June 2020 UCONN recruiting thread

[Sluconn Husky]

I can't find the links other than on the BY here and maxpreps -- but here on the Boneyard the link below identifies Paige, Azzi and Jones as top 3 with the link to an article stating as such.. So Paige was ranked ahead of Horston (and Boston.).

This isn't a ranking, however. This is an award that is a result of media exposure as well as basketball prowess, and nobody got more media exposure two years ago than Azzi. I thought Haley Jones should've won it that year though I can understand Fudd being up for it.

 

[hoophuskee]

You continue to miss the point. You anoint players as the best in college before they have any college experience. I expected KLS to be in the same class as Maya and Stewie. She is one of my favorite players ever but never reached this level. Will Paige be in the KLS or DT class? You are correct - I expect her to be very good but don't have any idea how good until I see her play for Geno, typically after her frosh year.

Hopjim can I say this?-- I respect your opinion. I hope our discussions won't become heated and they haven't been which is great. I enjoy the back-and-forth - I hope you and others do too.

You and I complete opposites if your expectation of KLS was teh smae as Steiw and Maya. Also, I find it odd if your expectation of KLS was same class as Maya and Stewie then why not Paige? I also loved KLS - a lot. But I never saw her as "Maya-great." And I can recall on one of Geno's shows - before Stewie came- he said something like "Most talented player we have ever had coming ot UCONN."

And as you say you don't know how good Paige will be- same with me to an extent-- I just know she is going ot be terrific. I can't define "generational" or any of that other stuff. Further, when you dratc players unless it's a Maya Moore Stiiew player - you never know "how good they will be." Nearly every player has risk. But I'd like to ask you a question--

****If you were an NBA GM would you have passed on drafting LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett? They didn't prove what they could do out of High School.

So while you say I am "annointing" Paige; It's only that I say she is going to be one helluva player. But I agree with the NBA scouts that would draft LeBron, Kobe and Garnett even though they didn't play any college ball. Just as the scouts took "the risk" I would take similar "risk" with Paige. I believe it to be "A sound risk." At leats here I see Paige was rated higher as a junior than Boston and I see just last summer she was the best on her team. I'm supposed to ignore that? Give me the risk any day of the week just as I would take "the risk" with LeBron, Kobe and Kevin.

 

[hoophuskee]

This isn't a ranking, however. This is an award that is a result of media exposure as well as basketball prowess, and nobody got more media exposure two years ago than Azzi. I thought Haley Jones should've won it that year though I can understand Fudd being up for it.

You have a link that it's not a ranking? They call Fudd POY but she is not POY?

You have to understand I have a certain skepticism with your pov on this subject. On that thread you made the below comment in bold:
And your initial posts on the thread seems like you were pushing Jones. But the below comment it seems like you want to regard POY based on seniority?

**I am not arguing -- I just find these comments odd and when you look back on that thread right from the get-go you seem to be pushing Jones. Am I wrong? I apologize if I am. I don';t want to further go down this path. You reply and I won't post a counter to it.

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I think Fudd should've finished third among that trio: Jones, Bueckers, Fudd.

She has two more years to collect awards which seem in the bank at this point.
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[chrissaran]

She is physical. There are other taller players but in my opinion Boston is as physical as McCowan and has a better offensive game. Again, my opinion, she will be dominate in the pros.

She is physical. There are other taller players but in my opinion Boston is as physical as McCowan and has a better offensive game. Again, my opinion, she will be dominate in the pros.

How about waiting until she finishes one complete season.

 

[hoophuskee]

Your opinion is definitely biased if you don’t think Boston is good.

Who said Boston wasn't good?

 

[chrissaran]

***I just want to to start with I am not arguing that Boston won’t be a fine/terrific pro. I’m arguing that at this point in time I would take Paige over Boston. If I were to draft – she is the player I’m drafting over Boston.

In regards to Boston's physicality:

In the pros - the professional players work fulltime on their game and their fitness and their physicality. They are grown women. . There are plenty of physical players in the pros when you consider other countries.

In terms of physicality other countries have physical women who will continually work on their strength too. While they might not be as good as Boston in terms of overall player there will be quit e a few that can negate her strength enough that it won't make Boston “as dominant.” Case in point -- if her physicality is so awesome then can you explain why she only shot 44.3% in the 7 games in the FIBA U19 tournament? If her physicality is so dominant then why couldn't she shoot better vs other countries?

What you’re seeing right now in college is that there isn't enough bigs to counter her physicality. When she goes into the WNBA she is going to need "more." People in her own age group held her to 44%. That is a supposed strength of hers. Can you explain why she only shot 44%? It's because there are more "bigs" to match up with her physicality. BTW, McCowan is 6'7 or 6'8. Big difference between 6'7 and 6'4.

In regards to Bueckers vs Boston:

Boston might be terrific in the pros as you say. But stats show while still being good that there are bigs that can negate her efficiency in the low post. As for Paige – what’s her strength? It’s passing. She still had slightly above 2-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the FIBA U19 Tourney. So her strength even as a “junior” (while Boston is a senior) still could not be negated much while Boston’s strength of scoring efficiency down low was. That doesn’t make Boston a bottom-dweller. Take her 2nd overall in the draft or 3rd -whatever - but Paige is superior – so take her 1st.

1—Paige as a junior was higher rated than Boston was a senior. 2—Paige’s overall stats of “+/-" was superior to Boston in the FIBA U19 along with her efficiency ratio. 3—Further, Paige’s strength wasn’t stopped. 4—Further Paige was MVP of that Tourney. 5—look at the history going back 15+ years when ratings became more prevalent—possibly just one senior was better than Paige. I say “possibly.” There is an equal chance Paige was better. The only players that have achieved better than seniors when they were a junior that I am aware of are Parker, Maya and probably Stewart. I can never predict anyone would be these players but all I know is Paige Bueckers is going to be one hellluva player whether she is “generational” or not. And I would draft her without a 2nd thought ahead of Boston.

McCowan is 6'7", Griner 6'8" and Fowles 6'6" with more strength than Boston. Cambage is also 6'8" with more strength than Boston. Even Stef at 6'5" is stronger.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

You have a link that it's not a ranking? They call Fudd POY but she is not POY?

You have to understand I have a certain skepticism with your pov on this subject. On that thread you made the below comment in bold:
And your initial posts on the thread seems like you were pushing Jones. But the below comment it seems like you want to regard POY based on seniority?

**I am not arguing -- I just find these comments odd and when you look back on that thread right from the get-go you seem to be pushing Jones. Am I wrong? I apologize if I am. I don';t want to further go down this path. You reply and I won't post a counter to it.

--------------------------------------

I think Fudd should've finished third among that trio: Jones, Bueckers, Fudd.

She has two more years to collect awards which seem in the bank at this point.
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No, I said nothing about seniority. I thought Jones had the best season/was the best player in the nation two years ago. And it's not a ranking. It was a vote as to who wins a particular award.

 

[baggerbob]

No, I said nothing about seniority. I thought Jones had the best season/was the best player in the nation two years ago. And it's not a ranking. It was a vote as to who wins a particular award.

We all expect Paige to be very good, but at least wait until she finishes her freshman season before you anoint her the next great player.
Dee won 3 titles, Maya won 2, and Stewie said she was going to UConn to win 4 titles and she did. Paige might someday be in that conversation, but not today.

 

[DEpup]

So what does this obsession with Boston have to do with UConn June recruiting?

 

[Charliebball]

So what does this obsession with Boston have to do with UConn June recruiting?

from what I understand the city of Boston is recruiting basketball players to visit their fair city in June which is a very lovely time of the year

 

[bluedevil]

Maybe because they are

So what does this obsession with Boston have to do with UConn June recruiting?
[/QAren't they recruiting her little sister Cambridge?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Same story with KML. She was not considered better than the top senior in her junior year. To do that it means you are extremely special. Page was considered better her junior year than the seniors. KML was not. They aren't comparable. All "number 1's" are not the same.

Parade Magazine, which used to do a decent job of ranking players, had KML as the #5 player in the nation as a HS sophomore, #3 as a junior, and #1 as a senior. I don't recall who they had as #1 in K's junior year, but it was probably Chiney or Chelsea Gray. Though Kaleena wasn't ranked #1 as a junior, she was much closer than many #1 recruits.

I generally agree that all #1s are not the same. Maya, Griner, Elena, and Stewie stand out as a cut (or two) above. Both Paige and Azzi seem to be in that group.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Hopkins at Edina to start the Lake Conference season in the 2018-19 Season

On January 11, 2019, Hopkins played the 12th game of the 2018-19 season at Edina to kick of the Lake Conference season. The score was 53-21 Hopkins up at half. That trend continued to an 86-38 finish. Junior Paige Bueckers would finish with 25 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals.

 

[hoophuskee]

We all expect Paige to be very good, but at least wait until she finishes her freshman season before you anoint her the next great player.
Dee won 3 titles, Maya won 2, and Stewie said she was going to UConn to win 4 titles and she did. Paige might someday be in that conversation, but not today.

And let's not annoint Boston too much either. Maxpreps had Bueckers rated higher. Paige got the MVP of the U19 FIBA not Boston. Paige is near equal or better than than the best senior when she was a junior as maxpreps indicated, and yet we're supposed to ignore all this? The NBA didn't "ignore" LeBron James, Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett when they chose them out of High School and were chosen ahead of more established college players. Yet we should with Paige?

In terms of value of the recruit how often is there ever a junior who is better than all but "Maybe" one wa sbtter than her? And we're supposed to ignore that? Well you can. I won't. I'm not "annointing" I'm just looking historically at what's happened in the past when you have than a junior that is is better than all seniors or maybe one is better then there is pretty darn good chance that player is going to be one helluva player. And we have sen in the past on the men's side the NBA "scouts" choose to go a lot with talent. SO yeah our Paige is a phenom recruit and what Paige';s coach said is pretty appropriate.

 

[HopJim]

Have seen many Paige videos. Appears her team is strong, likely better than the group Azzi plays with. Any thoughts from the Boneyard if this is true? May not mean anything but typically a stronger team allows to point guard to focus more on running the team and assists versus strictly being a scorer. Suspect if Paige was on a weaker team, her scoring stats would be higher.

 

[hoophuskee]

Parade Magazine, which used to do a decent job of ranking players, had KML as the #5 player in the nation as a HS sophomore, #3 as a junior, and #1 as a senior. I don't recall who they had as #1 in K's junior year, but it was probably Chiney or Chelsea Gray. Though Kaleena wasn't ranked #1 as a junior, she was much closer than many #1 recruits.

I generally agree that all #1s are not the same. Maya, Griner, Elena, and Stewie stand out as a cut (or two) above. Both Paige and Azzi seem to be in that group.

Didn't Parade Magazine have Chong as the number 1 recruit one year and no else had her close? And didn't Parade not have Parker as the number 1 recruit?

Secondly, was KML a consensus number 1 as a senior? I thought EWilliams was also right there with her?

And while KML was closer -- could we say that in her senior year she was not the number 1 overall player?

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I’m jumping on the San Antonio Finest 2022 class as I’ll get a chance to catch and update many of their players which include the #1 player in Texas, Ashlon Jackson




Jackson has WNBA written all over her, don’t if I called her a #D1Lock in the 3rd or the 4th grade but I said #BCSLock and throw away the key before middle school. Size, athleticism, high BB-IQ and just a scorers mindset that understands how to take over or get it in the flow but she also rebounds and defends and plays multiple positions, quite well

She’s Ballin Extravaganza preview pt 2 | Prep Girls Hoops

I’m jumping on the San Antonio Finest 2022 class as I’ll get a chance to catch and update many of their players which include the #1 player in Texas, , the #1 shooter and one of the top power forwards, and I’ll break down these players as well as the others I have ranked plus […]

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[bluedevil]

Chong was the Parade Magazine player of the year...she averaged over 30ppg that season...I've long since cancelled my subscription...

 

[SCspur]

And let's not annoint Boston too much either. Maxpreps had Bueckers rated higher. Paige got the MVP of the U19 FIBA not Boston. Paige is near equal or better than than the best senior when she was a junior as maxpreps indicated, and yet we're supposed to ignore all this? The NBA didn't "ignore" LeBron James, Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett when they chose them out of High School and were chosen ahead of more established college players. Yet we should with Paige?

In terms of value of the recruit how often is there ever a junior who is better than all but "Maybe" one wa sbtter than her? And we're supposed to ignore that? Well you can. I won't. I'm not "annointing" I'm just looking historically at what's happened in the past when you have than a junior that is is better than all seniors or maybe one is better then there is pretty darn good chance that player is going to be one helluva player. And we have sen in the past on the men's side the NBA "scouts" choose to go a lot with talent. SO yeah our Paige is a phenom recruit and what Paige';s coach said is pretty appropriate.

Boston was named NFOY, Lisa Leslie award winner, SEC DPOY, as well as All American. Not saying Paige won’t be good but she’ll have to live up to the same height as Boston did this past season in order for your argument to be valid.

 

[soxfan23]

But it appears those exceptions would be high qualifiers at 99% of the other schools in the country. They might not get into Harvard, but Duke,ND, UConn UCLA,,,, easey peasey

Maybe they would, but that was NOT the point I was making.

 

[Viet Vet]

Having officiated girls' (boys' too) hoops for many years in CT, I will say that assessing girls on their high school performance is a MUCH greater crap shoot than boys. Height is a much greater advantage for girls, as they do not have the leg musculature of boys to overcome a disadvantage of stature. So many high school "big" girls are accustomed to receiving a lob in the low post against shorter defenders, pivoting, and dropping in an easy layup. That does not easily translate to top-tier college ball, with similarly sized defenders. Olivia Nelson-Ododa is Exhibit 1 in my book. It has taken her two full years to understand that she cannot shoot OVER everyone, but needs to develop a horizontal game. Kudos to her, and the coaches, for her development. She still has a long way to go, however.

Also, defensive pressure in girls' high school is way below that in the boys' game, resulting in some outsized statistics for pure shooters. I have more confidence in the assessment of high school girl ballhandlers (not shooters, some of whom cannot create an opening to get off a shot without being wide open; eg: KML and KLS.

 

[soxfan23]

Your opinion is definitely biased if you don’t think Boston is good. She can be the player of the year this year in my opinion if not Rhyne Howard.

As for Paige, she is the closest thing to DT that I’ve seen with the talent, swag, the ability to make teammates better, etc. However, as Geno has said plenty of times, we just don’t know yet. We won’t know until she’s on the court. You can’t preordain players who haven’t played a collegiate game yet the NPOY especially at UConn. He will be on you like white on rice when he knows your potential and all the hype around her makes it no better. That can make or break you. It will not be so much as the players she’s competing against, it will be the pressure from the outside noise and Geno’s expectations for her. And as we have seen so many times before, there are not a lot of freshman that can come into Geno’s program and handle it like Maya Moore as a freshman. Let’s hope she does!

Boston is a good player, but she is NOWHERE near being a NPOY candidate! She is extremely overrated by most on this forum because she is viewed as "the one that got away".

Player A 13ppg 9rpg 86blks 34ast

Player B 11ppg 9rpg 100blks 89ast

Player A is Boston, Player B is Nelson-Ododa

 

[oldude]

Boston is a good player, but she is NOWHERE near being a NPOY candidate! She is extremely overrated by most on this forum because she is viewed as "the one that got away".

Player A 13ppg 9rpg 86blks 34ast

Player B 11ppg 9rpg 100blks 89ast

Player A is Boston, Player B is Neslson-Ododa

I love Liv, but let’s be honest. You are comparing stats between someone who played in the SEC with someone who played in the AAC.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Boston is a good player, but she is NOWHERE near being a NPOY candidate! She is extremely overrated by most on this forum because she is viewed as "the one that got away".

Player A 13ppg 9rpg 86blks 34ast

Player B 11ppg 9rpg 100blks 89ast

Player A is Boston, Player B is Neslson-Ododa

Edit:

Wouldn't using ONO's freshman stats be better for comparison sake?

 

[soxfan23]

Wouldn't using ONO's freshman stats being better for comparison sake?

Not when the poster stated that Boston was a legit NPOY next year. If that were to be true (which it is not), then ONO would be as well.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Not when the poster stated that Boston was a legit NPOY next year. If that were to be true (which it is not), then ONO would be as well.

Assuming there is basketball, I don't think the idea that either ONO or Boston could be candidates for NPOY is farfetched.

 

[Charliebball]

Have seen many Paige videos. Appears her team is strong, likely better than the group Azzi plays with. Any thoughts from the Boneyard if this is true? May not mean anything but typically a stronger team allows to point guard to focus more on running the team and assists versus strictly being a scorer. Suspect if Paige was on a weaker team, her scoring stats would be higher.

yes she had a very good surrounding cast which explains her non lofty scoring average but there is no explanation for her passing skills other then she has eyes in the back and possibly the sides of her head.......

 

[SCspur]

Not when the poster stated that Boston was a legit NPOY next year. If that were to be true (which it is not), then ONO would be as well.

ONO should very well be in the NPOY conversation as well as DPOY right along with Boston. She’s UConn’s best returning player IMO. But you can’t discredit the fact of what Boston did as a Freshman while ONO was a sophomore who had the College experience already.

 

[DEpup]

Can I say again, what does this banter have to do with June recruiting? Last time I checked, Liv and Boston were already on teams so no need for reruiting.