When we talk about UConn greats, some people forget about… | The Boneyard

When we talk about UConn greats, some people forget about…

HuskyNan

HuskyNan

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…Tina. I wonder why? I love her for her attitude at UConn - going from a freshman that played hard when she felt like it to a dominant presence in the paint and on to become Sylvia Fowles’ heir as the best center in the world for a number of years.

It was a historic year for Charles as she moved into first all-time in rebounds (4,014) and second all-time in scoring (7,698) in league history. She finished in double-figure scoring in 34 of the Dream’s regular season contests and tallied 21 double-doubles—the third most in the WNBA in 2024 and a new franchise single-season record for the Dream. Charles also set a new Dream franchise record for rebounds in a single season with 374.

www.wnba.com

WNBA’s All-Time Rebounds Leader and League Legend Tina Charles Signs with the Connecticut Sun

The Connecticut Sun announced that the organization has signed Tina Charles to a one-year deal.
www.wnba.com

 
Maya Mania wasn't so bad

1747662924486.jpeg
 
PacoSwede said:
perhaps she's a victim of maya mania?

renee also somewhat neglected because of that too.
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Yep. Threads about Tina turn into threads about Maya, then the Maya-Stewie-Diana-Paige-Sue argument starts up and there’s no mention of Tina. Happens all the time and is a big reason for this thread
 
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Really enjoyed watching Tina, Bria, and Olivia yesterday. And they all scored in double figures, as Tina added to her WNBA career leading double- double total, which I think is at 195 now. Bria really looks to be back in pretty good shape, and Olivia must be commended for her hard work. She is much more aggressive and effective.
 
To a degree, I understand why conversations around Tina's college career are overshadowed by Maya - in college, Maya was POY twice, and runner up twice (once to Parker, once to Charles). Tina was POY once and did not have the college career Maya did. Not saying I agree with Tina being overlooked, but she played with one of the all time greats in college.

The pros are a completely different matter. She's been a pro since 2010. #2 all time in scoring. #1 in rebounds per game. But in the ESPN top 25 all time list (granted from 2021), she was #18. In an article in 2024 by ClutchPoints, she was listed 13th. Many of the post players ahead of her scored less PPG, had less RPG, played less years, BUT won more championships.

IMHO winning championships has little to do with how great a player is. You think Maya would have won 4 if she'd not been surrounded by Whalen, Augustus, Brunson and Fowles? Brunson was the only player to never be on an Olympic team, but she was on all defensive teams 6x and a 4x all star.

I'm not sure why Tina is overlooked by so many. Career 17.9 PPG. 9.3 RPG. 2.2 Assists, .8 steals, 1 block per game as well as a 45% FG% and 32% from 3. Even Lisa Leslie, who was ranked #5 by ESPN, "only" played 12 years (Tina now at 15) and had slightly lesser stats (17.3 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 47.0 FG%), but essentially remarkable similar. So yeah, Tina is overlooked.
 
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hoopsdiva said:
My eye sight must be failing me. Where in this chart does it show Tina winning a WNBA championship? What year and for what team?
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Sorry, misread your post. I corrected mine. The snark is appreciated, though
 
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HuskyNan said:
No, it’s a thread about Tina, not all forgotten greats
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Thank you, Nan.
I am a big fan of Tina Charles. She just kept getting better.
I believe she was slighted after the 2016 WNBA season as she deserved to win her second MVP since she led the league in both scoring and rebounding. Instead, it went to Nneka Ogwumike who they was explained she was more "efficient".
 
I really hope Tina can get on a team that wins a championship before she retires. Then it would be great if she went into coaching. I have to think she'd be great at player development. However, I suspect she will go full time into her charity work which she is great at.
 
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Thanks for this thread, Nan.
I love Tina and consider her one of the Uconn greats, and a shining example of how good the Uconn staff is at coaching up post players - expanding and refining their skills, extending their shooting range.

I think some of the issue is oxygen, there always seems to be a bigger story around. But it also has to do with her being the bridesmaid too often leading a team that under achieved in the playoffs or just wasn't quite so good as the eventual champion. And she was one of the first WNBA stars I remember forcing her team to trade her, and since then has become something of a nomad in the WNBA - 4 years with the Sun, 6 years with the Liberty and now 5 years on 1 year contracts with 5 different teams.

Not mentioned in the list above is her charity work, her Hopey's Heart - she has donated her full WNBA contract to charity since 2013. Good person as well as a great WNBA player.
 
BBallF said:
Sue, DT, Maya, Stewie and Tina? Paige could run that team pretty well at point also.
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Almost. Jefferson at PG. The defense wins it for me. This is just UCONN career.

Bird, Bueckers, Abrosimova, Lobo, Dolson (2nd 5)

Probably Rizzotti, Sales, KLS, Collier, Wolters (3rd 5)
 
I think Tina gets left off a lot of discussions because, as we all remember, she was a late bloomer and really didn't come into her own until mid-junior season. Often, people are talking about the best college player. I feel that even though she was a late bloomer when she came into her own, she was unstoppable (especially after she developed her foul-line extended jump shot) and a heck of a rebounder. Towards the end of her college career, she was flirting with double-doubles by the end of the first half. People forget that our guards were able to cheat on defense because they knew that they had the fail-safe in Tina under the basket. I will never forget Geno constantly imploring Tina after she would have a great game...he would always chide her, saying...you could do that every game by the end of the first half. He knew he had a gem in Tina...
 
While many forget to mention Rebecca Lobo as one of the greats, most ignore Kara Wolters' college career. An AP Player of the Year, Kara was a dominate player and similar to Rebecca, was one of the pillars for what became the dominate women's college program.
 
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HopJim said:
While many forget to mention Rebecca Lobo as one of the greats, most ignore Kara Wolters' college career. An AP Player of the Year, Kara was a dominate player and similar to Rebecca, was one of the pillars for what became the dominate women's college program.
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HopJim- - - -Kara Wolters says now that she couldn't even start now as WBB has changed so much she was too slow for today's pace!
 
EricLA said:
To a degree, I understand why conversations around Tina's college career are overshadowed by Maya - in college, Maya was POY twice, and runner up twice (once to Parker, once to Charles). Tina was POY once and did not have the college career Maya did. Not saying I agree with Tina being overlooked, but she played with one of the all time greats in college.

The pros are a completely different matter. She's been a pro since 2010. #2 all time in scoring. #1 in rebounds per game. But in the ESPN top 25 all time list (granted from 2021), she was #18. In an article in 2024 by ClutchPoints, she was listed 13th. Many of the post players ahead of her scored less PPG, had less RPG, played less years, BUT won more championships.

IMHO winning championships has little to do with how great a player is. You think Maya would have won 4 if she'd not been surrounded by Whalen, Augustus, Brunson and Fowles? Brunson was the only player to never be on an Olympic team, but she was on all defensive teams 6x and a 4x all star.

I'm not sure why Tina is overlooked by so many. Career 17.9 PPG. 9.3 RPG. 2.2 Assists, .8 steals, 1 block per game as well as a 45% FG% and 32% from 3. Even Lisa Leslie, who was ranked #5 by ESPN, "only" played 12 years (Tina now at 15) and had slightly lesser stats (17.3 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 47.0 FG%), but essentially remarkable similar. So yeah, Tina is overlooked.
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She's the all time leading rebounder, adding to her number every game now.
 
As Nan noted, Tina is #1 in WNBA rebounding and #2 (behind Dee) in scoring. That's a Fast Pass ticket to the HOF.

Only 1 collegiate team has had consecutive undefeated seasons: UConn in 2008-9 and 2009-10. Tina and Maya were the key players.
 
I think one reason that Tina is overlooked is there’s a myth floating around that she wasn’t “good” until her junior year. She won at least one National Freshman of the Year award and was an AP 3rd team All-American her sophomore year, so I don’t know why that’s a narrative.
 
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