Today is National Signing Day (Ice Brady - Ayanna Patterson)

[Mdoggie]

Even as a FR next year, I can see Patterson control Boston from SC. She has the physical strength and athletic ability to dominate as a defender.

Why did you highjack the thread in Patterson day?

 

[Mdoggie]

This is the 3rd or 4th time one of us has asserted Dorka has said she will stay 2 years. What she said was she intended to stay 2 years, BUT would take it a year at a time.

Patterson

 

[eebmg]

I like Ice's teashirt "Basket Ball capital of the world"

 

[HopJim]

We now have multiple All American quality bigs for many years. If I was a Top 5 guard, shooting or point or both, UConn would be where I would want to be in future.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Both Brady and Patterson were named today to the Naismith watch list which I'll post about in the recruit thread.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Click to expand:

 

[Alydar]

This is the 3rd or 4th time one of us has asserted Dorka has said she will stay 2 years. What she said was she intended to stay 2 years, BUT would take it a year at a time.

I remembered that both Tuck and Stevens stated just prior to the NCAA's that they "intended" to stay. Players find out their draft status and then decide and that doesn't happen until after their senior season is over. That's when they find out roughly what they are worth and have a basis for deciding. I'm hoping Juhasz stays for another year but not being eligible for NIL doesn't help. Maybe they can get a ruling that while foreign players can't work in the US they can sign agreements in Europe?

 

[Alydar]

Click to expand:

Ten years from now someone will post this chart and comment: "It's hard to imagine they all played together"

 

[Huskee11]

That Scholarship Grid is, as Dennis Eckersley would say, a "beautiful thing".

I am particularly blown away by the fact that we are 11 deep already for 2023-2024, and that depth is crazy, crazy good.

I know things can change, but they can change for the better too. And my guess is that the to-be-determined Freshman class for that season will be very deep and very good.

 

[Alydar]

Patterson looked a little raw in the 3X3. Often athletically dominant players don't need good footwork or use sound defensive techniques, they dominate without them. That's not to say that Patterson is lacking skills. But her ceiling is so high!

 

[TeamFirst!]

Well maybe the post about Patterson holding down Boston is a bit aspirational, but if you have ever seen Patterson in action, she is phenomenal. And I realize that I'm in the minority, but I don't happen to believe that Boston is an elite post--she is good for sure, but I haven't seen elite play out of her. Now that she's slimmed down and apparently improved her conditioning, perhaps the elite play in her will arise, but I thought Liv at least defensively, matched up respectfully against Boston. Now that we have offensive versatility in our front line and better outside shooting, we'll see whether Boston can continue to camp down in the lane and stay in her comfort zone...

You lost me when you said Boston is not an elite post. She's a fantastic college post. She probably is a #1 pick in the WNBA soon.

 

[Blue Ghost]

I believe Dorka has already spoken about her intent to stay two years but who knows?

Dorka has said that she has a two year plan. She's not going into the season thinking she's one and done. Hopefully she is here for two years.

 

[EricSD]

Patterson looked a little raw in the 3X3. Often athletically dominant players don't need good footwork or use sound defensive techniques, they dominate without them. That's not to say that Patterson is lacking skills. But her ceiling is so high!

I saw the same thing. Both Patterson and Barker were really good defensively, and on putbacks, rebounding, etc., but both had trouble shooting and driving to the hoop for layups.

 

[TeamFirst!]

When I see Patterson, I think of a rebounding oriented forward. Mopping up around the rim and getting offensive rebounds. No way she comes in and is all college defense from day one and no way she comes in as a bigtime scorer. She has TREMENDOUS potential and works hard. I think she's a great pickup but she's still a work in progress. Geno will be great for her. Don't expect Maya Moore though. That's a tall order. Sometimes really strong athletic types are so muscle bound that shooting is harder for them to master. She is a hell of an athlete though. Good kid also.

 

[TeamFirst!]

We now have multiple All American quality bigs for many years. If I was a Top 5 guard, shooting or point or both, UConn would be where I would want to be in future.

Completely agree. Maykalla anyone?

 

[Alydar]

I saw the same thing. Both Patterson and Barker were really good defensively, and on putbacks, rebounding, etc., but both had trouble shooting and driving to the hoop for layups.

I chalked it up to her not being used to playing at the speed of 3X3 play.

 

[donalddoowop]

We now have multiple All American quality bigs for many years. If I was a Top 5 guard, shooting or point or both, UConn would be where I would want to be in future.

It used to be the other way around.

 

[UConnCat]

 

[CL82]

Ummmm. I want that sweatshirt.

I think I still have a tee shirt from that era. Make you bids gentlemen.

 

[CL82]

God, I love this kid!

(And her getting the first UConn dunk in WBB game isn't like to hurt that opinion.)

 

[DEpup]

For anyone who has not seen Boston play this year, she has lost 20+ pounds and is quicker and more agile than in the past. Against Top 5 N Carolina State and their All American center, Boston dominated on defense and did not get winded. With several strong backups, she appeared in top condition through out. There are few current college players I would compare her to - no high school players.

Are you sure you can for sure make that assertion about her conditioning? Yes she lost weight but if I remember the box score correctly she didn't even break 20 minutes. I would hope she wouldn't be winded....

 

[CocoHusky]

Click to expand:

This table needs an adjustment because the scholarship count is starting at 0 and should be starting at 1. For the '22-23 season UCONN has 2 Open scholarships not the three indicated in this table.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

This table needs an adjustment because the scholarship count is starting at 0 and should be starting at 1. For the '22-23 season UCONN has 2 Open scholarships not the three indicated in this table.

I think it's set up that way because of the question of Juhasz' return. They list her but don't use a scholarship for her since it's up in the air. If she returns then just the two open spots.

 

[Heytherego]

Are you sure you can for sure make that assertion about her conditioning? Yes she lost weight but if I remember the box score correctly she didn't even break 20 minutes. I would hope she wouldn't be winded....

I watched the second half of the game, she definitely looks better and slimmer. But IMO she still seemed very winded for only 20 minutes. Maybe understandable for playing against a tough player in Cunane, but I was really surprised that her conditioning was what it was.

 

[Papa33]

Patterson looked a little raw in the 3X3. Often athletically dominant players don't need good footwork or use sound defensive techniques, they dominate without them. That's not to say that Patterson is lacking skills. But her ceiling is so high!

Very much my impression as well: very athletic but will need much work and attention on refining her offensive skills.

 

[Boreifs]

For anyone who has not seen Boston play this year, she has lost 20+ pounds and is quicker and more agile than in the past. Against Top 5 N Carolina State and their All American center, Boston dominated on defense and did not get winded. With several strong backups, she appeared in top condition through out. There are few current college players I would compare her to - no high school players.

If she didn’t get winded, then why did she sit out for 10 minutes in the second half?

 

[hoophuskee]

When I see Patterson, I think of a rebounding oriented forward. Mopping up around the rim and getting offensive rebounds. No way she comes in and is all college defense from day one and no way she comes in as a bigtime scorer. She has TREMENDOUS potential and works hard. I think she's a great pickup but she's still a work in progress. Geno will be great for her. Don't expect Maya Moore though. That's a tall order. Sometimes really strong athletic types are so muscle bound that shooting is harder for them to master. She is a hell of an athlete though. Good kid also.

I see Patterson as some version of Gabby Williams. Or maybe the specific college version of Swin Cash.

I see Brady as some version of Asjha Jones. Or a smaller version of Stef Dolson. Or without the handle but a better outside shooter than Morgan Tuck.

 

[DEpup]

I see Patterson as some version of Gabby Williams. Or maybe the specific college version of Swin Cash.

I see Brady as some version of Asjha Jones. Or a smaller version of Stef Dolson. Or without the handle but a better outside shooter than Morgan Tuck.

I think you could be right on. I see some Morgan Tuck with Brady too.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

More detailed comments from Geno on the new recruits:


Brady told The Courant recently that, since committing, she has become a much stronger player and has tried to establish herself as a more versatile threat who can play out on the perimeter. Auriemma has noticed.

“Big kids that can pass, shoot the ball a little bit, handle themselves all over the court, pretty much are very rare to find, unless you go to volleyball practice. That’s that’s where usually all the big kids that used to play basketball are these days,” he said. “So when you find somebody like that, you just kind of hope that each year they get better and better and better. And she has. Our offense really is predicated on big kids that can move, catch, pass, shoot it, dribble it, and I think she fits that mold.

“She’s a big body, tough kid. I mean, as tough as a kid from California can be.”

...

Meanwhile, Patterson’s athleticism is, according to evaluators, perhaps the best in her class, helping give her a high pro projection. Auriemma and staff can help polish the rest of her game, but he thinks her impact could be felt even sooner on the defensive end and on the glass.

“It’s hard to really project because every time she plays, she’s double- and triple-teamed. So you say to yourself, ‘How will she do when she’s not?’ And that’s what I’m thinking,” he said. “She has a great stroke. She is not consistent enough with it, so that’s going to be a big point [when she gets here] because if she does that, then obviously she can help us a ton.

“And I think defensively and around the rim because of her athletic ability, I think she’ll be able to [help]. Anytime you can get from here to there quickly and can get from here [down] to there [up] quickly, you have a chance to contribute. And she can do that.”

Geno Auriemma on UConn women’s basketball signees Ayanna Patterson, Ice Brady: ‘They’re the kind of kids that we’re used to having here’

After strong recruiting classes each of the last two years, UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma was “awfully excited” to welcome to the program two more Huskies this week…

www.courant.com

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