moved to Canberra as a 15-year-old, leaving behind her immediate family in Melbourne to join the Australian Institute of Sport's basketball program."

 

[CocoHusky]

Fascinating background (Capitals youngster Eziyoda Magbegor forging her own legacy):

Seems as though her international background would fit in well at UConn, what with Batouly Camara and Napheesa Collier and Z having African family ties, Kia coming from Canada, and others coming from relatively distant reaches of America: Gabby from Chicago, KLS from California.

"Magbegor's heritage is something she is extremely proud of, having been born in New Zealand to Nigerian parents Patience and Appolus. The family moved to Craigieburn in Melbourne's north when Magbegor was six years old with Patience and Appolus keen to find a better environment to raise their kids in. The emerging basketball star hasn't been to Nigeria yet, but she'd "love to go over the next few years" to connect with her family roots. Magbegor is the third of four kids behind older siblings Elo and Ovie - who is pursuing a college basketball career at the University of West Georgia - and ahead of younger brother AJ.

"But she was the first to leave home when she moved to Canberra as a 15-year-old, leaving behind her immediate family in Melbourne to join the Australian Institute of Sport's basketball program."

LoL ! Gabby is from Chicago? Chicago & California are the distant reaches of America?

 

[Centerstream]

LoL ! Gabby is from Chicago? Chicago & California are the distant reaches of America?

They are if you have to do that wagon train thing

 

[bags27]

"keen to find a better environment to raise their kids in"

so much--timeless and poignant--in that short statement.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

LoL ! Gabby is from Chicago? Chicago & California are the distant reaches of America?

California is as far from Connecticut as London is from us. Chicago is a thousand miles away. So, yes, they are not the environs of Storrs. A kid has a two-hour plane flight to get from Chicagoland to Connecticut. And a lot of kids balk at going that far from home to play basketball and attend college.

So I would say that to travel from the midwest or California (or as I did going from Washington, D.C. to California for college) to Connecticut is a big undertaking and takes one a long way from family, friends, and to unfamiliar climates and lands. So I would say that a kid coming from Australia, whose family were originally from Nigeria, would find kindred sportiest on this UConn team, what with kids with African relatives, a kid from Canada, and others from across the United States.

Not as if it's a team in the northwest with everyone from Washington or Oregon.

 

[Charliebball]

I agree. She played to the level of her competition. I was really hoping for someone to play with a little more fire,that's all. We were hoping to see someone whose coach would say of her, “She comes out every game like someone stole her lunch money". And her team did have another player who was giving far more effort to the game.

I've noticed that sometimes the more skilled players get side tracked if they are not challenged by the opposition...........clearly UConn puts a lot of importance on the attitudes of it's recruits so consistency of effort is a necessity that has to be stressed by the high school coaches

 

[HopJim]

California is as far from Connecticut as London is from us. Chicago is a thousand miles away. So, yes, they are not the environs of Storrs. A kid has a two-hour plane flight to get from Chicagoland to Connecticut. And a lot of kids balk at going that far from home to play basketball and attend college.

So I would say that to travel from the midwest or California (or as I did going from Washington, D.C. to California for college) to Connecticut is a big undertaking and takes one a long way from family, friends, and to unfamiliar climates and lands. So I would say that a kid coming from Australia, whose family were originally from Nigeria, would find kindred sportiest on this UConn team, what with kids with African relatives, a kid from Canada, and others from across the United States.

Not as if it's a team in the northwest with everyone from Washington or Oregon.

Well said. Board's energy would be better served focusing on the many basketball benefits of playing for Geno and UConn rather than underestimating travel issues and the relative remoteness of the campus.

 

[CocoHusky]

California is as far from Connecticut as London is from us. Chicago is a thousand miles away. So, yes, they are not the environs of Storrs. A kid has a two-hour plane flight to get from Chicagoland to Connecticut. And a lot of kids balk at going that far from home to play basketball and attend college.
So I would say that to travel from the midwest or California (or as I did going from Washington, D.C. to California for college) to Connecticut is a big undertaking and takes one a long way from family, friends, and to unfamiliar climates and lands. So I would say that a kid coming from Australia, whose family were originally from Nigeria, would find kindred sportiest on this UConn team, what with kids with African relatives, a kid from Canada, and others from across the United States.
Not as if it's a team in the northwest with everyone from Washington or Oregon.

I'm just curious, when did Gabby move to Chicago?
BTW KLS' mom is from England & Olivia Nelson-Ododa's father is from Kenya, those might better fit an international melting pot/influence UCONN sort of narrative.
Distance from Little Rock Arkansas to UCONN 1371 Miles. Distance from Chicago to UCONN 918 miles. If only UCONN can recruit a good player from Chicago they probably be much further along.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

California is as far from Connecticut as London is from us. Chicago is a thousand miles away. So, yes, they are not the environs of Storrs. A kid has a two-hour plane flight to get from Chicagoland to Connecticut. And a lot of kids balk at going that far from home to play basketball and attend college.

So I would say that to travel from the midwest or California (or as I did going from Washington, D.C. to California for college) to Connecticut is a big undertaking and takes one a long way from family, friends, and to unfamiliar climates and lands. So I would say that a kid coming from Australia, whose family were originally from Nigeria, would find kindred sportiest on this UConn team, what with kids with African relatives, a kid from Canada, and others from across the United States.

Not as if it's a team in the northwest with everyone from Washington or Oregon.

Oops! Somehow my brain slipped. I was thinking of Morgan Tuck, who was from Iliinois. Gabby's from nearly 3,000 miles away in Nevada.

But the basic premise would hold, I'd say.

 

[VAMike23]

But she was the first to leave home when she moved to Canberra as a 15-year-old, leaving behind her immediate family in Melbourne to join the Australian Institute of Sport's basketball program.

"Just waiting for that phone call [from the AIS] got me really excited. I wasn't nervous at all to leave home," Magbegor said.

"I missed my family for the first couple of months but having such a great group of girls there who were in the same situation as me helped a lot in my transition to the AIS and moving away from home."

______________________________

Probably helps that she is already accustomed to making big moves and sort of uprooting from the comforts of home. As long as she is with a good group of girls--and is furthering her bball career--she should be good to go. 'Check' and 'check'..!

 

[Fairfield Fan]

In the clip, she really looks like a young Tina Charles, and plays like one as well: strong and quick.
Very impressive!

 

[oldude]

But she was the first to leave home when she moved to Canberra as a 15-year-old, leaving behind her immediate family in Melbourne to join the Australian Institute of Sport's basketball program.

"Just waiting for that phone call [from the AIS] got me really excited. I wasn't nervous at all to leave home," Magbegor said.

"I missed my family for the first couple of months but having such a great group of girls there who were in the same situation as me helped a lot in my transition to the AIS and moving away from home."

______________________________

Probably helps that she is already accustomed to making big moves and sort of uprooting from the comforts of home already. As long as she is with a good group of girls--and is furthering her bball career--she should be good to go. 'Check' and 'check'..!

I think it’s part of who her family is. Ezi’s parents moved from Nigeria to New Zealand to start a new life, and then again from NZ to Sydney, Australia when Ezi was 6 years old. Ezi’s brother matriculated to West GA and as you point out, Ezi moved away from her family to attend a school of sport when she was 15.

For many of us, moving half way around the world would scare the hell out of us. As for Ezi, “No worries mate.”

 

[bags27]

I think it’s part of who her family is. Ezi’s parents moved from Nigeria to New Zealand to start a new life, and then again from NZ to Sydney, Australia when Ezi was 6 years old. Ezi’s brother matriculated to West GA and as you point out, Ezi moved away from her family to attend a school of sport when she was 15.

For many of us, moving half way around the world would scare the hell out of us. As for Ezi, “No worries mate.”

It's always amazing to me to greet 18 yr old international students at our New England school. While other kids have their parents load up their SUVs with every imaginable piece of teenage paraphernalia and know they can go home on weekends or short holidays, these other kids kiss their folks goodbye for many months, hop on a plane--or two or three--with a couple of suitcases and land in a place they've never been--sometimes in a language which isn't native to them--and do just fine. You are so right, oldude: what scares the hell out of us is something these kids do so casually--and so well.

 

[Carnac]

I love Magbegor's upside as much as anyone but there is some laziness in her game that is a little alarming. I'm sure Coach Auriemma can break this bad habit(or she won't play) but at first she may be in for a rude awakening.

Any bad habits she has will be corrected by the time she completes Geno's boot camp for freshmen and transfers. She'll be fine.

 

[JoePgh]

When I saw her (at least I think I did) walking along the corridor during halftime of the South Florida game at Gampel, she was accompanied by a younger and shorter guy. I'm guessing that was her younger brother AJ, based on the above information.

I hope we see them again next year.

 

[Carnac]

It's always amazing to me to greet 18 yr old international students at our New England school. While other kids have their parents load up their SUVs with every imaginable piece of teenage paraphernalia and know they can go home on weekends or short holidays, these other kids kiss their folks goodbye for many months, hop on a plane--or two or three--with a couple of suitcases and land in a place they've never been--sometimes in a language which isn't native to them--and do just fine. You are so right, oldude: what scares the hell out of us is something these kids do so casually--and so well.

Thanks, well said. Hopefully this will remind us of this dynamic that she will have to deal with along with other personal issues off the court. The good thing about that is that she will have two fellow freshmen that will be going through the same freshman orientation and adjustments she will. There's safety and comfort in numbers. Ezi will be just fine.

Everyday during her 1st month on campus will be an adventure. She'll be too busy getting adjusted to her new surroundings, teammates, fellow students and campus life to miss home.

 

[MilfordHusky]

The story about Ezi’s family explains everything about why we have been waiting to hear definitive news: Her mother’s name is PATIENCE.

 

[JordyG]

I have a feeling that Christyn Williams will show early on that she is the real deal. She will be an aggressive scoring two who will receive encouragement from the coaches to be just that.

Well, you know the way to the starting lineup for freshmen at UConn is to play defense, don't miss your assignments, and go all out for 40. Scoring is gravy.

 

[JordyG]

The story about Ezi’s family explains everything about why we have been waiting to hear definitive news: Her mother’s name is PATIENCE.

I hope there's a Nigerian restaurant somewhere in the Storrs area.

 

[oldude]

I hope there's a Nigerian restaurant somewhere in the Storrs area.

Having spent her entire life in New Zealand and Australia, I suspect Ezi is partial to lamb chops.

 

[Ozzie1986]

She's Aussie now...
She'll need a good supply of
Kookaburra wings, wombat steaks, kangaroo tenderloins, crocodile burgers, koala nuggets and emu kebabs and don't forget the bloomin onions with a side of Vegemite,

 

[Sluconn Husky]

She's Aussie now...
She'll need a good supply of
Kookaburra wings, wombat steaks, kangaroo tenderloins, crocodile burgers, koala nuggets and emu kebabs and don't forget the bloomin onions with a side of Vegemite,

Nobody needs a side of Vegemite.....

 

[MilfordHusky]

Having spent her entire life in New Zealand and Australia, I suspect Ezi is partial to lamb chops.

Maybe Geno will put a couple of lamb chops on the schedule.