It seems to me the choice of Mitchell is the continuation of the ever lasting infatuation with scoring. Surely Mitchell is a great scorer likely to end up 2nd all time. The continued devaluation of defense is indicated by Gabby not being included on the list. Clearly if one is included then the other should be.
Wilson is an excellent player who is essential to the success her team has and still has. But with six losses (two or three she didn't play in) and not yet ever having a good let alone big game against U Conn speaks volumes. She did play a big role in the conference championship win against MS, and she surely deserves credit for that. In my mind it shows how McGowan is while, improved and improving, still primarily a big very strong inside presence with limited skills(not that she's on or belongs on this list).
Ionescu is just fabulous. She I believe is already approaching being one of the great all time guards (I would call her a point guard) to ever play in the women's game. I just had the thought that she's in some ways a cross between DT & SB. I love watching her play and her intensity. She can still improve more defensively but that is just looking for an area to grow in.
That's brings me to KLS who as I've said quite a few times before is becoming the fourth best U Conn player. While I doubt she can get that much closer to the holy trinity of DT, MM & Stewie, one shouldn't count that out. One of the BY'ers recently posted (sorry can't remember the name for attribution) that he can't think of another player in U Conn history that's improved as much during their time here as she has. I believe she barely outshines Ionescu with her amazing shooting, superb passing, pressure defense and diving here and there for loose balls, improved and improving rebounding. Ironically both Ionescu and KLS are on incredibly talented teams, who both would fall back somewhat but would still be quite good without them.
I give it to KLS maybe because she's evolved a bit more than Ionescu in their college years as she's a junior and Ionescu a sophomore. KLS emotional and modeling leadership has become phenomenal as evidenced by the manner in which Geno speaks about her and what we can see during games. I am amazed and astounded by her ability to never be about herself, even at her hardest times when she couldn't play. Joyfully she cheers on her teammates when she can't play. She always deflects praise and compliments to her teammates and coaches. Also her ever lasting desire to improve and then to see strong evidence of that is impressive.
KLS deserves the Wade award as she has been the best all around player in the country and on the best team in the country. Ionescu is a close second. I would put Wilson third and Gabby fourth.
Bronx23