Geno & Nika's Unique Relationship

[Bigboote]

Remember how distraught we all were in August when we lost Paige, the former NPOY and the best pg/combo guard in the nation. While many BY’ers considered Nika to be a “serviceable” pg, there was a lot of discussion about moving Azzi to pg, not knowing that we would also lose Azzi for most of the season.

Nika’s efforts to hold this UConn team together and bring it to the precipice of yet another FF have been extraordinary. Consider that she is only 21 assists short of the “Ruthian” total of 300 assists in a single season. 20 years from now those BY’ers still alive and kicking will be singing the praises of the remarkable Croatian pg that saved UConn’s 2022-23 season.

I was sorry to lose Paige and Ice, but I always had confidence in Nika. I'd seen enough footage of her in Europe to know that she is an elite passer. I believed UConn would be in the hunt for another National Championship before the season began.

I'm tickled to death how well she's playing and how the relationship between her and Geno has developed. They both have the alpha-dog personality with a heavy dose of sarcasm. Get Paige actively back in the mix next year and we could be in for a good and humorous ride.

 

[Cornell Lt]

Nika will be on somebody's coaching staff within 5 years

 

[npignatjr]

Watching her on the floor up close against Seton Hall in South Orange and then having great seats against Baylor, it was pure fun seeing their interaction. Against Seton Hall, Nika had totally shut down Park Lane in the first quarter who had 2 fouls right away, and Nika was having a great assist game. She tried to thread the needle on a fast break to Aaliyah with about 20 seconds left in the first quarter instead of setting up a play for the last shot. The game was already over. Geno screamed at Nika, and she didn't look at him but had a "Really? Gimme a break. I'm killing it" look on her face. It was hysterical. Against Baylor, he went crazy on her after she picked up her third foul. Her reaction was as though he wasn't there.

See, Geno got what he wanted. A coach on the floor who has taken ownership of the team and everyone on it. He got a little bit of Sue, a little bit of Jenn, a little bit of Moriah and Crystal and others all in one. Over this summer, when she gets a fast and true pull up J, a quicker release on her 3s by stepping into the pass like Azzi and CD do, and learns to twist her right hand slightly on those breakaway fast breaks so she is not too strong off the glass, you will see an All-American next year.

When you see her live, you also see a truly great college defensive player with the heart of a riverboat gambler who will relentlessly harass, torment, and at times embarrass an opponent.

She is an honorable mention All American this year I believe.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Geno's concern

While watching this ...

I felt like this ...

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Nika will be on somebody's coaching staff within 5 years

My guess is she's headed home to Europe for some time anyway. Her ability to play like greased lightning could be a plus there with the short clock and she could return to her preferred way of fouling; you know where she fouls and doesn't get whistled.