Napheesa Collier’s quiet dominance, toughness keep UConn women moving forward

[Carnac]

"After decades of coaching success, Geno Auriemma has learned there are certain things he can count on. When it comes to players with the skills to be a national player of the year, he can count on them being some of the hardest to coach. They push him to challenge them, and they question the way things work. The exception to that rule, Auriemma said, was Maya Moore.

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If you had to choose one player from the starting 5 that you knew for sure would show up, play hard on BOTH ends of the court, and post a double-double or close to it every game, who would you pick?

My answer to that question is easy, just look up.

 

[BobbyJ]

Collier and Moore, my two favorites in UConn history. Class personified.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Great article @Scoop . When she said in a recent pre or post game interview: ...the time for monkeying around is over" I neverly spewed my coffee! I'm gassed. I'll find it tomorrow. But she sure has become a leader.

 

[DaddyChoc]

 

[DaddyChoc]

 

[Plebe]

FWIW, Debbie Antonelli just said that she is projecting Napheesa as the #1 pick in the draft.

(Can we please put to bed the rumor she is somehow anti-UConn?)

 

[JonathanXIV]

Nope.

 

[DEpup]

FWIW, Debbie Antonelli just said that she is projecting Napheesa as the #1 pick in the draft.

(Can we please put to bed the rumor she is somehow anti-UConn?)

No way. I just thought what a hypocrite when she said that..

 

[Plebe]

No way. I just thought what a hypocrite when she said that..

Of course. It wouldn't be the Boneyard without a heavy dose of irrational persecution complex.

 

[Reypl21]

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I remember seeing this picture when the first Jordan Brand classic for the girls was held. Who knew that Napheesa was going to put up such similar numbers to Maya. Maya plays one way, while Napheesa plays a lot different. It's cool to compare the two of them because they have some similarities that are off the court.

 

[Reypl21]

FWIW, Debbie Antonelli just said that she is projecting Napheesa as the #1 pick in the draft.

(Can we please put to bed the rumor she is somehow anti-UConn?)

I feel like I have hardly ever heard Antonelli on many UConn games. (If she was today, I did not watch the game) I think she called the UConn vs Ohio State game last year that I watched. She definitely doesn't talk about UConn too much when she commentates games that don't pertain to them. I can kind of hear some bias sometimes against UConn, but it's definitely a stretch.

It's similar to how I sometimes hear bias with Lobo's words against Parker and Ogwumike sometimes in her commentating of halftime reports. Some posters here agreed with that. Others wondered how I could hear that. I

People will hear what they want to hear lol. I don't think she is Pro-UConn... But that's a whole of a lot different than Anti-UConn which is the theme on here

 

[Undercovervol]

I think it does depend on where your biases lie. Like, sometimes I think Lobo is anti-Parker, but I have distinct memories of Lobo being very complimentary to Parker, particularly in the WNBA finals when they beat Minnesota.
Lobo called the game where Parker slam dunked in Hartford, so that could be where that originated.
I think Antonelli is just trying to promote “good” stories in WCBB. It’s a “good” story to continuously talk about UConn being “down” this season because it gets attention and “promotes” parity (because parity is apparently something WCBB inherently needs). I don’t think she’s inherently anti UConn. Landers isn’t, and he’s suffered some terrible losses to Geno and Co.

 

[Undercovervol]

And to be fair to Lobo’s criticisms, Parker has had an up and down career (due to injury and other personal things), and I admit that she hasn’t always played hard, every game.

 

[eebmg]

I am continuously amazed that people try to find a coherent viewpoint for a given announcer / coach etc and then go bonkers when unavoidable inconsistencies occur.

Announcers / coaches will respond based on the latest facts and make their story fit the facts to their (or teams ) best benefit. Then if circumstances change, the viewpoint will be modified as needed.