Updated roster - best day ever!

[BRS24]

 

[RoyDodger]

Great job. One thing to note: It's Azzi, with two z's.

 

[BRS24]

Great job. One thing to note: It's Azzi, with two z's.

Updated and thanks. A bit distracted with FL weather ....

 

[Sam.the.Man]

2021-22 is perhaps a dream roster, but no one carries 15 players. Too much talent and not enough playing time. It will be interesting to see what develops.

 

[pvdoggy]

Hopefully, they can add some bigs in the 22-23 class other than Brady. We have enough G/W for a while.

 

[CBus13]

When was the last time UConn had a full roster? You have to go back to 2008-2009 for 14 players on the roster.

 

[Alydar]

When was the last time UConn had a full roster? You have to go back to 2008-2009 for 14 players on the roster.

With transfers and players leaving early for the pros the days of 8/9 player rosters are gone.

 

[Bills Fan]

Hopefully, they can add some bigs in the 22-23 class other than Brady. We have enough G/W for a while.

Agreed, but when is the last time we had 3 post players, at least 6'5" ? Maybe a 6'4" Meg Walker type who can shoot and rebound should be the target-anyone out there that wants to apply? In the meantime, we have players to somewhat fill that role-AE, AG, SP can all play the #4 (PF) spot and maybe even CD if she adds a few lbs in the weight room. I think our days of being "out-sized" are over.

 

[veryolddog]

Now, I have a reason to live. This will be a great show of talent for the next 3 years.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Are we looking at our best shooting lineup ever? The roster is full of shooters - Paige, Saylor, Caroline, Anna, Azzi, and so on. This team will be able to put the ball in the basket.

 

[Sonny44]

It's insane. How can that much talent be managed?

 

[chrissaran]

Geno will play those players who earn playing time. He doesn't play favorites. Players have left in the past. There's nothing anyone can do about that. Hopefully, they came to UConn to win championships, and with the talent UConn has, that's a likely probability. If they want to be stars and get more playing time, I wish them well.

 

[chrissaran]

However, that usually doesn't work out well. Didn't get to finish. It just posted. Must have hit a key to post it.

 

[HuskylnSC]

2021-22 is perhaps a dream roster, but no one carries 15 players. Too much talent and not enough playing time. It will be interesting to see what develops.

200 minutes divided by 15 players = 13.33 minutes each. We might see something like everyone getting 8 to 20 minutes in a blowout.

 

[Checkmate 2.0]

200 minutes divided by 15 players = 13.33 minutes each. We might see something like everyone getting 8 to 20 minutes in a blowout.

And there will be a lot of blowouts. However, there will be a few that are not happy with garbage time.

 

[Bills Fan]

Looking at next year, I'll spot you a starting 5 and take a second starting five that could contend for a NC. (I'm assuming that EW will go to the W next year)

Your starting 5: My starting 5: Split the bench:
ONO AD MIR
CW PG
AE AG SP or CD
AM SP or CD AC (w/o)
PB NM

Heck, I can make a top 10 team of "A's":
5---AD
4---AE
3---AG
2---AM
1---
Sub---AC

 

[Fossil]

2021-22 is perhaps a dream roster, but no one carries 15 players. Too much talent and not enough playing time. It will be interesting to see what develops.

They may lose one or two of the juniors to the W if they have really good seasons. Hopefully not but Westbrook is a junior on the court but not in the classroom. UConn could use the senior leadership in what could be a real shot at a NC. This year it’s a possibility but next year OMG!!!!

 

[Hoops66]

Looking at next year, I'll spot you a starting 5 and take a second starting five that could contend for a NC. (I'm assuming that EW will go to the W next year)

Your starting 5: My starting 5: Split the bench:
ONO AD MIR
CW PG
AE AG SP or CD
AM SP or CD AC (w/o)
PB NM

Heck, I can make a top 10 team of "A's":
5---AD
4---AE
3---AG
2---AM
1---
Sub---AC

Any way you look at it, it's an A Plus team.

 

[eebmg]

And there will be a lot of blowouts. However, there will be a few that are not happy with garbage time.

The way I think about it is that the player's development is a 4 year process and can perhaps be roughly modelled as follows (assuming full uber talented roster), Names added for reference but obviously is just a rough opinion. Looking at it this way, I really do not see that many unhappy players and the grass is not always greener

1) Legend (Paige, Azzi) Track

Freshman In Top 8 rotation early , breaks into starting lineup late
Sophomore First skills jump, Main starter and contributor AA possible
Junior Next skills Jump, Increased Leadership skills AA, NPOY watch
Senior Unquestioned Leader, NPOY likely and number 1 pick in draft.

2) Second Tier WNBA talent track (Liv, Christyn, Aaliyah, Caroline?, Amari, Aubrey?, Ice)

Freshman . Perhaps on bench to begin. Demonstrates enough late in season to make Top 8 rotation
Sophomore First skills jump. Maybe enough to crack starting rotation but definitely in 8 man rotation. Demonstrates a number of top performances and maybe cracks the starting rotation
Maybe starts to look like AA
Junior Significant Skill jump motivated by not breaking the starting lineup perhaps. Cracks into the starting lineup. Shares some leadership Maybe AA
Senior. Make or break year to show WNBA scouts. Leadership growth. AA performance. WNBA draft


3) Third Tier (Saylor, Anna, Nika, Mir)

Not cut out for WNBA (and they figure that out after freshman year when true WNBA destined players beat them up in practice) but UConn training and Luster opens up lots of International Opportunities. Transfer to other school may give more playing time but to what end?? Less competative practices, less opportunities for FF etc.

Freshman . Does not make the top 8 to begin. Mop up duty. Maybe a solid performance once in a while

Sophomore First skills jump. Maybe can crack the 8 man rotation but learns that their will always be a stable of better players . Decides to be dependable as a backup and fill important roles in that capacity

Junior Perhaps another Skills Jump Solid 8 man rotation performer. Pushes other players hard in practice. May be needed to fill holes due to injury etc

Senior. Improves leadership and team skills. Possibly breaks into starting rotation and might make a push to late round WNBA draft.

Track 4 Backup (Paith, August). No need to describe stages.

 

[Carnac]

And there will be a lot of blowouts. However, there will be a few that are not happy with garbage time.

And that may be a problem. It's not a problem now in early November. Right now, everything is rosy, and hope springs eternal, but it could become a problem next February/March when players may have been sitting on the bench for a season and a half, and become dissatisfied with their role of being relegated to that of a cheerleader. Players want to play. Getting garbage time minutes (table scraps) may not set well with some. That remains to be seen.

Geno will have to figure it out. I believe he will. He been down this road before. It's difficult to get the 5 players on the end of the bench enough minutes to keep them satisfied and engaged in games and in the program. I believe that is why he seldom maxes out his rosters. I think it depends how "committed" a player is to Geno and the program, and remains steadfast in their desire to remain loyal to their team/teammates and are happy to be part of this program, and remain satisfied with doing whatever Geno asks of them, or needs them to do.

IMO, 12 is the perfect number of players on a roster. It allows for injury, foul trouble or those nights when a starter simply does not have it. We've seen players transfer because of the perception of reduced or very limited playing time going forward (the writing on the wall), i.e., Sadie Edwards, Lexi Gordon, Mikayla Coombs, etc. De'Janae Boykin and Andra Espinoza-Hunter left for different reasons.

 

[Argonaut]

3) Third Tier (Saylor, Anna, Nika, Mir)

Not cut out for WNBA (and they figure that out after freshman year when true WNBA destined players beat them up in practice) but UConn training and Luster opens up lots of International Opportunities. Transfer to other school may give more playing time but to what end?? Less competative practices, less opportunities for FF etc.

Freshman . Does not make the top 8 to begin. Mop up duty. Maybe a solid performance once in a while

Sophomore First skills jump. Maybe can crack the 8 man rotation but learns that their will always be a stable of better players . Decides to be dependable as a backup and fill important roles in that capacity

Junior Perhaps another Skills Jump Solid 8 man rotation performer. Pushes other players hard in practice. May be needed to fill holes due to injury etc

Senior. Improves leadership and team skills. Possibly breaks into starting rotation and might make a push to late round WNBA draft.

We haven't seen Saylor, Nika, or Mir play, but I think that this assessment is really unfair to Anna.

As a freshman, Anna was doing a whole lot more than mop up duty. You aren't the second on the team in scoring in 36 minutes vs. Oregon if you're doing mop up duty. You aren't fourth on the team in MPG if you're doing mop up duty.

After starting 2/19, she finished the season 57/125. As a freshman. If you take out those starting stats, she actually had a better 3P% than Walker.

To then relegate her to maybe part of an eight man rotation as a sophomore, even with this packed roster, is a major dig at what she accomplished last year and the work she put in over the summer to transform her body.

 

[eebmg]

We haven't seen Saylor, Nika, or Mir play, but I think that this assessment is really unfair to Anna.

As a freshman, Anna was doing a whole lot more than mop up duty. You aren't the second on the team in scoring in 36 minutes vs. Oregon if you're doing mop up duty. You aren't fourth on the team in MPG if you're doing mop up duty.

After starting 2/19, she finished the season 57/125. As a freshman. If you take out those starting stats, she actually had a better 3P% than Walker.

To then relegate her to maybe part of an eight man rotation as a sophomore, even with this packed roster, is a major dig at what she accomplished last year and the work she put in over the summer to transform her body.

First, I meant it (as stated) as a general template assuming players are breaking into an already very talented and deep roster. When Anna came in, the team was not deep at all so of course, her progress and playing time were accelerated. I am not trying to focus on any one player who can either overachieve or sadly underachieve. I am just trying to give a template of how incoming students on a very deep and talented roster might profitably view their progress and pathways and not be so concerned with playing time as a freshman.

Finally, I do think of her as more of a tier 3 in my scheme over time and by that, not sure if she can break into the WNBA. I would be thrilled to be proven wrong.

 

[Hoops66]

First, I meant it (as stated) as a general template assuming players are breaking into an already very talented and deep roster. When Anna came in, the team was not deep at all so of course, her progress and playing time were accelerated. I am not trying to focus on any one player who can either overachieve or sadly underachieve. I am just trying to give a template of how incoming students on a very deep and talented roster might profitably view their progress and pathways and not be so concerned with playing time as a freshman.

Finally, I do think of her as more of a tier 3 in my scheme over time and by that, not sure if she can break into the WNBA. I would be thrilled to be proven wrong.

I think that you made an honest and thoughtful analysis, but I'm in total agreement with Argonaut. I think that Anna will be a key player for the next 3 years and it won't surprise me to see Nika right there too. I can see a three guard offense for long periods of time with the fastest 2 bigs alternating. So many options!!!

 

[eebmg]

I think that you made an honest and thoughtful analysis, but I'm in total agreement with Argonaut. I think that Anna will be a key player for the next 3 years and it won't surprise me to see Nika right there too. I can see a three guard offense for long periods of time with the fastest 2 bigs alternating. So many options!!!

Because Anna was forced to take on a major role immediately, she blossomed far faster than may be expected if she is walking into this team in 2021 (say Saylor's shoes). Nika also is at an advantage since she is coming in the season before UConn turns into a Death Star.Also, their international background skews the story a bit. My approach was not to single out any current player but to map what might be the flow chart of a 12-14 player uber talented and deep roster in steady state. Regarding individual classification, I am using what I think they will be ultimately at the end (after 4 years) perhaps to stir up people but again, this was a mainly a Human Resources exercise to counteract the idea that top 20 players who do not start as freshman will be looking to transfer and that a 4 year view is more appropriate for their own future.

 

[Watchdog]

We haven't seen Saylor, Nika, or Mir play, but I think that this assessment is really unfair to Anna.

As a freshman, Anna was doing a whole lot more than mop up duty. You aren't the second on the team in scoring in 36 minutes vs. Oregon if you're doing mop up duty. You aren't fourth on the team in MPG if you're doing mop up duty.

After starting 2/19, she finished the season 57/125. As a freshman. If you take out those starting stats, she actually had a better 3P% than Walker.

To then relegate her to maybe part of an eight man rotation as a sophomore, even with this packed roster, is a major dig at what she accomplished last year and the work she put in over the summer to transform her body.

You're right about Anna. She was dynamite as a shooter after those first 5 or 6 games and no one was a better passer. It'll be really interesting to see how she's used too, as I envision her as a great prospect to play at the top of the key against zones besides being a great floor leader at the 1, 2 and 3.

 

[Hoops66]

Because Anna was forced to take on a major role immediately, she blossomed far faster than may be expected if she is walking into this team in 2021 (say Saylor's shoes). Nika also is at an advantage since she is coming in the season before UConn turns into a Death Star.Also, their international background skews the story a bit. My approach was not to single out any current player but to map what might be the flow chart of a 12-14 player uber talented and deep roster in steady state. Regarding individual classification, I am using what I think they will be ultimately at the end (after 4 years) perhaps to stir up people but again, this was a mainly a Human Resources exercise to counteract the idea that top 20 players who do not start as freshman will be looking to transfer and that a 4 year view is more appropriate for their own future.

BTW. Thanks for the updated roster that you post periodically. I made a copy to have in print. Bottom line, as I see it, is that Geno and the coaches will have the biggest "good" headaches that they have had in a long time.....who to play and when to play them?

 

[Sam.the.Man]

@eebmg - I strongly agree with @Argonaut, @Hoops66 and @Watchdog regarding your assessment of Anna. Clearly you don't think much of her (that's your right). However, it does seem strange that you would be assessing and rating player abilities who have yet to play a single minute of division 1 college ball at the highest level. Some will make the necessary adjustments, some will need more time, and some undoubtedly won't.

Anna has already proven she can play at this level and quite well. And, she did it as a freshman on a team with a couple of "me first" teammates. Had they passed her the ball when she was open rather than taking poor shots themselves, Anna's confidence and abilities would have soared.

Why you threw players into your assessment mix who won't be suiting up until next season is puzzling? Let's get through this season first.

Geno has rarely played more than 7-8 players when the game still mattered in his opinion (even under heavy criticism from several on this site). I seriously doubt he's going to change regardless of the assumed talent remaining on the bench. Anyone who is of the opinion that players (who believe they are talented) aren't going to be unhappy sitting on the bench game after game, has undoubtedly never been in that situation themselves.

 

[Ozimoto]

I know the purpose of a sports chat board is to chat, but I think the enthusiasm for the recently announced recruit class is giving short shrift to some great players who are already on the team before these kids have even finished high school.

 

[HopJim]

Agreed, but when is the last time we had 3 post players, at least 6'5" ? Maybe a 6'4" Meg Walker type who can shoot and rebound should be the target-anyone out there that wants to apply? In the meantime, we have players to somewhat fill that role-AE, AG, SP can all play the #4 (PF) spot and maybe even CD if she adds a few lbs in the weight room. I think our days of being "out-sized" are over.

Let's not get too carried away. While I would rate the next few years as having one of the highest levels of talent ever, we have few true inside power players. ONO is a good, but not a dominate rebounder or scorer. A lot of athletic shooting guards/small forwards. True, few dominate power forwards in US but there would be mismatches. That being said, I doubt Geno would trade anyone and loves the idea of coaching this deep team.

 

[donalddoowop]

One thing is for sure. Neither the BY, Paige, or Azzi can truthfully complain that the coaching staff did not surround them with potentially outstanding talent. Some coaches were not able to surround their super players with enough talent to take their team to an elite, (top ten) level. For instance, will the Kansas State coaching staff surround Ayoka Lee with enough good talent to take them to to at least the Elite 8?