LaChina asks DT3: Who is the most underrated Husky of all time

[CL82]

Jamelle Elliot should be in the discussion....as should her teammate Carla Berube.

Berube maybe, but Jamelle was an absolute beast for us and that was readily apparent at the time. Possibly the toughest player we've ever had, especially if you don't count Taurasi.

 

[CTrefugee]

Geno once said that if the game were on the line and there were free throws, he would want Carla Berube to take them.
He said "She had no heart beat."

 

[Teacherdeb]

Berube maybe, but Jamelle was an absolute beast for us and that was readily apparent at the time. Possibly the toughest player we've ever had, especially if you don't count Taurasi.

Jamelle Elliot- she willed the '95 team to beat Virginia in the elite 8 game- I was there, and it was remarkable- especially considering her size.

 

[Teacherdeb]

Geno once said that if the game were on the line and there were free throws, he would want Carla Berube to take them.
He said "She had no heart beat."

95 Championship game- enough said.

 

[Roger G]

After seeing Tina not on the list of top twenty best players in the history of the WNBA, I would have to go with her. #1 pick. Rookie of the year. As a rookie, set all-time league records for rebounds and double doubles. She had some great seasons with CT Sun. League MVP. Last year led the Liberty to league's best record. Currently leads the league in points and rebounds and is top ten in assists. Reached the 900, 1,000, and 1100 rebounds milestones faster than any player. And right now she is making it look so easy. Yeah, I'll go with her.

 

[sarals24]

But Tina was NPOY and an All-American...hard to say she was underrated. She's also going to be at least a two-time Olympian. I think pretty much everyone recognizes her talent.

 

[Monte]

What about Faris?

Faris+Svet

 

[Roger G]

But Tina was NPOY and an All-American...hard to say she was underrated. She's also going to be at least a two-time Olympian. I think pretty much everyone recognizes her talent.

Apparently not the people picking the top twenty players.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I think one might have to define "underrated" for the purposes of choosing. Generally it means underestimating. But just because Kiah wasn't a starter doesn't mean all UCONN fans didn't realize she was a game changer when she got in and a defensive force.

Weren't Jamelle and Carla starters? Not that being a starter is necessarily a strike against you. I think maybe Maria Conlon should be in the discussion too as well as Ashley Battle. Everyone talks about Dee leading her team to 3 consecutive NC's, but Maria was the starting PG for most of those 3 years. "Too heavy, too slow, can't create her own shot, not a good enough ball handler"... IIRC her assit/TO ratio was really good. Not flashy by ANY stretch of the imagination but boy did she get it done...

Darn Eric, one more posting with which to like Eric for( or for which to like Eric).
Can't argue with your picks.
My number one ever for being UNDER-RATED is Connecticuts (Derby)own Marie Conlon!!!
She like Kiah got the Geno high praise comments---Kiah--yea, that's what she does! (words to that effect and Maria--She not quick but makes up for it by being slow (again words similar to these)
Both made impacts on the teams they were on--both could have been standouts on teams other than UConn. Both were blue shirt players--Kiah could have worn a gold crown with that blue shirt.
You can sue me but--in the Final 4 game against ND in which DT put up 15 threes and missed all-I contend (not a bit of proof of this) that given the opportunity Maria could have made 5 or more.
Yea she is in my top 10 list of those kids on Uconn teams I care for.

Thanks Eric!!!

 

[lne001]

I would vote for Kerry Bascom. She was a victim of tw0 things 1) Playing in an era before UCONN got "championship" good. 2 )Before the WNBA. Her numbers, like averaging 20+ PPG for 3 straight years indicate she was the truth! All these discussions about the UCONN "Mount Rushmore" of players talk of DT, Maya, Stewie and Kerry hardly ever gets mentioned.

Could not agree with you more. The first and only name that came to mind. Hard to fully appreciate someone that you never saw play, which would probably be most of us.

 

[uconnfan68]

It's difficult to argue against Kiah, except for those really in the know [like us BY'ers] she was fully appreciated, at least in her last two years. She really brought laughs to the game with some of her blocks. So many times an opponent would be driving to the basket and you could plainly see what was about to happen. And so many weren't even blocks; they were take aways. Oh, a basketball?, I'll take that, thanks. I often literally broke out laughing.

Yup, thought she was the best rebounder and shot-blocker in wcbb for 2 years, and she basically played off the bench.

 

[uconnfan68]

Could not agree with you more. The first and only name that came to mind. Hard to fully appreciate someone that you never saw play, which would probably be most of us.

Saw her play in the FF game against UVA, and I understand why she was so good. Tough, tough kid. High BB IQ.

 

[Sonny44]

What about Faris?

I would say the world may have underated her, but to us she was a star.

 

[Sonny44]

I always liked her and yes, she was probably underated as well.
What is she doing now?

 

[Wbbfan1]

If LaChina was thinking of UConn players that went on to play in the WNBA and had more success then expected , Kiah would have to be considered. But not if you're looking at her UConn career. It was mentioned earlier in this thread, but I have to take Tiff Hayes as the most underrated UConn player that plays in the WNBA at a much higher level then expected. Didn't think that Tiff as well as Kelly Faris would still be playing in the WNBA. Did think Kiah would be successful in the WNBA for a number of years as a sub off the bench . She plays great defense and can rebound.

 

[UcMiami]

for WNBA success - and really just longevity of play in the league - J. Moore, Swanier, Battle come to mind (K. Greene as well), and Kelly is following in that pattern. For out-performing draft position it probably comes down to Hayes and Stokes with the nod going to Hayes in my book. Hayes drafted #14, Stokes #11 (NB Faris was also selected #11)

 

[Wally East]

Kerry Bascom was amazing. A power forward or undersized center who also shot 40% from 3 for her career. She's #6 in total points scored all time and #2 in scoring average.

Also, she was an All-American her senior year. Kerry Bascom is in the Huskies of Honor. She's not underrated.

 

[HuskiesU]

Rita williams

 

[pacific 44]

How about Dr.Polly: Clock winding down,National Championship game,millions glued to their tv's,she loses her defensive menace,sets up in the corner,receives the pass,and with the proverbial ice water in her veins takes a clutch three pointer from the corner that was so pure that the nylon just snapped upward as if to salute the deliverer as millions of humans leaped into the air around the world to include the players and coaches of her very team causing the global decibel level to move universal time off by a couple of seconds.Totally underrated that girl.

 

[Wally East]

Apparently not the people picking the top twenty players.

Most underrated of all time though? Because she wasn't one of the 9 active players selected in the top 20 of the WNBA all-time?

That's ... hmm.

 

[Roger G]

Most underrated of all time though? Because she wasn't one of the 9 active players selected in the top 20 of the WNBA all-time?

That's ... hmm.

I think Tina is in the top three greatest of the active players that were included. And I think the active players are generally superior to what came before as the play in the WNBA has dramatically improved. If she were a mountain, she would be Kangchenjunga, behind only K2 and Mount Everest. Apparently, she is viewed by the people who came up with the top twenty list as at best a Khunyang Chhish, the twenty first tallest mountain. Kangchenjunga is 2500 feet taller than Khunyang Chhish. That's a big difference. That's 2 and a half mountains shorter. No other Husky is as underappreciated and underrated.

 

[sarals24]

Apparently not the people picking the top twenty players.

Then the argument is that she is underrated as a WNBA player, not as a UConn player. I love Tina, and I think in the next few years she'll be in the conversation, but I don't see anyone on that list that you could replace with her. Not yet, anyway.
But she was definitely loved and appreciated as a Husky. She didn't really blossom until her Junior year, which might have something to do with it. Stewie, Maya, Diana, etc were all amazing as freshmen.

 

[Wally East]

Here's Tina's partial list of awards:

• 2006 USA Today National Player of the Year[1]
• 2006 McDonald's National Player of the Year[1]
• 2006 Parade Magazine National Player of the Year[1]
• 2006 Gatorade National Player of the Year[1]
• 2006 WBCA National Player of the Year[1]
• 2006 EA Sports National Player of the Year[1]
• 2006 Miss New York Basketball[1]
• 2009 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year[23]
• 2010 All-BIG EAST First Team (unanimous)[30]
• 2010 Big East Player of the Year[9]
• 2010 AP All-America First Team[31]
• 2010 U.S. Basketball Writers Association's Player of the Year.[32]
• 2010 State Farm Coaches' All-America Team[33]
• 2010 #1 selection in 2010 WNBA draft[11]
• 2010 John R. Wooden Award winner[34]
• 2010 WNBA Rookie of the Year[12]
• 2010 All-WNBA Second Team[35]
• 2012 WNBA MVP[16]

She in the Huskies of Honor (obviously but just to be clear).

She's been All-WNBA 1st or 2nd team for each of her six seasons. She's on the Olympic team for a second time.

But she's under-rated.

Not only that, she's the most under-rated Husky of all time.

That is hilarious.

 

[willtalk]

If one were to ask who is the most underrated Husky of all Time- the answer is obvious. It is King ( Sargent Preston of the Yukon's dog ). Rin Tin Tin or even Lassie do not even compare to him. So my answer for the most underrated Yukon Husky is King.

 

[Roger G]

Then the argument is that she is underrated as a WNBA player, not as a UConn player. I love Tina, and I think in the next few years she'll be in the conversation, but I don't see anyone on that list that you could replace with her. Not yet, anyway.
But she was definitely loved and appreciated as a Husky. She didn't really blossom until her Junior year, which might have something to do with it. Stewie, Maya, Diana, etc were all amazing as freshmen.

"The most underrated player to ever play at UConn..." were her exact words. So, with all due respect, I think that can be taken several ways. LaChina is not known for speaking with the utmost precision. I remember one time she asked a set of twins who had played together on their college team, "What do you two remember about being twins?"