July 2020 UCONN recruiting thread

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

 

[DaBball]

Nicole Melious has decommitted from Purdue. She still puts up huge numbers during AAU, recently having a 52 point game and has only been held to under 30 in two of her 13 games.

 

[Mdoggie]

Nicole Melious has decommitted from Purdue. She still puts up huge numbers during AAU, recently having a 52 point game and has only been held to under 30 in two of her 13 games.

Headed to Duke.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Crestwood vs Niagara: OSBA Finals - 3/8/2020


Posted back in March but worth watching again during the downtime. It's a great showcase of Aaliyah Edwards' abilities and why I think she's a top-five player in the '20 class.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Thanks for posting Sluconn. As self-appointed "President" of the Aaliyah Edwards fan club - I approve this message!

 

[ju6381]

Thanks for posting Sluconn. As self-appointed "President" of the Aaliyah Edwards fan club - I approve this message!

I am right with you. I think of all the freshman she has the best chance of starting because of the balance I think she would bring to the lineup.

 

[Alydar]

I still think Bueckers has the best shot at starting but even for her it's less than a 50-50 chance. Edwards has the body to be a starter, but I question her level of development compared to either Makurat or Griffin.
When I asked my 8-ball it responded "ask me again in 6 months".

 

[BobbyJ]

Crestwood vs Niagara: OSBA Finals - 3/8/2020


Posted back in March but worth watching again during the downtime. It's a great showcase of Aaliyah Edwards' abilities and why I think she's a top-five player in the '20 class.

I agree Sluconn, she does about everything. Much better ballhandler and passer in the open court than I had seen previously. And long arms, physical, and really knows how to use her body for position inside. She's going to get a lot of minutes this year.

 

[MSGRET]

Paige appears to have put on some more muscle and toned her body since the end of her senior year in high school.

 

[DEpup]

Crestwood vs Niagara: OSBA Finals - 3/8/2020


Posted back in March but worth watching again during the downtime. It's a great showcase of Aaliyah Edwards' abilities and why I think she's a top-five player in the '20 class.

Edwards is the real deal. She gave me happy Morgan Tuck memories. She plays good D for a high schooler. I think she is going to get the bulk of her minutes this coming year in relief of Liv. She played well at the 5 when Lattimore got into foul trouble.

 

[Charliebball]

Nicole Melious has decommitted from Purdue. She still puts up huge numbers during AAU, recently having a 52 point game and has only been held to under 30 in two of her 13 games.

not surprised at all since she committed so early............Nicole and her dad have been 24 hour a day basketball junkies since she was in single digits and I think they enjoy the recruiting process...........the dad was talking colleges 4-5 years ago when I used to run into him in South Jersey at NBS where my daughter sometimes trained...........I see Syracuse as a possibility in her future.......the kid can play!!

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Edwards is the real deal. She gave me happy Morgan Tuck memories. She plays good D for a high schooler. I think she is going to get the bulk of her minutes this coming year in relief of Liv. She played well at the 5 when Lattimore got into foul trouble.

She's got more upside than Tuck.

 

[Charliebball]

She's got more upside than Tuck.

not sure I'm buying that yet...............despite the injuries Tuck was a marvelous inside presence and one of the most efficient offensive players I've seen in WBB............ as we've noted so often here before, Tuck's footwork was the best I've ever seen...........Edwards is clearly more athletic end to end but I've yet to determine whether she's going to be just good, really good or great.........I'm looking forward to seeing her show her stuff

 

[Sluconn Husky]

not sure I'm buying that yet...............despite the injuries Tuck was a marvelous inside presence and one of the most efficient offensive players I've seen in WBB......

That's true. But Edwards is a better athlete, more fluid, quicker, with a better handle and more options offensively. Will likely be better defensively around the perimeter though not in the post.

 

[Charliebball]

That's true. But Edwards is a better athlete, more fluid, quicker, with a better handle and more options offensively. Will likely be better defensively around the perimeter though not in the post.

I view her more in the mold of Napheesa Collier..........if she can even stay in the same stratosphere as NC I'll be happy.........

 

[Carnac]

Headed to Duke.

And so the journey begins.

 

[Carnac]

Paige appears to have put on some more muscle and toned her body since the end of her senior year in high school.

No doubt Geno gave her a laundry list of things he wanted her to do before reporting to campus. Putting on some muscle was probably high on the list.

 

[Alydar]

not sure I'm buying that yet...............despite the injuries Tuck was a marvelous inside presence and one of the most efficient offensive players I've seen in WBB............ as we've noted so often here before, Tuck's footwork was the best I've ever seen...........Edwards is clearly more athletic end to end but I've yet to determine whether she's going to be just good, really good or great.........I'm looking forward to seeing her show her stuff

Tuck was ranked No 1 early in HS but missed a lot of time in with her knee(s) but still ended up top 10. Tuck was the only player in the country able to neutralize Stewart, according to Stewart herself. It's a stretch to project Edwards into that class of player. Hopefully in 2 years she will be there and still be healthy.

 

[DEpup]

I view her more in the mold of Napheesa Collier..........if she can even stay in the same stratosphere as NC I'll be happy.........

I just didn't get a Napheesa feel. Napheesa to me is a well oiled precise machine. Edwards to me is bigger and has more muscle in her game which led me more to Morgan Tuck with a shout out to Swin Cash. Even a mobile in the post feel like Tina Charles rather than Napheesa. They are all so great and unique that it is more just fun comparing them.

 

[DEpup]

Tuck was ranked No 1 early in HS but missed a lot of time in with her knee(s) but still ended up top 10. Tuck was the only player in the country able to neutralize Stewart, according to Stewart herself. It's a stretch to project Edwards into that class of player. Hopefully in 2 years she will be there and still be healthy.

Morgan got the most of those old lady knees. Even in college, there were games when she was feeling good and she would be all over the place and show a greater level of athleticism. It is all about the knees with her and how they are feeling on any given night.

 

[DEpup]

That's true. But Edwards is a better athlete, more fluid, quicker, with a better handle and more options offensively. Will likely be better defensively around the perimeter though not in the post.

I think she just has better knees than Morgan. Morgan in college had fluidity, patience, and could shutdown much taller players than herself on defense....stewie rightly so got all the attention but Morgan was working hard and making things happen.

 

[Charliebball]

I just didn't get a Napheesa feel. Napheesa to me is a well oiled precise machine. Edwards to me is bigger and has more muscle in her game which led me more to Morgan Tuck with a shout out to Swin Cash. Even a mobile in the post feel like Tina Charles rather than Napheesa. They are all so great and unique that it is more just fun comparing them.

yes Napheesa was one of a kind in her ability to get to the ball in the basket from any angle..........I was referring more to Edwards' quickness and ability to score in the fast break which seems more Collier than Tuck

 

[BBallF]

To me she is more of an Asjha Jones type of player and gives us power underneath big time.

 

[oldhusky]

I think her versatility and ability will insure significant minutes. Ideally she takes over the starting PF position. Then if needed (probably will be) provides backup minutes to Liv assuming Piath is not yet ready for prime-time.
In addition with the ball-handling skills, could be used some at SF, which I think she could handle but with this team I think she is more needed at the PF and C positions.

Griffin can still get serious minutes if that plays out, because she would presumably get almost all of Edwards backup PF minutes, normally also be in the game at PF when Edwards is backing up Liv, and could be used on a spot basis at SF, particularly with a pressing defensive unit.

Obviously I am not in the small-ball camp with Makarat or Westbrook at PF for significant periods. That could work, but if Edwards is the real deal and Griffin is way above average as well, there is no need in my opinion to force players into positions that are far from their best.

That works both ways, Edwards, Griffin and Mir could all be pretty good legitimate options at SF. They are probably better at PF though and if healthy SF minutes can be covered by Makarat and Westbrook. So with a full healthy lineup IMO there is little need to look beyond Edwards, Griffin and Mir at PF, or Makarat and Westbrook at SF.

But if I was betting on her future, I think Edwards will be a starter soon at PF, the principle backup C this year, and a future AA and high WNBA draft pick, that with Paige will be cornerstone for the next four years.