Patterson will be a game changer!

[Jronp]

We,ve missed having a SUPER ATHLETIC power forward and glass crasher that also plays solid defense. Even as a freshman she will make a difference! But by her sophomore year she will be unstoppable. Also with Dorka, AE, DeBerry, Aubrey, and Ice Brady, we finally have a complete front line with the six of them and the best talent pool we’ve had up front in awhile. Outside shots don’t also ways fall in big games. Specially against good perimeter defense. And we’ve had to rely on them too much the last 5 years. If they develop…A championship is definitely coming within the next 2 years If not 2!

 

[HuskyNan]

She has a strong frame already.

 

[HuskyNan]

Ice Brady brings good size, too

 

[Bald Husky]

Please Geno, give these girls a fighting chance to show what they can do in a game. We need help on the boards and maybe these girls can help with that. We don't need another season like Amari, barely getting a chance on the floor. I trust you will do the right thing as you have done for years, I'm just really hyped up and confident that they can help, so like I already mentioned, just give them a chance. Go Huskies.

 

[oldude]

I am as excited as anyone about Ayanna & Ice. But like all freshmen, they will take some time, hopefully a short time, to get comfortable in UConn’s system. Ice brings a pretty good offensive game to Storrs. But Ayanna really needs to work on her midrange jumper to become more consistent before she will earn significant PT imo.

 

[Centerstream]

I am as excited as anyone about Ayanna & Ice. But like all freshmen, they will take some time, hopefully a short time, to get comfortable in UConn’s system. Ice brings a pretty good offensive game to Storrs. But Ayanna really needs to work on her midrange jumper to become more consistent before she will earn significant PT imo.

I agree. If Geno thought at one time that freshman Paige was not going to be ready to start early in the year, then I really, really think that the 2 incoming freshmen won't be immediate impact players. I believe that Paige and Azzi, and to some extent, Caroline are the exceptions.

 

[HuskyNan]

Before people go bananas with THEIR expectations on what these kids should be/do, let’s hear from Geno:

Auriemma on Brady:
"With Ice, you have the classic power player who can step out and make a perimeter shot. She can handle the ball at the high post and is very good passer."

Auriemma on Patterson:
"What's most impressive about Ayanna is her incredible athletic ability and the places she can get to on the court. Offensively and defensively, I think she's going to have a huge impact right away because those were two things we needed to address."

AYANNA PATTERSON
F, 6-2, Fort Wayne, Ind., Homestead HS
-No. 4 overall recruit in 2022 class
-No. 1 wing in recruiting class
-2022 Naismith High School Trophy Girls Watch List
-Won gold with USA Basketball at the 2021 3x3 U18 World Cup
-ABC21 2020-21 Girls Basketball Player of the Year
-2020-21 Outside the Huddle Girls Basketball Player of the Year

UConn WBB Signs Brady, Patterson to Class of 2026 - University of Connecticut Athletics

The UConn women's basketball team will welcome two freshmen next season as head coach Geno Auriemma announced the program's 2022 signing class Wednesday.

uconnhuskies.com

Auriemma on Brady: “…when you find somebody like that, you just kind of hope that each year they get better and better and better. And she has. Our offense really is predicated on big kids that can move, catch, pass, shoot it, dribble it, and I think she fits that mold.”

Auriemma on Patterson: “She has a great stroke. She is not consistent enough with it, so that’s going to be a big point [when she gets here] because if she does that, then obviously she can help us a ton.

“And I think defensively and around the rim because of her athletic ability, I think she’ll be able to [help]. Anytime you can get from here to there quickly and can get from here [down] to there [up] quickly, you have a chance to contribute. And she can do that.”

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj-yOyj-fz2AhXrTjABHaIzAmkQxfQBKAB6BAgOEAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.courant.com%2Fsports%2Fuconn-womens-basketball%2Fhc-sp-uconn-women-recruits-2022-20211113-20211112-snmnudu5rbdoxbq5azqfl74xri-story.html&usg=AOvVaw328eA6Evj9lHDL8bRkf0Sg

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I agree. If Geno thought at one time that freshman Paige was not going to be ready to start early in the year, then I really, really think that the 2 incoming freshmen won't be immediate impact players. I believe that Paige and Azzi, and to some extent, Caroline are the exceptions.

Geno told Paige before she arrived that she would be starting and leading the club.

 

[hookshot]

Please Geno, give these girls a fighting chance to show what they can do in a game. We need help on the boards and maybe these girls can help with that. We don't need another season like Amari, barely getting a chance on the floor. I trust you will do the right thing as you have done for years, I'm just really hyped up and confident that they can help, so like I already mentioned, just give them a chance. Go Huskies.

It's more about the 'girls' than 'Geno' as Paige demonstrated. No doubt, the opportunity will be there - coaches like to play with new toys and too win. Dorka and Edwards are fine but not the full answer. Give the newbies a little time, Brady seems more ready to use out of the box, but Patterson perhaps has the higher ceiling

 

[Geesworld]

Aaliyah, Ice and Ayanna on the floor together could be scary. A lot of interchangeable parts if the youngsters are who we think they can be.

 

[borninansonia]

With male basketball players and prospects, the heights and weights are listed. Example below. But with women, it seems only the heights are listed. I wonder why

RK	PLAYER	POS	HT	WT	GRADE	SCHOOL
1	Dereck Lively; Video | Scouts Report	C	7'1''	215	94	Duke; Signed
2	Amari Bailey; Video | Scouts Report	SG	6'4''	185	94	UCLA; Signed
3	Keyonte George; Video | Scouts Report	SG	6'3''	185	94	Baylor; Signed

View 97 more rows

 

[psconn]

I'm very excited to see these players in a Husky uniform and I really hope they can live up to at least some of our expectations. The fact is that despite UConn's great coaching staff and outstanding culture, great high school kids don't always become great D1 players. How many times have we seen this over the past 30 years (hint: many)? The worst part is that if they fail to meet our unrealistic expectations, some here treat them like they did it on purpose.

Anyway, I prefer the wait and see approach. I certainly welcome these kids, and I'll enjoy seeing them developing into whatever role they manage to carve out. Will they come in like Maya, Shea or Jen Rizzotti and just assert themselves - or will it be like Amari did this year - just be content to be a good teammate along for an exciting ride.

I've done some reflecting since this Final Four weekend got underway and my biggest takeaway is how very fortunate I am to have grown up a stone's throw from Storrs and be able to witness and participate in this crazy run and the general blossoming of athletics at Storrs.

Whatever Ice, Yanna and their teammates can bring, I'll be there watching games with giant butterflies in my gut and palpitations in my chest. All-in on another UConn B-ball season.

 

[HuskyNan]

With male basketball players and prospects, the heights and weights are listed. Example below. But with women, it seems only the heights are listed. I wonder why

RK	PLAYER	POS	HT	WT	GRADE	SCHOOL
1	Dereck Lively; Video | Scouts Report	C	7'1''	215	94	Duke; Signed
2	Amari Bailey; Video | Scouts Report	SG	6'4''	185	94	UCLA; Signed
3	Keyonte George; Video | Scouts Report	SG	6'3''	185	94	Baylor; Signed

View 97 more rows

I wonder why they list the men’s weights.

 

[Blakeon18]

Baseball players usually do not have their weights listed.
Football players...pretty much always.
Hoops: men normally do...perhaps as information as to their conditioning/ability
to play inside and out...whether a weight gain or loss might be in store...with zero
guarantees that the number will ensure anything.

Women: I think they don't list the weights in a deep nod to the notion that women's weights should be private
and to go public might embarrass them...whether they should be embarrassed or not. I am sure
with all the metrics we have now staffs and players are very aware of all kinds of numbers regarding conditioning....including weights.

Not too long ago I think some tall women players were hesitant to state their height. Basically I think that has
greatly diminished...a good thing.

Down the road...weights listed for women...just a guess...will take a while.

 

[HuskyNan]

Baseball players usually do not have their weights listed.
Football players...pretty much always.
Hoops: men normally do...perhaps as information as to their conditioning/ability
to play inside and out...whether a weight gain or loss might be in store...with zero
guarantees that the number will ensure anything.

Women: I think they don't list the weights in a deep nod to the notion that women's weights should be private
and to go public might embarrass them...whether they should be embarrassed or not. I am sure
with all the metrics we have now staffs and players are very aware of all kinds of numbers regarding conditioning....including weights.

Not too long ago I think some tall women players were hesitant to state their height. Basically I think that has
greatly diminished...a good thing.

Down the road...weights listed for women...just a guess...will take a while.

I completely understand listing football players’ weights as it’s a physical game where players are trying to push the other player back. You want a 300 pound lineman, not a 185 pound one. Basketball is technically (not in practice but technically) a non-contact sport. Weight has nothing to do with strength or ability to play basketball so it is, to me, a useless stat.

As for women being embarrassed about their weight, Blake, I‘ve known you for decades and know you don’t have a misogynistic bone in your body but that was not a very, um, modern statement. We are, or should be, waaaaaay past body shaming so, no, women’s aren’t embarrassed to be a certain weight. FIBA and Basketball USA list weights, the NCAA doesn’t. No big deal. I’ll be you the players don’t care either way.

 

[reelfan]

Taking Geno's history of teaching, maturing and hardening for combat even some of the best recruits Ice and Ayanna may see limited playing time next year. When there is no other option Geno will play freshmen out of necessity.

 

[Sargassoc]

Given the exploding percentages (especially post-pandemic) of disordered eating among young women, I see only an upside to not listing their weights. In fact, young men should probably not have their weights listed, either. There's no reason, as far as I can see, for any collegiate sport (except for wrestling-- replete with disordered eating among its participants-- where weight classes are part of the sport) to list student athlete weight.

Source

 

[JellyBean]

Like everyone here, I am super excited about the incoming freshmen. Loads of talent and potential. After this season, I am holding off expectations and "death squad" line up ideas. I am just going to kick back and watch the off-season chatter from you awesome people.

 

[TeamFirst!]

I think Ayanna could certainly fit an important rebounding area of need. I think she needs a lot of work on her ball handling and shooting. Ice has a lot to offer as well in all areas especially if she increases her quickness. She knows what she's doing and can score. I think she can be a great rebounder as well with increased focus and maybe not playing more than 20 minutes a game or so. In high school they needed to keep her on the floor as much as possible and worked pretty hard as a big. Some summer work along the lines of what Amari did where you can see the quickness difference now. If she can do the work next summer Ice can fulfill her dreams. They both have tremendous potential.

 

[LoboDays]

With male basketball players and prospects, the heights and weights are listed. Example below. But with women, it seems only the heights are listed. I wonder why

RK	PLAYER	POS	HT	WT	GRADE	SCHOOL
1	Dereck Lively; Video | Scouts Report	C	7'1''	215	94	Duke; Signed
2	Amari Bailey; Video | Scouts Report	SG	6'4''	185	94	UCLA; Signed
3	Keyonte George; Video | Scouts Report	SG	6'3''	185	94	Baylor; Signed

View 97 more rows

I asked mrs Lobo Days that question. I’m sleeping in the den tonight.

 

[HopJim]

I hope all the UConn recruits saw the championship game and understand the investment players on both teams made in their physical fitness. Patterson and Brady are athletic but in the all-star games I saw, did not appear to be in UConn shape. Would love to see both (and entire team) come in and be at full speed from Day 1.

 

[Hayven]

I think Ice can make a difference. She seems to hit that elbow jumper consistently around the free throw line. Which is great, as Aaliyah and ONO were not consistent from that area. Hopefully Amari develops nicely over the summer. Rebounding shouldn’t be an issue next year

 

[UcMiami]

Basketball is technically (not in practice but technically) a non-contact sport. Weight has nothing to do with strength or ability to play basketball so it is, to me, a useless stat.

I think you simplify a bit - for forwards and post players it has always mattered - some seven footer who weights 200 is a very different proposition to a seven footer who weighs 270. The reason a 'guard' like Magic could play in the post was because he could hold his own because he was built like a tank. Same for an undersized Bill Russell.

 

[Blakeon18]

Nan: my last post on this...I think. I agree that we should be way past 'body shaming'.
But I don't think we are at this point. How to go forward about that is another matter.
One way...endorsed by quite a few...is simply to avoid that number. Maybe that will work.
Or be indifferent about whether that number is public or not...as seems to be your position.

It just seems to me that overall good health...for everyone...but especially high level
athletes...involves lots of numbers and metrics [I don't even know what some of them are].
Weight would be one of them. Being aware of that number shouldn't lead to shame....but hopefully
would lead to motivation IF that number isn't a healthy one. A personal care doc might have
some advice on that and other health factors. I have read that in some cases [hopefully darn few]
doctors are hesitant to suggest recommendations regarding weight. I don't think that reluctance is a help.

A UConn-related example: I saw Dee play in Hartford in the high school all-star game. Her skills were obvious...as was her flamboyance. 5 months later early in the fall I went down to see the kids practice. There were 6 or 7 at the other end of the court shooting...all their backs to me. It took me a while to figure out which one was Dee...she had lost a lot of weight. I doubt she felt shamed by how she looked in Hartford but clearly she had been motivated to make choices that would help her be a better player in Storrs. At some point in her pro career she made choices to change her nutrition habits...looks great and I bet it has lengthened her career...maybe to Paris in 2024? I have no idea of her weight or other
metrics but I bet she knows them and keeps a look at them...probably out of understandable pride that she has made the choices she has.


Anyway: hope all our players come back in September in great shape..with all metrics just plain
'healthy'.