Lauren Betts in the Portal

[bballnut90]

I agree, everybody assumes if she was any good she would get plenty of playing time. Not true, she performed well, just look at the numbers. Tara decided not to play twin towers together. The reason Betts didn't play is pretty elementary, it is Brink. I guess Clingan can't be any good because if he was, he would get many more minutes. Hurley also pretty much refused to use twin towers with Sanogo, even if Clingan was no worse than the third best player on the team.

If Olivia Miles was on Uconn and getting 10 minutes a game backing up Paige, some of you would say she can't be any good either, even if she was a very high recruit and in fact putting up very good numbers when she was in the game, just like Betts. Is it possible there is something concerning behind the scenes? Sure, but assuming something must be wrong just because a player doesn't get time behind one of the best C's in the country doesn't make sense.

Some of the minutes that Brink was sitting also went to other bigs and that is the closest to a legitimate concern. But even then, those were pretty much proven very good players that were seniors, with different skill sets, including the versatile Haley Jones a sure early draft pick, Prechtel a 6-5 girl who can shoot threes, and Bilibi a sensational 6-1 PF that can dunk. They might have received a little bit of senior entitlement minutes too vs. the freshmen.

Whether Betts should have gone to a program so loaded with bigs and in particular a C in Brink that might be ahead of her for two seasons? Maybe not, maybe she thought Tara would use them together and then she didn't. Some of the same concerns might have applied to Cardosa going to South Carolina. She knew she had Boston ahead of her for two years, and that she could have started at all but a handful of other schools, but went there anyway. Apparently that was not an issue for her, and Dawn made it considerably easier by trying twin towers a significant part of the time, and also by resting her starters a lot more than most coaches in blowouts.

Betts problem is she picked 1 of 2 schools that had no use for her (the other being South Carolina). When Betts got minutes, she played quite well. It didn't matter if she was playing a mediocre team or a ranked team, the numbers were consistent across the board when she got playing time, and she never got into foul trouble. She moved well, rebounded well, finished consistently around the rim. She only played 10 minutes per game, but if you take her numbers and average them across 30 minutes a game, she was averaging 18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks on 60% FG. Those are excellent numbers.

She had a great stretch of basketball in February, and then somehow wound up in the dog house her last 5 games (where Stanford went 2-3). When she started playing more, I thought Tara was slowly bringing her on and then was unleashing her at the end of the season so Betts would avoid the freshman wall and peak at the right time. I thought it was brilliant and that Betts would make the difference down the stretch for Stanford. But then she stopped playing Betts. In regards to Betts and Brink playing together, the one game I saw them on the court for extended minutes was against Arizona, and they were scary good together. Brink thrives as a 5 but has the skills to play the 4 with her face up game, passing and ball handling. They paired really well together, and I was hoping we'd see this combo more as the year went on but Betts' minutes fizzled and they were upset in the 2nd round.

Ultimately I get why some players may have been frustrated at Stanford last year. They were basically a 2 woman team with a 3pt specialist, and then has a slew of talented role players that Tara cycled in and out but without consistency. It seemed like she was more focused on keeping minutes equal among a group of 7-8 than establishing a set rotation and building off of it. I am guessing a lot of those 7-8 players had no idea if they were going to play 2-3 minutes in a given game, or if they'd play 20. Hard to find a flow and consistent play and it showed in their product.

 

[tower1]

Not feeling it! I don’t think we’ll be seeing Betts in Storrs. Truthfully, I think we’re fine and her addition might end up causing problems with our current roster. By problems, I mean transfers and or unhappiness. This team is loaded and,I believe, will be a top 3 team for several years at least. It is highly skilled and has great chemistry. Let’s be satisfied with what we have and take no unnecessary chances on affecting that chemistry.

Are you kidding ? if you want to win a championship you try to improve every year especially if you don't have proven post players. A 6' 7" player would help any team. It would help to make players step-up if they want playing time. At Uconn we want to win Championships not just be a top 3 team .

 

[uconnfan68]

Would you compare her to Kara Walters… another 6’7” lumberer?

You mean an automatic scorer that became NPOY after being the linchpin to the 1st NC?

 

[enigmatic]

Betts was the player I wanted most out of the 22 class but I wasn't surprised she eventually went the Stanford route. I would love to have her at UCONN and think of the potential contributions she could make but to me it's unlikely.

Just a little detail I noticed, but with Betts now in the portal, that's two players from Colorado that Tara has lost in the past two seasons.

 

[SEbluebood]

UConn has been early ranked as #1 they are loaded in every position except a true five. In the next recruiting classes are more top guards and forwards, but no center.

The center that decides to UConn will end up with multiple national championships.

OMG! Here we go again predicting multiple championships! Can’t we just focus on winning the next one!!

 

[SEbluebood]

More shocked than Betts leaving? Plus, In Brink's case there's a major draw: she might get to play with her buddy, Paige. It's easy to underestimate the draw of playing with friends.

I also just look at it the way a player might -- What the heck is left of that team now? She's gotta be looking around at the remaining and incoming roster and thinking, "No way I get to the NC here."

It’s also easy to overestimate the draw of playing with friends! If it was such a draw why isn’t she here already?

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

The only way I see Betts coming to UConn is with an understanding that she's in an understudy role to Edwards/DeBerry/Brady, and that the staff will not make promises of PT nor upset the already existing chemistry that the players have both on and off the court. The ol' sacrifice a little, be part of something big.

On edit - imagine if this is what Geno was referencing?

BRS24- - -Geno is famous for telling recruits that THEY determine playing time in games by their practice performance!
I don't see why Betts would be any different!

 

[CL82]

We’d love to get to know you, Lauren!

 

[bballnut90]

Betts problem is she picked 1 of 2 schools that had no use for her (the other being South Carolina). When Betts got minutes, she played quite well. It didn't matter if she was playing a mediocre team or a ranked team, the numbers were consistent across the board when she got playing time, and she never got into foul trouble. She moved well, rebounded well, finished consistently around the rim. She only played 10 minutes per game, but if you take her numbers and average them across 30 minutes a game, she was averaging 18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks on 60% FG. Those are excellent numbers.

She had a great stretch of basketball in February, and then somehow wound up in the dog house her last 5 games (where Stanford went 2-3). When she started playing more, I thought Tara was slowly bringing her on and then was unleashing her at the end of the season so Betts would avoid the freshman wall and peak at the right time. I thought it was brilliant and that Betts would make the difference down the stretch for Stanford. But then she stopped playing Betts. In regards to Betts and Brink playing together, the one game I saw them on the court for extended minutes was against Arizona, and they were scary good together. Brink thrives as a 5 but has the skills to play the 4 with her face up game, passing and ball handling. They paired really well together, and I was hoping we'd see this combo more as the year went on but Betts' minutes fizzled and they were upset in the 2nd round.

Ultimately I get why some players may have been frustrated at Stanford last year. They were basically a 2 woman team with a 3pt specialist, and then has a slew of talented role players that Tara cycled in and out but without consistency. It seemed like she was more focused on keeping minutes equal among a group of 7-8 than establishing a set rotation and building off of it. I am guessing a lot of those 7-8 players had no idea if they were going to play 2-3 minutes in a given game, or if they'd play 20. Hard to find a flow and consistent play and it showed in their product.

Slight tweak. Just rewatched part of the Arizona game and I misremembered--Brink and Betts weren't on the court together, both just had nice games individually and made life really difficult for Arizona's bigs.

 

[wingsfan055]

Wow. 3 years of eligibility left. This is a game changer. Would solve a huge hole in our lineup for years to come. I was shocked at how Tara was using her. I dont think she was even used in the shocking Tourney loss. Doesn't surprise me she wanted out.

 

[VA Huskie]

You mean an automatic scorer that became NPOY after being the linchpin to the 1st NC?

Yup

 

[bballnut90]

Would you compare her to Kara Walters… another 6’7” lumberer?

From the bit I've seen of Betts I think a poor man's Kara Wolters is a good comparison. Wolters wasn't the fastest but she was more mobile that people give her credit for. Betts is similar. Both are big, move well for their size but neither is elite at running the floor. Both have big frames and take up a lot of space inside. Wolters was a lot more active than Betts is though, constantly moving around, screening, posting. Haven't seen the same tenacity from Betts, but she's also only averaged 10 minutes per game as a freshman.

 

[tchalla1]

Does anyone know why her minutes with Stanford were so limited after her outstanding high school and USA Basketball performances?

Tara seems to have the mindset to require players, regardless of who they may be, to fit her process, rather fitting a process to her players at hand, unlike Mulkey, who has more of a tendency to tailor a process to fit her roster of players. Hence, rather than deploy a twin tower concept with Brink and Betts, Tara chose to bring Betts along as Brink's understudy, even though Betts' efficiency numbers were quite good... I daresay in today's world of the portal, it behooves coaches to use some of both techniques--obviously, this is how Kim was able to scramble a national championship team in just two years...

 

[tchalla1]

Unless she wants to be in the Western part of the country. Where is she from?

she's from Colorado...

 

[MilfordHusky]

From the bit I've seen of Betts I think a poor man's Kara Wolters is a good comparison. Wolters wasn't the fastest but she was more mobile that people give her credit for. Betts is similar. Both are big, move well for their size but neither is elite at running the floor. Both have big frames and take up a lot of space inside. Wolters was a lot more active than Betts is though, constantly moving around, screening, posting. Haven't seen the same tenacity from Betts, but she's also only averaged 10 minutes per game as a freshman.

Exactly why Lauren needs Geno, CD, Jamelle, and Morgan to coach her.

 

[tchalla1]

If she came in as an “understudy” to DeBerry I’m not sure how that helps this team.

Respectfully, to Amari, Betts would not be an understudy--if she comes, she starts in the 5 position. Immediately,

 

[Zarathustra]

I'm sorry but this is a little hard to take seriously. First this was the number 1 ranked recruit in her class. Even though she only played 10 minutes a game, her performance in those minutes was exceptional. Her player efficiency rating overall was right up there comparable yes with Boston, Brink, Cardosa and at other positions Clark.

Like Cardosa she was behind another superstar C in Brink. South Carolina frequently used the twin towers lineup, giving Cardosa more than just Boston's backup minutes and this year she will be a star. Stanford did not do the same, and Brink is around for one more year that could keep Betts on the bench.

This is a player that many would probably project to be as good or better than Aaliyah or Ice, and Dorka and Liv, and saying she needs to be an understudy to Amari is just laughable.

Betts will be picking a school where she expects to start. That is probably true of Morrow and maybe even Prince as well. For sure Betts will have plenty of paths to a starting position on numerous highly ranked programs with playing time, championship aspirations, and plenty of NIL opportunities. She doesn't have to accept anything less than that, it will be available to her wherever she winds up.

Thanks for these insights, very helpful. Z

 

[Zarathustra]

Unless she wants to be in the Western part of the country. Where is she from?

Colorado.

 

[Zarathustra]

Lauren has a younger sister, Sienna/2025 who is #1 ranked in Colorado.

Something that I had forgotten, or missed. Nice information.

 

[Zarathustra]

Mom’s Twitter seems to like Dawn Staley, SC, UCLA, and LSU
View attachment 87045

It's good that Lauren thinks for herself... at least she would have learned
that during her first year away from home... and MOM?? I'll wait and see.
Come to play with AZZI and Amari, Lauren!!

 

[Zarathustra]

FWIW (which is probably nothing), Mama Betts liked a lot of twitter posts about Dudley. She also liked a lot of Iowa related posts referencing O'Grady from last weekend, and also liked a lot of Dawn Staley posts.

MRS BETTS is then , according to this post, a big fan of WBB.. I won't read into
her posts a transfer prediction. Time will tell.

 

[BRS24]

I'm sorry but this is a little hard to take seriously. First this was the number 1 ranked recruit in her class. Even though she only played 10 minutes a game, her performance in those minutes was exceptional. Her player efficiency rating overall was right up there comparable yes with Boston, Brink, Cardosa and at other positions Clark.

Like Cardosa she was behind another superstar C in Brink. South Carolina frequently used the twin towers lineup, giving Cardosa more than just Boston's backup minutes and this year she will be a star. Stanford did not do the same, and Brink is around for one more year that could keep Betts on the bench.

This is a player that many would probably project to be as good or better than Aaliyah or Ice, and Dorka and Liv, and saying she needs to be an understudy to Amari is just laughable.

Betts will be picking a school where she expects to start. That is probably true of Morrow and maybe even Prince as well. For sure Betts will have plenty of paths to a starting position on numerous highly ranked programs with playing time, championship aspirations, and plenty of NIL opportunities. She doesn't have to accept anything less than that, it will be available to her wherever she winds up.

I respect what you are saying. Perhaps my use of the word "understudy" was not the best. My thoughts were more of learning the UConn system, not coming in with unrealistic expectations, and getting the PT that you deserve, nothing promised. I was not trying to say that Betts would be below any of these players, just that they all have 1-3 years of experiencing the offensive & defensive philosophies that UConn uses. Evina, Dorka, and Lou were not promised anything. That's where my thoughts were coming from.

 

[PvP]

I would donate a kidney for this to happen ..

Heck, I'd give my first born!

 

[Darwin]

I wo

Betts was very heavy in the running at Oregon at one time if I recall . I see her somewhere on the west coast actually . UCLA perhaps?

I would have to imagine the most likely landing spots in order would look something like this:

ND
UCLA
Iowa

Absolute title contenders, check
Absolute starter day one, check

Coming from Stanford, one would have to think education and quality of degree played a part in her decision to choose Stanford initially. If so, advantage ND.