POLL: Who was Geno's biggest recruiting jackpot?

[alexrgct]

This could be fun. Of course defining "jackpot" is hard, though you recognize one when you see one. I guess you describe a jackpot as "The player whose contribution to UConn's program exceeded expectations most greatly." None of my choices were high school top 10 recruits. They did receive some varying amounts of national attention coming out of high school, but didn't have "Future NPOY" or "Player who'd make every one of the 330+ Division 1 programs better" written in their recruiting profiles.

All seven of my choices won national championships, three have won NPOY, and all of them have made enormous contributions to the program (e.g., leadership, coaching, broadcasting) that go beyond "just" playing basketball well.

I wish I could have kept the list to six so that I could leave room for an option for "other". If you want to vote for other, give her a shout out in the thread! Sue Bird may have been the most heralded of recruits in the list, but as I recall she was ranked 15-20 and won two NCs and NPOY awards. Thus, I felt I had to include her.

Anyway, take your pick...

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Of that list I picked Jen because of her initial impact in getting this ball rolling. Some of them came later and kept the ball rolling. Jamelle was a close 2nd.

 

[easttexastrash]

Where is Lobo? She is the one that started the UCONN success. That was Geno's biggest get ever!

 

[sarals24]

Lobo was a top 10 recruit though, I think the poll is players who weren't.

I picked Kelly Faris, because of course.

 

[JoePgh]

Shouldn't Kerry Bascom be on this list?

 

[Sakibomb25]

Sue Bird shouldn't be on there. She was ranked in the Top 20 and everyone wanted her. She had future star written all over her. I was very bummed when Stanford wasn't chosen.

 

[mhshuskies]

Geno would say it was Kerry Bascom. The first top recruit.

 

[alexrgct]

Where is Lobo? She is the one that started the UCONN success. That was Geno's biggest get ever!

The super-blue chip recruit from Southwick, Massachusetts, was instrumental in terms of making UConn what it is. However, she was a super-blue chip recruit. Rebecca wanted to take an up-and-coming program to the top, and that's exactly what she did. Met expectations, so she was a great recruiting win...but not a jackpot.

 

[alexrgct]

Sue Bird shouldn't be on there. She was ranked in the Top 20 and everyone wanted her. She had future star written all over her. I was very bummed when Stanford wasn't chosen.

Sue was ranked 15-20. With all due respect to Tamika Williams, Sue should have been ranked #1 (with 20/20 hindsight). That, then, is greatly exceeding expectations. Jackpot!

 

[DaddyChoc]

I think Maya was... close battle with Tenn, and she put the program back on top!

 

[cohenzone]

There was none bigger than Kara Wolters.

 

[Vowelguy]

Rebecca lobo without a doubt. Most important recruit ever.

 

[UCAP_Fan]

Boy, you can tell it is off season. " I got a basketball jones"
I have to go with K.B.

 

[UcMiami]

I had to vote Jen because:
1. She was the first.
2. She became the face of Uconn for years
3. She defined 'guard' and Uconn 'player'

Most surprising was probably Maria who even after two years no one thought would contribute much - but became instrumental as the complement to DT.

 

[Teacherdeb]

I voted for Kara because she morphed into a terrific player, but upon second thought, So did Stephanie- similar transformations- both lost weight and worked really hard on conditioning and skills. Steph though has 2 championships. I guess you could also make a similar case for Maria. Then there is Jamelle- undersized post who was just fierce and determined. My all time favorite. So, dang, what was I thinking? Such fun to speculate.

 

[Cheddie]

Rebecca, Nykesha, Maya, Breanna, TASS, Kaleena - all great players. But Geno's "jackpot" recruit without question was Diana.

UConn was already a national program. But suddenly Geno had DT, and no one else did. Her three consecutive titles put UConn into an elite status.

 

[Wonkster]

.
I've got a beef with your use of the word 'jackpot.' You've sowed confusion by taking a well known word and giving it a non-standard definition.

I'll bet that more than a few posters didn't read everything in your post, thus guaranteeing confusion.

 

[alexrgct]

. I've got a beef with your use of the word 'jackpot.' You've sowed confusion by tasing a well known word and giving it a non-standard definition. I'll bet that more than a few posters didn't read everything in your post, thus guaranteeing confusion.

That they didn't. This poll and thread is not a jackpot as a result.

 

[GoUconn7961]

Biggest jackpot isn't there.. My all-time "in your face" player, bar none, you cant sway me - Diana Taurasi.

 

[CL82]

Chris Dailey

 

[Vowelguy]

The key to building a great program is being able to keep recruits from your own back yard. Rebecca was a top 10 player, and had attention from everyone. UConn had never landed such players before. and it was still a team that had just a couple of NCAA appearances. Getting lobo confirmed that UConn was more than a bit player; a fact that was emphasized a season later when it went to its first final 4.

Does Rizz commit to UConn a year later without Lobo? Maybe. Maybe not.

Does UConn win a nc title in 95 and get loads of press without lobo? No.

Lobo was the building block for everything -- recruiting, fan interest, and success on the court. I can't believe there's even a debate.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Of that group, Sue Bird. She was rated as low as 20 coming in and left with a NPOY award, THREE Liebermans (still a record), 2 national championships, over 120 wins against only 4 losses, and a book title. She's the only one on the list who has been the best player in the world at her position.

 

[alexrgct]

Biggest jackpot isn't there.. My all-time "in your face" player, bar none, you cant sway me - Diana Taurasi.

She was #1 in the country, and thus didn't qualify for the ballot. The only argument I could see that she was a recruiting jackpot is that D was so good that she was the centerpiece of two additional NCs, even after TASS graduated. You might argue that, if a UConn NC was considered unfathomable in the fall of 2002, these sorts of accomplishments were considered the same even in 2000 when she was the most highly regarded high school prospect that year.

 

[intlzncster]

People are putting a lot of emphasis on ranking coming in. Sue came in and was pretty good right away. The ranking services obviously missed the boat on this one.

I'm looking at who came in with a particular package vs how they ended. Kara Wolters. Hands down. She had two left feet and couldn't run in a straight line when she arrived. [ok yes, these are exaggerations] Became an absolute force on both ends of the floor and NPOY. Astounding really. The definition of hitting the jackpot.

Stef made a big transformation too, but she was definitely very coordinated when she came in.

 

[UCAP_Fan]

Yes. I went with Kerry B. However,All time, DT.
The kid from Colorado, Nothing without, without DT. And her friend from CL... See Ya.Both of them!!!