Geno in St Louis Watching Napheesa Collier. . . Again

[UConnCat]

Frank Cusumano ‏@Frank_Cusumano 22m
Geno Auriemma at Incarnate Word right now watching Napheesa Collier.

He also traveled to watch her play in mid-December.

 

[EricLA]

I'm thinking he really likes her. I hope she says yes to us... Boykin also. A pair of really really good top 10 6'2" kids would be AWESOME!!

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'm with Eric. A pair of very good 6'2" forwards would be great. I wonder how their games compare. Napheesa's team is one of the very top teams in the country.

How many kids does Geno want for 2015? Supposing we could get them, would Collier, Boykin, Durr, and Samuelson be too many? How about adding in a center?

 

[jdubct]

I'm with Eric. A pair of very good 6'2" forwards would be great. I wonder how their games compare. Napheesa's team is one of the very top teams in the country.

How many kids does Geno want for 2015? Supposing we could get them, would Collier, Boykin, Durr, and Samuelson be too many? How about adding in a center?

3 or 4 players would be ideal with the need for frontcourt players a prime need in the 4 seasons ending in 2020. A center (say, for example, Kalani Brown) would be a high priority.

 

[mrmojack]

I'm with Eric. A pair of very good 6'2" forwards would be great. I wonder how their games compare. Napheesa's team is one of the very top teams in the country.

How many kids does Geno want for 2015? Supposing we could get them, would Collier, Boykin, Durr, and Samuelson be too many? How about adding in a center?

I think that the status of A'ja Wilson will determine what the recruiting landscape
will look like. Geno has a 6-6 center (K. Brown) on the radar for 2015. She is the
only center I see mentioned as a recruit. Without knowing where Wilson will go,
Geno has to recruit as if she won't be here. He as to establish relationships with
these kids now because his USA basketball commitment will take much of his
time and energy later on. He has to get this recruiting work done now. Time will
tell what the future of the Uconn team will look like by 2015. I think we will do
just fine on the recruiting trail. Go Huskies!!!

 

[Sonny44]

Even if we get A'ja, [whom we probably won't] [and who doesn't want to play post] we should still actively pursue KB.

 

[jsloanjr]

Great guards and Post players are hard to find.........Stock up when you can........

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Hope Geno can close some deals on a few post players ;-)

 

[Godfather]

Collier is more of a wing type in the same category as KLS, both are perimeter players that shoot the 3 ball not much of a back to the basket players, she's like a Kiah Stokes but with a jumper and not much of a post player,

 

[ndmb]

Collier is more of a wing type in the same category as KLS, both are perimeter players that shoot the 3 ball not much of a back to the basket players, she's like a Kiah Stokes but with a jumper and not much of a post player,

I'm almost not sure that's even relevant anymore. We need players who are tall and strong enough to be able to defend effectively in the post in a pinch. My sense is that Collier can fit that description.

 

[sawxfan23]

Collier is more of a wing type in the same category as KLS, both are perimeter players that shoot the 3 ball not much of a back to the basket players, she's like a Kiah Stokes but with a jumper and not much of a post player,

No, she is not a perimeter player and she is nothing like KLS. Collier is a 6-2 power forward with a solid build that does almost all of her work from 12 ft in. In fact Collier has attempted only 2 3pt shots ALL YEAR. She has a nice face up game, back to game, great footwork, and a "Rodman like knack to rebound". KLS is a 6-3 wing with a slender build that lives on the on the outside and gets to the rim primarily in transition and driving off the perimeter with the use of ball fakes. Their height is the only thing similar about them.

 

[meyers7]

and a "Rodman like knack to rebound".

Oh I like that. We would just have to keep her out of N Korea.

 

[UcMiami]

I think the offensive game is less important - whether they are slashers, back to the basket, or distance shooters - the coaches work on developing the whole range for players like KML who come in as 3 pt sharp shooters and Maya who really liked her jump shots or Stef who has continued to extend her range away from the basket.
More critical for Uconn is defensive posture and having players with height and leaping ability is critical - I really don't care what a player like A'ja does on the offensive end and playing the two or the three works, but thinking that she or Stewie or another long player is going to be a good option to defend a Bria or Jefferson or Banks or Chong when all three are on the floor together is going to be problematic - in a Zone OK, but man to man they will be exposed.

 

[Tonyc]

A lot of big named in this thread. Geno needs kids that are coachable. We don't need really tall players who cant play the game. If we get a bunch of 6'2 - 6'3 players who can play we're fine, because we have the guards. Good guards make all the difference.

It would be great to get A'ja and I think it would be great for her to but she has to make that decision. One thing we all have to remember. We've got Geno and Geno can set up a defense to stop almost any body and any team, so Im not too worried. We have Kiah next season and Breanna and Morgan the following season plus who ever else commits. We're in better shape then most teams. I will go out on a limb again and say with Breanna UConn will be the favorite to win the NC the next 3 years. Ive never seen a player who can do everything she can do. Her last 3 games cant be compared to anyone else in WCBB and shes only a soph. Can you imagine what she will be like in 3 years???? Its almost crazy to think about. She is at a level that we have never seen win WCBB.

 

[Sonny44]

Love your optimism Tony, but we don't "have" Morgan. What we do have is hope.
In 3 years Breanna will be gone.

 

[UConnCat]

Collier is 6-1, slender and with long arms. Most project her as a wing. She is not as solidly built as Maya was at a comparable age.

KLS is 6-3 and should be able to play the wing or stretch 4 (like Stewie). She needs to get stronger and is working a lot on her post up game. Like Stewart, she should be able to score from anywhere on the court.