UConn recruiting Speculation, part 3

[HuskyNan]

This is a thread to discuss known players of interest and other potential recruits. This thread is different from the monthly recruiting thread in that thread drifts and posters discussing their hopes on who comes to UConn aren’t allowed there. While this thread has more latitude, it’s still about the recruits, how they might fit into the team, who you wish to see come, deeper discussion about their skill sets, recent performances etc.

• No transfer talk EVER (see the rules tacked at the top of the board)
• No discussion of who is staying/going

 

[GenoWept]

I think more so out of anyone else from 2026, I want Olivia Vukosa to come to UConn most. Not only is she extremely talented for just a sophomore, but I just see so much room for growth. Because she has so much growth potential, I can see her easily become the most sought after recruit in the 26’ class. What have you all saw that were her strengths or weaknesses so far?

 

[BobbyJ]

I think more so out of anyone else from 2026, I want Olivia Vukosa to come to UConn most. Not only is she extremely talented for just a sophomore, but I just see so much room for growth. Because she has so much growth potential, I can see her easily become the most sought after recruit in the 26’ class. What have you all saw that were her strengths or weaknesses so far?

Vukosa is obviously the best big in the ‘26 class but as for the most sought after, there will be a lot of opinions. I can’t think of any recent classes as strong from 1-15 as this one. UConn has offers out to #1,2,3, and 8 plus #15 is a POI. Robinson, Vukosa, Hall, Bjorn, and Green. And there might be others that I’m not aware of. Plus Hassell, Palmer, and Kaleena Smith in ‘27 is another strong group.

 

[GenoWept]

Hopefully Allie and Morgan will put a bug in Sarah’s ear about UConn!

 

[Tonyc]

I think Sara may be waiting for an opening on the roster as well as a position where she is going to get alot of playtime and not have to wait for someone to graduate. Waiting one season is one thing but having to wait longer may not be. Sara is the number 1 player in the class and will make a difference. We need her and she likes us.

 

[uconnfan68]

I think Sara may be waiting for an opening on the roster as well as a position where she is going to get alot of playtime and not have to wait for someone to graduate. Waiting one season is one thing but having to wait longer may not be. Sara is the number 1 player in the class and will make a difference. We need her and she likes us.

If she’s good enough, she’ll play.

 

[Zonepress]

I think Sara may be waiting for an opening on the roster as well as a position where she is going to get alot of playtime and not have to wait for someone to graduate. Waiting one season is one thing but having to wait longer may not be. Sara is the number 1 player in the class and will make a difference. We need her and she likes us.

It’s just silly to think the top player in the class is worried about getting playing time
Any athlete that accomplished is completely confident that they’re better than whoever’s in front of them
Even her that she might have to wait two seasons to play
Man, some of the stuff on here, makes me shake my head

 

[GenoWept]

I think Sara may be waiting for an opening on the roster as well as a position where she is going to get alot of playtime and not have to wait for someone to graduate. Waiting one season is one thing but having to wait longer may not be. Sara is the number 1 player in the class and will make a difference. We need her and she likes us.

If it’s playing time she’s worried about, then we know LSU is probably no longer in the running for her if that’s her criteria (they won’t be graduating anyone and their starting five is pretty solid). UNC is a similar team to UConn with a fairly small lineup, so I could see her getting a lot of playing time as a freshman. I think she would get meaningful playing time at UConn as well, no matter what our roster looks like next year. I’m hoping she can see that our team would benefit from her coming, maybe even more so than any other team recruiting her.

 

[Tonyc]

Talking to some coaches and they cant see her going to UNC. They can see her coming to UConn but she will have to play.

 

[Hester42]

Strong will play significant minutes at literally at any program she chooses, maybe outside of potentially SC but even then she would garner some minutes because she is that good.

She reminds me of Pili at Utah but has better rebounding attributes.

I could see her going to any of the programs associated with her for different reasons.

 

[cferraro04]

Geno is in charge of who plays and who doesn't. When I think of a number 1 player coming to UConn I think of what has happened historically. DT did not start in game one, and Maya did not start at the beginning of the season...just being number one was not a guarantee of a starting position. I admit bringing Maya off the bench was a joke...everyone could see that she was the best player on the floor and that it wasn't going to be long before she would be a starter. Then you get freshmen like KK and Ashlynn who are starting...why? Simple circumstances on the ground gave Geno no choice but to start them. The conventional wisdom is...it doesn't matter who starts the game...it is who is on the court when it matters.

 

[Cuango]

Geno is in charge of who plays and who doesn't. When I think of a number 1 player coming to UConn I think of what has happened historically. DT did not start in game one, and Maya did not start at the beginning of the season...just being number one was not a guarantee of a starting position. I admit bringing Maya off the bench was a joke...everyone could see that she was the best player on the floor and that it wasn't going to be long before she would be a starter. Then you get freshmen like KK and Ashlynn who are starting...why? Simple circumstances on the ground gave Geno no choice but to start them. The conventional wisdom is...it doesn't matter who starts the game...it is who is on the court when it matters.

The thing is, in Ash’s and KK’s case, they are among the top five available players on the team. They are starting not just because they need to start but because they deserve to. Sure, if the entire roster were healthy, they likely would be coming off the bench but out of the 9 healthy players they both are clearly in the top five.

 

[sun]

If a prospect waits until the late signing period then that indicates that they haven't made up their mind yet.
The #1 recruit would probably like to know who they will most likely be playing with before making a final decision.
I'm not sure that even Geno knows who will be on the UConn roster yet.
Perhaps by May 15, 2024 he'll have a better idea.

Geno's contract ends in April, 2025 at which point he will be eligible for 2 separate one year extensions based on mutual agreement between both him & UConn.
A prospect could have doubts about joining a program where the HC may retire before they graduate.

 

[MooseJaw]

Geno is in charge of who plays and who doesn't. When I think of a number 1 player coming to UConn I think of what has happened historically. DT did not start in game one, and Maya did not start at the beginning of the season...just being number one was not a guarantee of a starting position. I admit bringing Maya off the bench was a joke...everyone could see that she was the best player on the floor and that it wasn't going to be long before she would be a starter. Then you get freshmen like KK and Ashlynn who are starting...why? Simple circumstances on the ground gave Geno no choice but to start them. The conventional wisdom is...it doesn't matter who starts the game...it is who is on the court when it matters.

Paige!!

 

[HopJim]

I think Sara may be waiting for an opening on the roster as well as a position where she is going to get alot of playtime and not have to wait for someone to graduate. Waiting one season is one thing but having to wait longer may not be. Sara is the number 1 player in the class and will make a difference. We need her and she likes us.

There are other aspects regarding how many of the top players think that would be to UConn's advantage. Minutes is one thing but getting national publicity is another. UConn traditionally plays the top schedule in the US and gives the women's basketball team that ability to play against the top players and teams across the US. The best like to show off their skills against the best, plus this may generate more NIL money due to expanded publicity. I live in SC and while opinions vary, feel UConn gets the most PR in the US.

 

[uconnfan68]

Geno is in charge of who plays and who doesn't. When I think of a number 1 player coming to UConn I think of what has happened historically. DT did not start in game one, and Maya did not start at the beginning of the season...just being number one was not a guarantee of a starting position. I admit bringing Maya off the bench was a joke...everyone could see that she was the best player on the floor and that it wasn't going to be long before she would be a starter. Then you get freshmen like KK and Ashlynn who are starting...why? Simple circumstances on the ground gave Geno no choice but to start them. The conventional wisdom is...it doesn't matter who starts the game...it is who is on the court when it matters.

Pam Webber started over Nykesha Sales too, but I'm guessing they had about the same number of minutes. Ironically, the UConn archives don't go back that far.

 

[HuskyNan]

Geno is in charge of who plays and who doesn't. When I think of a number 1 player coming to UConn I think of what has happened historically. DT did not start in game one, and Maya did not start at the beginning of the season...just being number one was not a guarantee of a starting position. I admit bringing Maya off the bench was a joke...everyone could see that she was the best player on the floor and that it wasn't going to be long before she would be a starter. Then you get freshmen like KK and Ashlynn who are starting...why? Simple circumstances on the ground gave Geno no choice but to start them. The conventional wisdom is...it doesn't matter who starts the game...it is who is on the court when it matters.

Breanna Stewart started on Day 1, so did Paige

 

[GenoWept]

WBB recruiting: The biggest trends over the first half of the high school season

Apparently Sarah Strong is down to UConn, LSU, UNC, UCLA, and Oregon. Not sure if this is coming from Sarah Strong or just ESPN compiling what has been mentioned in interviews and where her known visits have been. I’m not surprised by any of these schools, but I just don’t think UCLA or Oregon are in the running for her.

 

[GoUconn7961]

Talking to some coaches and they cant see her going to UNC. They can see her coming to UConn but she will have to play.

If (i'm saying if) she presents an attitude of I have to play or I won't come, my guess is Geno will look elsewhere.

 

[HuskyNan]

This is not a(nother) LSU thread

 

[Cuango]

IMO…Really the only way Strong would not start at UConn would be (possibly) if Aaliyah Edwards decided to return. She is just that good! Aubrey, should she stay, is not likely to be ready, and is likely better suited off the bench anyway. It seems to me that, assuming Paige and Aubrey return, which is imo, the most likely scenario, the starters would most likely (barring some huge improvement on someone else’s part) be Jana, Strong, Azzi, Ash/KK, and Paige!. Then you would have (once she’s healthy, perhaps January?) Ash/KK, Aubrey, (two major game changers) Ice, Q/Morgan, and Allie as a second unit.

This of course, assumes sadly, that Caroline is still unable to play. I don’t want to think that, but unfortunately, I think it more likely than not. It also leaves Yanna’s status a bit muddled. Were she to be fully healthy of course, she would be involved in that rather large second unit. Practice next season is going to be ultimately competitive! Of course, my starting five is just my best guess and clearly there is enough talent to where Geno could probably come up with five different lineups that could be an effective starting unit!

For example, if somehow Caroline were to suddenly be fully healthy, I think she would likely replace Ash/KK as a starter. However, unless AE stays, it’s difficult for me to see any starting unit that did not include Strong, were she to commit! Geno is gonna have a lot of choices to make next season!

Finally, contrary to those who say he will never play more than 7 or 8, I believe he will find a way to play everybody that earns PT in practice! What exactly that looks like and how he manages it, is going to be fun to watch But I don’t believe for a second that he will not find a way to play those who deserve it!

 

[Notyetready]

IMO…Really the only way Strong would not start at UConn would be (possibly) if Aaliyah Edwards decided to return. She is just that good! Aubrey, should she stay, is not likely to be ready, and is likely better suited off the bench anyway. It seems to me that, assuming Paige and Aubrey return, which is imo, the most likely scenario, the starters would most likely (barring some huge improvement on someone else’s part) be Jana, Strong, Azzi, Ash/KK, and Paige!. Then you would have (once she’s healthy, perhaps January?) Ash/KK, Aubrey, (two major game changers) Ice, Q/Morgan, and Allie as a second unit.

This of course, assumes sadly, that Caroline is still unable to play. I don’t want to think that, but unfortunately, I think it more likely than not. It also leaves Yanna’s status a bit muddled. Were she to be fully healthy of course, she would be involved in that rather large second unit. Practice next season is going to be ultimately competitive! Of course, my starting five is just my best guess and clearly there is enough talent to where Geno could probably come up with five different lineups that could be an effective starting unit!

For example, if somehow Caroline were to suddenly be fully healthy, I think she would likely replace Ash/KK as a starter. However, unless AE stays, it’s difficult for me to see any starting unit that did not include Strong, were she to commit! Geno is gonna have a lot of choices to make next season!

Finally, contrary to those who say he will never play more than 7 or 8, I believe he will find a way to play everybody that earns PT in practice! What exactly that looks like and how he manages it, is going to be fun to watch But I don’t believe for a second that he will not find a way to play those who deserve it!

You make well reasoned arguments and I don't disagree with much of it, but I do think that by season's end there is no scenario, baring injury, in which Ashlynn Shade sits on the bench at the start of the game. Looking at a 14 or 15 player team with Paige and Aubrey returning, it seems difficult to discuss signing Strong without looking at starters and minutes.

 

[Hester42]

Even if Strong didn't start (Edwards returning) she would get starter minutes. She is too good to keep on the bench.

 

[HopJim]

IMO…Really the only way Strong would not start at UConn would be (possibly) if Aaliyah Edwards decided to return. She is just that good! Aubrey, should she stay, is not likely to be ready, and is likely better suited off the bench anyway. It seems to me that, assuming Paige and Aubrey return, which is imo, the most likely scenario, the starters would most likely (barring some huge improvement on someone else’s part) be Jana, Strong, Azzi, Ash/KK, and Paige!. Then you would have (once she’s healthy, perhaps January?) Ash/KK, Aubrey, (two major game changers) Ice, Q/Morgan, and Allie as a second unit.

This of course, assumes sadly, that Caroline is still unable to play. I don’t want to think that, but unfortunately, I think it more likely than not. It also leaves Yanna’s status a bit muddled. Were she to be fully healthy of course, she would be involved in that rather large second unit. Practice next season is going to be ultimately competitive! Of course, my starting five is just my best guess and clearly there is enough talent to where Geno could probably come up with five different lineups that could be an effective starting unit!

For example, if somehow Caroline were to suddenly be fully healthy, I think she would likely replace Ash/KK as a starter. However, unless AE stays, it’s difficult for me to see any starting unit that did not include Strong, were she to commit! Geno is gonna have a lot of choices to make next season!

Finally, contrary to those who say he will never play more than 7 or 8, I believe he will find a way to play everybody that earns PT in practice! What exactly that looks like and how he manages it, is going to be fun to watch But I don’t believe for a second that he will not find a way to play those who deserve it!

You would need dynamite to get KK and Ash out of the starting lineup!

 

[RoadMaster]

Another one gone..