Will Jefferson replace Bird on UCONN's All-Time Starting 5?

[meyers7]

My starting five is (are? Please correct) Charles, Stewart, Moore, Taurasi, Jefferson.

I have a problem with the bench.

Bird, Dolson, Hartley, Cash.

Who is the 5th?

Ralph? Tuck?

Due apologies to Lobo and Sales.

Ehh, some problems here. Personally I wouldn't put Jefferson ahead of Bird....yet. But I can see if some do.

1st team - Bird* (or Jefferson), DT*, Moore*, Stewart*, Charles*
2nd team - Jefferson (or Bird), Sales, Abrosimova, Lobo*, Wolters*
3rd team - Rizotti* , Ralph, KML, Cash, Dolson

Leaves Montgomery, Harley and Bascom on 4th team.

Have to be at least on The Wall to get into these teams.

* is for NPOYs

 

[Phillyconn]

My starting five is (are? Please correct) Charles, Stewart, Moore, Taurasi, Jefferson.

I have a problem with the bench.

Bird, Dolson, Hartley, Cash.

Who is the 5th?

Ralph? Tuck?

Due apologies to Lobo and Sales.

Sales and Lobo before Dolson, Hartley or Cash

 

[RockyMTblue2]

It's painful, but it is Moriah. Sue, forgive me! Sue's total body of work is beyond anyone else however, and it is not over. PS. Mo, please stop throwing yourself at the hoop stanchion up by 40!

 

[VAMike23]

PS. Mo, please stop throwing yourself at the hoop stanchion up by 40!

Thank you !!!! My heart skips a beat or two every time she tumbles headlong into that thing, usually at warp speed !!

 

[wire chief]

With Sue thought of as in a different era, I'm reminded of revised debate now and then about whether Jim Brown s the greatest
running back. Sometimes the debate is put to rest over no one has matched his 5.2 lifetime average gain(Randall Cunningham
has more as a qb).
Do we have some clear stat in the Sue/Mo competition that is a debate silencer?

 

[alexrgct]

If Mo brings home any of the NPOY awards, as did Sue in 2002, her accomplishments are equal to Sue's. If she wins the Leiberman award twice and the National championship four times, I think her accomplishments surpass Sue's.

if indeed she is a top-two WNBA draft pick and goes on to have the sort of success as a professional that Sue has had, that may factor even more. There's a lingering UConn penumbra that is cast on the program, even with players who have long since graduated. Sue has been the heart and soul of UConn as a student-athlete and a professional. That's why she's on the UConn all-time starting five. Moriah is and can be that heart and soul at every level too. That's why she may well replace Sue at that vaunted position.

 

[j66kicker]

If Mo brings home any of the NPOY awards, as did Sue in 2002, her accomplishments are equal to Sue's. If she wins the Leiberman award twice and the National championship four times, I think her accomplishments surpass Sue's.

if indeed she is a top-two WNBA draft pick and goes on to have the sort of success as a professional that Sue has had, that may factor even more.

I love Moriah. But, as we bask in the glow of her performance in a 44-point blowout, and anticipation of a 4th straight NC after the first game (I'm guilty too), I hope we don't let the years fade our memories of Sue. In Sue's NPOY year She won the Wade and Naismith. She won the first three Lieberman Awards and was a top one WNBA draft pick.

 

[ABachelor6CR]

Bird At The Buzzer. Period!

I would rather have Sue with the ball with a few ticks left than Moriah.....Sue seemed more consistent at the three than Moriah.....

 

[ABachelor6CR]

So Jefferson just put on a dazzling display and led the Huskies to a 44 point win over a top 10 team on the road. Let's fast forward 5 months. UCONN cuts down the nets for the 4th year in a row, UCONN has another undefeated season and Jefferson is a 1st Team All-American, but she doesn't get close to the amount of press that Stewart obtains over the course of the year. After this happens, does Jefferson displace Bird on the All Time Starting 5? The starting 5 being:
PG-Bird
SG-Taurasi
SF-Moore
PF-Stewart
C-Charles

My vote is a resounding yes if you compare their UCONN careers head to head. Statistically, there isn't a comparison between the two--Jefferson is better across the board and is the more efficient player. She beats you off the dribble, finishes at the rim, shoots a high percentage from deep and hit a pull up jumper tonight which could be a new move in her arsenal. Bird was an efficient guard for UCONN but offensively her bread and butter has always been knocking down open looks and hitting pull up jumpers.

Defensively, there's no comparison. Defense has never been a strong point in Bird's game, and Jefferson has been the best defensive guard in the nation for 3 years now. She just shut down the top scorer in the nation who put up 36 against the #2 team in the country 4 days earlier.

Jefferson will finish with 4 titles to Bird's 2, and was a major factor on 3 of the 4 teams. Jefferson will likely graduate with better stats across the board and will be named a 1st team All-American this year (with runner up votes for NPOY) and should etch her name in the record books for assists, steals, A/TO ratio, FG% and 3pt%.

Bird was a great guard who was the standout of the outstanding 2002 team and a major difference maker for the 2000 title team and 2001 Final Four team, but when you compare each player's UCONN career in full, no question I'd vote for Jefferson.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Yeah how do you factor in the "clutch" factor when Moriah never gets to play any competitive games? ??

People asked the same question about Maya. See the second half of the 2010 NCAA championship game for an answer. Or the last 2 seconds of the 2015 WNBA Finals game 3 against Indiana.

 

[Phillyconn]

I love Sue, to death, but Moriah is the best pg, hands down. She can penetrate at will, then finish once she gets there. She can shoot the three, at a high percentage. Her defense, is the best ever, for a point guard at UConn.

I would say, that if MoJeff, had played with Maya, we would have 2 more NCAA titles.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Do we have some clear stat in the Sue/Mo competition that is a debate silencer?

Now, why would we want to do that!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I love Sue, to death, but Moriah is the best pg, hands down. She can penetrate at will, then finish once she gets there. She can shoot the three, at a high percentage. Her defense, is the best ever, for a point guard at UConn.

I would say, that if MoJeff, had played with Maya, we would have 2 more NCAA titles.

Uh, uh... there is something wrong with this math, right?

 

[Phillyconn]

If Mo brings home any of the NPOY awards, as did Sue in 2002, her accomplishments are equal to Sue's. If she wins the Leiberman award twice and the National championship four times, I think her accomplishments surpass Sue's.

if indeed she is a top-two WNBA draft pick and goes on to have the sort of success as a professional that Sue has had, that may factor even more. There's a lingering UConn penumbra that is cast on the program, even with players who have long since graduated. Sue has been the heart and soul of UConn as a student-athlete and a professional. That's why she's on the UConn all-time starting five. Moriah is and can be that heart and soul at every level too. That's why she may well replace Sue at that vaunted position.

Moriah could possibly have 4 NCAA titles. She's in the conversation for POY, with BS, who could be the greatest of all time. I say, case closed.

 

[Phillyconn]

Uh, uh... there is something wrong with this math, right?

Maya won 2, with Moriah on her team, she wins 4.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Maya won 2, with Moriah on her team, she wins 4.

And when did Moriah's NCAA eligibility run out - at the end of her sophomore year...or earlier...Maya left in 2011, so Mo would have left in 2013??

So she would not have been here for the last 2? Would we win those without her?

 

[Phillyconn]

And when did Moriah's NCAA eligibility run out - at the end of her sophomore year...or earlier...Maya left in 2011, so Mo would have left in 2013??

So she would not have been here for the last 2? Would we win those without her?

Are you serious? If, Mo had played with Maya.
Without Mo? No.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Are you serious? If, Mo had played with Maya.
Without Mo? No.

I give up. No. If Mo had played with Maya, she would not be here or last year or maybe 2 last years. You make me so crazy I've lost count! But, well, maybe I do give up. Mo and Maya perfect together forever. Oh, wait, we'll never know until they play together in the WNBA or Turkey or Belaruss or China ....

 

[Zorro]

If a frog had wings____

 

[Phillyconn]

I give up. No. If Mo had played with Maya, she would not be here or last year or maybe 2 last years. You make me so crazy I've lost count! But, well, maybe I do give up. Mo and Maya perfect together forever. Oh, wait, we'll never know until they play together in the WNBA or Turkey or Belaruss or China ....

Why do you make this sooooo difficult? I was hypothetically speaking. I'm saying, had Mo played during Maya's years, I think UConn wins 4. She's that good. Could you imagine, Mo playing with Sales? Can't think of a better 2-way guard tandem.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Interesting question. Sue is one of the smartest, most clutch, and most accomplished players around. She is currently the most decorated USA Basketball player ever and will be in the HOF in Springfield. But Moriah takes over games at both ends of the floor unlike any guard I've ever seen. Let's see how the season transpires. It's hard to believe that this will be Moriah's final season with us, so let's enjoy every play.

 

[geneticrex]

My starting 5.


Mo
D
Maya
Stewie
Lobo

 

[UcMiami]

With Sue thought of as in a different era, I'm reminded of revised debate now and then about whether Jim Brown s the greatest
running back. Sometimes the debate is put to rest over no one has matched his 5.2 lifetime average gain(Randall Cunningham
has more as a qb).
Do we have some clear stat in the Sue/Mo competition that is a debate silencer?

I think there are a couple people could point to:
1. A/TO - Sue 2.11 Moriah 2.57
2. Shooting percentage - Sue .481 Moriah .547
But show stopper ... no.

 

[meyers7]

Why do you make this sooooo difficult? I was hypothetically speaking. I'm saying, had Mo played during Maya's years, I think UConn wins 4. She's that good. Could you imagine, Mo playing with Sales? Can't think of a better 2-way guard tandem.

Ah but you didn't say that originally.

You said if Jefferson played with Moore, "we" (UCONN) would have 2 more titles. I believe Rocky's making the point if Jefferson had played with Moore, we wouldn't have had Jefferson for any of the last 3 years (i.e. eligibility). Hence we may not have won in these last 3 years, or maybe 1 of 3, etc. Hence, UCONN wouldn't have won "2 more" and might have even won 1 less.

You gotta read what you write.

 

[alexrgct]

I love Moriah. But, as we bask in the glow of her performance in a 44-point blowout, and anticipation of a 4th straight NC after the first game (I'm guilty too), I hope we don't let the years fade our memories of Sue. In Sue's NPOY year She won the Wade and Naismith. She won the first three Lieberman Awards and was a top one WNBA draft pick.

I always tryy to avoid knee-jerk reactions, but my appreciation for Mo has been years in the making. There's still virtually an entire season to be played for college career to be a factor, but I'd argue Mo may just surpass Sue as far as UConn accomplishments. her 2014-15 NC was on par with Sue's 2000 NC, and she could win at least one NPOY award while leading a team that's the caliber of 2002. Meanwhile, she would have received more WBCA AA nods and been a part of two more NCs.

That all being said, I think we still have to consider how much Sue's post-collegiate career has meant for the UConn program, and Mo's pro career will be a huge factor in this conversation. Being #1 vs. #2 as the draft pick is not a huge difference given that neither Sue nor Mo would be/have been drafted ahead of Stewie. But what Sue did after the draft was wonderful for UConn in any event. The WNBA and Team USA have the shadow of the Husky logo all over them, and Sue is a big reason why. Will Mo replicate or enhance the shadow cast upon the iconic institutions of post-collegiate WBB? Time will tell,,,