January 2021 UConn recruiting thread

[jazz]

What big or wing or 2 guard would want want to go to UConn at all? Yall are loaded at every position. It doesnt matter who your PG is, when you're at the end of the bench. How does the 2021 class inspire anyone to go to UConn next year lol? Delusional

there are minutes to be gained at uconn. we could use a big or two in the coming years. if you are good, you play. this team will still not be as deep as past teams.

2 guard might shy away so i give you that, but not as much for wings and certainly not bigs. they will want to play with the guards we will have in the future.

anyway, we will see in the coming years. i expect to get more than we already have post 2021 class....and that is not delusional my friend.

 

[oldhusky]

Regarding several earlier comments, I do think Paige by herself helps recruiting, particularly of shooters and inside scorers (see class of 21). Beyond that I think the loaded roster does hurt, particularly say players ranked in the 10-30 range.

That is the type of player who could be a starter at all but some of the best schools. Here they could be DNP coache's

 

[oldhusky]

Sorry I accidentally entered the last post before I was finished. I was trying to say that a player ranked in the 10-30 range could very well be DNP coach's decision here, but a starter almost everywhere else. When the third string, not just the second, has those kind of players, of course it affects recruiting.

I could see a barbell approach to recruiting now. First concentrate your efforts on top ten players. Why? Because they may feel they are good enough, it doesn't matter who is already on the roster. A player like Azzi would meet that definition.

At the other end is the player who would be happy just to be part of the program. Get to play everyday against top players, get some garbage minutes, your team is on tv all the time, may be part of a national championship etc. I thought Kyla and Molly were recruited for those kind of roles. Be an upgraded Pulido or Lawlor but not expecting significant minutes. Then after a couple of less productive classes they moved up to being part of the rotation out of necessity, not by design. That kind of player with work ethic, character, modest ability is fine for say 10-13 on a roster.

It's the player between that will be tough to get, somebody that could start on most teams but could be third team at Uconn. The other big unknown is transfers. I'm sure there will be some, but unfortunately for recruits, they don't know how many or who.

 

[visitingcock]

I don’t think the 1-5 prospects worry about rosters because they probably consider themselves Number 1 in the class and capable of starting anywhere. ICE certainly isn’t scared off. Players 6-15 might think about pt and look more closely at a roster. Still, they consider themselves elite.

I doubt they look too much at the class that precedes them. Okay, maybe a shooting guard considers that Azi is coming in but most prospects consider what they see playing for a school - not the ones that aren’t playing yet.

i also see kids wanting to try a loaded roster more than in the past due to the loosening of transfer rules. Stockpiled teams like UConn, SCar, Stanford, Oregon etc might start seeing large numbers of high quality bench players leaving.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Newly released Brandon Clay video from a December camp:

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Speaking of Ducharme, Nobles & Greenough apparently played on Saturday and she did this in 21 minutes:

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

1/22

Chloe Clardy: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Thanks to Stoli for this. Same group that did the video of UConn's 2021 class did one on some of UConn's 2022 targets. Janiah Barker not noted, and they have Isuneh Brady's teammate shown instead of Isuneh herself.

 

[HuskylnSC]

there are minutes to be gained at uconn. we could use a big or two in the coming years. if you are good, you play. this team will still not be as deep as past teams.

A big or two are DeBerry and Ice. And if Piath develops that's another big. The only real need on the team is a true stretch 4 and Aaliyah has the skill set to develop into one. Anyone who signs with UConn for the next two years will have to be extremely confident in their abilities (Barker, Patterson, Rice, Watkins, Del Rosario) and feel with a high degree of certainty that they can win time over the existing players or someone may be willing to apprentice under current players to play a major role in later years.. Recruiting in the next couple of years will be thin perhaps 2 players who are either exceptional players or prepared to spend their years practicing.

 

[oldhusky]

I don’t think the 1-5 prospects worry about rosters because they probably consider themselves Number 1 in the class and capable of starting anywhere. ICE certainly isn’t scared off. Players 6-15 might think about pt and look more closely at a roster. Still, they consider themselves elite.

I doubt they look too much at the class that precedes them. Okay, maybe a shooting guard considers that Azi is coming in but most prospects consider what they see playing for a school - not the ones that aren’t playing yet.

i also see kids wanting to try a loaded roster more than in the past due to the loosening of transfer rules. Stockpiled teams like UConn, SCar, Stanford, Oregon etc might start seeing large numbers of high quality bench players leaving.

I think your point on transfers is very good. Previously if a player thought she made a mistake, for whatever reason, there was a significant price to play, namely sitting out a year. Now you can gamble a bit on the playing time issue knowing if you are wrong, you can change things without so much downside. Coaching staffs are similarly effected, yes they will lose more players to transfers, but they can quickly fill the holes by bringing in transfers of their own.

Instead of the initial recruiting being say 95% of the process, and transfers a rarely used fringe, recruiting via transfer becomes a significant part of the overall strategy, as does the foreign market. All three are in the mix now for most top programs.

 

[jazz]

A big or two are DeBerry and Ice. And if Piath develops that's another big. The only real need on the team is a true stretch 4 and Aaliyah has the skill set to develop into one. Anyone who signs with UConn for the next two years will have to be extremely confident in their abilities (Barker, Patterson, Rice, Watkins, Del Rosario) and feel with a high degree of certainty that they can win time over the existing players or someone may be willing to apprentice under current players to play a major role in later years.. Recruiting in the next couple of years will be thin perhaps 2 players who are either exceptional players or prepared to spend their years practicing.

Maybe you are right Husky.

I don't know about DeBerry being a classic big since she is so skinny. I think we could still 'use' a big or two but it is not a 'real need', at least until Liv leaves which will be when Ice comes in I think.

I'd like another big body when Liv leaves. Too early to say it is is a 'real need' but I think we could 'use one' as I mentioned in my original post.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

KK Bransford:

 

[CocoHusky]

KK Bransford:

Thanks for that. I almost forgotten about KK. Very Jackie Young ( workman) like in these highlights. I didn't see deep ball in these highlights but I like everything else I saw. Hopefully the one leg wrapped is a fashion statement and not injury related. That lack of a deep ball might be a concern, she was the only guard at USA basketball U16 that did not even attempt a 3 ball.

 

[BobbyJ]

Thanks for that. I almost forgotten about KK. Very Jackie Young ( workman) like in these highlights. I didn't see deep ball in these highlights but I like everything else I saw. Hopefully the one leg wrapped is a fashion statement and not injury related. That lack of a deep ball might be a concern, she was the only guard at USA basketball U16 that did not even attempt a 3 ball.

Nice strong, physical guard. And she could show the posts how to drop step and extend with one hand.

 

[visitingcock]

How many 2022 prospects do yous guys/y'all expect UConn to sign for 2022. It looks like (barring transfers and early draftees) y'all will have 11 scholly players in 2022, Theoretically that means you could take Ice and three others but I surmise from reading this board that Geno never carries a full load.

Really, playing time with 14 scholly players in 2021-22 is gonna be sparse. (Scar will have the same problem next year with 14 scholly players). Not enough balls and minutes to go around.

FWIW I'm guessing that Dawn won't take over 3 commitments for 2022. One post if we can find one. One forward that I expect us to find, and one multipurpose guard.

Over abundance of wealth?

 

[CocoHusky]

How many 2022 prospects do yous guys/y'all expect UConn to sign for 2022. It looks like (barring transfers and early draftees) y'all will have 11 scholly players in 2022, Theoretically that means you could take Ice and three others but I surmise from reading this board that Geno never carries a full load.

Really, playing time with 14 scholly players in 2021-22 is gonna be sparse. (Scar will have the same problem next year with 14 scholly players). Not enough balls and minutes to go around.

FWIW I'm guessing that Dawn won't take over 3 commitments for 2022. One post if we can find one. One forward that I expect us to find, and one multipurpose guard.

Over abundance of wealth?

My speculation is that '22 will be 2-3 person class. I'm not concerned about the numbers right now, much more concerned about the quality. If the two are Brady and Patterson or Barker I think UCONN is set for a while. As you know Barker has been silent on recruiting. I'm beginning to warm up to Patterson a lot. I don't see the need to add a guard in '22 now that Jackson is off the table but Rice or Bransford or Asai would be welcomed but the '23 available guards are better IMO. So if you had to pin me down I'd say UCONN 2022 recruiting class is Brady and Patterson and that will certainly be enough quality for me. BTW ( don't share this with anyone), I have no idea if UCONN is interested, but I got a new crush to replace Miss Jackson-Mikayla Williams from the 504.

 

[jazz]

My speculation is that '22 will be 2-3 person class. I'm not concerned about the numbers right now, much more concerned about the quality. If the two are Brady and Patterson or Barker I think UCONN is set for a while. As you know Barker has been silent on recruiting. I'm beginning to warm up to Patterson a lot. I don't see the need to add a guard in '22 now that Jackson is off the table but Rice or Bransford or Asai would be welcomed but the '23 available guards are better IMO. So if you had to pin me down I'd say UCONN 2022 recruiting class is Brady and Patterson and that will certainly be enough quality for me. BTW ( don't share this with anyone), I have no idea if UCONN is interested, but I got a new crush to replace Miss Jackson-Mikayla Williams from the 504.

Are you saying that you think Patterson comes to UCONN? What is your intel?

 

[visitingcock]

My speculation is that '22 will be 2-3 person class. I'm not concerned about the numbers right now, much more concerned about the quality. If the two are Brady and Patterson or Barker I think UCONN is set for a while. As you know Barker has been silent on recruiting. I'm beginning to warm up to Patterson a lot. I don't see the need to add a guard in '22 now that Jackson is off the table but Rice or Bransford or Asai would be welcomed but the '23 available guards are better IMO. So if you had to pin me down I'd say UCONN 2022 recruiting class is Brady and Patterson and that will certainly be enough quality for me. BTW ( don't share this with anyone), I have no idea if UCONN is interested, but I got a new crush to replace Miss Jackson-Mikayla Williams from the 504.

Yeah, that's kinda what I figure for SCar. 2 or 3.

I'm thinking Ashlyn Watkins (SC) a SF though she could be a smallish post. I really like Maya Nnaji's offense at forward. Might be one or the other on those two. Talaysia Cooper (SC) 6 footish at big guard/forward/wing. She is a jack-of-all-trades type player.

A commitment by Patterson and/or Barker alters the position of the two forwards above. SCar and UConn are on the finalist lists for Tyanna Todd, but I doubt whether either has offered. Maybe, but she does not appear to my eyeball test to be in the class of Cooper.

Milaysia Fulwilley (SC) would be our focus of attention for 2023. Del Rosario would also be a focus in that class. Joyce Edwards (SC) is the focus of 2024

No publicly disclosed offer to Barker, but why wouldnt we? Dawn has purportedly offered everybody else mentioned above.

 

[CocoHusky]

Are you saying that you think Patterson comes to UCONN? What is your intel?

My post began: "My speculation..." I have no intel.

 

[CocoHusky]

A commitment by Patterson and/or Barker alters the position of the two forwards above. SCar and UConn are on the finalist lists for Tyanna Todd, but I doubt whether either has offered. Maybe, but she does not appear to my eyeball test to be in the class of Cooper.

Has Todd narrowed her list below 13?

 

[HuskylnSC]

My post began: "My speculation..." I have no intel.

A few posters on McGraw seem to think Patterson is a ND lean. I don’t think Geno is too interested in Nani. But KK or Kiki would be fine.

 

[jazz]

My post began: "My speculation..." I have no intel.

Has Todd narrowed her list below 13?

didnt know your 'speculation' involved everything you said in the entire post, including the actual names you mentioned. Hence my question.

 

[visitingcock]

Has Todd narrowed her list below 13?

Nah. Rumor (only?) on another board that she is going to cut her list to 5 in February

 

[cancontent]

Yeah, that's kinda what I figure for SCar. 2 or 3.

I'm thinking Ashlyn Watkins (SC) a SF though she could be a smallish post. I really like Maya Nnaji's offense at forward. Might be one or the other on those two. Talaysia Cooper (SC) 6 footish at big guard/forward/wing. She is a jack-of-all-trades type player.

A commitment by Patterson and/or Barker alters the position of the two forwards above. SCar and UConn are on the finalist lists for Tyanna Todd, but I doubt whether either has offered. Maybe, but she does not appear to my eyeball test to be in the class of Cooper.

Milaysia Fulwilley (SC) would be our focus of attention for 2023. Del Rosario would also be a focus in that class. Joyce Edwards (SC) is the focus of 2024

No publicly disclosed offer to Barker, but why wouldnt we? Dawn has purportedly offered everybody else mentioned above.

I've been skeptical of this as well. Considering who has been talked about I don't know if she exceeds their skillsets from what I've seen over the years. She may have gotten questionnaires from both programs in the past, the grouping of schools on her last social media post has me skeptical.

Has Todd narrowed her list below 13?

It's definitely being posted on February 1.

I'm curious as to whether BYers think she would be a fit for UConn based on who has been targeted and who is coming in.

It's really hard to gauge her play if it's based on her Gr. 10 season Royal Crown. They didn't face teams from the prep league here a lot because they are independent. The roster around her wasn't like the team they put together for this year before COVID shut down most of Ontario for basketball competition.

Royal Crown's goal to compete primarily in the US this year also fell through and has taken away another season to show her skills. She is one of the top guards in the 2022 class for Canada, but there definitely are a few ahead of her. One has verbally committed to Duke (Koabel) and there's another who plays for a school in London ON (Lemyah Hylton) who I believe would give her a run for her money.