Megan Walker OMG

[UConn82]

OK, so Megan shot 1 for 9. But what about that explosive drive when she got to the rim? (OK, so she missed that shot too. So what.) No one on UConn can do that except for Gabby. And Gabby is Gabby.

Megan seems to need to work on her shot. OK, she will. I think she is going to be really, really great.

What do BYer's think?

 

[slug25]

I think they should play her in and around the paint as they did Gabby early on. Help her become an offensive threat with short bank shots from 10-12 feet, a stronger rebounder and a defender of bigger players. This will pay dividends down the road.

 

[BroadwayVa]

OK, so Megan shot 1 for 9. But what about that explosive drive when she got to the rim? (OK, so she missed that shot too. So what.) No one on UConn can do that except for Gabby. And Gabby is Gabby.

Megan seems to need to work on her shot. OK, she will. I think she is going to be really, really great.

What do BYer's think?

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Walker's shot is good! She did a lot more than shoot, she rebounded, defended, assisted, blocked people for Z to move freely, a great teammate.\She's a shooter and BB player ; when she settles in she will be exceptional, it shows. Gabby--WOW!

 

[Tonyc]

The game at the college level is much faster then the underclassman are used to. I believe in Megans case shes rushing her shot a little bit. A little maybe out of control which relates to trying to do things to fast. Once she settles down she will be fine. She will learn that shes alot quicker then most players on the floor and needs to rely on her poise and she will be fine. Playing in games like these, tuff games against top teams will teach her that.

 

[CocoHusky]

Love the athleticism but as you said she missed the shot. MW low shooting percentage from high school was something a few of us commented on even before she signed. I remain optimistic but Megan has got to hit more shots and so does the entire UCONN bench. Minus Azura & including Megan the bench is 2 for 21 so far on the season.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I think they should play her in and around the paint as they did Gabby early on. Help her become an offensive threat with short bank shots from 10-12 feet, a stronger rebounder and a defender of bigger players. This will pay dividends down the road.

Right now she IS playing in the paint, as happens in game flow. She is working now to be an effective shooting guard secondary ball handler--her talent is obvious, her shot will drop and drop often. You can't stop a shooter. (Katie Lou has proven that 1000 times)

 

[HuskyNan]

I love her mind set and the way she attacks the court. It doesn't matter that the shots aren't falling right now, that will come when she has a better feel for the rhythm of the college game. There's a huge upside for that young woman.

 

[huskeynut]

Watching Megan last night, she gets it defensively. She plays some tough defense for a freshman. The offensive side will come. She's a keeper for sure!.

 

[eebmg]

On the newest Geno show around the 10:38 mark, Geno says in casual conversation that MW can really shoot. It is frustrating for us fans (and obviously herself) that it really has not translated to the games yet but I am confident it will in time. The rest of her game is clearly top level so we just need to be patient. Not sure what to make of the other 3 yet. I think AEH has a little more confidence than the others. She had a really nice pass play that took a little guts. Really surprised Mikayla seems to be really swimming upstream so much.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Love the athleticism but at you said she missed the shot. MW low shooting percentage from high school was something a few of us commented on even before she signed. I remain optimistic but Megan has got to hit more shots and so does the entire UCONN bench. Minus Azura & including Megan the bench is 2 for 21 so far on the season.

I agree about the bench. If one believed all that was written about them--they'd be scoring in the 20's each. They all may one day. MEGAN will score as she becomes more comfortable playing at this level. She does everything else well, for a frosh. I'm not optimistic about Megan--I'm confident.
Azura--big time freshmen experience at Duke--is also needing time to mix it up and get back into the flow. What I enjoyed about her--she apparently was having fun mixing it up with Anigwe. She hit a three--and made a magnificent drive from top of the key for a score--beautiful.
There is more concern from me for Irwin and a bit for Molly than the Frosh--because they have Div 1 experience now, and ARE needed as effective relief. I was CONFIDENT last year at this time about Danger--she had weak moments, injury and kennel--look at her now!!!

 

[BroadwayVa]

On the newest Geno show around the 10:38 mark, Geno says in casual conversation that MW can really shoot. It is frustrating for us fans (and obviously herself) that it really has not translated to the games yet but I am confident it will in time. The rest of her game is clearly top level so we just need to be patient. Not sure what to make of the other 3 yet. I think AEH has a little more confidence than the others. She had a really nice pass play that took a little guts. Really surprised Mikayla seems to be really swimming upstream so much.

I'm easily frustrated and not at all optimistic and paranoid---But not about Megan's abilities--I feel the same about AEH--I see Mikayla as you do and wonder about Gordon.

 

[Roundball fan]

For a freshmen Megan has impressed me with her speed and willingness to shoot. I love her rebounding and defense, before to long I think we will begin calling her Megatron, yes I think she will be that good.

 

[HumblePie]

OK, so Megan shot 1 for 9. But what about that explosive drive when she got to the rim? (OK, so she missed that shot too. So what.) No one on UConn can do that except for Gabby. And Gabby is Gabby.

Megan seems to need to work on her shot. OK, she will. I think she is going to be really, really great.

What do BYer's think?

WRONG! KLS showed similar moves to the basket last year... and made them.

 

[bags27]

Megan will grow up very quickly as first in for the foreseeable future, especially in the back court (odds are that Batouly will be game ready before Lou). I'm okay with Megan not finishing her drives--at least for now. If Z, Gabby, and Pheesa can anticipate that, they'll get their share of put-backs. With Kia and Crystal hitting 3s as well as they have, that should spread the defense and allow Megan that opportunity to be aggressive. What we'll miss with Lou is the magnificent all-round play.

 

[Suebird10fan]

I'm easily frustrated and not at all optimistic and paranoid---But not about Megan's abilities--I feel the same about AEH--I see Mikayla as you do and wonder about Gordon.

I too was very impressed (albeit limited minutes) with AEH. Lots of poise and good instincts.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Meg's shooting percentage in high school wasn't bad, but it wasn't stellar either. I don't recall the exact number, but I think it was 43% or so as a senior. Her team was undefeated and ranked about #8 in the nation, and she was THE star, so she drew double-teams and triple-teams. I believe Meg shot FTs at about a 75-78% clip. I view that as a better measure of her innate shooting ability. Think back to Ketia Swanier, Kia Nurse, and Gabby Williams. They improved their shooting noticeably while at UConn. Even the great Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis improved her shooting. Practice, practice, practice.

Meg's physical gifts are apparent. She's not quite Gabby Williams or Maya Moore, but she's fast, strong, and long. Those things can't be coached.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Meg's shooting percentage in high school wasn't bad, but it wasn't stellar either. I don't recall the exact number, but I think it was 43% or so as a senior. Her team was undefeated and ranked about #8 in the nation, and she was THE star, so she drew double-teams and triple-teams. I believe Meg shot FTs at about a 75-78% clip. I view that as a better measure of her innate shooting ability. Think back to Ketia Swanier, Kia Nurse, and Gabby Williams. They improved their shooting noticeably while at UConn. Even the great Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis improved her shooting. Practice, practice, practice.

Meg's physical gifts are apparent. She's not quite Gabby Williams or Maya Moore, but she's fast, strong, and long. Those things can't be coached.

While you call 43 percent and 75 percent not stellar; there must be 100,000 HS kids that would love to replicate those stats.
You are correct in that the Shooting skills of all that come to Uconn (usually) is improved by the instructions of Christine, Geno, Shea, Marisa.

Practice, practice, practice often does not make perfect, but without it perfections won't be achieved. KML greatest improvement in College to me was her becoming an overall Basketball player.

 

[MilfordHusky]

While you call 43 percent and 75 percent not stellar; there must be 100,000 HS kids that would love to replicate those stats.
You are correct in that the Shooting skills of all that come to Uconn (usually) is improved by the instructions of Christine, Geno, Shea, Marisa.

Practice, practice, practice often does not make perfect, but without it perfections won't be achieved. KML greatest improvement in College to me was her becoming an overall Basketball player.

I agree about Kaleena's overall game. But she came in known for the "Lewis Launch." Here are her shooting stats (overall and 3-pointers) by year:

Freshman .432 .384

Sophomore .528 .492

Junior (injured) .465 .413

Senior .518 .488

The .400/.500/.900 shooting line is the holy grail for shooters. Kaleena missed by 1 FT in each of her sophomore and senior seasons. Kaleena approached the other-worldly level of .500/.500/.900.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I agree about Kaleena's overall game. But she came in known for the "Lewis Launch." Here are her shooting stats (overall and 3-pointers) by year:

Freshman .432 .384

Sophomore .528 .492

Junior (injured) .465 .413

Senior .518 .488

The .400/.500/.900 shooting line is the holy grail for shooters. Kaleena missed by 1 FT in each of her sophomore and senior seasons. Kaleena approached the other-worldly level of .500/.500/.900.

All you say is right and proper, she was excellent in shooting. No matter where on the court, later at Uconn, I was amazed just how great her hand-eye coordination had become.
There may be some Uconn former players I could dis agree with you about--but not on Kaleena M. Lewis!!

 

[Longtime fan]

OK, so Megan shot 1 for 9. But what about that explosive drive when she got to the rim? (OK, so she missed that shot too. So what.) No one on UConn can do that except for Gabby. And Gabby is Gabby.

Megan seems to need to work on her shot. OK, she will. I think she is going to be really, really great.

What do BYer's think?

I saw her play in some HS all star ( all america ) games and her outside shot never went in. She had more than one opportunity to win the game with an open shot, and missed every time. I have since assumed the attitude, " show me." Maya Moore took about 4 seconds to prove she could shoot. I think the suggestion to play her, at first, in the paint ( like Gabby ) is a good one. But no one can jump like Gabby.

 

[MilfordHusky]

All you say is right and proper, she was excellent in shooting. No matter where on the court, later at Uconn, I was amazed just how great her hand-eye coordination had become.
There may be some Uconn former players I could dis agree with you about--but not on Kaleena M. Lewis!!

I saw Kaleena play one game in high school, when Mater Dei came to the D.C. area. I had been spoiled from watching Maya for 3+ seasons. I watched her closely in warm-ups and the game. She did not and does not have the body that Maya has. Kaleena had an average game, by her standards, but I noted 3 somewhat subtle things: (1) in the layup line, K did high degree of difficulty layups (reverse, spin, etc.) without looking to see if they went in, because they all did; (2) before the game, she and her teammates were shooting with their off-hand from the arc; K didn't make the shots, but the ball had perfect rotation and did hit the rim; and (3) she played the point in the full-court press, which Mater Dei ran all game; when she got her hand on the ball, it became a steal. After the game, I though to myself, "She has world-class hands."

 

[BroadwayVa]

I saw Kaleena play one game in high school, when Mater Dei came to the D.C. area. I had been spoiled from watching Maya for 3+ seasons. I watched her closely in warm-ups and the game. She did not and does not have the body that Maya has. Kaleena had an average game, by her standards, but I noted 3 somewhat subtle things: (1) in the layup line, K did high degree of difficulty layups (reverse, spin, etc.) without looking to see if they went in, because they all did; (2) before the game, she and her teammates were shooting with their off-hand from the arc; K didn't make the shots, but the ball had perfect rotation and did hit the rim; and (3) she played the point in the full-court press, which Mater Dei ran all game; when she got her hand on the ball, it became a steal. After the game, I though to myself, "She has world-class hands."

I had long before KML departed the DC area--I would have enjoyed seeing her then. There were Uconn shooters prior to KML that I expected each shot would go in, with KML it wasn't expectation--it was belief. Geno believed in her so much that in a 3 ot game (I think) with her foot injured, Geno set up a play for her to take the final shot--which bounced off the rim (you need 2 feet to shoot properly)

 

[MilfordHusky]

I had long before KML departed the DC area--I would have enjoyed seeing her then. There were Uconn shooters prior to KML that I expected each shot would go in, with KML it wasn't expectation--it was belief. Geno believed in her so much that in a 3 ot game (I think) with her foot injured, Geno set up a play for her to take the final shot--which bounced off the rim (you need 2 feet to shoot properly)

I think it was a quad injury in that game, but I agree with you and Coach: I'm happy with Kaleena taking the big shots. Even more than with Maya, I expected very shot from Kaleena to go in. Most shooters miss some shots because they are off-line; Kaleena's shots were nearly always straight. She missed only because the shot was long or short. That's the sign of a great shooter.

 

[MilfordHusky]

If you haven't seen the Nov. 17 Geno show yet, you need to check it out. See the links in the thread of that name. Meg gets praise at least 4 times in 23 minutes. At 10:36, Geno says to CD during practice: "Meg can really shoot. She can really shoot." Anyone question Geno's assessment? I'm on board with Coach.

 

[iri10]

If Moriah Jefferson was the Ferrari, Crystal Dangerfield the Lamborghini, and Gabby Williams the Corvette...Megan's the modern muscle car (a Mustang or Camaro, say). Nowadays those cars are a lot closer to sports cars than they used to be.

Like the muscle cars, Megan might not be quite as speedy as the guards or Gabby, but potentially makes up for it with broader usability.

Enough with the silly analogies, though. Basically I'm saying that as Megan catches up to the thought-speed of the college game, and as her shot gets hopefully that much more reliable, she's going to be a very potent player indeed.