Favorite non Husky

[Bronxjeff]

I read a knock on A’ja in the thread on “who would Geno pick”.

I’ve always liked her play, sportsmanship and personality. So it made me think we could have another round of admiring our competition.

Of current players A’ja would get my vote.

For recent players I would go for Kelsey Plum with an assist to her teammate Chantel.

For the classics, I have to vote for Kara Lawson. Though she got me seeing orange in her NCAA days, she is just so good on tv. (She once squeezed room on an elevator ride for my wife and me at the civic center and was very gracious)

 

[Carnac]

Brianna Turner (Notre Dame). She's a special talent. I still wish to this day (in spite of her injuries) she had come to Storrs. Imagine what Geno, CD and Marisa could have done with her over four years. I don't necessarily root for ND, but I root for her, now and at the next level. She will be a first rounder. I'm not sure if she ever was offered by Geno. Does anyone know? I have other non-UConn players that I like, but she is my favorite.

 

[WiseOne]

Seimone Augustus! Hopefully I spelled her name right.

 

[JustinesGuy]

Pretty easy question.. Alyssa Dry

 

[Bigboote]

Anriel Howard of Texas A&M. She makes the effort plays and has such a nose for the ball.

Brooke McCarty of Texas. It's just fun watching her. She's nowhere near the player she was last year, though, which is why I didn't list her first.

Edited to add Kristy Wallace. I hope she makes it in the WNBA, and I think she can.

 

[BigBird]

Sabrina Ionescu for sure. She has a UConn-quality motor.

Teaira McCowan. Very tall, very strong, very good. She will be better in the WNBA than as a collegian.

(Surprise) Merc Russell. Has all the physical tools to be great. Problems are between her ears due to poor coaching.

 

[bags27]

Sabrina Ionescu for sure. She has a UConn-quality motor..

+ n to the power of infinity!

Not wanting to derail this discussion, but watching her, I can't help but think how much better a player she'd be at UConn. Right now, she does everything, and at UConn she'd be far more disciplined, playing within herself. She'd have a peer group of players as focused and accomplished and with as much (if not more) basketball sophistication, and a coaching staff that would not let her think that she walks on water (which she does, but shouldn't play as if she does). And, I think she and Geno would really give each other a lot of guff, which would be fun to listen to (remember Svet?). I know that she is happy and therefore better off emotionally at Oregon and that UConn was never a consideration. Just sayin....

 

[DEpup]

I know she is sitting out but I enjoyed watching that dynamo Slocum. Being from Delaware, of course Della Donne is my favorite pro non-husky. It's a shame the state of our society caused her youth to be such a challenge or she would have been an amazing husky.

 

[the Q]

Pretty easy question.. Alyssa Dry

I see we have the same taste.

 

[EricLA]

Brianna Turner (Notre Dame). She's a special talent. I still wish to this day (in spit of her injuries) she had come to Storrs. Imagine what Geno, CD and Marisa could have done with her over four years. I'm not sure if she ever was offered by Geno. Does anyone know?

Yes, Geno recruited her. Muffet is one of the best coaches in the game. She's also terrific at developing talent, both guards AND post players. I'm not sure Turner would have been appreciably better had she come to UCONN. Having said that, I'd have loved to have landed her.

The thread is favorite non-husky. I think Wison is a terrific talent and wish we'd landed her, but I'm not a fan. So my favorite current WCBB non-husky would have to be Ionescu. Not only does the kid have major talent, but she reminds me of DT with her ice-water veins and moxie.

Of players who have graduated, oddly, my 2 faves are former Tenn players - Catch and Kara. Catchings because she's everything an elite Team USA Olympian is supposed to be. Lawson because she's definitely a non-homer, tells it like she sees it, and does it in a way that's clear and comprehensible. Oh, and she has no catch phrases ("woah-ho-ho" or "the way she comports herself" or "egg-straw-dinary")...

 

[Sonny44]

Shoni Shimmel accomplished a lot with limited physical gifts.

 

[Carnac]

Sabrina Ionescu for sure. She has a UConn-quality motor.

Teaira McCowan. Very tall, very strong, very good. She will be better in the WNBA than as a collegian.

(Surprise) Merc Russell. Has all the physical tools to be great. Problems are between her ears due to poor coaching.

Ionescu is a leader!!! She was was running team last year as a freshman, and they were listing to her. She has the same affect on her teammates that Ray Lewis HOF (by the end of the day) (Baltimore Ravens) did. They played hard for him and with him because they didn't want to disappoint him. He worked harder than anyone else on the team. He lead by example. Ionescu is a no none sense player who is very intelligent, who you don't have to repeat instructions to. She's like having a coach on the floor. The NCAA record number of double-doubles she owns and is increasing, is proof that she is an extra special talent. UConn has 4-5 players in team history that have recorded a DD. Ionescu has 9, and she only in her 2nd year.

Last evening (Friday 2/12/18) Cal head coach Lindsay Gottlieb was the latest coach to come away impressed with Ionescu, the sophomore who leads the Pac-12 in scoring (19.8 ppg) and assists (7.7). "Sabrina has an uncanny ability to make everyone around her better and make the offense flow," Gottlieb said. "They have other good players as well who knocked down shots, but she puts a lot of pressure on your defense, and their team responds to that." Just like the Ravens did for Ray Lewis. She will do well at the next level once she adapts to the speed and nuances of the pro game.

Edit addendum - 5:35 pst ...........It's official!! (As I predicted)
Ray Lewis, Randy Moss and Brian Urlacher were all selected for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018.

All three players were in their first year of eligibility and join Terrell Owens and Brian Dawkins as the modern-era selections to be enshrined. Those five players join longtime personnel executive Bobby Beathard (contributor) and seniors committee nominees Jerry Kramer and Robert Brazile for enshrinement.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Beth Cunningham nee Morgan from ND. Transformed their program. Great player.

 

[bags27]

I read a knock on A’ja in the thread on “who would Geno pick”.
I’ve always liked her play, sportsmanship and personality. So it made me think we could have another round of admiring our competition.
Of current players A’ja would get my vote.

Would be really interesting trying to imagine UConn if it had been successful in recruiting A'ja:
Her first 2 years: would she have started ahead of Tuck and/or KML? Would Lou have played much her first year?
Last year and this: UConn would have been unbeatable, but:
Would Z have transferred to UConn, and, if not, what happens next year when Wilson is gone?
Do Pheesa and Gabby develop the way that they have with Wilson not as imaginative and agile playing down low?

My point is that as fantastic a player (and person) as A'ja is, she's one of those types that you inevitably build a team around, and everyone else has to relate to. Turner, playing pretty much the same position, slides more easily into the current narrative, while someone like (say) Ionescu is also an easy fit (of course she rotates with Crystal and Kia, but it doesn't significantly change everything).

 

[Bronx23]

Ionescu is a unique talent and comes with an attitude and style to match. I think she already is making a significant mark and will ecome one of the all time great bb players, men or women
She reminds me a bit of DT in how they just draw you to them. When I first saw DT as a freshman at UConn I thought she'd become a player for the ages.
Ionescu has same level of talent.
There are some differences as Ionescu is a true point guard who can also is a great shooter / scorer. DT is an off guard who as Geno said "I got Diana and you don't."
Bronx23

 

[eebmg]

Ionescu is a unique talent and comes with an attitude and style to match. I think she already is making a significant mark and will ecome one of the all time great bb players, men or women
She reminds me a bit of DT in how they just draw you to them. When I first saw DT as a freshman at UConn I thought she'd become a player for the ages.
Ionescu has same level of talent.
There are some differences as Ionescu is a true point guard who can also is a great shooter / scorer. DT is an off guard who as Geno said "I got Diana and you don't."
Bronx23

Looking forward to Oregon vs Stanford tomorrow. Love Ionescu. I think the differences between DT and her are not that great. Just needs experience in the high pressure games to see if she has "it".

 

[DefenseBB]

+ n to the power of infinity!

Not wanting to derail this discussion, but watching her, I can't help but think how much better a player she'd be at UConn. Right now, she does everything, and at UConn she'd be far more disciplined, playing within herself. She'd have a peer group of players as focused and accomplished and with as much (if not more) basketball sophistication, and a coaching staff that would not let her think that she walks on water (which she does, but shouldn't play as if she does). And, I think she and Geno would really give each other a lot of guff, which would be fun to listen to (remember Svet?). I know that she is happy and therefore better off emotionally at Oregon and that UConn was never a consideration. Just sayin....

On the PAC12 games last night thread, I posted my view of the current state of the PAC12 as bifurcated-good teams and yuk teams with one team having the chance to be great-Oregon. The reasons are simple-Univ of Nike has the money to enable first class facilities, strong fan base, a solid coach and Sabrina. She could be their Rebecca Lobo-someone who puts the program on the map with a few All-American selections, a potential POY, 4 NCAA appearances and 3 runner-up finishes...

 

[Gus Mahler]

Brooke McCarty of Texas. It's just fun watching her. She's nowhere near the player she was last year, though, which is why I didn't list her first.

Edited to add Kristy Wallace. I hope she makes it in the WNBA, and I think she can.

Brooke would be high on my list among active players. Why do you think she is not the player this year as last? Injury? Marriage?

 

[augustaTC]

Sabrina Ionescu

 

[Gus Mahler]

+ n to the power of infinity!

Not wanting to derail this discussion, but watching her, I can't help but think how much better a player she'd be at UConn. Right now, she does everything, and at UConn she'd be far more disciplined, playing within herself. She'd have a peer group of players as focused and accomplished and with as much (if not more) basketball sophistication, and a coaching staff that would not let her think that she walks on water (which she does, but shouldn't play as if she does). And, I think she and Geno would really give each other a lot of guff, which would be fun to listen to (remember Svet?). I know that she is happy and therefore better off emotionally at Oregon and that UConn was never a consideration. Just sayin....

When I saw her play a few summers ago on a national team (U17?) I was very impressed with her motor and tenacity and thought she was a UConn type. I really wanted her to come. On the other hand, I'm in the camp of people who were put off by her "hold out." Probably I'll get over that eventually.

 

[Gus Mahler]

OK, I'll put myself out there and commit heresy: Morgan William. The thing is, I was fond of her as a player before the April Armageddon. I think she is "cute," in the sense that Mickey Mouse is cute, with that posture and those huge shoes.

And that 40-point performance against Baylor in the Regional Final was one for the ages.

 

[DefenseBB]

Brooke would be high on my list among active players. Why do you think she is not the player this year as last? Injury? Marriage?

Marriage ruins us all....

 

[Huskee11]

Please allow me to join the Sabrina chorus..........actually kinda like all of those Ducks after seeing them in Bridgeport.

Another favorite is Karlie Samuelson, of course, but she went to the right school for her. Wish the sisters had the opportunity to play against each other, though.

Older school (but not really old) would have to go with Katie Smith, a great and well-decorated player, Ohio State star, three time gold medal Olympian, two time WNBA champion, seven time WNBA all star.

 

[Husky pride]

Asia Durr....although I hope and pray she has a bad game against us!! Also, probably unfair to include her , but....Natalie Butler...she’ll always be a member of the family and a player we all want to succeed!

 

[CBear01]

This may be an odd pick but I've always enjoyed watching Laura Ferreira (USF) play some hard nose basketball. She's like the European version of Kia Nurse. She doesn't have Kia's shot, but she has her grit and determination. She may not have played her best against Connecticut over the last few years (I think she made 1 shot her last outting) but she sure had a feisty attitude and unwavering defense. She's fantastic against non-UCONN squads. Jose landed a great recruit with her. He seems to also have a knack for international recruiting (Laksa, et al.)

I'm also a bit biased since she is from Spain (I had lived and gone to school there)