Ezi Magbegor In The News

[RockyMTblue2]

"The Canberra Capitals are in danger of losing Australian basketball's brightest prospect Eziyoda Magbegor as she considers a move to the United States college system.

Magbegor left Australia on Thursday to visit the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Connecticut, just days after returning from an Australian Opals camp in Italy."

Capitals coach Paul Goriss says he is "crossing every part of my entire body" in the hope the WNBL rookie of the year returns to Canberra next season."

Could Canberra lose Australian basketball's brightest prospect?

"When [Magbegor] comes back she'll make a decision on whether she chooses to go to USA college or stays and plays WNBL," Goriss said.

 

[DefenseBB]

Ouch! There are two references that we, as knowledgeable Basketball Fans know and shake our heads at:
1. The Capitals coach Goriss saying that staying in the WNBL and on the Opals national squad is better for her-oh really?
2. In reference to the last line of Ezi being the second player to “join division one Idaho State” as if UCLA and UConn belong in the same article as Idaho State.

Ignorance, oh what can you do...I hope she is getting some counseling from Lauren Jackson...

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Ezi should know that she is a lock for the Opals, with Brondello having anointed her "the future of the Opals." Playing in the WNBL will not get her to the WNBA and it is the latter that is very much her goal, with Lauren Jackson and Penny Taylor being childhood idols.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I wonder how UCLA ended up as 1 of only 2 schools she is looking at? Decent program, but certainly not elite. It would be great for the Bruins if they manage to get her, would be a very nice replacement for Mo Billings.

 

[Charliebball]

I wonder how UCLA ended up as 1 of only 2 schools she is looking at? Decent program, but certainly not elite. It would be great for the Bruins if they manage to get her, would be a very nice replacement for Mo Billings.

UCLS is a good program, closer to home and there's another Aussie already playing there

 

[donalddoowop]

UCLS is a good program, closer to home and there's another Aussie already playing there

UCL what?

 

[DefenseBB]

I wonder how UCLA ended up as 1 of only 2 schools she is looking at? Decent program, but certainly not elite. It would be great for the Bruins if they manage to get her, would be a very nice replacement for Mo Billings.

If I may ask, my esteemed west coast women’s hoop fan, why the dour perspective of UCLA? I would be a bit kinder and say they are better than “decent” as this year she is #10, made the sweet 16 each of the past 2 years and seems to be recruiting well with one 97 score recruit and two others with rated skills. Is this a Northwest bias being exhibited?

 

[DEpup]

When it comes to the proximity to family thing, I still think our best case is she is only a quick flight to Atlanta from her brother.

 

[DefenseBB]

When it comes to the proximity to family thing, I still think our best case is she is only a quick flight to Atlanta from her brother.

Not sure about that, if her relationship is like that of my kids, the further away from each other the better...

 

[nwhoopfan]

If I may ask, my esteemed west coast women’s hoop fan, why the dour perspective of UCLA? I would be a bit kinder and say they are better than “decent” as this year she is #10, made the sweet 16 each of the past 2 years and seems to be recruiting well with one 97 score recruit and two others with rated skills. Is this a Northwest bias being exhibited?

Maybe a bias. I'm not sold on Close as a coach. I think they've underachieved a bit relative to the talent they've had. They were definitely a good team the last 2 years but finished 4th and tied for 3rd respectively. Really should've finished higher than that. I can see calling them better than decent but will stick to not putting them among the elite programs in the nation.

Will be interesting to see how they fare next season without Canada, Billings and Hayes. Drummer and Burke will need to step up big time. Dean had a nice impact as a mid season transfer. Freshmen Onyenwere and Horvat showed plenty of promise.


If a player wanted to be in California and have a fellow Australian for a teammate, you have Alanna Smith at Stanford. I would take Tara as a coach 100 times out of 100 ahead of Close.

 

[DefenseBB]

Maybe a bias. I'm not sold on Close as a coach. I think they've underachieved a bit relative to the talent they've had. They were definitely a good team the last 2 years but finished 4th and tied for 3rd respectively. Really should've finished higher than that. I can see calling them better than decent but will stick to not putting them among the elite programs in the nation.

Will be interesting to see how they fare next season without Canada, Billings and Hayes. Drummer and Burke will need to step up big time. Dean had a nice impact as a mid season transfer. Freshmen Onyenwere and Horvat showed plenty of promise.


If a player wanted to be in California and have a fellow Australian for a teammate, you have Alanna Smith at Stanford. I would take Tara as a coach 100 times out of 100 ahead of Close.

Lol! I guess we each have our views of the strong recruiters vs, the good game strategists, like McGuff and Holly with Close vs. Rueck, Schaefer and Tara who seem to “coach up” the players.

 

[DEpup]

Not sure about that, if her relationship is like that of my kids, the further away from each other the better...

That is quite sad for your children. In my family a sibling in a country where I know no one would be huge.

 

[winlots]

[QUOTE=donalddoowop UCL what?

ddw: eh?

 

[HoopsHoppy]

Addressing charliebball’s comment talking about UCLS - guess the “s” should be knocked out

 

[nwhoopfan]

Lol! I guess we each have our views of the strong recruiters vs, the good game strategists, like McGuff and Holly with Close vs. Rueck, Schaefer and Tara who seem to “coach up” the players.

Ideally a coach would be good in both categories, but that's fairly rare. If I had to choose one or the other I'd take the coach 'em up approach. But of course you have to have some talent, even if it's of the under the radar diamond in the rough variety.

 

[Charliebball]

UCL what?

University of California at Losssssssssssssssss Angelessssssssssssssssssss

 

[Alydar]

While MacBegor can't accept $$$ from the Opals she would get $5,000.00/yr at a US school. Not a lot but enough to pay for a couple of round trips home/yr.

 

[awhom111]

Ezi should know that she is a lock for the Opals, with Brondello having anointed her "the future of the Opals." Playing in the WNBL will not get her to the WNBA and it is the latter that is very much her goal, with Lauren Jackson and Penny Taylor being childhood idols.

That seems to be overselling it a bit. This is a real tough decision for her because of WNBA rules.

Assuming she has a normal 2018-19 season after turning professional, she would almost assuredly be a first round pick in 2019, probably in the back half of the round at this point. The team would almost certainly be interested in having her join right away. She would probably not be rookie Cambage at that point, but would probably be able to at least contribute as much as rookie Meesseman.

If she enrolls in college in the United States, she forfeits the ability to enter either the 2019 or 2020 drafts and would not be able to play in the WNBA until 2021, even if she were to leave school after a day. It's a tough choice because both paths would help her become the player that she wants to be and she has to make a decision not just on her immediate fate, but one that will impact multiple years.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I wonder how UCLA ended up as 1 of only 2 schools she is looking at? Decent program, but certainly not elite. It would be great for the Bruins if they manage to get her, would be a very nice replacement for Mo Billings.

Nonstop flights from LAX to Melbourne and Sydney.

 

[jdubct]

That seems to be overselling it a bit. This is a real tough decision for her because of WNBA rules.

Assuming she has a normal 2018-19 season after turning professional, she would almost assuredly be a first round pick in 2019, probably in the back half of the round at this point. The team would almost certainly be interested in having her join right away. She would probably not be rookie Cambage at that point, but would probably be able to at least contribute as much as rookie Meesseman.

If she enrolls in college in the United States, she forfeits the ability to enter either the 2019 or 2020 drafts and would not be able to play in the WNBA until 2021, even if she were to leave school after a day. It's a tough choice because both paths would help her become the player that she wants to be and she has to make a decision not just on her immediate fate, but one that will impact multiple years.

I
If she were to enroll in a US college, she would still retain the ability to play pro ball (in the years you mentioned) outside of the United States.

 

[ucalum]

Someone posted previously that Ezi was expected to be at tonight's game. Have we heard if she has been on campus at all?

 

[TitleTown]

I wonder how UCLA ended up as 1 of only 2 schools she is looking at? Decent program, but certainly not elite. It would be great for the Bruins if they manage to get her, would be a very nice replacement for Mo Billings.

Chantel Horvat, closer flight, better climate, and better school.

 

[CocoHusky]

UCLA is a good program, closer to home and there's another Aussie already playing there

"UCLA is a good program"? In the immortal words of Ricky Watters " for who for what"? Has the UCLA program ever developed an Olympic caliber women's basketball player besides Ann Meyers back in the day? Chantel not exactly ripping things up for UCLA either. Chantel playing 16 minutes per game and shooting only 38% for UCLA on the season.

 

[oldude]

Trying to read the tea leaves here. Somewhere along the way Ezi figured out that if she's willing to work hard, there is no better coach and program to fully develop her basketball talent than Geno and UConn. UCLA is closer to home and there's already an Aussie in the program. Maybe the weather is better in SoCal, but when you add in the smog and traffic congestion, I'll take Storrs any day of the week.

On Saturday, Ezi was at Senior Day for UCLA. Billings, Canada & Hayes were all honored. UCLA also honored the AIAW champions of 40 years ago? with Anne Meyers speaking. While Billings and Canada both had big games for the Bruins, UCLA struggled with unranked Utah, before winning in OT. Aussie import Chantel Horvat ended up with 0 points. Attendance at Pauley Pavilion was 3866.

I assume that Ezi showed up in Storrs yesterday. Hopefully dinner at the Auriemmas was on the schedule. After hanging out with the team yesterday and today, Ezi will get to attend her 2nd straight Senior Day, but this time it will be "UConn style." There will be a packed house at Gampel. In addition to honoring two of the most beloved Huskies ever, Gabby's banner will be unveiled. Of course Ezi will have seen all the other AA banners as well as the eleven championship banners. Then she'll watch the undefeated, #1 ranked Huskies, face the nationally ranked USF Bulls on national TV, a team loaded with outstanding international players. If the game goes the same way it has gone in each of the last 4 meetings, UConn will give USF yet another lesson in how basketball is supposed to be played.

Afterwards, Ezi will have a long trip back to Canberra to consider her future. I really like UConn's chances.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Is UConn still recruiting her after signing Nelson-Ododa?