Evina Westbrook would be perfect

[Crossover]

as Shea's replacement. I realize that it is usually not a good idea to elevate a teammate over her peers, but the current Huskies already view Evina in a different light. Plus, her interactions with Geno are already adult-to-adult (see, for example, the word association thread), and when she is asked to comment on individual players' performances during interviews she comes across more like a coach than a teammate. In those interviews, Evina is analytic, objective, and critical in the best sense of the word. As regards the position itself, Evina checks off all the boxes; young but mature, great with guards, great pedigree as a player, would fit in well with existing staff. Plus I think she would be a terrific recruiter. We will know whether Geno has zeroed in on her when he posts the job announcement. If it says "candidate must have recent playing experience in a high level program, be familiar with UConn's playing style, be gifted at mentoring young women, and have an aversion to the color orange" we will know that the job is wired for E.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Evina is a player on scholarship, so how is Geno going to hire her as an assistant coach?

 

[uconnfan68]

Evina is a player on scholarship, so how is Geno going to hire her as an assistant coach?

Player-coach. Like Bill Russell was.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Player-coach. Like Bill Russell was.

And Pete Rose.

 

[Aluminny69]

Player-coach. Like Bill Russell was.

And Dave DeBusschere. Who also pitched for the White Sox.

For those not old enough to remember:

David Albert DeBusschere (October 16, 1940 – May 14, 2003) was an American professional National Basketball Association (NBA) player and coach and Major League Baseball (MLB) player. He played for the Chicago White Sox of MLB in 1962 and 1963 and in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons from 1962 through 1968 and for the New York Knicks from 1968 to 1974. He was also the head coach for the Pistons from 1964 through 1967.

In 1996, DeBusschere was named as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. DeBusschere was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983.

So, Dave was only 24 when he became a player-coach. How old is Evina?

 

[pacific 44]

And Autumn

 

[Aluminny69]

as Shea's replacement. I realize that it is usually not a good idea to elevate a teammate over her peers, but the current Huskies already view Evina in a different light. Plus, her interactions with Geno are already adult-to-adult (see, for example, the word association thread), and when she is asked to comment on individual players' performances during interviews she comes across more like a coach than a teammate. In those interviews, Evina is analytic, objective, and critical in the best sense of the word. As regards the position itself, Evina checks off all the boxes; young but mature, great with guards, great pedigree as a player, would fit in well with existing staff. Plus I think she would be a terrific recruiter. We will know whether Geno has zeroed in on her when he posts the job announcement. If it says "candidate must have recent playing experience in a high level program, be familiar with UConn's playing style, be gifted at mentoring young women, and have an aversion to the color orange" we will know that the job is wired for E.

Wow, talk about thinking outside the box.

 

[BostonCanuck]

Yes, yes, a thousands times yes!

 

[CocoHusky]

Evina Westbrook is a great young lady but she is hardly qualified to be a graduate assistant much less an assistant coach for UCONN WBB.
Wow! I was always of the opinion that CD and Jemelle and Shea and Marissa were under appreciated but this takes it to a whole new level.

 

[UcMiami]

Evina Westbrook is a great young lady but she is hardly qualified to be a graduate assistant much less an assistant coach for UCONN WBB.
Wow! I was always of the opinion that CD and Jemelle and Sea and Marissa were under appreciated but this takes it to a whole new level.

Actually I believe in May Evina will be qualified to be a grad assistant. And the assistant coach pre Jamelle2 wasn't much older or more experienced.

This idea is way outside the box, and I have no idea what Evina plans for her future, but ... I wouldn't be upset if it happened. She is personable, has a solid knowledge of Uconn's style of play, and would work well with both the team and the coaching staff. And she could certainly relate in this new world of transfer portal explosion.

 

[CocoHusky]

Actually I believe in May Evina will be qualified to be a grad assistant. And the assistant coach pre Jamelle2 wasn't much older or more experienced.

This idea is way outside the box, and I have no idea what Evina plans for her future, but ... I wouldn't be upset if it happened. She is personable, has a solid knowledge of Uconn's style of play, and would work well with both the team and the coaching staff. And she could certainly relate in this new world of transfer portal explosion.

I would be very disappointed if that were to happen and I suspect the state of CT it would have an Equal Employment complaint on it hands. Evina Westbrook is simply not qualified to replace Shea. The assistant coach pre Jemelle was a graduate assistant at UCONN. had played in the WNBA , and was an Assistant coach at Depaul before becoming an assistant coach at UCONN. BTW that did not turn out so well otherwise we wouldn't be talking about Jemelle.

 

[LoboDays]

It’s like saying an English Literature teaching assistant should be the Dean of the English Literature department.

 

[Cuango]

Actually I believe in May Evina will be qualified to be a grad assistant. And the assistant coach pre Jamelle2 wasn't much older or more experienced.

This idea is way outside the box, and I have no idea what Evina plans for her future, but ... I wouldn't be upset if it happened. She is personable, has a solid knowledge of Uconn's style of play, and would work well with both the team and the coaching staff. And she could certainly relate in this new world of transfer portal explosion.

This kind of thing is just ridiculous and (I have to agree with CocoHusky) so dismissive of the skills and experience that Shea brought to this position! I absolutely adore Evina’s maturity, character, and contributions to this team but to say that she is qualified to replace Shea is simply delusional and offensive. Could she eventually become an equally qualified coach as Shea? That is certainly possible but she is not that now.

 

[UcMiami]

It’s like saying an English Literature teaching assistant should be the Dean of the English Literature department.

It's like saying a recent graduate of the University would be an excellent teaching assistant - sort of like every department at every university I know of hires grad students to be teaching assistants for undergraduate courses.

I am pretty sure Evina is not in consideration for the job, and would not put her name forward - but it is an amusing discussion. Shea Ralph was hired at Pitt in 2003 and she graduated from Uconn in 2001 - the third assistant on any team is generally young and inexperienced and learning how to be a coach.

 

[cferraro04]

I believe Geno will shake the Alumni Tree to find Shea's replacement...but, he better hurry up because I think Shea will be shaking the same tree.

 

[and one]

Out of the box thinking for sure. And in this case a tad too far to be plausible. The two assistant coaching positions require experience and pay pretty well. The latest numbers I found were for 2014 when Shea made $313,000 and Mosely $272,000.

EW will want to monetize her bball experience and in the short term that can only be playing professionally. If for some reason that road isn't available I'd guess she could get into a UConn graduate program and pair that with a graduate assistant gig with the team, getting experience but little money. I'm personally hoping her body has enough left in it to make a few bucks as a pro and then enter the coaching track if that's what her heart desires.

 

[CocoHusky]

Having successfully delivered Ayanna Patterson and Darko to UCONN let's shake the tree really hard for Tamika Jeter.

 

[Crossover]

This kind of thing is just ridiculous and (I have to agree with CocoHusky) so dismissive of the skills and experience that Shea brought to this position! I absolutely adore Evina’s maturity, character, and contributions to this team but to say that she is qualified to replace Shea is simply delusional and offensive. Could she eventually become an equally qualified coach as Shea? That is certainly possible but she is not that now.

Are you talking about the experience that Shea "brought to the position" or the experience that Shea has now? Of course Evina is not "equally qualified" to be an assistant coach as Shea is now. I think that it would be a mistake to fill the position with someone of Shea's current stature. Better to have a younger person who can grow into the position, not be ready to leave for a head coaching job, and perhaps most importantly relate to players and recruits in a way that neither Geno nor CD nor Jamelle can.

 

[Crossover]

Evina Westbrook is a great young lady but she is hardly qualified to be a graduate assistant much less an assistant coach for UCONN WBB.
Wow! I was always of the opinion that CD and Jemelle and Shea and Marissa were under appreciated but this takes it to a whole new level.

Ummm, what exactly are the qualifications to be a graduate assistant? Do you think that Evina is less qualified than, say, Chloe Pavlech, who did a fine job according to Geno. And what are the qualifications to start a career as an assistant coach? Do you think that Evina is less qualified than Caroline Doty? (I personally don't see much carryover from her experience in the business world to the basketball court.) Or than Morgan Valley when she took her first assistant job at Holy Cross? Or than Jamelle when she became an assistant at UConn? Or than Shea Ralph when she took her first assistant job at Pittsburgh?

 

[MooseJaw]

as Shea's replacement. I realize that it is usually not a good idea to elevate a teammate over her peers, but the current Huskies already view Evina in a different light. Plus, her interactions with Geno are already adult-to-adult (see, for example, the word association thread), and when she is asked to comment on individual players' performances during interviews she comes across more like a coach than a teammate. In those interviews, Evina is analytic, objective, and critical in the best sense of the word. As regards the position itself, Evina checks off all the boxes; young but mature, great with guards, great pedigree as a player, would fit in well with existing staff. Plus I think she would be a terrific recruiter. We will know whether Geno has zeroed in on her when he posts the job announcement. If it says "candidate must have recent playing experience in a high level program, be familiar with UConn's playing style, be gifted at mentoring young women, and have an aversion to the color orange" we will know that the job is wired for E.

Really, that's what you got. Big and Bold idea, but ?

 

[Magic32]

If I'm not mistaken Evina was predicted to go as high as #5 in the draft, Why would she give up playing to coach at this early stage? She has a good career ahead of her.

 

[hoopsfan22]

If I'm not mistaken Evina was predicted to go as high as #5 in the draft, Why would she give up playing to coach at this early stage? She has a good career ahead of her.

I think she would get paid more as a UConn assistant coach than she would in the WNBA.

 

[BobbyJ]

Having successfully delivered Ayanna Patterson and Darko to UCONN let's shake the tree really hard for Tamika Jeter.

I thought of her too.

 

[Monte]

Why not hold a poll to nominate someone from the Boneyard ?

 

[CL82]

I believe Geno will shake the Alumni Tree to find Shea's replacement...but, he better hurry up because I think Shea will be shaking the same tree.

FWIW, put me down for best available, regardless of whether they played at UConn.