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

[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?"

 

[Roger G]

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.

I'm glad you enjoy the suggestion. She earned all those accolades and yet she still didn't make the top twenty. I think ridiculous is the word. The question was not who received the least accolades.

 

[sarals24]

The original question had nothing to do the WNBA Top 20. You brought that into it. Tina was not underrated at UConn, nor in the WNBA. She just didn't make one list of the top 20 players of all time.

But since you started it... who would you take off that list for Tina? Better not say Parker

 

[Roger G]

The original question had nothing to do the WNBA Top 20. You brought that into it. Tina was not underrated at UConn, nor in the WNBA. She just didn't make one list of the top 20 players of all time.

But since you started it... who would you take off that list for Tina? Better not say Parker

I think Tina is underrated in the W and overall as evidenced by her not making the top 20, and that shows she is hugely underrated in that league and, as I said, LaChina didn't limit the answer to just their college days.

But as regards who I would take off. I will admit that I would say Parker, but honestly she would be the last one I would take off. Only Maya and Diana would I put ahead of Tina. I don't think Parker is as much of a force at both ends of the court. In fact, this year, Tina is outperforming Candace in both points and rebounds and is tied with her in assists. Which is not to say that I don't have the utmost respect for Candace Parker. I think it was a shame that she was left off the Olympic team. I still can't get my head around that.

But my reasoning in regards to the other players is that the WNBA is currently much better than it used to be. The players are just better. I've watched avidly since the beginning and that's what my eyes tell me. And in the six and a half years since Tina has entered the league she has been one of the top performers at both ends of the court. She has a more complete game than anyone. She is the most consistent. If I was having a pickup game of W players, I would probably pick her first. She is tough as nails in the paint, which is probably more important than any other aspect of the game. She's a terror on the glass and has the best post moves.

Yet people don't really think of her in the same way as a Candace, Maya, or Dianna. That is why I say she is underrated. And when people make up a list that says that Teresa Weatherspoon, Ticha Penicheiro, Deanna Nolan, Cappie Pondexter, etc. have been greater WNBA players than her, that is when I say she is grossly underrated.

Thanks for asking.

 

[Wally East]

I'm glad you enjoy the suggestion. She earned all those accolades and yet she still didn't make the top twenty. I think ridiculous is the word. The question was not who received the least accolades.

So, because there are 9 active players considered better than her all-time, she's underrated, and not just underrated, but the most underrated Husky of all time? Despite winning numerous awards that depend on people voting? And despite people selecting her for the Olympic team? For a second time?

Why are you giving this one panel so much power? Why does that one, single thing matter that much? That's the part that I don't get. It's an award that doesn't matter and people will forget about by next week unlike being on the Olympic team.

 

[sarals24]

I think Tina is underrated in the W and overall as evidenced by her not making the top 20, and that shows she is hugely underrated in that league and, as I said, LaChina didn't limit the answer to just their college days.

But as regards who I would take off. I will admit that I would say Parker, but honestly she would be the last one I would take off. Only Maya and Diana would I put ahead of Tina. I don't think Parker is as much of a force at both ends of the court. In fact, this year, Tina is outperforming Candace in both points and rebounds and is tied with her in assists. Which is not to say that I don't have the utmost respect for Candace Parker. I think it was a shame that she was left off the Olympic team. I still can't get my head around that.

But my reasoning in regards to the other players is that the WNBA is currently much better than it used to be. The players are just better. I've watched avidly since the beginning and that's what my eyes tell me. And in the six and a half years since Tina has entered the league she has been one of the top performers at both ends of the court. She has a more complete game than anyone. She is the most consistent. If I was having a pickup game of W players, I would probably pick her first. She is tough as nails in the paint, which is probably more important than any other aspect of the game. She's a terror on the glass and has the best post moves.

Yet people don't really think of her in the same way as a Candace, Maya, or Dianna. That is why I say she is underrated. And when people make up a list that says that Teresa Weatherspoon, Ticha Penicheiro, Deanna Nolan, Cappie Pondexter, etc. have been greater WNBA players than her, that is when I say she is grossly underrated.

Thanks for asking.

I understand that the quality is now better, but those players helped make the league what it is today. So they absolutely deserve to be there. And I guess I don't understand why you are fixated on this one list when Tina has been consistently rewarded for her level of play - both with awards, making Olympic teams, etc. She's not underrated at all. She's very highly rated.

 

[Roger G]

I understand that the quality is now better, but those players helped make the league what it is today. So they absolutely deserve to be there. And I guess I don't understand why you are fixated on this one list when Tina has been consistently rewarded for her level of play - both with awards, making Olympic teams, etc. She's not underrated at all. She's very highly rated.

OK. You are entitled to your opinion. To me, saying that because they made the league what it is today is a different way of measuring greatness than I would use, but OK. That's one way of looking at it. I'm not fixated on the list, but you asked me who I would leave off, so I explained myself. But if someone is really the third or fourth best active player and she is considered even by some to be the tenth best, as the list would indicate, she is by definition underrated at least by those people who don't fully appreciate her greatness. I mean, that's what the word means. One can argue she is not the third or fourth best active player or that she is not as underrated as some other players, but she is by definition underrated if she is indeed greater than tenth best active player. I think that makes it pretty clear.

 

[Roger G]

So, because there are 9 active players considered better than her all-time, she's underrated, and not just underrated, but the most underrated Husky of all time? Despite winning numerous awards that depend on people voting? And despite people selecting her for the Olympic team? For a second time?

Why are you giving this one panel so much power? Why does that one, single thing matter that much? That's the part that I don't get. It's an award that doesn't matter and people will forget about by next week unlike being on the Olympic team.

Well, yes, because this panel said there are 9 active players that are better than Tina Charles that does make her underrated. Do you really think that is true? I think she's probably third or fourth best right now at worst. Although, I think the case could be made right now that she is the best in the league, being first in points and rebounds, sixth in assists.

And I don't give any power to this panel except that they can accurately assess the careers of players or not. If they underrate her, they underrate her. In order to determine whether or not she more underrated than other UConn players, one would have to examine each player as a case in itself and compare. I personally think Heather Buck was underrated. She had a great game against Britney Griner one time and her field goal percentage was really good toward the end of her career. She got a lot of rebounds for the amount of time she was in the game. And the team usually played pretty well during the minutes she received. But, I don't think just because she didn't receive many accolades or make the Olympic team that she was more underrated than Tina. I think you can argue against all other candidates in a similar fashion. Tiffany is underrated perhaps. But what does that mean? Do people really think she should be on the Olympic team or something?
Kiah is great, but is she a most valuable player candidate? So how are they being underrated? I've explained why I believe Tina is vastly underrated. On what basis do you believe that a player should be considered underrated?

I hope you realize that I don't take any of this very seriously. I got an English degree from UConn and I like to write about things. Please don't take anything I say with hard feelings.

 

[DICKG]

My choice would he Charde Houston because she never got the credit she deserved. In spite of the fact that Geno obviously was on her all of the time, she accomplished a lot including being the Big East Most Outstanding Player in the tournament in her senior year and performed admirably in her WNBA years.

 

[Wally East]

I hope you realize that I don't take any of this very seriously. I got an English degree from UConn and I like to write about things. Please don't take anything I say with hard feelings.

Oooooh. I get it now.

When a player is good but doesn't receive any recognition, she's underrated. If Tina weren't on the Olympic team, weren't All-WNBA every season, or hadn't won an MVP award, then I'd say she was underrated. Just because she didn't get one thing that's very subjective and includes non-playing factors, too, no, I wouldn't say she's underrated.

 

[Roger G]

Oooooh. I get it now.

When a player is good but doesn't receive any recognition, she's underrated. If Tina weren't on the Olympic team, weren't All-WNBA every season, or hadn't won an MVP award, then I'd say she was underrated. Just because she didn't get one thing that's very subjective and includes non-playing factors, too, no, I wouldn't say she's underrated.

OK, by your definition you are entirely right. I think I have to blame my degree in English from UConn. I tend to use the dictionary definition. My bad. But was there really any UConn player who didn't receive any recognition?