I disagree with Nika not getting alot of playtime her freshman year. Watching her videos and yes theyre videos not necessarily high light films she is a terrific passer just like Anna and Paige. Westbrook is still recovering from her injury and I would think UConn will take it slow with her starting the season giving time to Paige and Nika. Nika it has been said is tuff and a very good ball handler. I think she will see minutes and surprise alot of people.
Probably one of the most disappointing possibilities for this team is not being able to find Nika minutes. Yes she has special vision like Paige and Anna. I also think she will be a very good defender. Much depends on how Westbrook is used.
If Geno considers Evina a point guard first, and starts her, Nika might get Molly Bent minutes, because presumably Paige would then be the first point guard off the bench. I personally don't like that strategy for several reasons.
First Westbrook could be a very good college player at three positions. In my opinion her best position would be SG, with PG and SF being about even but a little behind. Even though she could play three, I hope her minutes are concentrated on just two, SG and SF.
One reason for that is we have two not one very talented "pure" point guards. The sooner Paige settles into that starting spot the better. If they both approach expectations we may not need any significant minutes at PG from anybody else for four years.
Now lets look at the wings, SG and SF. Obviously we have two incumbent starters and Evina would appear to be the odd man out. I would be fine with that, and turn the wings into a rotation of only three players with Evina getting not just some, but all of the backup minutes at those positions. For the team I think that would be ideal. Evina would be a super-sub, but mostly at two positions, on a very good team and in that role could still achieve a high draft status.
On the other hand if she is clearly better than Williams or Makurat, then start her, and one of those other two becomes the wing super-sub. A three wing rotation with those three would be great no matter who starts.
If Evina starts at PG you can easily substitute for her at PG with two options, but now the options behind Williams and Makurat are more unproven and iffy. The best backup to Williams would probably be Paige, perhaps teamed with Nika. So is that what we want, a good tweener starting at a position that is not her best, and then your number 1 recruit getting many of her minutes at her second best position.
As for subbing for Anna you probably look to someone from Griffin, McLean or Edwards, all of whom in my opinion would be better upfront and needed more there, and you lose a valuable three point threat from SF. Even if Nika is not ready yet, I think starting Paige and giving Evina the backup minutes there would work. In that scenario Evina might be the principle backup at three positions and get very near starter minutes.
If those 5 can be great covering the minutes at PG,SG and SF mostly in their natural positions, then we can use the players upfront where they can help the most as well. I envision the PF/C rotation to be similar to the wings with three very good players covering two positions. Those three are Nelson-Ododa, Griffin and Edwards. Liv is obviously the C and Griffin and Edwards can compete for the starting PF, but regardless of who starts at PF, Griffin will play almost all her minutes there and when Liv is out, the bigger Edwards will sub there. So Edwards minutes could be split between both positions.
So this overall scenario involves a rotation of 8, with two players getting major minutes off the bench, subbing for wings or bigs, and one Nika just getting the backup point guard minutes. That leaves out Mira and Piath, and Autumn. Obviously injuries are likely to open up some opportunities for them, and they may be used for situational substitutions, but for significant minutes in contested games they would have to surpass somebody in the top 8.
Who knows how it will all play out, but on paper I think this scenario while not best for everyone could be best for the team and maximize players individual talents.
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