UCLA 2014 #1 recruiting class

[shizam]

Well that awesome class back in 2014 got UCLA to an Elite Eight, 2 Sweet 16's and an NIT Championship. Not as far as they wanted but they were talented and fun and played hard.
Jordin Canada, Monique Billings, L. Drummer, Kelli Hayes and Racee Caldwell (transferred)

 

[Plebe]

Well that awesome class back in 2014 got UCLA to an Elite Eight, 2 Sweet 16's and an NIT Championship
Jordin Canada, Monique Billings, L. Drummond, Kelli Hayes and Racee Caldwell (transferred)

It would be tough to guess which 3 of those 5 were McD HS all-Americans.

One would not be a surprise: Canada (#6 in Hoopgurlz).

The other two were Drummer (8) and Caldwell (19). Drummer redshirted last year due to injury; I don't know how much the injury has to do with her lack of development. Caldwell transferred to Texas Tech after her freshman year and never became anything special.

Billings (37) was extremely raw but became a major force, credit to her and her coaches. Hayes (26) was never more than a quintessential role player, but could occasionally come up big.

 

[Kaizen]

This is the 2014 Hoop list. UCLA was far away from #1 class.

2014 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings - espnW 100 - ESPN

 

[EricLA]

And in the last 4 years, UCLA has not done anything special in recruiting. I expect them to be in the lower half of the Pac 12 for at least the next few years.

2015 (JR's) Kennedy Burke (15), Ashley Hearn (22)
2016 (SO's) Lindsay Corsaro (35), Allyson Rosenblum (58)
2017 (FR's) Onyenwere (10), Horvat (15), Owens (37)
2018 (coming in next year) Ahlana Smith (35)

I guess not as bad as I thought. Do they have any transfers? I still think there are at least 4 teams who will be better them them next year and maybe more...

 

[Plebe]

And in the last 4 years, UCLA has not done anything special in recruiting. I expect them to be in the lower half of the Pac 12 for at least the next few years.

2015 (JR's) Kennedy Burke (15), Ashley Hearn (22)
2016 (SO's) Lindsay Corsaro (35), Allyson Rosenblum (58)
2017 (FR's) Onyenwere (10), Horvat (15), Owens (37)
2018 (coming in next year) Ahlana Smith (35)

I guess not as bad as I thought. Do they have any transfers? I still think there are at least 4 teams who will be better them them next year and maybe more...

This is the problem. It's not enough to land a single great class. It also matters how you recruit in the classes before and after.

From the three recruiting classes from 2015 to 2017, the only significant contributor has been Burke. I think Hearn medically retired. Corsaro has been injury plagued. Rosenblum was perhaps last off the bench this year.

The 2018 class is significantly better than the previous three. Onyenwere contributed a lot, and Owens, Horvat, and Miller showed occasional glimpses.

But still, UCLA will drop back to the pack next year. Their likely starting five will be Dean, Burke, Drummer (assuming she stays for her RS senior year), Onyenwere, and probably Horvat (or maybe Corsaro if she's healthy?). They won't be horrible but I'm not sure they'll even make the NCAAs. They will have no depth at PG behind Dean and they will be small in the middle. Oregon and Stanford will have their lunch.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Drummer, not Drummond.

 

[EricLA]

Drummer, not Drummond.

They all wish it was Drummond! LOL. He's a BEAST in the NBA. And a UCONN product (granted 1 and done but still)...

 

[Vowelguy]

This is the 2014 Hoop list. UCLA was far away from #1 class.

2014 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings - espnW 100 - ESPN

This was the VG compilation rankings. #1 UCLA was 20% ahead of #2.

 

[Vowelguy]

They all wish it was Drummond! .

 

[Plebe]

This was the VG compilation rankings. #1 UCLA was 20% ahead of #2.

View attachment 30087

Just curious: if you remove Caldwell (who transferred after a year), would UCLA still have been #1?

 

[Plebe]

And in the last 4 years, UCLA has not done anything special in recruiting. I expect them to be in the lower half of the Pac 12 for at least the next few years.

2015 (JR's) Kennedy Burke (15), Ashley Hearn (22)
2016 (SO's) Lindsay Corsaro (35), Allyson Rosenblum (58)
2017 (FR's) Onyenwere (10), Horvat (15), Owens (37)
2018 (coming in next year) Ahlana Smith (35)

I guess not as bad as I thought. Do they have any transfers? I still think there are at least 4 teams who will be better them them next year and maybe more...

To answer your last question, they did get Japreece Dean from Texas Tech, and she was a major contributor off the bench this year, and UCLA's best 3-point shooter.

 

[Vowelguy]

Just curious: if you remove Caldwell (who transferred after a year), would UCLA still have been #1?

Would have 2533 points, so just behind SC.

But to be fair, both UConn & SC had transfers too. (As did Louisville, Duke, ...)

 

[Kaizen]

This was the VG compilation rankings. #1 UCLA was 20% ahead of #2.

View attachment 30087

You are right. I apologize for my mistake.
ESPN also ranked UCLA #1.
2014 Women's Basketball Class Rankings

 

[shizam]

For sheer production for the team that recruited them UConn might be tops

UConn: Williams and Nurse
UCLA: Canada, Billings, Hayes, Drummer
SC: Wilson, Cuevas, Cliney
Texas: Atkins, McCarty
ND: Turner, Westbeld
L’ville: Hines-Allen, Moore, Carter
Ohio State: Mitchell, Hart, Doss, Waterman
Tenn:. Nared

 

[MSSportsGuy]

That's an interesting list and some of the top players have clearly worked out quite well. Maybe UCLA did underachieve a bit given their status as the overall top class but a NIT, 2 sweet 16s and an elite eight isn't shabby. The PAC 12 is quickly becoming the best overall conference.

 

[shizam]

It would be tough to guess which 3 of those 5 were McD HS all-Americans.

One would not be a surprise: Canada (#6 in Hoopgurlz).

The other two were Drummer (8) and Caldwell (19). Drummer redshirted last year due to injury; I don't know how much the injury has to do with her lack of development. Caldwell transferred to Texas Tech after her freshman year and never became anything special.

Billings (37) was extremely raw but became a major force, credit to her and her coaches. Hayes (26) was never more than a quintessential role player, but could occasionally come up big.

Great point on McD AA’s. Canada was #4 hg Nared was #6 hg
Billings was 38hg. Brackemyre was 37hg a L’ville recruit who went down to injury

 

[Vowelguy]

 

[j66kicker]

That's an interesting list and some of the top players have clearly worked out quite well. Maybe UCLA did underachieve a bit given their status as the overall top class but a NIT, 2 sweet 16s and an elite eight isn't shabby. The PAC 12 is quickly becoming the best overall conference.

Good thing for the PAC-12 that WBB is picking up the slack. 2017-18 has been a horrendous year for them in revenue sports. PAC-12 was excluded (again) from the college football playoffs, and they went 1-for-9 in bowl games. The 3 MBB teams that got into the NCAA tournament all lost their first round games, so 0-3 there. P5 definitely in danger of becoming the P4.

 

[shizam]

View attachment 30088

This chart is great. Only service that got Gabby Williams right was ASGR rating her #2 and BS had her #6

Prospect Nation did great on Hines Allen and Monique Billings

Everyone missed on Allysa Rice. Jennings her KY teammate was ranked in the 60’s and is becoming a beast.

 

[IWearShoes]

This was the VG compilation rankings. #1 UCLA was 20% ahead of #2.

View attachment 30087

5 of the Top 7 from that list made this year's Elite 8. MSU nowhere near this list, which says to me that Schaefer should probably be winning lots of COY trophies.

Lots of PGs, but no Morgan William. She was good from the moment she stepped on campus and I don't think she was rated in the Top 250 HS players. Sometimes they miss good ones for sure.

 

[Txhoopsalot]

Imo, Caldwell's transfer (coinsiding with her father's employment as an assistant at Texas Tech) was a disaster for both Caldwell and the Whitaker era at Texas Tech. But, Caldwell was injured this year. It is still possible she could have a good finish to her college career. If Caldwell stays at Tech she will have a new coach for what should be her final year of eligibility. It is also possible that she could become a grad transfer if she graduates or has graduated from Tech this year.

 

[shizam]

Imo, Caldwell's transfer (coinsiding with her father's employment as an assistant at Texas Tech) was a disaster for both Caldwell and the Whitaker era at Texas Tech. But, Caldwell was injured this year. It is still possible she could have a good finish to her college career. If Caldwell stays at Tech she will have a new coach for what should be her final year of eligibility. It is also possible that she could become a grad transfer if she graduates or has graduated from Tech this year.

Too bad it hasn’t worked out for Caldwell yet. She had some good games her soph year at Tech but lost her shooting touch. I thought she would have more of an impact for them.

 

[shizam]

5 of the Top 7 from that list made this year's Elite 8. MSU nowhere near this list, which says to me that Schaefer should probably be winning lots of COY trophies.

Lots of PGs, but no Morgan William. She was good from the moment she stepped on campus and I don't think she was rated in the Top 250 HS players. Sometimes they miss good ones for sure.

Morgan William played fine today. I thought Canada might destroy her like Cuevas “The Morgan Wm Killer” did. Miss St was very impressive all around.

 

[shizam]

5 of the Top 7 from that list made this year's Elite 8. MSU nowhere near this list, which says to me that Schaefer should probably be winning lots of COY trophies.

Lots of PGs, but no Morgan William. She was good from the moment she stepped on campus and I don't think she was rated in the Top 250 HS players. Sometimes they miss good ones for sure.

Based on player rankings of Elite 8 teams Schaefer and Scott R at Oregon State go farther with less touted players by far.

 

[shizam]

It would be tough to guess which 3 of those 5 were McD HS all-Americans.

One would not be a surprise: Canada (#6 in Hoopgurlz).

The other two were Drummer (8) and Caldwell (19). Drummer redshirted last year due to injury; I don't know how much the injury has to do with her lack of development. Caldwell transferred to Texas Tech after her freshman year and never became anything special.

Billings (37) was extremely raw but became a major force, credit to her and her coaches. Hayes (26) was never more than a quintessential role player, but could occasionally come up big.

When I first became a fan in 2014 I thought being a McD AA was automatic stardom. I was wrong.