From Lou to Eternity: The Monumental Recruiting Topic Drift Thread

[sawxfan23]

2015:
SF/wings=Williams,Ekmark,KLS
PF/4=Tuck,Boykin,Collier
Center=Butler,Tuck,Collier,Boykin
SG=Chong,Edwards,Nurse
PG=MoJeff,Nurse,Chong

All speculation

Stewart is also still there in 2015

 

[rvwsleep]

doubt it... they'll miss it cause they were reading the Wall Street journal, doing some knitting or looking for that half of sandwich in their bag

You forgot texting, talking, selfies, etc. on their phones. My personal gripe about a lot of the "fans" who attend sporting events nowadays. Are they even watching the game ?

 

[Aluminny69]

Actually, I don't think it would qualify as nature of the business. Sure, occasionally a player will transfer looking for more PT. This situation would be far rarer though: a team loaded with a dozen quality players adding a top two in her class over the top of them when it would be pure luxury. I'm not saying UConn shouldn't do it, but I think you have to be cognizant of what kind of message future recruits might get out it.

Didn't this already happen, in a way, around the turn of the century? (1999-2001) I didn't follow the team closely then, but two senior captains (Hansmeyer and Sauer maybe) saw limited playing time due to highly rated recruits coming in and taking their playing time. Someone with a better handle on history, please feel free to fill in the details...

 

[chrissaran]

sawxfan23, you missed it. Stewie is listed first under PF/4. That one's on you.

 

[dtbtbtb]

What is the over/under on this thread getting to 30k views by the end of the week?

 

[Sonny44]

Well they don't "have" to leave. Nobody is going to force them. But some may choose to leave. Nature of the business. That's not a reason NOT to have Durr come.

I think this is a rather callous attitude. I'm not specifically saying anything about Durr.

BUT if a team keeps bringing in the new and tossing out the old, and building a reputation for doing that, it will hurt us in the future. And yes, not playing a hard working talented kid who came in hoping to play and improve the team is tantamount to "tossing them out", at least it could be in their minds and in the minds of future prospects.

I worked for a company which yearly grossly over-hired PhDs and tossed out the losers when the next crop came in. It didn't work that well, especially from a company culture standpoint.

 

[sawxfan23]

sawxfan23, you missed it. Stewie is listed first under PF/4. That one's on you.

Actually he edited it after I posted it. My post was at 12:48 and he edited his original post at 1:02. He even "liked" my post because he realized he forgot her.

 

[DaddyChoc]

What is the over/under on this thread getting to 30k views by the end of the week?

that would be some type of record... maybe its already a record. does views count even if its locked?

 

[rford53]

that would be some type of record... maybe its already a record. does views count even if its locked?

30,000 is a lock by the end of today. Now over 29,500 in 16 days. If not THE record for a single player thread, it has to be in the top 5. That would be an indication of our all time greats - RL, SB, DT, TC, MM, BS and now KLS

 

[meyers7]

Actually, I don't think it would qualify as nature of the business. Sure, occasionally a player will transfer looking for more PT.

In the last 7 years, UCONN has had 6 players transfer. I guess one could consider that "occasionally".

This situation would be far rarer though: a team loaded with a dozen quality players adding a top two in her class over the top of them when it would be pure luxury. I'm not saying UConn shouldn't do it, but I think you have to be cognizant of what kind of message future recruits might get out it.

But we're talking about Durr here. You don't turn down a Bird, Charles, possibly a Moore, Stewart, DT player if they want to play for you.

 

[meyers7]

I think this is a rather callous attitude. .

Callous, realistic, whatever you want to call it.

I'm not specifically saying anything about Durr.

Well you should be because that is what this is all about. We are talking about Durr here. You don't turn down a Bird, Charles, possibly a Moore, Stewart, DT player if they want to play for you.

I don't know if she'll come or not. And if she doesn't and we don't get anyone else, a class of KLS, Boykin and Collier would be a fantastic class as is. But if we add to it, I'm not gonna complain and worry about playing time. That's the coaches and players problem.

 

[Icebear]

Who is this Samuelson I keep hearing so much about? Is she any good?

 

[rvwsleep]

Who is this Samuelson I keep hearing so much about? Is she any good?

Check back in 15 months. We'll see. 29,905

 

[Sonny44]

Callous, realistic, whatever you want to call it.


Well you should be because that is what this is all about. We are talking about Durr here. You don't turn down a Bird, Charles, possibly a Moore, Stewart, DT player if they want to play for you.

I don't know if she'll come or not. And if she doesn't and we don't get anyone else, a class of KLS, Boykin and Collier would be a fantastic class as is. But if we add to it, I'm not gonna complain and worry about playing time. That's the coaches and players problem.

Really, I thought the title was Katie Lou....?

Anyway, I just think we have enough talent now assuming a 2 - 3 good ones every year to compete and win many NCs. We won them without Griner, Sims, Diggins, etc. We get more out of our talent than anyone else.

 

[meyers7]

Really, I thought the title was Katie Lou....?

Anyway, I just think we have enough talent now assuming a 2 - 3 good ones every year to compete and win many NCs. We won them without Griner, Sims, Diggins, etc. We get more out of our talent than anyone else.

Title sure, but bringing in more players has to do with Durr. (follow along) See if we already have KLS, then the discussion about bringing in more players who might cause some to leave can't be about KLS. It's about anyone else me might bring in.

And again, the point I've made is that sure we have plenty of talent (we do, KLS, Boykin, Collier is a great class, great class), but you don't turn away a player like Durr if she wants to come to UCONN. And I imagine Geno agrees with me because I've yet to hear him come out and say, "We're done for 2015". As far as anyone has reported Durr, Ogunbowale, Camara are still on UCONN's radar, and maybe Brown (but probably letting that one go). If you've heard something different, please let us know.

 

[EricLA]

Here's my $.02 FWIW... We are heading into somewhat uncharted territory. In fact, I would say completely uncharted territory.

UCONN's current roster has 9 high school AA's on it (Not sure if Ekmark was an AA anywhere - if so then 10). That's literally almost the entire roster. Possibly the most talented team of all time at UCONN (Sveta, Schuey, Swin, Sue, Ashja, Tamika, Diana, and then Rigby, Battle, Valley, and Conlon - Moore red shirted that year) only had 7 equivalent AA's. My point about uncharted territory is that it's really the first time in history that UCONN has had a roster filled with kids who are literally almost all in the top 15 of their respective classes.

Now you can argue that Chong and Emkark probably aren't top 15, but when the big 3 comes to UCONN, Stewie, Mojett, Morgan, Sadie, Gabby, Kia, Naphessa, DeJanae, and KLS are literally ALL top 15, and probably top 10, kids. that's a roster of 9 and if you add in Durr, that's 10. Something's got to give. No way can every player get 30 MPG.

Women's college basketball is not like tee-league where everyone gets an award for participating. While there is a factor of developing young women, helping give them the tools for life, educating them etc., it's mostly about assembling the best teams you can, winning games, winning your conference and your conference tourney, and winning NC's. Talk to the best kids in any class and one of the first things they usually mention is "I want to go to a school where I can win a NC".

Some kids develop better than expected, others not as good as expected. It defies logic that UCONN wouldn't recruit Asia Durr just because someone else they already recruited might not get as much playing time. Just as a player like Gorecki might have looked at the depth chart ahead of her and said "too much talent", a kid like Durr will look at the depth chart and probably think she's as good or better than everyone else.

When we recruited Johnson and Engeln, I think everyone realized, especially regarding Johnson, that she had potential, but when it became clear to her that no matter how much she improved, she wasn't going to see PT ahead of KML or Stewie or Kiah, she decided to transfer. These things happen. Of course as fans it makes us sad if a kid leaves. Of course coaches recruiting against UCONN will say "there's no PT to be had there". It boils down to how good a kid thinks she is and how much playing 30 MPG and starting from day 1 is important to her. Or, if a kid, who might be really good, comes to realize because of the talent on the team, she will likely never be more than an role player, as in the case of Banks.

As a fan, I love all the kids. I want them all to stay, be the best they can be, have a great experience, and hopefully be happy with the amount of PT they are able to earn. But for some kids, Banks, Johnson, and Engeln, that's not enough. I totally get it and respect their decision and wish them the very best. They will always be part of the UCONN family.

But bottom line, to NOT recruit a terrific kid who has "UCONN" written all over her because she might take PT away from someone else and potentially cause a transfer is short sighted (IMHO). As a fan, I want all the best kids to come to UCONN. The ones who rise to the top will play the most. The others will either be happy where they are, or decide to leave. I have no issue either way with their choices. One other thing - injuries. If Johnson had stayed, I'm betting she would have gotten plenty of PT last season when Geno basically went with a 6 player team. You never know who's going to be injured and what not, and currently UCONN has 2 kids trying to come back from devastating injuries. Will Tuck or Williams ever be 100%? You just never know what's going to happen on the injury front...

 

[Godfather]

When players come to UConn they get broken down and Geno and staff have to build them up and into UConn players and some struggle with that, they have been told how great they are and no one has ever challenged them in HS or AAU because of the fear that they will transfer or leave the AAU team for another, so when the coaching staff evaluates what they can and can't do or willing to do the coach player relationship sometime changes and that player doesn't play much until she get IT

As far as PT and players that are perceived to be top this or top that coming in you have to make sure it's a fit especially in the locker room, the only thing that can derail a good team is locker room issues and that sometimes leads to a team under performing so it's not about getting a player to get a player the staff looks a recruits whole picture sure they take a chances on one or two questionable player,

IMO they only have a spot for Durr, if she doesn't come they won't recruit anyone else

 

[DaddyChoc]

When players come to UConn they get broken down and Geno and staff have to build them up and into UConn players and some struggle with that, they have been told how great they are and no one has ever challenged them in HS or AAU because of the fear that they will transfer or leave the AAU team for another, so when the coaching staff evaluates what they can and can't do or willing to do the coach player relationship sometime changes and that player doesn't play much until she get IT

As far as PT and players that are perceived to be top this or top that coming in you have to make sure it's a fit especially in the locker room, the only thing that can derail a good team is locker room issues and that sometimes leads to a team under performing so it's not about getting a player to get a player the staff looks a recruits whole picture sure they take a chances on one or two questionable player,

IMO they only have a spot for Durr, if she doesn't come they won't recruit anyone else

thanks Geno

 

[Sluconn Husky]

In the last 7 years, UCONN has had 6 players transfer. I guess one could consider that "occasionally".

None of those situations would be like this one. That's the point. Walker didn't leave due to PT, and while Johnson may have, she was constantly hurt. I'm referring to players who are set to go but would be supplanted immediately by a superior talent that isn't technically needed.

But we're talking about Durr here. You don't turn down a Bird, Charles, possibly a Moore, Stewart, DT player if they want to play for you

I didn't say they should turn her down, just that they should be careful of the message future recruits could take from it if several players leave as a result.

 

[HuskeySlim]

We also won National Championships without Delle Donne and Deshields !

 

[JS]

I didn't say they should turn her down, just that they should be careful of the message future recruits could take from it if several players leave as a result.

Maybe the 30,000 views of this thread are all people looking to see if it's time to repeat themselves.

If Durr decides to come to UConn, we'll all be very happy. I don't know what being careful (you've also said "cognizant") of the message means, in terms of doing anything differently.

Stop recruiting her? Withdraw the offer? Not on your freakin' life. We can be cognizant that would send a message of reneging -- as well as being crazy.

UConn has been recruiting Durr for a long time. Everybody paying any kind of attention knows it. No one (we can safely surmise) was promised someone like her wouldn't be recruited.

The message is UConn recruits the best players it can.

In recent years it arguably cast too narrow a net. Now the worst that can be concluded is that it widened its net slightly (maybe; that's not as clear to me as natural recruiting cycles).

And then, for a variety of excellent reasons, the past few years exceeded even the usual lofty UConn expectations.

If that disappoints any player or players who expected to be more prominent based on less internal competition, it's unfortunate.

You do the best you can to utilize everyone's talents while putting the best possible team on the floor under the circumstances.

That's all you can do, barring the existence of an ingenious plan to keep the talent level at just the right level of not too great.

 

[Wonkster]

Our cup runneth over!

Please don't runneth over our NCAA Cup there, Z-Man!

 

[meyers7]

None of those situations would be like this one. That's the point. Walker didn't leave due to PT, and while Johnson may have, she was constantly hurt. I'm referring to players who are set to go but would be supplanted immediately by a superior talent that isn't technically needed.

ummm yeah some them are exactly like this situation. Players transfer all the time and UCONN is not immune. Some for playing time (Banks, Johnson, Engeln, Sadiq, Glenney), some for other reasons, which might?? include playing time (Walker, McCormick, Delle Donne, Sherwood, Robinson, Wright, Johnson, Clark, Arnold) (not really sure about all of them)

I didn't say they should turn her down, just that they should be careful of the message future recruits could take from it if several players leave as a result.

Well you only have two choices if she wants to come, accept her or turn her down. The message is gonna be the message one way or the other. Can't have it both ways.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Maybe the 30,000 views of this thread are all people looking to see if it's time to repeat themselves.


Stop recruiting her? Withdraw the offer? Not on your freakin' life. We can be cognizant that would sent a message of renegging -- as well as being crazy.

....

You do the best you can to utilize everyone's talents while putting the best possible team on the floor under the circumstances.

That's all you can do, barring the existence of an ingenious plan to keep the talent level at just the right level of not too great.

You act as though UConn can accept everyone who wants to come. At some point it's too much. Let's say Gorecki had verballed, then Durr and Ogunbowale were to do the same. Are you okay with a full 15-player roster in which at least five players would have to transfer? I guess you're saying that will all work itself out. If I'm a future recruit and I think UConn will just bring in better talent over me despite a loaded roster, I'd have second thoughts about coming.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Della Donne's reasons for transferring were unusual and a completely different situation. Many of those others listed had injury issues or, quite honestly, were just not all that good by UConn standards. It's one thing for the 150th talent in a class to get limited minutes. It's another to ask several top-20 players to sit for the majority of their four years because you brought in top five players immediately afterwards despite having more than enough to win.

Does anyone think even three of the four incoming freshmen come to UConn if Durr had verballed to the school before them?