KML at Home with Team USA

[Wbbfan1]

Sny = Link

 

[Kibitzer]

Last year about this time, I made what some thought was an absurd statement: that Kaleena would prove (2012-2013 season) to be the best three-point shooter in wcbb. Some scoffed, but most took a wait-and-see approach.

I think no doubters remain so I'll take a new tack this year. An easy one.

Kaleena will be a unanimous/consensus All-American. Period.

No lack of respect for Sims or Chiney or Williams or Lucas or Graves -- or Stef or Bria or Stewie either. But Kaleena is not only a certain All-American but most assuredly the best player of Mexican heritage to lace up a pair of sneakers in all of wcbb.

 

[EricLA]

What a great article and mature comments from KML regarding Coale, Bria, and Simms.

“And I’m excited about playing with Odyssey Sims. I’ve never really played with a point guard like her. Moriah Jefferson is the closest thing but she was only a freshman last season and her best days are in front of her. Odyssey has that talent and experience and is just a great player.”

 

[cohenzone]

Great player.

One observation. Why is there a need to describe either KML or Bria as "rising". That implies that they had been overlooked. Some words get overused and/or don't mean anything.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I was not one of the doubters. Kaleena was ranked in the top 5 players in HS each of her last 3 seasons--including as a 15-year old sophomore--by Parade Magazine. She was the consensus NPOY as a senior. She was the only player I can recall whose shot was given a name--the Lewis Launch. I saw her in person her senior year and was so impressed with her great hands. I knew she was a big-game player, but personally outscoring the entire Berkeley team in the second half of the state championship game took that to a new level.

At times, she was the best Husky player as a frosh. Her mid season "slump" and what Geno described as "pouting" kept her from shooting 40% from the arc and even more post-season awards. Last year, she adopted Kelly's amazing work ethic. It was like Maya all over again--the most talented player was also the hardest working. When I saw her in person in the post-season, I noted that she looked and played like Maya.

Last year, Griner was the only player I had ranked ahead of her in my admittedly biased opinion. This year, she will be a consensus AA, though the versatility of Stewie and flash of Moriah-- or the AA senior class--may get more recognition. Now that Kaleena has expanded her game, she has more ways to score than anyone in the country. She is now a great shooter and a scorer. And rebounder and defender.

From Day 1, I predicted that she would finish 2nd or 3rd in UConn career scoring. I think she totals about 2,600 points in a balanced offense.

It will be interesting to see how she does on Team USA. A couple of years or so ago, she had a tendency to defer and to look for only the jump shot. Now she is an AA and NCAA champion and has a more complete game.

I like what she says about Moriah and Odyssey. Kaleena is as articulate as people much older. With her megawatt smile, she is the face if WCBB.

 

[jplotinus]

What a great article and mature comments from KML regarding Coale, Bria, and Simms.

“And I’m excited about playing with Odyssey Sims. I’ve never really played with a point guard like her. Moriah Jefferson is the closest thing but she was only a freshman last season and her best days are in front of her. Odyssey has that talent and experience and is just a great player.”

I gather the players are given training in how to respond to the media and how to avoid saying the wrong thing at the right time. That said, there is not only the element of correctness in what KML had to say, as quoted above, there is also a measure of grace and of poise in what she said.

You know what, I'm liking KML a lot, not only as a gifted player, but as a person as well. She came to us right after we had Maya and not long after Tina. It was difficult to think she could match either of them or invite comparisons with DT and Sue, for example, but, at this point, I'm prepared to say there are none better than KML, plus, she is genuinely likeable.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Great player.

One observation. Why is there a need to describe either KML or Bria as "rising". That implies that they had been overlooked. Some words get overused and/or don't mean anything.

"Rising" in this context means going into her junior/senior year, which has not yet started. It says nothing about improving. I agree it's an odd word choice.

 

[Kibitzer]

Great player.

One observation. Why is there a need to describe either KML or Bria as "rising". That implies that they had been overlooked. Some words get overused and/or don't mean anything.

The term "rising" has just crept into sports journalism to indicate an undergraduate about to advance to the next (sophomore, junior or senior) class level. I wish I could improve on it but I can't and it seems to do the job.

I happen to like new descriptive words like that. Some are really effective and require no research in a thesaurus.

Back in the Watergate era I think Bob Woodward originated the "non-denial denial" and the other morning Joe Scarborough picked up on it (referring to Weiner, Sanford and Deen) by talking about them using a "non-apology apology."

Early in his career, George Wallace lost an election to a more ardent segregationalist that he was (then), and he swore: "I ain't ever gonna get out-segged agin!"

Guy Fieri ("Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" on Food Network) told a clever chef (who had just made a cute "touche" remark) that she had "jack-potted" him.

Very recently Pete Williams, superb NBC Supreme Court observer, commented that when the Supremes sent the Prop 8 case back (something about jurisdiction), that gave them an "off-ramp" to avoid a more sweeping decision (either way) about same-sex marriage.

I like that "off ramp" excuse.

Hey, Geno, why don't you play ND? His off ramp: The OOC schedule is full, no need to mention that he has seen enough of Muffett in recent years.​

​

Hey, Holly, when will you schedule UConn again? Rather than either mention Pat's name or her concern about getting torched, her off ramp is the intensity of that rugged SEC schedule.​

Any good ones I missed? Don't everybody talk at once.

 

[cohenzone]

"Rising" in this context means going into her junior/senior year, which has not yet started. It says nothing about improving. I agree it's an odd word choice.

I get more senior every day. I guess I'm a rising senior.

 

[cohenzone]

The term "rising" has just crept into sports journalism to indicate an undergraduate about to advance to the next (sophomore, junior or senior) class level. I wish I could improve on it but I can't and it seems to do the job.

I happen to like new descriptive words like that. Some are really effective and require no research in a thesaurus.

Back in the Watergate era I think Bob Woodward originated the "non-denial denial" and the other morning Joe Scarborough picked up on it (referring to Weiner, Sanford and Deen) by talking about them using a "non-apology apology."

Early in his career, George Wallace lost an election to a more ardent segregationalist that he was (then), and he swore: "I ain't ever gonna get out-segged agin!"

Guy Fieri ("Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" on Food Network) told a clever chef (who had just made a cute "touche" remark) that she had "jack-potted" him.

Very recently Pete Williams, superb NBC Supreme Court observer, commented that when the Supremes sent the Prop 8 case back (something about jurisdiction), that gave them an "off-ramp" to avoid a more sweeping decision (either way) about same-sex marriage.

I like that "off ramp" excuse.

Hey, Geno, why don't you play ND? His off ramp is that the OOC schedule is full, no need to mention that he has seen enough of Muffett in recent years.​

​

Hey, Holly, when will you schedule UConn again? Rather than either mention Pat's name or her concern about getting torched, her off ramp is the intensity of that rugged SEC schedule.​

Any good ones I missed? Don't everybody talk at once.

Then "rising" is a totally silly word. It doesn't differentiate anything meaningful about the player. Is a non-rising player one who repeats a year? Your other examples are fairly colorful ways to use modern inventions (off ramps) to illustrate an idea.

 

[VAMike23]

Kaleena was ranked in the top 5 players in HS each of her last 3 seasons--including as a 15-year old sophomore--by Parade Magazine. She was the consensus NPOY as a senior.

Didn't she share a few of the NPOY honors with Elizabeth Williams?

 

[pinotbear]

I get more senior every day. I guess I'm a rising senior.

As I get more senior, "rising" doesn't apply too often. "Falling", "sagging", and "drooping", however, seem to be working their way in, with some frequency..

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Then "rising" is a totally silly word. It doesn't differentiate anything meaningful about the player. Is a non-rising player one who repeats a year? Your other examples are fairly colorful ways to use modern inventions (off ramps) to illustrate an idea.

It's just a summer term. I heard of it in reference to high school and college students long before I heard it about basketball players.

I think it's a great term--a shorthand description for a more complicated way of saying it.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Didn't she share a few of the NPOY honors with Elizabeth Williams?

Hmm. They were both ranked the same. EW may have won 1. It probably was not unanimous. How about "majority NPOY"?

 

[MilfordHusky]

As I get more senior, "rising" doesn't apply too often. "Falling", "sagging", and "drooping", however, seem to be working their way in, with some frequency..

The juxtaposition of rising/drooping and the tag line of taking your meds is, well, interesting.

 

[VAMike23]

Hmm. They were both ranked the same. EW may have won 1. It probably was not unanimous. How about "majority NPOY"?

I checked their bios and you're pretty much correct. EW got one NPOY nod (Morgan Wootten) while KML picked up all the rest. Basically a clean sweep for Kaleena. I would have bet (and lost) that EW got a couple more.

 

[pinotbear]

The juxtaposition of rising/drooping and the tag line of taking your meds is, well, interesting.

not unintentional, I assure you! I'm not sure which would make me more uncomfortable - having to "talk with your doctor" about getting a scrip for such matters, or going through the trouble of setting up matching claw-foot bathtubs on a tropical beach somewhere - since, if all the commercials during golf tourney broadcasts are to be believed, that has miraculous restorative powers, too!

 

[meyers7]

One observation. Why is there a need to describe either KML or Bria as "rising". That implies that they had been overlooked. Some words get overused and/or don't mean anything.

I noticed that too.

The term "rising" has just crept into sports journalism to indicate an undergraduate about to advance to the next (sophomore, junior or senior) class level.

Yea, I figured that's what he meant after he used it not only on KML and Hartley, but also on Sims.

I wish I could improve on it but I can't and it seems to do the job.

I happen to like new descriptive words like that.

Gonna have to disagree with you there. I think it sounds really dumb. Especially used in this instance where another, more common, meaning could be interpreted (and was). It's easy to improve on too. Junior KML, Senior Hartley, Senior Sims. How difficult is that???

I suppose they are gonna start using "rising" Freshman, instead of incoming Freshman.

 

[meyers7]

But Kaleena is not only a certain All-American but most assuredly the best player of Mexican heritage to lace up a pair of sneakers in all of wcbb.

She was the only player I can recall whose shot was given a name--the Lewis Launch.

hmmmm, I must be out of the loop. I had not heard of either of those things.

 

[meyers7]

“And I’m excited about playing with Odyssey Sims. I’ve never really played with a point guard like her. Moriah Jefferson is the closest thing but she was only a freshman last season and her best days are in front of her. Odyssey has that talent and experience and is just a great player.”

And people are still questioning Jefferson getting the keys or suggesting that Banks or Chong will be starting PG before her.

 

[EricLA]

And people are still questioning Jefferson getting the keys or suggesting that Banks or Chong will be starting PG before her.

Seriously? What people? I know i'm a noodle short of a full casserole, and I love Banks and am high on Chong... But Mo Jeff is going to be the best PG we have ever seen not named Sue Bird, and but the time Mo Jeff is done, she might end up the best PG we've ever seen...

Mo started only 2 games but averaged over 17 minutes and we all know PG is the hardest position to play/learn under Geno. I think this kid is going to blow everyone away this coming season.

 

[alexrgct]

Love all the KML quotes. Maturity, perspective, a general coolness factor...she's just a badass who expects a great deal of herself and puts in the work to achieve it. Not looking forward to her leaving Storrs, but I also can't wait to see what she accomplishes these next two seasons.

 

[Buzzyboy]

I gather the players are given training in how to respond to the media and how to avoid saying the wrong thing at the right time. That said, there is not only the element of correctness in what KML had to say, as quoted above, there is also a measure of grace and of poise in what she said.

You know what, I'm liking KML a lot, not only as a gifted player, but as a person as well. She came to us right after we had Maya and not long after Tina. It was difficult to think she could match either of them or invite comparisons with DT and Sue, for example, but, at this point, I'm prepared to say there are none better than KML, plus, she is genuinely likeable.

Don't forget that from the first day she committed to UConn she has been probably it's staunchest recruiter. She's continually tried to get all her friends from her many AAU tournaments that she admired to consider UConn and Ms Jefferson and Ms. Stewart are two people who came, though no one knows for sure that they might not have come anyway. She is a very impressive young lady on and off the court. I'm so thrilled we have her.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Love all the KML quotes. Maturity, perspective, a general coolness factor...she's just a badass who expects a great deal of herself and puts in the work to achieve it. Not looking forward to her leaving Storrs, but I also can't wait to see what she accomplishes these next two seasons.

Like Sue, Kaleena is a badass with a killer smile. I love it!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Seriously? What people? I know i'm a noodle short of a full casserole, and I love Banks and am high on Chong... But Mo Jeff is going to be the best PG we have ever seen not named Sue Bird, and but the time Mo Jeff is done, she might end up the best PG we've ever seen...

Mo started only 2 games but averaged over 17 minutes and we all know PG is the hardest position to play/learn under Geno. I think this kid is going to blow everyone away this coming season.

A noodle short of a casserole. LOL!