KK Brings More Than Basketball

[Carnac]

The Huskies Dance Company also gets a strong recruit.

I looked at this video a second time. I noticed how badly she beat some of her defenders. She blew right past some of them as though their feet were glued to the floor. She'll see much better defense at the next level, but I'm sure she have some of her defenders icing their ankles after the game. She won't have any trouble getting/making her shot once she adjusts to to speed of the game at this level.

 

[Dogstar]

She's got "quick twich" moves and reactions.

 

[The deacon]

I just love it when everyone thinks that Paige is going to be the PG, Geno has stated many times that Nika is the PG and she is the energy bunny on this team, both for the offense and defense. Yes, Paige will play some PG to give Nika some rest, but she will not be the PG, she will be the SG or the 3 when Paige, Azzi, and Nika are all on the floor.

If both are healthy, which of Nika or Paige would be the better point guard, MSGRET? If you answer that, you'll understand why some say Paige would be the starting point guard. You certainly don't need Paige to be the shooting guard when you have Azzi on board, right?

 

[MSGRET]

If both are healthy, which of Nika or Paige would be the better point guard, MSGRET? If you answer that, you'll understand why some say Paige would be the starting point guard. You certainly don't need Paige to be the shooting guard when you have Azzi on board, right?

Wrong in so many ways, DON"T you listen to what Geno says or just ignore it.

 

[Skeets]

If both are healthy, which of Nika or Paige would be the better point guard, MSGRET? If you answer that, you'll understand why some say Paige would be the starting point guard. You certainly don't need Paige to be the shooting guard when you have Azzi on board, right?

Thumbs down

 

[HopJim]

I would be perfectly fine with Muhl/Bueckers/Fudd/Griffin/Edwards as the starting five.

As I have always said, I am less concerned with who starts the year than who the starters are going into the Playoffs. The above lineup would be one of the fastest ever and fun to watch until several of the Top-10 teams with 2 or more strong bigs had their way with us. This was exactly what UConn did this year to most teams. Suggest the guard question will work itself out - my question is who is going to be there next to Aaliyah down in the blocks when the other team's multiple 6'4"+ bigs start banging.

 

[Bald Husky]

Of course Nika will be starting at PG next season. Even when Paige was healthy, she didn't push the ball up the court like Nika does, and with Azzi and Paige running up the floor, those are the best two players in WBB setting up for a transition 3. The point guard's duty is to set up her teammates for the best scoring opportunities. This season Nika has increased her scoring chances which we all wanted, and along with her ability to get assists, she will be the best option for that position. Seeing Azzi and Paige each running around trying to get open for a good scoring opportunity will give UConn what we have envisioned: The best 1,2 punch in the country, and with the second-best assist leader feeding them, 3's will be ringing through our games like they were FTs. Nika, Paige, Azzi, starting guards. No question!

 

[HopJim]

I am in the camp that thinks neither Caroline nor Aubrey starts next year. I think everyone expects Paige, Azzi and Aaliyah to be in the starting lineup. That means two things to me, First if Caroline or Aubrey start, it will have to be at the 3 position, Aaliyah is a given at the 4, and although some prefer it, I don't see or like the idea of moving Aaliyah from her best position to the 5. We don't have proven players there but two high level prospects.

If you accept that, then the main debate for the third small is between Nika, Caroline, and Aubrey even though their skillsets are completely different. If you start Nika, and I thinks it's hard to sit someone who is a two time defensive player of the year in the Big East, plus second in the nation in assists, then Caroline and Aubrey will begin games on the bench and Paige probably plays the 3.

If you start Caroline or Aubrey at the 3, then Nika sits and Paige starts at the point. Paige can be very good at 1-3 and she rebounds well for a guard so I think she would be fine at the 3, and is long enough to defend the position effectively as well.

I like the way you are thinking with the exception of one vital point. Many of the games UConn just barely won this year have been when our defensive leaders, Aubrey and Nika both played maximum minutes. Most teams now have at least one high scoring guard and wing. Preseason next year will sort this out but I like having two shut down defenders. Suspect over time, Slade and KK will add to this list.

 

[HopJim]

If both are healthy, which of Nika or Paige would be the better point guard, MSGRET? If you answer that, you'll understand why some say Paige would be the starting point guard. You certainly don't need Paige to be the shooting guard when you have Azzi on board, right?

Suspect guard lineup will be based on in game matchups. Nika is the best option if UConn is able to run, Geno wants full court pressure, or a competitive guard needs to be shut down. In a slow half-court game, Paige and Azzi are better ball handlers and can create their own shots, drawing the defense and opening up the court. These are the types of issues Geno discussed having last year and I suspect he smiles every time he thinks about having these many great players to coach.

 

[Littlemin]

I definitely agree with some of what you said but there are too many caveats in play here. Is Paige going to be fully recovered? Will Azzi continue to be susceptible to the injury bug. Also, forger the assist record, Nika is not a point guard. She is great at defense, brings a tough mindset to the game and is a great teammate but she is just about an average ball handler and that is not what you want in a point guard.

Amazing the record this team amassed playing short handed, against the hardest rated schedule in the country and playing without a point guard. Smoke and mirrors I guess.
Not sure why we should ignore Muhl’s assists, although I will react to your ball handling critique; Muhl dribbles the ball pretty much “old school”, not cupping and palming the ball every other dribble, but with her hand on top of the ball. I understand that is no longer a violation in American basketball, but she learned her fundamentals in Europe. That makes breaking down a defender significantly harder which is why the majority of her drives are with a speed dribble rather than change of direction.

 

[Steelerone]

Nika, Paige and Azzi will all start next year.

We won't really know until the opening lineup is announced.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

We won't really know until the opening lineup is announced.

I don't think Geno will commit malpractice. He may start Paige's year with limited minutes, but that will depend on when she can start heavy work off season.

 

[Bone Dog]

As I have always said, I am less concerned with who starts the year than who the starters are going into the Playoffs. The above lineup would be one of the fastest ever and fun to watch until several of the Top-10 teams with 2 or more strong bigs had their way with us. This was exactly what UConn did this year to most teams. Suggest the guard question will work itself out - my question is who is going to be there next to Aaliyah down in the blocks when the other team's multiple 6'4"+ bigs start banging.

This sounds about right to me. Facing a team with a two-big lineup, we have to be able to respond. We could do that with Ice or Jana or Amari or even Ayanna, who plays big, next to Aaliyah. But there aren’t that many teams who can play two-bigs for long. Maybe SC, Stanford, Texas, ND, Oregon, Oregon St. And even against them a speed lineup might cause problems that would force them to go small. I’m intrigued by our being able to shift between a big and a small lineup effectively. I think we’ll be able to do that better than anyone. And since the 4 in our small lineup would be Caroline/Aubrey/Q we won’t be giving up much rebounding and will still have excellent transition speed.

 

[Bone Dog]

This sounds about right to me. Facing a team with a two-big lineup, we have to be able to respond. We could do that with Ice or Jana or Amari or even Ayanna, who plays big, next to Aaliyah. But there aren’t that many teams who can play two-bigs for long. Maybe SC, Stanford, Texas, ND, Oregon, Oregon St. And even against them a speed lineup might cause problems that would force them to go small. I’m intrigued by our being able to shift between a big and a small lineup effectively. I think we’ll be able to do that better than anyone. And since the 4 in our small lineup would be Caroline/Aubrey/Q we won’t be giving up much rebounding and will still have excellent transition speed.

Just consider Stanford as an example. Next year, if Jones Jump Belibi Prechtel all move on, Tara will have Betts Brink Iriafen and maybe Demetre (who’s more a perimeter player) as posts. She’ll want to play Betts and Brink together part of the time, and Betts has improved her game a lot this year. But she’s still a lumbering presence with weak handles. She can be formidable as a pure post presence as long as she can just turn and shoot. This all tells me Tara’s primary lineup will be Brink and Iriafen with Lepolo Emma-Nnopu and Nivar or Demetre. Still good height, but not so imposing that are small lineup couldn’t manage them.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

6 returning guards??? I count four. Ines, Azzi, Paige, and Nika. Where are the other two?

Any guard who can play the [top Div I] tenacious D that Geno requires will get time on the court, particularly in light of the past two years of injuries. The Other TWO [not returning, but Freshman incoming] are KK & Ashlynn Shade....

 

[Dogstar]

Thumbs down

Nika is t

If both are healthy, which of Nika or Paige would be the better point guard, MSGRET? If you answer that, you'll understand why some say Paige would be the starting point guard. You certainly don't need Paige to be the shooting guard when you have Azzi on board, right?

I totally disagree, Nika and Ines are the only TRUE point guards on the team, Paige and Azzi are wht are called combo guards, while we get caught up on scoring its the point guard tht sets up the play and distributes the ball to the open player and set the pace of the game, a true point guard brings the coach's words and wants to the squad , im not saying tht Paige and Azzi don't take instructions from the coach but it's Nikas primary job on the court and she does it very well, and while we'd like to see her score 10- 12 points a game it's not going to happen, but she'll make sure tht the true scorers will get get their numbers, while we need her to hit the open shots she will get whn given the opportunity is there with Paige, Azzi, and others being double and triple teamed she'll get those opportunities, don't take her breaking Sue Birds record for granted bcus if it was an easy task it would've been broken long ago, it's not like there hasn't been really good point guards pass thru UConn in between tht span, give Nika the credit she's worked for and deserves, the sparkplug of the team and not to mention 2 times Defensive player in the big East ....jmho

 

[Dogstar]

Nika is t

I totally disagree, Nika and Ines are the only TRUE point guards on the team, Paige and Azzi are wht are called combo guards, while we get caught up on scoring its the point guard tht sets up the play and distributes the ball to the open player and set the pace of the game, a true point guard brings the coach's words and wants to the squad , im not saying tht Paige and Azzi don't take instructions from the coach but it's Nikas primary job on the court and she does it very well, and while we'd like to see her score 10- 12 points a game it's not going to happen, but she'll make sure tht the true scorers will get get their numbers, while we need her to hit the open shots she will get whn given the opportunity is there with Paige, Azzi, and others being double and triple teamed she'll get those opportunities, don't take her breaking Sue Birds record for granted bcus if it was an easy task it would've been broken long ago, it's not like there hasn't been really good point guards pass thru UConn in between tht span, give Nika the credit she's worked for and deserves, the sparkplug of the team and not to mention 2 times Defensive player in the big East ....jmho

And if you appreciate wht Nika does from wht I see you're gonna love wht KK brings to the table

 

[Bone Dog]

And if you appreciate wht Nika does from wht I see you're gonna love wht KK brings to the table

Yup. KK has Nika's ferocity with a touch more quickness and a wider variety of offensive skills. When Nika graduates and hands the reins to KK, there will be no drop off! Just picture the team in three years, with KK Ashlynn Allie Q Ayanna Ice and Jana carrying on the tradition. Who else will Geno add in the meantime? It hardly matters, though I'm sure more greats are on the way. These girls all play to win, though perhaps none more than the first three!

 

[Cuango]

If you were to choose the best PG and the best shooting guard in the country (on paper) for next year, (assuming full health) I believe Paige and Clark would be the top choices for PG. To be fair, Nika would be high on that list as well but I doubt seriously she would beat either of those two out. For shooting guard, I think Azzi would likely compete with, once again, Paige and Clark for the top spot. Obviously, there are others who would be ranked high on both lists; Miles and Harmon for PG, for example, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think we could have the #1or #2 PG and shooting guard in the country on our roster. Furthermore, we will have another PG (Nika) who would likely be in the top 5 or 10 as well, Some may disagree, but I think the above is (at the very least) arguably true. Assuming it is, it’s difficult to see how anyone can simply dismiss the possibility that Paige could/would/should start at the point?
I am unsure what will happen, but if we have a fully healthy Caroline/Aubrey for the wing/small forward and Aaliyah at the four, then I would think that PB, , AG or CD, AE, and one of the trio of bigs would be a pretty strong lineup. If Nika starts at the point, then Azzi or Paige would have to play the three spot. Obviously they both could do that but both would be on the small side and would also face more physicality there as well.
Obviously, Nika may well be the starting PG next season. She’s very capable and as Geno has said repeatedly, she brings a whole different vibe to the team. My point is simply this, dismissing the possibility that Paige Bueckers might reassume the starting PG position next season is ludicrous.
This team is (knock on wood) going to be among the most talented teams ever, with potential All-American candidates at four of the five starting positions! With a lineup like that, there’s no shame in coming off the bench.

 

[Boreifs]

As I have always said, I am less concerned with who starts the year than who the starters are going into the Playoffs. The above lineup would be one of the fastest ever and fun to watch until several of the Top-10 teams with 2 or more strong bigs had their way with us. This was exactly what UConn did this year to most teams. Suggest the guard question will work itself out - my question is who is going to be there next to Aaliyah down in the blocks when the other team's multiple 6'4"+ bigs start banging.

Which teams with multiple 6’4” bigs did you have in mind?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Man, you talk about thread drift. I think I see Spain in the distance.