UCTV Player Profie: Katie Lou Samuelson

[UConnCat]

interviews from today's media session.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

This team is going to be scary good.

 

[chrissaran]

No kidding. I know Geno tends not to use a lot of players. This team will test that practice. They could be one of UConn's best ever. Size, speed, quickness and depth. Oh, I forgot. An unreal amount of talent. Let's get started. Four in a row.

 

[HoopsFan21]

With a first team of Mo, Kia, Tuck, Stewie, and Butler, that leaves a pretty good second team of Chong, Gabby, Collier, DJB, and KLS.

 

[Kaizen]

No kidding. I know Geno tends not to use a lot of players. This team will test that practice. They could be one of UConn's best ever. Size, speed, quickness and depth. Oh, I forgot. An unreal amount of talent. Let's get started. Four in a row.

Geno probably will use 5 in the first half, then another 5 in the second half.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Geno probably will use 5 in the first half, then another 5 in the second half.

I would like to see that some time, but unless there's a really good reason, the same five that start the first half also start the second half. Last year's game when Stewie and Tuck were yanked early on just before the South Carolina game was one of those rare exceptions.

 

[Huskies Rule]

The best part of watching them 'scrimmage'... seeing Katie Lou with no knee wraps, no knee braces, NO NOTHING. Beautiful.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

So strange seeing KLS in blue, but she looks pretty cool in it.

Watch closely and you'll see Kylie McLaren guarding Natalie Butler.

 

[UcMiami]

Notice the background! Mariah on the wall! Not up in Gampel I am sure but there it is in the practice facility!

 

[HoopsFan21]

Notice the background! Mariah on the wall! Not up in Gampel I am sure but there it is in the practice facility!

I was wondering what that was about. Couldn't catch what else was written on the banner though.

 

[Biff]

I was wondering what that was about. Couldn't catch what else was written on the banner though.

It reads FIRST TEAM ALL AMERICAN above her name

 

[Sonny44]

The best part of watching them 'scrimmage'... seeing Katie Lou with no knee wraps, no knee braces, NO NOTHING. Beautiful.

My sentiments exactly. I think her missed time this summer was a blessing in disguise.

 

[Sonny44]

So strange seeing KLS in blue, but she looks pretty cool in it.

Watch closely and you'll see Kylie McLaren guarding Natalie Butler.

Wow, didn't notice that. A Rather sveldte Kylie at that.
I love to see players from the past coming back to help us out.
Does anyone know if Kylie is still playing somewhere?

 

[DaddyChoc]

you guys "see things" that others dont... quality footage, scrimmage video and interview

 

[CocoHusky]

The best part of watching them 'scrimmage'... seeing Katie Lou with no knee wraps, no knee braces, NO NOTHING. Beautiful.

Was/is there an issue with KLS knees that would require wrapping? I though the knee pads was a player preference like MoJett wearing knee pads her entire Freshmen year but never after that.

 

[UcMiami]

Was/is there an issue with KLS knees that would require wrapping? I though the knee pads was a player preference like MoJett wearing knee pads her entire Freshmen year but never after that.

She has had a number of niggling injuries over the last 18 months from ankles to knees. I do think the summer away from competition was a really good thing for her. (I also wrote a summer 'off', but I suspect it was full of training and shooting - and just a few driveway contests between her and her older sisters!)

 

[CocoHusky]

She has had a number of niggling injuries over the last 18 months from ankles to knees. I do think the summer away from competition was a really good thing for her. (I also wrote a summer 'off', but I suspect it was full of training and shooting - and just a few driveway contests between her and her older sisters!)

Was aware of ankle issues from summer of 2014 and USA basketball. Was also aware/maybe though it was same ankle issue which caused her to not play in Jordan brand classic. Was never aware of any knee issues.

 

[CocoHusky]

Was aware of ankle issues from summer of 2014 and USA basketball. Was also aware/maybe though it was same ankle issue which caused her to not play in Jordan brand classic. Was never aware of any knee issues.

KLS did have a knee hyperextension in late January 2015.
http://www.ocvarsity.com/articles/game-77165-mater-samuelson.html

 

[j66kicker]

Notice the background! Mariah on the wall! Not up in Gampel I am sure but there it is in the practice facility!

Stewart is up there too - one row higher, dark blue (for 2X NPOY)

 

[Bonpland]

With a first team of Mo, Kia, Tuck, Stewie, and Butler, that leaves a pretty good second team of Chong, Gabby, Collier, DJB, and KLS.

I'm surprised no one else has asked why you left Gabby Williams out of the equation. It's going to be a staring five and a second six.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I'm surprised no one else has asked why you left Gabby Williams out of the equation. It's going to be a staring five and a second six.

I didn't leave out the Gabulous One. She's on my second team.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm surprised no one else has asked why you left Gabby Williams out of the equation. It's going to be a staring five and a second six.

Gabby reminds me of a couple of Huskies in the past. Special games and special contributions; but unless she gets her 12 foot out thing going, she will never crack the starting 5.

 

[Bonpland]

I didn't leave out the Gabulous One. She's on my second team.

Sorry Hoops I misread your post. It was Courtney you left out. And I agree with Rocky. I think Gabby could wind up this team's Ashley Battle.

 

[PhillyCoach]

This team is going to be scary good.

No kidding. I know Geno tends not to use a lot of players. This team will test that practice. They could be one of UConn's best ever. Size, speed, quickness and depth. Oh, I forgot. An unreal amount of talent. Let's get started. Four in a row.

Rock & Chris - This team is definitely scary good and this team will test the Geno practice of "play the starting 5 for 23+ minutes a game"--no matter the score! One more thing. I have had strong feelings about Butler starting (as have many other posters.) I still think Butler starts the first game and more. HOWEVER, every time I see clips of Lou or Collier--mostly Lou--I can clearly see how others differ about who plays more. Lou looked outstanding in that short clip. She looked refreshed, TALL, confident, smooth, surprisingly quick (MO was guarding her at times) and the sound of SWISH was a constant. Butler inside --Lou outside--OH MY!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Rock & Chris - This team is definitely scary good and this team will test the Geno practice of "play the starting 5 for 23+ minutes a game"--no matter the score! One more thing. I have had strong feelings about Butler starting (as have many other posters.) I still think Butler starts the first game and more. HOWEVER, every time I see clips of Lou or Collier--mostly Lou--I can clearly see how others differ about who plays more. Lou looked outstanding in that short clip. She looked refreshed, TALL, confident, smooth, surprisingly quick (MO was guarding her at times) and the sound of SWISH was a constant. Butler inside --Lou outside--OH MY!

Geno has been a past master at using undersized "bigs" to great effect - particularly in the early 2000s, but I always felt these players, taking one for the team, had the development of their full potential limited. I suspect we could go small with Boykin and Collier (who is noted for her ball hawking), but I'd rather Butler hold down the low post fort ( and see another big show up soon I hope), confident that the other 4 can run the rest of the NCAA to death and put some bad match up hurting on all sorts of folks, and have our cake with players developing a broader game.