When Nika charges the hill, the others will follow (or else).Paige is the leader. Nika has natural leadership qualities and spark plug abilities also and will assert herself on the floor and on the bench but it will be Paige's team. UCONN is very fortunate to have both of them. They are both tough, resilient and no bull when it comes to winning.
I don’t know that Paige necessarily “deferred” to the seniors on the team. As others have pointed out, Paige has been UConn’s leader on the court since the day she arrived. She is also a “team” player with a tremendous basketball IQ. As such she knows that the path to any championship requires everyone on the team to be involved.I’m going to miss Christyn, Liv, and E. I loved watching them play. Paige, however, deferred to them a lot, as they were the upperclassmen. This will be the first season that Paige will be the undisputed leader able to fully direct the team on the floor. Because of Paige and Azzi’s longtime friendship, I also expect to see positive competition between the two.
More generally, this season’s team might have better chemistry compared with last year.
I agree with almost everything you said. But I also think that the three seniors, older and more experienced, were important leaders, and they will no longer be there.I don’t know that Paige necessarily “deferred” to the seniors on the team. As others have pointed out, Paige has been UConn’s leader on the court since the day she arrived. She is also a “team” player with a tremendous basketball IQ. As such she knows that the path to any championship requires everyone on the team to be involved.
I will reference one play vs NC State in the Elite 8 game as an example. At the start of the game, Christyn passed up an open 3 at the top of the key to pass to Paige on the wing. As soon as the ball hit Paige’s hands, she fired it back to Christyn who set herself and knocked down the 3.
Of course Paige was tremendous in the 4th qtr and 2 overtimes of one of the most competitive WBB games I’ve ever seen. But everyone on the team was involved and contributed to the victory.
Straight from the lips of Geno: Auriemma also noted that Bueckers and Mühl have taken on “a much, much bigger role” in terms of leadership.Who will be the new leader, take Evina's place on the team, provide the motivation from within, speak the hard truths?
Excuse the use of the word Obvious, but when I read the top of this thread--PAIGE just jumped out. Also, it seemed apparent Evina was the MOMMA not the on floor/team leader. Even sitting on the bench teammates seemed to go to Paige. HuskyNan's Nika the Gnat, just tickled me. I'm sure some teams thought of Nika as swarm of Gnats.
As far as I am concerned, Paige was the leader of this team since the 3rd Q of her second game freshman year against SH. Add to that her work ethic in practice, drills, her increasing effort and continual improvement on defense. fighting to get back from injury to become the best player on the team again, etc. etc. etc.obviously, paige is the most talented teammate, unless one of the newcomers, miraculously, can outdo her (ho, ho, ho). In addition, she is apparently a fun kid and the most charismatic, despite the allegations of some (e.g., geno, azzi) that she also can be annoying as hell. The huskies may in fact be her team.
all this does not mean she must be the leader, like that is some kind of honor. It her case, particularly, you should remember that her plate is already heavy -- incredibly so. ... i mean, give the kid a break. She doesn't need to have that expectation on her back. Everybody already expects her to be the savior when a game is at stake. NOW she's got be responsible for the whole shebang? Plus, she must deal with her social media empire and celebrity, at 20 years old.
geez. poor paige. i truly feel bad for her.
there are 10 others on the teams. I imagine -- make that know -- least a few have leadership qualities. Let them lift the burden of team leader off paige. She needs and deserves some help, even if she doesn't ask for it. Even if she appears to be extraordinary.
which she is.
I believe these two will be the leaders of the team moving forward, and are most likely already seen as serving that role by the players and coaches. Many here have suggested the same. Some have speculated that Paige will solely serve in that role. This discounts the fact that, by Geno's account last season, Nika was the voice that the players listened to on the floor, that she was confident and indiscriminate in directing her teammates (even the older players) and that they listened to her because she knew what she was talking about. Couple that with her own comments before leaving this spring 'that it was time to grow up some and take on a larger responsibility her junior season'.Straight from the lips of Geno: Auriemma also noted that Bueckers and Mühl have taken on “a much, much bigger role” in terms of leadership.
You make a good point about Azzi making clutch free throws at the end of games. If it’s inspiring for us to see, the team must be even more inspired by her.Imagine, for example, the great feeling that everyone, including Paige, has when at the end of a close game Azzi is fouled and goes to the free throw line. Azzi, given the confidence the team has in her, will provide leadership as well.
“She is a basketball player. Born to be a basketball player,” Auriemma said. “Everything she does, she’s a natural.”
This SLAM video accompanied the magazine story.
UConn recruit Paige Bueckers lands on SLAM Magazine cover
UConn recruit Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 recruit in the country, is the first women’s...www.ctpost.com
I respect your opinion.I still think (and I am not alone after reading some of the comments) and say that Nika is the leader of the team. Sure, Paige is the Face of the team, but Nika is the heart of the team.
You are selling both Nika and Paige short.Paige will step to be leader and provide the technical leadership
Nika will provide the emotional leadership