Fair question about Boston from a UCONN fan perspective

[jumpstart]

When Boston was a freshman many South Carolina fans said she was a "generational" player. The response here was...no, she hasn't proved anything yet. I consider many of the UCONN players generational but above all Stewie.....I know Boston is not in Stewie's league yet but would you now consider her a generational player ?

​

 

[Mdoggie]

No. A very good player, yes. I would say the same if Boston was playing for UConn. Aja Wilson is South Carolina’s only generational player so far.

 

[oldude]

I don’t know about generational players, but Boston certainly was the best WBB player in the country this past year. She’s an interesting player in that she’s not the tallest post around at 6’4” and she can barely elevate. (Note that SC had 6’2” Saxon jump center.)

Of course Boston has a big body. In 3 years she’s dramatically improved her strength and fitness. She’s got great hands and has become exceptionally good at finishing in the paint. In addition she makes FT’s and can step outside and knock down an occasional 3.

On defense Boston can body up opposing centers, switch off and defend opposing guards and she is remarkably good at blocking shots without getting into foul trouble.

IMO, Boston’s greatest asset is her relentless work to establish position in the paint, whether she’s hunting a rebound or attempting a shot. The one Big I would compare Boston to as far as her relentless effort would be UConn’s own Tina Charles.

 

[triaddukefan]

Actually I dont think it was many S Carolina fans who said she was a generational player. If I recall It was one of Boston's good friends ...a Bae perhaps....who said the young lady was generational.

 

[bballnut90]

When Boston was a freshman many South Carolina fans said she was a "generational" player. The response here was...no, she hasn't proved anything yet. I consider many of the UCONN players generational but above all Stewie.....I know Boston is not in Stewie's league yet but would you now consider her a generational player ?

​

I probably wouldn't. She's really really good and the most dominant interior player since Griner but isn't as uniquely skilled as the "generational" players like a Stewart, Griner, Moore or Parker.

All of those players changed the game in some way, I haven't seen Boston do that yet but she's obviously exceptional and was the clear standout in women's basketball this past year. If she wins another title and continues to expand her game, it's a different discussion next year. Looking at players from the last ten years, I'd probably put her behind Stewart and Griner and on par with Ionescu, but ahead of everyone else at this point.

 

[SVCBeercats]

When Boston was a freshman many South Carolina fans said she was a "generational" player. The response here was...no, she hasn't proved anything yet. I consider many of the UCONN players generational but above all Stewie.....I know Boston is not in Stewie's league yet but would you now consider her a generational player ?

Question #2: If Boston played for UCONN would she a generational player?
Betcha you would get "Oh! Of course she is a generational player! Absolutely!"

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I probably wouldn't. She's really really good and the most dominant interior player since Griner but isn't as uniquely skilled as the "generational" players like a Stewart, Griner, Moore or Parker.

All of those players changed the game in some way, I haven't seen Boston do that yet but she's obviously exceptional and was the clear standout in women's basketball this past year. If she wins another title and continues to expand her game, it's a different discussion next year. Looking at players from the last ten years, I'd probably put her behind Stewart and Griner and on par with Ionescu, but ahead of everyone else at this point.

Same and Ionescu type success comes to mind as clearly Boston is the best player on what was the best team this year but she isn't in the same stratosphere at Stewart or Griner. In fact I'd say Wilson is an overall better player than Boston although she has one more season to prove me wrong.

 

[visitingcock]

The term "generational player" is waaaaaaaaay overused.

Stewart was the last one who qualifies in ny mind. Bueckers and Boston have not reached that status - Ionescu comes close. Maybe the word "yet" can be used here for all three. Clark maybe.

Still alot of proving to do for Boston, Beuckers and Clark. Multiple NCAA championships as the team's dominant player is a start. Boston and Buekers have the potential, Clark probably not. But the "generational" tag is never really warranted until the pro career is reviewed.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

The term "generational player" is waaaaaaaaay overused.

Stewart was the last one who qualifies in ny mind. Bueckers and Boston have not reached that status - Ionescu comes close. Maybe the word "yet" can be used here for all three. Clark maybe.

Agreed it's a very generously applied label. If Ionescu pulled off a NC she may have been fairly considered because of her motor and triple double threat. Bueckers and Boston are extremely good, but neither comes close to Stewart (yet).

 

[veryolddog]

Boston and Saxton are great players! That is why Dawn says that she is not worried about making the first shot because she knows those two will get the rebound and make the second shot or get fouled.

 

[BobbyJ]

When Boston was a freshman many South Carolina fans said she was a "generational" player. The response here was...no, she hasn't proved anything yet. I consider many of the UCONN players generational but above all Stewie.....I know Boston is not in Stewie's league yet but would you now consider her a generational player ?

​

I guess it would depend on what someone's definition of "generational" is. The best description I've found that I can agree with is a player who dominates an ERA with elite skill and ability, a clear talent supremacy. The definition of an era is " a long and distinct period of history". A definition of a generation is "all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively". By these definitions it would probably be longer but for describing athletic careers I would consider an era to be roughly 20-25 years. For me this doesn't leave room for 3-4 players every year at all levels to be called "generational" when none of them have dominated anything other than 3-4 seasons at a specific level, let alone close to 20. So my answer would be no, Boston doesn't qualify. And to refer to HS or college players as generational is just ridiculous. They haven't even played against the best of their generation yet. I would suggest that people find a different description for all of these very talented but non-dominating players.

 

[BobbyJ]

The term "generational player" is waaaaaaaaay overused.

Stewart was the last one who qualifies in ny mind. Bueckers and Boston have not reached that status - Ionescu comes close. Maybe the word "yet" can be used here for all three. Clark maybe.

Still alot of proving to do for Boston, Beuckers and Clark. Multiple NCAA championships as the team's dominant player is a start. Boston and Buekers have the potential, Clark probably not. But the "generational" tag is never really warranted until the pro career is reviewed.

On these two points we definitely agree.

 

[Blakeon18]

Not on the topic so much but 2 cents here on Boston...showing my lack of predictive skills.
I went to see Boston play in her soph year at Worcester Academy...her name had begun to appear in recruiting circles...including UConn. It was a home game against a team that had nobody taller than 6'. I was glad to see Chris Dailey in the rather limited attendance...and glad to see Chris and Boston's coach have a friendly chitchat post game.

She had a good but not dominating game. She was not in the shape she is now for sure. She ran the floor pretty well for her height and size...seemed to have a nice sense of the passing game...didn't look comfortable on face-up shots...arc was too line-drive-ish. Some good post moves...used the backboard well on those. Maybe finished with 22/8 in a somewhat competitive game.

I thought she was going to be a good college center...strictly a center. Her improvement by her frosh year was a bit
eye-popping and last year's conditioning put her on a different level. I heard many nice things about her character and
work ethic from folks who knew her...assumed she was coming to UConn given all her visits there.

Generational player? On the level of Stewie/Maya/Dee/Parker/Griner? No. Down one level...yes. Subject to future
results.

 

[eebmg]

Quadrennial player.

 

[BobbyJ]

Quadrennial player.

Excellent. Wish I'd thought of it.

 

[cordarone]

That term was being used willy-nilly by one UConn poster here in particular, and that poster couldn't be bothered to explain why. The thing is it implies something unique that only happens occasionally, like once in a generation. That's 25 or so years. So what makes Boston generational compared to others like Stewart or Wilson? I don't see it.

 

[Urshurak]

Great city. Big Red Sox fan. Don't care much for the round-abouts.

 

[Carnac]

No. A very good player, yes. I would say the same if Boston was playing for UConn. Aja Wilson is South Carolina’s only generational player so far.

When Boston was a freshman many South Carolina fans said she was a "generational" player. The response here was...no, she hasn't proved anything yet. I consider many of the UCONN players generational but above all Stewie.....I know Boston is not in Stewie's league yet but would you now consider her a generational player ?

​

I’ve always had high regard for Boston. I still wish she had come to UConn. I look for her to play her best season this coming season. She's had a sip of that sweet nectar called success (a national championship).

They were a put back away from possibly winning back-to-back championships. No doubt she and her team want to repeat the run they had this past season. The road to the NC will once again go through Columbia in route to Dallas Texas, site of next year's final four. Let's see how dominant SC is after Boston leaves. THAT will be the true indicator of whether she is a generational player or not. Can Cardoso maintain the level of production in the post after Boston leaves? We’ll see.

 

[BobbyJ]

That term was being used willy-nilly by one UConn poster here in particular, and that poster couldn't be bothered to explain why. The thing is it implies something unique that only happens occasionally, like once in a generation. That's 25 or so years. So what makes Boston generational compared to others like Stewart or Wilson? I don't see it.

IMO, it's being used willy-nilly all over the place.

 

[HuskyNan]

Same and Ionescu type success comes to mind as clearly Boston is the best player on what was the best team this year but she isn't in the same stratosphere at Stewart or Griner. In fact I'd say Wilson is an overall better player than Boston although she has one more season to prove me wrong.

Diana Taurasi is the first player to make it OK to “play like a guy”. I’d put her in that group, too.

 

[Mdoggie]

Question #2: If Boston played for UCONN would she a generational player?
Betcha you would get "Oh! Of course she is a generational player! Absolutely!"

See post #2

 

[CocoHusky]

The first BY poster to call Boston a generational talent was @BostonBay who for some reason is no longer actively posting. I disagree then and I do now as well. Boston has established herself as the best low post presence to come along in WCBB in about a 1/2 a decade. Despite what many here will not acknowledge she has improved tremendously in her time at SC. She is better conditioned, improved her range and it was not by accident that she was named DPOY. In short Boston is a force but not a generational player.
Stewie has been mentioned in the original post and several others after it, as an example of a generational talent. Using Stewie as an example here is why Boston does not qualify. In her last three full season in WCBB Stewie lost 1 game. That game was a 2 point loss in OT at Stanford. South Carolina has already lost 8 games since Boston has been in uniform.

 

[BobbyJ]

Diana Taurasi is the first player to make it OK to “play like a guy”. I’d put her in that group, too.

I watched Kerry Bascom play 4 years of HS and AAU like a guy before she ever got to UConn and 4 more there before anybody had heard of Taurasi, but nobody was paying attention back then.

 

[ucbart]

Since 2000-there have been 5 generations players in college, IMO

Diana
Parker
Maya
BG
Stewie

And just from a college standpoint:

Diana was the best leader/teammate(the GOAT)
Parker had the most hype/media attention(to go with all of her talents)
Maya had the best stats and had the most complete game
BG was the most dominant force the game has ever seen
Stewie had the most success and was the best basketball player

There have been other great players: Sue, Catch, Beard, Tina, Nneka, EDD, Diggins, Wilson, Phee, Ionescu. But those 5 distanced themselves from the competition by a wide margin.

Now, I think the college game the next 2-3 years will be great once again(I think it's been down since the 2019 class graduated) as we have some serious superstars in the making in the upcoming sophomore-senior classes.

Boston
Bueckers
Brink
Clark
Fudd
Jones
Morrow
........and the list goes on.

 

[TCC Kid]

When Boston was a freshman many South Carolina fans said she was a "generational" player. The response here was...no, she hasn't proved anything yet. I consider many of the UCONN players generational but above all Stewie.....I know Boston is not in Stewie's league yet but would you now consider her a generational player ?

​

Hyperbole seems to be at its best with NEW players. UConn or SC or even ND whether a player is "generational" takes a generation to see.
So many players come into Uconn or any other big time program with HYPE and 5 our to 10 fall flat.
the Hyperbole isn't about stretching the truth because the fans are hoping their high emotional truisms are true.
Maya, Stewie, DT, Paige (so far) have lived up to the billings. But 5 others on those (12 member ) teams didn't come close.
Except for kids like Paige and Fudd (Caroline didn't have the hype) so far exceeded the hype.
Yet we love em all that have worn or wear the Uconn Uniform. So much of what the STAR accomplishes is determined by the players that surround her.