Fuller: UConn's Williams expanding her game

[UConnCat]

http://elmcitytoeaglevillenhr.blogspot.com/2015/06/uconns-williams-expanding-her-game.html

Geno likes what he's seeing. . .

"I've been working on my ball handling so hopefully I can move off the block," Williams said. "I do call myself a forward. That is kind of a funny thing now, I like it more down there than I did playing guard. Obviously the coaches know best and they saw something that I didn't see the entire time I have playing basketball so I had to put my trust in them."

UConn coach Geno Auriemma is asking Williams to make gradual improvements to her game and likes what he has seen.

"In the (off)season she has put a lot of time in the gym and she is getting really comfortable and that kid is going to be really good," Auriemma said. "I don't know how far away but right now if we get her comfortable 15 feet away (on her jump shot) that makes it really hard for people. I remember when we recruited Meghan Pattyson and people said she is a 5-10 power forward, how are you going to win a national championship? We didn't but we went to the Final Four. You put somebody who is an incredible athlete, she is good around the basket who as she gets a little bit better shooting the ball, it is a tough matchup for people."

Williams is putting herself in position for a successful sophomore season with good old fashioned hard work.

"Just paying attention to every detail that I can, how fast I am getting the ball up and that kind of thing because now is the time to do it," said Williams, who said she is taking hundreds of jump shots on a daily basis. "Maybe up to a thousand (per day), just shoot as much as I can."

 

[caramel]

Have to love the attitudes and desire to get better,by our Connecticut girls!!

 

[Tonyc]

The ole saying practice makes perfect is dead wrong. Perfect practice is perfect and you cant get there without great coaching to correct you mistakes and have you practice the correct things.

 

[EricLA]

This is music to UCONN fan's ears, and a nigthmare for other teams. She's got so much untapped potential, perhaps more room for growth than any other kid on the team. Can't wait to see her this coming season!!

 

[Geno-ista]

If she has to be guarded 15' from the basket-she could very easily become our 5 th starter,

 

[BigBird]

The ole saying practice makes perfect is dead wrong. Perfect practice is perfect and you cant get there without great coaching to correct you mistakes and have you practice the correct things.

Sounds like my first college speech prof. "Practice doesn't make perfect, it makes permanent." Too many people spend great energy so they can make the same mistake every time.

 

[psconn]

If she gets a really good mid-range shot, she will one of the most entertaining players to watch in all of WCBB. Super tough matchup. Her quick jump and touch off the glass had me jumping for the playback button a bunch of times last year. HOW GABULOUS CAN SHE GET??

 

[MilfordHusky]

Gabby has something that no one else in WCBB has. She has a background as an ultra-elite athlete who was national class at age 15. She brings the work ethic that allowed her to excel in the high jump. Her trajectory is very promising. Among other things, I look for her to be a respectable FT shooter next year.

 

[UcMiami]

Gabby has something that no one else in WCBB has. She has a background as an ultra-elite athlete who was national class at age 15. She brings the work ethic that allowed her to excel in the high jump. Her trajectory is very promising. Among other things, I look for her to be a respectable FT shooter next year.

Not quite the 'pedigree' but there is a forward down at Baylor that is pretty phenomenal with a similar body type and a mid range game.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Not quite the 'pedigree' but there is a forward down at Baylor that is pretty phenomenal with a similar body type and a mid range game.

I love Nina Davis. I see her as quicker, but Gabby as more explosive.

 

[chrissaran]

Gabby will definitely get her minutes, but when UConn plays a team with a big center, like Mercedes Russell, they will have no one to guard her. Natalie Butler takes that advantage away for those teams like SC, Tennessee and Maryland. You have to remember, minutes will not be easy to come by for numbers 5, 6, 7 and 8. You have Natalie, Gabby, Napheesa and Katie Lou. De'Janae is not yet completely healthy, and we'll see how much improvement Saniya and Courtney have made.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Gabby will definitely get her minutes, but when UConn plays a team with a big center, like Mercedes Russell, they will have no one to guard her. Natalie Butler takes that advantage away for those teams like SC, Tennessee and Maryland. You have to remember, minutes will not be easy to come by for numbers 5, 6, 7 and 8. You have Natalie, Gabby, Napheesa and Katie Lou. De'Janae is not yet completely healthy, and we'll see how much improvement Saniya and Courtney have made.

did I miss the apology and announcement

 

[iri10]

Gabby is not without enthusiasm. Here she is faceplanting herself to beat Moriah in a sled push race :

 

[CBear01]

Gabby is pure proof that Geno is a master coach. She looked fantastic last year and just learned that position under Geno and his staff. Incredible

 

[Bonpland]

I think that these comments have been right on point about Gabby's potential. I particularly agree with the observation that coaching directs great talent to success and away from repeating bad habits. We see many great athletes each year in other programs who play a rough unsophisticated game and never come close to reaching their potential. At UCONN every girl has the chance to evolve into being the best that they will ever be, and when they don't improve and respond to the coaching staff's demands they sit and watch others play.

I've been beating the Butler drum in the off-season, but I certainly can see how talent like Gabby's might win out, at times, over Natalie's height.

 

[HuskiesU]

I love Nina Davis. I see her as quicker, but Gabby as more explosive.

But is Nina Davis faster than mojeff? What I like bout Gabby she goes half speed and takes long strives playing basketball and go all out on the track. But mojeff should of been the track star
I remember against SC she got a defense rebound and beat everyone down the court for a lay up

 

[HuskiesU]

If she gets a really good mid-range shot, she will one of the most entertaining players to watch in all of WCBB. Super tough matchup. Her quick jump and touch off the glass had me jumping for the playback button a bunch of times last year. HOW GABULOUS CAN SHE GET??

Once she start knocking down the 3 the next Maya

 

[CocoHusky]

Gabby is not without enthusiasm. Here she is faceplanting herself to beat Moriah in a sled push race :

Wow! I was struck by the definition in the legs and arms of Gabby compared to a few short years ago.

 

[Bigpetunia]

The "ceiling" for Gabby Williams, given her obvious athleticism, is extremely high, especially in view of her previously unanticipated transition to a new position last season...her potential was crystal clear, as was the sense that she was just "feeling" her way into things as the season progressed. I think we can safely expect a major move forward this year. In fact, in my opinion the two most improved players on the team will be Gabby and Kia Nurse, both of whom should make a classic Freshman to Sophomore leap in confidence, ability, and contribution. On that basis, I would be entirely unsurprised to see Gabby included in the starting five once the season settles in, with Butler playing a similar role off the bench (early and often) to the one Kiah Stokes played last season. There's going to be an interesting distribution of minutes, especially considering all the easily anticipated AAC blowouts, offering Geno lots of opportunities to give the three Freshman experience. All three of them are going to be good, and will earn their minutes. I predict that on an early basis, Napheesa, in particular, will prove hard to keep on the bench. Saniya will obviously get some reasonable share of minutes....but Courtney??? Hope she hangs in there.

 

[Bonpland]

Courtney is classically the girl we all root for, but I don't know that I see a real place for her in the coming years. As has been pointed out often here on the Board, this year's team may be the most athletic that we've ever had, and I'm afraid that it will be hard for her to find a niche that will afford her minutes. If her 3-point shooting improves (she came in last year heralded as a great shooter, but up to this point she hasn't shown it) then maybe she'll fill the role of being a spot up shooter, a dagger inserted when it will hurt an opponent the most (ND and Stanford always seem to have at least one player on their roster that fills that description).

But with Gabby, Collier, KLS, and Chong, having so much to offer athletically when will Geno think that she will help the team more than they will. One of those four may be a starter but still how does she find playing time on a team with this much speed and versatility?

Personally I hope she gets 10-12 minutes a game but that seems impossible. With 200 total minutes available each game, do the math. With our current three AA's and the future stars (Nurse,Gabby KLS, Collier, Butler and Boykin) chewing up the playing time they'll be little enough left for Chong.

It's painful to say but Courtney will have a hard time displacing those ahead of her in her quest for PT. I'll be rooting for her when I'm not being awed by the others.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Once she start knocking down the 3 the next Maya

Wait. I thought that was the line on Collier. Two Mayas? OMG.

 

[2Husky]

Wait. I thought that was the line on Collier. Two Mayas? OMG.

You can't have too many Mayas

 

[MJL243]

The most shocking play of the year! From UConn vs USF (AAC Championship) - Mo leads a fast break and Gabby blows by her like she's standing still. Even Rebecca Lobo commented on it.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I'm more surprised that KML came down and missed the 3, next possession Jefferson comes down and knock down the 3 smh

 

[UcMiami]

With Courtney I go back to the first game last year - she was first of the freshman of the bench and got significant minutes in the first half - something that suggested she was picking up the Uconn system faster than the others and the coaches liked what they were seeing - after the second game she was on the shelf for two months and never caught back up. So ... she could well come in next year in much better shape to compete for minutes. She is also more naturally a shooting guard compared to most of the other options on the bench.