And recruited by Tennessee, Oklahoma, and a bunch of other top programs as well as UConn. Stef had offers from Rutgers and especially Maryland among others. Someone like Andy Landers may not have valued Stef, but there were plenty of top programs competing for a 6'5" kid with good hands.FYI:
Stokes was ranked No. 42 overall by ESPN HoopGurlz.com, 14th by Blue Star Basketball, and ninth by All-Star Girls Report.
Me, too, Scotter. I saw her twice in high school. It was clear even then that she had certain very good skills and some good coaching. She had great hands and great footwork and that constant smile even when she was knocked down.I wouldn't have been able to predict Stef would be a 2-time All-American, but it was easily evident to me that she could play at UConn because she had all the requisite skills that Geno and CD demand of their post players. Skills that very few post players have in terms of passing, handling the ball, and shooting.
Bring on any reasonably coordinated 6"5" kid, even a volleyballer like the BYU gal, and Geno and staff will develop her into a star.There are definitely 6' 5" kids out there but that doesn't mean they can translate into Dolson who I watched as a high schooler and never thought she would be who she is, a tremendous basketball player and young lady. Why - because I am not Geno, I did not know what her personality was like. There are a lot of things that go into whether a player can make it. Some of these kids don't have the mentals, they have been pampered in high school and never been challenged.
I think your coaches have proved they know who to recruit that they can coach and play team ball. Sure there may be the odd 1 or 2 and they have a pretty good idea going in what to expect from them even if we have a different idea.
Dolson was ranked #39 by Hoopgurlz and #24 by Bluestar.
What???????Here we go again...any player that does not choose UCONN is not willing to work hard and is more interested in immediate gratifiation.