Waiting on Kayleigh Heckel

[Just.A.Fan]

I think it's the selfish part when we are dealing with developing youth that I take issue with. KK needs to step into the starting PG role to keep moving forward in her career. She can't get pigeon holed by anyone just because she is really good at a certain aspect of the game.

Well "we" aren't developing anyone here, Geno is.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Threads this long...should be called quilts.

 

[Charliebball]

Threads this long...should be called quilts.

I suspect it will be over pretty soon........

 

[Centerstream]

I think it's the selfish part when we are dealing with developing youth that I take issue with. KK needs to step into the starting PG role to keep moving forward in her career. She can't get pigeon holed by anyone just because she is really good at a certain aspect of the game.

I agree with you but there is also the KK factor...she is dynamic coming off the bench and, as many TV analysts stated this past season, she changes the complexion of the game when she comes in. So to me it will be interesting how she is used.
My thought is that Geno doesn't "need" Heckel and is already pretty sure how he is going to use the current players. He could start KK or hope that another lower class (sophomore or freshman) player steps up.
So back to the original thread subject, having Heckel, or any other available PG from the portal, might work out, I think that the coaching staff is already working on next season with the current 14 players.
And remember, it's not always who starts, but who's on the court at crunch time - KK!!!!

 

[darrell]

The attitude will change when she ends up at ND or Vandy.

If this ends up being the case, then we simply move on.

Another ball handler and potential rotation player at PG is one thing, but having her (or not) won’t make or break next season.

 

[Dabber]

I hear your concern, but I think it may be framed poorly. As long as we think the next PG is a replacement for Paige, we’ll never be satisfied with KK or Kayleigh. It might make more sense to think of either or both of them as filling Kaitlyn’s shoes.

Paige is one of the GOATs, not a plug-n-play piece that even can be replaced. Geno is looking to restructure the team to highlight Azzi and Sarah as they lead the team back to the finals. This is a very different coaching task. What does he need to put in place around this pair of bucket-getters? His answer seems to be a solid low-post scorer, a bunch of ballhandlers, and a bunch of athletic wings. No single one of them will replace Paige’s production. But in aggregate they might significantly exceed it.

Another way to frame this question: last season Geno outfoxed the rest of D1 WBB by developing a ferocious smalll-ball lineup. He took what others perceived as a weakness and made it a strength. This season, he’ll have the personnel to go in the other direction with a lineup that can go big with any opponent and still go small as needed. This will be a very flexible roster. The only question (other than health) is whether he’ll have as much perimeter talent as this season.

Geno’s not looking for another Paige. He’s looking to set Azzi up for a tremendous senior season, and to let Sarah grow into the superstar who will lead the team in the following two seasons. I’d say he’s pretty much successfully prepared the way for this already.

Well said!

 

[Jim R]

The attitude will change when she ends up at ND or Vandy.

While that’s entirely possible, it’d be a bit surprising. A highly rated high school star who has already played on one of the premier WCBB programs, and makes it to the Final 8 during March Madness, in her Freshman year, decides to transfer. She has a chance to play for the best WCBB coach of all time, in a program that is second to none in developing guards, and is almost guaranteed to make it to the Final Four, and, whose current line-up, includes a generational talent (Strong), and likely, two other All Americans (Azzi, Williams), and is the team your family has been a fan of since you were a kid…..oh, and is a stone’s throw away from where you grew up. Oh, and did we mention, the head coach has said on more than one occasion, “you can never have too many guards”. We’ll know soon enough

 

[Jackalope]

“you can never have two many guards”.

Pun, Freudian slip, or spelling mistake?

 

[oldude]

While that’s entirely possible, it’d be a bit surprising. A highly rated high school star who has already played on one of the premier WCBB programs, and makes it to the Final 8 during March Madness, in her Freshman year, decides to transfer. She has a chance to play for the best WCBB coach of all time, in a program that is second to none in developing guards, and is almost guaranteed to make it to the Final Four, and, whose current line-up, includes a generational talent (Strong), and likely, two other All Americans (Azzi, Williams), and is the team your family has been a fan of since you were a kid…..oh, and is a stone’s throw away from where you grew up. Oh, and did we mention, the head coach has said on more than one occasion, “you can never have too many guards”. We’ll know soon enough

You left out that her favorite player is Sue Bird….

 

[Lambeau]

KK says role can vary, and I can see KK once more coming in with AS and Jana as a rotation. Pretty awesome subs!

 

[PacoSwede]

If this ends up being the case, then we simply move on.

Another ball handler and potential rotation player at PG is one thing, but having her (or not) won’t make or break next season.

it won't make or break uconn's season, but it would be a mighty blow to hopes of the irish and commodores.

 

[oldude]

it won't make or break uconn's season, but it would be a mighty blow to hopes of the irish and commodores.

Certainly, Heckel would be a nice addition to either ND or Vandy. But I don’t see either team making a deep run during the NCAA tournament next season, with or without her.

 

[huskeynut]

KK says role can vary, and I can see KK once more coming in with AS and Jana as a rotation. Pretty awesome subs!

So who will be the starting PG and the third guard/ small forward?

 

[Lambeau]

I assume K9 is at point and Blanca battles MC for the 3--Carolyn being eased in as tolerated.

 

[Bigboote]

Godot is not being recruited any more; he signed with a D2 school.

UConn's not interested in Godot. Not vocal enough, doesn't communicate well on the court.

 

[connboy77]

I might be in the minority, but I don't believe Heckel is coming to UCONN. She wants to start and that will not happen at UCONN. It is my belief that she is going to ND and that is just fine with me because I much rather have Kate Harping from the 2026 class.

 

[Lambeau]

Curiously, Kaitlyn only made 27% from 3 in first two years at Princeton and 35% last year. Can K9 improve from 28%?
Of course we wonder if KK will repeat an awful 21% or recapture a previously solid 33%.

 

[darrell]

I might be in the minority, but I don't believe Heckel is coming to UCONN. She wants to start and that will not happen at UCONN. It is my belief that she is going to ND and that is just fine with me because I much rather have Kate Harping from the 2026 class.

I'm starting to feel a little pessimistic myself, but I still have to ask. If starting is the goal, why leave USC? 4/5 of their starters have either exhausted eligibility or is out due to injury. She and Kennedy Smith would have been the leaders next year with Juju out.

 

[Rocket009]

UConn's not interested in Godot. Not vocal enough, doesn't communicate well on the court.

Also not timely on screens and defensive rotations

 

[Lambeau]

Jazzy Davidson and Kara Dunn as well as Kennedy Smit and return of JuJu for NCAA make a crowded backcourt.

 

[connboy77]

I'm starting to feel a little pessimistic myself, but I still have to ask. If starting is the goal, why leave USC? 4/5 of their starters have either exhausted eligibility or is out due to injury. She and Kennedy Smith would have been the leaders next year with Juju out.

Juju will be back after next year and Heckel will still have two years to play!

 

[stamfordhusky]

Prevailing considerations IMHO vis-a-vis Kayleigh Heckel prospective incoming transfer...

Pardon if any previously addressed. I have been perusing this forum periodically but have not seen, which has triggered this submission

1. Qadence Samuels roster/scholarship spot. To extent she has not declared her destination & presuming she can return-- which I believe is the right of every student athlete who enters the Portal. I recall seeing something about this herein but without elaboration;

That is not correct. Once the player enters the portal, they do not have any guarantee of having a scholarship if they decide they want to return. That would completely be the decision of the coach and the school.

 

[Geew1992]

Do we really need Kayleigh? It wasn't like she burned up the court in any category.

Idk if UConn needs her or not. I’ll leave that up to Geno. But as far as her numbers, she may not have crazy numbers and maybe that why she’s transferring. She’s looking for a coach/staff to help her get where she wants.

 

[Jim R]

I might be in the minority, but I don't believe Heckel is coming to UCONN. She wants to start and that will not happen at UCONN. It is my belief that she is going to ND and that is just fine with me because I much rather have Kate Harping from the 2026 class.

Good point about starting, and ND is a Blue Blood program….but, do you think, as Darrell mentioned, if that’s the case, why leave USC? Of course, there may have been other reasons, we’re unaware of. But, one has to wonder, do you think she may have considered the “why” of the numerous ND player departures? And, instead, like Williams mentioned upon visiting UCONN, she’s thinking, “The winning environment and atmosphere were everything I was looking for.””.

 

[Charliebball]

Good point about starting, and ND is a Blue Blood program….but, do you think, as Darrell mentioned, if that’s the case, why leave USC? Of course, there may have been other reasons, we’re unaware of. But, one has to wonder, do you think she may have considered the “why” of the numerous ND player departures? And, instead, like Williams mentioned upon visiting UCONN, she’s thinking, “The winning environment and atmosphere were everything I was looking for.””.

UConn is a blue blood program while ND is more of a green blood program......

 

[Lambeau]

KK was bad in preseason last October; I don't think the starter at point was predetermined.
I doubt it would be different next October. Only fair competition is promised.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Recruits and transfers can initiate contact with coaches/schools anytime they want.

The first week of May is a recruiting shutdown. As per NCAA rules, “A recruiting shutdown is a period of time when no form of recruiting (e.g., contacts, evaluations, official or unofficial visits, correspondence or making or receiving telephone calls) is permissible.”

Among other things, there can be no contact of any kind between recruits and coaches. Coaches cannot have any correspondence with a recruit and cannot take a telephone call from a recruit.

I

 

[drweo]

Godot is not being recruited any more; he signed with a D2 school.

But is he going to show up???

 

[Bone Dog]

KK was bad in preseason last October; I don't think the starter at point was predetermined.
I doubt it would be different next October. Only fair competition is promised.

She did have a bad start last fall. Geno said as much in pressers. But she turned it around by January. My guess is she will approach the summer and fall a bit differently, if only to get ready for the W. And bringing in Kayleigh would add some extra motivation to that end.

 

[oldude]

The first week of May is a recruiting shutdown. As per NCAA rules, “A recruiting shutdown is a period of time when no form of recruiting (e.g., contacts, evaluations, official or unofficial visits, correspondence or making or receiving telephone calls) is permissible.”

Among other things, there can be no contact of any kind between recruits and coaches. Coaches cannot have any correspondence with a recruit and cannot take a telephone call from a recruit.

I

This applies to HS recruits only. It’s open season on contracts with transfers.