Who is the GOAT UConn woman's basketball player? - Poll

[CL82]

So @Wally East and @diggerfoot raised a good question. If you considered only their UConn years, who would you consider to be the greatest UConn woman's basketball player of all time? Disregard their pro careers and Olympic golds. Feel free to say why in the comments.

[FWIW I went with Breanna. 4 natties, 4 MVPs in 4 years.]

 

[Goodgood]

Kerry Bascomb. Without a doubt. She was the first at everything at UConn.

 

[CL82]

Kerry Bascomb. Without a doubt. She was the first at everything at UConn.

I think of Bascomb like I think of Chris Smith on the men's side. Their decision to play at Connecticut set the table for all the good that happened afterward. That's probably a different question though, which player had the biggest impact on UConn's success.

 

[f1f1ferrari]

Gotta go with Dee. She carried that team on her back for the '02-'03 and '03-'04 seasons, despite nagging injuries plaguing her.

 

[meyers7]

I went with DT, but I can see anyone's point who goes with Stewart or Moore.

 

[Zanzman]

DT no words needed

 

[MilfordHusky]

I chose Maya. 4-time consensus All-American. 150-4, and every loss was an anomaly.

In the Rutgers loss--remember that Rutgers was very physically and mentally tough back then--after hitting 2 treys to cut the lead, Maya needed one more touch to send the game to OT, but never got the ball.

In the Stanford loss, Maya was still injured from the late season Rutgers mugging. Plus Tina had not grown up yet, and Wiggins was on fire.

In the next Stanford loss, Tiffany and Geno had the flu and Maya was probably sick as well. Tara planned 6 months for that game.

In the Notre Dame loss, we had the game under control until Stef got into foul trouble. Then Notre Dame drove the lane at will using their flip and flop technique. Maya put up 36 in a losing effort but got little help.

Maya never missed a collegiate game and was instrumental in most of the 150 wins. She never lost in the State of Connecticut.

 

[stwainfan]

Sales also is one of the top players.

 

[CL82]

Sales also is one of the top players.

Yep, there are only a limited number of poll slots.

 

[bizarro aj]

Just go by the eye test and maya is the most athletic of them all. DT cannot dunk and gets too many technicals to be the greatest!

 

[Go/huskies]

Even thought Uconn was an elite program, I feel like Maya took the program to new heights with her Work ethic. I remember Tina Charles saying she thought she was working hard until Maya came aboard. Breanna was a force, but she has always played with an ALL American.

 

[Tonyc]

DT is the greatest female college BB player of all time and it aint even close. She had the fair to do the impossible at the most dramatic moments. Her ability to lead her team as a coach on the floor was unbelievable. No other player had these skills. She took over games as an individual player both as a scorer and playmaker. No other player had or has these attributes.

 

[UcMiami]

I went with Stewart but could easily have gone with Maya or DT. I discount the 'they started it' concept, which is certainly a valid consideration, because that is more conceptual about the program and not about what happened game in, game out on the basketball floor.

The deciding factor for me was Stewart's freshman year - her post season run and especially her NCAA run as a freshman was incredible - she carried that team as a freshman, and then did it three more years. I tend to agree with her that the FF MVP in her junior year should have gone to Moriah, but that wasn't a blemish, just an acknowledgement of a teammates equal brilliance sort of like Maya/Tina. (The only other freshman to come close to the impact on an NC at Uconn is probably Sales and she was unable to repeat that feat.)

Stewart's defensive presence to go with her offense - a quirk of her physical gifts is unique among my three contenders. While she is #1 in blocked shots at Uconn, her presence on defense not only altered a much higher number of shot, but prevented innumerable shots from even being attempted. The lasting impression of her defense was seeing an opponent beat a Uconn perimeter defender heading toward the basket and doing a U-turn when looking up and seeing Stewart lurking in the paint - I used to actually chuckle during games when it happened. We talk about PGs and great players making their teammates better on offense all the time, what Stewart did most of the time was make her teammates noticeably better defenders as well.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Maya and Stewie had amazing careers at UConn bit for me DT is simply the best that ever was!!! The championship in 2003 beating a more talented TN team with a bunch of freshmen and the championship in 2004 where she was injured and still carried the team are what makes her the GOAT!

 

[UcMiami]

Just another thought on this question and one that supports those who chose Maya - legacy. I think you can trace Hartley and Dolson's two championships to their freshman season and the example/training Maya gave them. We'll see how Stewart's legacy plays out though early returns are pretty good and it is sort of nebulous in the same way that Bascom or Lobo's effect on the program can be used as a justification for their candidacy - and it is dependent on recruiting in years after they are gone, but just a thought.

 

[Carnac]

This poll question comes up from time to time. It's interesting to see the different players that are nominated. UConn has had some great and iconic players come through its doors since Geno's and CD's arrival. I don't think there will ever be a "general"agreed upon consensus on one player as the GOAT.

People look at different attributes/accomplishments that are important to them (and not necessarily to others, to determine their GOAT UConn player, such as: skills, leadership qualities, personality, career stats, number of championships won, or a combination thereof , etc.

I have found that most posters do not change their choices as time goes on. Their favorite (GOAT) player today, will be their GOAT 10 years from now.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Clearly all 3 (DT, Maya and Stewie) are great choices. What gives DT the advantage in my eyes is that Maya couldn't raise the level of her teammates in that final game to win and yes, I do think that the refs are a big reason for that less by the phantom fouls they put on Dolson. Stewie had some amazing teammates who where AA (Dolson, Bria, KML, MoJeff and Tuck) and while she was 4 time FF MVP in my eyes the second one should have gone to Dolson and the third to MoJeff. DT played with no AA's in her third and 4th season (Annie, Turner, Jess M., Battle, etc. Were all good players but not AA's) and still won the championships in 2003 and 2004!

 

[CL82]

FWIW, I am surprised by the votes for Maya. She's a great player I think she may end up topping Taurasi's scoring WNBA record but I feel like either Dee or Breanna had bigger impact, though I shrug a little as I type that. FWIW, Geno put Maya, not Diana on the wall of the basketball practice facility even though we know the respect and affection he has for Dee. So maybe he struggles with this a bit as well.

 

[TWG236]

I also choose DT. Remember without Shea and Svetlana being injured in DT's freshman year, she also would have won 4 NC. Stewie's defense was awesome, but as stated earlier by many, all four years of her career she played with at least one, sometimes two other First Team All-Americans. DT was not so fortunate. Anyway, you couldn't go wrong if you choose either Stewie or Maya. Other programs have had one or two "great" players, but none have had as many "great" players as UCONN.

 

[EricSD]

Define "GOAT UCONN player". If you mean greatest AT UCONN, then it has to be Stewie. No one (besides Jefferson and Tuck) has ever won 4 NC's in a row. However, GOAT including pros, etc, then it has to be Dee. No one has accomplished all she has. Someday Stewie or Maya may eclipse her, but Dee has done it all AND accomplished it all.

I appreciate those who mention Bascomb or Lobo or others from early on - they were GREAT at putting UCONN on the map, but they did not do or accomplish nearly as much as their more recent counterparts (Dee, Maya, Stewie)...

 

[bizarro aj]

And the all time leader in points scored for uconn is the goat!

 

[UcMiami]

I am really enjoying people's comments on this thread. Here is another thought:

Probably the two most influential positions on a basketball team are PG and Center (not taking talent of specific teams or players into account.) Of the three front runners Maya is the only one to play her senior year with freshman occupying those two positions and in her freshman year the center was a sophomore. Stewart played all four years with upperclassmen in those two positions and DT always played with academic upperclassmen in those positions.

While Dolson and Hartley were clearly better players eventually than Moore and Conlon, I am not sure they were as freshman vs. the junior Conlon and the third year player Moore. Charles as a sophomore was still prone to immaturity and inconsistency - though getting owned by Sylvia was not that surprising in the last game of that season.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I chose Maya. 4-time consensus All-American. 150-4, and every loss was an anomaly.

In the Rutgers loss--remember that Rutgers was very physically and mentally tough back then--after hitting 2 treys to cut the lead, Maya needed one more touch to send the game to OT, but never got the ball.

In the Stanford loss, Maya was still injured from the late season Rutgers mugging. Plus Tina had not grown up yet, and Wiggins was on fire.

In the next Stanford loss, Tiffany and Geno had the flu and Maya was probably sick as well. Tara planned 6 months for that game.

In the Notre Dame loss, we had the game under control until Stef got into foul trouble. Then Notre Dame drove the lane at will using their flip and flop technique. Maya put up 36 in a losing effort but got little help.

Maya never missed a collegiate game and was instrumental in most of the 150 wins. She never lost in the State of Connecticut.

In 2008 after they played the USA team, on CPTV, Geno said : I'll be very surprised if she is not an All American 3 year and then amended it to this year too ---Before Maya scored one (recordable) point , which she did against Stony Brook--the announcers were touting every move Maya made.
Maya was a Georgia Peach (via Missouri (hello Precious)) before she started.
However==for the 4 in a row NC's against talented teams--it has to be Stewie.
DT, MAYA, --Sue , Rene, Mel, Lobo, Kara, --this list is long Bascom leads the list.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Jus

I am really enjoying people's comments on this thread. Here is another thought:

Probably the two most influential positions on a basketball team are PG and Center (not taking talent of specific teams or players into account.) Of the three front runners Maya is the only one to play her senior year with freshman occupying those two positions and in her freshman year the center was a sophomore. Stewart played all four years with upperclassmen in those two positions and DT always played with academic upperclassmen in those positions.

While Dolson and Hartley were clearly better players eventually than Moore and Conlon, I am not sure they were as freshman vs. the junior Conlon and the third year player Moore. Charles as a sophomore was still prone to immaturity and inconsistency - though getting owned by Sylvia was not that surprising in the last game of that season.

Just watched Geno vs M. Pattyson interview on 2008 CPTv---after just playing the Sue/DT USA team--he said you have to have good guards to be a good team--and USA has 3 of them.
He spoke of Charles guarding Leslie--they were both going for the rebound and Leslie got it---apparently Charles didn't chase her down the floor -at least not to the basket--and Leslie laid it in.
Geno was miffed (maybe more so) and said he sat Charles--then spoke at length about you have to be competitive. Spoke highly of Maya and Mel-- Going along with your need for experienced guard play--apparently Geno would agree.
I was probably the lone Uconn fan holdout on Jessica Moore--I was not a fan of her attitude--but she surprised me as a Pro.

t

 

[UcMiami]

When looking at individual stats Moore sure fills the stat sheet:
Moore - #1 in points be a sizeable margin, #2 in rebounds, #8 in assists, #4 in steals, #7 in blocks, #7 in 3 point percentage, #18T in made 3s

Stewart - #2 in points, #4 in rebounds, -- in assist (426), #15 in steals, #1 in blocks, -- in 3 point percentage (.355), #15 in made 3s

DT - #7 in points, -- in rebounds (648), #2 in assists, -- in steals (174), -- in blocks (147), #10 in 3 point percentage, #2 in made 3s

 

[UcMiami]

Jus

Just watched Geno vs M. Pattyson interview on 2008 CPTv---after just playing the Sue/DT USA team--he said you have to have good guards to be a good team--and USA has 3 of them.
He spoke of Charles guarding Leslie--they were both going for the rebound and Leslie got it---apparently Charles didn't chase her down the floor -at least not to the basket--and Leslie laid it in.
Geno was miffed (maybe more so) and said he sat Charles--then spoke at length about you have to be competitive. Spoke highly of Maya and Mel-- Going along with your need for experienced guard play--apparently Geno would agree.
I was probably the lone UConn fan holdout on Jessica Moore--I was not a fan of her attitude--but she surprised me as a Pro.

t

I think fans often overlook experience in favor of 'talent' and certainly great players can play above (or overcome) their experience. The only time I saw Maya show inexperience was her first run with the NT - she had not shown it as a collegian nor did she as a pro.

But the NCAA and especially the FF can be a struggle for inexperienced college players - what made Stewart as a freshman so surprising especially after her regular season. And I take my hat off to Turner, Strother, and Crockett as well, and Sales in their freshman years - Sales specifically covering up for her upperclassmen's struggles in the first half of the final.

 

[bballnut90]

I'd go with Stewart if you're analyzing college career....3x POY as the centerpiece of 3 of the most dominant teams of all time. Her freshman year was choppy until she hit her stride and cruised in the NCAAs. Her senior year she was as polished and dominant as anyone I've seen play collegiately. She also was a one woman wrecking crew defensively and offensively was unstoppable from anywhere. She never had to put a team on her back like DT/Maya, but her results and resume are unmatched by anyone in NCAA history. 4x champion, 3x NCAA POY, 2 undefeated seasons and 4x Final Four MOP (even though it probably should be 3 with Jefferson getting robbed in 2015).

 

[eebmg]

I find it amazing the DT is leading Maya by 39 -15 (stewie at 19). I think DT and Maya's cases are so close that I expected a virtual tie.

 

[CL82]

I find it amazing the DT is leading Maya by 39 -15 (stewie at 19). I think DT and Maya's cases are so close that I expected a virtual tie.

I expected a horse race between Diana and Stewart. I also thought Lobo would get some votes.

 

[Shorty Dee]

My favorite UConn player(s) are Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore, but since you can only vote for one person...I voted for Dee. Dee is an amazing player, she play the game with heart and passion. Dee wear multiple hats on the court, she is the floor general, coach, sister and referee. I have loved Dee as a player from day 1. I know people say that Dee has a short fuel, but I say she is passionate about the game. I have watched Dee take more than one team, and put them on her back. Dee hasn't really had a supporting cast, and she is ok with that.