Recruiting has been absolutely incredible the past 10 months...

[oldude]

I am surprised alot of people are directly connecting success or failure of our recruitment to our Assistant Coaches. Of course, they are in the trenches making first appraisals, doing the legwork etc. but I am sure Geno gets involved in the process in detail (at least for the top recruits) and in the end, the recruits will choose UConn because of Geno and his interactions with them, their family, their coaches etc.

The buck starts and stops with Geno

No doubt that Geno is the linchpin and closer in recruiting, but the entire recruiting process is critical nowadays, particularly when going after a top recruit. Whether it involves initial player evaluations, monitoring social media, sending out promotional mailings and all other means of maintaining steady contact. My sense is that Jas is deeply involved in the process. She also is a younger coach who may be capable of connecting with recruits at a different level than Geno, CD or even Shea.

I am speculating, but the two instances where someone like Jas may have made a difference were the decomitment of Charli Collier and the surprising decision of Aaliyah Boston. While those players may well have ended up at TX & SC regardless of UConn’s process, I do wonder if a stronger connection with a staff member might have made a difference in either case. In Boston’s case, there was in fact some speculation that Marisa’s departure to take the HC job at BU may have been a factor in her decision to play for Dawn.

 

[Zanzman]

Was the speculation about Boston going to SC because of Marisa from the boneyard or somewhere more in the know

 

[eebmg]

Was the speculation about Boston going to SC because of Marisa from the boneyard or somewhere more in the know

(Speculation) ^ 10

 

[Zanzman]

So boneyard it is I’ll take that with a lot of grains of salt

 

[Carnac]

I have a legit question too - what do folks attribute the insane off the charts recruiting success over the past 10 months? After the disappointments of Horston (expected), Jones (mostly expected) and Boston (unexpected - to me at least), let's take a look-see, shall we??!!!

BTW I'm listing the kids as part of the class their eligibility would let them graduate with... I also put their HG ranking next to their name... also - i'm only listing "new" recruits, not who we already had at that time.

2016 (SR) Adebayo
2017 None
2018 Westbrook (2)
2019 Makurat (NR - I believe top 20 if not top 15)
2020 Bueckers (1), Muhl (I believe she's at least top 15 if not top 10), McLean (21), Gabriel (NR), Edwards (26 - But I believe she's top 5)
2021 Poffenbarger (17), DeBerry (5)
2022 Brady (3)

This is an absolutely insane amount of top talent. 5 kids in the top 5. 3 in the top 20. 1 in the top 25. JUST WOW. Geno must have borrowed the phrase from the WNBA - "Watch me work now"...

Division1 recruiting in the revenue sports is cut throat for the most part. ALL of the top 25 programs going hard for the "elite" top 10 ranked recruits in each class. Have you noticed how early in a typical "top rated" potential recruit’s development, many college programs identify, contact, and try to begin to develop a relationship with them? Some of them as early as middle school.

Sometimes you hit (sign) on the recruits you want most, sometimes you don’t. Geno went two classes not getting some/any of the “highly coveted“ recruits he wanted. For one reason or another, they turned away from UConn to a program that appeared to be more attractive and a better “fit.”

UConn was in a valley or a down swing if you will for those two years. No more!! UConn is clearly on an upswing and rising, getting some of the most coveted recruits in the country. In short, we’re back in business.

Some thought Geno had lost his touch and appeal, not so. Geno has returned to the proverbial “cat-bird” seat in the recruiting wars. I’m excited to read about all of the top ranked, and highly coveted recruits UConn has landed recently, with more to come.

Someone pondered recently about the mindset of some uncommitted recruits i.e., knowing of the recruits UConn has coming in the next 2-3 years, if they would prefer to play with them with the probability of winning a championship or two, or playing against them, keeping in mind and understanding that UConn is not for everyone. No “one size fits all” here. No give-a-ways, no promises. Just the opportunity to earn playing time, and be coached by one of the premier WCBB coaches of all time.

Its been reported here that Geno on more than one occasion, has been known to admonish recruits when they visit the campus, saying that: “we’re going to win with you, or without you” It would appear that approach has not lost its luster. Winners want to win, and many of them still feel that UConn’s program is still one of the premier schools in the country, and Geno (and coaches) can help them improve and get to the next level. They know that Geno will work them hard, and WILL NOT allow them to cheat their talent or potential. The numbers (recent commitments) speak for themselves.

* Las Vegas was nice, but it's great to be back home.

 

[donalddoowop]

I am surprised alot of people are directly connecting success or failure of our recruitment to our Assistant Coaches. Of course, they are in the trenches making first appraisals, doing the legwork etc. but I am sure Geno gets involved in the process in detail (at least for the top recruits) and in the end, the recruits will choose UConn because of Geno and his interactions with them, their family, their coaches etc.

The buck starts and stops with Geno

No.

 

[eebmg]

No.

Oh

 

[BroadwayVa]

actually I said do both and do more of it and he has............it's a nice mix of top ten talent, slightly less highly rated talent and foreign talent.............that took one big net............

Dolson proved your point! The top talent isn't always TOP and some surprises may come from those not so highly rated. The problem may be: you can't load up on the lower tier alone when the TOP doesn't come--

 

[BroadwayVa]

No.

That's why he gets the big BUCK (s)

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm glad for Jasmine. Her first year did not produce the recruits UConn was used to getting. I believe some wondered if she would produce and at least one person said the fact that the AC who went to coach at Boston College hurt recruiting. I believe some of the American recruits have noticed that foreign players have said that UConn was their dream school and Geno is recruiting them, not waiting for the American recruits. Now, American recruits who look at UConn as their dream school are committing early to make sure there is room for them because Geno has widened his area of recruiting and if they wait too long they will miss out. Just my thoughts.

These thoughts have crossed my mind too.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I am surprised alot of people are directly connecting success or failure of our recruitment to our Assistant Coaches. Of course, they are in the trenches making first appraisals, doing the legwork etc. but I am sure Geno gets involved in the process in detail (at least for the top recruits) and in the end, the recruits will choose UConn because of Geno and his interactions with them, their family, their coaches etc.

The buck starts and stops with Geno

The assistants are NOT just making first appraisals, Usually yes, but some quality recruits are found and pushed by CD, Shea, etc over the years. Geno I'm sure, makes the final decision but it is highly likely he accepts the assessment of CD and/or Shea. Shea isn't pulled in 30 directions at once during the recruitment period, Geno is and possibly CD. On the reluctant families Geno "the closer" may be required I agree.

 

[ucbart]

I have a legit question too - what do folks attribute the insane off the charts recruiting success over the past 10 months? After the disappointments of Horston (expected), Jones (mostly expected) and Boston (unexpected - to me at least), let's take a look-see, shall we??!!!

BTW I'm listing the kids as part of the class their eligibility would let them graduate with... I also put their HG ranking next to their name... also - i'm only listing "new" recruits, not who we already had at that time.

2016 (SR) Adebayo
2017 None
2018 Westbrook (2)
2019 Makurat (NR - I believe top 20 if not top 15)
2020 Bueckers (1), Muhl (I believe she's at least top 15 if not top 10), McLean (21), Gabriel (NR), Edwards (26 - But I believe she's top 5)
2021 Poffenbarger (17), DeBerry (5)
2022 Brady (3)

This is an absolutely insane amount of top talent. 5 kids in the top 5. 3 in the top 20. 1 in the top 25. JUST WOW. Geno must have borrowed the phrase from the WNBA - "Watch me work now"...

This is what I think.

When were dominating from 2013-2016, we were "bad for the game." Recruits heard that everywhere-from the media and a lot of other coaches, I assume. At that time, this kids that are in college now were coming into their own with recruiting, schools, visits, and such. OTOH, the kids that we are getting now, were impressionable, middle school age kids who were probably super fans, such as Paige. I would assume that goes a loooooooooong way.

 

[Zorro]

Leave us not forget that Kobe's daughter has also committed. I know she is only 11, but still, a commitment is a commitment and blood will tell!

 

[Kaizen]

Leave us not forget that Kobe's daughter has also committed. I know she is only 11, but still, a commitment is a commitment and blood will tell!

Gigi Bryant is 13 years old now ...

Gianna Maria Onore Bryant (born May 1, 2006) is an American basketball player who attends Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of Hall of Fame NBA player Kobe Bryant

 

[eebmg]

Shame Lebron doesn't have a daughter.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Shame Lebron doesn't have a daughter.

Zhuri James is age 5. I bet Jeff Walz knows that.

 

[eebmg]

Zhuri James is age 5. I bet Jeff Walz knows that.

View attachment 49283

I did not know that. Cool.

 

[Triad]

After the struggles with the freshman class in 2017, when 3 of 4 players ultimately left and the swings and misses with the top 3 players in the 2019 class, I think Geno, CD and the staff changed their approach significantly.

• First and foremost, I believe Geno has changed the way he deals with players, particularly in public. His criticisms now appear as gentle nudges as opposed to harsh rebukes. As a result UConn projects a much more comfortable image to prospective recruits. I suspect CD had a strong influence on this change in Geno’s personality.
• While I don’t necessarily believe that any of these options will be ongoing, so long as Geno can continue to bring in classes like 2020, it is clear that Geno has belatedly embraced transfers and foreign born players as needed to fill holes in the roster.
• Geno and every other coach’s preference would be to wait until a player completes their junior year of HS basketball to offer a scholarship, so that you have a better idea of what you’re getting. But the pressure to recruit top talent has pushed offers further and further out. So Geno has bought in to the challenging process of extending offers earlier. As a result, UConn has verbal commitments from 2 HS jrs & 1 Soph who are barely into their seasons.
• In the past, Geno has focused on bringing in a class of 3-4 top players at most. If 2-3 of those players went elsewhere, so be it. It now appears that Geno is extending more offers. So if 5 players all commit to UConn, like next year, and who knows how many in the following years, UConn will just have to deal with the inevitable PT issue that results.
• I do agree with the post that Jas has had a significant impact on recruiting. While she doesn’t necessarily have the title of Recruiting Coordinator, in practice she does appear to fill that role at UConn.
• Finally, with all the championship banners, AA’s and top pros that UConn has, the biggest single advantage that the Huskies have in recruiting is the players themselves, both past and present. The current players are a wonderful group of “team first” young ladies who certainly impress HS recruits with a friendly vibe that goes a long way towards convincing them that Storrs is where they want to be. In addition, to the extent that recruits run into former UConn greats like Stewie or KML on campus, it has to be a thrilling experience that can only reinforce the advantages of playing basketball at UConn.

@oldude, I tend to agree with all the above. The first bullet tends to put to rest the Never Changing Geno Myth. The man is (a) evolving (as all humans tend to do over time or (b) takes note of what is required to communicate and KEEP/RECRUIT the new breed of players. I tend to think it's both. It's like Griffin and/or Ania Starting as Freshmen even while he rarely plays Frosh in tight games because of the TRUst ISSUE..

 

[Triad]

Zhuri James is age 5. I bet Jeff Walz knows that.

View attachment 49283

He knows it and made an offer.

 

[Triad]

No doubt that Geno is the linchpin and closer in recruiting, but the entire recruiting process is critical nowadays, particularly when going after a top recruit. Whether it involves initial player evaluations, monitoring social media, sending out promotional mailings and all other means of maintaining steady contact. My sense is that Jas is deeply involved in the process. She also is a younger coach who may be capable of connecting with recruits at a different level than Geno, CD or even Shea.

I am speculating, but the two instances where someone like Jas may have made a difference were the decomitment of Charli Collier and the surprising decision of Aaliyah Boston. While those players may well have ended up at TX & SC regardless of UConn’s process, I do wonder if a stronger connection with a staff member might have made a difference in either case. In Boston’s case, there was in fact some speculation that Marisa’s departure to take the HC job at BU may have been a factor in her decision to play for Dawn.

Some players want Coach to hold their hand until they report to UConn or any school. Attention for Assistance may say to them--not so much interest. You know recruiting and keeping Committ's is fine line until they actually arrive, even then Geno has lost one or 2 before the season started (I not talking AEH) or EDD). That is why I worry (glass 1/3 empty) when Players commit too early--my mantra is : early commit--earlier decommit.

 

[EricLA]

Some players want Coach to hold their hand until they report to UConn or any school. Attention for Assistance may say to them--not so much interest. You know recruiting and keeping Committ's is fine line until they actually arrive, even then Geno has lost one or 2 before the season started (I not talking AEH) or EDD). That is why I worry (glass 1/3 empty) when Players commit too early--my mantra is : early commit--earlier decommit.

Jackie Gemelos, who verbaled without ever visiting UCONN (I believe she did it over the phone when chatting with Geno) and who else? Maybe Gillian Goring? She was not eligible for college I think (IIRC)...

Laura Harper was another kid who verbaled, but IIRC Freese kept on her, and helped convince her to rescind and go to Maryland instead. Recently there was Charli Collier, but again, her dad had died the year before, and after they had that big hurricane, I think she felt homesick before ever leaving Texas and opted to stay closer to home.

But... my point sort of, is that I don't think those kids changed their minds because they verbaled too early, necessarily. I think sometimes circumstances change/occur, and it happens.

2 sides to every coin tho. You make a good point that relates to Elena Delle Donne. How many "top" kids did Geno NOT recruit, or who chose not to come to UCONN and compete against Elena for PT? Her leaving at the last possible second was a big blow and created a hole that couldn't be filled. UCONN still won 2 NC's during her 4 years of college so it's not like our cupboard was bare, but we did not win in what would have been her junior and senior years.

My point is, IF Brady were to change her mind a year or 2 down the road... with her verbal, does UCONN stop recruiting other top kids who play the same position? Will her verbal make someone like Betts look elsewhere? It would indeed suck if she were to change her mind and it was too late for us to get another high level post player who took us off their list because we had Ice...

When a kid commits, especially early, the staff starts focusing on other players, probably who play different positions (for the most part) and those kids look at UCONN and say "you are full at that position"... It's a tough dilemma...

 

[BobbyJ]

Jackie Gemelos, who verbaled without ever visiting UCONN (I believe she did it over the phone when chatting with Geno) and who else? Maybe Gillian Goring? She was not eligible for college I think (IIRC)...

Laura Harper was another kid who verbaled, but IIRC Freese kept on her, and helped convince her to rescind and go to Maryland instead. Recently there was Charli Collier, but again, her dad had died the year before, and after they had that big hurricane, I think she felt homesick before ever leaving Texas and opted to stay closer to home.

But... my point sort of, is that I don't think those kids changed their minds because they verbaled too early, necessarily. I think sometimes circumstances change/occur, and it happens.

2 sides to every coin tho. You make a good point that relates to Elena Delle Donne. How many "top" kids did Geno NOT recruit, or who chose not to come to UCONN and compete against Elena for PT? Her leaving at the last possible second was a big blow and created a hole that couldn't be filled. UCONN still won 2 NC's during her 4 years of college so it's not like our cupboard was bare, but we did not win in what would have been her junior and senior years.

My point is, IF Brady were to change her mind a year or 2 down the road... with her verbal, does UCONN stop recruiting other top kids who play the same position? Will her verbal make someone like Betts look elsewhere? It would indeed suck if she were to change her mind and it was too late for us to get another high level post player who took us off their list because we had Ice...

When a kid commits, especially early, the staff starts focusing on other players, probably who play different positions (for the most part) and those kids look at UCONN and say "you are full at that position"... It's a tough dilemma...

Good points, always a lot of moving pieces. As for Betts, by the end of her Jr. HS season it will be common knowledge that she's the #1 kid in the country and with the coaching and advice she's getting I don't think she'll be deterred from going wherever she wants regardless of who's there. There'll be no competition at her position, a skilled 6-7 post with at least 15 ft. range. Kind of like the position Fudd is in if healthy.

 

[DEpup]

Jackie Gemelos, who verbaled without ever visiting UCONN (I believe she did it over the phone when chatting with Geno) and who else? Maybe Gillian Goring? She was not eligible for college I think (IIRC)...

Laura Harper was another kid who verbaled, but IIRC Freese kept on her, and helped convince her to rescind and go to Maryland instead. Recently there was Charli Collier, but again, her dad had died the year before, and after they had that big hurricane, I think she felt homesick before ever leaving Texas and opted to stay closer to home.

But... my point sort of, is that I don't think those kids changed their minds because they verbaled too early, necessarily. I think sometimes circumstances change/occur, and it happens.

2 sides to every coin tho. You make a good point that relates to Elena Delle Donne. How many "top" kids did Geno NOT recruit, or who chose not to come to UCONN and compete against Elena for PT? Her leaving at the last possible second was a big blow and created a hole that couldn't be filled. UCONN still won 2 NC's during her 4 years of college so it's not like our cupboard was bare, but we did not win in what would have been her junior and senior years.

My point is, IF Brady were to change her mind a year or 2 down the road... with her verbal, does UCONN stop recruiting other top kids who play the same position? Will her verbal make someone like Betts look elsewhere? It would indeed suck if she were to change her mind and it was too late for us to get another high level post player who took us off their list because we had Ice...

When a kid commits, especially early, the staff starts focusing on other players, probably who play different positions (for the most part) and those kids look at UCONN and say "you are full at that position"... It's a tough dilemma...

It never ceases to amaze me how people on this board can turn great recruiting into a negative. First we say Geno has lost his touch and now the board says its bad to recruit too early.... There is no satisfying folks on this board. I for one am over the moon with the aggressive recruiting.

 

[skyct]

Brianna Stepherson is another one who rescinded her verbal commitment. She was the first one committed from the class which included 5 players, TASSK.

 

[EricLA]

It never ceases to amaze me how people on this board can turn great recruiting into a negative. First we say Geno has lost his touch and now the board says its bad to recruit too early.... There is no satisfying folks on this board. I for one am over the moon with the aggressive recruiting.

Were you talking about me? I'm over the moon about our recruiting - I've said numerous times, literally no coach in all of WCBB has recruit as well as UCONN over the past year, and looking ahead, for the next 3-4 years, again, literally no one will have the talent we will have. Not one single team.

But I was replying to another poster who I felt raised a legit point. But having a discussion doesn't make anyone negative - we aren't a "rah rah" board. Save that for the cheerleaders spirit squad...