Where will Nneka go?

[robert12390]

Where do you think Nneka Ogwumike will go and why?

I think and hope that she will go to Stanford because she would be a great fit in Tara Vandeveers system. Also when do most players committ to schools? like betwwen august and december? right

[scoutnwhoops]

When I talked to her last she was waiting to see that the coaching merry-go-round was over and the positions settled so she could give them all a chance to sell their program and themselves. Texas, Duke, Stanford, Baylor or any others need to just hang in there. She'll probably take a few more visits before letting anything new out about her decision making process. She didn't seemed discouraged by the changes at Stanford and said she was making every effort to get to know the new staff at Duke.

[BrooklynSaints]

Where do you think Nneka Ogwumike will go and why?

I think and hope that she will go to Stanford because she would be a great fit in Tara Vandeveers system. Also when do most players committ to schools? like betwwen august and december? right

I would think she might commit once she hears she has been accepted by admissions. Does anyone know if she has submitted an application to Stanford.

Also what in her game makes you feel she would be a good fit for Tara's system. Do you liken her to any former players who used to play for Stanford.

Today is Tara's Birthday. So if Nneka committed it would be the best present she could ever get.

[BUFan]

Texas or Baylor

[txbasketball24]

Duke or Baylor!

[robert12390]

I would think she might commit once she hears she has been accepted by admissions. Does anyone know if she has submitted an application to Stanford.

Also what in her game makes you feel she would be a good fit for Tara's system. Do you liken her to any former players who used to play for Stanford.

Today is Tara's Birthday. So if Nneka committed it would be the best present she could ever get.

OO wudnt that be sweet... I havent seen Nneka play but i have heard from others that she would be got for tara's laid back style......Could you compare to any1 like a wnba or college player? IS she like a Sophia Young

[sim111]

Morgan Clyburn is from down here and was on just about everyones short list . She is at Stanford and hardly plays.

[sim111]

I think parents should do more research with former players or players who have transferred or quit certain schools.

[connboy]

If she leaves the state of Texas, it will be Stanford.

[chimera]

Morgan Clyburn is from down here and was on just about everyones short list . She is at Stanford and hardly plays.

How is that relevant? Morgan has been working hard to improve and earn more playing time. When she arrived it was obvious that she had a lot to work on. To her credit, she has made great strides that we hope will pay off this coming season. If you would like evidence that there is no conspiracy to hide Texas girls on the bench, how about the case of recently graduated stalwart, T'Nae Thiel? ;)

[txbasketball24]

Sorry but Stanford has a 0% chance with Nneka.

[connboy]

Why does Stanford have a 0% chance of landing Nneka?

[sim111]

How is that relevant? Morgan has been working hard to improve and earn more playing time. When she arrived it was obvious that she had a lot to work on. To her credit, she has made great strides that we hope will pay off this coming season. If you would like evidence that there is no conspiracy to hide Texas girls on the bench, how about the case of recently graduated stalwart, T'Nae Thiel? ;)


It's relevant because I posted it. Some schools promise you the world yet the also over recruit. Clyburn was considered by many a can't miss at the next level and for whatever reason that hasn't happened. Again, parents should check out certain things when letting their kids go to college especially when a kid is 2000 miles from home. Some kids make the adjustment of not being the star and are content with not playing that much because a Stanford degree truly is more important than 25 minutes a game. Some kids can handle it, some can't. No knock on Stanford or for that matter Baylor who has had a revolving door of players leaving for whatever reason.

[BUFan]

I don't think I would call Baylor's a revolving door. Several did leave as BU's recruiting picked up because they saw the hand writng on the wall and knew that incoming freshmen were going to be ahead of them....Victoria Jones (plays little at BC) Chisa Ononawu (sp?...part timer at CalSB, I think, Emily Nieman who just gave basketball up altogether...good for her if that is what she wanted, Trisha Abbott who wanted to concentrate on academics for med school, Abi Wabarra left a year early to go to Europe so she could earn money, she had already graduated), Monique Jones who left because of a problem with the law that occurred, and Whitney Jones who was homesick from the get go......over seven years is that really any more than anyone else? The total is seven with one headed to med school and the other already graduated.

[chimera]

It's relevant because I posted it. Some schools promise you the world yet the also over recruit. Clyburn was considered by many a can't miss at the next level and for whatever reason that hasn't happened. Again, parents should check out certain things when letting their kids go to college especially when a kid is 2000 miles from home. Some kids make the adjustment of not being the star and are content with not playing that much because a Stanford degree truly is more important than 25 minutes a game. Some kids can handle it, some can't. No knock on Stanford or for that matter Baylor who has had a revolving door of players leaving for whatever reason.

Maybe I'm just a nit, but I need another reason for relevance other than the simple fact of someone posting. Two different players and no reason to link them that I can see except that they come from the same area. You seem to be implying that Morgan was recruited over and left to sit in some unfair way ("Some schools promise you the world yet the also over recruit"), but if you followed the program closely I very much doubt you would be saying that. If you had been watching Morgan game in and game out, I'm sure you would not have posted as you did either.

I'm not sure who thought Morgan was a can't miss prospect. I'm not even sure there is such a thing apart from the very, very top kids, which was not where she was rated. I'm also not sure we can say she missed since she has two more years. Before her freshman season many of us watched her and fellow frosh Jillian Harmon play in a summer Pro Am league. It was very obvious to even we small basketball minds that Jillian would play a lot right away while Morgan had a long way to go to be ready. She has done about what I thought after watching her that summer. Like I said, she is making progress. Now that the two senior posts have graduated, we'll see if she is ready to grab some more minutes. We fans are hoping she can, but opinions are mixed on whether it will happen. Regardless, she is a great young woman and we root for her wholeheartedly.

Again, I do not see how this is all particularly relevant to Nneka. I can find multiple players on every roster in the country that have not played as much as they, and probably their coaches, might have wished, for a variety of reasons. It is not necessarily ominous, which is what you implied by including it in this thread the way you have. I could go pick at the Baylor roster (or Texas, Duke, etc.) and look for similar situations, but what would be the point? As you point out, Baylor has had many transfers. A sign of issues or just one of those things? I have no clue. I am not in position to judge so I won't.

[YourCrimsonNightmare]

I just WISH Baylor was a revolving door for players! If it was, maybe OU would have a fighting chance of extending that 7-game winning streak for a while. But I'm neither stupid nor blind. It's just a matter of time before payback begins, and it could begin with the first game between those two teams this year.

Mulkey is a great coach, and I can see it as can any aware person. She has some sharp new tools in the kit this year, and OU lost six seniors. I doubt the streak can reach 9, and maybe not 8. She's been bringing in terrific talent, and I think a lot of people will see that this year.

Thank goodness for Courtney Paris!

[jonnyss]

a revolving door of players leaving for whatever reason.

well if we're considering players leaving, thanks for mentioning stanford. hardly anyone quits the team. i am aware of only one player leaving the stanford team to transfer for better playing opportunity in the new millenium: that would be becky bonner, who transfered to boston u. in 2002, and did indeed start and become b.u.'s high scorer.

jessica elway left the team 2 years ago, but she was not a high school star, and she stayed at stanford. to my memory, the only other player to leave the stanford team for any reason in the new millenium is jamie carey, who was not cleared to play by the stanford docs after multiple concussions. i don't think that counts as any sort of dissatisfaction as she was a starter - a star - and both jamie and tara very much wanted jamie to keep playing for stanford. in fact, jamie's loss, coupled with susan king borchardt's knee injury, forced stanford to start freshman power forward nicole powell at point guard.

i believe the 90's were pretty similar. less than a handful of players (maybe 3?) left the team in that entire decade. i just don't recall the details quite as clearly.

[SakiBomb25]

In the 1990's, there were a few more transfers than in recent years. Naila Moseley left after two years I believe, though I am not sure if she graduated from Stanford. Melody Peterson graduated in three years, than went to Nebraska for graduate school and played on the basketball and rugby team. She was at Stanford for two years I think. Karesa Granderson left after two years. And of course, you mentioned Jamie Carey, Jessie Elway, and Becky Bonner.

Susan King-Borchardt could have left after she graduated, but decided to stick around The Farm for one more year. I think that speaks highly of the program and her feelings for the team.

In terms of Clyburn, I'd really like to see your sources who labeled her a "can't miss" prospect. She is a tall player who's big strength is shooting. At the time of her freshman year, she didn't have the muscle mass to contribute in the paint, which is what VanDerveer recruited her for, I believe. It's funny that you insinuate that Clyburn is just wasting away on the bench. You have absolutely no idea what she was promised (nothing I would bet), what went on in her recruiting process, or why she choose Stanford.

I think that Stanford has an excellent chance at recruiting Ogwumike. Her family values education and VanDerveer would know how to utilize her strengths as a post player (as scout had said before, she is a much better in-system player). My only concern would be Texas. If it isn't Texas, I bet it would be Stanford.

[BrooklynSaints]

In the 1990's, there were a few more transfers than in recent years. Naila Moseley left after two years I believe, though I am not sure if she graduated from Stanford. Melody Peterson graduated in three years, than went to Nebraska for graduate school and played on the basketball and rugby team. She was at Stanford for two years I think. Karesa Granderson left after two years. And of course, you mentioned Jamie Carey, Jessie Elway, and Becky Bonner.

Susan King-Borchardt could have left after she graduated, but decided to stick around The Farm for one more year. I think that speaks highly of the program and her feelings for the team.

In terms of Clyburn, I'd really like to see your sources who labeled her a "can't miss" prospect. She is a tall player who's big strength is shooting. At the time of her freshman year, she didn't have the muscle mass to contribute in the paint, which is what VanDerveer recruited her for, I believe. It's funny that you insinuate that Clyburn is just wasting away on the bench. You have absolutely no idea what she was promised (nothing I would bet), what went on in her recruiting process, or why she choose Stanford.

I think that Stanford has an excellent chance at recruiting Ogwumike. Her family values education and VanDerveer would know how to utilize her strengths as a post player (as scout had said before, she is a much better in-system player). My only concern would be Texas. If it isn't Texas, I bet it would be Stanford.

I don't think you should count Elway. She is still in Stanford and enjoying the student life. I'm sure many girls would choose not to be on a college team if they did not need the scholarship.

Does anyone know the high school history of Clyburn. Its strange that a girl that tall is so good in shooting 3-pointers but does not have much of a post game. I would think Morgan would have been forced to play down low because of her height. Did Morgan's school have a lot of quality big girls?

[sim111]

Look I have very good sources, I talk to lot's of folks who are in the know be it directly or indirectly and again let me reiterate that PARENTS of kids who are being recruited should gather as much info about where their child is going as they can, especially when you are a player of Nnekas caliber. Sure you may have some disgruntled folks who go and out and say this and that but the bottom line is that be it parents shouldn't just listen to some old decrepit AAU coach who only cares about his wins or some FAN who reads the paper and thinks someone is great because it's printed. Talk to parents whose kids play or have played there or even former players, be it graduated or transferred. This goes for all schools!

[sim111]

The folks with Adidas were calling her a can't miss in 2004. She played in a HS tournament out in the Clear Lake area and it was around 100 college coaches there watching her. That was the buzz, no not Glenn, going around here at the time. Big girl that could shoot the 3, put it on the floor, play D and was fundamentally sound.

[BrooklynSaints]

The folks with Adidas were calling her a can't miss in 2004. She played in a HS tournament out in the Clear Lake area and it was around 100 college coaches there watching her. That was the buzz, no not Glenn, going around here at the time. Big girl that could shoot the 3, put it on the floor, play D and was fundamentally sound.

I feel that Morgan is a good 3-point shooter. Like all players she has weaknesses.
You have to be fair in your statements.

Stanford had two big girls who were drafted in the first round of the WNBA (Smith & Newlin). The two girls were on the roster when Clyburn signed. Stanford also was able to get Jayne Appel to sign the year after Clyburn. Jayne was a highly rated recruit. She was in the top 5 of her class. Are you saying that as a coach you would have passed on Jayne because you had Clyburn already on the team? Would You have passed on Pederson also?

Any player who is a top 100 recruit is going to get a lot of attention from college coaches. Unless you are in the top 10 in your class, you have a long way to go to be can't miss. If anything they may have meant can't miss in life. I hear Morgan is doing very well in school and on track to graduate with a degree in Biomedical Engineeering.

I doubt that Morgan was promised anything. I've never heard anyone say that. The only thing that Stanford promises is a chance to compete for playing time. The reality is the chance of beating out a top 5 recruit who plays your position is very slim.

Your suggestion to speak to current or former players is flawed. In every school there are players who are very happy and others who are less than that. Unless you know the total picture it just clouds the truth.

No matter where Nneka goes

[BrooklynSaints]

The folks with Adidas were calling her a can't miss in 2004. She played in a HS tournament out in the Clear Lake area and it was around 100 college coaches there watching her. That was the buzz, no not Glenn, going around here at the time. Big girl that could shoot the 3, put it on the floor, play D and was fundamentally sound.

I feel that Morgan is a good 3-point shooter. Like all players she has weaknesses.
You have to be fair in your statements.

Stanford had two big girls who were drafted in the first round of the WNBA (Smith & Newlin). The two girls were on the roster when Clyburn signed. Stanford also was able to get Jayne Appel to sign the year after Clyburn. Jayne was a highly rated recruit. She was in the top 5 of her class. Are you saying that as a coach you would have passed on Jayne because you had Clyburn already on the team? Would you have passed on Pederson also?

Any player who is a top 100 recruit is going to get a lot of attention from college coaches. Unless you are in the top 10 in your class, you have a long way to go to be can't miss. If anything they may have meant can't miss in life. I hear Morgan is doing very well in school and on track to graduate with a degree in Biomedical Engineering.

I doubt that Morgan was promised anything. I've never heard anyone say that. The only thing that Stanford promises is a chance to compete for playing time. The reality is the chance of beating out a top 5 recruit who plays your position is very slim.

Your suggestion to speak to current or former players is flawed. In every school there are players who are very happy and others who are less than that. Unless you know the total picture it just clouds the truth.

No matter where Nneka goes she is going to be a top 5 recruit. That means she is going to send a player who currently has hopes of playing to the bench. It’s sad but it’s the nature of the sport.

[BUFan]

[No matter where Nneka goes she is going to be a top 5 recruit. That means she is going to send a player who currently has hopes of playing to the bench. It’s sad but it’s the nature of the sport.[/QUOTE]


You are right, then that girl going to the bench may leave and everybody thnks the coach ran her off and is at fault...seems to be rampant thought these days.

[Bobbk]

Several of us saw Morgan play in the San Francisco summer league prior to the start of her Stanford frosh year. It was obvious that she would not play much her first year. While a fine 3 point shooter, she didn't put the ball on the floor well, and wasn't quick enough to play on the wing. That said, as Brooklyn Saints point out she wasn't going to play ahead of New or Smith anyway. She had few "in the paint" moves

To be fair, the league always has a number of former college players at 6-3, 6-4 with good skills.

Last season at USC, New, Smith and Appel all got into foul trouble and Morgan played a number of minutes at Center against two good USC posts. She did very well on Defense, OK on Offense. Her forte is still the 3 pointer, but she will be fine on D when Appel needs a rest.

Can't miss against HS players sometimes doesn't translate well.

And thanks to Brooklyn for mentioning her Major. She will be can't miss, just might not be as a Basketball player.

[sim111]

All points taken and noted.

[jonnyss]

i echo the oklahoma fan who sighs, "i wish." if only stanford had so many top 10 power forwards that nneka would have to worry about playing time.

isn't tennessee the only school that might possibly have the luxury of that worry for 2008? i wish we had tennessee's problem. and i can't imagine there are any tennessee recruits who don't understand that they'll have to compete for playing time. it's like the usa national team under one roof.