Lauren Betts to Stanford

[Alydar]

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.

Boy you are really in a tizzy CL.
What Buzz are you referring to? Has Slam done a feature? Has she won a POY yet? And finally, give me a list of all the posts ranked above ONO DeBerry and Brady that UConn has "missed on". It's maybe 2 players.

Me? I want worthy opponents. My only concern is that Tara will keep her team on the left coast and continue to dodge UConn. I'd prefer that Betts went to Staley, a coach that doesn't run and hide from actual OOC competition.

 

[sivad40]

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.

I haven't used any of those words because my previous post was first one on this topic.

 

[DEpup]

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.

I just can't buy this.... so Betts is 1 and Ice is 2. Is Ice not a top big? Deberry is the top F in her class. And can anyone argue that if Aaliyah was American that she wouldn't also have been probably the top F in her class??? We all know there are American bias with these ranking systems. I think we had problems with recruiting bigs but I have to give Geno credit that we are back on track now. One could argue with the positionless bball that UConn is doing, Ice might be the better fit in that class than Betts while not taking anything away from Betts. I really like the versatility and strength Ice shows in the tape I have watched.

 

[Figurehead]

Loving it. Here’s hoping we can resume the UConn-Stanford games now that both teams are stacked again for the foreseeable future.

Yup, Just Stanford alone in the Pac-12 now and no one else to challenge again....
uhhh...

 

[Tonyc]

Im not too concerned we will have Amari Deberry, Piath, and were working on Del Rosario and two names a good friend of mine just gave me Ciera Toomey 6-4 2023 Dunmore HS PA , also Sidney de Voogd 6-3 2023 NJ same camp as Olivia Miles and the Mabreys. Dont forget ICE and next years class. I would expect that at 6'5 Paith and Amari and perhaps one other would be competitive. Stanford has alot of height and I would guess Betts plays the middle at 6'7. Well a UCONN 6'5 can compete with 6'7. Another point will the other bigs play much??? I would think they would stay at Stanford for the education and get some playtime but I would think Betts get the majority of playtime. Another important point. Basketball is a team game. You need to surround Betts with other good players and I think Tara will. Dont forget we surround Liv Paith and Deberry with Paige and Fudd and thats the best it gets. Stanford will be right there with us for a few years.

 

[ucbart]

Congrats to Stanford-

But I'll take a Bueckers/Fudd backcourt over any other combo of players in the country, thank you very much. The next few years is sure shaping up to be fun, huh?

I think after this recruiting cycle, Duke is going to start being a big destination for players.

Kara has "cred," Duke is Duke both academically and basketball wise, and Duke is in the ACC.

 

[Charliebball]

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

I wish them the best of luck............

 

[nwhoopfan]

I think after this recruiting cycle, Duke is going to start being a big destination for players.

Kara has "cred," Duke is Duke both academically and basketball wise, and Duke is in the ACC.

They've already nabbed several big recruits, I think they're already there.

 

[CocoHusky]

I just can't buy this.... so Betts is 1 and Ice is 2. Is Ice not a top big? Deberry is the top F in her class. And can anyone argue that if Aaliyah was American that she wouldn't also have been probably the top F in her class??? We all know there are American bias with these ranking systems. I think we had problems with recruiting bigs but I have to give Geno credit that we are back on track now. One could argue with the positionless bball that UConn is doing, Ice might be the better fit in that class than Betts while not taking anything away from Betts. I really like the versatility and strength Ice shows in the tape I have watched.

Never said Ice wasn't a top big. I said she wasn't #1
Aaliyah would not have been a top forward in her class.
I agree that Brady is a better fit for UCONN than Betts -that does not make Brady the better player. That better fit analysis has mostly to do with UCONN already having DeBerry on board who is very similar to Betts.

 

[donalddoowop]

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.

Please point out the lack of center depth going forward. I believe Piath is a diamond in the rough that will be refined.

 

[Cuango]

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.

No pretending here. I just think that what we have already, far outweighs what Stanford (or any other program) has. I also think that of all the players Tara has that we need to be concerned with, Jones is the one that worries me most. She is a great player who makes others better. Seems to me that we are not missing out on really good post players anyway. One swallow does not a summer make. Sure, we had a lull in post recruiting but that has been addressed. As for your reference to her “buzz”, sure, she is ranked first but she clearly has not been talked about in the same way as the #1s mentioned in my post. Maybe she will become that but she is not at that level now. I doubt anyone (even non UConn fans) would trade Paige or Azzi straight across for Betts!

 

[CocoHusky]

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?

If Betts wanted to come to UCONN I would have welcomed her. Since she decided to hang with the trees on the West Coast I want Aalyah Del Rosario. Call me greedy if you want.

 

[Cuango]

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.

?

 

[Cuango]

If Betts wanted to come to UCONN I would have welcomed her. Since she decided to hang with the trees on the West Coast I want Aalyah Del Rosario. Call me greedy if you want.

I’m with you there! I’m also hoping for Fulwiley as well. I may have mangled her name.

 

[bluedevil]

Dang, if L Betts is 6’7” how tall is her dad?

Very Tall

 

[Alydar]

Never said Ice wasn't a top big. I said she wasn't #1
Aaliyah would not have been a top forward in her class.
I agree that Brady is a better fit for UCONN than Betts -that does not make Brady the better player. That better fit analysis has mostly to do with UCONN already having DeBerry on board who is very similar to Betts.

Here's what you said: "we also can(sic) keep missing out on these really good post players and keep pretending UCONN be fine." Well DeBerry and Brady are generally considered "really good post players" so what exactly did you mean? Are you saying that anything short of signing every really good post player bodes doom? Or are we just pretending that DeBerry and Brady are good?

 

[StarMan]

Good luck to you Lauren Betts, we hope you have a great career!

 

[Figurehead]

This is comical reading here. If it was only this easy.

 

[Alydar]

The only regret about her and Stanford is that she will be a PAC12 Net exclusive except in March or a couple of ESPN games, maybe. Youtube.tv doesn't even offer it at all in CT.

 

[HuskyNan]

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.

Mercedes Russell was ranked #1, too.

 

[EricLA]

Mercedes Russell was ranked #1, too.

So was Ashley Robinson (Diana's class - some had Dee #1, at least 1 had Ashley #1 - there wen't that many recruiting services back then - maybe Blue Star was the one?)

 

[DefenseBB]

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.

Wait what? Tara still has to face a Loaded Oregon team twice, a tall Oregon State team, UCLA and Arizona who have more people coming in. UConn has to face...let me see, oh yeah DePaul....Don't forget after this year, Tara loses her two guards and will have to rely on Van Gytenbeek as point and probably Haley Jones at the 2. Not sure not sure I am sold on their outside shooting to open up the middle.

While I agree this years team is pretty loaded for Tara, with the right mix of upper and under classman who were all experienced to some degree, next year will be different. Two years from now, who knows, though their front line of Brink, Belibi and Prechtel is impressive, Jones at the 2 is good. Jan VG better be all as advertised out of Colorado but given what we have in both the front court and back court, I am not scared...Geno will be ahead of Tara in Games won by the end of Paiges Junior year.

 

[CocoHusky]

Mercedes Russell was ranked #1, too.

As was Lauren Cox...

 

[Dokey]

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.

It more about top basketball and top academics. Tara, because her mom lives in Boulder, knows Colorado well. She got Fran Belibi, the state’s best a couple of years back, because Fran is a brilliant student. Lauren Betts recognizes that of all the top 5-10 programs, Stanford is by far at the top academically.

 

[JellyBean]

Pretty awesome. Congrats, Lauren and Stanford. Nice addition to the Stanford roster. I wish them well.