C. Collier De-commitment

[UConnCat]

Crystal shoots a high percentage, because she plays to her strengths. She's very left-handed and probably has range of less than 10'. She rebounds pretty well, but is a mediocre defender. A solid WNBA starter with limitations, not an elite Olympic type.

I first typed 8 feet and then decided to be more charitable.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I first typed 8 feet and then decided to be more charitable.

5-6' may be accurate.

She's almost automatic when she can drive the left side, and she has developed a nice spin move in the paint. But teams don't guard her at the foul line.

I don't know what it is about left-handed players who were All-Americans at Maryland, but Crystal and Alyssa Thomas have the funkiest, most awkward looking free throw form since Shaq.

 

[CocoHusky]

I assume that Valdeeva is not NCAA eligible, but someone should verify that. She's on her way to becoming a world-class player.
I don't know what Ezi's shooting range is, but she very smooth off the dribble and is a natural shot blocker. Her wingspan would seem to rival Stewie's.

Maria Valdeeva plays professionally in the Euro League for Dynamo Kursk. Here she is pictured with a couple professional teammates that you might recognize.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Maria Valdeeva plays professionally in the Euro League for Dynamo Kursk. Here she is pictured with a couple professional teammates that you might recognize.

Thanks! Not exactly chopped liver!

I figured she was a pro, but I wanted to be 100% sure. I know Geno said that "Meg struggled against pros" in the FIBA tourney, but I wasn't sure if he was being literal.

 

[easttexastrash]

Wow Texas is going to be absolutely loaded for the next several years. The question is what can Aston do with all of the talent?

UCONN is going to be fine...for the next few years you still have KLS, Collier, Stevens, Walker, and Dangerfield....I'm not feeling too sorry for you guys lol.

Yep...UT (sorry) is going to be loaded and Mulkey better pull in another big recruit or two. I think this will send Queen Egbo to Baylor as the UT front court is now stacked and word was that she was down to UT and Baylor.

 

[easttexastrash]

Player development hasn't been a strong point of Coach Aston to this point.

2012
Imani Stafford
2014
Ariel Atkins
Brooke McCarty
2015
Higgs and Hosey

Only McCarty have some what improved.

McCarty was the Big 12 POY last season. I would call that better than "some what improved." Atkins has dealt with injuries but she is an incredible player. I hope she is healthy the entire season because she has mad skills.

 

[easttexastrash]

What I am getting from Charli is that she has strong ties to her family and her friends, and the hurricane brought out some emotions to make her want to stay closer to home. All that is understandable. I like that she helped people affected by the hurricane and wish her the best in Austin.

I don't like that she de-committed twice and think she would have been developed more at UConn, but her priority is family. We've seen that before.

I agree that the hurricane had an impact on her decision. She lost her father last year and the hurricane ravaged her home city. The need to be close to family right now is stronger than the need to be "developed" as a basketball player. I was stunned when she committed to UCONN because I couldn't see her leaving the state. I am a lot less stunned by this decision. She is going to make UT a major contender for a NC.

 

[easttexastrash]

How many Centers do they need at Texas? Seems like they have a lot.

That's why I think Queen Egbo will now commit to Baylor. She is also from the Houston area and I think she will also want to stay close from home.

If it's any consolation, it takes a hurricane to compel a player to decommit from UCONN.

 

[CocoHusky]

Thanks! Not exactly chopped liver!

I figured she was a pro, but I wanted to be 100% sure. I know Geno said that "Meg struggled against pros" in the FIBA tourney, but I wasn't sure if he was being literal.

Geno was being literal and plural as in professionals. That our HS and college kids were playing against pros was mentioned here on the BY before Geno said it. The other Russian professional on that squad was Raisa Musina who plays for UMMC Ekaterinburg and might be a better player than Valdeeva.

 

[Carnac]

so far I'm not viewing 2016 as a big miss but time will tell

It won't be IF......................UConn can get (sign) the coveted targets that are at the top of their "must get" list in the 2018 & 2019 classes.

 

[easttexastrash]

Crystal shoots a high percentage, because she plays to her strengths. She's very left-handed and probably has range of less than 10'. She rebounds pretty well, but is a mediocre defender. A solid WNBA starter with limitations, not an elite Olympic type.

Langhorne gives Griner fits every time they play. I agree that she plays to her strengths very well and her somewhat unconventional style takes time to adjust to.

 

[Carnac]

Texas has certainly done well recruiting. It's an excellent school and I hope their players are happy with their decisions.

It is increasingly tough to keep "super classes" together. Transfers and injuries make it tough. However, look at how frequently high school kids change schools and switch AAU teams. Count me as someone who loves how widespread the game is now, but it has had some unintended consequences. I'm not sure you will ever see another TASSK force. I will be curious to see if UT can keep their super recruits together.

Ay, thar's the "rub" It's one thing to amass or assemble top 10 recruits (the cream of the crop) that Texas has, and is doing. It's another thing to get that talent to mesh, play as a functional unit that is productive on BOTH ends of the court, and ..................................will stay together. Look at BAYLOR, a classic example.

Kim Mulkey has brought in a lot of top level recruits from across the country the past few years. What has she done with them? Baylor can't even make the final four lately, despite going in as a #1 seed, let alone win a national championship. Players are leaving her program for various reasons, some due to lack of playing time. How does she propose to keep 3 post players satisfied with enough playing time? Another poster suggested that more defections from Waco in the near future are forth coming. It's one thing to have a pat hand (poker), it's another thing to know how to play it.

 

[Bajan Best]

I am not worried one bit, would have been nice to have the option of a stretch big of her caliber, but if looking at the results after losing EDD is any consolation, we might as well make room on the hallowed walls of UCONN for at least six or more National Championships in a row. This is all just motivation for a coach who really needs none.

All the best to CC and the Texas Long Horns... Her decision will open the door for some other fortunate kid to experience the best basketball education currently available. Let the games begin, as always, others will rise to the occasion.

 

[SCGamecock]

where else is she officially visiting

She has a top 6 of South Carolina, Duke, Stanford, UConn, Georgia and Florida State.

South Carolina got the first official.. I'm gonna go on the record and predict that Duke, UConn, Stanford and Georgia get the other visits.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

That's why I think Queen Egbo will now commit to Baylor. She is also from the Houston area and I think she will also want to stay close from home.

If it's any consolation, it takes a hurricane to compel a player to decommit from UCONN.

Even with NaLyssa Smith?

 

[MilfordHusky]

That's why I think Queen Egbo will now commit to Baylor. She is also from the Houston area and I think she will also want to stay close from home.

If it's any consolation, it takes a hurricane to compel a player to decommit from UCONN.

Not just any hurricane. It had a record 52" of rain.

 

[Go/huskies]

McCarty was the Big 12 POY last season. I would call that better than "some what improved." Atkins has dealt with injuries but she is an incredible player. I hope she is healthy the entire season because she has mad skills.

I think Brown from Baylor should have been Big12 POY, but it was a little to late by the time she really took a big step last season. At this rate I don’t see Atkins or McCarty having longevity in the WNBA.

 

[GiladKatzDeli]

Good luck to Collier. So long as Geno doesn't commit to Texas, we'll be fine.

 

[Golden Husky]

That's why I think Queen Egbo will now commit to Baylor. She is also from the Houston area and I think she will also want to stay close from home.

If it's any consolation, it takes a hurricane to compel a player to decommit from UCONN.

If Collier and Egbo "want to stay close to home" why don't they attend the University of Houston? Not a hoop powerhouse? Oh, so it's not all about altruism.

 

[Charliebball]

If Collier and Egbo "want to stay close to home" why don't they attend the University of Houston? Not a hoop powerhouse? Oh, so it's not all about altruism.

there's close to home and then there's good and kinda close

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Good luck to Collier. So long as Geno doesn't commit to Texas, we'll be fine.

Nice tag line ... howsomeever ... for much of the first decade of this century and some of this one we have had to watch forwards being centers...or let's just call them "bigs", since the back to the back center is, as we all know, a thing of the past ('til a really, really good one comes along). With the history of Geno/CD and the pantheon of excellent centers who came out of UConn you have to wonder ... is it all explained by Regionalism ... they grow um big on the farm?

 

[Charliebball]

Nice tag line ... howsomeever ... for much of the first decade of this century and some of this one we have had to watch forwards being centers...or let's just call them "bigs", since the back to the back center is, as we all know, a thing of the past ('til a really, really good one comes along). With the history of Geno/CD and the pantheon of excellent centers who came out of UConn you have to wonder ... is it all explained by Regionalism ... they grow um big on the farm?

Plenty of bigs currently playing around this area..........most are just not UConn quality............

 

[Golden Husky]

there's close to home and then there's good and kinda close

Exactly!

 

[bballnut90]

Currently living in TX and watch the Lady Longhorns play frequently. As a UConn fan, I don't worry as much about them recruiting 4's and 5's but if they get 1-2 more top point guards I will start sweating. Coaching there is fine-what they need is on court leadership. Watch the small print following all the big name commits and you will be able to predict how they will do.

This year they have Patterson coming in who was the top rated PG and #4 recruit after Walker, Westbrook and Boothe. They also have Sutton off the bench who had a quiet rookie season but is a very good player who could make noise this year.

 

[HoopsFan21]

If Collier and Egbo "want to stay close to home" why don't they attend the University of Houston? Not a hoop powerhouse? Oh, so it's not all about altruism.

So they are liars?