Those Who Have Left UConn

[FanHam]

Have any "ex-pats", players who've left UConn after a year or two to play elsewhere, ever excelled in their new environment?

Not counting Elena Della Donne, who left almost immediately after arriving, have any players thrived after leaving UConn mid-career?

 

[oldude]

Depends on what you mean by excelled. Briana Banks, who would have been consigned to the bench her senior year at UConn, started and played well at PSU. Sadie Edwards is a starter at USC. De'Janae Boykin was shut down by injury at PSU this season so we'll have to wait until next year to see how she does. Courtney Ekmark comes off redshirt next season at Arizona.

 

[HuskyNan]

Samarie Walker had a terrific career at Kentucky.

Here's a link to a thread where vowelguy lists the transfers.

 

[Go/huskies]

Depends on what you mean by excelled. Briana Banks, who would have been consigned to the bench her senior year at UConn, started and played well at PSU. Sadie Edwards is a starter at USC. De'Janae Boykin was shut down by injury at PSU this season so we'll have to wait until next year to see how she does. Courtney Ekmark comes off redshirt next season at Arizona.

I think Banks had a chance to start, but didn't stick around long enough to let it play out her senior year.

 

[oldude]

I think Banks had a chance to start, but didn't stick around long enough to let it play out her senior year.

Actually, I think the writing was on the wall for Banks. Stewie & company had shown up and Banks was moving further & further towards the end of the bench.

 

[TitleTown]

Samarie Walker had a terrific career at Kentucky.

Here's a link to a thread where vowelguy lists the transfers.

Not that it really matters, but I thought Walker underachieved a little during her career at Kentucky. She was a Top 10 recruit coming out of HS and went on to average 8.7 pts and 8 rbs a game over 3 years. Solid numbers no doubt, but I thought she would easily be a 15/10 player when I first saw her at UConn.

 

[Aluminny69]

Liz Sherwood had a stellar career at Vanderbilt, playing three years after being named to the Big East Freshman team. Her last two years she was named SEC sixth woman of the year.

 

[CocoHusky]

Michala Johnson had a terrific 2013-14 season for Wisconsin averaging 16.6 PPG and 7.3 rebounds.
Michala Johnson - 2014-15

 

[CocoHusky]

Briana Banks, who would have been consigned to the bench her senior year at UConn, started and played well at PSU.

We'll never know, but I had Banks being the starter at SG if she had returned for her senior year and playing a lot of minutes. Banks had more starts than Saniya 8 vs 4 in the prior season. By the end of that season once KML was healthy both Banks and Chong fell out of the rotation. Kia Nurse grabbed the starting position and never let go but my guess is that Banks would have put up a better fight for that starting spot because she was a great defender.

 

[1-of-the-6]

Not that it really matters, but I thought Walker underachieved a little during her career at Kentucky. She was a Top 10 recruit coming out of HS and went on to average 8.7 pts and 8 rbs a game over 3 years. Solid numbers no doubt, but I thought she would easily be a 15/10 player when I first saw her at UConn.

I saw Walker play for several years during high school. At that time, she was really much more of an athlete than a basketball player. It took a long time, even in college, for those skills to begin to catch up.

 

[Kurebeach5]

Not that it really matters, but I thought Walker underachieved a little during her career at Kentucky. She was a Top 10 recruit coming out of HS and went on to average 8.7 pts and 8 rbs a game over 3 years. Solid numbers no doubt, but I thought she would easily be a 15/10 player when I first saw her at UConn.

Early in her freshman year ( it might even have been the first game, memories of an old timer ARE shaky) we played Baylor and I thought she did a great job more than holding her own against Griner.

 

[UcMiami]

Michala just had a terrible run of injuries from HS through college, not unlike what happened to Shea. She might have been even better but for that, and I think her choice to join her sister was probably a good one for her. Withy the starts and stops she had because of injuries, I doubt she would ever have been able to develop at Uconn beyond a minor role player.

Banks I think would have thrived as a senior, but it was her choice and it went OK for her.

Walker I think stood somewhat still in her development after a promising start at Uconn.

Sherwood made a good choice for her because I don't think she could buy into Uconn - Vanderbilt was right for her and she thrived.

 

[HoopsFan21]

What about Engeln or however you spell it. Another California girl like Lou and KML. She was the 5th member of the Bria-Stef-Banks-Johnson-Engeln recruiting class. Hard to believe only 40% of that class made it to senior day.

 

[huskyrob1]

Don't know if this qualifies but Jackie Gemelos committed very early to UCONN then changed her mind and went to USC. IIRC she was the top PG in her high school class.

 

[Go/huskies]

Banks was part of KML Kiah class

 

[Go/huskies]

Don't know if this qualifies but Jackie Gemelos committed very early to UCONN then changed her mind and went to USC. IIRC she was the top PG in her high school class.

Yes 2006 class, didn't she back out at the very last minute?

 

[HuskyNan]

Yes 2006 class, didn't she back out at the very last minute?

No, she never signed a LOI to UConn

 

[Jimbo]

Early in her freshman year ( it might even have been the first game, memories of an old timer ARE shaky) we played Baylor and I thought she did a great job more than holding her own against Griner.

It was the second game, but you're spot on about how Walker played that night. And the minutes she provided were absolutely crucial because Stef didn't have the stamina at that point in her career to bang with Griner for extended stretches of time. There's no way we get to 90 wins in a row that season without Walker's defensive play in that Baylor game.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Banks was part of KML Kiah class

I think you're right. Maybe Samarie was the fifth member of the Bria-Stef class? I could have sworn there were five.

 

[hoophuskee]

Kia Wright was very good for ST Johns I believe. She left before playing I think. I think we could have definitely needed her too. I wasn't that big of a fan with Samarie Walker. But no doubt she was huge vs Baylor and we don't have that streak without her. I thought Samarie was very limited. I thought Banks could have been something more her sr year. I wouldn't say that Banks or Walker "excelled" however. I do believe Walker was solid for Ky. But solid and limited for a team that really had no shot for a title.

 

[Gus Mahler]

What about Engeln or however you spell it. Another California girl like Lou and KML. She was the 5th member of the Bria-Stef-Banks-Johnson-Engeln recruiting class. Hard to believe only 40% of that class made it to senior day.

Banks was in Kaleena and Kiah's class.

 

[Kaizen]

I think you're right. Maybe Samarie was the fifth member of the Bria-Stef class? I could have sworn there were five.

Yes, Samarie was ranked #10 overall in ESPNW.
2010 High School Girls' Basketball Recruits - Connecticut - ESPN

 

[ME Husky Fan]

Michala just had a terrible run of injuries from HS through college, not unlike what happened to Shea. She might have been even better but for that, and I think her choice to join her sister was probably a good one for her. Withy the starts and stops she had because of injuries, I doubt she would ever have been able to develop at Uconn beyond a minor role player.

Banks I think would have thrived as a senior, but it was her choice and it went OK for her.

Walker I think stood somewhat still in her development after a promising start at Uconn.

Sherwood made a good choice for her because I don't think she could buy into Uconn - Vanderbilt was right for her and she thrived.

Agree on Walker. Transferred to Kentucky with a great deal of hype and she never hit the mark, not even coming close. To me, more about attitude than a talent gap.

 

[Go/huskies]

No, she never signed a LOI to UConn

I mean by giving a verbal commitment and then backing out of her commitment at last minute, something like committing young and then changing her mind the summer before her senior year of high school.

 

[MilfordHusky]

What about Engeln or however you spell it. Another California girl like Lou and KML. She was the 5th member of the Bria-Stef-Banks-Johnson-Engeln recruiting class. Hard to believe only 40% of that class made it to senior day.

But both were 2-time All-Americans.