Kiki commits to UCLA

[Dillon77]

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...

Fair enough, EricLA.
I remember comments over the last few years about "how UCLA was starting to pop up" on finalists lists (much like Arizona now). Now, she's starting to get commitments from more than a few of them.

Besides Kiki and Jada Williams, the commit that catches my attention is Gabriela Jaquez, the six-foot forward who plays for the CalStars. Whenever I went to the internet to look at Cunningham and Muse, I noticed Jaquez scoring every which way. Very versatile.

On the other hand, when you cast a wide net and a lot of them start biting, you might end up with too many of the same kind of fish, so to speak: Rice, Williiams, Londynn Jones and Paris Clark (another I-95er going west) all like the ball.

As for UConn, I suspect they'll hammer the 2023 prospect list, which means Niele Ivey will be seeing a lot of Geno in Ashlynn Shade's gym...

 

[Bald Husky]

UCLA has a number of young players and 7 recruits for next year. With at least 2 of them being PGs, Cori probably told KiKI that she would be playing the 2 position which would enable her to shoot whenever she wanted, something that could hinder her if playing the point. If she wants to be the star then playing SG on a young team would be ideal for a player who wants to stand out. What other basketball reason would it be to pick this school?

 

[meyers7]

Interesting choice. Nice class UCLA is bringing in. 5 players ranked in the top 100. They are bringing in a top 10 PG in Londynn Jones and another top 40 Guard in Paris Clark. They brought in a top 25 PG last year in Dominique Onu, who enrolled early and played quite a bit for them. And they will have Charisma Osborne for another year (at least). So she must have really wanted UCLA and not just looking for playing time (although she may get plenty of it anyway).

 

[Carnac]

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.

Arizona was truly a dark horse in last year’s tournament. They flew under the radar all year. Nobody predicted they would make the final four. They came within 1 basket of winning the championship. If they did it, so can another team. I think they taught us all to never say never.

There are a lot of very good teams that won’t be playing that third weekend come April. This is the first week in November. Other than UConn and South Carolina, is there another team that you would bet everything you own on making the final four? Not every team will live up to fan and media expectations this year.

 

[visitingcock]

Arizona was truly a dark horse in last year’s tournament. They flew under the radar all year. Nobody predicted they would make the final four. They came within 1 basket of winning the championship. If they did it, so can another team. I think they taught us all to never say never.

There are a lot of very good teams that won’t be playing that third weekend come April. This is the first week in November. Other than UConn and South Carolina, is there another team that you would bet everything you own on making the final four? Not every team will live up to fan and media expectations this year.

While I wouldn't bet "everything I own" on UConn or SCar, I would bet on Stanford equally with those two. I feel pretty secure that I would hit 2 outta' 3 on those to make an overall bet profit.

Now, I have no clue as to #4. NC State? Maryland? Louisville? Then there are some "darker" horses.

 

[MooseJaw]

Good for her, I've moved on, she is now off my radar. Time to get excited about what lies ahead. Hope for good news about future potential recruits and POI's.

 

[Carnac]

While I wouldn't bet "everything I own" on UConn or SCar, I would bet on Stanford equally with those two. I feel pretty secure that I would hit 2 outta' 3 on those to make an overall bet profit.

Now, I have no clue as to #4. NC State? Maryland? Louisville? Then there are some "darker" horses.

I'm NOT saying that Stanford is not an elite team (they are) or that they WON'T make the final four. Only that I'm not as sure about them as I am about SC and UConn. A poster recently said: "a lot of teams look good on paper right now, but when the season starts, the paper goes out the window." RIGHT NOW, I'm not convinced that Stanford is the best team in the PAC-12.

Stanford was 19-2 in conference play last year losing to Colorado and UCLA. They've got to play UCLA, Arizona and Oregon twice this year. Right now, ALL three of those schools are ranked in the top 25. Conference play in the PAC-12 this year will not be a walk in the park. We'll get our first look at Stanford on Sunday Nov 14 at 3:00 pm ET/12 noon PT on ESPN as they play host to (25) Texas.

In fairness, SC lost two conference games last year also losing to Tennessee 75-67 and Texas A&M 65-57. They finished #2 behind Texas A&M in the final conference standings. We know what UConn did in the BIG East. Dark horses all have one thing in common, you NEVER see them coming.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I'm NOT saying that Stanford is not an elite team (they are) or that they WON'T make the final four. Only that I'm not as sure about them as I am about SC and UConn. A poster recently said: "a lot of teams look good on paper right now, but when the season starts, the paper goes out the window." RIGHT NOW, I'm not convinced that Stanford is the best team in the PAC-12.

Last year was unusual in that they DID play everybody in conference twice (other than a Covid cancelled game against Oregon St. that wasn't rescheduled). I'm looking at their schedule right now. This year they get Oregon twice, but only once each against UCLA and Arizona (back to back apparently; one at home, one on the road). The Pac 12 has been a gauntlet for quite a few years now, it's nothing new, Stanford knows exactly what to expect.

 

[jonson]

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.

I think you've got the year wrong. During 2020 Oregon beat UCLA, at UCLA, 80-66. If any Pac 12 team got cheated by Covid in 2020 it was Oregon, which, with South Carolina, was one of the favorites to win it all.

 

[Carnac]

Last year was unusual in that they DID play everybody in conference twice (other than a Covid cancelled game against Oregon St. that wasn't rescheduled). I'm looking at their schedule right now. This year they get Oregon twice, but only once each against UCLA and Arizona (back to back apparently; one at home, one on the road). The Pac 12 has been a gauntlet for quite a few years now, it's nothing new, Stanford knows exactly what to expect.

I didn't notice that. That's what happens when you assume. What kind of crap is that? Why would you not have the best teams in your conference play each other twice? In past years, PAC-10/PAC-12 teams have ALWAYS played all conference members twice. Everyone had a travel partner. UCLA had USC. Stanford had CAL. The two Arizona schools partnered up as did the two Oregon schools and the two Washington schools. Colorado and Utah were partners.

They went on the road together, and were home the same weekend. When two schools came to Los Angeles, one played UCLA on Friday while the other one played USC, then they swopped teams on Sunday. It's very convenient. Teams didn't have to change hotels once they arrived. The campuses are only 13 miles apart. Everybody played everybody. It worked out very well. I don't know why they stopped that. That means Stanford is only playing the two other top teams in the conference once.

 

[nwhoopfan]

In past years, PAC-10/PAC-12 teams have ALWAYS played all conference members twice.

In the Pac 10 days yes. But no double round robin since they went to 12, been quite a while now. There are 4 teams you only play once. That's just the way it is. 22 game conference schedule just isn't in the cards, so it has remained at 18. Big 10 and ACC both deal with this, probably SEC as well.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Pac 12 still utilizes the travel partners. Which teams you skip is on a rotating basis. UCLA got some breaks with an easier schedule than the other top teams a couple years ago. I don't know a way around it. If they played 22 conference games, everybody would probably complain because they don't get to have enough non conference games. NCAA caps how many regular season games you can play. Something has to give.

ACC has 15, Big 10 and SEC 14 each (and what happens when they add Texas and Oklahoma?!). It's just a modern problem of bloated conferences. Those conferences barely play anybody more than once each.

Years back I think the WAC and Big East both got up to 16 members, and both collapsed/split into multiple conferences. It didn't work out before, but this time will be different, right?

 

[Zanzman]

UCLA has a number of young players and 7 recruits for next year. With at least 2 of them being PGs, Cori probably told KiKI that she would be playing the 2 position which would enable her to shoot whenever she wanted, something that could hinder her if playing the point. If she wants to be the star then playing SG on a young team would be ideal for a player who wants to stand out. What other basketball reason would it be to pick this school?

Why does it have to be a basketball reason

 

[jake0414]

In the Pac 10 days yes. But no double round robin since they went to 12, been quite a while now. There are 4 teams you only play once. That's just the way it is. 22 game conference schedule just isn't in the cards, so it has remained at 18. Big 10 and ACC both deal with this, probably SEC as well.

PAC-12 wbb will go to a 20 game conference schedule starting 2022-23. It still begs the question why not go to a 22 game schedule? I suppose because having 22 conference games only allows for 7 to 9 non-conference games, and 9 only if playing in holiday tournaments. Having sufficient number of meaningful (i.e. ranked) non-conference opponents benefits conference team seeding come ncaa tournament time. I presume teams still want to have a number of “lesser“ opponents to start the season as warmups.

I wonder if the announced ACC-B1G-PAC-12 “Alignment” will result in more inter-conference matchups or, better yet, a pre-conference season tournament with teams from the three conferences. Wouldn’t that be fun?

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

I have it on good authority from someone in the know (Kiki's cousin's dogwalker's sister, I believe) that Kiki was a lock for UConn, until the basket didn't come down on First Night...

 

[visitingcock]

In the Pac 10 days yes. But no double round robin since they went to 12, been quite a while now. There are 4 teams you only play once. That's just the way it is. 22 game conference schedule just isn't in the cards, so it has remained at 18. Big 10 and ACC both deal with this, probably SEC as well.

The SEC teams do not play every other team twice. When Texas and Oklahoma come in, it will be even less frequent.

I would not be surprised if we went back to divisions in basketball. 7 division home and home for 14 games. Then play 8 non-division foes only once for a total of 22 games.

Baseball is gonna really get screwed up. When we were at 12, we played everybody. a cross division series was lost when we expanded to 14. With 2 more teams, I guess we'll not get 3 cross division series. SAD. Won't get SCar vs Texas or Oklahoma very often.

Yes,baseball matters in the SEC.

 

[Zanzman]

The SEC teams do not play every other team twice. When Texas and Oklahoma come in, it will be even less frequent.

I would not be surprised if we went back to divisions in basketball. 7 division home and home for 14 games. Then play 8 non-division foes only once for a total of 22 games.

Baseball is gonna really get screwed up. When we were at 12, we played everybody. a cross division series was lost when we expanded to 14. With 2 more teams, I guess we'll not get 3 cross division series. SAD. Won't get SCar vs Texas or Oklahoma very often.

Yes,baseball matters in the SEC.

Some of us care about baseball here at UConn also

 

[veryolddog]

I "guess" that she did not come here because she saw that the roster was loaded with talent and she would have to compete very hard in order to break into that lineup. By going to UCLA, she will be a "star" inher own right and not living in the shadows of other worthy players. Kind of makes sense when you look at it. However, she will definitely miss the regimen and the learning experience of the best set of coaches in the business with a proven track record of success. Such is life.

 

[Zanzman]

I "guess" that she did not come here because she saw that the roster was loaded with talent and she would have to compete very hard in order to break into that lineup. By going to UCLA, she will be a "star" inher own right and not living in the shadows of other worthy players. Kind of makes sense when you look at it. However, she will definitely miss the regimen and the learning experience of the best set of coaches in the business with a proven track record of success. Such is life.

Maybe she didn’t choose to come here cause she liked a lot of things about UCLA more then Basketball don’t make it like she was afraid of a challenge some of you boneyard people are oblivious to other things besides basketball

 

[hoophuskee]

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.

But they weren't undoubtedly superior to everyone else in 14 and in 15 That's an insult to Notre Dame in 2014 and 2015 (though i don't mind the insult personally ). In 16 sure but not 14 or 15. The prior year (13) UCONN beat ND once while ND beat them 3 times. And I believe the prior 4 games from 2 prior years were all won by ND too.

The 2014 matchup had ND also undefeated and steamrolling everyone - and then Achonwa went down. And in 2015 they gave UCONN a dogfight. So this year is the same as many others from the past; gonna have some dogfights. There is rarely "an automatic title." The biggest change is easier for transfers and due to COVID players can stay longer which means teams are tougher which even includes this year as an example Evina staying and getting Dorka makes UCONN tougher too. It's not just the other teams.

And if Azzi Fudd is near what she has been touted - UCONN is still a lock to be vying for titles next several years barring injuries. OFC to win it- it can’t just be having great guards but at least to be in the conversation UCONN would be a near lock anyway based on current class’s coming in. Thus they remain overall the number 1 program. After all, in 2018 and 2019 Stanford and SC were not even in the Final Fours. UConn always is. Always. Always vying for titles. Always. One year of a championship from Stanford doesn't make that all go away. And UCONN did beat SC last year. I expect dogfights yet again though UCONN program still remains the number 1 beast.

 

[jchusky]

I think you've got the year wrong. During 2020 Oregon beat UCLA, at UCLA, 80-66. If any Pac 12 team got cheated by Covid in 2020 it was Oregon, which, with South Carolina, was one of the favorites to win it all.

I said Oregon STATE who was a really good squad that season led by a really good guard who got drafted by the dream

 

[Childhood]

I "guess" that she did not come here because she saw that the roster was loaded with talent and she would have to compete very hard in order to break into that lineup. By going to UCLA, she will be a "star" inher own right and not living in the shadows of other worthy players. Kind of makes sense when you look at it. However, she will definitely miss the regimen and the learning experience of the best set of coaches in the business with a proven track record of success. Such is life.

That's what I think. She mentioned she is the highest rank in UCLA history which interprets that she will be the absolute star in the team. Maybe that's what she wants.

 

[Rudy1927]

UCLA has never been a great program I guess with the new rules boosters are out in force.

 

[Mdoggie]

I don’t think she decided on UCLA because of basketball only.

 

[Hayven]

Maybe she wants to be the next face of Under Armour