Welcome to UConn Azura Stevens (merged threads)

[huskeynut]

Amazing that Stevens was on campus, meeting the coaches, and not a whiff of this got out. Kinda glad it didn't.

UCONN and Geno and company played it smart. No publicity at all. We don't even know what weekend she came up. And don't forget, she also met her new teammates!

 

[Icebear]

Megan Walker Retweeted the news of Azura transferring to UConn.

That is a very positive sign.

 

[LesMis89]

What fantastic news! If I could do a handstand, I'd being doing one!!!

Welcome and Thank you for choosing UConn!!

 

[Charliebball]

* looks at the Baylor roster*

Apparently you can!

it's downright crazy...............what exactly is she planning to do with all of them? and something tells me Jade Williams may end up there too

 

[Kaizen]

Duke 6-foot-6 center Azura Stevens, who is the tallest player on the Wooden Watch List.

Wooden Award winner Stewart tops list again

 

[BRS24]

UCONN and Geno and company played it smart. No publicity at all. We don't even know what weekend she came up. And don't forget, she also met her new teammates!

Agree. It's like all the other promos that are done - coaches mic-ed up, locker room speeches, tons of social media, and there is UConn. Very quietly doing their thing, their way, and not getting sucked into all the crud.

 

[Charliebball]

SCG.....................have you seen enough of Stevens to compare to A Wilson? My thought is that Stevens is more mobile with better range but not as strong a post player as Wilson?

 

[baggerbob]

She may not be Stewie, but she's as close as anyone will be in the next few years. The year of practice, she should be ready to rock, and roll when the 2017-2018 season starts.

 

[NewCorn]

No she still has Ohio State to keep her honest. I do think this could further fan the flames of the, "UCONN is bad for WBB" storm, though.

Bring it on! And bring on Megan Walker too!

 

[Hongster]

Yeah!

 

[Carnac]

All-ACC pick Stevens leaves Duke, joins UConn

I've said it more than once. EVERY TIME I log on to the yard, I hope to see that we have signed a coveted player. THIS is one of those times. With Stevens coming into the fold, we're back in business. Ladies and gentlemen, we got our BIG!!!

Come 2017-2018 season, it'll be business as usual. As I say that, I don't want to give anyone the impression that I'm conceding next season, far from it. I fully expect UConn to contend for another championship.

This is the best news I've read since UConn won the tournament. I wonder what the staff's reaction was when they got the news. This calls for a celebration, and I'm buying. The first round is on me.....cheers.

 

[Sonny44]

All-ACC pick Stevens leaves Duke, joins UConn

You just made my day, week, month and year!!!!
Welcome home Azura.

 

[pacific 44]

We had a forward transfer out this year and now we have one transfer in.So we're even Stevens.Welcome.

 

[BRS24]

Interesting thought on this transfer. What kind of message does it send to high school players? The 2016-17 roster has got some serious talent, and most of that talent will be on the team in 2017 when AS is eligible. After 4 straight NCs, the top three draft spots in WNBA, is there a small shift in thinking, where do I want to play in college that will give me all the coaching and support to be a successful pro player. Oh, and there's the WC and Olympics too.

Stevens could have gone anywhere. In most cases, she'd be the featured player in other programs.

 

[Carnac]

Wow. I was skeptical this would happen only because UConn so rarely entertains transfers, but she seems to be a great fit for UConn, and UConn (of course) seems like a great place for her.

And now all the other fans are REALLY hating us lol.

They hated us already. This just adds fuel to the flames. Heh heh heh.

 

[Sonny44]

View attachment 13454

Nice picture of newest Husky.

She does have that baby face too.

 

[Carnac]

HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never thought she would wind up in Storrs!

Welcome Azura!

Remember the old adage: "It's always darkest before dawn".

 

[vtcwbuff]

For all those red, green and orange folks licking their chops at the thought of UConn's imminent demise.

 

[Adesmar123]

Remember the old adage: "It's always darkest before dawn".

Interesting adage, mostly because it isn't true.

 

[huskeynut]

She may not be Stewie, but she's as close as anyone will be in the next few years. The year of practice, she should be ready to rock, and roll when the 2017-2018 season starts.

We were the Duke game a couple of years ago at the XL Center - Steven's freshman year. She was very impressive and was the one bright spot for Duke.

She can bang inside and step out and hit the jumper - including the 3. She can board and play defense and her ball handling skills were not too bad either. Very talented.

 

[Carnac]

My youngest Daughter played with her sister Da Sheana in the Norwalk City League. The won it all. IMO it is really important to get Butler starting and making an impact so Stevens can play the wing with KLS. The following season or two well we could be looking at another NC and undefeated season.

Keep talkin' Tony, I like that kind of talk.

 

[SCGamecock]

SCG......have you seen enough of Stevens to compare to A Wilson? My thought is that Stevens is more mobile with better range but not as strong a post player as Wilson?

I have. They've played against one another twice already and each time Wilson has won the overall battle. Wilson just has a way of taking Stevens completely out of her game.. probably because Wilson is a better perimeter defender than people give her credit for and when Wilson wasn't giving her threes, Stevens would always try to play Wilson's game offensively (inside). Stevens' biggest strength/mismatch as a post is her ability to run the wings and knock down threes before the defense gets set.. but against SC, Wilson was always just quick enough to guard her on the perimeter and whenever Stevens would try to go inside, no contest there.

Stevens has WAY better offensive range (at this point, Dawn is working on that with Wilson), she's a better ball handler than Wilson and she's quick for a 6'6" post player but she's not strong enough to battle with Wilson inside (it's really undersold how strong Wilson is inside) and Wilson is just quick enough to guard her on the perimeter. All in all, A'ja is a terrible matchup for Stevens... and that's not to take anything away from Stevens. She's a matchup nightmare for any post player not named A'ja Wilson. Wilson is just too strong for Stevens.

That will be a major key for Stevens going forward.. getting stronger.. She needs a Breanna Stewart like physical transformation. Stevens has all of the intangibles offensively, she just needs to get stronger physically, which in turn will help her defensively.

 

[JoePgh]

From what I have observed via TV, Azura is not naturally a "banger" and does not relish that role. She can do it if she has to, but would much prefer to play away from the basket. So she would have largely the same game as Stewie, if not quite that level of skill. Or you might call her a "taller KLS".

I agree with the Carolina Sandpiper (above) that Azura is not as strong as A'ja Wilson, but really, Stewie was not as strong as A'ja either but played against her effectively. I think that when Azura gets into a UConn offense and is moving all around the court, A'ja will not find it easy to guard her. I'm not sure that Azura can effectively guard A'ja or other big posts in the paint, but neither am I sure that she will have that assignment (at least not exclusively) when UConn plays South Carolina in 2018.

 

[HuskiesU]

This is a dream comes true !!!
I always knew she was interested in Uconn even before she even went to Duke. Geno and staff never offered her. My pops knows her father. He's from stamford and has another daughter (Dashena Stevens) who played at st John's. 17-18 is going to be a fun year. #comeonMEGANWALKER

 

[SCGamecock]

I think that when Azura gets into a UConn offense and is moving all around the court, A'ja will not find it easy to guard her. I'm not sure that Azura can effectively guard A'ja or other big posts in the paint, but neither am I sure that she will have that assignment (at least not exclusively) when UConn plays South Carolina in 2018.

Agreed. And the great thing about Stevens is that she's quick enough to utilize ball screens and if we know anything about UCONN's offense, they love ball screens. Stevens was really underutilized off ball screens at Duke.

Ideally, you want to keep Stevens away from Wilson as much as possible (offensively AND defensively). Ball screens will help you do that offensively.