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Message: [QUOTE="PacoSwede, post: 4979523, member: 120"] i think BYers who see azzi starting in the fall are delusional. that's even if her injury issues are finally behind her and if she is 100% healthy, which [I]might[/I] be true later next season. this would be great cause she seems to be a super teammate and an outstanding person and she's got tons of fans here. plus, her basketball skills are highly developed. still, some here are delusional. they see azzi as the azzi who was acclaimed as a high school sophomore, celebrated as a surefire 'generational' player destined to be the next big thing, who would surpass the ultra-exalted player one year in front of her, paige bueckers from minnesota. but that was several years ago -- 5? 6? or 7? then she was injured as a high school junior, and it's taken much away from her. ever since, she has been plagued with injuries. a cruel world, horrendous, bad mojo, but she has not been defeated -- or at least she doesn't show it. she's kept after the dream. bravo for her, her determination is to be admired. i'm a fan. but she has yet to be the incredible player she apparently was before she was hurt in high school. she might have the skills still -- her shooting is regarded by knowledgeable people as tops from distance and in her time in storrs she's demonstrated excellence in the mid-range and finishing drives skillfully. defensively she's not as strong as paige, etc., but she's got good speed and maneuverability. indeed, she's got the skills to be a superstar ... but she hasn't been one. it's really unfair to expect her to be. it's pressure she can do without; the burden of overblown expectations. some will point to a short stretch of games near the start of the season a couple of years ago -- just before she was sidelined when liya was pushed and fell into her knew -- when she was hot, hot, hot from trey-land. azzi didn't get the chance to sustain that level of play. maybe she could have. maybe rotten luck intervened. whatever -- she didn't show that it had been simply a run of good games. she had and has since had times when the 3-pointers fell like rain, but her consistency was absent. she has the skills, but execution in games has been lacking. until she jumps that hurdle, she won't meet expectations of BYers' who picture a long-ago naismith h.s. poy. [/QUOTE]

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