Not so good news - Paige (merged thread)

[visitingcock]

Paige is a transcendent talent.

 

[Skeets]

This drops our roster number to 10. Is Geno comfortable going into the season with only 10 players? Classes for the fall term begin in 4 weeks. Is it too late to find a player (or two) from the portal to return the roster to 11 or perhaps 12?

Knowing One, I believe it's too late to pick up a PG from the portal and be eligible for the 22-23 season. Maybe an international transfer? I don't know the rules for that. I do know that Nika is the only true PG that UConn has. Can Azzi spell Nika as PG and bring the ball up court? Yes, but she is more valuable playing off the ball. Can Caroline bring the ball up court? Yeah, but that's not optimum (I cringe at the thought). The little I know about Lou says that you might not her pressed into a PG role in big time D1 basketball. Have I missed someone?

I was a proponent of bringing in another big. Duh, how quickly things change...

 

[Bone Dog]

Nika’s projected mins/game just jumped to 35. She’s gonna need to learn some self-control wrt to fouls.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Saw this on PTI (on tape). She is one of the faces of WBB and will be missed on many levels. One of the players that is always fun to watch.

Wishing a quick recovery.

 

[MSGRET]

How Paige Bueckers' injury impacts UConn and the 2022-23 women's college basketball season

A win away from an NCAA title last April, UConn has lost Paige Bueckers to a torn ACL, which will impact the 2022-23 season and national championship race.

www.espn.com

ESPN is now saying that UConn should be ranked around 6th or 7th in the preseason polls and is speculating on if she stays or goes to the W.

 

[stwainfan]

hope for a full recovery. I hate for any player to get injured.

 

[superjohn]

2 straight years of rehab plus mucho NIL ????. What's the point to come back?

Where is she going to go? There is no NBA for women's basketball players. UConn is where she'll make the most money playing basketball and have the most fun playing basketball.

 

[and one]

Just total shock and disbelief at this news. We can only hope she can make a full recovery.

 

[NYCer20]

I don't see her ever leaving early. Have been talking a lot about it with my nephew, fellow Minnesotan, who's the biggest WNBA fan I know (and is a guy who used to vociferously cheer against the Huskies but is now all-in since Paige arrived on campus). Women's college hoops is simply bigger than the WNBA, culturally, in the media, everywhere. Even if there were no NILs, I still think she'd play four years. But with them it seems to take the financial aspect out of it entirely, leaving the hoops part.

And the hoops part leans heavily to UConn: Wanting to win a national title; and if she wins one in her third year of playing, wanting to repeat; she was a UConn girl from about 8th grade on, it was basically destiny for her to go there, and I think she'd take every chance she had to go for a title; winning a college championship brings more "fame" such as it is than winning a WNBA one. With all that Taurasi, Bird, Maya, Stewie and company have done in the WNBA -- and it's legendary! -- I'd argue they're still all best known for their UConn days, among casual hoops fans. I just can't see her playing two years, one of them hampered by injury, missing out an entire year and then entering the draft. Or even playing in 2023-2024, winning a title or making a tourney run, then entering the draft just so she can play in front of 6,000 people and go for a WNBA title, while always wondering if she might have won one more or even a single one back at UConn, all while playing in front of packed houses at home and as part of a traveling road show.

I guess the one thing that could swing it is if there's such concern over her health that she doesn't want to risk ANY more time in college and use whatever time she has left with those knees in the pros.

But I figure she's planning on a full comeback, to be as good or better than ever, and if that's the case I think she'll be playing for the Huskies for two more years.

(This could easily be Old Takes Exposed one day but we'll see).

 

[Stymie]

Knocked the wind out of me.
Gasping,
Really.
Now:
Very short roster.
Aubrey coming back from back surgery.
Azzi still a little gingerly on foot stress ‘bruise’.
The days of pounding an opponent into the ground with 6-8 players and winning by 50+ points is OVER.
The game is faster, more physical and competitive now.
Need a roster of at least 13 GOING INTO THE SEASON.
Hip pointers, ankles, bruised knees and quad strains all come with the territory.
Need to integrate the #9-13 players into meaningful minutes- not only mop up with 3 minutes to go.
Let everyone eat, if just a bite.
Meanwhile- heartbroken.

 

[sledog]

Big news. Made WABC 770 radio news at 6pm today!

 

[RowdyFan]

How Paige Bueckers' injury impacts UConn and the 2022-23 women's college basketball season

A win away from an NCAA title last April, UConn has lost Paige Bueckers to a torn ACL, which will impact the 2022-23 season and national championship race.

www.espn.com

ESPN is now saying that UConn should be ranked around 6th or 7th in the preseason polls and is speculating on if she stays or goes to the W.

ESPN should go poop in their hat. They are speculating for ratings.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Sure she is frustrated but will bounce back. Next woman up time.

 

[CTBballfan243]

We are going to find out how Paige’s injury will impact UConn’s ranking. That’s why you play the games.

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[Soxx]

Jesus Mary & Joseph the poor kid can't catch a break.

Is this the same knee she injured last year???

Allegedly, yes.

 

[KY Card Fan]

ESPN should go poop in their hat. They are speculating for ratings.

I just read the article and don't see anything wrong with it. It seems factual with pretty solid opinions from, IMHO, the two best WBB reporters on the national scene.

I'm a die-hard Louisville fan and UConn is my second-favorite team. But from a broader perspective, this is devastating for WBB. Paige is so special. Hope to see her back in a UConn uniform next season.

 

[OldSchooler]

Feel so guilty thinking about "my" (or "our") loss, when the real tragedy is this marvelous human being's loss of a precious year of collaborating with her contemporaries at the pinnacle of her sport. I hope she'll spend the coming year devoted to her studies, enabling her to come back for two healthy years of ball with less academic pressure, or maybe a graduate degree. Wouldn't be surprised to see Geno use her in an active role as a "student-coach" in the coming year. (That wouldn't violate any red-shirt rules, would it?)

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I can't imagine how disappointed Paige must be. I hope she heals quickly and maintains as positive an outlook as possible.

 

[Bigboote]

How Paige Bueckers' injury impacts UConn and the 2022-23 women's college basketball season

A win away from an NCAA title last April, UConn has lost Paige Bueckers to a torn ACL, which will impact the 2022-23 season and national championship race.

www.espn.com

ESPN is now saying that UConn should be ranked around 6th or 7th in the preseason polls and is speculating on if she stays or goes to the W.

Disagree; maybe they should drop to third behind SC and Stanford, but who else is better than UConn without Paige?

This is heartbreaking news. Sending healing vibes to Paige and her loved ones and teammates.

 

[Geew1992]

Allegedly, yes.

Not sure why you say allegedly. It’s the same left knee

 

[Huskee11]

I am broken-hearted for Paige. There is no one who feels at home on a basketball court, or who lives for the big moments that occur there, more than Paige. That is her home. To have that ripped away for a full year in one horrendous moment is unimaginably cruel.

Along with the entire Boneyard and countless others, I wish Paige a full and complete recovery and many, many more years of outstanding basketball. We all stand with and behind this incredible young woman.

As fans and followers of UConn WBB, we only get glimpses of what is going on during the offseason - a video, an article, a quote here and there. But it was totally clear to anyone paying even modest attention that Paige was putting together an admirable offseason of intense dedication, getting stronger, hitting the weight room, looking great, looking to put the pain of last season behind and lead a very strong team to greater heights. That she will not be doing that in 2022-2023 is simply gut wrenching.

The questions abound, but they will be with us tomorrow and the next day. The answers will come in due course. For now, there is just the heartbreak. And, the incredibly strong and powerful message that Paige posted on her Instagram account. A testament to the human spirit and to the character of one Paige Bueckers.

 

[NYCHUSKIES]

Sad news.

Sending healing thoughts to Paige. She is a phenomenal player. During her first two years, Paige averaged more assists per game, she had a better A/TO ratio, and she had a higher effective field goal percentage (eFG%) than UCONN’s greatest WBB players—Diana, Maya, and Breanna. She also averaged an impressive 18 points per game.

I hope Paige can draw inspiration from Sue Bird, who overcame multiple knee injuries.

Stay positive and come back strong, Paige.

How many knee injuries did sue have during her uconn career?

 

[LoboDays]

For me, The sad part of all of this is that Paige is a born gym rat. She is happiest when she’s on the floor playing hoops. Fortunately, she has a lot of support. It will be needed.

Talk here about when Paige will play again and where. We can speculate but I think there is a bigger issue.. her legs. What happened last year and today is not just bad luck.

There is a thread here called Paige & Azzi Workout Video. Take a look at the difference between their legs. Thoroughbred race horses are fast but one bad move and their gone. My concern is not when but if she can ever consistently compete at the highest level.

It’s a loss for basketball fans.

 

[SCGamecock]

Praying for a full and speedy recovery for Paige. Some things are bigger than the scoreboard and the bottom line is that this is a loss for WCBB across the board.