Women’s Basketball: A look into this year’s recruiting class, part one 

One of the most exciting things about the offseason is getting a chance to preview next year’s team. It’s always sad to see familiar faces go, but it’s also fun to look at who will be coming in. Once again, the UConn women’s basketball team has constructed a high-quality class, with four different players. Who is in that class, what will their impact be and what does head coach Geno Auriemma have to say about them? Let’s take a look at the first two players in the class, McDonald’s All-Americans KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade. 

KK Arnold, 5’9” Point Guard, No. 6 on ESPN 

Scouting Report: As a five-star recruit and the No. 6 player in the country, Arnold is the most complete player in the Huskies’ recruiting class. A true scoring point guard, she moves extremely well and is also an exceptional ball handler. She gets to her spots with ease and can really convert at all three levels. One such example is her crossover, which helps her get open and then hit threes, which Arnold excels in. She’s also able to get to the basket and finish with contact, something that’ll translate nicely at the next level. Her passing abilities are also off the charts, able to mix in flashy passes with conventional ones that get the job done. Arnold’s long wingspan helps her on the defensive end, making up for when her assignment gets a little too far away. The biggest thing that stands out about her is her alpha mentality, knowing that she’s the top option and playing with swagger.  

Storrs Impact: Even though Arnold would be a day one starter for 95% of teams, she’s going to have an uphill battle even getting significant playing time in her first year at UConn. Minutes will be tough to find with Paige Bueckers and Nika Muhl both commanding a lot of playing time. She is good enough to get on the floor if she works hard though and if there are injuries, she could find herself in a position to make an unexpected impact. 

GENO’S THOUGHTS: “KK’s probably the first point guard since Moriah [Jefferson] that plays at that pace and is a little bit stronger. She can push the tempo for us. Watching her play this summer, it was especially noticeable how aggressive she was getting into the lane, and defensively being disruptive. She’s a terrific leader and her teammates respond to her leadership. We think of all the point guards that are coming out of high school, she fit us better than anyone else.” 

Ashlynn Shade, 5’9” Combo Guard, No. 15 on ESPN 

Scouting Report: Shade won’t be the most athletic player on the court, but she has the “it” factor that can elevate players to a different level in college. She’s a solid shooter from deep, but does really well in the midrange. She’s not quite the passer that Arnold is, but Shade isn’t sloppy and gets the ball to where it needs to be. On defense, she displays a lot of toughness, despite being undersized at 5-foot-9. The guard is great in a lot of different areas, and even though her game may not be as visually appealing as some others, but she gets the job done. 

Storrs Impact: Similarly to Arnold, the minutes aren’t there, with Azzi Fudd occupying most of the minutes at the two and the point guard situation being as crowded as it is. Once the guard situation is reduced to fewer college All-American candidates, Shade will shine. It’s hard to imagine her not finding the starting lineup as a Husky and competing against all these great players in practice will make her even better for when it is her time. For now, she’ll be reduced to fewer minutes, but should shine when she does find the floor. 

GENO’S THOUGHTS: “When I talk about getting tougher, getting physically tougher, and getting more athletic, I don’t think there’s anyone like Ashlynn who’s physically tougher and who’s that athletic and has that kind of midrange and is that competitive defensively. I think in Ashlynn we’re getting the definition of an old school really good basketball player. You can’t even pigeonhole her into a position, you can just say she’s just a really good basketball player.”