Kiki commits to UCLA

[Cornell Lt]

Kiki will be very successful both on the court and off. That being said I don't feel like her not coming to UConn makes that much of a difference.

UConn will be on the short list of almost every high end guard in the foreseeable future.

 

[Plebe]

I'm sure Tara was prepared to lose her, but not to another PAC12 team.

I don't believe Tara sees it that way. Tara is happy that the Pac-12 as a whole has ascended and it's no longer just Stanford and the 9 dwarves. Rising tides and all. It wouldn't be a highly competitive conference if no one else could recruit a kid.

 

[Stymie]

I’m feeling the same. I think this opens it up a little more for the top 2023 guards to come to us. Losing her to UCLA doesn’t really feel like a loss IMO. Maybe I’d be having a different tune if she was going to Stanford.

Absolutely.

 

[Boreifs]

So, in an interview last spring, Geno said they had a third commit and possibly a fourth. Was Kiki the third or the fourth? Question of the day.

 

[Alydar]

I don't believe Tara sees it that way. Tara is happy that the Pac-12 as a whole has ascended and it's no longer just Stanford and the 9 dwarves. Rising tides and all. It wouldn't be a highly competitive conference if no one else could recruit a kid.

Sure. Any coach would say the same but not at their own expense.

My memories of UCLA are mostly of them getting their backsides whipped in the regionals in Bridgeport however Close seems to attract a stream of top recruits.

 

[Rudy1927]

never with a chance to win a title. Puzzling. Good luck and I’ll never post about you again. That I promise.

 

[Charliebball]

It is one more example how coaching the international game (under 19, Olympics, etc gives you a leg up on recruits.

agreed.........I don't think current DI coaches should be coaching players of high school or college age, especially with the new transfer rules..........plenty of ex college coaches, pro coaches or high quality high school coaches that could do the job just fine......

 

[Plebe]

Sure. Any coach would say the same but not at their own expense.

My memories of UCLA are mostly of them getting their backsides whipped in the regionals in Bridgeport however Close seems to attract a stream of top recruits.

A stream? How many other top 10 recruits have gone to UCLA since 2015? Only one -- that was Onyenwere, #10 in 2017, who became an All-American.

There isn't a coach alive who wants to be handed the conference championship by default just because all the other teams suck. Wasn't/isn't that the UConn fans' chief complaint about the AAC/Big East? I guarantee that if Rice didn't go to Stanford, Tara is happy another Pac-12 team got her.

And if those are your main memories you should watch more basketball in the past 4 years. They were at Bridgeport a total of 2 times: as a #3 seed in 2016 (lost to Texas by 8) and as a #4 seed in 2017 (lost to UConn by 15). For reference that same UConn team then beat Oregon by 38 in the next game. And the following year they did reach the Elite 8 where they lost to an excellent Mississippi State team that was a bad call and a missed layup from winning the national title.

 

[Charliebball]

Sure. Any coach would say the same but not at their own expense.

My memories of UCLA are mostly of them getting their backsides whipped in the regionals in Bridgeport however Close seems to attract a stream of top recruits.

and why not........great academics, vibrant sunny Los Angeles........what place could be better for a college student........

 

[Purchase1]

So, in an interview last spring, Geno said they had a third commit and possibly a fourth. Was Kiki the third or the fourth? Question of the day.

He never said anything about a third commitment, what he did say (paraphrasing here) is that “we have a least one more that I know about (meaning a commitment)and a couple of others were looking at” the at least one more,he was speaking of was Ayanna Patterson a day before she committed to us, we had already received a commitment from Ice Brady prior to that.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

Pac gets all three Top 10 pgs in 2022. #2 Rice/UCLA, #7 Gray/Oregon, #8 Gayles/USC.

Incidentally, I think Rice is the highest ranked female player UCLA ever signed. I believe the previous high was Markel Walker who was #4

 

[nwhoopfan]

If they're competitive (they're top 3 in the conference) and she's the face of the team by then, there may not be a reason for her to leave. Close and staff will certainly try and keep her happy. As the No. 2 ranked recruit in her class, I believe Rice is the highest ranked recruit Close has ever recruited. Unless the relationship between Rice and her coaches/teammates sour, and or she gets homesick, I'd say the odds are slim.

To tag on, while UCLA has certainly lost some transfers (EVERYBODY does), they haven't had the revolving door of players constantly leaving like some other programs have been hit with. Don't really see a reason to already be speculating on her transferring immediately following her commitment. I know speculation about such things if it involves UConn players is not tolerated on this board.

 

[hoophuskee]

and why not........great academics, vibrant sunny Los Angeles........what place could be better for a college student........

For a women's college basketball player? -- UCONN. What could be more fun for a college kid that is elite, playing a fastbreak style that fits your game perfectly, and threat to win titles every year with a coach known for getting player's like you in pro ball - that's pretty big fun too I'd guess.

In CT, you're theeeee number 1 draw in the state. And you're close to some big cities in NY and Mass, and on Nat'l TV a lot. That's all cool too.

There's also sun in CT too. No pun intended.

 

[hjoerring]

Not the best for academics

I think that there is a saying (somewhere) in Africa that the higher a monkey climb the more he exposes is ass. Isn't UCLA a world class university?

 

[ConwayGmck]

UCLA has a good class that year. I'm really glad it wasn't Stanford or Duke. I do like Close - and there are 2 top kids in the 2023 class from the same school (La Jolla Country Day) - Jada Williams already committed to UCLA. Breya Cunningham is the other one. I know Close and the staff are ALL OVER HER. They desperately want her.

Having said that, Kiki did say that she wants to win NC's (multiple). She even mentioned NC's in her tweet. UCLA will not even make the final 4 before she graduates unless the seriously upgrade the level of recruits. In the last 5 years, the best they have done is the Elite 8. With the talent Close currently has, they lost in the 2nd round last year.

They do have a nice class to go along with Rice - 3 kids right around #20. And they have #20 in 2023. But they need consecutive years of 2 top 5-10 kids if they want to come close to UCONN, SC, Stanford, Oregon, OSU, Maryland, etc.

And please note I'm not trying to be sour grapes. UCLA is a terrific school - it recently passed UC Berkeley recently to become the #1 public university in the country. The campus is beautiful and there is a TON to do around LA. But she's not going there realistically to win "NC's". As of now, the absolute upside is Sweet 16. We will see how the recruiting goes the next year or 2...

I always say never say never. A number of posters around here back in the day stated declaratively that A'ja Wilson would never see a Final Four much less win a national title due to choosing Staley and South Carolina over Auriemma and CT in 2014.

That cycle SC's class was #2 behind Close's #1 class - while people note how UCLA's class fell apart, South Carolina's own class of four 5-star prospects devolved into just two fairly quickly, with only Wilson having a major impact on the program as a predominant starter. In her four years of eligibility she reached a Sweet Sixteen, an Elite Eight, a Final Four (a 1-pt. loss to ND), and a national title. The Sweet-Sixteen loss was an upset - that Gamecocks team was considered as talented as the one that won it all.

It's fortunate for Coach Close and the Bruin WBB fanbase that she's either a very good recruiter or her program sells, because just because you fall down once or twice, doesn't mean you have to stop trying, and the more chances you have to roll the dice, the greater the chance they turn up sevens.....

 

[jchusky]

For a women's college basketball player? -- UCONN. What could be more fun for a college kid that is elite, playing a fastbreak style that fits your game perfectly, and threat to win titles every year with a coach known for getting player's like you in pro ball - that's pretty big fun too I'd guess.

In CT, you're theeeee number 1 draw in the state. And you're close to some big cities in NY and Mass, and on Nat'l TV a lot. That's all cool too.

There's also sun in CT too. No pun intended.

living in Connecticut and living in California are two different things. Again the year is 2021, it's not 2014-2016 anymore where Uconn was undoubtedly superior to everyone else, the game has changed. There have been 4 different ntl champions the past 4 seasons. Players in the past would go to Uconn assuming it was an automatic title in their future, now players have paved their own path and created their own history.

 

[jchusky]

UCLA has a good class that year. I'm really glad it wasn't Stanford or Duke. I do like Close - and there are 2 top kids in the 2023 class from the same school (La Jolla Country Day) - Jada Williams already committed to UCLA. Breya Cunningham is the other one. I know Close and the staff are ALL OVER HER. They desperately want her.

Having said that, Kiki did say that she wants to win NC's (multiple). She even mentioned NC's in her tweet. UCLA will not even make the final 4 before she graduates unless the seriously upgrade the level of recruits. In the last 5 years, the best they have done is the Elite 8. With the talent Close currently has, they lost in the 2nd round last year.

They do have a nice class to go along with Rice - 3 kids right around #20. And they have #20 in 2023. But they need consecutive years of 2 top 5-10 kids if they want to come close to UCONN, SC, Stanford, Oregon, OSU, Maryland, etc.

And please note I'm not trying to be sour grapes. UCLA is a terrific school - it recently passed UC Berkeley recently to become the #1 public university in the country. The campus is beautiful and there is a TON to do around LA. But she's not going there realistically to win "NC's". As of now, the absolute upside is Sweet 16. We will see how the recruiting goes the next year or 2...

nice class? With Kiki they are now #1. You are underselling Close and the program, she got cheated out imo was her best team in 2020 due to covid. They had just beaten a tough oregon st team 2 weeks before the Pac 12 tournament and that team was ready to make noise. It's unfortunate that we never found out how far they got, but to say that they will never get to the final 4 with this class is BLASPHEMY. I bet you thought Arz would never have gotten to a final 4 this past season.

 

[ScottCT]

nice class? With Kiki they are now #1. You are underselling Close and the program, she got cheated out imo was her best team in 2020 due to covid. They had just beaten a tough oregon st team 2 weeks before the Pac 12 tournament and that team was ready to make noise. It's unfortunate that we never found out how far they got, but to say that they will never get to the final 4 with this class is BLASPHEMY. I bet you thought Arz would never have gotten to a final 4 this past season.

You're delusional if you think Kiki catapults them to the number 1 class.

 

[jchusky]

You're delusional if you think Kiki catapults them to the number 1 class.

 

[Charliebball]

For a women's college basketball player? -- UCONN. What could be more fun for a college kid that is elite, playing a fastbreak style that fits your game perfectly, and threat to win titles every year with a coach known for getting player's like you in pro ball - that's pretty big fun too I'd guess.

In CT, you're theeeee number 1 draw in the state. And you're close to some big cities in NY and Mass, and on Nat'l TV a lot. That's all cool too.

There's also sun in CT too. No pun intended.

UCLA's attractions are clearly non basketball based..........apparently Ms Rice was looking for more than a great WBB program in making her decision

 

[hoopsfan22]

UConn has the #1 and #5 from the 2022 class. We'll be OK.

 

[oldude]

UConn has the #1 and #5 from the 2022 class. We'll be OK.

I agree with your point, but I think UConn has #4 & #5 from the 2022 class.

 

[FormerCTrez]

Congrats to Kiki on her school selection. Wishing her a great four years of success.

 

[UConnCat]

I always say never say never. A number of posters around here back in the day stated declaratively that A'ja Wilson would never see a Final Four much less win a national title due to choosing Staley and South Carolina over Auriemma and CT in 2014.

I don’t remember “a number of posters” saying that at all. As I recall, SC was a #1 seed in the 2014 NCAA tournament so I highly doubt a number of posters said the addition of Wilson wouldn't result in a FF. I do remember posters saying SC would not win a NC in either 2015 or 2016 because of Stewart and that turned out to be true. I also remember posters here saying SC with Wilson would never beat UConn which also turned out to be true.

 

[UConnCat]

Sure. Any coach would say the same but not at their own expense.

My memories of UCLA are mostly of them getting their backsides whipped in the regionals in Bridgeport however Close seems to attract a stream of top recruits.

My memory of UCLA in the tournament was 2019 in Albany when UConn was down heading in to the 4th Qtr. That UCLA team played well for 3 quarters. Dangerfield had a big 2nd half and UConn won by 8 points.