Olivia Nelson-Ododa

[bags27]

There are two stereotypes some UConn fans apply to recruits who choose to go elsewhere.

1. Ego. She wants to be the big star of a team, which she couldn't be with the emphasis on teamwork at UConn.

2. Laziness. She doesn't want to work as hard as Geno makes you work.

Outside observers rightfully object to these stereotypes, and it can't be emphasized too often here, that there are a host of other reasons a player might decide to go elsewhere.

Agree completely that there are lots of reasons why players decide to go elsewhere. And, as you frame it--ego and laziness--I'm sure outside observers would readily object. I would hope that even insider observers would object.

Just to point out that one way to frame it is "ego". Another is simply wanting more playing time or having parents who want to make sure you're the star of the team (and therefore have a better professional future).

And one way to frame it is "laziness." Another is that some players just don't want to commit quite so much single-minded effort as they see UConn players devote. Maybe on their campus visits they perceive--rightly or wrongly--that other teams are more relaxed and have more fun in practice. Maybe they think that Geno is too harsh on his players.

So, while the two ideas are ballpark similar, IMO there's enough latitude in each to allow Boneyarders to believe that a lot of players who turn down UConn do so because they want more playing time or more prominence (not necessarily ego) or they want a more relaxed environment (not necessarily lazy).

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I think she's going to either Georgia or South Carolina as I've heard she'd like to be close to home. FSU is somewhat close, but Tallahassee isn't the easiest place to get to.

 

[CocoHusky]

I don't know if there are? What ONO are we getting? If you know her true current physical condition then I don't know what to tell u. Has she even played competitive horse yet? A pick up game?
Do u not like Boston?

Hopefully UCONN is getting ONO tomorrow. She doesn't have to be on UCONN's campus until June 2018 at the earliiest and I'll be glad to have her there if she chooses UCONN. Not the least bit concerned about her condition today.
I like Boston fine , I love ONO. Keep in mind that if UCONN does not get a 2018 (Ezi or ONO) post player, as many as 2 players from the class of 2019 will have to step into the starting line up as Freshmen post.

 

[Go/huskies]

I think she's going to either Georgia or South Carolina as I've heard she'd like to be close to home. FSU is somewhat close, but Tallahassee isn't the easiest place to get to.

Wilson to ONO has to be in the back of her head. Even tho South Car has a few good young post, they are all about the same size and more power forwards, getting ONO who looks to be about 6'6 would help them a tone, but she would have to earn her playing time Dawn doesn't just hand out starting jobs.

 

[Go/huskies]

Hopefully UCONN is getting ONO tomorrow. She doesn't have to be on UCONN's campus until June 2018 at the earliiest and I'll be glad to have her there if she chooses UCONN. Not the least bit concerned about her condition today.
I like Boston fine , I love ONO. Keep in mind that if UCONN does not get a 2018 (Ezi or ONO) post player, as many as 2 players from the class of 2019 will have to step into the starting line up as Freshmen post.

Touly should still be around, wouldn't be shocked to see her and Gordon or her and Irwin starting in 2019, atlest to start the season.

 

[CocoHusky]

FYI.......

River Baldwin a 6'5" post from Pleasant Home H.S. (AL) class 2019 has committed to Florida State. Not sure if this has any bearing on ONO's future plans.

River Baldwin committed to Florida State back in February 2017.

Florida State signed 6'3" post player Valencia Meyers last week. Meyers is a former USA basketbal U16 caliber player and ONO would be the 6th 2018 signed by FSU.
Don't see FSU even placing in the ONO sweepstakes tomorrow.

 

[CocoHusky]

Touly should still be around, wouldn't be shocked to see her and Gordon or her and Irwin starting in 2019, atlest to start the season.

Camara might not be around by then so UCONN could be looking at 1 upper classman post in Irwin.

 

[Charliebball]

Charlie Collier is the latest example. She changed her mind and decided to stay closer to home. There is nothing wrong with that.

She changed her mind three times. When a coach gets a verbal from a top player, it tends to close out recruiting at that position. A subsequent change of mind just screws things up, both for the coaches AND for other recruits. Better not to make the verbal if you’re not SURE. And yes, I know we are talking about an 18 year-old here. I am no way bitter at Collier. She did what she thought she had to do. But “there’s nothing wrong with that?” Yeah, there is. Ask Geno.

if not for the hurricane that hit Texas, I think there is a very good chance that Charli would be a UConn commit today..............perhaps she would end up being a transfer a year or two down the road so maybe things worked out for the best.......

 

[MilfordHusky]

Or how she's announcing (twitter, event at school, etc)?

Exactly. This is very low key.

I'm counting on the Horde to let us know on a timely basis.

 

[CocoHusky]

Fantastic post that nails it.

Charlie Collier is the latest example. She changed her mind and decided to stay closer to home. There is nothing wrong with that. Family should be that important.

We get our fair share of the top players. The difference always has been and always will be Geno and Company's ability to develop this talent into a juggernaut.

If ONO decides UConn - great! If not, we move on. Its life.

if not for the hurricane that hit Texas, I think there is a very good chance that Charli would be a UConn commit today....perhaps she would end up being a transfer a year or two down the road so maybe things worked out for the best..

When a coach gets a verbal from a 17 year old kid as UCONN did from Collier or from a 14 year old kid as Texas did from Collier the coaches should act like adults and treat it as a verbal- BTW Geno did. Collier is not the first player to change her mind about playing at UCONN. Geno was asked about this in the interview where he wearing a camoflouge UCONN logo cap to honor veterans. I have seen Geno more iritated by a missed layup in practice than he was in his answer about the Collier de-commitment. I'm sure Geno wishes Collier well.

 

[JordyG]

FYI.......

River Baldwin a 6'5" post from Pleasant Home H.S. (AL) class 2019 has committed to Florida State. Not sure if this has any bearing on ONO's future plans.

Hope so.

 

[JustinesGuy]

Hopefully UCONN is getting ONO tomorrow. She doesn't have to be on UCONN's campus until June 2018 at the earliiest and I'll be glad to have her there if she chooses UCONN. Not the least bit concerned about her condition today.
I like Boston fine , I love ONO. Keep in mind that if UCONN does not get a 2018 (Ezi or ONO) post player, as many as 2 players from the class of 2019 will have to step into the starting line up as Freshmen post.

True. Worst comes to worst we are loaded at impact guard play. We will know soon enough on Ono. What's your gut say?

 

[JordyG]

True. Worst comes to worst we are loaded at impact guard play. We will know soon enough on Ono. What's your gut say?

My gut is saying 55-45 UConn with SC the 45. She, unlike CW may not even decide until she stands up at the mike.

 

[JustinesGuy]

My gut is saying 55-45 UConn with SC the 45. She, unlike CW may not even decide until she stands up at the mike.

Sounds good!

 

[CocoHusky]

True. Worst comes to worst we are loaded at impact guard play. We will know soon enough on Ono. What's your gut say?

My gut is extremely biased and hoping that the UCONN staff has done a good enough job of convincing ONO of a vision that @Sluconn Husky was the first to see more than 2 years ago. The Vision: In the UCONN system ONO will absolutely be a star of the highest magnitude.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Olivia lives only 25 miles from the Georgia campus. That seems to be the one thing that favors Georgia. It's certainly not basketball.

I'm hopeful. I'm sure that Olivia was impressed by both Geno and CD.

 

[JustinesGuy]

My gut is extremely biased and hoping that the UCONN staff has done a good enough job of convincing ONO of a version that @Sluconn Husky was the first to see more than 2 years ago. The Vision: In the UCONN system ONO will absolutely be a star of the highest magnitude.

She seems like a wonderful person. Very bright and articulate. She would be a great addition to the campus.

 

[CocoHusky]

She seems like a wonderful person. Very bright and articulate. She would be a great addition to the campus.

Yup she's all that and a bag of humble chips. She had me with the first two sentences of this video when she spoke of the "honor of representing her country".

 

[UConnCat]

Exactly. This is very low key.

I'm counting on the Horde to let us know on a timely basis.

Looks like announcement/signing will be at her school at 1pm EST. Streaming available

 

[BigBird]

When a coach gets a verbal from a 17 year old kid as UCONN did from Collier or from a 14 year old kid as Texas did from Collier the coaches should act like adults and treat it as a verbal- BTW Geno did. Collier is not the first player to change her mind about playing at UCONN. Geno was asked about this in the interview where he wearing a camoflouge UCONN logo cap to honor veterans. I have seen Geno more iritated by a missed layup in practice than he was in his answer about the Collier de-commitment. I'm sure Geno wishes Collier well.

We certainly read his mood differently then. So be it.

 

[Plebe]

Looks like announcement/signing will be at her school at 1pm EST. Streaming available

Three D-I signees from the same HS team? It's the Duncanville of Georgia.

 

[BrianF]

I think it helps us. They visited together in October, they play different positions, and CW increases the chances of ONO playing on a championship team.

On Twitter, ONO follows 399 people. In WCBB, she follows scattered players here and there, 2018 commits to schools and the like. Of interest, she follows Dawn Staley (no Geno) and A'ja Wilson. She lists a 2018 commit to each of Stanford, Georgia, FSU, South Carolina and Duke. However, for UConn she follows Crystal, Azura, Mikayla, Meghan and Christyn. By far the most for one program.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

There are two stereotypes some UConn fans apply to recruits who choose to go elsewhere.

1. Ego. She wants to be the big star of a team, which she couldn't be with the emphasis on teamwork at UConn.

2. Laziness. She doesn't want to work as hard as Geno makes you work.

Outside observers rightfully object to these stereotypes, and it can't be emphasized too often here, that there are a host of other reasons a player might decide to go elsewhere.

By now no rational student of the game would deny that UConn has the best women's college basketball program in history, and plenty of other attractions as well.

But that's obviously not the whole story for a given recruit. Yes, there may be some who fit one of the stereotypes, but for every one of those there are many others motivated by geography (easier attendance in person by family and friends; home front comfort zone; climate), parents' wishes; relationships with coaches or other players; general or specialty academics, and the list goes on.

UConn will (in Geno's time, and maybe beyond) get outstanding players and mold them into excellent members of excellent teams. That's good enough.

Many other superb athletes, including those UConn would like to have signed, will form the competition. There's no basis blithely to assume there's anything wrong with them for having passed on the opportunity to come to Storrs.

Thank you for this. There are players UConn has missed out on for very good reasons that have nothing to do with their laziness or attitude. A recruit has to find the best situation for them. It could be UConn, it could be someone else.

 

[Charliebball]

On Twitter, ONO follows 399 people. In WCBB, she follows scattered players here and there, 2018 commits to schools and the like. Of interest, she follows Dawn Staley (no Geno) and A'ja Wilson. She lists a 2018 commit to each of Stanford, Georgia, FSU, South Carolina and Duke. However, for UConn she follows Crystal, Azura, Mikayla, Meghan and Christyn. By far the most for one program.

ahhhhhhh........another twitter detective like myself.........and your very thorough analysis leads you to believe????

 

[Bajan Best]

On Twitter, ONO follows 399 people. In WCBB, she follows scattered players here and there, 2018 commits to schools and the like. Of interest, she follows Dawn Staley (no Geno) and A'ja Wilson. She lists a 2018 commit to each of Stanford, Georgia, FSU, South Carolina and Duke. However, for UConn she follows Crystal, Azura, Mikayla, Meghan and Christyn. By far the most for one program.

Worth noting Geno took down his Twitter account a long while back because it was hacked and only reopened one recently to promote his new podcast, but in addition to those listed above ODO also follows both Chris Dailey and Morisa Moseley of the UCONNWBB coaching staff And Lexi Gordon as well from the team.

 

[CocoHusky]

On Twitter, ONO follows 399 people. In WCBB, she follows scattered players here and there, 2018 commits to schools and the like. Of interest, she follows Dawn Staley (no Geno) and A'ja Wilson. She lists a 2018 commit to each of Stanford, Georgia, FSU, South Carolina and Duke. However, for UConn she follows Crystal, Azura, Mikayla, Meghan and Christyn. By far the most for one program.

Worth noting Geno took down his Twitter account a long while back because it was hacked and only reopened one recently to promote his new podcast, but in addition to those listed above ODO also follows both Chris Dailey and Morisa Moseley of the UCONNWBB coaching staff And Lexi Gordon as well from the team.

ahhhhhhh...another twitter detective like myself....and your very thorough analysis leads you to believe????

 

[MilfordHusky]

Only 3 hours to go!

 

[CocoHusky]

Only 3 hours to go!

Are we sure she's not on Central time?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Are we sure she's not on Central time?

Christyn was. Olivia is in Georgia.

 

[HoopsFan21]

On Twitter, ONO follows 399 people. In WCBB, she follows scattered players here and there, 2018 commits to schools and the like. Of interest, she follows Dawn Staley (no Geno) and A'ja Wilson. She lists a 2018 commit to each of Stanford, Georgia, FSU, South Carolina and Duke. However, for UConn she follows Crystal, Azura, Mikayla, Meghan and Christyn. By far the most for one program.

So based on this I'd say she's definitely headed to Kennesaw State because she can't resist the opportunity to play Maryland every year.