my vote for Maya as best player in UConn history (so far)

[hoophuskee]

Its hard to say who the best is when you compare different eras in UConn WBB. Diana in her last 3 years wasnt surrounded by players like some of the other top players. She was her freshman season but after that she led the team and took over when she had too. No other player had that. So to compare stats and awards imo is tuff because the 95 team is much different from the Stewie MoJeff Tuck team and the Maya Tina Renee team. If I were to start a team Diana would be my first pick . Diana had the ability to make everyone around her better and take over a game when UConn needed her to step up. She did the impossible in the most cructial moments. No other player did that. Paige is the first player Ive seen that can make everybody around her better and Paige has the skills ability and brains to blossom into the next Diana.

Huh?? The 1st part in bold - just a typo, right? You meant "two," obviously.

Stewart and Maya also made their teammates better and also took over games when they had to that led to championships. So yes Stewie and Maya did do that. Which is why the 3 are so hard to separate.

It's not only guards that can make your teammates better.

Anyway- Merry Christmas to everyone!!

 

[shiverz45]

From someone outside with no bias I would ranked them: #1 Maya, #2 Steward, #3 DT

 

[hoophuskee]

From someone outside with no bias I would ranked them: #1 Maya, #2 Steward, #3 DT

Why? And who is your team and when did you stat following wcbb? BTW, her last name is Stewart.

 

[UConner]

Have you met "Paige '5 for 5' Bueckers"?

Hopefully.....

 

[HopJim]

Maya also was the only 4-time All-American and had the best career record of the elite players, 150-4.

Some people point out her losses in 2 Final Fours as the reasons why they have her at #3.

I agree with you.

Some of these stats are interesting but as a UConn fan, all I want to discuss are NCAA Championships. Maya and others are some others are great players but give me 4 NCAA's and Stewie.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Some of these stats are interesting but as a UConn fan, all I want to discuss are NCAA Championships. Maya and others are some others are great players but give me 4 NCAA's and Stewie.

This is an argument that is made over and over on the BY. Certainly championships, and the role a player has in winning those championships, is a factor to consider when evaluating players and their all-time status. Stewie was the best player on four championship teams. But she wasn’t the only player; she didn’t win those championships by herself. Simply suggesting that we should consider additional factors when determining who is our GOAT.

 

[BostonBay]

DT is my choice. You can make an argument for all 3. But, DT is the only one that actually carried the team on her back to 2 Titles. The last one UConn had no business winning a Title, except for her. You can't say that for the other 2. You can come up with hypotheticals to argue Maya & Stewie could have done the same. But, they're just hypotheticals. DT actually did it and she was the first to do it at UConn.

 

[Dean Wormer]

Diana Taurasi is the best WBB player I’ve ever seen. My 2 cents.

 

[FanHam]

I call it a dead heat between Maya, Diana and Stewie. They all won multiple NCAA championships, they all were outstanding on both ends of the court, they all kicked butt in the WNBA.

 

[Zorro]

Comparisons are indeed odious. All three were superb and we are very fortunate to have had the pleasure of watching them play for our side. Bar injury, Paige and Azzi may join their select company.

 

[shiverz45]

Why? And who is your team and when did you stat following wcbb? BTW, her last name is Stewart.

Sorry, I didn't realize I typed "d" instead of "t". To me Maya had no holes in her game. She pretty much dominated as soon as she arrived. Numbers don't tell the whole picture but you can't dismiss the numbers she put up. There was no grace period for her. I started following women basket during the time when Old Dominion and La tech was considered elite.

 

[hoophuskee]

Sorry, I didn't realize I typed "d" instead of "t". To me Maya had no holes in her game. She pretty much dominated as soon as she arrived. Numbers don't tell the whole picture but you can't dismiss the numbers she put up. There was no grace period for her. I started following women basket during the time when Old Dominion and La tech was considered elite.

Okay I am not arguing. Nothing else to do here being stuck at home.

But what holes did you think DT and Stewart had?

I have to say what Maya did in the Stanford title game was just nuts-great. And in her sr year - she hits enormous shot which helps UCONN beat Baylor and even in the Final Four ND Game which UCONN lost- she was amazing.

for me- no doubt - day one Maya was fabulous, amazing and just all that and more.

But I'll say this in defense of the other 2-- DT - when she came in-- you knew she was a combo pg, sg,and could play sf. But there were 3 all-americans in front of her. IMO Geno would've done the same thing with Maya if there were 3 other all-americans in front of her at her positions. Matter-of-fact he did initially have Maya come off the bench. At that point - Maya would never have gotten the numbers she wound up having. But once Shea got hurt -- that was it-- they let DT go free just like they Maya go free from the start. Once they did- she got all-region MVP.

And while in the FF game- DT played poorly-- Maya got outplayed by Wiggins. Wiggins was a wing as was Maya. In the tournament nobody outplayed Stewart. What weaknesses did Stewart show by the end of the year?

Do you agree that Maya didn't have much of a low post game, didn't have the great of ball-handling and when she was wing, she wasn't going to shutdown a quick wing, right? With all that said-- I still have a vision in my mind of several players surrounding Maya and she just elevates so effortlessly with her jump shot. She was unstoppable. The only defense on her was "hope she misses." IMO the same with DT and Stewie.

 

[Urshurak]

For me: 1. DT. 2. Stewie 3. MM or SB.

 

[UConn990411]

It’s really difficult to argue that someone who led UConn to four national titles with four Final Four most outstanding player awards isn’t the best player in program history. And that’s before we mention the two undefeated seasons and the contributions to UConn’s 111-game winning streak.

There’s an argument to be made for Taurasi (who’s my favorite player ever), especially when you consider the teams she won with her junior and senior seasons. I wouldn’t make that argument, but it’s at least a worthwhile discussion. However, there really isn’t much of an argument to be made for Maya.

That’s not at all a criticism, either. For any other school except for maybe Tennessee, Maya would be the best player in program history by a wide margin (honorable mentions to Griner at Baylor and Miller at USC). But for UConn, she seems to be the clear third best player ever after Stewart and Taurasi.

 

[JonathanXIV]

It’s really difficult to argue that someone who led UConn to four national titles with four Final Four most outstanding player awards isn’t the best player in program history. And that’s before we mention the two undefeated seasons and the contributions to UConn’s 111-game winning streak.

There’s an argument to be made for Taurasi (who’s my favorite player ever), especially when you consider the teams she won with her junior and senior seasons. I wouldn’t make that argument, but it’s at least a worthwhile discussion. However, there really isn’t much of an argument to be made for Maya.

That’s not at all a criticism, either. For any other school except for maybe Tennessee, Maya would be the best player in program history by a wide margin (honorable mentions to Griner at Baylor and Miller at USC). But for UConn, she seems to be the clear third best player ever after Stewart and Taurasi.

Saying that there isn’t “much of an argument” for Maya being UConn’s best player ever is really rather unbelievable. Not saying that one can’t think it’s someone else, but one can make a heckuva argument that Maya was the best.

 

[UConn990411]

Saying that there isn’t “much of an argument” for Maya being UConn’s best player ever is really rather unbelievable. Not saying that one can’t think it’s someone else, but one can make a heckuva argument that Maya was the best.

You can certainly make an argument for Maya. That argument just isn’t nearly as strong as the one for Stewart.

 

[meyers7]

Interesting question. If we keep this all-UCONN, it would have to be Sue and then the best big. Who is the best big? Rebecca? Kara? Tina? Picking the best big is as tough as picking between DT, MM, & Stewie. If this is open to any program then as Bud Abbott might say: "third base? I don't know".

We polled this a couple years ago.

1- Bird/Jefferson (tie)
2 - DT
3 - Moore
4 - Stewart
5 - Charles

 

[Phillyconn]

It’s really difficult to argue that someone who led UConn to four national titles with four Final Four most outstanding player awards isn’t the best player in program history. And that’s before we mention the two undefeated seasons and the contributions to UConn’s 111-game winning streak.

There’s an argument to be made for Taurasi (who’s my favorite player ever), especially when you consider the teams she won with her junior and senior seasons. I wouldn’t make that argument, but it’s at least a worthwhile discussion. However, there really isn’t much of an argument to be made for Maya.

That’s not at all a criticism, either. For any other school except for maybe Tennessee, Maya would be the best player in program history by a wide margin (honorable mentions to Griner at Baylor and Miller at USC). But for UConn, she seems to be the clear third best player ever after Stewart and Taurasi.

She won 4 but with the best supporting cast of the three. Moriah and Morgan, two of the best defenders ever. Plus Morgan was unstoppable on offense. Moriah could penetrate at will.

 

[UConn990411]

She won 4 but with the best supporting cast of the three. Moriah and Morgan, two of the best defenders ever. Plus Morgan was unstoppable on offense. Moriah could penetrate at will.

That’s fair. But if we’re going to use this logic, it’s tough to argue Maya over Taurasi, who won two titles with arguably less talented supporting casts than the one Maya had her senior year. It just gets really tough to make a strong case for someone with two national championships when Taurasi and Stewart have three and four, respectively.

I will say that I think the gap between Maya and Stewart/Taurasi is a lot smaller than the one between Maya and whoever is the fourth best player in program history. It’s also incredible we get to have these types of debates.

 

[hoophuskee]

That’s fair. But if we’re going to use this logic, it’s tough to argue Maya over Taurasi, who won two titles with arguably less talented supporting casts than the one Maya had her senior year. It just gets really tough to make a strong case for someone with two national championships when Taurasi and Stewart have three and four, respectively.

I will say that I think the gap between Maya and Stewart/Taurasi is a lot smaller than the one between Maya and whoever is the fourth best player in program history. It’s also incredible we get to have these types of debates.

Maya was amazing amazing amazing in the title game 09-10. I put her right there with DT and Stewie - though I have her 3rd too but I understand anyone that has her higher.

 

[JonathanXIV]

You can certainly make an argument for Maya. That argument just isn’t nearly as strong as the one for Stewart.

Again, I think the argument is a LOT closer than you suggest.

 

[Waquoit]

She won 4 but with the best supporting cast of the three. Moriah and Morgan, two of the best defenders ever. Plus Morgan was unstoppable on offense. Moriah could penetrate at will.

Yeah, I don't think so. Tuck gets extra credit for playing with Stewie. To be fair, those teams weren't a Big 3. It was a Batman and Robin. Maya played with someone good as her.

 

[Phillyconn]

Yeah, I don't think so. Tuck gets extra credit for playing with Stewie. To be fair, those teams weren't a Big 3. It was a Batman and Robin. Maya played with someone good as her.

I disagree. Moriah, Imho, was the best defensive pg in UConn history. Who would you put in front of her as the best pg in UConn histor? Sue Bird, that’s it.
A healthy Morgan Tuck was a defensive stopper. Imho one of the best post defenders. Low post moves were unstoppabl. Tina Charles was a great one, but Morgan was not far behind. Throw Moriah in with Morgan and Stewie and you have the best all around threesome in UConn history.

 

[UConn990411]

I disagree. Moriah, Imho, was the best defensive pg in UConn history. Who would you put in front of her as the best pg in UConn histor? Sue Bird, that’s it.
A healthy Morgan Tuck was a defensive stopper. Imho one of the best post defenders. Low post moves were unstoppabl. Tina Charles was a great one, but Morgan was not far behind. Throw Moriah in with Morgan and Stewie and you have the best all around threesome in UConn history.

No disrespect to Morgan Tuck, who was terrific, but Tina Charles is arguably the best center in UConn history. There’s a pretty big gap between them.

In my opinion, the Maya-Charles-Montgomery trio is the best big three in UConn history. Stewart-Jefferson-Tuck was ridiculous too, as was Bird-Taurasi-(whoever was on that night between Cash/Jones/Williams), but that Maya-Charles-Montgomery trio was a monster.

 

[Phillyconn]

No disrespect to Morgan Tuck, who was terrific, but Tina Charles is arguably the best center in UConn history. There’s a pretty big gap between them.

In my opinion, the Maya-Charles-Montgomery trio is the best big three in UConn history. Stewart-Jefferson-Tuck was ridiculous too, as was Bird-Taurasi-(whoever was on that night between Cash/Jones/Williams), but that Maya-Charles-Montgomery trio was a monster.

I will give you Maya and Tina over Morgan and Stewie but when you add Moriah and Renee to the equation, the scales tip the other way. Moriah’s defensive skills were second to none. She penetrated defenses at will and she could shoot.