(01-27-2025, 05:39 AM)JohnR34231 Wrote: Yeah, I recall in the Haley Jones interview Betts said the problem was that she didn't get enough "support" while at Stanford.
Also, Close said that when she arrived at UCLA she was a ten in ability but only a five in confidence so the latter was what they spent a lot of time working on. So it looks like mental health issues were indeed an issue.
Also when I see her play at UCLA she looks a lot more athletic than she did at Stanford. Apparently, this was something she also worked on.
Over the last three years or so we have lost McDonald's All Americans who were on the roster with eligibility left and struck out on most of our high-profile recruits (Rice, Watkins, Hildago to name a few). Perhaps that was at least partially due to the idea that Tara was going to retire, but something was definitely wrong. It has caused us to go from one of the top teams in the nation to an at best average one. We have an excellent recruiting class coming in so maybe that is turning around. I sure hope so,
Stanford has had a number of high-talent players transfer in the last several years and several high-profile recruits did not come to Stanford. This leads me to believe that there is a reason for this inside the program...and this should be looked at.
(01-27-2025, 07:43 AM)BobK Wrote: Betts played with Brink with Brink on defense in the paint Betts on defense roamed. Betts was unable to guard players while roaming. Maybe she got embarrassed and Mom thought that also.
Stanford played Betts over Prechtel so certainly gave Betts a chance to play
Betts was not as mobile as a freshman as she was now and her offensive moves weren't as well developed. Two years later, she is much improved and is now a dominant center. As a freshman or even a sophomore, however, she was not going to be better than Brink nor start in front of her.
She looks great now at UCLA and I wish her every success.