Five Impactful Freshmen

[VAUConnFan]

MSN

1. It would take someone with a better memory and a vast knowledge of WCBB to convince me that this is not the best freshman class in the women's game.
2. It seems, too, that veteran coaches are putting much more faith in their freshmen; allowing much more freedom on the court; just letting them go with fewer restraints.
3. I absolutely love what I have seen this year throughout WCBB. It should translate to a ton of madness in March. The fact that a team as good as UConn might end up as a 3 seed speaks volumes(Can we agree that the last UConn #3 seed in 2005 was not nearly as good as this current team).
4. Depending again on someone with a long memory to contradict this opinion, there is no one in the history of the women's game with whom Hanna Hidalgo can be compared; the way she fearlessly attacks the rim at her height is astounding. Her performance against UConn was no fluke. What is even more admirable is that getting her shot blocked does not deter her; if anything makes her even more determined to challenge the rim protectors.
5. I think Milaysia Fulwiley is faster than Ketia Swanier; that is saying something.
6. JuJu Watkins is statistically comparable to Diana Taurasi's junior year at UConn. Ms Taurasi posted better stats her sophomore season; likely a function of playing on an a star studded team. If Ms Watkins' teammates step up, they are going to be a very tough out in March.

 

[donalddoowop]

MSN

1. It would take someone with a better memory and a vast knowledge of WCBB to convince me that this is not the best freshman class in the women's game.
2. It seems, too, that veteran coaches are putting much more faith in their freshmen; allowing much more freedom on the court; just letting them go with fewer restraints.
3. I absolutely love what I have seen this year throughout WCBB. It should translate to a ton of madness in March. The fact that a team as good as UConn might end up as a 3 seed speaks volumes(Can we agree that the last UConn #3 seed in 2005 was not nearly as good as this current team).
4. Depending again on someone with a long memory to contradict this opinion, there is no one in the history of the women's game with whom Hanna Hidalgo can be compared; the way she fearlessly attacks the rim at her height is astounding. Her performance against UConn was no fluke. What is even more admirable is that getting her shot blocked does not deter her; if anything makes her even more determined to challenge the rim protectors.
5. I think Milaysia Fulwiley is faster than Ketia Swanier; that is saying something.
6. JuJu Watkins is statistically comparable to Diana Taurasi's junior year at UConn. Ms Taurasi posted better stats her sophomore season; likely a function of playing on an a star studded team. If Ms Watkins' teammates step up, they are going to be a very tough out in March.

They can't step up if Ju Ju keeps shooting as much as she does and keeps going one on one so often.

 

[VAUConnFan]

They can't step up if Ju Ju keeps shooting as much as she does and keeps going one on one so often.

Point well taken.
The current USC squad and the 2003 UConn squad average 75 points a game. Does it matter how a team gets to 75 if they hold their opponent under 75? Is it not a coach's job to maximize a team's potential? If USC's max potential is gained by JuJu taking 35% of the shots and scoring 36% of the points in attaining a 22-5 record and a Top 10 ranking, then her teammates can support these efforts by rebounding, defending, setting picks, keeping defenses honest by hitting shots that keep opposing defenses from sagging off to help on JuJu. In March, the team with the best player on the court always has a better than good chance of surviving and advancing. We saw that in 2003.

 

[DefenseBB]

And the reason this is not in the "Ranking the Freshman class" thread is because....Oh yeah this forum likes thinking every idea is unique.....

 

[visitingcock]

MSN

1. It would take someone with a better memory and a vast knowledge of WCBB to convince me that this is not the best freshman class in the women's game.
2. It seems, too, that veteran coaches are putting much more faith in their freshmen; allowing much more freedom on the court; just letting them go with fewer restraints.
3. I absolutely love what I have seen this year throughout WCBB. It should translate to a ton of madness in March. The fact that a team as good as UConn might end up as a 3 seed speaks volumes(Can we agree that the last UConn #3 seed in 2005 was not nearly as good as this current team).
4. Depending again on someone with a long memory to contradict this opinion, there is no one in the history of the women's game with whom Hanna Hidalgo can be compared; the way she fearlessly attacks the rim at her height is astounding. Her performance against UConn was no fluke. What is even more admirable is that getting her shot blocked does not deter her; if anything makes her even more determined to challenge the rim protectors.
5. I think Milaysia Fulwiley is faster than Ketia Swanier; that is saying something.
6. JuJu Watkins is statistically comparable to Diana Taurasi's junior year at UConn. Ms Taurasi posted better stats her sophomore season; likely a function of playing on an a star studded team. If Ms Watkins' teammates step up, they are going to be a very tough out in March.

5? That's only three.

I would definitely add Booker at TEXAS. I might even add Crooks

 

[jdote33]

MSN

1. It would take someone with a better memory and a vast knowledge of WCBB to convince me that this is not the best freshman class in the women's game.
2. It seems, too, that veteran coaches are putting much more faith in their freshmen; allowing much more freedom on the court; just letting them go with fewer restraints.
3. I absolutely love what I have seen this year throughout WCBB. It should translate to a ton of madness in March. The fact that a team as good as UConn might end up as a 3 seed speaks volumes(Can we agree that the last UConn #3 seed in 2005 was not nearly as good as this current team).
4. Depending again on someone with a long memory to contradict this opinion, there is no one in the history of the women's game with whom Hanna Hidalgo can be compared; the way she fearlessly attacks the rim at her height is astounding. Her performance against UConn was no fluke. What is even more admirable is that getting her shot blocked does not deter her; if anything makes her even more determined to challenge the rim protectors.
5. I think Milaysia Fulwiley is faster than Ketia Swanier; that is saying something.
6. JuJu Watkins is statistically comparable to Diana Taurasi's junior year at UConn. Ms Taurasi posted better stats her sophomore season; likely a function of playing on an a star studded team. If Ms Watkins' teammates step up, they are going to be a very tough out in March.

I really like this freshman class. In point one are you saying like best ever?I do think Paige's is at least comparable. Paige won player of the year, Clark was still Clark and very much in that discussion, and Brink though foul prone, helped Stanford win a national championship. Diamond Johnson was pretty unreal her freshman year. I feel like she averaged 20 and was basically 50 40 90. And Kamilla Cardoso was pretty impactful. UConn best Syracuse in the tournament that year but I believe she was Acc freshman of the year.

 

[VAUConnFan]

5? That's only three.

I would definitely add Booker at TEXAS. I might even add Crooks

The posted link lists 5 that includes Ms Booker.

 

[VAUConnFan]

I really like this freshman class. In point one are you saying like best ever?I do think Paige's is at least comparable. Paige won player of the year, Clark was still Clark and very much in that discussion, and Brink though foul prone, helped Stanford win a national championship. Diamond Johnson was pretty unreal her freshman year. I feel like she averaged 20 and was basically 50 40 90. And Kamilla Cardoso was pretty impactful. UConn best Syracuse in the tournament that year but I believe she was Acc freshman of the year.

Paige is probably the most impactful WCBB freshman of all time; and incredibly clutch her freshman year. Other freshmen of comparable impact would have to be from the men's side; Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Pervis Ellison, Christian Laettner, Chris Webber, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant...

 

[TN-Gamecock]

Paige is probably the most impactful WCBB freshman of all time; and incredibly clutch her freshman year. Other freshmen of comparable impact would have to be from the men's side; Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Pervis Ellison, Christian Laettner, Chris Webber, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant...

Respectfully disagree...Caitlin was the most impactful freshman. Paige had a great supporting cast, imo. Had Caitlin had the same supporting cast, IOWA would've been a contender for the National Championship her freshman season.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Respectfully disagree...Caitlin was the most impactful freshman. Paige had a great supporting cast, imo. Had Caitlin had the same supporting cast, IOWA would've been a contender for the National Championship her freshman season.

No doubt Caitlin was impactful and I have no real concept of Iowa's WBB history except to know that women's basketball has always been huge in the state of Iowa. The reason I did not put Caitlin in the conversation was because all the other players mentioned led their respective teams to a Final Four with the exception of Durant who was The National Player of the Year as a freshman at Texas.

Paige gets my nod as most impactful WCBB freshman of all time because UConn had never asked a freshman to step up and lead it from Day One. Not that freshmen have not come in and eventually lead it by seasons end. And Coach Auriemma has never backed away from putting the ball in a freshman's hands in critical possessions. But Coach Auriemma has had the incredible luxury of developing highly touted recruits at a much more leisurely pace. Not so with Paige. More importantly, she was up to the challenge.

Am glad you brought Caitlin's name up. In today's victory over a very good Ohio State squad, in a game in which the Buckeyes shot 51% from the field, 47% from 3 in a losing effort, Caitlin Clark's stat line for Iowa was less than stellar, shooting 38% from the field, taking 41% of Iowa's shots and scoring 38% of their points. Is there anyone willing to take issue with how Iowa beat a very good team today? My point being that it does not matter how a team scores it points, as long as they score more than the other team. Caitlin Clark is the best option for Iowa and should take as many shots as necessary for her team to win. Some teams do not have the luxury of spreading the ball around.