The scariest thing about the UConn Huskies

[SCspur]

I think Wilson is a terrific player and the front runner for POY but you are wrong about her living up to her high school hype. Didn't both she and her father say she wanted to play guard? There were videos of her ball handling skills and her outside shooting. I've yet to see her be an effective perimeter shooter ala Stewart. I believe she was 0-1 last season. So that aspect of the hype is still missing. And I'm not saying she needs a perimeter game, just that she was touted as having one and we haven't seen it.

I totally agree with you. I would like to see more of an outside shot in her game. And yes it was said she would have been on the perimeter but playing more as a Forward then a wing is what's effective for her. I think her game is still growing though, and we could see more of a perimeter game next year and in her WNBA career.

What I meant by living up to her high school hype was her being a program changer and a tough competitor. She has totally transformed a cellar program into one of the nations elite. She will go down as one of the best players to ever wear a SC jersey. If she continues to expand her game and understanding of it she could have a great pro career as well.

 

[CocoHusky]

I think Wilson is a terrific player and the front runner for POY but you are wrong about her living up to her high school hype. Didn't both she and her father say she wanted to play guard? There were videos of her ball handling skills and her outside shooting. I've yet to see her be an effective perimeter shooter ala Stewart. I believe she was 0-1 last season. So that aspect of the hype is still missing. And I'm not saying she needs a perimeter game, just that she was touted as having one and we haven't seen it.

It wasn't her father it was her AAU coach. Dawn actually started A'Ja at Guard for the first game of her Freshmen campaign against USC before quickly getting religion. The experiment lasted a total of 16 minutes in which A'Ja shot 2-7 had 3 TO and 1 assist.

 

[Alydar]

I totally agree with you. I would like to see more of an outside shot in her game. And yes it was said she would have been on the perimeter but playing more as a Forward then a wing is what's effective for her. I think her game is still growing though, and we could see more of a perimeter game next year and in her WNBA career.

What I meant by living up to her high school hype was her being a program changer and a tough competitor. She has totally transformed a cellar program into one of the nations elite. She will go down as one of the best players to ever wear a SC jersey. If she continues to expand her game and understanding of it she could have a great pro career as well.

S Car wasn't a cellar program when she arrived. SC was already a rising program when Coates got there a year prior to Wilson's arrival. If I remember right, SC had a good year when Coates was a HS senior but they lost a lot of seniors and most were predicting them to slide in Coates' freshman year. She and Staley proved the experts wrong. In fact I would say that Coates freshman season was a big reason Wilson signed.

 

[UConnCat]

S Car wasn't a cellar program when she arrived. SC was already a rising program when Coates got there a year prior to Wilson's arrival. If I remember right, SC had a good year when Coates was a HS senior but they lost a lot of seniors and most were predicting them to slide in Coates' freshman year. She and Staley proved the experts wrong. In fact I would say that Coates freshman season was a big reason Wilson signed.

You caught that one too. South Carolina was hardly a cellar program when Wilson arrived. The year before Wilson joined SC, 2013-14 season, the Gamecocks ended the season 29-5, were ranked in the Top 10 during the season, won the SEC regular season title and lost to UNC in the Sweet 16. The season before that, 2012-13, the Gamecocks were ranked in the Top 20 and ended the season 28-5.

Wilson certainly helped transform the team in to a national champion (wouldn't have happened without 2 big transfers), but let's not get carried away.

 

[CocoHusky]

S Car wasn't a cellar program when she arrived. SC was already a rising program when Coates got there a year prior to Wilson's arrival. If I remember right, SC had a good year when Coates was a HS senior but they lost a lot of seniors and most were predicting them to slide in Coates' freshman year. She and Staley proved the experts wrong. In fact I would say that Coates freshman season was a big reason Wilson signed.

Before Wilson: SC was #1 Seed in NCAA Finished 29 & 5, lost no seniors of significance, Lost to DD in Sweet 16 of NCAA.
After Wilson: SC was #1 Seed in NCAA 34 & 3, Lost to ND in FF by 1 point. Neither Wilson (Freshmen) nor Coates (Sophomore) started for SC on this team & Tiffany Mitchell was the go to player & Welch the heartbeat of the team.

 

[oldude]

I think Wilson is a terrific player and the front runner for POY but you are wrong about her living up to her high school hype. Didn't both she and her father say she wanted to play guard? There were videos of her ball handling skills and her outside shooting. I've yet to see her be an effective perimeter shooter ala Stewart. I believe she was 0-1 last season. So that aspect of the hype is still missing. And I'm not saying she needs a perimeter game, just that she was touted as having one and we haven't seen it.

The idea of Wilson playing guard in college is almost as outrageous as Gabby Williams playing center...

 

[CocoHusky]

The idea of Wilson playing guard in college is almost as outrageous as Gabby Williams playing center...

The funny thing is that I think Geno could pull off both while no other coach could pull off either.

 

[Bestiarius]

Can we just pretending here! We both know that no self-respecting, egoless UConn player would go on ESPN to announce their decision when there are perfectly good car hoods in the parking lot & no matter how many times you begged them.

Top-ranked prospect Walker commits to UConn

Have you ever seen Brian Stewart's car?