The State: A'ja Wilson talks recruitment

[pap49cba]

LINK

 

[meyers7]

Best of luck to her.

 

[DaddyChoc]

doesn't look pro-uconn but maybe because its a Carolina paper/author?

 

[Aluminny69]

I remember that Seimone Augustus waited until the very last minute to commit to LSU. She played in the McDonald's game as uncommitted.

 

[lanieer]

Best of luck in the future Aja. You are right it seems a non-UConn slant but ..........

 

[watanabe]

Interesting article. I know I'm in the minority here, but it seems to me that the young lady is either confused or unable to commit. I think UConn should reconsider their offer to this lady. If she finally (with reservations) decides to come to UConn, it will be nothing but trouble. I say let her go and wish her the best of luck. You know that once the attention is off her decision and it's time to be molded by Geno with all the associated challenges as well as surrounded by great COMMITTED players she'll be filled with regret. Let's focus on ladies that want to be champions. Pull the plug.

 

[JS]

Interesting article. I know I'm in the minority here, but it seems to me that the young lady is either confused or unable to commit. I think UConn should reconsider their offer to this lady. If she finally (with reservations) decides to come to UConn, it will be nothing but trouble. .

Pretty good moment of self-realization to anticipate that you're in the minority. A very small minority I think -- and would hope.

Pulling the offer would achieve exactly what for a team that needs and wants her?

So she's taking longer than you'd like. And that means she's "confused or unable to commit?"

If you think she's confused you must've seen that list of the pros and cons of each school that she's methodically keeping at home. And it must be very confused in your view.

No, wait -- you have no idea what's on that list or what she or her family are thinking. None. So saying she's "confused" is, well, pretty confused.

And as to "unable to commit," what the heck does that mean? One can expect she's quite able to commit and will.

"Nothing but trouble?" What a dour conclusion based on someone taking her time to decide. Many a UConn stalwart, who turned out to be anything but trouble and indeed enhanced the program, gave out few signals until she actually signed.

The process is different for different people. UConn wants Ms. Wilson and has a place for her. Whatever she decides, we fans (most of us) will await her decision with good will and best wishes.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Interesting article. I know I'm in the minority here, but it seems to me that the young lady is either confused or unable to commit. I think UConn should reconsider their offer to this lady. If she finally (with reservations) decides to come to UConn, it will be nothing but trouble. I say let her go and wish her the best of luck. You know that once the attention is off her decision and it's time to be molded by Geno with all the associated challenges as well as surrounded by great COMMITTED players she'll be filled with regret. Let's focus on ladies that want to be champions. Pull the plug.

You seem to know a lot about her. How many times have you spoken to her and/or her family in person? How do you know about her personal "commitment"...as I keyboard, Geno is on his way to see her play in a tournament.
You should forward your info to him...how could he have missed this stuff about “commitment”?
Irony alert

 

[jdubct]

The way I "read" it, she's South Carolina's to lose. So, if she comes to Uconn it will be a very pleasant surprise. Meanwhile, the recruitment for the 2015 classes and beyond continues.

 

[sarals24]

The only way I see that this is a positive for anyone other than USC is that she hasn't committed yet. I still think she's a USC lean, but she might be holding out until after the season so that she doesn't have to hear any negativity if she decides to leave the state. If that makes sense.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

It is none of our business what this young woman does with her life. Period.

 

[Icebear]

UCONN's only responsibility is to make sure she never wins an NC if she plays somewhere else just like every other player on another team. If she comes to UCONN then they help her to be the best she can be. You take care of what you can and let the rest go.

 

[pap49cba]

For me, the bottom line is if a kid doesn't want to seize the opportunity - and challenge - of playing for and learning from an 8-time NCAA National Championship and 2-time National Team coach she probably won't be happy at UConn anyway. What will be, will be. You just say good luck and move on.

 

[huskybill]

It is none of our business what this young woman does with her life. Period.

How can you say it is none of OUR business. It's easy to see that Wantanabe has thought so long and hard about this that it is certainly his/her business. After all the pain and suffering Wanta has put in, let's hope Wanta doesn't decommitt from UConn.

 

[herbiep]

LINK

I predicted months ago, SOUTH CAROLINA, and I have not changed my mind...

 

[Icebear]

I predicted months ago, SOUTH CAROLINA, and I have not changed my mind...

Yes, herbie, we all know that. You never let us forget it. That and a dollar can't buy you coffee.

 

[Huskysouth]

It just doesn't appear that this young lady is headed north; on the other hand, I just believe that if UConn were in the ACC, A'ja would be a Husky. If UConn does not resolve this conference issue soon, I believe it will have measurable negative effect on recruiting for the Women's basketball program in 2015 and beyond.

 

[Alydar]

I remember early in process that Roscoe Wilson said that it was her choice but that he wanted her to make it reasonably and not emotionally (the reason for the pro-con charts). It's also notable that he went through the process himself, both in college and professionally, and knows that it's a hard sales job she's getting during these visits.

UConn is in a win-win situation. Either she makes them stronger by playing for them or she makes them better by being a great opponent. If only there were another 25 6'4" perimeter players to spread around wcbb.

 

[UcMiami]

This woman appears to be a very methodical worker - as soon as she knew a lot of her summer was going to be taken up with USA basketball, time she had planned to devote to her recruitment, she announced that she would not be making a decision before the end of her senior season. Nothing has changed in that time estimate since then. I certainly approve of this course of action over the commit early and then de-commit later process some recruits take, and I would rather have a well thought out decision than have a player leave a program after the first year. So everyone should just chill.
While not exactly sheltered, this past year was the first time she was able to attend a USA basketball try-out and to participate with a USA team because of school and other commitments, so I get the sense she did not have as much exposure to national players and programs as other players at the top of her class had.
And I take Uconn's continued interest and travel to see her play as a sign that she has also been very straightforward in the way she has communicated with the coaching staff at Uconn and they do not feel that this pace of decision making indicates a lack of decisiveness, but rather a careful consideration of options.
No idea where she will go and I suspect she has no idea either. I think it is highly unseemly for a bunch of fans (mostly much older) to exhibit so much impatience with a young woman making a fairly critical life choice and displaying admirable patience in doing so. (That speaks not just to Uconn fans but fans of all her final schools.)

 

[MarlboroughMike]

I have no idea how a young woman thinks and I certainly don’t know how Ms. Wilson is thinking, however if she were a manager about to hire an employee (college), there I might have some experience and insight.

In the interviewing process, there is something known as the “halo effect”. It has been found that the first and last candidates have an advantage over those interviewing between those two positions. It’s about 20% selection rate for the first interviewee and 60% for the last. The last interviewee’s percentage goes up if there is a long time between the first and last interview. (The first interviewee becomes the measuring stick for the rest and the last is the freshest in the memory of the hiring manager.)

To paraphrase a previous quote: “I really enjoyed spending time with my family during the travel to (insert a location here).” This might indicate an in-house candidate is very much on the mind of the hiring manager.

Again to paraphrase a previous quote: “I want to create a legacy”. Do I hire that candidate that works in a company that has a history of excellence, thereby taking some of the credit for what I might accomplish or do I hire the candidate that is under the radar and for which I will get the majority of any credit for creating a winning business?

Spreadsheet: the HR department has kept a spreadsheet of the pluses and minuses of the candidates, which is great of them. It makes them feel a part of the process and that they have done their job. I certainly will review it before making my decision but in the end I have to go with my gut.

The above might be a scenario that she might use if she were a hiring manager, but she is not. To end as I have started: I have no idea how a young woman thinks and I certainly don’t know how Ms. Wilson is thinking. May she wind up in the position that is the best for her.

 

[watanabe]

For me, the bottom line is if a kid doesn't want to seize the opportunity - and challenge - of playing for and learning from an 8-time NCAA National Championship and 2-time National Team coach she probably won't be happy at UConn anyway. What will be, will be. You just say good luck and move on.

Nailed it!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

While I am a devotee of the Stewie approach to UConn recruiting, where she comes for a visit and sits down in Geno's office and says: Paraphrase: "I'd like to commit if that would be okay?" I agree with those who respect each recruit's process (except C. Bone and mater!). Remember that?

 

[Geno-ista]

The only way I see that this is a positive for anyone other than USC is that she hasn't committed yet. I still think she's a USC lean, but she might be holding out until after the season so that she doesn't have to hear any negativity if she decides to leave the state. If that makes sense.

That has been my feeling since the fall- and I'm sticking to it. I don't think she wants to be around much for the negatve fallout by not attending SC. I don't think she is going to SC- Not sure where she may be leaning. Maybe she wants to leave but is struggling with her family not being able to travel to see her play. She sounds like a great young lady, and she should take all the time she needs or wants- some of us are just as bad as that idiot Orr at Tex Tech. These are High school kids making huge life altering decisions- not just about basketball either. Just because they are super stars, doesn't change their age and the issues they are all struggling with.

 

[Paul1969]

It just doesn't appear that this young lady is headed north; on the other hand, I just believe that if UConn were in the ACC, A'ja would be a Husky. If UConn does not resolve this conference issue soon, I believe it will have measurable negative effect on recruiting for the Women's basketball program in 2015 and beyond.

UConn does not need to go to the ACC> UGGh. That conference irks me.

 

[sawxfan23]

UConn does not need to go to the ACC> UGGh. That conference irks me.

Well get used to it because that is where UConn will be within the next 5 yrs.