It's ASJHA!

[pppggg]

It should make coaching easier as the Huskies can demonstrate what Geno wants to do and it's a heck of a recruiting tool. Be a Husky, win a NT and get a Olympic Gold Medal as a bonus.

 

[grizz36]

ASJHA!!! ​

 

[pap49cba]

Quotes from Geno and Asjha

"People are going to ask about the six players who are former UConn players. What do you have to say about that?
I would like to think that one: it’s a coincidence. I would like that regardless of who the coach was, there’s a pretty good chance that every one of those players would be on this team. They earned it. All the accolades that these players have gotten, they didn’t get those accolades because they played at UConn. They got those accolades because of what they’ve done in their pro careers since they left Connecticut. That speaks to their talent and their level of being able to win at every level they’ve been at. They didn’t make the team because I’m the coach. They made the team because they deserve to be on the team"

 

[UConnCat]

Asjha absolutely deserved this honor, based on her play in the WNBA and her play overseas, particularly this year (led her Spanish team to Euroleague finals and was selected Euroleague Final 8 MVP). Her selection is based on what Asjha has accomplished after her college career at UConn.

Geno and Carol Callan also stressed Asjha's experience in playing against European post players:

Geno:

"Some of the teams that we’re going to have to beat in the Olympics, the best teams are really the ones who have the most experienced post players. Asjha has proven herself both in the WNBA and overseas to be able to defend anybody and to be able to score. She’s got experience. All of the things you would look for in a player, she has those qualities. So, when we’re looking at who that 12th player was, having somebody with Asjha’s experience and certainly what she’s done overseas, especially this year, has given us a lot of comfort knowing that we have somebody who can really compliment the other post players who have already been named."

Carol Callan:

"Asjha has shown her abilities throughout the EuroLeague season, culminating in earning MVP honors at the Final Eight. Her abilities and leadership as a veteran of international basketball and over the last several years with our USA National Team program makes her a great choice for this final spot. Her experience pushed her forward in terms of selecting the final roster spot."

 

[Kevin G]

I read the "other" board for kicks and of course, the conspiracy theories abound. There is also talk that Courtney Vandersloot should be groomed to be the next Sue because "at this point in her career, she's better than Sue was" (minus a few NCs and an undefeated seasons, but whatever)

Also, Nneka should be on there because she had as good a senior season as Maya and Maya "most certainly did no have a season in the W that set her apart from other WNBA talent."

Huh. Other than the whole Rookie of the Year thing, and a starter on the championship team, and a member of the gold medal winning World Championship team, they're right. Nothing set her apart.

The "other" board should be focusing on other things like their own team rather than how many Huskies made the Olympic team!!

 

[sarals24]

I agree, but when your HOF coach is retiring, four seniors graduating and recruits decommitting... might be too painful to focus on their own team.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I read the "other" board for kicks and of course, the conspiracy theories abound. There is also talk that Courtney Vandersloot should be groomed to be the next Sue because "at this point in her career, she's better than Sue was" (minus a few NCs and an undefeated seasons, but whatever)

Also, Nneka should be on there because she had as good a senior season as Maya and Maya "most certainly did no have a season in the W that set her apart from other WNBA talent."

Huh. Other than the whole Rookie of the Year thing, and a starter on the championship team, and a member of the gold medal winning World Championship team, they're right. Nothing set her apart.

For Sue: THREE Lieberman Awards.

For Maya: 4-time consensus AP All-American.

 

[Bayareahusky]

TN response actually not as bad as I had expected.... for those LV fans who are upset, we have almost half of the last 13 championships..... and PHS says herself "it is all about the championships"..... UConn deserves the representation it has in this yrs Olympics.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'm very happy for Asjha! This will be a nice cap to her career.

I also think it was a very good pick. She is very experienced, including in Europe. She can defend much bigger players. Her midrange game is about as good as it gets. She's a team player. She's still at the top of her game. She knows Geno's system and her teammates. She was part of the October 2010 team that won the WC. One can argue that certain players--Pondexter, Brunson, Dupree, et al.--were deserving, but no one can legitimately say that Asjha was a bad pick.

I am REALLY looking forward to London!

 

[Kibitzer]

Seems to me that the focus of all American basketball fans should be on hoping that this team does just what Pat reportedly told Geno: "Bring home the gold!"

And anyone who harbors snarky hopes that they fail is just an old poop!

 

[alexrgct]

Seems to me that the focus of all American basketball fans should be on hoping that this team does just what Pat reportedly told Geno: "Bring home the gold!"

And anyone who harbors snarky hopes that they fail should be forced to leave the country.

FIFY!

 

[Fiftyish]

Great news. She will be an animal in the post. Congratulations Asjha!!!

 

[doggydaddy]

TN response actually not as bad as I had expected....

You're kidding, right?

 

[Wonkster]

... The only people pissing and moaning are the maroons in orange...

"the maroons in orange" ... very colorful expression there, UCONNfan1. You should copyright it ASAP.
.

 

[justML]

What everyone needs to remember is that while we are proud of our alums, this is not a UConn team. They are our NATION'S team and I would hope all Americans would root for them no matter what college they played for.

Go USA!!!!!

 

[sarals24]

But it is a UConn board And we have three more months to the Olympics, so I think lots of bragging is in order. We can be patriotic once the Games start.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Where exactly is this talk? Not close.

In Sue's rookie year she started every game, averaged 6 APG, 14.4 PPG, shot 40% on 3s, selected 1st team All-WNBA and led Seattle to its first ever playoff appearance.

Vandersloot started 26 games, averaged 3.7 APG, 6.5 PPG, shot 27% on 3s, selected to WNBA All-Rookie team and Chicago did not make the playoffs.

I like Vandersloot a lot but she has a long way to go before reaching Sue Bird's accomplishments.

I think the 'sloot was unfairly hyped. she was invited to the Team USA trials along with players like Appel and a few others who (I think) will never come close to being on the US National teams, never mind leading their respective teams to glory. Players like Harding and Montgomery, while possibly not ever on a US National team, are even better than Sloot at the same time in their development.

In her 1st season for Minny, Harding averaged 11.6 PPG, 4 APG and 3.5 RPG. Montgomery averaged 9, 2 and 2 her first year. and she only started 9 games. played less minutes than Sloot.

My point? i think Courtney had a lot of hoopla surrounding her game after the Zags NCAA run her senior year and she was invited to the trials and what not. Maybe she peaked. but she's not even the 5th or 6th best PG in the league at this point. and great ones are coming thru college as we speak...

 

[MilfordHusky]

Ok, so this is the 2010 World Championship team that dominated under Coach Auriemma, with only 2 changes:

Candace Parker replacing Jayne Appel--major upgrade there (no offense to JA).

Seimone Augustus replacing Candace Dupree--another clear upgrade.

This team is loaded!

 

[DarthVol]

Congrats to Ashja! And apologies for the whiny behavior of certain other fans. I must admit Dupree would have been my first choice, but Jones is a solid pick too and I don't have a problem with it. All the conspiracy theories are just silly....

 

[MilfordHusky]

Congrats to Ashja! And apologies for the whiny behavior of certain other fans. I must admit Dupree would have been my first choice, but Jones is a solid pick too and I don't have a problem with it. All the conspiracy theories are just silly....

Candace Parker and Tamika Catchings are clearly world-class players. Though UT has "only" 2 players on the team, they are both truly great.

 

[DarthVol]

Candace Parker and Tamika Catchings are clearly world-class players. Though UT has "only" 2 players on the team, they are both truly great.

Thanks, I agree! Again, I don't know why so many LV fans are up in arms over the team selection. The two Lady Vols who clearly deserve to be on the team are there. No other LV alum is even close to deserving IMO.

 

[doggydaddy]

Again, I don't know why so many LV fans are up in arms over the team selection.

Well, let me explain.

Geno is the coach. They hate Geno.

Jones is a UConn Alum. They hate UConn.

6 of the players are UConn alum. They hate UConn.

They hate Geno and UConn.

Hope that helps.

 

[bbsamjj]

The US would have been more than fine with either Jones, Dupree or Brunson. All are top tier four players. Jones' experience and savvy obviously gave her the edge.

Pondexter is objectively better than at least 4 players on the roster, but as others have pointed out, there were likely other items preventing her selection.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Yeah, there is clearly no doubt now that their UConn team was the best ever. Can you imagine another college team where FIVE players from the same team are on the Olympic squad? Griner and Sims may well be one year, and Tina and Maya, but other than that...that's unreal.

The best UConn team will always be a hotly debatable subject. What is not debatable is that there only four members of that 2002 team on the Olympic squad.

 

[speedoo]

The best UConn team will always be a hotly debatable subject. What is not debatable is that there only four members of that 2002 team on the Olympic squad.

"only"?