Nika Returning? | The Boneyard

Nika Returning?

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GoUconn7961

GoUconn7961

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Has this been confirmed anywhere?
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Hadn’t seen it. But it certainly makes sense. Nika is a wonderful college basketball player who is unlikely to make it in the W. She loves UConn & UConn loves her. Hopefully, she can persuade her “slime” to join her in returning to the Huskies next season.
 
I have no idea if this is accurate, but if Nika comes back, I’m thrilled. That would be consistent with what Paige said earlier in the week about loving her college experience, teammates, UConn fans, etc.
 
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The person that posted it doesn’t know. If you read the comments, he/she says she doesn’t know
 
Holding players over effects the recruits so I am opposed to them playing longer than 4 years. It has nothing to do with the player but the integrity of the program for me. Recruits make their decisions based on opportunity and when a whole team might be held over then the opportunity completely changes. I also think Nika will play in the WNBA especially if she keep developing her shot.
 
Practicing for the announcement?? Social media is the wild west, man. Sweet fancy moses, What a weird thing to do.
 
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Nika could get WNBA nod. There are a number of teams that could really use a solid floor leader, passer, and lock down defender. Anybody from the Lynx lurking? Regardless, Nika has a very nice career ahead of her internationally.
 
I know absolutely nothing about Nika's intentions nor do I know anything about what Geno has in mind and how he will counsel his players. However, I do think that whether or not Nika goes to the WNBA next year or the year after...it is obvious that a make-over is in progress with Nika. Since KK is here and Paige is back on the floor...it isn't necessary for Nika to have the ball in her hands as much as she did last season. It isn't as important for her to average 8-10 assists per game...don't get me wrong I love it when she racks up the assists. However, the point is that Ashlynn, Paige, and KK also moving the ball around, and with everyone's ability to finish and create...it frees Nika up to remake herself into a shooting, playmaker something that is very desirable in the WNBA. She worked hard (not exactly the words she used) to get her three-point shot more consistent, Geno has given her the green light to hoist them up and she showed the fruits of her labor when she went 4-5 from three. Additionally, you may have noticed that she is pulling up and making the two-point jump shot now...another wanted commodity in the "W". I think Geno realizes that if this kid is going to play at the next level she has to show the league that she can do other things besides providing assists. We fans, of course, will be the beneficiaries of the remaking of Nika as she is going to become a consistent scorer in addition to her tantalizing on-ball defense and her ability to get her teammates the ball.
 
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I hope Geno knows what is going on with the players returning questions going on. If all seniors, Aaliyah, Nika, Paige, and Aubrey come back, we will have a problem with the roster being over what we can legally have, and what about Caroline? Right now, we have (including injured) 14 players on the roster, plus Allie and Morgan coming in next year will make 16. That is not including hopefully getting Sarah Strong, and what about the scholarship offered to Emily Rodrequez? I was assuming from my perspective that Aaliyah would be leaving for the WNBA, and Nika would also either go into the draft or go home to play professionally. That would leave room for Allie, Morgan, and Sarah, but not Emily. I don't know why they are recruiting Emily, as we don't need another 6' 1" guard, but another Big, whether from high school or the portal. This can be really confusing to the staff, and I don't think Geno thought Aubrey would be back, but her injury has really messed up the numbers game. I hate losing any of them, but somebody has to go. Well, that's a problem for later, but if we can win big this year, the numbers could change. I'm just afraid our future for this team can change by the decisions that the players are making at the end of the season. I'm getting a headache right now, so, i will just move on now.
 
huskeynut said:
Despite Paige's statement, I don't think any UConn player will say one way or the other until the season is over.
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For many reasons I think that is the prudent thing to do. That doesn't mean, however, that they have not yet made that decision or told the coaching staff of their decision. Some will truly wait to make the decision after the season ends and others will just keep their decision somewhat secret and just announce it after the season IMO.

Because of the huge uncertainties regarding roster spots, I think if a player knows, they should tell the coaching staff as a common courtesy to the program, and help them in their planning.
 
GoUconn7961 said:
Hey! I was only asking if it was true, or if anyone had heard anything Good grief, some of you. and no, I don’t believe everything on the internet, that’s why I was asking.
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People are responding to the tweet, not your post. Don't take it personally.
 
Play basketball at UCONN and get a Masters for free. Nice gig if you can get it. Either way, I would not be surprised to see her on the bench in the not too distant future in some form of coaching capacity.
 
cferraro04 said:
However, the point is that Ashlynn, Paige, and KK also moving the ball around, and with everyone's ability to finish and create...it frees Nika up to remake herself into a shooting, playmaker something that is very desirable in the WNBA.
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Ashlynn is not and never will be a PG. She's a designated shooter just like KLS was. Assists are happy accidents from simply moving the ball around to a more open shooter. Nika is and always will be a PG first, and in that capacity it benefits her and her team if she becomes a dangerous 3-pt threat that requires the opposing team to guard her. But she will never be a scoring threat. I point to the fact that she's had 10 free throws for the year - she doesn't drive and look to score (by basket or foul). She's a world class facilitator who has been forced into (or had the luxury to transition into) an off guard role.
cferraro04 said:
Additionally, you may have noticed that she is pulling up and making the two-point jump shot now...another wanted commodity in the "W". I think Geno realizes that if this kid is going to play at the next level she has to show the league that she can do other things besides providing assists.
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It's happened twice ... in her career. Ashlynn does it twice per game. Agreed, it's only a good thing that she's added multiple dimensions to her game, but let's not anoint her as collegiate female Stephan Curry.

I hope she comes back for her COVID year. There's no solid evidence that the Ice/Ayanna/Amari trifecta is anything more than an average college player in total. Jana is a total unknown with the same high hopes and expectations that followed Ice, Ayana and Amari. So there's a VERY real possibility that the new 4 guard line-up with PPF (point power forward) Paige is the norm next year as well.
 
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I have read that players who are in the US on a student visa can not get NIL money as it violates the terms that students are not working while they're here. If so, it is a factor in a decision to stay or go pro.
 
Love Nika. I will never not smile when she gets whistled for a foul and she's incredulous. Last year around this time I was worried about Dorka being WNBA ready and she was one of the better rookies last year. So I won't make the same mistake and underestimate Nika. I always compared her to Veronica Burton out of Northwestern. Floor general and great defender. Barton pretty much was an effective backup point guard right away. But Burton was able to average in the high teens by her senior year in college. In any event, to me Nika fits any team. She'd actually be great in Minnesota tbh.
 
Kat said:
I have read that players who are in the US on a student visa can not get NIL money as it violates the terms that students are not working while they're here. If so, it is a factor in a decision to stay or go pro.
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You can earn passive NIL income and it's fine. That's what most Americans players are doing. Not too many are actually working for that money. When you do commercials like Paige or even Amari and get paid for it, that would be the violation you are talking about, but Nika getting a cut of the sales of a shirt that someone else made isn't a problem so long as she isn't the one actually selling the shirts.
 
hoopsfan22 said:
You can earn passive NIL income and it's fine. That's what most Americans players are doing. Not too many are actually working for that money. When you do commercials like Paige or even Amari and get paid for it, that would be the violation you are talking about, but Nika getting a cut of the sales of a shirt that someone else made isn't a problem so long as she isn't the one actually selling the shirts.
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I should have written "foreign players in the US" in my post. There's a different rule for them vs US citizen-athletes.
 
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