October Recruiting Thread

[Mdoggie]

So let me understand correctly: You would be ok with the comparison if the player were a red head or brunette?

You know what I mean. Lol.

 

[DEpup]

Still a Player of Interest IG post liked by MV

Do we really think she will go to college or just go straight to the pros?

 

[JordyG]

Do we really think she will go to college or just go straight to the pros?

I think it's kind of up in the air. Ezi Magbegor had the option of going to one of the better basketball leagues in the world and playing under a great coach and former player who she was acquainted with. Plus the money was good. The Lithuanian league is also very good, although not quite as good as the Australian league. For Juste the advantage is initially playing close to home, and in the long run, making more money in Europe. The advantage of playing here in the states is after 4 years at UConn a player of her caliber is guaranteed a spot on a team in the best league in the world while playing in Europe after the Association finishes up. I'd say, as I said with Magbegor, it's about 60-40 she stays home. But still,

 

[Charliebball]

Absolutely disgusting

unless you needed some spare batteries.......

 

[Cuango]

Im a keyboard warrior. In that I have voiced my opinion on every blonde basketball player with any skill being compared to our latest and greatest UConn player does not work for me. A talented ball player is a talented ball player. Not the next coming of anyone but themselves.

It’s very interesting how some view the “She’s the next coming of Stewie” or “He’s the next Bird” as some kind of negative put-down while others see it as a compliment. I think it is virtually always a compliment! There is nothing in that statement that is negative toward that player. It doesn’t even preclude the possibility that the player could conceivably be better than Stewie (or whoever you are comparing the player to. I just don’t understand it, I guess. I do concede it could go the other way if the player is compared to a bad player but I don’t recall seeing that happen. Every time I’ve seen it, it was meant as a compliment and taken as such imo by most people, including the player him/herself!

 

[Mdoggie]

It’s very interesting how some view the “She’s the next coming of Stewie” or “He’s the next Bird” as some kind of negative put-down while others see it as a compliment. I think it is virtually always a compliment! There is nothing in that statement that is negative toward that player. It doesn’t even preclude the possibility that the player could conceivably be better than Stewie (or whoever you are comparing the player to. I just don’t understand it, I guess. I do concede it could go the other way if the player is compared to a bad player but I don’t recall seeing that happen. Every time I’ve seen it, it was meant as a compliment and taken as such imo by most people, including the player him/herself!

I get your point.

 

[UcMiami]

It’s very interesting how some view the “She’s the next coming of Stewie” or “He’s the next Bird” as some kind of negative put-down while others see it as a compliment. I think it is virtually always a compliment! There is nothing in that statement that is negative toward that player. It doesn’t even preclude the possibility that the player could conceivably be better than Stewie (or whoever you are comparing the player to. I just don’t understand it, I guess. I do concede it could go the other way if the player is compared to a bad player but I don’t recall seeing that happen. Every time I’ve seen it, it was meant as a compliment and taken as such imo by most people, including the player him/herself!

I think this refers back to a number of athletes and a number of people in different professions who have struggled with these types of comparisons and living up to outsized expectations. When people say 'the next _____', they are referring to a person who has already gone through developmental struggles and failures and their own early mediocrity when no one was looking,and have then built a resume that is monumental. To be thrust into such comparisons during their own early struggles and failures can be a crushing weight. We see the comparisons everywhere and the 'failures' left in the wake of the comparisons.

On a Uconn level ... whoever follows Geno will be a failure because no one will live up to his legacy - as no one lived up to Wooden or Pat. And as no one has survived the 'next great American author' or the 'next Cary Grant' or the 'next _____.' The Jets have been looking for the 'next Joe Willie' for 50 years, the Pats will be looking for the 'next TB12' for decades, and those expectations have turned fan bases into killing machines.

In more recent times ... no one who says 'the next Diana' reflects on her 0fer in her first FF and Diana didn't have to face the world's expectations because she hadn't been labeled as the 'next Nykesha Sales' who played brilliantly as a freshman in winning a championship. And when they compare to Stewart, they aren't going to be saying they expect this new player to be benched in her first season, but are expecting the 2016 era Stewart in a HS senior.

While the comparison can be meant as a compliment, too often it also creates an expectation that is unlikely to be reached, and especially with young, unestablished talent can create negative comparisons when a disappointing product is put out. While Paige had a phenomenal year, she failed to match Stewart's results - while everyone is giving Paige a pass because she was NPOY after all, I think the rest of the team has taken additional criticism for not being 'good enough' in a way that 2001 and DT and the task force didn't - they had the excuse of injuries of course, but the remaining team had 4 Olympians and two #1, a #2, #4, and #6 WNBA picks.

I understand the desire to compare skill sets, and I don't tend to comment, but I do think the above is worth thinking about before putting too much pressure on kids.

 

[MooseJaw]

I think this refers back to a number of athletes and a number of people in different professions who have struggled with these types of comparisons and living up to outsized expectations. When people say 'the next _____', they are referring to a person who has already gone through developmental struggles and failures and their own early mediocrity when no one was looking,and have then built a resume that is monumental. To be thrust into such comparisons during their own early struggles and failures can be a crushing weight. We see the comparisons everywhere and the 'failures' left in the wake of the comparisons.

On a Uconn level ... whoever follows Geno will be a failure because no one will live up to his legacy - as no one lived up to Wooden or Pat. And as no one has survived the 'next great American author' or the 'next Cary Grant' or the 'next _____.' The Jets have been looking for the 'next Joe Willie' for 50 years, the Pats will be looking for the 'next TB12' for decades, and those expectations have turned fan bases into killing machines.

In more recent times ... no one who says 'the next Diana' reflects on her 0fer in her first FF and Diana didn't have to face the world's expectations because she hadn't been labeled as the 'next Nykesha Sales' who played brilliantly as a freshman in winning a championship. And when they compare to Stewart, they aren't going to be saying they expect this new player to be benched in her first season, but are expecting the 2016 era Stewart in a HS senior.

While the comparison can be meant as a compliment, too often it also creates an expectation that is unlikely to be reached, and especially with young, unestablished talent can create negative comparisons when a disappointing product is put out. While Paige had a phenomenal year, she failed to match Stewart's results - while everyone is giving Paige a pass because she was NPOY after all, I think the rest of the team has taken additional criticism for not being 'good enough' in a way that 2001 and DT and the task force didn't - they had the excuse of injuries of course, but the remaining team had 4 Olympians and two #1, a #2, #4, and #6 WNBA picks.

I understand the desire to compare skill sets, and I don't tend to comment, but I do think the above is worth thinking about before putting too much pressure on kids.

Sorry, if you think the team hangs on our words and writing I have a BB court I'm willing to sell you. While some may read some of posts they are hardly hanging on our arm chair thoughts and ideas with baited breath. If they do read any of our posts my bet would be that they are laughing their butts off at us. I do think they are happy we are here as fans, however they don't think of us as any more than that. My real question is which one of us is so important that the team relies on us for coaching, playing time, line ups or player comparisons.

 

[Cuango]

Sorry, if you think the team hangs on our words and writing I have a BB court I'm willing to sell you. While some may read some of posts they are hardly hanging on our arm chair thoughts and ideas with baited breath. If they do read any of our posts my bet would be that they are laughing their butts off at us. I do think they are happy we are here as fans, however they don't think of us as any more than that. My real question is which one of us is so important that the team relies on us for coaching, playing time, line ups or player comparisons.

I think this refers back to a number of athletes and a number of people in different professions who have struggled with these types of comparisons and living up to outsized expectations. When people say 'the next _____', they are referring to a person who has already gone through developmental struggles and failures and their own early mediocrity when no one was looking,and have then built a resume that is monumental. To be thrust into such comparisons during their own early struggles and failures can be a crushing weight. We see the comparisons everywhere and the 'failures' left in the wake of the comparisons.

On a Uconn level ... whoever follows Geno will be a failure because no one will live up to his legacy - as no one lived up to Wooden or Pat. And as no one has survived the 'next great American author' or the 'next Cary Grant' or the 'next _____.' The Jets have been looking for the 'next Joe Willie' for 50 years, the Pats will be looking for the 'next TB12' for decades, and those expectations have turned fan bases into killing machines.

In more recent times ... no one who says 'the next Diana' reflects on her 0fer in her first FF and Diana didn't have to face the world's expectations because she hadn't been labeled as the 'next Nykesha Sales' who played brilliantly as a freshman in winning a championship. And when they compare to Stewart, they aren't going to be saying they expect this new player to be benched in her first season, but are expecting the 2016 era Stewart in a HS senior.

While the comparison can be meant as a compliment, too often it also creates an expectation that is unlikely to be reached, and especially with young, unestablished talent can create negative comparisons when a disappointing product is put out. While Paige had a phenomenal year, she failed to match Stewart's results - while everyone is giving Paige a pass because she was NPOY after all, I think the rest of the team has taken additional criticism for not being 'good enough' in a way that 2001 and DT and the task force didn't - they had the excuse of injuries of course, but the remaining team had 4 Olympians and two #1, a #2, #4, and #6 WNBA picks.

I understand the desire to compare skill sets, and I don't tend to comment, but I do think the above is worth thinking about before putting too much pressure on kids.

Yeah, you make some points that occasionally these kinds of statements can put pressure on some kids that they cannot live up to. However, I still contend that to expect people who are making genuine, sincere compliments towards a player to pause and analyze every potential rabbit hole that may come from that compliment, is simply a bridge too far. Furthermore, it feeds into this trend in our culture of desperately looking for offense when none was intended or when it simply is not there. Many kids thrive on statements that help them see other’s respect for their game or the perceived potential that others may see in their game. Helping kids have a realistic understanding of their own potential is the job of parents, coaches, and the kids themselves, not some complete stranger who believes they have great potential and who are simply complimenting them on their skills.

 

[CocoHusky]

Yeah, you make some points that occasionally these kinds of statements can put pressure on some kids that they cannot live up to. However, I still contend that to expect people who are making genuine, sincere compliments towards a player to pause and analyze every potential rabbit hole that may come from that compliment, is simply a bridge too far. Furthermore, it feeds into this trend in our culture of desperately looking for offense when none was intended or when it simply is not there. Many kids thrive on statements that help them see other’s respect for their game or the perceived potential that others may see in their game. Helping kids have a realistic understanding of their own potential is the job of parents, coaches, and the kids themselves, not some complete stranger who believes they have great potential and who are simply complimenting them on their skills.

 

[Mdoggie]

Toomey Toomey Toomey to be the next great Toomey!!! @ UConn I hope!!

 

[Sluconn Husky]

PN on Devin Coppinger ('24):

Brandon Clay:

Devin Coppinger has really turned herself into a legitimate producer for an NCAA Tournament caliber program. She can do whatever her future college needs her to be successful. During our Seattle session, Coppinger was shooting the ball at an elite clip given her age. Then in Texas last weekend, she followed that performance up with a similar one with some of the nation’s top prospects in the building with us. In that regard, Coppinger is a plug and play type capable of providing a multitude of things to a college roster. She’s strong enough to keep people in front of her yet skilled enough to be a shot maker when left open. Add those qualities to the work ethic that she shows whenever we train and Coppinger has the ability to be a consistent difference maker in the right situation next level.


Chris Hansen:


Coppinger is a coach’s dream. She morphs into whatever her team needs and usually does it at a high level. In that way she compares impact-wise to a Sam Thomas at Arizona. They are build different but both can contribute across the board. Coppinger early on was fantastic off the dribble and scoring as a slasher. Her game has continually evolved and it’s been a lot of fun to see her add the jumper then learn how to use it to set up other parts of her game. The subtly to her game makes training with her fun as well as you can throw just about anything at her and she’ll figure it out.

In The Gym With Devin Coppinger | Prospects Nation

prospectsnation.com

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Talented 2026 Brooklynn Haywood:

 

[MilfordHusky]

There are at least 3 relevant differences between Juste and Ezi:

1. Juste doesn't have an all-time great in Lithuania like Lauren Jackson to mentor her.

2. Juste is about 4,000 miles from Storrs; Ezi was about 10,000.

3. Juste was born in the U.S. Ezi was born in Australia.

 

[Charliebball]

Sorry, if you think the team hangs on our words and writing I have a BB court I'm willing to sell you. While some may read some of posts they are hardly hanging on our arm chair thoughts and ideas with baited breath. If they do read any of our posts my bet would be that they are laughing their butts off at us. I do think they are happy we are here as fans, however they don't think of us as any more than that. My real question is which one of us is so important that the team relies on us for coaching, playing time, line ups or player comparisons.

my knowledge is limited to several past players involved in being recruited by UConn.........they were impressed with the sheer enthusiasm of the Boneyard and thought some of the comments to be very amusing and some to be outright crazy......

 

[Mdoggie]

Recruiting: Kiki Rice, Ayanna Patterson and Isuneh Brady visit UConn for First Night

The Huskies' top remaining target in the class of 2022 was on campus Friday night.

uconnwbbweekly.substack.com

 

[eebmg]

Without subscription, cant get in but was this picture embedded in the article taken at Storrs? Who are the other people?

 

[CocoHusky]

Without subscription, cant get in but was this picture embedded in the article taken at Storrs? Who are the other people?

View attachment 70438

Thant appears to be John (Dad) standing and Andrea (Mom) seated. Love that Kiki is smiling.

 

[visitingcock]

my knowledge is limited to several past players involved in being recruited by UConn.........they were impressed with the sheer enthusiasm of the Boneyard and thought some of the comments to be very amusing and some to be outright crazy......

https://y.yarn.co/13f2da07-a0dd-4251-b1ec-b7a721e9c9ff_text.gif

 

[oldude]

Thant appears to be John (Dad) standing and Andrea (Mom) seated. Love that Kiki is smiling.

I had wondered if Kiki's parents made the trip. In addition to getting to know UConn it gave them the opportunity to watch their alma mater (Yale) at the football game on Saturday.

 

[hoophuskee]

I understand the desire to compare skill sets, and I don't tend to comment, but I do think the above is worth thinking about before putting too much pressure on kids.

I think once the season starts the pressure of comparisons of being compared to a player completely goes away. Players come to UCONN to become part of a team. They don't care that much that the fans or media refers to them as comparisons to this player or that unless if there is a selfish play they might. It will sound cliche but the pressure they have is playing for each other. They live with each other. Each o0thers opinions of one another (and ofc the coaches) is the foremost driver. The comparisons by others on the outside are not that relevant imo.

 

[CocoHusky]

Interesting short clip here: Mikaylah Williams with the walk up deep ball and Ciera Toomey with the answer. They both would look good in UCONN blue -just hoping.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

All Star Girls Report finishes its recruit updates by putting out a 2025 class list.

Aaliyah Chavez gets the initial #1 ranking.

Other UConn POI:

Keziah Lofton: #3

Zhen Craft: #11

Keeley Parks: #14

Aniya Foy: #15

Priyanka Ponnam: #21

No. 1 Aaliayh Chavez Highlights Top 25 Prospects In The Class Of 2025 @CFEliteSports @KentuckyPremier @ladyjetselite @WVThunder2025 @TeamTakeoverGBB @TeamKiddNorCal | ASGR Basketball

asgrbasketball.com

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Former UConn POI and top-five talent Janiah Barker to Georgia. Her finalists included SC and Mississippi.

 

[Charliebball]

Former UConn POI and top-five talent Janiah Barker to Georgia. Her finalists included SC and Mississippi.

that's refreshing to see........