Z's Early Departure Surprised Geno, She Admits

[Sam.the.Man]

... and you know that is why she left how exactly?

It's called using common sense! Didn't you ever play an athletic game and felt you weren't being used properly ... over and over again, game after game? If so. then you'd have a clue as to one of the main reasons (if not the only reason) she left. Her options were: (1) putting up with that crap for another season and maybe winning a NC, or (2) opt out and start making tons of money immediately playing pro ball. As for those of you wanting evidence, seriously didn't any of you actually watch the games or were you simply eating popcorn? It shouldn't take a mental giant to figure out why she left, just watch the games! Geez guys, c'mon now.

 

[CL82]

It's called using common sense!

Ah so no basis for it. I see.

FWIW, great players, heck even good players, aren't particularly afraid of competition. That's part of what makes them great. It seem more reasonable then to believe that Azura left because the timing for the mover made sense. She has never said differently. I respectfully suggest that those who believe that she was sulking over playing time are probably projecting their own frustrations on her.

 

[DaddyChoc]

... and you know that is why she left how exactly?

Let me submit an alternative theory. Z talked with her advisers and did a little due diligence and discovered that she was going to be a top 10 draft pick and made her decision to leave based on that. She was drafted 6 and averaged 14+ points. It sure seems like that was a sensible decision. To me that makes more sense than her sulking and leaving because she believed she should get more minute.

I love when people talk about playing time as if it some God given right. It isn't. When my kids were young I would tell them if they wanted more playing time, earn it. Make every minute that you play so valuable that your coaches can't afford to take you out. That approach served them well.

so Z didn't earn playing time... if she didnt in the past she def earned it in her last game wearing a UConn uniform

 

[DaddyChoc]

Ah so no basis for it. I see.

FWIW, great players, heck even good players, aren't particularly afraid of competition. That's part of what makes them great. It seem more reasonable then to believe that Azura left because the timing for the mover made sense. She has never said differently. I respectfully suggest that those who believe that she was sulking over playing time are probably projecting their own frustrations on her.

you really think she'd say she left because she was glued to the bench in the 2nd half vs Notre Dame and it pissed her off?

 

[CL82]

you really think she'd say she left because she was glued to the bench in the 2nd half vs Notre Dame and it pissed her off?

No, DC, and that's exactly my point. She left because her and her advisers thought the timing was right for her. They were correct.

 

[Dokey]

Well in my opinion, the handling, or mishandling of Azura Stevens falls solely with Geno. You can't blame her for bolting to the WNBA when she's projected to be a top-ten pick. We can speculate with the "what-if" as to whether UConn would have won another championship this year with Azura--possibility so. But we needn't speculate much on the season before--had Geno played Azura more, we almost assuredly would have won. Azura played little more than half a game (20.9 minutes per game), yet she averaged nearly 15 ppg and 7 rebounds. Let's extrapolate those numbers to full-game minutes, and Azura would have a very extraordinarily, dynamic season.

In the semi against Notre Dame, her plus/minus was phenomenal, (as was pointed out several times by the game announcers who were all but stupefied that Azura was getting so little playing time). Yet Geno choose to stick to his player hierarchy and only give her spot duty. I know he tries to be loyal to his starters and all, but unlike Gabby and Kia, Crystal was only a sophomore, so she had two full years ahead of her--it was imminently obvious that the Huskies were a much better team against ND with Azura on the court, Kia running point and Crystal coming off the bench..

Without a doubt, had Azura played more minutes, UConn has its 12th national championship. I know it's heresy to second-guess an absolute legend, but it was Geno's lack of flexibility, perhaps mixed with an overshot of misplaced loyalty and tradition that caused the loss--and perhaps played a factor in Azura leaving early... So if in hindsight, Azura could have done some things differently, so too could have Geno...

Yes

 

[UConnNick]

No, DC, and that's exactly my point. She left because her and her advisers thought the timing was right for her. They were correct.

I don't get why some folks seem to think she should have stayed. She was graduating, so if she stayed, she would have had to enroll in grad school. I don't know about anybody else, but some college students have had enough of school after what, 16 or more straight years of it. Maybe she was one of those. Plus she had an opportunity to get paid a lot of money for playing a game instead of being in grad school making no money.

A pro basketball career is a finite experience. You are constantly subject to suffering a career ending or affecting injury. Any year you give up is a lost year you can never get back again, in a short window to earn money doing it. If you really want to go to grad school for any reason, you can do that anytime.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Interesting to hear it in her own words. Still, Not sure it clarifies much. Geno said explicitly he was surprised so nothing learned there and nothing really clarifying her decision but I do think she really had a hard decision and did not try to
"hoodwink" anybody.

No insult to the poster, but!!!
I don't see how this is NEWS. So, she thinks she surprised GENO ---A YEAR AGO. Who cares at this point. We have 5 or 6 New kids who will play and give Geno a year of excitement--I don't linger on those are gone or never were. Z was a great shooter, never fulfilled the expectations. Move forward on ward and up ward. Z is gone.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I'll put my "husky for life" credentials against anyone on the Boneyard, but I don't have the hubris to declare myself the arbitrator of who gets to be considered Husky and who doesn't.

I'll take a piece of this! I don't know if I'll be a Husky for life after 60 plus some, I have not lived it all just yet. You cheer husky, you play husky, you are a husky-- you don't have to love all Geno or Jim or a dozen coaches prior or 200 players prior do or have done that doesn't make one a husky. Fan's critique every word every action every game and still love the Huskies. Only Hitler demanded purity in his followers who did so without wavering for fear for their lives.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Geno said he never bothered to apply. As to all the others that think she deserves an asterisk, let's not forget. Z may have played for only one year, but she was here for two. To me that's enough to qualify as a Husky for life. I frankly hope she goes on to be an all star.

Geno didn't bother for a waiver because she needed that year to become a husky i.e. learn how Geno's offense and defense is played. I question whether that year may be helpful to unlearn Holly for Westbrook, at times Holly's teams looked like the players were running the show that doesn't work with Geno.

 

[DaddyChoc]

No, DC, and that's exactly my point. She left because her and her advisers thought the timing was right for her. They were correct.

were you expecting her to play 2 yrs when she signed with Geno?

 

[CL82]

were you expecting her to play 2 yrs when she signed with Geno?

Yes, but I'm not sure why that's relevant.

 

[EricLA]

Geno didn't bother for a waiver because she needed that year to become a husky i.e. learn how Geno's offense and defense is played. I question whether that year may be helpful to unlearn Holly for Westbrook, at times Holly's teams looked like the players were running the show that doesn't work with Geno.

I'm not so sure about that. Not saying you are incorrect, but I recall Geno saying something along the lines of "we don't spend much time with the kids who are red shirting because they aren't going to be able to play this year". It was one of the reasons Azura got off to a slow start when she finally was eligible to play...

I'm not saying the kids who are redshirting don't get coached up - I"m sure they do, but when it comes time to teach the kids plays in practice etc, I'm not sure how much focus is actually given to the redshirted kids...