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Message: [QUOTE="#12in21, post: 4363550, member: 10763"] It seems that quite a few posters over several different threads, are discounting what Nika will contribute to the teams success this season. Some have characterized her as 'serviceable' and a decent passer, others have speculated that Azzi or Caroline would be better options at point guard (save for the fact that they would be burdened in doing so as they are needed as scorers - so we have to settle for Nika) and lastly it will have to be 'point guard by committee' this season. When Geno recruited Nika I don't believe he did so as someone that could simply fill out the roster, but rather as, 'someone who is a basketball player rather than someone who plays basketball', a comment he has made in reference to her and others on the roster. He saw something he liked in her game and I would argue still does. Over her two seasons at Uconn he has called on her to be a significant contributor to the teams success. He has challenged her to come back, this upcoming season, adding some offense to keep the defense honest so they can't play off her. He has said several time that the team is better with her on the floor. I believe she has heard that challenge, understands why it is needed and will have worked at addressing it. She, as much as anyone on the team, post Paige's ACL injury certainly realizes that she needs to step up to help fill the major void left by Paige's absence this season. Of the five returning players (that played significant minutes) last season, Nika is first in steals and assists and is virtually tied with Caroline, among the three returning guards in offensive, defensive and total rebounds. And then there is what she brings on the defensive end. She, has expressed on more than one occasion, that she hadn't seen her role as being a scorer with the groups of teammates she has had her first two seasons, but rather as a facilitator and energy/intensity bringer. I have expressed in prior threads that I don't believe Geno shared that view and has expressed that with her. She indicated that she 'gets it now' and before leaving campus earlier this summer indicated 'it was time to grow up some and take a bigger leadership role'. I think she will and expect her to continue to grow in importance to the teams success this year, rather than as some, with seemingly much lower expectations, simply hope for her to be 'serviceable at point' . [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach