Lauren Betts is the #1 Ranked Recruit in the 2022 class according to ESPN

[Centerstream]

I said unkind words about you after .45 second of elation. Unfortunately, you won’t find that news anywhere. Not even on a Gamecock board.

I apologize for my mistake, I actually thought that I saw the article in my Google Chrome news feed.

 

[mhshuskies]

Didn't she just commit to South Carolina? Or maybe not. I thought it was in one of my news feeds this afternoon, but now I can't find the news anywhere.

SC might make sense for her, she would have less competition for playing time, only freshman year behind Boston. At UCONN, she would be competing for frontline play with Edwards and Gabriel for 2 seasons, DeBerry for 3 seasons and Brady all 4 seasons?

 

[visitingcock]

SC might make sense for her, she would have less competition for playing time, only freshman year behind Boston. At UCONN, she would be competing for frontline play with Edwards and Gabriel for 2 seasons, DeBerry for 3 seasons and Brady all 4 seasons?

I think Betts will stay closer to home in the West. Stanford would be my guess. Of course, Stanford would also be my choice if I were an athlete seeking a scholarship in any sport.

I want Nnaji, Patterson, Watkins and Cooper

 

[Carnac]

We are not in Nnaji's top 13.

Don't be surprised if she ends up at South Carolina. They know how to "rush" players they really want.

 

[mhshuskies]

I think Betts will stay closer to home in the West. Stanford would be my guess. Of course, Stanford would also be my choice if I were an athlete seeking a scholarship in any sport.

I want Nnaji, Patterson, Watkins and Cooper

That would really depend on priorities. If basketball is your overwhelming priority, any other program is second to UCONN!

 

[visitingcock]

That would really depend on priorities. If basketball is your overwhelming priority, any other program is second to UCONN!

Sniffs bait. Turns and swims away.

There are many priorities in life. The average Stanford grad will earn far more money in life than the average wnba player. That, and getting a super top flight education in general, would be my 1st priority. Nothing against a UConn degree, but a Stanford degree is very special. You may now bash a South Carolina degree if you desire.

 

[huskyd]

Paige has gone a long way in making Maya successful. Does it make sense to miss the chance to play with someone who knows you well and gets you the ball in the perfect spot for lay-ins?

 

[visitingcock]

Don't be surprised if she ends up at South Carolina. They know how to "rush" players they really want.

I think she is a priority for Dawn (for what my opinion is worth). I really like her offensive footwork in the paint.

Bigs appear to be Dawn's priority for 2022 judging by the purported offers. Need some youngsters to learn under Boston and against her in practice.. Betts, Naji, Watkins and maybe Oldacre (who visited in Feebruary though no offer has been reporrted). Patterson isn't really a "big," but she's a leaper. Talaysia Cooper is the guard I want.

Visits are gonna be weird.

 

[Carnac]

I think she is a priority for Dawn (for what my opinion is worth). I really like her offensive footwork in the paint.

Bigs appear to be Dawn's priority for 2022 judging by the purported offers. Need some youngsters to learn under Boston and against her in practice.. Betts, Naji, Watkins and maybe Oldacre (who visited in Feebruary though no offer has been reporrted). Patterson isn't really a "big," but she's a leaper. Talaysia Cooper is the guard I want.

Visits are gonna be weird.

If Dawn gives assistant coach and lead recruiter Jolette Law a "must have" wish list for 2022, I have every confidence in the world that she will not fail. Law has done an excellent job recruiting players for the Gamecocks since she's joined the program. It would not surprise me to see Betts commit to you guys. Not at all. I remember when Dawn first got there in 2008-2009, she had only 1 BIG, 6-4 F Demetress Adams. Her center was 6-1 Seda Wheeler. My how times have changed.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Betts is great but Ivanna is transcendent.

Is she the one that inspired the song, "These Boots Were Made for Walking...."?

 

[j66kicker]

Is she the one that inspired the song, "These Boots Were Made for Walking...."?

"You've been a-messin' where you shouldn'ta been a-messin'..."

Lee Hazelwood/Lauren Betts

 

[jumpstart]

Sniffs bait. Turns and swims away.

There are many priorities in life. The average Stanford grad will earn far more money in life than the average wnba player. That, and getting a super top flight education in general, would be my 1st priority. Nothing against a UConn degree, but a Stanford degree is very special. You may now bash a South Carolina degree if you desire.

I have to agree 100%...a Stanford degree stands heads and shoulders above UCONN and South Carolina degrees. It's not always about where the degree is attained. It's where they plan their future in basketball vs the private sector.....

 

[oldhusky]

SC might make sense for her, she would have less competition for playing time, only freshman year behind Boston. At UCONN, she would be competing for frontline play with Edwards and Gabriel for 2 seasons, DeBerry for 3 seasons and Brady all 4 seasons?

One year behind Boston with a year of competing against her in practice could make sense, but I don't think the Uconn competition at least at C is that severe. Gabriel would have to be a huge upside surprise, and Betts a big disappointment for Piath to be a threat to Betts for playing time. More likely is if you get Betts, Gabriel transfers.

DeBerry is considered a C, but is fairly thin like Liv, and appears to have enough skills to be fine at the 4. She could play with Betts at least some of the time. Brady I don't have as good a handle on, but I presume she is considered mostly a 4, with her second best position maybe being the 3, so while she may compete for playing time at the 4, I doubt if she would compete with Betts, who will likely be viewed as just a 5.

We already have competition at many positions in the next few years, with most of those discussions being at positions 1-3. If we got Betts that same discussion would apply to the big players. We could go very big (pairing Betts and DeBerry) or with Piath if she stayed, we could go small ball with a great three point shooting 4 (Saylor or Carolyn), we could go athletic at the 4 for fast breaks and full court press ( Aubrey or Mir), and Brady can contribute in many ways.

From the clips I see of Carolyn and Saylor, I can see why many consider them very similar. Having said that I think both might be best at the 3, but as for their next best position, I think for Carolyn it might be the 2 and for Saylor the 3, although both could do both.

I think Betts could be pretty happy at either of the two expected powerhouses over the next few years, with a better chance at a championship here, and a more guaranteed major role at SC. But if she wants to play 30 plus minutes a game from the start of her career, she doesn't go to either.

 

[HuskylnSC]

We are not in Nnaji's top 13.

I've been under the impression that we weren't interested in Nnaji. If we were I'm pretty sure Paige would have dropped some hints but never a word, that I saw, about urging Nnaji to come to UConn.

 

[HuskylnSC]

SC might make sense for her, she would have less competition for playing time, only freshman year behind Boston. At UCONN, she would be competing for frontline play with Edwards and Gabriel for 2 seasons, DeBerry for 3 seasons and Brady all 4 seasons?

I'm thinking Baylor would make the most sense. They have already proved they can develop big girls and it's closer to home for her. Oregon is also close but the real big girls on their roster haven't developed. And I don't think lauren will compete with anyone for playing time after game 5 or 6 of her freshman year.

 

[Dillon77]

While many have seemingly made this a two-team race, most of those finalists could be a landing spot for Ms. Betts. Stanford has been a landing spot recently for Colorado preps and Oregon & Arizona will certainly make strong cases. Baylor develops bigs well and is close to Colorado.

Not surprisingly, I'm here to say that little school from South Bend is also in the mix and -- in my mind -- shouldn't be discounted.

An overview: ND has taken a very hard look at many of the players who were on that U.S.A. team in Chile and made them the focus of many efforts in both 2021 and 2022.

- Post Coach Carol Owens (CO) was in Chile scouting the team. Owens has continued to follow -- and is presumably in touch -- with both Betts and Colorado Premier Director Keith Van Horn. While ND is often known as a guard-oriented school, CO has done well developing posts/big forwards for the next level, including Natalie Achonwa, Dev Peters, Bri Turner and Jess Shepard.

- ND's Class of 2021 - Signees (feels good to write that) Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron -- were starters in Chile, along with Betts (Citron made the all-tourney team along with Betts). They're all very tigh,t and while I think players will ultimately make choices for what they think is in their own best interest, Lauren might want to live/play with some familiar, friendly faces. Citron and Miles, for instance, wanted to play with one another.

- ND Class of 2022 targets: Besides Betts, ND's Niele Ivey and recruiting coordinator Michaela (Mike) Mabrey are also going after Timea Gardiner and Isiah Barker, who were also teammates of Betts, Citron and Miles. Barker and Citron are allegedly tight. Gardiner is interesting in that ND is the only non-Western team on her finalist list. Coach Owens is in touch with her. ND is also strong pursuing local product Ayanna Patterson, the only player of the bunch who is known to have visited ND's campus.

U.S.A. and guard K.K. Bransford and ND have also shown interest in one another. KK has made note of Citron and Miles at ND.

- The Irish have a very tall (6'5") lanky, face-the-basket forward in frosh Nat Marshall, who could probably play well off Betts. But they need forwards in 2022 (Mik Vaughn's last year of eligibility is then.)

- Academics at ND are good, but I'm of the belief that most undergrad academics at many U.S. schools -- both colleges and universities -- are what you make of them. The U.S. is very good at higher education: be an active consumer/customer.

On that note, off to rake (more) leaves and stay tuned!

 

[HuskylnSC]

Brady I don't have as good a handle on, but I presume she is considered mostly a 4, with her second best position maybe being the 3, so while she may compete for playing time at the 4

Right now Brady is a 5; "Power body performer finishes plays in the paint vs. contact; physical, skilled in the paint, abuses defenders on the blocks; displays soft touch, nimble footwork in the key with face up game delivery; a defensive presence, alters shots, rebounder deluxe; a BCS prospect. (Olson) "

 

[Carnac]

I've been under the impression that we weren't interested in Nnaji. If we were I'm pretty sure Paige would have dropped some hints but never a word, that I saw, about urging Nnaji to come to UConn.

Paige is quietly becoming one of our best and most effective recruiters.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Paige is quietly becoming one of our best and most effective recruiters.

I really don't know how she does it after all she only 500 gazillion followers on social media.

 

[Carnac]

6'7" dominant post and has UConn on her list. Let the ulcers and obsessing begin!

So now that the pursuit for Azzi Fudd has come to a most satisfying conclusion, do we now turn our sights on 6'7" Post Lauren Betts out of Grandview HS in Centennial, Colorado, and make her the target of our next "must have" recruiting campaign? Since UConn is on her list, I assume she has been offered.

 

[HuskylnSC]

I think my AAD (Azzi Anxiety Disorder) has morphed into Betts Anxiety Disorder. That wouldn’t be BAD, would it?

 

[Orangutan]

I don't see Betts going to UConn. UConn's roster is pretty well stacked and Geno hasn't typically featured a super-tall center as of late anyway.

Western schools like Baylor and Stanford do make a lot of sense as the favorites.

I'm sure Ivey is trying to work her magic on Betts. She could be a day one starter at center for the Irish. I can only hope that she appreciated all the post entry passes from Miles and Citron while playing for USAB.

This one will be interesting. Lauren keeps a pretty low profile on social media. I doubt she will tip her hand too much.

I feel like we knew Azzi would choose UConn about two years before Azzi knew it. Might be more drama with Lauren.

 

[MooseJaw]

I've been under the impression that we weren't interested in Nnaji. If we were I'm pretty sure Paige would have dropped some hints but never a word, that I saw, about urging Nnaji to come to UConn.

My thoughts exactly, while watching hour after hour of Paige play HS ball Nnaji except for her size never really stepped out. It may have been her age it may have been that she was so overshadowed by Paige or it may simply be she while being a competent player she has not been a player to "Take My Breath Away". I think I hear a song in the air, something Nnaji will never make happen. This said I do not wish to denigrate her worth, I Just don't think with the current roster she would be a game changer.

 

[hoophuskee]

Sniffs bait. Turns and swims away.

There are many priorities in life. The average Stanford grad will earn far more money in life than the average wnba player. That, and getting a super top flight education in general, would be my 1st priority. Nothing against a UConn degree, but a Stanford degree is very special. You may now bash a South Carolina degree if you desire.

Betts isn't average so you have to consider overseas basketball and not just the WNBA. Thus her priority will be basketball. That will be her masters degree.

And when you are the number 1 recruit you can fit in anywhere. SC is a fine opportunity as is Baylor, Stanford, Oregon, UCONN, ND and others.

As for UCONN- there would be no problem with her getting good minutes as long as she is good. What will be the opposing team's option?-- collapse on her and give open looks to "Fudd?" LOL

Also- she runs the floor well from what I've read. Not bad having a pg like Bueckers feeding you - running the floor or not. Just being fed by the best passer in recent memory-- she'll have great opportunities for the future as she continues with her masters degree work at UCONN if she so chooses.

 

[JonathanXIV]

I don't see Betts going to UConn. UConn's roster is pretty well stacked and Geno hasn't typically featured a super-tall center as of late anyway.

Western schools like Baylor and Stanford do make a lot of sense as the favorites.

I'm sure Ivey is trying to work her magic on Betts. She could be a day one starter at center for the Irish. I can only hope that she appreciated all the post entry passes from Miles and Citron while playing for USAB.

This one will be interesting. Lauren keeps a pretty low profile on social media. I doubt she will tip her hand too much.

I feel like we knew Azzi would choose UConn about two years before Azzi knew it. Might be more drama with Lauren.

Interesting. The logic you use as to why Betts could/should play for the Irish is exactly the same reason she could/should play for UConn.