Horston or Griffin? Who will be better in the long run?

[oldude]

Jordan Horston was named the MOP while leading the USA to a gold medal in the Under 17 World Championships and is clearly one of the very best HS players in the country. But after watching some film of both Horston and UConn commit Aubrey Griffin, I am struck by the similarities between the two.

Both players are 6’1” and uber-athletic. Both players emerged on UConn’s recruiting radar relatively late in the process. The first indication that UConn was interested in Horston only became public when Shea Ralph showed up at one of her HS games in February of this year. While UConn would have clearly known about Griffin as they recruited AEH, her HS teammate, she only received a scholarship offer this summer. Clearly, Horston is the better player today. But who will be the better player in 4 years?

I’ll make the case for Aubrey Griffin. Basketball was not Griffin’s first love. Soccer was. She started playing basketball relatively late, and just for fun, and she was very good at it from the start. Griffin missed her entire sophomore year of HS with a torn ACL. After an outstanding junior season, she showed up uninvited at the Under 17 trials in CO and turned a lot of heads, while making it to the final 18 before being cut. The suggested reason was that she passed too much but didn’t shoot enough…. Griffin will be playing for the best developmental coaching staff in the history of WBB. Horston will be playing for HW at TN….

Finally, we need to discuss UConn’s mixed results with Ossining HS WBB players. Saniya Chong became a solid player at UConn as a senior after an uneven first three years in Storrs. AEH didn’t make it to her 2nd semester at UConn, and while we will never know exactly why, clearly it didn’t work out. As for Griffin, she has more upside potential than either Chong or AEH imo.

If Aubrey shows up at UConn with a positive attitude and a strong work ethic, I have no doubt she will be an outstanding basketball player. Horston should also be outstanding for the Lady Vols. But if I had to bet on which of the two would ultimately develop into the best basketball player, my money would be on Griffin.

 

[Vowelguy]

But if I had to bet on which of the two would ultimately develop into the best basketball player, my money would be on Griffin.

I am shocked, SHOCKED I SAY, that you came to this conclusion.

 

[oldude]

I am shocked, SHOCKED I SAY, that you came to this conclusion.

Thank you Claude Rains...

 

[hoopsfan22]

Griffin.

 

[DEpup]

With Geno and company combined with a good work ethic within four years Griffin. At TN, not sure Horston will keep improving at the same rate. The injury affected Griffin's rankings so no one really knows her true ranking except maybe Geno.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Horston may have tools unlike any other, maybe a combination of Gabby and Diamond, but Griffin is not too shabby and still very underrated at 33, I believe. I think Geno's coaching, relative to Holly's coaching, will narrow the gap. Will Aubrey ultimately be a better player? I think it's possible.

 

[CocoHusky]

Your bet is really (UCONN) Geno's track record of player development vs (TN) Holly's lack off=no brainer.
Not to answer a question with a question but if both players had decided to come to UCONN would you bet the same way?
As of right now Jordan has a superior tool set in her ability to pass the ball and defend multiple positions. In the long run I'd still bet on Jordan.

 

[oldude]

Your bet is really (UCONN) Geno's track record of player development vs (TN) Holly's lack off=no brainer.
Not to answer a question with a question but if both players had decided to come to UCONN would you bet the same way?
As of right now Jordan has a superior tool set in her ability to pass the ball and defend multiple positions. In the long run I'd still bet on Jordan.

The answer to your question is probably that Horston would be the better player if both came to UConn, but not by a lot. However, your question begs another question in my mind. Clearly, Horston and Griffin would have gotten to know each other at the Under 17 trials, if they had not known each other previously. With very similar size, athleticism and skillsets, they likely went up against each other at the trials, so Horston would have as firm an understanding of how talented Griffin was as anyone. When Griffin announced her decision to attend UConn just ahead of Horston's announcement, is it possible that in some small way Horston might have felt that the last thing she wanted to do was to fight for PT for 4 years at UConn against her doppelganger?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Love reading the debates, but you'll rarely find me in them, because it would expose my lack of acumen when my mirror is out for repair.

 

[Orangutan]

 

[DEpup]

The answer to your question is probably that Horston would be the better player if both came to UConn, but not by a lot. However, your question begs another question in my mind. Clearly, Horston and Griffin would have gotten to know each other at the Under 17 trials, if they had not known each other previously. With very similar size, athleticism and skillsets, they likely went up against each other at the trials, so Horston would have as firm an understanding of how talented Griffin was as anyone. When Griffin announced her decision to attend UConn just ahead of Horston's announcement, is it possible that in some small way Horston might have felt that the last thing she wanted to do was to fight for PT for 4 years at UConn against her doppelganger?

That is an interesting question. I wonder what their similarity brought out in each other. Aubrey evidently had the swagger to say yes to UConn even with the possibility of Horston. I like that attitude.

 

[DEpup]

If she is a Nurse like player hidden in the 30s due to injury or being international in Nurse's case then great for UConn.

 

[j66kicker]

When Griffin announced her decision to attend UConn just ahead of Horston's announcement, is it possible that in some small way Horston might have felt that the last thing she wanted to do was to fight for PT for 4 years at UConn against her doppelganger?

So - some expressed this fear and it came true. Settling for Griffin early cost us Horston later. (Although, even if this is the case, I do like DEpup’s take on the attitude)

 

[BleedBlue72]

Time do digest all that happened last week. I believe Jordan chose the lady vols due to a stronger relationship with the program and coaching staff. She was being recruited much earlier and had visited tennessee before and had more contact. UCONN came late to the party. I believe that was the deciding factor. Megan stated the reason she chose the Huskies over Notre Dame and Texas was because Geno recruited her the most and from the very beginning. She had built a strong relationship with the coaches and future teammates. That goes a long way sometimes even more important then championships. These ladies are committed for 4 years and will be there home away from home. I believe that’s why we will have a strong chance at landing Boston. But sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But familiarity with a program and coaches is the deciding factor. If u do not have a connection with the coaching staff then it’s not going to work out. At the end of the day your playing for a coach.. yes teammates and college campus and education are so important but there getting a full ride to play basketball not a full education. Just my opinion..

 

[oldude]

That is an interesting question. I wonder what their similarity brought out in each other. Aubrey evidently had the swagger to say yes to UConn even with the possibility of Horston. I like that attitude.

I hadn't even considered that. Assuming that Aubrey did not know that Horston was heading to TN, her announcement demonstrates a great deal of confidence in her ability to compete for PT against the #2 ranked player in the nation. The little Italian guy has got to love that.

 

[CocoHusky]

The answer to your question is probably that Horston would be the better player if both came to UConn, but not by a lot. However, your question begs another question in my mind. Clearly, Horston and Griffin would have gotten to know each other at the Under 17 trials, if they had not known each other previously. With very similar size, athleticism and skillsets, they likely went up against each other at the trials, so Horston would have as firm an understanding of how talented Griffin was as anyone. When Griffin announced her decision to attend UConn just ahead of Horston's announcement, is it possible that in some small way Horston might have felt that the last thing she wanted to do was to fight for PT for 4 years at UConn against her doppelganger?

Doubtful. If Horston had a doppelganger at USA basketball trials it was Haley Jones who is still in the UCONN mix.

 

[oldude]

So - some expressed this fear and it came true. Settling for Griffin early cost us Horston later. ( Although even if this is the case I do like DEpup’s take on the attitude)

While I posed the question, I don't really believe it was the deciding factor, maybe just a small factor. However, if it was a deciding factor for Horston, and she did not want to compete with the #33 ranked player in the country for PT, then she wasn't supposed to be at UConn in the first place.

 

[donalddoowop]

I am shocked, SHOCKED I SAY, that you came to this conclusion.

Me too.

 

[CocoHusky]

Time do digest all that happened last week. I believe Jordan chose the lady vols due to a stronger relationship with the program and coaching staff. She was being recruited much earlier and had visited tennessee before and had more contact. UCONN came late to the party. I believe that was the deciding factor. Megan stated the reason she chose the Huskies over Notre Dame and Texas was because Geno recruited her the most and from the very beginning. She had built a strong relationship with the coaches and future teammates. That goes a long way sometimes even more important then championships. These ladies are committed for 4 years and will be there home away from home. I believe that’s why we will have a strong chance at landing Boston. But sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But familiarity with a program and coaches is the deciding factor. If u do not have a connection with the coaching staff then it’s not going to work out. At the end of the day your playing for a coach.. yes teammates and college campus and education are so important but there getting a full ride to play basketball not a full education. Just my opinion..

I think you maybe missing a very important data point regarding how long UCONN has been recruiting Horston. Jordan was quoted as saying she had attended a "couple" of UCONN practices and she knows what the team was about. Don't recall Jordan coming to UCONN until her official visit, so likely that practice(s) was in 2015 when UCONN opened the season in Columbus, OH-Jordan's hometown. The comment was made well before the FF last year which was also in Jordan's hometown. I don't have the time frame for her TN visit that you referenced, however If I'm correct UCONN was on the case during Jordan's freshman year of HS.

 

[oldude]

I think you maybe missing a very important data point regarding how long UCONN has been recruiting Horston. Jordan was quoted as saying she had attended a "couple" of UCONN practices and she knows what the team was about. Don't recall Jordan coming to UCONN until her official visit, so likely that practice(s) was in 2015 when UCONN opened the season in Columbus, OH-Jordan's hometown. The comment was made well before the FF last year which was also in Jordan's hometown. I don't have the time frame for her TN visit that you referenced, however If I'm correct UCONN was on the case during Jordan's freshman year of HS.

I would add to your comment that while UConn was not necessarily "all in" on Horston until this year, she had previously indicated that UConn was one of the schools that she was interested in. With that said, BleedBlue72 makes a very good point about the fact that TN showed a stronger interest in Horston well before UConn and that may well have been the deciding factor for her. Fortunately, UConn has been "all in" on Jones and Boston for a very long time. Let's hope the strength of those relationships make a difference.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Horston improved a lot as a player during the last year. she didn't impress me much at the U16 even as she was starting but at the U17 she was amazing. She's got all the tools to be a great one and her issue will be to get better while getting mediocre player development at TN. Griffin will be coached by the best coaching staff there is, so with her it will depend on how much does she want to be the best she can be. If I had to guess, I think that Horston will be much better during her first 2 years in college but by the end of 4 years Griffin will be better!

 

[DEpup]

Doubtful. If Horston had a doppelganger at USA basketball trials it was Haley Jones who is still in the UCONN mix.

I don't agree with that. Jones is a more 3-4 player in the Maya Moore realm. Horston is in the 1-3 realm sort of like Tiff Hayes. Not saying either is as good as the UConn greats but just drawing role comparisons.

 

[CocoHusky]

I thought we had settle this a while ago.

My guess is that one of the reasons Jordan Horston did not pick UConn is that she knows Haley Jones is coming aboard. Their skill sets overlap substantiality.

Jordan Horston, a MISMATCH PROBLEM!
Haley Jones, BIG TIMING!

 

[MilfordHusky]

The long run??

 

[Bama fan]

There are quite a few posters on this thread that seem to be dishing the "so what if you did not choose UConn, we did not really want you anyway" game. There are many things that will play into which kid will be the best player over four years , including talent, teaching, health, opportunity, and willingness. Betting on this is fool's errand. But I used to take book for a local numbers man when I was young. He always said everyone is a bettor until the stakes get high. A guy will bet a buck on a long shot, but the same guy won't bet a grand on a 'lock'. So the issue is not if you will bet, it's how much! At any rate, I am glad we got Griffin, wish we got Horston too. I wish them both success. I really do not think that Griffin signing drove Horston away, but I am sure I will never know for certain. Let's get the other kids onboard and Go Huskies!