Nika Muhl to UCONN

[oldude]

Isn't Uconn her dream school from her younger days?

That may be true, although I never heard that. While Hailey Van Lith may eventually have a greater upside than Muhl, sometimes she does play a little out of control, getting herself caught inside, up in the air, among the trees. I think Muhl will be better able to contribute at the D1 level from the start.

 

[DaBball]

She is coming next year with Griffin right? How tall is she? Isn't she a great 3 point shooter? Will be a freshman?

Three-point shooting is not her specialty - at all. In her two European leagues, she is a combined 11-65 (16.9%).

What she does do well at is ... She is a terrific passer and is very crafty as well as a tenacious defender. Also a great rebounder for a guard. Triple-double type of player.

She will join Bueckers as far as anyone knows.

 

[Wbbfan1]

 

[Wbbfan1]

Interview:

 

[DaBball]

That may be true, although I never heard that. While Hailey Van Lith may eventually have a greater upside than Muhl, sometimes she does play a little out of control, getting herself caught inside, up in the air, among the trees. I think Muhl will be better able to contribute at the D1 level from the start.

Both Hailey Van Lith and Muhl get very out of control at times. Muhl averages 6 TOPG in one league and 4.4 in the other. That will need to be cut down before she sees the floor.

 

[oldude]

Just watched the latest video on Nika and I now have this incredible image in my head of Nika, Paige and Christyn on the court together with Liv, Megan and/or some other front court TBD's.

In the words of Dickie V, "IT'S SHOWTIME BABY!!!"

 

[DaBball]

Interview:

Good English! Impressive.

 

[mbr33ct]

Hmmm. Wonder how this affects the other recruits like Hailey Van Lith etc.

Get 'em when you can and let the chips fall where they may regarding "other recruits".

 

[Argonaut]

Does anyone know if she’s been to campus yet?

 

[Wbbfan1]

Home Visit with Jose Fernandez of USF

 

[oldude]

Good English! Impressive.

Better than me and I been living here my whole life....

 

[oldude]

Home Visit with Jose Fernandez of USF

View attachment 42041

She wasn't smiling. Clearly Jose didn't seal the deal.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Oregon Home Visit. I believe that's Xavi Lopez Oregon Ass't Coach.

 

[SVCBeercats]

I have wondered why he avoided the international players. I believe his immigrant story should play very well with international players and their families.

wooha!
I am glad Uconn has gone international - I think there is a quality to international players that is harder to find in US players.
1. US kids tend to be less mature as US society tends to be less integrated by age.
2. US players tend to play too much and practice as a team too little.
3. US teams tend to be 'star oriented' while international players are more 'team oriented'

No question that the talent available in the US is phenomenal and with no local professional options all that talent is funneled into the college ranks. And the above list is a generalization and there are a lot of kids who are exceptions to the rule, but they have to buck the #2 and #3 points.

 

[mbr33ct]

She just gained an inch from my earlier post. Let's get Bria Hartley in here and clear this up once and for all.

Here's Bria's scale.

 

[Cheddie]

I'm very happy to have Muhl, but I chuckle at this given Geno's complaints 20 years ago about a certain European player. It's why Geno never gets mic'ed up for games anymore.

Geno complained tongue in cheek about Sveta, because she was just as stubborn as he was. In reality, she was one of his very favorite players to come to Storrs. She spoke limited English when she came to the US, as Geno did when he arrived. He consequently had enormous respect for her both on and especially off the court in the classroom. I had the opportunity to attend a few events at which both were present, and the affection between them was evident. She was like a daughter to him.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Guessing Hailey Van Lith is a no go.

I'm guessing that was the case when Bueckers gave her verbal committment last week.

 

[Go/huskies]

Welcome Nika to UConn, I wonder if she will wear # 10.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Does anyone know if she’s been to campus yet?

She said the other day she was going to visit in May and then make her decision. I think she had UConn in her heart all along.

 

[oldude]

Oregon Home Visit. I believe that's Xavi Lopez Oregon Ass't Coach.

View attachment 42043

It's now clear to me why UConn won the recruiting battle. Geno was the only coach that didn't make Nika do some silly hand gesture to make bull horns or the Oregon "O". Hell, Jeff Walz probably showed up wearing a Cardinal suit.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Good English! Impressive.

Apparently, her vocabulary includes “screen” and “defense.”

 

[oldude]

Apparently, her vocabulary includes “screen” and “defense.”

So Nika come 3000 mile to set pick?

 

[huskyd]

Is she the Croatian?

Yes. Interestingly, Geno went to Croatia to pay her a visit (in March). Must have really wanted her, and she was apparently very impressed. Also interesting that she has followed the Huskies since childhood. As with Paige, Nika says UConn was her dream team.
But olddude's point is well taken: let's get some size if we can to complement these talented guards.

 

[BobbyJ]

Wonder how she got a uniform so fast.

 

[UcMiami]

Interesting stat lines from what I have seen - lots of both assists and TOs, good 2 point percentage, bad 3 point percentage, iffy on FTs, tons of steals and lots of rebounds for a guard.

She is getting calls to the national team and has played on the age restricted teams. Saw one comment about double doubles, triple doubles and quad doubles but suspect that is all local level stuff.

Don't really think this commitment changes anything on the US side of recruiting - seeing how US recruits do not seem to restrict their choices by what a school already has. Specifically if Hailey Van Lith wants to come to Uconn I doubt 'competition' will scare her away.