Top 25 Returning WCBB Players

[The deacon]

If not for a team wide slump in February Nika would have likely finished the season ahead of Caitlin in assists and that would have added yet another amazing accomplishment to her resume. I suppose, if that occurred, your response to an appreciation thread would be your trademark . View attachment 90529

Nika truly is the Rodney Dangerfield of Uconn wcbb. Aside from having, I would guess, the record for the most threads shut down, assumedly because of back and forth specifically about her, Nan in the latest ( the starting five thread) named the elephant in the room..."but we are NOT having yet another thread rehashing opinions on Nika. It’s all been said a million times already".

One thing is for sure, when Nika moves on from Uconn she will have left her mark on all of us. I for one am in total agreement with Geno, Nika is Unique! Whatever any of our opinions are on her talent, position on the roster or other debatable areas I assume we all love that she chose to be a Husky. Gotta love the kid, she bleeds blue from every pore of her being!

Well said, #12in21. Nika will be long remembered, and appreciated for all she's brought to the program.

As for her being a Rodney Dangerfield, she's anything but. The few of us BYers who dare to question Nika's energetic and persuasive advocates are regularly shot down. It seems Nika gets at least her share of respect here, wholly deserved or not... IMO, okay?

 

[Rowdy831]

With due respect to what Nika has brought to UConn, especially during lean personnel times, that she's ranked in the Top 25 is startling to me. Some of us wouldn't have her as a starter for the Huskies.

Harmon and Sheldon are two of the best guards in the country, way too low in the rankings.

This won't sit well here either, but Azzi is ranked on her press clippings and potential (as, I guess, are some of the others). Ahead of Holmes and Brink? Kidding, right?

I'd also have Paige ahead of Reese, who rode the shooting of an unheralded reserve to the title.

LSU rode Reese to the title period. Other had a good game here and there but she was outstanding all year and even better when she was needed to step up. If UCONN had played to their potential in the playoffs they would have a title but their stars that were healthy disappeared in the game that mattered most. That does NOT mean I don't respect them or think they are great players.

Now for Nika. She was the best player on UCONN the past two years that actually played. She showed up every night, she defended players better than any other player in the league two year in a row and broke the assists record at the most heralded school in the nation. If you are ranking the best 25 scorers in the country she isn't on the list, but a basketball player is much more than offense. This year she will have players at her level or above around her and we will all be shocked at what a difference it makes in her game too.

 

[nwhoopfan]

LSU rode Reese to the title period.

Strongly disagree. She was REALLY up and down in the Tourney. Several of her teammates were at least as responsible for the Championship as she was.

 

[Next 12]

Saw this in my YouTube feed tonight.

UCONN is well represented, but I say what's a list of "The Best" without some controversy? Let's hear it.

I read the whole list and have come to the conclusion that the list should be expanded to 50 returning players to satisfy all posters. I am overjoyed that Uconn has 4 players on the list and I don't care where they are listed. I also think that Caroline should have been listed also.Try to make an engine run without a spark plug, it won't. NIKA is Uconn's spark plug and by far( naysayers aside) the best defensive player Uconns ever had. I based my conclusion on the fact the game has progressed exponentially in the last 5or 6 years and defense is a greater factor in winning or losing. The next 3 years are going to belong to Uconn and the "bad for BB" Montra again. GO HUSKIES!!!

 

[Kaizen]

My top 4,
Paige, Clark, Azzi, Aalyiah

 

[The deacon]

LSU rode Reese to the title period. Other had a good game here and there but she was outstanding all year and even better when she was needed to step up. If UCONN had played to their potential in the playoffs they would have a title but their stars that were healthy disappeared in the game that mattered most. That does NOT mean I don't respect them or think they are great players.

Now for Nika. She was the best player on UCONN the past two years that actually played. She showed up every night, she defended players better than any other player in the league two year in a row and broke the assists record at the most heralded school in the nation. If you are ranking the best 25 scorers in the country she isn't on the list, but a basketball player is much more than offense. This year she will have players at her level or above around her and we will all be shocked at what a difference it makes in her game too.

 

[Alydar]

I like your list! To add more context, I would add a little verbiage--"Single-season assist record for the most storied program, shattering the great Sue Bird's record, which had stood for 2 decades." Any time someone outdoes Sue, it's noteworthy.

She was the only UConn guard who played for a good part of the season and that had something to do with the season record. She also had Edwards (60%) and Senechal (50%) helping. It's a team game and most individual records have to be looked at that way. Clark likely would not lead the country in scoring playing for UConn. UConn has had very few players who averaged 20/game and yet they are in the HOF.

I'm also glad that the players don't obsess over individual records like their fans.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Seems to me Moriah Jefferson was a better defender than Nika. Her numbers stack up quite well against previous UConn PGs. Nika is quite good, to be sure. It's fun to watch her predate her opponent.

 

[Skeets]

My top 4,
Paige, Clark, Azzi, Aalyiah

My top 5: Paige, Clark, Azzi, Aalyiah, Nika

By the way, I could be the biggest Nika supporter on the BY, but the statement that Nika is the best defender that UConn ever had is a little bit of a stretch even for me. If you want to say that Nika is one of the top 5 defenders that UConn ever had, OK, I'll buy that.

 

[JonathanXIV]

My top 5: Paige, Clark, Azzi, Aalyiah, Nika

By the way, I could be the biggest Nika supporter on the BY, but the statement that Nika is the best defender that UConn ever had is a little bit of a stretch even for me. If you want to say that Nika is one of the top 5 defenders that UConn ever had, OK, I'll buy that.

And even top five might be a stretch. Moriah, Kia, Gabby, Kelly, Kiah…the list of top defenders is long and impressive.