Mir McClean......

[hart2hart]

I really like Mir and am in agreement with Oldude on her. She yes has a lot to focus on but as Geno stated recently as her practicing is getting better she will earn more minutes. We need each and every player to improve, some more than others. Let’s all be cheerleaders for all the players not just a few. She might even surprise some of you as she earns more minutes of playing time. We need each and everyone of these amazing gals. Top to bottom.

 

[jazz]

MM thrives in chaos BB - like pick-up games on the playground. She is used to being able to out-athleticize anybody so she can just use her instincts to get rebounds and score. She doesn't really have any instincts for defense, especially in space. She is used to just hanging around and then when she get's beat, she can simply recover or outjump the other player and get the block.

I'm not sure what kind of coaching she had in HS and I don't like throwing shade on people, but she reminds me of a street player who has never had an ounce of coaching - lost in the concept of offensive plays and being precise and timely with what she is doing and then she has no feel for what is going around her on defense. Help defense is an oddity for her. Structured BB is a struggle for her.

I am also a bit worried that when she sits for most of the game, she kind of drifts out mentally and then is a bit out of sync mentally when she has a chance to play. More so than anybody, she needs to be mentally ready to go and locked in. I don't think she has the discipline to do this at the moment. To be fair, it is hard to do when you are used to playing the entire game.

I was more hopeful before, but at this point she is Denis Rodman on the boards and a bit lost on everything else. She is a liability to be honest.

But, remember the days when it took most freshman an entire year to get it??? With Covid, I'm not sure that MM even had a proper offseason to get acclimated and she needed it as much or more than anybody.

She is a conundrum in that she makes a visual impact straight away when she enters and then when you watch closely, she is not doing her job and hurting the team. It may take a while but I still hope at some point this year, she can give us a dozen good minutes.

Again, her biggest issue is getting use to structured BB.

I'm pulling for her...that athleticism is special! She has a knack for knowing where the ball is going off the rim and getting the rebound. Fun to watch in that regard.

 

[oldude]

MM thrives in chaos BB - like pick-up games on the playground. She is used to being able to out-athleticize anybody so she can just use her instincts to get rebounds and score. She doesn't really have any instincts for defense, especially in space. She is used to just hanging around and then when she get's beat, she can simply recover or outjump the other player and get the block.

I'm not sure what kind of coaching she had in HS and I don't like throwing shade on people, but she reminds me of a street player who has never had an ounce of coaching - lost in the concept of offensive plays and being precise and timely with what she is doing and then she has no feel for what is going around her on defense. Help defense is an oddity for her. Structured BB is a struggle for her.

I am also a bit worried that when she sits for most of the game, she kind of drifts out mentally and then is a bit out of sync mentally when she has a chance to play. More so than anybody, she needs to be mentally ready to go and locked in. I don't think she has the discipline to do this at the moment. To be fair, it is hard to do when you are used to playing the entire game.

I was more hopeful before, but at this point she is Denis Rodman on the boards and a bit lost on everything else. She is a liability to be honest.

But, remember the days when it took most freshman an entire year to get it??? With Covid, I'm not sure that MM even had a proper offseason to get acclimated and she needed it as much or more than anybody.

She is a conundrum in that she makes a visual impact straight away when she enters and then when you watch closely, she is not doing her job and hurting the team. It may take a while but I still hope at some point this year, she can give us a dozen good minutes.

Again, her biggest issue is getting use to structured BB.

I'm pulling for her...that athleticism is special! She has a knack for knowing where the ball is going off the rim and getting the rebound. Fun to watch in that regard.

One other point about Mir. Unlike most top HS players, she did not play basketball year round. She was also a track star in HS. So while other kids were playing AAU ball in the spring, Mir was burning up the track.

 

[jazz]

One other point about Mir. Unlike most top HS players, she did not play basketball year round. She was also a track star in HS. So while other kids were playing AAU ball in the spring, Mir was burning up the track.

Great point oldude. She reminds me of a great athlete learning how to play organised BB. Hopefully she gets there because she is a lot of fun to watch!

 

[Zanzman]

So a street baller
Dennis Rodman
Great athlete just learning the games she reminds you of an awful lot

 

[Jibariqua]

One other point about Mir. Unlike most top HS players, she did not play basketball year round. She was also a track star in HS. So while other kids were playing AAU ball in the spring, Mir was burning up the track.

Mir played in the EYBL for Team Takeover. I don’t remember her being on Roland Park’s track team, but she was on the Volleyball team.

 

[jazz]

Mir played in the EYBL for Team Takeover. I don’t remember her being on Roland Park’s track team, but she was on the Volleyball team.

I can image her being a great spiker in VB, even if she is only 5'11 and not the 6'2 that usually great spikers tend to be.

 

[Carnac]

Mir is a freshman!! Geno sez every year that it takes most freshmen coming into the program a FULL YEAR to learn the system and to become comfortable playing at the "elite" level UConn plays on. Some freshmen are able to come in and adapt all most immediately. Paige and Aaliyah are examples of that dynamic. They have shown the ability to raise their level of play and understanding which allows them to be functional in Geno's system NOW!!

Where would this team be today without Paige and Aaliyah? Be happy we have them. Let Mir learn at her own pace. The coaches know how to bring freshmen along. I'm anticipating on her making that sophomore leap next year, and really helping the team then. Whatever we get from her now is gravy because she does not know the system yet, similar to Aubrey last year.

Everyone IS NOT the same. Some students can do trigonometry and calculus in their sleep, while others struggle with it. I follow Geno's line of thinking. If HE says it usually takes a year, that's what I go with. Everyone does not come in with the same BB IQ. Some players had better coaching and development than others. Mir will be fine if given time to develop.

We've only played 6 games. As Geno also said, you really can't tell what you have based on practices. You really don't know until you play games. That's where the rubber meets the road. Even though some freshmen may come in with a boat load of awards and accolades, I don't expect anything from them their freshman year. Most of the time, Geno does not depend on true freshmen coming in and needing to play them right away. Lately he has because of player defections and recruiting slumps, he's had to throw some freshmen into the fire right away.

Christyn and ONO had to start as freshmen and Paige this year. The slump is over, and it appears the ship has been righted. I really think we go in to Waco next Thursday and leave with a win. Last year was last year. Kim has a good team this year, but it's not as dominate as last year's. It won't be easy, it never is. We're not looking for "easy", just personal and team growth and development and a better understanding of Geno's system. It will be 40 minutes of intense basketball you won't want to miss. It will be played with a very short bench, 3 deep (Nika, Aaliyah and Aubrey) at best. Baylor can be beaten, and UConn can do it. This game will be the best team the other has played, even though Baylor has already lost a game to Arkansas 83-78 on Dec 6. I think we're better than Arkansas who is currently ranked 10th nationally.

 

[jazz]

So a street baller
Dennis Rodman
Great athlete just learning the games she reminds you of an awful lot

Yes and also if you don't mind the analogy often used for players that are a bit of a project...she is like a hump of clay that needs to be molded.

I think you might red-shirt her if circumstances were different. Jessica Moore was a medical redshirt her freshman year and looked lost in the few minutes she did play. But she played a huge role in championships later in her career. She was a great athlete as well learning how to play organised BB and a favorite of mine. I loved her game!!

Maybe Jessica would have looked lost too if she played her entire freshman year....who knows...

 

[HopJim]

Yes and also if you don't mind the analogy often used for players that are a bit of a project...she is like a hump of clay that needs to be molded.

I think you might red-shirt her if circumstances were different. Jessica Moore was a medical redshirt her freshman year and looked lost in the few minutes she did play. But she played a huge role in championships later in her career. She was a great athlete as well learning how to play organised BB and a favorite of mine. I loved her game!!

Maybe Jessica would have looked lost too if she played her entire freshman year....who knows...

I love watching Mir play and hope your comparison to Moore comes true. The question is whether Mir has the skills but is inconsistent or a project (i.e. needs to develop new, unproven skills). UConn has some of the best coaching in the US and inconsistent players typically develop. While there may have been exceptions, UConn is always competing for championships and projects typically don't get the time they need to move to the next level.

 

[CocoHusky]

Mir is a freshman!! Geno sez every year that it takes most freshmen coming into the program a FULL YEAR to learn the system and to become comfortable playing at the "elite" level UConn plays on. Some freshmen are able to come in and adapt all most immediately. Paige and Aaliyah are examples of that dynamic. They have shown the ability to raise their level of play and understanding which allows them to be functional in Geno's system NOW!!

Where would this team be today without Paige and Aaliyah? Be happy we have them. Let Mir learn at her own pace. The coaches know how to bring freshmen along. I'm anticipating on her making that sophomore leap next year, and really helping the team then. Whatever we get from her now is gravy because she does not know the system yet, similar to Aubrey last year.

Everyone IS NOT the same. Some students can do trigonometry and calculus in their sleep, while others struggle with it. I follow Geno's line of thinking. If HE says it usually takes a year, that's what I go with. Everyone does not come in with the same BB IQ. Some players had better coaching and development than others. Mir will be fine if given time to develop.

We've only played 6 games. As Geno also said, you really can't tell what you have based on practices. You really don't know until you play games. That's where the rubber meets the road. Even though some freshmen may come in with a boat load of awards and accolades, I don't expect anything from them their freshman year. Most of the time, Geno does not depend on true freshmen coming in and needing to play them right away. Lately he has because of player defections and recruiting slumps, he's had to throw some freshmen into the fire right away.

Christyn and ONO had to start as freshmen and Paige this year. The slump is over, and it appears the ship has been righted. I really think we go in to Waco next Thursday and leave with a win. Last year was last year. Kim has a good team this year, but it's not as dominate as last year's. It won't be easy, it never is. We're not looking for "easy", just personal and team growth and development and a better understanding of Geno's system. It will be 40 minutes of intense basketball you won't want to miss. It will be played with a very short bench, 3 deep (Nika, Aaliyah and Aubrey) at best. Baylor can be beaten, and UConn can do it. This game will be the best team the other has played, even though Baylor has already lost a game to Arkansas 83-78 on Dec 6. I think we're better than Arkansas who is currently ranked 10th nationally.

In full agreement except ONO did not start as a Freshman.

 

[jazz]

I love watching Mir play and hope your comparison to Moore comes true. The question is whether Mir has the skills but is inconsistent or a project (i.e. needs to develop new, unproven skills). UConn has some of the best coaching in the US and inconsistent players typically develop. While there may have been exceptions, UConn is always competing for championships and projects typically don't get the time they need to move to the next level.

I agree Hop, but most projects don't come with the level of athleticism as MM. If she stays for all 4-5 years, I think she may carve out a role. She will need to develop a mid-range jumper however.

 

[eebmg]

I agree Hop, but most projects don't come with the level of athleticism as MM. If she stays for all 4-5 years, I think she may carve out a role. She will need to develop a mid-range jumper however.

I have nothing against abbreviations but MM brings unwelcome flashbacks.

Besides Mir is only 3 letters.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Mir did play 3 sports in HS and excelled at track, I believe. Geno said she was the first one to beat Aubrey in the sprints. She didn't play nearly as much basketball as Paige, Nike, et al. She's a little behind the curve, but she's very smart (speaks multiple languages). Her progress may be a little slow this year, but that's common for freshmen.

 

[jazz]

I have nothing against abbreviations but MM brings unwelcome flashbacks.

Besides Mir is only 3 letters.

Are you talking about Muffet? Please enlighten me. Mir it is...... and I only have to deal with one capital letter since I am so 'Lazy'!!

 

[eebmg]

Are you talking about Muffet? Please enlighten me. Mir it is...... and I only have to deal with one capital letter since I am so 'Lazy'!!

Muffet McGraw and Marina Mabrey

 

[Zanzman]

Maya Moore if you must

 

[eebmg]

Maya Moore if you must

Guessing Maya Moore was seldom abbreviated as MM but I am very happy to see any Maya traits copied by Mir.

 

[jazz]

Maya Moore if you must

yes of course.....my bad.