Mikayla Coombs to Transfer

[Plebe]

Good luck to Mikayla wherever she lands. Maybe she wants to be closer to home. I will follow her career as she is a Forever Husky.

One question though, didn't Coombs commit before coming to campus?

Transfers are the new thing and yes--not all players work out and all for different reasons. I dont think its a failed assessment on the coaching staff. Its the new era.

Kim Mulkey, in one of her post-championship interviews, made some insightful remarks on "this transfer business that we're in" when commenting on Chloe Jackson's remarkable contributions this year. She said coaches can either embrace it and adapt to it, or get left behind.

 

[soxfan23]

I would be willing to bet that transfer rates do not average 75%, so the OP was not unreasonable.

When has UConn's transfer rate ever been remotely close to 75%? Just because 3/4 of one particular class transfer does not mean that there is a 75% transfer rate.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

We've lost a lot of kids the past four years, kids who did well elsewhere. And now we're looking at a season without any dependable player coming off the bench.

I don't recall our being in this situation ever. We may never have had a deep bench. But this is tough.

 

[Bama fan]

I am at at least one of the people who are confused here. I replied to post #16, which was a reply to post #13. And the OP, aka post #13, merely remarked that 3/4 of one recruiting class leaving was "not a good look" To which #16 opined as to overall transfer rates. But #13 was not commenting on overall transfer rates, so their comment was not unreasonable. And my response to #16 was that I would bet that overall WCBB transfer rates do not average 75% as does the single class that #13 referenced. No one was claiming that UConn has an overall average of anything. Go Huskies!

 

[lanieer]

Really liked Coombs upside. Very disappointed in her transferring and the fact UConn has no answers. Need to change our recruiting philosophy.Game has changed. I think Mikalya will be a terrific guard for someone.

 

[triaddukefan]

I realize Geno is Geno.. he’s the goat!! His record speaks for itself. But times are changing, players are changing...these players deserve a chance .. if u recruited them there was a reason for it. Let kids make mistakes let them play through it, give them a chance ... if u can handle the most demanding program in the nation and the hardest practices in the nation then there is no reason the effort isn’t there. Geno needs to change to the new level of the game.. old school isn’t working anymore and until he changes a little UCONN will continue to have small classss and lose out on recruits... it’s just my opinion but kids don’t want to sit the bench and that’s just it. Players want to play and not ride the bench.... UCONN is really in serious trouble and if they don’t fix it soon next season is going to be a very disappointing season . Very sad and schocking day ... I get 2020 is already looking like a great class but forget about 2020 it’s 2 years away it won’t help us next season... 8 player roster is just horrendous .... injuries long season I don’t even want to go there. All I can say is wow!!!

everything is gonna work out.

 

[Vowelguy]

Writing on the wall she wasn't ever going to start at UConn.

She got a bunch of minutes late in the year and there is an open starting spot. If she improved her shot, she surely could've gotten more time or even started.

 

[Vowelguy]

Well, we definitely need some transfers now.

Current roster:
CD (Sr), CW (So), Megan (Jr), Ono (So)
Griffin (Fr), Camara (Sr)
Irwin (Sr), Bent (Sr)

Eeek.

 

[lanieer]

Sad. Really thought she had a good defensive side. Lots of transfers lately. Hopefully we have 6 players left. What’s happening with women’s basketball now?

 

[hoopsfan22]

What’s happening with women’s basketball now?

Turning into the men's game, except one and done isn't feasible. Players are now bailing at the first sign of resistance, and looking for a greener pasture. If the NCAA allows immediate eligibility as a rule, it will just get worse. Or, we could see more and more of the top talent spend a year or two in college, play overseas for a season to get paid, then enter the WNBA draft. To be honest it's really a turn off the way the women's game is trending.

 

[Bama fan]

When has UConn's transfer rate ever been remotely close to 75%? Just because 3/4 of one particular class transfer does not mean that there is a 75% transfer rate.

And absolutely no one said it was . The poster said 3/4 of one class is not a good look. And he/she is correct . If you choose to comment on anything, do so. But when you reply to a post, it behooves you to read it. Verbatim.

 

[meyers7]

I realize Geno is Geno.. he’s the goat!! His record speaks for itself. But times are changing, players are changing...these players deserve a chance .. if u recruited them there was a reason for it. Let kids make mistakes let them play through it, give them a chance ... if u can handle the most demanding program in the nation and the hardest practices in the nation then there is no reason the effort isn’t there. Geno needs to change to the new level of the game.. old school isn’t working anymore and until he changes a little UCONN will continue to have small classss and lose out on recruits... it’s just my opinion but kids don’t want to sit the bench and that’s just it. Players want to play and not ride the bench.... UCONN is really in serious trouble and if they don’t fix it soon next season is going to be a very disappointing season . Very sad and schocking day ... I get 2020 is already looking like a great class but forget about 2020 it’s 2 years away it won’t help us next season... 8 player roster is just horrendous .... injuries long season I don’t even want to go there. All I can say is wow!!!

Geez, you're worse than Charlie.

 

[meyers7]

We've lost a lot of kids the past four years, kids who did well elsewhere. And now we're looking at a season without any dependable player coming off the bench.

I don't recall our being in this situation ever. We may never have had a deep bench. But this is tough.

Well 2013-2014 we had, for most of the season, 8 scholarship players and 2 walk-ons. They did go 40-0 and win a NC. So I guess it wasn't sooo bad.

 

[lebronfan23]

This has to mean Westbrook announcement to UConn is coming soon.

 

[CL82]

This has to mean Westbrook announcement to UConn is coming soon.

We're doomed.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Well 2013-2014 we had, for most of the season, 8 scholarship players and 2 walk-ons. They did go 40-0 and win a NC. So I guess it wasn't sooo bad.

We could have had a starting line up of 4 chairs + Stewie and gone 40-0.

 

[Argonaut]

We're doomed.

 

[Plebe]

This has to mean Westbrook announcement to UConn is coming soon.

"Has to"? Hardly.
More like "hopefully."

 

[dogged1]

Turning into the men's game, except one and done isn't feasible. Players are now bailing at the first sign of resistance, and looking for a greener pasture. If the NCAA allows immediate eligibility as a rule, it will just get worse. Or, we could see more and more of the top talent spend a year or two in college, play overseas for a season to get paid, then enter the WNBA draft. To be honest it's really a turn off the way the women's game is trending.

Respectfully disagree.
Westbrook has a need to get better and win games/championships. That wasn't going to happen at Tennessee.
Coombs has a need to play in real games on the court in the sport she loves. That wasn't going to happen at UConn.
Both have a right to follow their dreams, to correct mistakes they may have made in committing to their schools. To learn from their experiences.
I think an open transfer process is tougher for coaches but better for players. JMHO.

 

[meyers7]

We're doomed.

See my music thread.

Oh, sorry, I mean

 

[Jaybird65]

Turning into the men's game, except one and done isn't feasible. Players are now bailing at the first sign of resistance, and looking for a greener pasture. If the NCAA allows immediate eligibility as a rule, it will just get worse. Or, we could see more and more of the top talent spend a year or two in college, play overseas for a season to get paid, then enter the WNBA draft. To be honest it's really a turn off the way the women's game is trending.

Times are certainly changing. In Mikayla’s case, I don’t think that it’s the 1st sign of resistence; she gave it 2 years.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Times are certainly changing. In Mikayla’s case, I don’t think that it’s the 1st sign of resistence; she gave it 2 years.

I was speaking in general. Go look how many players are looking to transfer. It's ridiculous and getting worse every year. It's not all coaching changes or unfortunate situations. A lot of the players view the grass as greener somewhere else. I expect it to become common for players to enter the portal to test the waters knowing they can just simply pull their name back if a better opportunity doesn't come along. It's happened at South Carolina a couple times with Cuevas-Moore and now recently with Herbert-Harrigan where they decided to transfer and then didn't. There's almost going to be a secondary market for top recruits whenever their first couple of seasons don't go as planned especially if the NCAA relaxes the one year sit out rule.

 

[Charliebball]

We could have had a starting line up of 4 chairs + Stewie and gone 40-0.

I really doubt that...............three chairs and a tall stool........... probably but four chairs.........?.

 

[oldude]

So here's my take. Mikayla hadn't played much in 2 years and was unlikely to play much in the next two years. However, there is a window for at least 1 starter on next year's team, as well as a 6th man. If the Huskies go any deeper than 6 players it'll be a miracle, but as I've said many times before, nobody goes much deeper than 6 players in big games.

Mikayla will have had her post-season review with Geno and there would certainly have been a discussion of how much PT she could expect next year, and what she had to do to earn it. Others may disagree, but if UConn does not bring in another player, based on who's returning along with one talented, but undeveloped freshman, Mikayla would very likely be UConn's 5th starter next year. She was the 2nd player off the bench down the stretch. A healthy Batouly might be a better option as the 5th starter, but sadly I don't think that is in the cards. Had Geno communicated to Mikayla that he was counting on her next season, I think there is a very good chance that she would have stayed. The one thing I would absolutely expect is that Geno would be completely honest with Mikayla.

So the logical conclusion is that Geno has someone else in mind as the 5th starter and perhaps the 6th man as well. We can certainly speculate: Makurat, Westbrook, Laksa, TBD? I believe that all of our questions will be answered in the next few weeks. Until then, try to stay calm and enjoy the warm weather.

 

[donalddoowop]

I’ve watched Marshall play twice in person at the Federation Cup. She has some skills, but prefers to hang around outside and doesn’t hustle. She’s got a long way to go to be a D1 basketball player.

As bad as UConn needs some tall players, I was hoping they would not offer Marshall. Based on the little I've seen, she was in no way, imo, the right answer for UConn's lack of height problem.