UConn draft classes: 2002 vs. 2016

[sparks3310]

Article: Which UConn draft class is GOAT? Analysis: Connecticut class WNBA Draft throwdown, 2002 vs. 2016 - Excelle Sports

But as is so often the case at UConn, where most relevant comparisons of greatness come from within the program itself—it was Stewie as compared to Diana as compared to Maya all season long, after all—the only draft class that can rival the 2012-2016 trio of perfection hails from UConn’s 1998-2002 fab four of Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones and Tamika Williams. The similarities in the successes of the 1998-2002 and 2012-2016 classes are undeniable. Both won national championships, completed undefeated seasons, featured All Americans, and were led by two outstanding floor generals in Bird and Jefferson, who each took home the Nancy Lieberman award as the best point guard in the nation multiple times. By the end of this week, both classes will have yielded the number one pick to the Seattle Storm. As Stewart, Jefferson and Tuck stand once again on the brink of history, the inevitable question follows of which draft class is the greatest of all time: the 1998-2002 fab four or the 2012-2016 perfect trio?

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Got to disagree with this: "UConn’s 2002 team, which also featured Diana Taurasi as the No. 1 2004 pick (Phoenix Mercury), is widely regarded as the greatest women’s college basketball team ever. Of course, there’s room for debate on that given the fact that Stewart, Jefferson and Tuck one-upped every college team in history by winning four in a row."

Let's recall that the previous year's team had all of those great first-round draft choices- Bird at No. 1 (Seattle Storm), Cash at No. 2 (Detroit Shock), Jones at No. 4 (Washington Mystics), and Williams at No. 6 (Minnesota Lynx)- plus it had first team AA Shea Ralph and Svetlana Abrasimova, also an AA. And it had super frosh Diana Taurasi. The problem was that Shea and Svet went down before the Final Four with season-ending (in Ralph's case, career-ending) injuries, and Diana suffered her worst game of her collegiate career in the semi-final. Otherwise, that team of Bird, Cash, Jones, Williams, Ralph, Abrasimova and Taurasi rank in my book as the most talented group of college players in NCAA history.

It took those injuries plus Diana's horrible (1- for 15 shooting) game to beat UConn and give Muffet her one and only NC. Oh, and even at that, UConn was ahead by 15 points near the end of the first half.

So 2001 was my pick for most talented.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

What I love about these debates, though I never engage in them, is that we can have them AND have more UConn teams added to the debate. I don't have to choose. Each is unique and marvelous.

PS. On Edit: Just watch the 2002 semi against Tenn if you want to get a reintroduction to 2002 greatness.

 

[Wally East]

So 2001 was my pick for most talented.

Yeah, but UConn had already lost to ND. And Tennessee.

2001 is a great collection of potential but no one was at their peak. 2000 and 2002 were both much better teams.