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Message: [QUOTE="#12in21, post: 4499075, member: 10763"] This was a post I made in a thread in January 2021. Loved this kid then as I do now. She has never been the most talented kid on the team but you would be hard pressed to show that she isn't one of the most impactful. She just brings something unique and she brings it in spades. I've always believed that she would be a key piece of our teams success and a fan favorite. I'm loving watching this all unfold and intend to thoroughly enjoy seeing what's to come. The icing on the cake will be seeing her celebrate with her teammates after cutting down the nets for #12 and maybe #13! [I]As I said in a couple threads, one prior to any game play, I see Nika as a very passionate, team first, self aware person. I think she is showing that she understands (and has known from the day she committed) and acknowledges the areas she has to work on in her game to contribute to her teams success. If we look at her progress, what she did in the Arkansas game shows she has really worked hard to improve her game and help her team. That has clearly been a view shared by Geno, he didn't give her 25 minutes PT and notably stayed with her through the final whistle because she 'played like a freshmen'. He saw what she did on defense against Dungee, that she took the open shots, drove to the basketball a couple times - once scoring the other delivering a nice assist, had no turnovers and played with passion but not emotionally. I love the kid and really root for her. I think she is and will become even more so a great teammate, loves being a Husky and will continue to work hard to reach her full potential. Geno is hardest on the kids that he knows have the potential to grow their games. He doesn't chastise a kid, for playing at a level beyond their potential. I think that tough sequence when Nika got dressed down in the timeout, followed by his conversation with her as tears fell and she just could not look at him for fear the waterfalls would flow, said a lot about what he sees in her and as much in how passionately she wants to be the best player she can be for the team. How he's used her since then and how she has responded have shown that both accepted what needed to happen in her game and recognize how she is responding. Would have loved to see some of our posters who were extremely harsh about Nika's potential in the X factor chain give the kid some kudos for the things she's done well the last couple games, but thus far radio silence. What we all think on the BY really doesn't matter though, how the coaches and her teammates see her, which I believe is really positively, is what should and I feel does matter to Nika![/I] [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach