Question: Who Is Our SECOND Best Player?

[LCConnFan]

I do not think that there is one single person who is the second best player on this team. I think that the second best player is the desire to win and compete to win by a group of young people who have worked to taste the victory of championship and excellence. I would point to the coaching staff especially Jamelle who provide the sense of urgency, toughness, determination, and desire to thrust themselves into the fray and compete to win. They are now in the situation where if they lose, they go home. They want to go home by winning it all.

You, IMO are correct and I also would add that Paige may be the best overall, but as she would tell you UCONN's wins are a 'team effort'! Each one seem to have their time to 'shine', but it's always a team effort. It's not all about points and shooting, but the effort that they all put in to make it happen, whether starting or coming off the bench. Evina said it best in the last Hartford Courant article. She said: "“I think what’s cool about playing here is that a lot of different teams can say ‘You can play team basketball’ but we really play team basketball. “It’s definitely a UConn type of culture, team basketball, and it’s been like that for decades now.” We may not win it all this year, but NO ONE.............NO TEAM is or has been like UCONN since Geno & CD stepped foot on Storrs campus.

 

[jazz]

CW is the 2nd best player. Paige is the best. AE is gaining!

Second best player is AE. We can't win without her having big performances against some teams down the road with more size, athleticism and skill.

 

[Happydad745]

It depends on the game: sometimes Paige is the second or third best player.

 

[Conndog]

On any given night (or day), even Paige isn't UConn's best player. Everyone contributes, only thing that'll take down UConn is if multiple starters have bad outings. Don't see that happening. I think UConn is on a mission with hungry players, and they have depth in their reserves to also contribute.

 

[Dokey]

It could be argued—easily—that right now CW is our best player. And that is not taking anything away from Paige. Even Geno has said the road to the NC is paved by CW. The truth is that this is increasingly becoming a complete team, not one dominated by Paige. AE is obviously becoming the future, if not the immediate present, and will take minutes away from AG whose weaknesses have already limited her minutes. Nika is a force of nature and Anna is steadily returning to her end of last season form, the player who can be plugged in anywhere. AE makes ONO better and Evina is clutch. So TEAM TEAM TEAM!

 

[BostonBay]

The focus on Paige has opened things up for CW & EW. Teams are paying a pricing for trapping or quickly doubling Paige as she enters the paint. Its working to plan for Geno.

AE has also gives the team much more options on defense. UConn is holding their own on the boards against the big, physical teams - something they couldnt do last year. No more easy layups.

I'd say CW/AE are pretty much neck-and-neck as the 2nd best players right now!

 

[Cornell Lt]

This is a ridiculous proposition with no correct answer

 

[Mdoggie]

So this is where we are? Picking “second best players in a team sport” We must be bored.

 

[Shenandoah]

Second best? What day is it? Who are we playing? Heck, against Iowa, Chrystin was our best player, with Aaliyah not far behind. This is a TEAM, built to take advantage of whatever the opponent gives us.

 

[NEforceUConn]

What's the best day of the week?

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

for all those crotchety old folks complaining about the ridiculousness of "second best" and proclaiming "on any given day" etc -- cool down! Of course, on any given day, any of 5 players can have the best game, or the second best game. Stewie was the best player on the 2016 team, but that did not mean she was the best in every single game. It's talent and production over the long run that decides. And yes, I love Paige and AE and CW and EW and Ono and Nika and Anna and Aubrey and everyone else associated with UConn WBB. I love how Christyn has stepped up her game, especially on defense. And I love Olivia becoming more focused on defense and rebounding and avoiding fouls and her passing skills. And I love the emergence of NIka and AE, and the overall steadiness and well-roundedness of Evina's game.
But that doesn't mean players can't be ranked, even if some of the rankings might be ties.
And yes, that holds even in a "team game." So cool your jets! LOL

 

[Cornell Lt]

When you ask a question with no real answer all you are doing is soliciting peoples response to validate their own opinion. So again , what's the point.

 

[Martin]

If PB makes everyone better who has benefited most from PB? If you understand how PB makes you a better player and apply it well then maybe its that player. It’s AE. And she can dominate.

 

[Mdoggie]

Who is our fourth best player on the second Sunday after a win by 3 points?

signed Grumpy @55

 

[Majic Hands]

Have to tell me who the best player on UConn is.

Granted. Page, probably is the best player on the team. However, my eyes tell me Page is even "Better" when Nika is the point. So if you're in and someone makes you better who's best?

Didn't realize I hadn't even considered looking at the team 1- whatever. I see a whole team who's whole is greater than it's individual parts.

In the last game, I didn't know a different player had come in until I saw them contributing. My wife and I were asking each when "did Aubrey come in"? Who did she come in for? "Hey! Anna's in".

Coach has a lot of players with unique talent's and is getting them working together so that they have the opportunity to play at "Their" best and are making each other better.

If the incoming class is half as good as we think they are. By tournament time next year, can we see a rotation 8-9 deep? Have someone go out a game or more with an injury and have the team not miss a beat. Exciting Beautiful Basketball!

 

[HuskyNan]

Ok who’s most talented? Who’s most versatile? Who’s most valuable?

The definition of best depends on your criteria.

 

[RedStickHusky]

What trick? They are being carried by a freshman right now. And Geno foresaw that from the start, that's why he didn't do the "break 'em down to build 'em" routine with Paige. She didn't need it so he didn't bother, it's been all "build her up" because he knows she's her own worst critic. Every team is different.

In January according to Geno he had the worst shooting team in the history of teams and they had no idea how to play defense. He did some serious coaching, esp. with CW and Liv. Paige, I agree, not so much. Look at how many in this thread wanted to push CW to the end of the bench in Feb.

 

[MSGRET]

Have to tell me who the best player on UConn is.

Granted. Page, probably is the best player on the team. However, my eyes tell me Page is even "Better" when Nika is the point. So if you're in and someone makes you better who's best?

Didn't realize I hadn't even considered looking at the team 1- whatever. I see a whole team who's whole is greater than it's individual parts.

In the last game, I didn't know a different player had come in until I saw them contributing. My wife and I were asking each when "did Aubrey come in"? Who did she come in for? "Hey! Anna's in".

Coach has a lot of players with unique talent's and is getting them working together so that they have the opportunity to play at "Their" best and are making each other better.

If the incoming class is half as good as we think they are. By tournament time next year, can we see a rotation 8-9 deep? Have someone go out a game or more with an injury and have the team not miss a beat. Exciting Beautiful Basketball!

It's Paige, not Page! Please check your auto-correct before you post.

 

[Jingo]

To tell you the truth, I’m not even a fan of dubbing Paige as our best player though it is an easy thing to do. Last night Christyn was our best player on both ends of the floor. Even with that Evina was phenomenal and Edwards was very very good. It’s a normal tendency to rank things, but with this team in particular, we’ve ended up with a very talented group anyone of whom is capable of dominating on any given night.

So easy to dismiss Liv who had 11 boards and 7 assists and as the announcer [Lobo] pointed out "had her fingerprints on almost every UConn play!" Liv got us out of the gate early in many games in March and is our best, most intimidating, defensive player, eh?

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

Ok who’s most talented? Who’s most versatile? Who’s most valuable?

The definition of best depends on your criteria.

The answer to all 3 of those questions is Paige.... that's why she's a leading candidate for POY. In terms of 2nd best, you might get different answers....

 

[Timshel]

For a bunch of supposed UCONNWBB basketball fans that have watched Paige’s selfless play and team first mentality all season, I am embarrassed such a question was posted. I can only imagine Paige and the other players being disgusted at both the question and the majority of the comments.

 

[CL82]

So easy to dismiss Liv who had 11 boards and 7 assists and as the announcer [Lobo] pointed out "had her fingerprints on almost every UConn play!" Liv got us out of the gate early in many games in March and is our best, most intimidating, defensive player, eh?

Lol, I had to stop somewhere. Liv played well. The others played better IMO, but I think we agree that on any given night any one of a half dozen players can step up and take over a game.

 

[Essexdave]

It's Paige, not Page! Please check your auto-correct before you post.

If someone writes Page instead of Paige at least I still know who they are talking about. Unlike many post which refer to players, coaches, and schools by initials to the point I have no clue. So let’s turn the paige on this one. (Sorry I tried but couldn’t stop myself.)