Lauren Cox to Visit on First Night

[Tonyc]

Its hard to compare because UConn is in a league of their own. UConn is legendary. For those of you who have played sports and coached by the best you understand what those coaches have done for you. Those of us who weren't coached by the very best coaches have seen UConn and what Geno has done to great HS players. Many he has made very great. He has also built an unbelievable program where they all can succeed because theyre surrounded by some of the best talent WCBB has ever seen. They are there because of what Geno has built over his career. He has built a completely dominating machine full of terrific players, all on the same page, and all destined for greatness in what ever field they choose. We have former UConn players who weren't starting players at UConn who are making it big in professional BB all over the world. Does it make a difference playing for Geno? I think yes. Can a player make it big playing for another coach? Yes The difference is look at what Geno has done with his non starters compared to other coaches with their starters . If I had the chance, and it would only be one chance I would never turn down the opportunity to play for the greatest coach in any sport because for me I feel I would be giving up the chance to be everything I could be. However that's just me. Remember this no matter what any player chooses its their choice and it doesn't matter what you think. Its their choice So for those who don't choose UConn wish them good luck and watch their progression and cheer them on because deep down inside you know UConn will win in almost every game.

 

[UcMiami]

Nice post Tony - I would say that what a few other coaches have done with less highly regarded players is also very impressive - Muffet for example I do not think has had quite as good a universe of recruits, but has definitely developed them very well. Tara also I think is very good at that.

 

[Volup1]

Lauren and her parents are in Knoxville this weekend for an official visit"

 

[EricLA]

Tony is spot on. Take a look at the players he's had who have succeeded in the WNBA who were not on anyone's top 10 lists coming out of HS... Jess Moore, Ashley Battle, Ketia Swanier, Kalana Greene, Renee Montgomery, and Stef Dolson all come to mind. Hartley and Stokes were also not in the top 10 on some lists. Then look at the non top 10 players who coaches like Summitt, McGraw, Walz, Mulkey, McCallie, Hatchell, or any other coach you want to compare Geno to. They simply don't put non top-1o HS kids into the pros (at least not on a regular basis like Geno does).

 

[Orangutan]

Tony is spot on. Take a look at the players he's had who have succeeded in the WNBA who were not on anyone's top 10 lists coming out of HS... Jess Moore, Ashley Battle, Ketia Swanier, Kalana Greene, Renee Montgomery, and Stef Dolson all come to mind. Hartley and Stokes were also not in the top 10 on some lists. Then look at the non top 10 players who coaches like Summitt, McGraw, Walz, Mulkey, McCallie, Hatchell, or any other coach you want to compare Geno to. They simply don't put non top-1o HS kids into the pros (at least not on a regular basis like Geno does).

Totally agree with your general point. It prompted me to do some research. Dev Peters was ranked #35 by HoopGurlz, Novosel was ranked #43, McBride was ranked #20. Lindsay Allen, who I think will end up in the pros, was ranked #25.

But yeah, Geno is the best developmental coach in wcbb and Stokes and Dolson, both of whom are already highly effective in the WNBA at an early stage in their pro careers, are excellent examples of his work.

 

[EricLA]

Totally agree with your general point. It prompted me to do some research. Dev Peters was ranked #35 by HoopGurlz, Novosel was ranked #43, McBride was ranked #20. Lindsay Allen, who I think will end up in the pros, was ranked #25.

But yeah, Geno is the best developmental coach in wcbb and Stokes and Dolson, both of whom are already highly effective in the WNBA at an early stage in their pro careers, are excellent examples of his work.

In fairness, tho, Novosel is not in the pros any longer. I think she lasted only 1, or maybe 2, years... But I will say McBride and Peters are great examples... But... you only listed one ranking. Hartley, for example, was ranked 14 by one service, but I believe top 10 in the other 2 major services... There are numerous examples of that among other kids UCONN has recruited... I think Stokes was in the top 10 per at least 1 service as well. Not sure about Dolson...

I can think of a few other players - Robinson from Oklahoma, Adams from aTm, Hamby from Wake, and I'm sure there are others. But I think the list is longer of coaches who recruited top 1o kids out of HS, who barely made it, or were busts in the WNBA.

 

[Orangutan]

In fairness, tho, Novosel is not in the pros any longer. I think she lasted only 1, or maybe 2, years... But I will say McBride and Peters are great examples... But... you only listed one ranking. Hartley, for example, was ranked 14 by one service, but I believe top 10 in the other 2 major services... There are numerous examples of that among other kids UCONN has recruited... I think Stokes was in the top 10 per at least 1 service as well. Not sure about Dolson...

I can think of a few other players - Robinson from Oklahoma, Adams from aTm, Hamby from Wake, and I'm sure there are others. But I think the list is longer of coaches who recruited top 1o kids out of HS, who barely made it, or were busts in the WNBA.

Yeah, Novosel sort of flamed out but I mentioned her because she was a 1st round draft pick. Plus she's still playing in Australia and it's not out of the realm of possibility she could resurface in the WNBA if she can stay avoid further knee problems.

Just because I find the historical rankings fascinating:

Per UConn website -
Stokes #9 ASGR, #14 Blue Star
Dolson #12 ASGR, #24 Blue Star
Hartley #3 ASGR #6 Blue Star

Per ND website
Achonwa #20 Dan Olson, #80 ASGR, #85 Blue Star, unranked by HG because foreign but "equivalent to top-25 signee" (side note: seems like the services underrate Canadians based on low rankings of Achonwa and Nurse)
McBride #68 Dan Olson #22 ASGR
Peters #21 Dan Olson, #31 ASGR, #24 Blue Star
Novosel #71 Dan Olson, #47 Blue Star

 

[WestCoastFan]

• You missed the point on that "Boley girl" who you have never seen play. Boley is highly ranked and committed to ND, same class as Cox who is uncommitted. 1 Highly ranked commit puts ND in good shape, two might put them out of the "2nd Place" you are determined to relegate ND to. Of course you wouldn't know that because we know, we know "You've never seen her play "

[mod edit. personal attacks]

 

[WestCoastFan]

No, I'm not. It was CocoHusky who brought up Boley.

And I didn't say anything about preferential treatment on the national team, but you likely knew that.

It seems you just want to put words into my mouth (or on my keyboard, as the case may be). Please don't.

My bad. I get you two confused.

 

[rvwsleep]

My bad. I get you two confused.

Hit "Reply" on the post you're responding to rather than the "Post Reply" after the last post. Otherwise, you and the readers will be confused as to which post you were replying to.

 

[CocoHusky]

Hit "Reply" on the post you're responding to rather than the "Post Reply" after the last post. Otherwise, you and the readers will be confused as to which post you were replying to.

Please don't peep him to the ignore or report buttons.

 

[calpedaler]

Please don't peep him to the ignore or report buttons.

That's so fetch.

 

[easttexastrash]

Was reading Cox's blog and she said that she wants to make her decision for the November signing period. I am not sure what those dates are.

She also revealed that she is a Type I diabetic, which I was not aware of in the past. I share this horrible disease with her and I cannot imagine being so active and trying to control my blood sugar. When I go to the gym or even mow the lawn my blood sugar becomes much more unpredictable. Kudos to her for wanting to help bring awareness to this disease. Wherever she lands she will need to find a good endocrinologist, as that is a vital part of living a healthy life as a diabetic.

For the record, Baylor Medical has an excellent endocrinology center. I hope she already uses them for her diabetes management.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Was reading Cox's blog and she said that she wants to make her decision for the November signing period. I am not sure what those dates are.

She also revealed that she is a Type I diabetic,

Sometime between October 23 and November 11.

She's talked about her diabetes publicly quite a bit, actually. This is from over a year ago.

http://snyuconn.com/uconn/cox-doesnt-let-diabetes-get-her-down/

 

[meyers7]

That's so fetch.

 

[easttexastrash]

Sometime between October 23 and November 11.

She's talked about her diabetes publicly quite a bit, actually. This is from over a year ago.

http://snyuconn.com/uconn/cox-doesnt-let-diabetes-get-her-down/

I totally missed this information in the past. I applaud her ability to perform at a high level and managw her diabetes. I bet her parents hope she stays close to home. Having your family there to support you is a major factor in caring for diabetes, or any other chronic illness.

 

[Kibitzer]

I totally missed this information in the past. I applaud her ability to perform at a high level and managw her diabetes. I bet her parents hope she stays close to home. Having your family there to support you is a major factor in caring for diabetes, or any other chronic illness.

Don't bet the farm. Ms Cox seems determined to become a role model for others similarly afflicted. That is why she will visit UConn.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I hope that she has the opportunity to visit the UConn Health Center and maybe meet with the Center's Diabetes Program team.

 

[JS]

Was reading Cox's blog and she said that she wants to make her decision for the November signing period. I am not sure what those dates are.

Sometime between October 23 and November 11.

To clear up any confusion, the NLOI early signing period is Nov. 11-18. If she announces her decision, as planned, after the Baylor final official visit (Oct. 23) but before the start of the signing period, the announcement will come in the time frame Slu indicates.

 

[easttexastrash]

Don't bet the farm. Ms Cox seems determined to become a role model for others similarly afflicted. That is why she will visit UConn.

I wonder how much a chronic illness weighs into a recruit's decision. Had EDD stayed at UCONN and then gotten sick with Lyme Disease would she have stayed on campus or gone home to have her family help her out? When Alexis Jones tore her ACL (not a chronic illness, obviously) she chose to go home to be close to her family. But most players who tear an ACL don't typically go home from what I can recall.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I wonder how much a chronic illness weighs into a recruit's decision. Had EDD stayed at UCONN and then gotten sick with Lyme Disease would she have stayed on campus or gone home to have her family help her out? When Alexis Jones tore her ACL (not a chronic illness, obviously) she chose to go home to be close to her family. But most players who tear an ACL don't typically go home from what I can recall.

Well Connecticut should have some pretty good access to Lyme Disease experts since that's where it was discovered. That's where I'd park myself if I had some disease like that.

 

[huskyd]

Haha, yes.

Geno is the best coach in wcbb, but he has definitely been making his chicken salad with choice cuts from organic, free-range chicken. Of course, through his virtuosity, he has earned the right to cook with only the finest ingredients. Nonetheless the quality of the ingredients is directly related to the quality of the salad.

Uh oh, now the authorities are coming to lock me up for torturing a metaphor to death.

I've been watching sports for all of my three score years and ten, ever since my dad could hold me upright on his knee at the old Orange Bowl. Anyone who doesn't notice the difference between the product turned out by one coach and that of another is missing something really special. An old Houston Oiler coach said about Miami's Don Shula that Shula could take his team and beat yours and take yours and beat his. Geno is special in the same way. His adaptability and high standards enable him to do well in most years with most of his teams. Beyond the winning is the sheer pleasure of watching something done exceptionally well. For all the fuss about Geno's recent interview, what I remember most is his speaking about the beauty of sport when it is played really, really well.

 

[huskyd]

I wonder how much a chronic illness weighs into a recruit's decision. Had EDD stayed at UCONN and then gotten sick with Lyme Disease would she have stayed on campus or gone home to have her family help her out? When Alexis Jones tore her ACL (not a chronic illness, obviously) she chose to go home to be close to her family. But most players who tear an ACL don't typically go home from what I can recall.

When speaking of diabetes, consider that management of the illness is far easier and more efficacious than in years past.

 

[easttexastrash]

Thank you, Nan, for posting that. I hadn't read that article previously.

The one statement that really surprised me was that Elena was worried, as she returned home from Connecticut after a couple of days, that her parents would tell her to get back in the car and return to Storrs. They didn't (to their credit), but they made sure she understood what a big decision she was making. Obviously, she did.

I wonder if I might mention another minor mystery about that whole event. In two days at Connecticut, what "friend" could she possibly have made who would have been willing to drive her home to Delaware overnight, or even to an Amtrak station? It seems to me that there is only one person whom she might have asked, and who might have done it. Has anyone else thought what I am thinking?

My guess would be that she called someone from her home town to come get her.

 

[easttexastrash]

When speaking of diabetes, consider that management of the illness is far easier and more efficacious than in years past.

Yes, as a Type 1 diabetic myself, and having lost a brother to the illness, I know that it is easier than 20 years ago. But I also know that it is a damn hard thing to manage. If you do not have a good support group you can end up in serious trouble. I have been hospitalized twice this year with DK and it came up out of nowhere and hit me before I knew what was happening.