Some random observations:
1) In Arizona, Courtney has a very well-earned reputation as the epitome of the scholar-athlete. It is no surprise that she is on a "fast track" academic course and could graduate early.
2) She already has AP credits in U.S. History and Government (meaning she received a "4" or "5" on the tests, which is excellent). She has already earned a full semester of credits toward her studies at UConn, which means she clearly is ready for the academic challenges of college.
3) Her team will lose a lot to graduation. This means, she would be the focal point of the entire offense. St. Mary's would be structured around her. This will not be her role at UConn; she will be facing players who are as good as, if not better than her (both in practice and in games).
4) Playing against high school boys, who are generally bigger, stronger, and faster, will be exceptional preparation for the college game and it will make her learning curve that much smaller. Plus, it will force her to learn how to create her own shot consistently, to vary her offensive attack (whether to go off the drive, pull up for a mid-range shot, or to work behind a screen for a three) depending on what the defense gives her while being defended by bigger and stronger players. Charde Houston played on an AAU boys team one summer. It is a smart move for Courtney to do, as she might have stagnated playing at St. Mary's the way the team was constructed this year. Now, she will really learn what she needs to do to adjust to the college game, except she will learn all of this almost a year before practices begin in Storrs.
To me, this is like an elite tennis player foregoing her senior year to training at the Bollittieri Tennis Academy. Except Courtney is going to get spend a lot of time with her family.
When players get to college, the difficulty of adjusting to the speed and the phsyicality of the college game can be tremendous. Almost all freshman struggle initially; even Breanna Stewart, before her MOP performance in the Final Four, had her struggles. Being homesick, especially when going from the dry, warm temperatures of Phoenix across the country to a much colder environment (during the winter) in a much smaller city can make some players feel homesick. Their struggles on the court - after spending so many years as stars - can hurt their self-esteem, when the one area in which they absolutely know they excel is no longer an area where they shine the brightest. This, compounded with being so far from home, can cause homesickness and sadness.
By contrast, Courtney will be adjusting to the speed and phsyical nature of the college women's game by playing against high school boys. This will not only serve her well from a basketball standpoint, but will also help to alleviate some of the emotional/self-esteem struggles some players go through during their respective freshman years.
