The most underrated

[Skeets]

The kid who Geno said will never play a bad game at UCONN is underrated? I consider that pretty high praise, right up there with "I like my chances because I have Diana and they don't".

 

[JoePgh]

I agree that the definition of "underrated" is unclear. If the definition is, "Who exceeded the coaches' expectations for her by the widest margin?", I would nominate Mel Thomas.

 

[FedupFred]

I remember a Geno interview where he stated that Maria Conlon was too small and she was slow. She was one of my favorites

 

[BostonBay]

I would say Kelly Schumacher. One of UConn's best shot-blockers of all-time. She was a defensive force & pitched in on the offensive end. I believe she still has the record for most blocked shots in a Final Four game - 9 in the 2000 Championship against Tenn. Also had a successful WNBA career.

 

[diggerfoot]

If by underrated you go by less positive press than she deserved I could not pick one, same problem I had when thinking about a player most thwarted by injuries. Everyone has brought up good arguments for their own pick.

However, if by underrated you go by the most negative press that a person does not deserve, then I think Conlon stands out. Coincidentally, there was another UConn point guard around the same time getting the same treatment, Taliek Brown. Fortunately, both proved to be champions despite their "shortcomings."

Could you imagine the comments about Conlon these past four years if she was our point guard?

 

[bballnut90]

I rarely see Shea Ralph talked about as being among the best UCONN players ever, but she is probably the least spoken about NPOY UCONN has had and her 2000 season is one of the most undervalued. Ralph led the charge for the dominant 2000 team and ultimately had one of the best but least spoken about seasons in UCONN history.

As a guard she led the team with 14.9 points, 4.9 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, shot 62% from the floor, 40% from 3, 82% from the line and had a 2:1 A/TO ratio back when high A/TO ratios weren't as common. Beat out sophomore Sue Bird for leading the team in assists and had a better A/TO ratio (basically the same, but very slight edge for Shea). 62% as a high usage guard is nuts.

In the title game that year, she was the star, scoring 15 points on 7-8 shooting, dishing out 7 assists and grabbing 6 steals. Her intensity early created the separation and she took home Final Four MOP honors as well as the Honda Award and Sports Illustrated POY.

Ralph was also stellar as a freshman and sophomore despite missing most of the 1997 tournament to an ACL. She had a good but underwhelming senior season due to knees and didn't play in the NCAAs.

I think she loses credit from many for the unheralded finish to her career and the fact that she isn't high in most career record books. She only played in 128 career games due to injuries and shorter seasons back then, which ultimately is 20-25 fewer games than most Huskies have played in.

I also think she gets overshadowed by Bird/Taurasi playing right after her and becoming immediate stars in the pros while Ralph's career ended in the BE Tournament. She might not be the most underrated per se, but I think she's one of the most undervalued great players to play at Connecticut.

 

[baggerbob]

I say Kia Nurse but she was not underestimated by Geno. Considering he started her in 36 of 39 games in her freshman year. The UCONN fans went gaga over Gabby but not so much Kia. She was Gabby's roommate and friend but not the it girl. She was UCONN's John Stockton. Even Lou received more adulation from the fans. No one was disrespectful just not gushing except for a few perceptive fans. She was the rough and tumble hockey puck but no bright lights. Considering how successful she is at the professional level; she should have received more noteriety. She brought it every game.

She should have at least one year had her name submitted as an all-american. She did all the little things, always put team first. She always was the best all around player on the team.

 

[UcMiami]

I'll throw another name out there - Charde Houston. She suffered since her career fell into one of the 4 year windows of limited success and struggled with Geno all four years - but she stayed and she played and played well. Was really happy that she had success as a pro.

 

[CocoHusky]

She should have at least one year had her name submitted as an all-american. She did all the little things, always put team first. She always was the best all around player on the team.

I was with you until that last sentence. Kia Nurse was never the best all around player on any of her UCONN teams. How could she have been when she shared the floor with Moriah Jefferson, Stewie, Morgan Tuck, Napheesa Collier, and Gabby Williams? BTW her name was submitted for AA in her senior season in which she was named the DPOY.

 

[Bronxjeff]

I second the vote for Maria Conlon. She was so solid it was just accepted as background, but she made big plays when needed and never ever faltered.

 

[uconnfan68]

Because she played before the birth of the UCONN dynasty it is without a doubt Kerry Bascom.
Bascom's Sophmore, Junior and Senior seasons in which she averaged 20+ PPG may have been the three best season run in UCONN history and comparable to Maya's & Stewie's last there season. Because it was before the birth of the dynasty and did not result in a championship Kerry always gets overlooked.

It was Kerry Bascom's play against Virginia in their first FF that hooked me on UConn WBB. She worked like Moses Malone.

 

[ucbart]

Asjha Jones is an Olympic gold medalist and not on the wall. She could've been National POY at every other school in D1, that's how good she was. She is BY FAR the most underrated player ever to wear a UCONN uniform.

She is one of the top 3 combos of offense and defense in the post we've ever had.

 

[Bronxjeff]

Asjha Jones is an Olympic gold medalist and not on the wall. She could've been National POY at every other school in D1, that's how good she was. She is BY FAR the most underrated player ever to wear a UCONN uniform.

She is one of the top 3 combos of offense and defense in the post we've ever had.

Very good point. I didn't think of her as underrated because her teams were so strong that all members were stars, but individually she deserves her due - one of the all-time greats.