Rank those on the Wall

[Zorro]

There are many other players who contributed as much to the success of the program as some of the honorees, but were prevented by circumstances (mostly AA teammates) from being AA.

 

[Waquoit]

Jefferson is being very undervalued here. UCONN doesnt win 4 in a row without her. She was just as important as Stewie. Best PG in our history.

Yes to Jefferson being undervalued. No to her being better than Bird. Bird was the best player as a soph on a team that won a title, a title that didn't contain one of the Big 3. What gives Bird the nod for me is that she was the lead dog in that epic, transformational 2000 Championship game. That was the game where the world realized that UConn was the new standard.

 

[meyers7]

alphabetical according to height

Using Hartley Units I assume?

 

[meyers7]

Yes to Jefferson being undervalued. No to her being better than Bird. Bird was the best player as a soph on a team that won a title, a title that didn't contain one of the Big 3. What gives Bird the nod for me is that she was the lead dog in that epic, transformational 2000 Championship game. That was the game where the world realized that UConn was the new standard.

Hmmm, not sure about that. Abrosimova and Ralph were AA's that year (AP 1st team no less). Bird wasn't. And Ralph was Final Four MVP.

 

[UConn2SF]

I recall that when Stewie was named NC MVP for last time, she said it should have gone to Jefferson. And she was right.

it was her 3rd title (Jr. year). i remember vividly how emotional she got saying it.

 

[Waquoit]

Hmmm, not sure about that. Abrosimova and Ralph were AA's that year (AP 1st team no less). Bird wasn't. And Ralph was Final Four MVP.

Yeah, but

 

[chrissaran]

That's not correct. Bria was an AA before Stewie arrived having been named 2011-12 WBCA/State Farm All-American. Both Players were on the watchlist for both the Wade and Naismith trophies before Stewie arrived based on successful sophomore seasons. KML of course was also well on her way to being an AA when Stewie arrived.

Those players do not compare to Sue, Swin, Tameka and Ashja. Solid yes, but they were not all world.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Those players do not compare to Sue, Swin, Tameka and Ashja. Solid yes, but they were not all world.

Are you saying that Hartley and KML "don't compare" to Tameka and Ashja? Can't say I agree with that.

 

[ABCDFE]

Jefferson is being very undervalued here. UCONN doesnt win 4 in a row without her. She was just as important as Stewie. Best PG in our history.

Agreed. She had a complete game. Her defense was in my opinion the best I've seen from a Uconn guard. Is there a metric for basketball like the WAR in baseball to show an impact of a player?

 

[MooreMayaNY]

Are we talking about the best player, or who led UConn to the most titles? Maya was the best player.

THE BEST by a landslide.

 

[Zorro]

Except mebbe for Stewie.

 

[bluedevil]

Sophie was pretty good..Should be on the wall..

 

[Sonny44]

"Collosal”??? Stewie’s freshman year was less than memorable Sans her FF performance, particularly defeating ND on the 4th matchup that season. Diana stays #1

Nope. Key phrase sans her FF which gave us the NC! How do you sans that?

 

[CocoHusky]

Those players do not compare to Sue, Swin, Tameka and Ashja. Solid yes, but they were not all world.

Are you saying that Hartley and KML "don't compare" to Tameka and Ashja? Can't say I agree with that.

Let's try and stay on topic here. The op asked us to rank the players on the WoH. Tameka and Ashja are terrific players but they are not on the WoH. There was a different thread ~ two years ago that asked to name best players not on he WoH.

Top 10 UConn WCBB players not on the Wall of Honor

Current players included. Seriously; I'd like to know!

the-boneyard.com

 

[browns]

Not bad, but swap 1 and 2. Stewie brought us 4 NCs. She had four collosal seasons. No one else did that.

true but D.T. did it 2 yrs in a row virtually by herself with no other AA on the teams

 

[HuskylnSC]

Stewie was great, but she wasn’t (isn’t) Taurasi level great.

Stewie was consistently great throughout games, but Diana was like brilliant meteor shower or a sudden flash of lightening, dazzling. After every game we could say Stewie was great in everything she did, But after Diana's game we would gasp ans say how did she do that?

 

[cbraarj]

I recall that when Stewie was named NC MVP for last time, she said it should have gone to Jefferson. And she was right.

It was thier Je. year.

 

[cbraarj]

It was thier Je. year.

Jr. Year

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Ranking them is fun and nearly impossible. DT is my number 1, but I put Maya ahead of Stewie. Tina was National Player of the Year, so #7 seems low to me. But who would I bump down? Same for Kara. I love KML but she was less complete a player than most listed beneath her.

 

[hoophuskee]

I made the following post on August 6, 2018, but I thought it was substantively relevant to this discussion, so I am re-posting it below (with a few edits and additional comments).

One thing to consider -- or at least what I consider -- when discussing who the GOAT is or in the GOAT evaluation process - is what Taurasi did during 2003 and 2004.


-- If you put Breanna Stewart on the 2002-03 and 2003-04 teams (instead of Diana Taurasi), would UConn have won the national titles?
-- If you put Maya Moore on the 2002-03 and 2003-04 teams (instead of Diana Taurasi), would UConn have won the national titles?
-- If you put Breanna Stewart on the 2010-11 team (instead of Maya Moore), would UConn have won the national title?
-- If you put Diana Taurasi on the 2010-11 team (instead of Maya Moore), would UConn have won the national title?

@ucbart , @EricLA , @CocoHusky

In regards to “your point to consider.” I think also what needs to be considered is level of opponent too. ND was far superior to what DT had to go through in 2003 and 2004 so Dt's team was able to win with less talent because she wasn’t facing the same brutally talented opponent that Stewie was. So “yes: Stewie had better teammates than DT in 2003 and 2004 but those 2003 and 2004 teams weren’t beating those ND teams (maybe the one ND team that was hurt) that Stewie did.

As far as your questions about- if you put Stewie or Maya on the 2003 or 2004 teams instead of DT – imo the questions don’t have the significance. The teams would have been built differently. For example with Stewart as a frosh and then moving forward in her career, Geno would have ensured more guards and outside shooting as balance to her inside play. He wouldn’t have relied only on Maria.

Imo same goes with your questions regarding 2010 and 2011. DT was a pg/sg. Maya was a sf/pf. Stewie was a pf/c. Through the 4 years these superstars are on the team- Geno has to recruit positions differently.

 

[hoophuskee]

1-- Stewie, 2- DT, 3-Maya, 4-- MoJeff , 5- Bird
With the 1st 5 -- MoJeff over Bird I can recall the show on SNY and the guy put mOJeff in teh top 10 and Meg didn't agree. I think Meg is way wrong on her appraisal of MoJeff. As for me I think both are near equal. I get that MoJeff did little her frosh year -- but Bird only played 3 years. Thus 1 year for each is a wash. I get it if others feel differently and don't hold it against Sue.

6--Lobo, 7-Charles, 8-Sales, 9-Bascom, 10-Sveta, 11-Wolters, 12- Rizzotti, 13- Cash, 14-Dolson, 15-Ralph,
So many of these can be switched.

16--Monty 17- Collier, 18- KML, 19-KLS, 20-Gabby, 21-Tuck, 22-Bria.
These can be switched too.

 

[Triad]

Based on both high-level accomplishments and consistency, I like the ONLY 3-time Wade Award winner, ONLY 4-time top-2 in AP voting, and ONLY player about whom Geno said this:

“Maya is the only freshman who came here, ‘Got this.’ She came here as a college player. You didn’t have to tell her anything. She already worked harder than any college kid in America. She had talent. She was tough. She was competitive. First day of practice, you knew: best player in the country. She hadn’t even practiced yet. That is why she is Maya. That is why there is only one Maya.”

To top all that: Maya was among the nicest Uconn kids ever to play for Geno. When I think of her last game==all alone, or so it seemed, trying to WILL the win and came close. 32 points I think. Tough on the Court and no rough edges off. Maya and Sue, sweet with great mental toughness.

 

[Cedar]

One fact is irrefragable: Maya Moore is the best scorer in the history of UCONN WBB. Her 3,036 career points are 360 more than the career total of UCONN’s second-best scorer, Breanna Stewart.

Maya had a career average of 19.7 points per game, Stewie averaged 17.6 PPG, and Diana averaged 15.0 PPG.

Maya was much more than a scorer. She was a complete player who filled up stat sheets and led UCONN to NCAA championships in 2009 and 2010.

Maya gets my vote for the best player in the history of UCONN WBB.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

In regards to “your point to consider.” I think also what needs to be considered is level of opponent too. ND was far superior to what DT had to go through in 2003 and 2004 so Dt's team was able to win with less talent because she wasn’t facing the same brutally talented opponent that Stewie was. So “yes: Stewie had better teammates than DT in 2003 and 2004 but those 2003 and 2004 teams weren’t beating those ND teams (maybe the one ND team that was hurt) that Stewie did.

With all due, Notre Dame was at the same level for Diana's freshman season, in which the Irish won the national title.

And while Notre Dame was not the same in 2003 and 2004, Duke and Tennessee were both truly elite programs - and UConn faced both teams in both seasons (and then against faced one of the two in both NCAA Tournaments). That more than makes up for Notre Dame in 2003 and 2004.

 

[hoophuskee]

With all due, Notre Dame was at the same level for Diana's freshman season, in which the Irish won the national title.

And while Notre Dame was not the same in 2003 and 2004, Duke and Tennessee were both truly elite programs - and UConn faced both teams in both seasons (and then against faced one of the two in both NCAA Tournaments). That more than makes up for Notre Dame in 2003 and 2004.

We can agree to disagree regarding 2003 and 2004. Sure Duke and Tennessee were "elite" teams in 2003 and 2004 but they wouldn't have been as good as ND's class from 12-13 thru 15-16 other than the 1 year Achinowa got hurt but frankly if healthy Achinowa, they were scary good too and batter than the 2. There are different ways to characterize "elite," however. You've mentioned Duke and Tennessee but UCONN outlasted them in those years thus UCONN was "elite" too which I think we agree on. - And if you want to call the other 2 "elite" - okay.

But taking that a step further - IMO the 2003 and 2004 title teams - they' weren't near as elite as Stewie's teams in her soph through senior years. The prime-Stewart UCONN teams would've convincingly beaten the 2003/ 2004 teams. Thus there is a big difference between teams that we refer to as "elite."

The ND teams that Stewie faced were awesome. Duke and Tennessee might've been in the top 3 back then but they weren't awesome at the level ND was during Stewie's era. So imo if we call Duke and Tennessee "elite," then we have to call those ND teams in Stewart's era as "supremely elite."

 

[Huskyfan63]

1-- Stewie, 2- DT, 3-Maya, 4-- MoJeff , 5- Bird
With the 1st 5 -- MoJeff over Bird I can recall the show on SNY and the guy put mOJeff in teh top 10 and Meg didn't agree. I think Meg is way wrong on her appraisal of MoJeff. As for me I think both are near equal. I get that MoJeff did little her frosh year -- but Bird only played 3 years. Thus 1 year for each is a wash. I get it if others feel differently and don't hold it against Sue.

6--Lobo, 7-Charles, 8-Sales, 9-Bascom, 10-Sveta, 11-Wolters, 12- Rizzotti, 13- Cash, 14-Dolson, 15-Ralph,
So many of these can be switched.

16--Monty 17- Collier, 18- KML, 19-KLS, 20-Gabby, 21-Tuck, 22-Bria.
These can be switched too.

Almost exactly how I would arrange the order. I especially like Moriah where you put her, I think she sometimes gets overlooked in these comparisons a little bit. Junior and Senior year, she was the player I told my girls to focus on watching. Wish we could watch Moriah defending Arike Ogunbowale. Only difference I'd have with your order is Napheesa in the top 10.

 

[hoophuskee]

Almost exactly how I would arrange the order. I especially like Moriah where you put her, I think she sometimes gets overlooked in these comparisons a little bit. Junior and Senior year, she was the player I told my girls to focus on watching. Wish we could watch Moriah defending Arike Ogunbowale. Only difference I'd have with your order is Napheesa in the top 10.

Interesting that only Apple (Below link) had her on the top 10. But I think her defense so outstanding - and after her frosh year so was passing and shooting. Very confused by Meg's comments. You mean MJ's soph to sr years she didn't contribute to the team very much?????

Even Meg's talks about Tina Charles. I found strange. Her frosh year she was Honorable A/A. And her soph year she was 3rd Team A/A. That's "not clicking?"

In regards to Stewie as number 1 - I love Geno's comment per the link below that imo sums up why I had Stewie as #1. "I don't know that there's been anyone that's affected the game that we ever had at Connecticut physically as Stewie has."

And what I didn't get was the guy- Feinberg saying if this list was about the most outstanding player then she would be number 1. But for me, that's what it was and what they should have been voting on. But then he makes a strange comment to go on to say that she had help with MJ. Yet Kara and Meg take away from MJeff because "She had help." Well- DT had a lot of help her frosh year.

Then Feinberg goes on to say she is "one of a kind player." And says "We'll never see anyone like her again." -- That's how I feel up to this point. That is an example why she is number 1 in my book.

I think Stewie and MoJeff get "penalized" for being so great for one another. That's okay. everyone on this top ten list and ofc beyond it-- sheer joy to watch regardless where they are ranked.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

In regards to “your point to consider.” I think also what needs to be considered is level of opponent too. ND was far superior to what DT had to go through in 2003 and 2004 so Dt's team was able to win with less talent because she wasn’t facing the same brutally talented opponent that Stewie was. So “yes: Stewie had better teammates than DT in 2003 and 2004 but those 2003 and 2004 teams weren’t beating those ND teams (maybe the one ND team that was hurt) that Stewie did.

We can agree to disagree regarding 2003 and 2004. Sure Duke and Tennessee were "elite" teams in 2003 and 2004 but they wouldn't have been as good as ND's class from 12-13 thru 15-16 other than the 1 year Achinowa got hurt but frankly if healthy Achinowa, they were scary good too and batter than the 2. There are different ways to characterize "elite," however. You've mentioned Duke and Tennessee but UCONN outlasted them in those years thus UCONN was "elite" too which I think we agree on. - And if you want to call the other 2 "elite" - okay.

But taking that a step further - IMO the 2003 and 2004 title teams - they' weren't near as elite as Stewie's teams in her soph through senior years. The prime-Stewart UCONN teams would've convincingly beaten the 2003/ 2004 teams. Thus there is a big difference between teams that we refer to as "elite."

The ND teams that Stewie faced were awesome. Duke and Tennessee might've been in the top 3 back then but they weren't awesome at the level ND was during Stewie's era. So imo if we call Duke and Tennessee "elite," then we have to call those ND teams in Stewart's era as "supremely elite."

Notre Dame, during the Stewart era, was definitely in the same league (talent-wise) as Duke was during 2003 and 2004. But putting that aside for now, the thing is you bolstered my point as to why I rank Diana Taurasi ahead of Breanna Stewart.

This is not about Stewart teams beating Taurasi teams. It is about who is the best player in UConn history and the reasons behind said selection.

UConn had far more talent during the Stewart years than during Taurasi's 2003 and 2004 seasons. In fact, UConn was the most talented team (on paper) in the country during Stewart's sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. At no time during 2003 and 2004 did UConn have the consensus most talented team (on paper); that honor fell to Duke and Tennessee. Taurasi took teams with far less talent than Stewart's teams -- and less talent than Duke or Tennessee -- and still won the national titles both years. Other than her freshman season, UConn was always the favorite to win the national title and the most talented team during the Stewart years.

Having a much better supporting cast is why I rank Stewart #2, as Taurasi's 2003 and 2004 seasons demonstrated she could do more with less, so to speak.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Not bad, but swap 1 and 2. Stewie brought us 4 NCs. She had four collosal seasons. No one else did that.

Actually I would reverse this 1, 2, 3 completely with Maya as number one, Stewie remaining number 2 and Diana dropping to number 3 .... I think the level of talent in women's basketball rose considerably from Diana's time in Storrs to what it is now .... Maya was a star from her first moment in a Huskie uniform

 

[Buzzyboy]

Notre Dame, during the Stewart era, was definitely in the same league (talent-wise) as Duke was during 2003 and 2004. But putting that aside for now, the thing is you bolstered my point as to why I rank Diana Taurasi ahead of Breanna Stewart.

This is not about Stewart teams beating Taurasi teams. It is about who is the best player in UConn history and the reasons behind said selection.

UConn had far more talent during the Stewart years than during Taurasi's 2003 and 2004 seasons. In fact, UConn was the most talented team (on paper) in the country during Stewart's sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. At no time during 2003 and 2004 did UConn have the consensus most talented team (on paper); that honor fell to Duke and Tennessee. Taurasi took teams with far less talent than Stewart's teams -- and less talent than Duke or Tennessee -- and still won the national titles both years. Other than her freshman season, UConn was always the favorite to win the national title and the most talented team during the Stewart years.

Having a much better supporting cast is why I rank Stewart #2, as Taurasi's 2003 and 2004 seasons demonstrated she could do more with less, so to speak.

I think the Tennessee may have had more talent than the Huskies in 2003 and 2004, but they were not a cohesive team in any way, shape or form .... they won a lot of games because of their sheer talent but like an all-star team that's just been put together, they were often totally out of sync. I think those two titles had as much (or more) to do with Tennessee's poor play and inabilities to perform as it did with Diana and the Huskies. Conversely I don't think we've had as complete a player of the ilk of Maya EVER. She was amazing from her first moment on campus and is easily one of the classiest and well spoken ladies to ever walk onto a basketball court. Maya is easily the best women's basketball player that's ever performed for the Huskies. As I mentioned earlier, my number two would be Stewie and then Diana. How could anyone have Diana as the number one when she had that horrific performance in her freshman year in the Final Four. Her shooting performance was one of the worst in the history of the Final Four for ANY PLAYER, period. She shouldn't be judged too harshly for one horrendous performance but that was on the biggest stage and there were other times when her performances left much to be desired. Stewie, for the vast majority of her freshman year, was a big disappointment though at the end of the year, she obviously found her game and had a marvelous Final Four, winning the MVP of the Final Four. Maya, to my recollection, never had those bumps in the road or flagrantly bad performances. So so good.