Non-UConn Recruiting Thread

[tazmaz]

Either

A) you don’t watch much women’s basketball at all
B) you haven’t watched Balogun, Evans, Konno, Green or Smith much at all
C) you haven’t really watched Hailey Van Lith play against top competition in the summer (school ball or USA is not the top competition)
D) you are really young and follow social media a lot and have bought into Slam magazines poster child Hailey Van Lith persona
E) all or some of the above

Hailey Van Lith will not be the best player on Louisville’s team next year. She may turn out to be a good college player (although I’m skeptical), but Louisville’s best player as a freshman. Hard to imagine

I watch a lot of WCBB. Even every Boston College game I can which is Iike watching the same game over and over.
Never heard of Slam mag.
Don’t follow twitter or Facebook though I have heard of them. Hailey Van Lith is light years skill wise ahead of Dana Evans offensively. Dana is struggling finishing. Dana finds other ways to impact games but that inability to finish off her drives keeps her from being elite. Balogun needs a ton of coaching up in her all around game. She lacks instincts though she’ll be really good in time under Walz. Konno will develop and get better though right now the games a bit too fast. Nyah Smith is overrated and has been since her freshman year at Allen High. Kianna Smith might be there best player with Van Lith if Smith is more aggressive. She has it all. Smith got lost on that Cal team last year. Gottlieb fell in love with Racee Caldwell and Caldwell didn’t come through until the end of the year. I did see Racee hit a game tieing 3 in regulation at home verse Aarion McDonald and Arizona. Very intense. Seats behind the basket. Cal won in OT. PAC 12 is fun to watch.
Also saw UConn beat Cal last year. It was fun hearing the p.a. guy say “basket by Samuelson” silencing the crowd just after Cal would be making a run to stay in it.

 

[j66kicker]

Uh, I really disagree. Walz is better at player development than Graves, Mulkey and Close and I’m not a blind Walz fan. Your point about Van Lith’s limited upside is an interesting one. Her defensive foot speed isn’t the best but she likes defense and is a pit bull. Her body type is a concern. She’s already solid and strong. I wonder if she might continue to thicken up to where it effects her speed and quickness a few years from now. With her build that’s not something one can control. It happens or it doesn’t. Hopefully way overthinking.

Hailey Van Lith has 'thickened' herself with weightlifting to a much greater extent than most HS girls. And she already has well-developed BB skills. I worry that maybe she has just pushed herself to this point at an early age, but others will catch up and pass her when they get serious about training and skills development in college.

 

[sivad40]

Uh, I really disagree. Walz is better at player development than Graves, Mulkey and Close and I’m not a blind Walz fan. Your point about Van Lith’s limited upside is an interesting one. Her defensive foot speed isn’t the best but she likes defense and is a pit bull. Her body type is a concern. She’s already solid and strong. I wonder if she might continue to thicken up to where it effects her speed and quickness a few years from now. With her build that’s not something one can control. It happens or it doesn’t. Hopefully way overthinking.

What evidence do you have the Walz is better at player development than those three coaches?

 

[tazmaz]

What evidence do you have the Walz is better at player development than those three coaches?

Sam Fuehring and Arica Carter were utter disasters their freshman and sophomore years. I had given up on both of them. Walz stayed with them and they worked their tails off and became terrific players. Both drafted and Arica made an opening day roster and Sam is off to a great start playing pro ball in Germany.

Shoni Schimmel- Shoni EASILY could have crashed and burned while in college under the wrong coach. Coming from a unique background that was not an easy transition, Walz kept her on track and she had a GREAT college career. Some bumps but pretty incredible overall.

Angel - Got better every year especially her last two years under Walz. Number 1 overall pick in the draft and has gone on to be a dynamic WNBA player.

Asia Durr - was hampered by a severe groin injury her freshman year and it was no easy task dealing with the disappointing frosh year for her. Walz did not red shirt her and she chose to play through it as best as possible. Her game skyrocketed and Walz helped her live up to all expectations and the #2 pick in the draft.
Antonita Slaughter. An unserious freshman who developed her game into being a Giant killer by her Jr year as part of that team that slayed Griner and Baylor. Slaughter was a 6’1 overachiever that developed into a very good player on both ends her last two years. Including her Sr season when she came back from what was thought to be a career ending medical situation.
Asia Taylor- injury riddled but kept working on her game and stayed with it and despite being the last player drafted, made the WNBA champion Lynx. Took the experience she gained with Walz and has become a bonafide star in the Australian league and never backed down from going after the WNBA now playing in 5 seasons.
Myisha Hines Allen - She came in talented but undisciplined and learned how to work. Walz got the best from her in every aspect and she matured into an impact player and difference maker for the Cards and plays for the WNBA champs Mystics with a great attitude and total belief in her ability. She has grown.
Bianca Dunham - A total project and not rated out of high school with limited experience so very raw but good athletic ability. She now is a two year starter and plays a key leadership role on the team.

 

[LoTrader]

Hailey Van Lith will be a stud in college. Hailey Van Lith will get minutes at Louisville in her freshman year.

 

[HuskyNan]

Time to start a new thread