How good a duo do you expect Paige & Azzi be?

[maccca3232]

Although neither Paige or Azzi have played a game for UConn yet, they are popular topics of discussion. It got me wondering exactly how high those expectations have been set.

When all is said and done after their careers are over where do you project the duo of Paige & Azzi will rank in comparison to the previous UConn duos listed in the table below?

The table consists of 10 top Uconn Duos (complied based on AA's awarded).

Note: My original criteria was 3 seasons played together but thought I should include DT somehow to avoid complaints.

 

[CL82]

I won't vote because I feel like that is just begging for a mojo slap down. Instead I provide this entirely unrelated musical interlude:



(Still doomed.)

 

[TheGOAT23]

Ditto @CL82. I won't vote as well. However, I want Paige and Azzi to be the best duo EVER. Is that asking for too much??

My daughter's 7th/ 8th grade AAU team played against Azzi's AAU team back in the summer of 2014. A 6th grader at the time, Azzi had an injured right arm, but she was warming up shooting jumpers with her left hand. Needless to say, they shellacked us by 30+ without her. Terrified to this day to think about what would have happened, if she played. I've seen her run the point as a 5th grader back in 2013 with only a seven player AAU team and she was giving other teams the business. I didn't know her at the time, but #35 with the power braids stuck out like a "golden" thumb.

 

[veryolddog]

I think that you better ask "Carnac". He is the only one on this forum who can see into the future.

 

[eebmg]

By your metric, it is hard (for me) to imagine either Paige and Azzi not being AA from their respective Sophomore to Senior Years so for their 3 overlapping years, they get 15AA out of total of 18 available or 83%

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I like to enjoy my heroines for who they are when they are and not pit them against each other. That said, no doubt what's coming is going to be very sweet, and I'm not just talking Azzi and Paige.

 

[oldhusky]

Only one of those combinations was two guards, namely Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, and that is the most relevant comparison. They didn't play enough together for the AA measuring stick together to be a fair comparison, but that duo was great, certainly in the discussion for best ever as potentially could be Paige and Azzi, but time will tell.

 

[topogigio]

Always fun to predict the success of the young pups, but I believe there have been zero former Huskies with the demonstrated overall high school skill set of either Paige or Azzi. That includes Maya, Diana, and Sue. Stewart would be the only one close, and very close! Remember, I'm talking High School performance, not what they will be as college players.

 

[and one]

I voted but really have no clue. I expect they'll both be really good and we'll see what happens.

Both have gotten more hype than I remember of other high school players of the year that played for UConn, with the possible exception of Stewie and D. This may be because media, including social media, has more to say about women's basketball than it used to, or it may be I just don't remember it. I know that Stewie and D were regarded as generational type talents that were expected to be impact players from day one.

How Paige and Azzi's freshman years will compare to the other UConn HS POY's remains to be seen. We've had 8 of them, which is amazing. Just looking at freshman season average points, this is how they did;

1998 - Tamika Williams 13.5
2000 - D 10.9
2002 - Anne Strother 10
2007 Maya 17.8
2011 KM-L 15
2012 Stewie 13.8
2015 KLS 11
2017 Megan 5.8
2018 Christyn 11.7

I just used Wiki as my source, which didn't give game start numbers except for D (14 of 33), Megan (no starts) and Christyn ( started every game).

The team is too loaded for Paige or Azzi to challenge Maya as a scorer as a freshman but low teens should be very doable.

 

[Charliebball]

at just about any other program they'd most likely be voted number one in a heartbeat.................just impossible to do that at UConn such is the wealth of past talents............that said, number one is certainly not out of the question.........

 

[SVCBeercats]

Although neither Paige or Azzi have played a game for UConn yet, they are popular topics of discussion. It got me wondering exactly how high those expectations have been set.

When all is said and done after their careers are over where do you project the duo of Paige & Azzi will rank in comparison to the previous UConn duos listed in the table below?

Paige and Nika will be the 2nd best duo.

 

[BBallF]

Only one of those combinations was two guards, namely Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, and that is the most relevant comparison. They didn't play enough together for the AA measuring stick together to be a fair comparison, but that duo was great, certainly in the discussion for best ever as potentially could be Paige and Azzi, but time will tell.

I rewatched the 2002 NC game against Oklahoma recently. As a duo Sue and DT did not make a single 3 nor did the team. However at the end of the game in the most critical possession it was DT who backed her defender down, forced Stacy Dales to provide help defense, made the jumper and 3 point play and fouled Dales out. It was Bird, everyone's National Player of the Year who controlled the game and made big plays and foul shots at the end despite the shooting woes. This game, in which Swin was magnificent, was very far from one of this duo's best but they still were the reason we put it away in the last 2 minutes. They are the measuring stick right now, no one else, as the greatest women's backcourt of all time and the only true comparison and not by awards alone. Yes, time will tell but I have never ever seen a shooter in the women's game like Azzi and she is still in high school.

 

[Majic Hands]

At this point I think the word I want is arbitrary. This is an exercise that could apply to multiple combinations of 2's and a few combinations of the "Big Three" for years to come. The potential is off the chart.

However. . .
No body's done _______ yet.
Just Say-N

 

[Skeets]

Yes, they are the measuring stick. Sort of like a backcourt version of a "Hartley Unit".

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Pretty good.

 

[Shorty Dee]

I voted 2nd best. Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi are the greatest duos hands down. I DON'T see anyone coming close to what they have done, and still doing with the U.S.A. Women basketball team.

 

[southofnorth]

I voted top 3 because they’re friends and they’re both really talented. I guess I’d want to see a compilation (when they’re done) of stats, awards, and wins (especially national championships) and compare that to those of the other duos to decide since stats are more concrete than nostalgic memories of past UConn duos or limiting the criteria to points scored or awards.

 

[EdSaid]

Although neither Paige or Azzi have played a game for UConn yet, they are popular topics of discussion. It got me wondering exactly how high those expectations have been set.

When all is said and done after their careers are over where do you project the duo of Paige & Azzi will rank in comparison to the previous UConn duos listed in the table below?

The table consists of 10 top Uconn Duos (complied based on AA's awarded).

View attachment 61465

Note: My original criteria was 3 seasons played together but thought I should include DT somehow to avoid complaints.

Great chart, you put some time into it.

Could you please add another column for National Championships? Individual awards are great, but....

The goal should be to win 39-40 games.

 

[bluedevil]

And a column for "likes"...

 

[Shorty Dee]

I voted 2nd best. Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi are the greatest duos hands down. I DON'T see anyone coming close to what they have done, and still doing with the U.S.A. Women basketball team.

Oops...I voted top 3 .

 

[Carnac]

I think that you better ask "Carnac". He is the only one on this forum who can see into the future.

I'm on it!!!

 

[Go/huskies]

at just about any other program they'd most likely be voted number one in a heartbeat.................just impossible to do that at UConn such is the wealth of past talents............that said, number one is certainly not out of the question.........

UConn was pretty deep when Stewie came in, yet when things really mattered she was clearly the best player on the team, even though KML averaged more points per game, I think Stewie was still the better player. I expected the same out of Lou, then I expected the same thing from Walker, then I expected the same thing from Williams. Williams still has a chance but she seems to defer to her teammates in bigger games. I think Paige and Azzi will be the best #1 recruits UConn has gotten since Stewie.

 

[MilfordHusky]

How good? Really, really, really good!

 

[Carnac]

Although neither Paige or Azzi have played a game for UConn yet, they are popular topics of discussion. It got me wondering exactly how high those expectations have been set.

When all is said and done after their careers are over where do you project the duo of Paige & Azzi will rank in comparison to the previous UConn duos listed in the table below?

The table consists of 10 top Uconn Duos (complied based on AA's awarded).

View attachment 61465

Note: My original criteria was 3 seasons played together but thought I should include DT somehow to avoid complaints.

Azzi and Paige are two "exceptional" players Their skills and BB IQ ARE NOT going to diminish over the next 4 years. They will get better and improve as they matriculate through the program. They will be playing against some of the same elite players they played against in AAU competition, so they won't be in over their heads. The fun starts when the college game slows down for them, they learn the system, and they KNOW what they're doing.

IF they can stay on the same talent and skill trajectory they're on now, I see no reason why they can't carve out a legacy of their own that can stand along side the greats in UConn lore. We'll have to wait until season's end to intelligently evaluate Paige's freshman year. We can project the next 3 years from there. The same for Azzi. If they're good today, they should be even better tomorrow. I don't think we have to be concerned about those two.

 

[Adios]

We're getting way ahead of ourselves. Fudd just had serious injuries to her knee. Let the kids play and then after all is said and done, then carry on with whatever rankings you guys come up with.

 

[Carnac]

By your metric, it is hard (for me) to imagine either Paige and Azzi not being AA from their respective Sophomore to Senior Years so for their 3 overlapping years, they get 15AA out of total of 18 available or 83%

I agree with you logic. I don't think we're putting too much pressure on these two. They've both been rated or ranked as the best players in the age group. Why all of a sudden should that change? I understand they will now be playing against the best college level players in the country.

All we're doing is looking at past and present behavior, and using that as a barometer to predict future behavior. It's done everyday. I see greatness in them today. I'll see greatness in them tomorrow. Think about it, when was the last time a player came to UConn ranked #1 in their HS class and was a bust?

 

[donalddoowop]

Will either one of them accomplish what Mo Jefferson did in college? College is all that matters now in their careers. She even had MOP award taken from her in one FF. Stewart even admitted it. She was one of the best ever at UConn, imo. I know this is about duos. Also, Muhl and Bueckers could be one of the best duos if they got the chance, but that will probably never happen as long as Fudd is on the team.

 

[Woof 101]

No attack on the OP, simply can't vote. Have there been some great combinations? Yes but with supporting cast to ward off double teaming etc, no two players ever won a basketball game by themselves. I think it would be nice and respectful to discuss this years tandems and possibilities over something that may happen an entire season away. Azzi is good, very good but she is not coming in against chopped liver at the highest level of D1 ball. I get all the over zealous with her but there is plenty to respect that will be playing this season. Great off season topic of who she might move from a starter to the bench or not next year for me.

 

[Carnac]

Here's an informal poll: This is purely speculation because all we've got to go on at this point, is the bits and pieces of news about various players we're getting from their practice sessions.

Who do you think will win The Kibitzer's "Bad Ass" Award for the Quinnipiac game?

Aaliyah Edwards gets my vote. Even Geno has come out and said how "tough" she is, and we all know how hard it is to impress him after 35 years.

 

[Littlemin]

We're getting way ahead of ourselves. Fudd just had serious injuries to her knee. Let the kids play and then after all is said and done, then carry on with whatever rankings you guys come up with.

I could not agree more.