UCONN possibly landing Batouly Camara?

[Sullybaby]

If true, very nice! Article in the Courant....

Not sure if the link will work since people sometimes have trouble getting to articles in the Courant...

Forward Batouly Camara, who is transferring from Kentucky, has visited UConn and sources indicate she could be joining the Huskies soon. Camara, 6 feet 2, averaged 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds as a freshman, starting the final 13 games for the Wildcats.

UConn Women Could Be Adding Kentucky's Batouly Camara, Sources Say

She's a good one so let's hope she's coming. UCONN has to take advantage of transfers as so many top recruits are coming out of the southwest and many staying home, making recruiting much harder. And who knows when Megan Walker will make her choice and whether it will be UCONN. If she comes along with Stevens and our two recruits, 2017 will be a good year indeed, even if we lose out on Walker which I hope we
don't. So, yes, I like this scenario.

 

[BobbyJ]

Perhaps you're right here. But it may be that such an approach creates a greater amount of general uncertainty and lack of team cohesion. Team chemistry is a delicate thing that grows through mutual trust and support. That would be much, much harder to build in the scenario you describe. It's not about who has the most toys, but who uses them the most effectively.

I would agree with this on most any other team but UConn. They seem to have pretty good cohesion right off coming in and I doubt that Auriemma leaves much room for uncertainty. I think the freshmen and transfers have a pretty good understanding of what their immediate roles are and know what it will take to earn expanded roles. Because they have been somewhat screened by the veteran players during recruitment and because the staff is mainly perceived to treat everyone fairly, if a new player decides to leave for personal or playing time reasons the remaining players seem to have a "moving on" attitude with little repercussion.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Only if Walker has informed them of other plans. They'd take her if she wants to come.

Absolutely. Megatron gets an invitation anywhere she wants to go.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Camara's twitter page is quite interesting......she seems to be very much into philosophy and other heady topics.very refreshing compared to more typical content. Not sure if her letter regarding transfer has been seen on this site but here it is

11 retweets35 likes

Batouly is wearing a classy dress in her photo, was considering Northwestern and Princeton, and made the Dean's List at Kentucky. I can see why Geno likes her--she's an excellent player and a quality UConn-type kid.

 

[warbler1055]

So when is the real commitment?

 

[JordyG]

I for one, think it is just a freak occurrence. Within well run programs I just don't think you are likely to see this kind of thing happen and top 30 programs tend to be well run. They have the money and resources to attract good coaches and good athletes. UNC is unique to an academic scandal (aided by a 'manufactured' recruiting class dynamic that didn't work), and KY and Duke have been particularly unstable coaching staffs that sent up red flags. Looking around at other programs in that top 30 range, the only one that stands out to me with a revolving door of assistants is Maryland, but none of them have had more than the kind of attrition rate of Uconn - a few front line players over the past decade and a few more bench players looking for perhaps different competitive environments or better fits.

Perhaps there is an increase in players willing to cut and run, and there seems to be more coaching investigations and coaching changes as schools are looking for better performance, but even in those cases, the rosters appear to be more stable - it doesn't appear that Vanderbilt is losing any current players or signed recruits for example, and Nebraska has lost only one current player.

On Edit:
I do think we are seeing after 20 years a changing dynamic for HS players that may have reached critical mass - the WNBA is a reality that all these kids have grown up with, and the college game has reached a competitive spread that is real - pressure on kids to make the right choice 'for their career' is a new phenomenon, at the same time that viable college choices have exploded and recruiting intensity has exploded. I am not sure the advisory resources for girls and their parents has kept up - it was sort of a cottage industry, and suddenly they are in a national/international market.

Your "On Edit" sounds a little like ambivalence. I believe as was said it's a little part of both. With a combination of today's "I want and I want it now" players combined with shifting conference alignments/monies, second guessers, continuing college scandals, increasingly poor coach/player relationships, and over expectant/over involved parents, players shifting colleges will see sporadic spikes. An occurrence like UNC is an aberration this year and may not happen next year. Who's to say however not the year after? The situation at KY seems more than just an unstable coaching staff. Duke's situation seems like something that could happen yearly if not biannually. Players across the country watching these events have to be saying "If it was good for them, why not me?".

 

[EricLA]

So when is the real commitment?

In 20 minutes...

 

[UConnNick]

I find it absolutely mind boggling that anyone would question the recruiting strategy of a HOF and 11-time national champion head coach, regardless of past or present trends. As far as I'm concerned, Geno can go after anybody and everybody he thinks can help his team win games, no questions asked. Is he capable of making recruiting mistakes? Certainly, but his past mistakes are far outweighed by his successes. His overall track record is incomparable.

 

[Kibitzer]

What's wrong at Kentucky? In Ms Camara's very carefully written farewell letter she thanked teammates, fans, etc. Then she pointedly thanked "those staff members that supported me."

That comment begs the question: Who were the staff members who did not support you?

Did the AD ask her?

 

[bags27]

I find it absolutely mind boggling that anyone would question the recruiting strategy of a HOF and 11-time national champion head coach.

And I find it absolutely mind boggling that a HOF and 11-time national champion head coach would do anything not approved ahead of time by the Boneyard.

 

[Carnac]

I seriously doubt that Geno rolled out any carpets for Nat, Stevens, or Camara. As Diana stated: "Geno won't kiss your ass!"

I believe he consulted with his coaching staff and players to determine if each would be a "UConn fit." Only after a thumbs' up did he make the offer and close each deal.

I beg your pardon. Nowhere in my comment did I say or suggest that Geno or staff at any time during the courtship of Stevens, kissed her ass. That's your interpretation. Not the interpretation of most of the readers that read the post, and certainly not an insinuation by me. I said they rolled out the red carpet. If that's what that equates to you, then that's on you. It's not MY meaning or suggestion. Anyone that is remotely familiar with Geno, his recruiting tactics and philosophy during his tenure at UConn, knows he does not stoop to such antics.

Since neither one of us were on campus during Steven's visit, or personally observed any of the exchange between the parties, we'll just have to surmise the level of intensity the interaction took during the visit.
No doubt the entire staff put on the Ritz for Stevens and her family. But no more so than for other "highly coveted" potential players that have visited the campus in the last 32 years. I'm suggesting that the staff showed Stevens and her parents the exact same hospitality and welcome that they gave to similar recruits of her status such as: Rebecca Lobo, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, KML, Breanna Stewart and Katie Lou Samuelson. No more, no less.

Given the current lack of "tall" post players either incoming (committed) or on UConn's roster, if Stevens, a 6'6" blue chip division 1 player scoring 18.9 points a game that had a stellar freshman and sophomore season (with no baggage), had serious thoughts about coming to Storrs, then the staff had to take her interest and inquiry seriously, and do everything they could to convince and persuade her that UConn was the best "fit" for her based on her short and long term goals and plans. Geno and staff don't have to kiss any recruit's ass while showcasing their program. A good well run/organized winning basketball program is like street drugs. The street peddlers don't sell the drugs, the drugs sell themselves.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I wonder if Lynn Dunn's arrival on the Kentucky staff will cause Ms. Camara to
reevaluate her transfer? Probably not, unless there has already been communication
between the two that we don't know about.

 

[Vowelguy]

[edit]

Well this just posted saying she's coming, but usually the reporter will say "according to her coach/parent/tweet/etc". No clear if this is sourced.


The New Haven Register Blogs: Elm City to Eagleville: Camara set to join UConn

 

[LesMis89]

YIPPEE!!!!

Welcome to UConn, Batouly!!!!

 

[Kibitzer]

I wonder if Lynn Dunn's arrival on the Kentucky staff will cause Ms. Camara to
reevaluate her transfer?

In Ms Camara's farewell letter she stated that her decision to transfer from KY was reached after both considerable consultation and prayer. I seriously doubt that Linn Dunn's hiring was an answer to Batouly's prayers.

 

[Vowelguy]

And I find it absolutely mind boggling that a HOF and 11-time national champion head coach would do anything not approved ahead of time by the Boneyard.

This never used to happen when he only had 10 titles. But suddenly after the 11th ...

 

[JavaMan]

​

Time will tell how the UConn coaching staff does in adding post players in the next recruiting class but the 2017-18 Huskies will have some size up front thanks to another transfer joining the program.

Batouly Camara, a former Blair Academy star who spent her freshman season at Kentucky, will be joining former Duke star Azura' Stevens as transfers joining the Huskies.

Camara is a versatile 6-foot-2 forward from New York who averaged a double-double as a senior. In her three seasons at Blair, she led the Buccaneers to a 62-8 record and three consecutive Mid-Atlantic Prep league titles.

Camara has a couple of advantages when it comes to potentially landing at UConn. First, she was involved with the UConn coaching staff during the recruiting process so there is already a sense of what kind of player and person she is. Also, former UConn star Tamika Williams was one of the Kentucky assistants last season (although she also left the program) so the Huskies can get an honest assessment of Camara from somebody who knows what it takes to play for the 11-time national champions.

LINK

 

[EricLA]

Hooray and congratulations! Welcome to UCONN Batouly! Looking forward to enjoying your game at UCONN! Hope you have a sensational 4 years and many NC's!!!

 

[bags27]

Not to get ahead of ourselves, but pencil in the 2017/18 NC. More than that, a storm is brewing: this will be a supernova of a team, to mix metaphors.

 

[bags27]

This is built on Jim Fuller's report, which doesn't include a UConn or Camara announcement separately, but I assume Fuller wouldn't "go to press" without certain confirmation.

UConn Women's Basketball Lands Kentucky Transfer Batouly Camara

The UConn women's hoops team added another weapon to the arsenal, as Kentucky F Batouly Camara has decided to transfer to UConn, according to Jim Fuller.

Camara is listed at 6-foot-2, and averaged 5.1 points-per-game and 4.3 rebounds-per-game during her freshman campaign at Kentucky. She will have three years of eligibility remaining after sitting out this upcoming season.

Camara, originally from New York, was recruited by UConn out of Blair Academy in New Jersey. But the No. 53 overall prospect on ESPN ultimately chose Kentucky over the Huskies. She will join the frontcourt in 2017 that will likely feature Katie Lou Samuelson, Napheesa Collier, Natalie Butler and fellow transfer Azura Stevens.

It is interesting to note that for most of his tenure at UConn, head coach Geno Auriemma has rarely utilized transfers to bolster the program. But in the last three years he has brought in three, with Natalie Butler coming from Georgetown in 2014, and now Camara joining Duke transfer Azura Stevens.

It seems his stance on the issue has changed in recent years, as he seemed to blame the system more than the players when he discussed it last summer.

"I don't begrudge anybody if they go to a school and say, ‘look, I made a mistake.' That's not a negative," said Auriemma. "We make mistakes in recruiting, kids make mistakes in picking schools and I think what has happened is we have a little bit more access to these kids earlier and one of the results of that is kids commit earlier. Maybe the coaches and players haven't gotten the chance to know each other very well through the recruiting process."

The Huskies lost three of the best players in program history this offseason. Replacing them will be difficult. But "rebuilding" isn't in Geno's vocabulary, and these new additions will help the Huskies re-tool with experience down the road.

EDIT: what's new here is material pulled from this earlier article:
Transferring is newest trend in women’s college basketball

 

[HuskyNan]

The UConn women's hoops team added another weapon to the arsenal, as Kentucky F Batouly Camara has decided to transfer to UConn, according to Jim Fuller.

Camara is listed at 6-foot-2, and averaged 5.1 points-per-game and 4.3 rebounds-per-game during her freshman campaign at Kentucky. She will have three years of eligibility remaining after sitting out this upcoming season.

Camara, originally from New York, was recruited by UConn out of Blair Academy in New Jersey. But the No. 53 overall prospect on ESPN ultimately chose Kentucky over the Huskies. She will join the frontcourt in 2017 that will likely feature Katie Lou Samuelson, Napheesa Collier, Natalie Butler and fellow transfer Azura Stevens.

It is interesting to note that for most of his tenure at UConn, head coach Geno Auriemma has rarely utilized transfers to bolster the program. But in the last three years he has brought in three, with Natalie Butler coming from Georgetown in 2014, and now Camara joining Duke transfer Azura Stevens.

It seems his stance on the issue has changed in recent years, as he seemed to blame the system more than the players when he discussed it last summer.

"I don't begrudge anybody if they go to a school and say, ‘look, I made a mistake.' That's not a negative," said Auriemma. "We make mistakes in recruiting, kids make mistakes in picking schools and I think what has happened is we have a little bit more access to these kids earlier and one of the results of that is kids commit earlier. Maybe the coaches and players haven't gotten the chance to know each other very well through the recruiting process."

The Huskies lost three of the best players in program history this offseason. Replacing them will be difficult. But "rebuilding" isn't in Geno's vocabulary, and these new additions will help the Huskies re-tool with experience down the road.

It's a blog post quoting the same Jim Fuller blog. Not new info.

 

[bags27]

It's a blog post quoting the same Jim Fuller blog. Not new info.

I noted that in my revision as well, Nan, although it seems to contain more stuff. Fuller seems positive about it, so I assume it's factual.

 

[CL82]

The "sit out" year that transfers are forced to take helps the transition and thus allows them to "pay off" as soon as they are elgible.

I'm not entirely convinced of that yet. Success at UConn is a process that begins in the summer between your HS graduation and Frosh year.

Still, she a big, talented kid. I'd look forward to watching her develop under Geno.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Welcome, Batouly! Your hard work in the classroom and on the court will be richly rewarded.

 

[Vowelguy]

OK, Now we have confirmation

Batouly Camara Joins UConn Womens Basketball Team