UConn WBB 2017-18: an embarrassment of riches?

[bags27]

I know it was only for one season, but the stakes were much higher (in terms of eventual financial rewards): Kentucky men's a few years back had two complete platoons of AAs. Not saying it would go that way for Geno (can't believe it would), but the point is that when folks have some very special goal in mind, even very big egos learn to share minutes.

 

[BroadwayVa]

In Geno I trust, and yes, this team is going in one season from insufficient depth to another that boasts an insane level of it. But there's one thing that even "The Master" cannot accomplish: He cannot manufacture enough minutes to go around to satisfy this much talent! This is hard enough with traditional twelve-player rosters. I'm not complaining, but there'll be some casualties.

I'm not sure of the personalities of the people on the 17/18 team but if they are Championship material and are interested in being part of another Championship era--they will stay to see it out.
Way back when Uconn appeared to have a glut of top talent--Uconn found a way to provide minutes to satisfy everyone, except for maybe Svet. It maybe a problem--but isn't it one h-ll of a problem to have.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I know it was only for one season, but the stakes were much higher (in terms of eventual financial rewards): Kentucky men's a few years back had two complete platoons of AAs. Not saying it would go that way for Geno (can't believe it would), but the point is that when folks have some very special goal in mind, even very big egos learn to share minutes.

You are right on Bags----Look at this years Olympic team--EGO;s were HUGE EGO's. Geno found a way to make them all to buy into even shorter minutes played. The GOAL at times is bigger than the individual--if presented properly, and Geno is the guy to do that..

 

[BroadwayVa]

There is a solution to your worry. A team that dominates like no other and turns WCBB into performance artistry. Everybody gets a couple of highlight reel plays and minutes that keep them sharp but healthy, while they get training for the next level that is, simply, available no where else. Wanna leave and take your chances? Take a look at how that worked out.

Uconn had some transfers--some over PT--egos, enhanced image of their own playing ability. some just wanted to go home--kids sometimes don't need a reason. Some were never heard from again--only one I can immediately think of was EDD, the Exception.

 

[BroadwayVa]

true but in Geno's case almost all of the player's he recruited decided to come to UConn...Walz recruits virtually the entire top ESPN 75 knowing the he will get just a fraction of LOI's

Quality--Quantity?? Apparently somewhere in Walz youth he learned to use a shotgun--and he still uses that approach.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Excellent points, my friend. In terms of seniority, we'll have only Kia and Gabby in their 4th year; Nat will be a senior in her 3rd season at UConn. Lou and Pheesa will be juniors, as will transfer Azura. Everyone else--all 8 of them--is an underclassman. And underclassmen need to learn and wait their turn.

Kiah Stokes was pretty much never a starter at UConn. But she was second in WNBA ROY voting and is one of the best defenders in the league. Asjha Jones started pretty much just her senior year and became a WNBA All-Star. Mega talents like Diana, Maya, and Stewie were not starters early on and moved into the starting lineup only after injuries or graduation of others.

I think yesterday's article on Geno adapting is apropos. This year's team is short in stature and short in numbers. Coach will need an approach for that. Next year, we are much bigger, insanely deep, and uber talented. The task will be different.

We need to keep at least 5 things in mind: (1) Some kids are slower to "get it." They won't have much PT until they do. There is no one who is obviously in this category, as far as I can see. (2) Injuries, unfortunately, are part of the game. Having extra bodies--especially talented ones--is a nice insurance policy. I think injuries cost us about 4 NCs. (3) A redshirt (or two) is possible for someone who is a little slow to pick things up or someone with a nagging injury or slow to rehab. (4) Keep in mind that Natalie, Azura, and Batouly could stay for their extra year or not. I hope they all do, but we really don't know. (5) Transfers out happen, for various reasons. I won't speculate as to who might leave, if anyone, but I'll note that Kyla, while perhaps the lowest rated of all 14 players, is the daughter of a coach. Her future is in coaching, not in the WNBA, most likely. I see her sticking around to learn from Geno, irrespective of how much PT she gets.

In some of our most successful seasons, we were not very deep. We played primarily 6 or 7 players. One injury or major foul trouble could have derailed our path to the NC. I prefer having the "problem" of 14 players rather than just 7.

Uconn has on board and has accepted some recruits who are exceptional talents--and know it.
Tell some kids to sit and wait your turn --may not sit well with them. However, Geno won't sit even Freshmen if the talent and need is important to the team.
Good breakdown of what the future may hold for Uconn. A great problem isn't it???

 

[BroadwayVa]

I know Geno typically doesn't do this and probably won't, but I'd love to see him redshirt Lexi and maybe Kyla next year. Seems to me it would be a good business decision, if the kids would go for it.

He has done that before--and the Red Shirt year, with a good intelligent player, has had that year paid back big time. But isn't Lexi the kind of kid that's almost ready to go--? Kyla i'm not sure how much she would improve with the Red Shirt year.
Good concept to keep PT issues to a minimum. I am naive, so I think this isn't the problem some think it may be.

 

[Gus Mahler]

He has done that before--and the Red Shirt year, with a good intelligent player, has had that year paid back big time. But isn't Lexi the kind of kid that's almost ready to go--? Kyla i'm not sure how much she would improve with the Red Shirt year.
Good concept to keep PT issues to a minimum. I am naive, so I think this isn't the problem some think it may be.

You're right that things may work themselves out. I just hate to see good kids and talented players sit, and I would like to avoid seasons like the current one in which the squad is maybe a player short owing to transfers.

 

[Charliebball]

For those wondering why Geno recruited Kyla and Molly, I think he knew that they would be helpful bench players willing to give up minutes to the more talented freshman coming a year behind them.......it's very possible that they will see more minutes this season then in the next 3 seasons combined

 

[Carnac]

I could be mistaken in some way, but my belief is that UConn's roster in 2017-18 will look like this:

Kia Nurse
Gabby Williams
Natalie Butler
Katie Lou Samuelson
Napheesa Collier
Molly Bent
Kayla Irwin
Crystal Dangerfield
Andra Espinoza-Hunter
Lexi Gordon
Mikayla Coombs
Megan Walker
Azura Stevens
Batouly Camara

Is this correct? Have I listed someone who will have graduated or omitted someone who should be added?

I ask for one simple reason: this roster for 2017-18 looks like a ridiculously loaded team that should absolutely be in contention yet again for a national championship. Moreover, the team will be deep, experienced, and balanced.

Am I off base here, or should I get excited? Like really excited???

You should be so excited, that you need a sedative to control your anxiety swings. The most awesome thing about this team will be that ALL of those ladies are ballers. No weak or marginal players. Yes, you can call it an embarrassment of riches, because that's exactly what it is.

 

[BroadwayVa]

You're right that things may work themselves out. I just hate to see good kids and talented players sit, and I would like to avoid seasons like the current one in which the squad is maybe a player short owing to transfers.

You hit one of my pet peeves talented kids sitting. Some transfers are good for both the player and the team. Being a player on any college team is a marriage of sorts--each must bring something to the game--if it doesn't work out---Transfer. I understand your concerns.
I don't think Geno is God--or without human warts--but he has seen nearly everything--and has an exceptional staff to whom (I think) he listens. And i don't Always agree with his use of players---we'll see.

 

[victor64]

For those wondering why Geno recruited Kyla and Molly, I think he knew that they would be helpful bench players willing to give up minutes to the more talented freshman coming a year behind them..it's very possible that they will see more minutes this season then in the next 3 seasons combined

I talked about Molly in another thread. Molly's time next year in my opinion is based on whether Geno goes against normal and redshirts some incoming freshmen. I think Molly can play like everyone else.

 

[UcMiami]

I don't see red-shirts unless there is an injury/illness that necessitates that - I believe he has only red-shirted one player specifically for 'seasoning' - Jessica Moore who came in pretty raw from Alaska to a very loaded team in 2001. Heather Buck probably could have played her freshman year but missed all of the fall with mono (I believe) and they decided together that she should red-shirt, something that I don't think would have happened had she not been ill for those three months.

You get playing time based on you ability and your practice - with this team the ability would seem to be pretty high across the board and I think the commitment to practice will be as well. With a year as freshman under their belts Dangerfield, Bent, and Irwin will have a step up on the 2017 class so the competition will be fierce. If the freshman are good enough they will likely cut into the minutes of those three compared to what they get this year, but that is not guaranteed, nor does it necessarily represent a negative for them. As long as the competition is fair and the minutes are successful, it need not cause issues.

What we have seen most recently is players leaving either during their freshman year when they realize this was a mistake (not minutes related as much as process related) or after a full year or a second year when they realize their skills are not likely to be enough to see meaningful minutes. I don't think we know enough about our current freshman yet, but from the preseason games they look pretty intriguing. Speculating about one of our four signees before they arrive on campus is just wrong, and the only other real question mark for me would be Butler's choice after her fourth year of college presuming she graduates this year. She will have another year of eligibility and whether she chooses a masters program at uconn or at another university or ...

Large rosters have worked at Uconn and at many other good programs around the country so there is no reason it cannot work again here. I will be fun to watch.

 

[easttexastrash]

With Stevens and Walker coming in, not to mention Camara, there are some current and incoming players that are going to spend a lot of time keeping the seats warm for the core group.

 

[easttexastrash]

Texas and Baylor aren't doing too bad a job of stockpiling either.

Same concerns about playing time for UConn should also apply to UT and BU.

Many on this board wondered how Mulkey would be able to find playing time for Cox, Brown and Mompremeir. That topic has been discussed to a great extent. Brown got into early foul trouble today and Cox and Mompreier played the majority of the minutes. Brown came back strong in the second half and finished the game with 24 points.

Good coaches find playing time for those who are deserving and find a way of explaining to the not-as-talented players that they will not get to play as much as they want. Some accept it, some transfer.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Y'all are up to 14! No more jokes from the BY about how many players Walz recruits.

Walz sends letters out to pregnant women.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Walz sends letters out to pregnant women.

Good one!

 

[Shorty Dee]

Think about this. Next year Geno can use DePaul method, play 5 sub 5. Everybody is getting playing time, so you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[hussybulldog]

Think about this. Next year Geno can use DePaul method, play 5 sub 5. Everybody is getting playing time, so you shouldn't have a problem.

Agree, he can field a squad of quick guards to run opponent out of gas and then replace them with a squad of 6'1 and taller!

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I was saying the same thing to MilfordHusky - by next year, the team will have a TON of very, very good players to go along with a handful of true stars. We phrased it as a bunch of A players to go with a few A+ talents. Not B players, or B+ players, but A players. Really very little fall-off. So deep! It's going to be another year where, at the end of games against woeful AAC squads, it's going to be kind of ridiculous when the end of our bench is in the game. An illustration: Megan Walker could be in those games at the end when the final buzzer sounds, at least early on. Megan Walker!

I know Geno doesn't really like to use the full or 3/4 press all that much (as he doesn't believe you can press good teams late in the tournament anyway), but he does use it. Next year he might use it more than ever. Or at least it would be an option.

It will be very interesting to see what twists or strategies Geno employs next year to adapt to his new roster, in line with the article that was posted yesterday (Geno being adaptive). Much will look the same as it always does, but there will be a few important adjustments as well, I'd bet.

Good teams with excellent passers can make mincemeat out of a press; Geno is wise to use it judiciously. Teams that press all game may be successful for a few games or even a season or two, but they will be vulnerable at some point.

 

[HGN]

I know Geno typically doesn't do this and probably won't, but I'd love to see him redshirt Lexi and maybe Kyla next year. Seems to me it would be a good business decision, if the kids would go for it.

Gus , that's a good thought and possible strategy Geno could employ. I hadn't thought about it , because he doesn't use it much. But it could benefit the player(s) as well as the team in the long run. We shall see.

 

[huskeynut]

Think about this. Next year Geno can use DePaul method, play 5 sub 5. Everybody is getting playing time, so you shouldn't have a problem.

I don't think Geno has ever done this before but he might next year.

We know there will be plenty of minutes for everyone during the regular AAC schedule. But OOC schedule could be a time to try the "line shift." Up tempo versus the inside power game. Can you imagine a coach trying to prepare their team for 2 seperate types of offense!

Geno will adapt the offense to the talent availabe. But one thing is constant - hard nose, in you face defense. That will never change.

 

[CocoHusky]

Many on this board wondered how Mulkey would be able to find playing time for Cox, Brown and Mompremeir. That topic has been discussed to a great extent. Brown got into early foul trouble today and Cox and Mompreier played the majority of the minutes. Brown came back strong in the second half and finished the game with 24 points.
Good coaches find playing time for those who are deserving and find a way of explaining to the not-as-talented players that they will not get to play as much as they want. Some accept it, some transfer.

The corollary to this is that good, hard working. & talented players carve out playing time for themselves.

 

[UcMiami]

Good teams with excellent passers can make mincemeat out of a press; Geno is wise to use it judiciously. Teams that press all game may be successful for a few games or even a season or two, but they will be vulnerable at some point.

But often a press is not so much about turnovers as it is about changing the tempo of the opponent - it doesn't matter if they 'break the press' as much as that it has gotten them outside the usual offensive rhythm that they want to perform at. Pressure can either the transition into the offensive zone, and/or speed up the decision process in the offensive set.

 

[Charliebball]

Many on this board wondered how Mulkey would be able to find playing time for Cox, Brown and Mompremeir. That topic has been discussed to a great extent. Brown got into early foul trouble today and Cox and Mompreier played the majority of the minutes. Brown came back strong in the second half and finished the game with 24 points.

Good coaches find playing time for those who are deserving and find a way of explaining to the not-as-talented players that they will not get to play as much as they want. Some accept it, some transfer.

Did I not just read somewhere that Cox has a tendonitis issue of some kind? My daughter suffers from jumper's knee or patellar tendonitis and it appears to be a pretty common overuse issue in female basketball players............