Lauren Betts to Stanford

[Carnac]

Congrats to the Stanford program. Seems like three of the four Final 4 spots are on lock for the next several years.

Stanford is going to be a "tough out" for the foreseeable future.

 

[oldhusky]

Tara does not want to give up the all-time wins lead to Geno anytime soon! Major win for Stanford & big blow to UConn. UConn is way too guard & swing forward heavy over the next few years, and lacks center depth going forward. Betts would have solved this problem.

Geno's quest to pass Tara looked like it might just be a matter of time, but now does not seem very close at all. We knew Stanford would probably only lose a few games a year and Geno might pick up say a couple a year assuming the huskies go as far or farther in the tournament.

This year will likely leave Geno a few games further behind than he started the year, mostly because it looks like Stanford will play more games this year, but of course that could change. In addition whatever edge we thought we would have per season, has probably shrunk in light of Stanford's recruiting success.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Tara does not want to give up the all-time wins lead to Geno anytime soon! Major win for Stanford & big blow to UConn. UConn is way too guard & swing forward heavy over the next few years, and lacks center depth going forward. Betts would have solved this problem.

Big Blow? NOT! Have you met Ice?

St. Mary's-Stockton MLK Showcase-January 2020: 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)

JLE 160-September 2019: Strong, physical, versatile power-post with interior game delivery complemented by emerging face up game; pounds the glass, finishes plays in traffic; workhorse in the block, mobile in transition game; an elite front court performer in the 2022 class. (Olson)


Imagine her and Aaliyah playing side by side for two years?

 

[nickp91]

HUGE get for Stanford who are already loaded

 

[Rb335]

It's a great pickup for Stanford, but keep in mind she doesn't arrive until 2022. By that time (assuming players don't use the extra year), the roster will look like below. I put players in order of position by class, not ability. Hoopgurlz ranking in parenthesis.

PG - Jump (Sr. #50), Gytenbeek (Jr. #39), Harriel (So. #78)
SG- Nnopu (Jr. Unranked), Bosgana (So. Unranked)
W- Jones (Sr. #1), Demetre (So. #11)
F-Belibi (Sr #19), Brink (Jr. #3), Iriafen (So. #19)
C-Prechtel (Sr #15), Betts (Fr. #1)

A lot of their success will depend on what guards join Betts in that class. Right now Stanford has recruited a lot of highly ranked posts/wings, but not as many guards. Who is going to deliver the ball to them? Of course, if the Hulls come back for a 5th year, that problem is alleviated.

 

[Cuango]

We have ONO, AE, Amari, Piath, and Ice plus whatever recruits we get for 22, 23, and 24! Not to mention two widely acknowledged “generational” #1 talents in Paige and Azzi. I think we’ll be fine. Is Betts a “generational talent” or merely a good player with great size? I don’t know but she certainly has not inspired the same buzz as players like Maya, Delle Donne, Stewie, Page, and Azzi. Great get for Tara but the jury is still out on her prospective impact on women’s basketball. Plus, she’s a big! Not many people have gotten rich predicting the development of post players. She may indeed be the player who will finally get Tara her long anticipated third title but I doubt Geno is sobbing on CD’s shoulder! Way too soon for Chicken Littling UConn’s future possibilities.

 

[bballnut90]

It's a great pickup for Stanford, but keep in mind she doesn't arrive until 2022. By that time (assuming players don't use the extra year), the roster will look like below. I put players in order of position by class, not ability. Hoopgurlz ranking in parenthesis.

PG - Jump (Sr. #50), Gytenbeek (Jr. #39), Harriel (So. #78)
SG- Nnopu (Jr. Unranked), Bosgana (So. Unranked)
W- Jones (Sr. #1), Demetre (So. #11)
F-Belibi (Sr #19), Brink (Jr. #3), Iriafen (So. #19)
C-Prechtel (Sr #15), Betts (Fr. #1)

A lot of their success will depend on what guards join Betts in that class. Right now Stanford has recruited a lot of highly ranked posts/wings, but not as many guards. Who is going to deliver the ball to them? Of course, if the Hulls come back for a 5th year, that problem is alleviated.

I think Jones will take over most of the playmaking duties, which she already has this year. I wouldn't be surprised if the Hull sisters are back based on their limited WNBA prospects but both could attain masters degrees from Stanford and push for a title that year.

 

[CocoHusky]

We have ONO, AE, Amari, Piath, and Ice plus whatever recruits we get for 22, 23, and 24! Not to mention two widely acknowledged “generational” #1 talents in Paige and Azzi. I think we’ll be fine. Is Betts a “generational talent” or merely a good player with great size? I don’t know but she certainly has not inspired the same buzz as players like Maya, Delle Donne, Stewie, Page, and Azzi. Great get for Tara but the jury is still out on her prospective impact on women’s basketball. Plus, she’s a big! Not many people have gotten rich predicting the development of post players. She may indeed be the player who will finally get Tara her long anticipated third title but I doubt Geno is sobbing on CD’s shoulder! Way too soon for Chicken Littling UConn’s future possibilities.

No Chicken Little here but Betts has generated more buzz than ONO, AE, Amari, Piath, and Ice as a post player because none were ranked #1 in the class. Betts might not be "generational" talent but we also can keep missing out on these really good post players and keep pretending UCONN be fine.

 

[Carnac]

Had a feeling this was the outcome. I was hoping to see her as a Husky, but Tara seems to have a residence in Colorado

The lure of a Stanford education/degree, playing for WCBB's winningest coach and being part of a program that has a serious chance of winning a national championship every year, is a "happy meal" some players can't resist. Betts just made a real good team better.

Stanford women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer defined by sustained excellence​

VanDerveer hasn't just been a coach with terrific teams for decades. She has also been the paragon of success for all of West Coast women's basketball. The Pac-12 is now one of the top leagues in women's basketball. VanDerveer, who has won or shared 23 Pac-12 regular-season titles and won 13 of the 19 league tournaments, always used her pulpit to build up the entire conference, even in years when the talent beyond the Cardinal was on the lean side.

 

[bballnut90]

No Chicken Little here but Betts has generated more buzz than ONO, AE, Amari, Piath, and Ice as a post player because none were ranked #1 in the class. Betts might not be "generational" talent but we also can keep missing out on these really good post players and keep pretending UCONN be fine.

Casually ignores the fact that UCONN has both Bueckers Fudd on board for likely 3-4 years

 

[southie]

First, congrats in order To TheFarmFan for quite the get. This hurts because ND (led by Post Coach Carol Owens) was making a hard pitch for Ms. Betts. Hard to compete against Tara and Stanford and ND has never done much recruiting (well) west of the Mississippi River, but the efforts were made for Ms. Betts and Ms. Gardiner (we're her only finalist east of Utah). We'll see what happens with Timea G.

This continues the recent Colorado to northern California pipeline:
Currently have:

• Sophomore Fran Belibi, the 6'1" dunker who starts & averages 12.0 ppg;
• Sophomore Ashten Prechtel, 6'5" forward/center, comes off the bench
• Freshman Jana Van Gytenbeek, 5'7" point guard, does not play much but has two solid senior guards in front of her.

Switching states, 6'4" Cameron Brink is just a frosh there now and is playing well off the bench. Betts and Brink will be some combination.

As for ND, I'm guessing Niele, Mike (Michaela Mabrey, her recruiting coordinator) and Coach Owens will now focus (hard, very hard please) on forwards Ayanna Patterson, Janiah Barker and Timea Gardiner.
Luckily, the Irish have 6'5" Nat Marshall recovering from her ACL injury so we're not devoid of height (no, she's not close to a Betts, but she is that height (I sat next to her at the ND-Fordham game) and plays good defense and rebounds, both of which we need.)

Once again, congrats Cardinal (better that one!

No doubt. Stanford has been mining the state of Colorado for its elite talent for decades.

The best out-of-state players with superb academics out West (Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Arizona, etc.) in all sports typically choose Stanford.

 

[CocoHusky]

Casually ignores the fact that UCONN has both Bueckers Fudd on board for likely 3-4 years

I wasn't casual at all. My post stated 2X that I was talking about POST players. Although I suppose we could throw Azzi or Paige in the post.

 

[baggerbob]

Will be happy with just one. Could see the top handful of programs each winning one as I don't think there will be one dominant team like we saw during the Stewie years.

And Stewie the last 2 years she played in the WNBA has won titles, so 2 of 4, after going to a last place team.
That shows how Stewie makes everyone better then they are, when playing with Stewie.

 

[Dillon77]

Dad is 7’1”. He played professional basketball and was drafted in the NBA. He is from England I think. Betts’ sister is a 2025 and is 6-1.

And the head of her AAU Club is Keith Van Horn who, if memory serves, is 6'10". She keeps tall company!

 

[NormanDale]

No Chicken Little here but Betts has generated more buzz than ONO, AE, Amari, Piath, and Ice as a post player because none were ranked #1 in the class. Betts might not be "generational" talent but we also can keep missing out on these really good post players and keep pretending UCONN be fine.

UConn has commitments from the #5 DeBerry and #2 Brady overall ranked players in the country that are BOTH post players, what more do you want?

 

[sivad40]

No Chicken Little here but Betts has generated more buzz than ONO, AE, Amari, Piath, and Ice as a post player because none were ranked #1 in the class. Betts might not be "generational" talent but we also can keep missing out on these really good post players and keep pretending UCONN be fine.

At least 3 of those players you mentioned are/were ranked within the Top 10 of their class.

 

[Charliebball]

could be but I don't care how tall Betts is, she's not stopping Bueckers, Fudd and crew from 22 feet away............

 

[CocoHusky]

At least 3 of those players you mentioned are/were ranked within the Top 10 of their class.

You mentioned the words "buzz" and "generational" talent followed by a string on players that were ranked #1. If you want to backslide to top 10 I'm OK with that but those words wouldn't apply.

 

[militarydog]

Yes, from England. Played in Europe for 14 seasons. Never in the NBA.

Thanks to both of you. I just looked it and I also saw where her mother was 5’9”.

 

[CocoHusky]

could be but I don't care how tall Betts is, she's not stopping Bueckers, Fudd and crew from 22 feet away............

I doubt anyone can but it wouldn't be Betts, Fran Belibi and Haley Jones would probably draw that assignment.

 

[Zanzman]

No I’m still thinking that way

 

[DaConn]

How tall is Aaliyah Del Rosario? How good is she compared to Betts? Plus I think and athletic or quick 6'4 or 6'5 player can be more effective than being 6'7 and not quick footed/agile. Go Huskies!!! Congrats to Stanford and Lauren Betts

 

[visitingcock]

Even though she listed SCar and UConn as Finalists, I always felt she was going West Coast. I was never overly impressed with her athletic ability, BUT 6-7 and wingspan makes up for limited "hops."

 

[bballnut90]

I wasn't casual at all. My post stated 2X that I was talking about POST players. Although I suppose we could throw Azzi or Paige in the post.

Again, y'all have two top 5 posts on board for 2021 and 2022, ONO who has been excellent this year and was a former #5 recruit, and Edwards who is performing as well as any freshman post in the country. That's better than anyone in the country not named Stanford or South Carolina. And your backcourt is pretty cut and dry the best in the country going forward. If that isn't good enough to be "fine," then no team is fine.

 

[ABCDFE]

Congrats to Stanford! Great get, but I'm happy with what we have and the other potential recruits. This was not a Paige/Azzi or bust scenario for me.