Our 2 freshmen are supremely confident

[MilfordHusky]

It's just a feeling, but I think these two are going to be very good for each other over the next 4 years.

Roomies. BFFs. Abbott and Costello.

 

[oldude]

No inside knowledge. She was ranked a middling #29 by HG. I saw her in the Jordan Brand game. She made some shots and seemed to hustle. But she’s a bit of a tweeter: not especially tall, strong, or fast. But she’s smart and skilled. She should get some PT this year or next. But she’s no Megan Walker.

As Scoop notes, Lexi’s conditioning was subpar all season. It is probably going to be better this year.

Conditioning was certainly an issue with Lexi, but she was ranked higher than Kia out of HS. At 6’, with a decent handle, she should be able to move between the 2 & 3 spots. I think if Lexi has gotten herself in shape, the key for her to earn PT will be her ability to play tough defense on opposing g/w’s.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Conditioning was certainly an issue with Lexi, but she was ranked higher than Kia out of HS. At 6’, with a decent handle, she should be able to move between the 2 & 3 spots. I think if Lexi has gotten herself in shape, the key for her to earn PT will be her ability to play tough defense on opposing g/w’s.

Kia’s ranking was affected by coming from Canada. I think one group ranked her about #10, maybe higher.

 

[Hope]

The Yahoo! obsession continues.



UConn women's basketball: Freshman Christyn Williams makes bold championship prediction

 

[Carnac]

Roomies. BFFs. Abbott and Costello.

Or perhaps Starsky & Hutch? or maybe Batman & Robin? Which one would be Batman? Wait, I got it.....
Curry and Durant.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Conditioning was certainly an issue with Lexi, but she was ranked higher than Kia out of HS. At 6’, with a decent handle, she should be able to move between the 2 & 3 spots. I think if Lexi has gotten herself in shape, the key for her to earn PT will be her ability to play tough defense on opposing g/w’s.

I agree with everything you've said here except that I'm not convinced she's 6'.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Is that Lou balancing on a golf cart fender!!!

 

[MSGRET]

Is that Lou balancing on a golf cart fender!!!

Look at her right ankle, does it look like it is taped up?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Look at her left ankle, does it look like it is taped up?

I lost my X-Ray glasses a while back.

 

[donalddoowop]

Look at her left ankle, does it look like it is taped up?

Her left ankle is not showing.

 

[donalddoowop]

Roomies. BFFs. Abbott and Costello.

No. Those two did not get along other than when they were performing. They were not close in their private lives.

 

[oldude]

I agree with everything you've said here except that I'm not convinced she's 6'.

Are their any pictures of Lexi standing next to Bria Hartley?

 

[Gus Mahler]

Are their any pictures of Lexi standing next to Bria Hartley?

Not that I'm aware. Maybe the team picture will elucidate.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

However, her dunking — and her basketball career — screeched to a halt in January of 2017 when Nelson-Ododa went down with a major knee injury. She tore her Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) along with dislocating and fracturing her kneecap. She underwent surgery to remove a piece of the kneecap and repair the ligament a month later..


The injury has since healed but Nelson-Ododa still needs to build the strength back to where it was.


“She’s nowhere near where she needs to be strength wise in order to be a good player,” Auriemma said. “She’s going to be by the time the season starts.”


There’s no rush on part of the team or Nelson-Ododa to get back with the season still a ways off. Auriemma doesn’t want her to re-aggravate it because when she’s at full-strength, there’s few high school post players that can compare with her.


“I’ve seen her at her best and that kid is as good as any post player coming out of high school,” he said.


Freshman Olivia Nelson-Ododa Looking to Make History at UConn

 

[Charliebball]

Well luckily you are not part of the team. i.e. not your house, not your family.

You're snarky reponses to the legitimate thoughts of others never cease to amaze me................you should be very proud..........

 

[HGN]

Milford, I must confess, he's not the only one . I too am guilty.

 

[itsasport]

For Geno to say that at her best, Ododa is as good as any post player to come out of high school is prety amazing, And, he expppests her to be ready by season-time. And she understands hard work. That is a receipe for someone who could be important by the end of the season.

Add to that Megan's mental and physical and mental improvement. And that, I think, CW is as god a player offensively ever to come out of high school, and a very good rebounder.

\

 

[MilfordHusky]

No. Those two did not get along other than when they were performing. They were not close in their private lives.

I didn’t know that. But I’m thinking Liv is the tall, lanky, sincere straight “man” with the set-up lines, and Christyn is the short, jovial one with the punch lines.

 

[MilfordHusky]

For Geno to say that at her best, Ododa is as good as any post player to come out of high school is prety amazing, And, he expppests her to be ready by season-time. And she understands hard work. That is a receipe for someone who could be important by the end of the season.

Add to that Megan's mental and physical and mental improvement. And that, I think, CW is as god a player offensively ever to come out of high school, and a very good rebounder.

\

What’s your take on the time frame for Geno’s statement about Liv being the best post to come out of high school—this year or ever?

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Maybe because she has her hair down and not in a bun. Or is it because she is not in uniform.

It is clearly Lou... what did Geno say once, "the whitest girl he ever saw from Southern California." No tan in this photo. I am happy to see the way she is supporting herself on the golf cart... a large percentage on her weight is on the surgically repaired foot/ankle and she is still smiling that BIG Lou smile

 

[Bronx23]

I wouldn’t call it 0 for 4. At least Lexi was recruited to be a role player, so we shouldn’t have expected much. Andi was young and immature, which surprised everyone. Meg’s season was roughly on a par with the freshmen seasons of Tuck, Gabby, and Pheesa. I think think she’ll be a star, maybe a Mega-star.

Last year, there were 6 top-10 draft pics ahead of the frosh. This year, there are 3. Context means a lot.

Would you please explain to me (and maybe a few others) what you see in MW that leads you to believe she will be a star, maybe even a Mega star because I just don't see it. While I surely understand that most players struggle their freshman year and every player develops at their own pace, and each year each player has X # of players in front of them, I truly don't get this degree of optimism.
Yes, she had six possible AÀ's ahead of her but clearly no real highly skilled, athletic, highly ranked competition for the very important and needed 7th spot which she was unable to lock it down even though she was injury free previously and her whole freshman year.
While I don't particularly like GA making the comment quoted above publicly, I believe it points to some significant, meaningful differences in preparation and mindset to not only CW and Ono, but any of the previous stars.
Some players have difficulty going from the best or even one of the best HS players in the country to #6 on their own team. Well now at best she might be the fourth best player, or maybe even the sixth best player, as it needs to be earned.
I would just compare her to KLS who also was national HS player of the year. As a freshman she struggled to become the fifth starter but for much of that season she was fighting off a Gabby and Pheesa. Her soph year she began the process of becoming way more than a great outside shooter and became an AÀ. As a junior even with a serious injury, she was thought by many to be the second best player in the country. She now needs to first get fully healthy and conditioned and then struggle again to be the leader on and off the court and in crunch time to make IT happen. Based upon her work ethic, drive and clearly proven accomplishments, she still must work extremely hard to be the national player of the year in college and bring her team a national championship.
Interestingly KLS & MW are both wings or 2 or 3's.
Obviously KLS being 6'3" is a huge advantage. She has worked endlessly so it seems to improve her rebounding and defense. MW is a few inches shorter and while a good rebounder, shooter and defender, I don't see having KLS's enormous drive to get better. I also don't see her skill set as being star let alone mega star caliber. She needs as a soph to do what KLS did as a freshman and become an important but support cog of this years team. Then maybe her junior year can approach or obtain AÀ status, with KLS and Pheesa having graduated.
As I've stated quite often previously here, go out and earn and do it. Not be handed it because of her, yours and many others hopes, dreams and wishes for her success.
I expect MW to be driven by last years results both individually and as a team. I'm pretty damn sure, she now gets it and prepared herself for what U Conn wbb is all about. Now it's totally up to her what's ahead.
Again, I think the "star" player gets what Geno said almost immediately even if they go through learning to be part of a team first and not the star. Also the step up to the college game against older, better players in and of itself is a struggle. Gabby and Kia now experience a similar thing entering their first year in the WNBA. As will KLS and Pheesa next year. All of those four and all prior stars, had all of the game and life experiences that being a significant contributor at U Conn brings.
I truly hope MW as well as CW and Ono, will become very important but secondary cogs to the remaining excellent to superb top three. That's the next step in their development. Not stardom!
Bronx23

 

[oldude]

Is that Lou balancing on a golf cart fender!!!

It’s no surprise that Crystal is driving. She not only has the keys to the Ferrari but also the golf cart.

 

[Bronx23]

Agree on Gabby but not the other 2. I think Pheesa showed she was a solid player most of the year. And while Tuck didnt do a lot during the year, she broke out in the tourney.

Agree! And want Gabby still coming back fro two serious knee injuries as well as a change of position from outside to a primarily inside player?
It's truly not necessary or maybe even helpful to MW herself to stretch the comparisons.
Thanks vowel guy!
Bronx23

 

[Bronx23]

Of Megan, Morgan, Pheesa, and Gabby, Gabby had the best freshman season, averaging 8.3 points and 5.7 rebounds, though she struggled with FTs (.462).

Pheesa played the most mpg, 17.2. The others were between 15.5 and 15.8.

Meg’s stat line was very comparable to Morgan’s:

Tuck/Meg

Mpg: 15.8/15.5

Ppg: 6.4/5.8

Rpg: 3.4/3.3

FG%: .454/.444

3pt%: .289/.371

FT%: .667/.755

Meg was the best 3-point shooter of the group and second best FT shooter.

Yes, Morgan started the NCAA tourney with 18 and 11 points. The link to game 3 is faulty. In games 4-6, she scored 6, 4, and 6, about her average.

While stats certainly have their importance they also have their limitations. The eye, ear, mind, body test of taking in a players role in a whole season gets lost.
That's to me at least, the most valuable part of putting things in a full context.
Bronx23

 

[MilfordHusky]

For Bronx23:

1. Meg was the consensus #1 recruit. I doubt everyone was wrong.

2. She showed flashes of brilliance against UCLA, ND, and Temple.

3. Last year was an odd year, as there may have been a negative dynamic among the freshman, partly including Andi’s situation. For whatever reason, the frosh adapted slowly.

4. Meg wasn’t in shape and struggled with decision making, as most freshmen do. She also was deferential and passed the ball to Lou whenever possible (though that’s often a good idea). See Crystal’s comments about freshman year. That seems to be behind her.

5. Geno was unusually hard on her because he could afford to be. He talked up her talent but not her effort.

6. Meg didn’t leave or pout. She got to work. She worked out with Pheesa this summer and impressed her trainer.

7. Her teammates say Meg is the most improved this year. They said that about Crystal last year, and it was true.

8. Meg sees that the freshman are competing. She has enough pride that she doesn’t want them to pass her.

9. Every year, we have unanswered questions. Look at the sophomore leaps by Moriah, Gabby, Lou, Pheesa, and Crystal. I expect Meg to follow that pattern.

10. With those unanswered questions, we have to take some things on faith. I have faith in Geno, his staff, and the system. I also have faith in Megan Walker.