DEVELOPING STORY: The Transfer Portal Shift that will Change Women's Basketball

00:25:39
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TqCLLkUGIs

摘要

TLDRThe Hoopscat podcast discusses Yukon's women's basketball team, focusing on the recent addition of Kaylee Heckle through the transfer portal. The hosts analyze how Heckle enhances the team's depth and versatility, particularly in the backcourt. They explore the strategic shift in recruiting, emphasizing the importance of depth and injury insurance in building a championship-caliber team. The conversation also touches on the potential future of Yukon's coaching staff and the role of a general manager in navigating these changes, highlighting the evolving landscape of college basketball and the need for teams to adapt.

心得

  • 🏀 Yukon adds Kaylee Heckle, enhancing roster depth.
  • 🔄 Strategic shift in recruiting with the transfer portal.
  • 📈 Importance of depth and injury insurance in championships.
  • 👥 Managing talent and team dynamics is crucial.
  • 🧩 Positional versatility allows for adaptable strategies.
  • 📊 Yukon's 15-player roster maximizes talent and options.
  • 🤝 Team culture fosters humility and teamwork.
  • 🔍 Future of Yukon's coaching staff is uncertain.
  • 💼 General manager role could reshape college basketball dynamics.
  • 📅 Adapting to the evolving landscape of college sports is essential.

时间轴

  • 00:00:00 - 00:05:00

    Yukon has successfully recruited Kaye Heckle through the transfer portal, which raises concerns about a significant strategic shift in women's basketball. The discussion emphasizes the importance of this move for Yukon and its implications for the future of the sport.

  • 00:05:00 - 00:10:00

    The addition of Kaye Heckle fills the last roster spot for Yukon, bringing depth and versatility to the team. Her presence as a steady ball handler will relieve pressure from other guards and provide injury insurance, showcasing Yukon's commitment to building a strong backcourt.

  • 00:10:00 - 00:15:00

    The conversation shifts to Yukon's strategic evolution under Gino Auriemma, who is adapting to the changing landscape of college basketball by embracing the transfer portal. This marks a departure from his previous reliance on grad transfers, indicating a broader trend in the sport.

  • 00:15:00 - 00:20:00

    The panel discusses the potential impact of this strategy on Yukon's future, highlighting the importance of depth and health in winning championships. The need for a competitive edge in practice and the management of talent within the team are also emphasized.

  • 00:20:00 - 00:25:39

    The episode concludes with speculation about the future of Yukon's coaching staff and the potential for a general manager role, reflecting on how this could influence team dynamics and the recruitment strategy moving forward.

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思维导图

视频问答

  • Who is Kaylee Heckle?

    Kaylee Heckle is a recent transfer to Yukon women's basketball, known for her talent as a steady ball handler and potential point guard.

  • What is the significance of Yukon's 15-player roster?

    The 15-player roster allows Yukon to have more depth and options, providing insurance against injuries and enhancing competition within the team.

  • How has Gino Auriemma adapted to the transfer portal?

    Gino Auriemma has shifted his recruiting strategy to include transfers, moving away from only grad transfers to build a more versatile and competitive team.

  • What does the future hold for Yukon's women's basketball team?

    The future looks promising with a mix of talented transfers and returning players, creating a competitive environment and potential for success.

  • What role might a general manager play in college basketball?

    A general manager in college basketball could oversee player personnel decisions, manage the roster, and work alongside the head coach to maintain team success.

  • How does the transfer portal impact team dynamics?

    The transfer portal allows teams to quickly adjust their rosters, but it also raises questions about team chemistry and player retention.

  • What are the potential challenges of having a deep roster?

    Managing playing time and keeping players satisfied with their roles can be challenging in a deep roster situation.

  • What is the importance of positional versatility in basketball?

    Positional versatility allows teams to adapt their strategies and lineups, making them more unpredictable and difficult to defend against.

  • How does Yukon's team culture help manage talent?

    Yukon's team culture emphasizes humility and teamwork, helping to integrate individual stars into a cohesive unit.

  • What are the implications of Gino Auriemma potentially retiring?

    If Gino Auriemma retires, it could lead to significant changes in the program, including the appointment of a new head coach and possibly a general manager.

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  • 00:00:01
    Yukon snags Kaye Heckle in the portal,
  • 00:00:04
    but the story is less about her and more
  • 00:00:07
    about the philosophical switch that
  • 00:00:10
    should terrify women's basketball. And
  • 00:00:13
    we're going to talk about it. You're on
  • 00:00:15
    the
  • 00:00:19
    Hoopscat. Let's get it. Let's get it.
  • 00:00:21
    Let's get it. Let's get it. Let's get
  • 00:00:22
    it. Let's get it. Let's get it. Let's
  • 00:00:23
    get it.
  • 00:00:26
    Yukon, baby. Home of the champions.
  • 00:00:30
    Let's go.
  • 00:00:32
    All right, welcome into the Hoopscap
  • 00:00:34
    pod. I'm your host, Mark Zenedto. We are
  • 00:00:38
    here with T Baker. We are obviously
  • 00:00:40
    powered by Big East Energy amongst other
  • 00:00:43
    things. Abasa Spice, not Big East Energy
  • 00:00:46
    Weekly. Get out of there. Um, and some
  • 00:00:48
    other uh friends of mine, Joey Bilbonds,
  • 00:00:51
    like we talked about, we do not want you
  • 00:00:52
    to use Joey's service, but it's there
  • 00:00:54
    for you if you need it.
  • 00:00:57
    8609166747 for all of your oops I made a
  • 00:01:01
    mistake uh situations uh for lack of a
  • 00:01:04
    better word. Um T I I we didn't get a
  • 00:01:07
    chance to talk since Kaylee Heckle
  • 00:01:09
    committed because it's only happened you
  • 00:01:10
    know about 24 hours ago. Um but talk
  • 00:01:14
    about all of this like I want to I want
  • 00:01:15
    to I want to hear about the fit because
  • 00:01:18
    she fills the last spot. There's 15
  • 00:01:21
    people on the roster, which is a first.
  • 00:01:23
    And I want to hear about your thoughts
  • 00:01:25
    there. And then we'll transition to that
  • 00:01:28
    strategy switch that I think is a major
  • 00:01:30
    shift for not only Yukon, but what
  • 00:01:34
    should what literally should terrify
  • 00:01:36
    women's college basketball if Yukon
  • 00:01:37
    decides to continue this with or without
  • 00:01:40
    Gino down the road. Yeah. Well,
  • 00:01:42
    obviously huge news for Yukon. Um, and
  • 00:01:46
    Kaylee Heckle brings tremendous amount
  • 00:01:48
    of talent. Uh, she, interestingly, I
  • 00:01:51
    learned on the USC website, was born in
  • 00:01:53
    Gretage, Connecticut. So, returning to
  • 00:01:55
    her place of birth, was um, raised in in
  • 00:01:58
    Long Island. But, um, it's it's an
  • 00:02:00
    interesting kind of like returning to,
  • 00:02:02
    um, where she grew up, uh, element. I
  • 00:02:04
    think what's what's so important about
  • 00:02:07
    her is that she's a a steady ball
  • 00:02:12
    handler. She's the type of player who
  • 00:02:14
    can be that uh go-to backcourt presence
  • 00:02:17
    as point guard, not just next year and
  • 00:02:19
    maybe not even as a starter next year,
  • 00:02:20
    but for years to come. Setting that
  • 00:02:22
    foundation, it takes some of the
  • 00:02:24
    pressure, I think, off of some of
  • 00:02:25
    Yukon's other guards like AC FUD or
  • 00:02:28
    Morgan Shelley or Kis Fischer who maybe
  • 00:02:30
    aren't natural floor generals, aren't
  • 00:02:32
    naturally in that position or could be
  • 00:02:34
    better served in in a two position.
  • 00:02:36
    Takes that pressure off of them and also
  • 00:02:38
    um provides some injury insurance. I
  • 00:02:40
    think KK Arnold is probably the starting
  • 00:02:42
    point guard next season and it's really
  • 00:02:45
    just in in the in the event of an injury
  • 00:02:49
    but also you know as just a backup point
  • 00:02:51
    guard second string um who could be a
  • 00:02:53
    starter as well. So I think she just
  • 00:02:54
    offers a lot of options for Yukon but
  • 00:02:56
    most importantly it's that backcourt
  • 00:02:58
    point guard presence. No I I totally
  • 00:03:01
    agree. Um do you I asked this to a guest
  • 00:03:05
    uh yesterday. Do you believe um of these
  • 00:03:09
    three between uh Khis
  • 00:03:12
    Fischer, Kaye, and then KK, like who's
  • 00:03:16
    your who's your starting point guard
  • 00:03:17
    there?
  • 00:03:18
    I I think I give it to KK just because I
  • 00:03:21
    think that she brings that experience of
  • 00:03:23
    having been a starter. Um she's she's an
  • 00:03:25
    upper classman. Um I think that there's
  • 00:03:28
    a lot to be said about building trust
  • 00:03:31
    with um the coaching staff and I think
  • 00:03:32
    she's earned that trust. So, I think she
  • 00:03:35
    is the starting point guard next season.
  • 00:03:37
    Um, and you know, the others are
  • 00:03:40
    competing for that role in the longer
  • 00:03:41
    term. Um, so I I do still think it's KK
  • 00:03:44
    Arnold that starting role, but you know,
  • 00:03:46
    we've seen a lot of guard heavy lineups
  • 00:03:49
    in Yukon in the recent years. So, I
  • 00:03:50
    there could be a lot of different
  • 00:03:51
    combinations of talented guards on the
  • 00:03:53
    floor. Yeah, I totally agree. I also
  • 00:03:55
    think this is a situation where you kind
  • 00:03:58
    of have to stack talent at this at this
  • 00:04:01
    point. like, you know, you don't, you
  • 00:04:03
    know, we're going to get into the
  • 00:04:04
    strategic flip that, you know, you
  • 00:04:07
    brought up to me uh pre-show that I
  • 00:04:09
    totally agree with, but I, you know, for
  • 00:04:12
    a while people were in my mentions
  • 00:04:14
    talking about how, you know, they don't
  • 00:04:16
    they don't need another point guard. You
  • 00:04:17
    know, they have KK and they have police
  • 00:04:18
    and they're going to be fine. Um, I
  • 00:04:21
    thought this move was absolutely
  • 00:04:22
    necessary because I'm a big fan of
  • 00:04:25
    positional versatility and Kaylee can
  • 00:04:27
    play both. uh uh one and she's a combo
  • 00:04:30
    guard in my opinion. I think she's more
  • 00:04:31
    natural as a one, but with what just
  • 00:04:35
    reading these names, forget about how
  • 00:04:39
    important this transfer is. Caroline
  • 00:04:41
    Ducharm, Ay, Sarah, Sarah Williams, KK,
  • 00:04:44
    Ice, Ashlin, then you have the slew of
  • 00:04:47
    sophomores between Morgan, Jana, Kaylee,
  • 00:04:50
    Ayanna, Sarah Strong, Ali Zabel, then
  • 00:04:53
    you have the freshman. even before you
  • 00:04:55
    get to someone like Blanca Kones who if
  • 00:04:57
    she played in the states might have been
  • 00:04:59
    the number one recruit in the country. I
  • 00:05:02
    mean like the embarrassment of Riches is
  • 00:05:05
    kind of crazy here. But I definitely
  • 00:05:07
    think they needed some backup at the
  • 00:05:09
    point guard position and that's why they
  • 00:05:11
    did this. Yeah, I think I think that's
  • 00:05:14
    also a feature of the um 15 player
  • 00:05:17
    roster. like these teams are going to
  • 00:05:19
    want to have competitive advantage and
  • 00:05:21
    at the end of the season um health and
  • 00:05:23
    depth are really the things that are um
  • 00:05:26
    winning championships, right? Like
  • 00:05:28
    sometimes it just comes down to who has
  • 00:05:30
    the more more healthy players um in the
  • 00:05:33
    event of an injury, who's able to
  • 00:05:34
    recover more quickly. Like we see those
  • 00:05:36
    types of things be how people lose in
  • 00:05:38
    the very end of the season. So, I think
  • 00:05:40
    Yukon um had some really painful years
  • 00:05:43
    with injuries where, you know, going
  • 00:05:44
    back to the final four a couple years
  • 00:05:45
    ago, they only seven healthy players. Um
  • 00:05:48
    they've had to forfeit games for not
  • 00:05:50
    having enough players. Like, I think
  • 00:05:51
    that um they understand that that depth
  • 00:05:54
    piece is increasingly important,
  • 00:05:56
    especially as other teams have the
  • 00:05:57
    opportunity to to deepen as well to 15
  • 00:05:59
    players. So, it's like it's sort of
  • 00:06:01
    like, you know, just providing extra
  • 00:06:03
    insurance in case of injury and building
  • 00:06:05
    for the future at the same time. Yeah.
  • 00:06:08
    Yeah. No, I I I couldn't agree more. Um,
  • 00:06:10
    all right. So, I think we've at least I
  • 00:06:13
    have I've beaten a dead horse uh over
  • 00:06:14
    the Kaylee Heckle stuff, but it's it's
  • 00:06:17
    I'm excited about it because I think she
  • 00:06:18
    was she's a great fit. But we're going
  • 00:06:20
    to take a quick break because the
  • 00:06:21
    strategy switch is really to me the meat
  • 00:06:24
    of this show and really want to talk
  • 00:06:27
    about what that means for Yukon going
  • 00:06:29
    forward. And we're going to talk about
  • 00:06:30
    that in like 10 seconds coming up after
  • 00:06:33
    the break.
  • 00:06:40
    We are back on the Hoop Scout pod here
  • 00:06:42
    with T. Baker um talking Yukon Hoops and
  • 00:06:46
    recent transfers and really kind of a
  • 00:06:50
    strategic flip in how Gino and company
  • 00:06:54
    use the portal. Um for years he has not
  • 00:06:59
    gone this route. He's typically gone
  • 00:07:01
    with a grad transfer. Um, why the why do
  • 00:07:04
    you think there was a switch this year
  • 00:07:06
    with not only Sarah but also Kaylee?
  • 00:07:09
    I mean, I think that um it's it's really
  • 00:07:12
    just about adjusting to the times. Gina
  • 00:07:15
    Orama in in the Final Four quoted a book
  • 00:07:17
    and I'm not going to be able to to
  • 00:07:19
    identify the name of the book, but he
  • 00:07:20
    basically said times change and it's the
  • 00:07:23
    duty of men to change with them. And I
  • 00:07:24
    think he's he's a testament to that type
  • 00:07:26
    of evolution. Like he was finding
  • 00:07:29
    success in the mid '9s. He found success
  • 00:07:31
    early 2000s 2010, first coach to have
  • 00:07:34
    titles in each of those those four
  • 00:07:35
    decades, which just speaks to his
  • 00:07:37
    longevity and his ability to adapt. A
  • 00:07:39
    lot of the games top coaches um left in
  • 00:07:42
    in these changes, right? It's uh people
  • 00:07:45
    like Jay Wright, Muffet McGra, um
  • 00:07:48
    coaches who were really still at the top
  • 00:07:50
    of their game, but really I think didn't
  • 00:07:52
    want to be around for this part of the
  • 00:07:54
    transfer portal. And I'm not saying
  • 00:07:56
    specifically those coaches, but a lot of
  • 00:07:58
    those coaches who were legends um chose
  • 00:08:01
    to leave because they don't want to be
  • 00:08:02
    part of this new this new world of
  • 00:08:04
    college basketball. I think for a coach
  • 00:08:06
    like Gino, he wants to keep winning. He
  • 00:08:08
    wants Yukon to stay relevant and he
  • 00:08:09
    understands that that means not just um
  • 00:08:12
    transferring in players who are grad
  • 00:08:14
    students, but looking at the portal more
  • 00:08:16
    holistically because other teams are
  • 00:08:17
    able to switch their roster year to year
  • 00:08:19
    and he's got to be able to do the same
  • 00:08:20
    thing. I think Kim Moy was an example of
  • 00:08:23
    someone who did this kind of earlier
  • 00:08:24
    ahead of the curve. Um she brought in
  • 00:08:26
    like TA Cooper in that championship
  • 00:08:28
    season.
  • 00:08:29
    Um you know that she had built some um
  • 00:08:33
    success around just just continuing to
  • 00:08:35
    to find transfers who had eligibility
  • 00:08:38
    remaining in their time and and and
  • 00:08:40
    turning them into pieces of her team. So
  • 00:08:42
    um I think every coach has to catch up.
  • 00:08:44
    I think also another example with Kim
  • 00:08:46
    was Angel Reese, right? She brought in
  • 00:08:47
    Angel Ree as a foundational piece. It's
  • 00:08:49
    not just looking for extra role players
  • 00:08:52
    in the portal. It's looking for the next
  • 00:08:54
    star. And that's what every team's
  • 00:08:55
    needing to do. And that's that's what
  • 00:08:56
    the Huskys are doing as well. Yeah. Who
  • 00:08:59
    do you think was the bigger influence on
  • 00:09:02
    this uh change? Was it someone like
  • 00:09:06
    Jamal Elliot? Was it Chris Dailyaly? Was
  • 00:09:07
    it maybe someone else um that you can
  • 00:09:10
    think of? Was it just a maybe a uh
  • 00:09:13
    coincidence that this is just kind of
  • 00:09:15
    what what's going on? I'm curious if you
  • 00:09:16
    have some insight on that.
  • 00:09:19
    I think it's it's probably a combination
  • 00:09:21
    of those things. I think the coaching
  • 00:09:22
    staff, Gino Orama, constantly gives
  • 00:09:25
    credit to his coaching staff,
  • 00:09:26
    specifically like Jamal Elliot, Tanya
  • 00:09:28
    Cardosa, those who are doing Morgan
  • 00:09:29
    Valley who are doing a lot of the
  • 00:09:31
    recruiting. Um, I think that it's really
  • 00:09:33
    just
  • 00:09:34
    about finding this the shifts that are
  • 00:09:37
    happening in the sport and making sure
  • 00:09:38
    that you're prepared for them. Like
  • 00:09:40
    Yukon wants to remain elite and they
  • 00:09:43
    understand that to do that, you might
  • 00:09:44
    have to get over your pride about what
  • 00:09:46
    it means that someone's transferring. I
  • 00:09:48
    think the stigma around transferring has
  • 00:09:49
    also has also shifted significantly
  • 00:09:51
    because now it's like feels like a third
  • 00:09:53
    of players are in the transfer portal,
  • 00:09:54
    right? So there's not that same like
  • 00:09:57
    stigma around like, oh, there must have
  • 00:09:59
    been a bad reason or you're a bad fit or
  • 00:10:00
    you were a bad teammate, right? I like
  • 00:10:02
    back in the day you would speculate
  • 00:10:03
    like, oh, is this transfer going to be a
  • 00:10:05
    good fit? Um, you know, because they
  • 00:10:07
    didn't stay at school the whole time
  • 00:10:09
    where with with a grad student, and this
  • 00:10:10
    was I think Gino's historical thinking
  • 00:10:12
    was like they they graduated, they did
  • 00:10:14
    their part, now they're for a next step,
  • 00:10:16
    right? they didn't like leave their
  • 00:10:17
    team. So, I don't know. I think the
  • 00:10:19
    narrative has has completely shifted
  • 00:10:20
    around the transfer portal around
  • 00:10:22
    college sports and Yukon is just, you
  • 00:10:25
    know, a team that's always been on top
  • 00:10:27
    of those trends and understood what it
  • 00:10:29
    what it means to evolve.
  • 00:10:31
    Yeah. I also think it's kind of breaks
  • 00:10:32
    the mold and kind of is it's mirroring
  • 00:10:34
    what um the like the job market is to be
  • 00:10:38
    honest with you. You know what I mean?
  • 00:10:39
    For the most part, most companies now,
  • 00:10:42
    unless you're trying to be, you know,
  • 00:10:44
    something specific like a doctor or a
  • 00:10:46
    lawyer or a teacher, um they don't
  • 00:10:48
    require you to have a four-year degree.
  • 00:10:50
    Um just the amount of experience that
  • 00:10:52
    you have sometimes is enough or they'll
  • 00:10:54
    bring you on to train you and and things
  • 00:10:56
    of that nature. So, I just wonder if
  • 00:10:58
    part of that kind of everchanging part
  • 00:11:00
    of society is is one of the reasons why
  • 00:11:03
    Gino and staff is like, "All right,
  • 00:11:05
    listen, we got to open this up a little
  • 00:11:06
    it and I wonder if some of the old
  • 00:11:07
    school coaches even on the men's side
  • 00:11:09
    will change because someone that we
  • 00:11:11
    cover over in Wisconsin who Gino is very
  • 00:11:14
    fond of and Shaka Smart has not taken to
  • 00:11:17
    the portal at all and you know like I
  • 00:11:20
    think at some point you have to um and
  • 00:11:23
    here's Gino coming off a title doing
  • 00:11:24
    that so it's it's it's interesting I I
  • 00:11:28
    any any thoughts on that? I think it's
  • 00:11:30
    it's one of those things
  • 00:11:32
    where this is a moment where the
  • 00:11:34
    pendulum is swinging towards like, you
  • 00:11:37
    know, players having a significant
  • 00:11:39
    unprecedented choice in the same way
  • 00:11:40
    that like the job market, like you
  • 00:11:42
    mentioned, like there was the great
  • 00:11:44
    resignation and and there was like a the
  • 00:11:47
    workforce had more power, let's say,
  • 00:11:49
    over like CEOs and corporations. And
  • 00:11:51
    then it's swinging back now that that
  • 00:11:53
    the job market's tighter. And there's
  • 00:11:54
    like I'm not going to speak on on all
  • 00:11:56
    the economics piece because I'm a
  • 00:11:57
    women's basketball reporter, but um
  • 00:11:59
    there's there is that parallel of
  • 00:12:01
    like demand and need and matching supply
  • 00:12:04
    and demand reaching and making sure that
  • 00:12:06
    you're um you know you are reaching the
  • 00:12:09
    best available player and sometimes the
  • 00:12:10
    best available player is coming from the
  • 00:12:12
    transfer portal. Um I think it it
  • 00:12:16
    definitely suggests that this is the
  • 00:12:19
    normal for now. I think that over time
  • 00:12:21
    teams will begin to realize and I think
  • 00:12:23
    Yukon has done a good job at this is
  • 00:12:25
    like it has to be a combination of
  • 00:12:27
    players who know your system who have
  • 00:12:28
    been through the program and new players
  • 00:12:30
    who can fit into that. That's the sweet
  • 00:12:32
    spot I think right I think that it's not
  • 00:12:34
    ideal to lose your players and then
  • 00:12:36
    bring in a new team every year because
  • 00:12:37
    that that's tough to rebuild that
  • 00:12:38
    chemistry but adding additional pieces
  • 00:12:41
    on top of those culture fits who have
  • 00:12:42
    been there from the start um I think is
  • 00:12:44
    is probably the sweet spot.
  • 00:12:47
    I couldn't agree more. And just like
  • 00:12:50
    that though, I really want to talk about
  • 00:12:52
    kind of the future of this. You know, I
  • 00:12:54
    it want to look at this lineup
  • 00:12:57
    because we can talk about, you know,
  • 00:13:00
    Heckle and Sarah Williams kind of till
  • 00:13:02
    we're blue in the face. But there's a
  • 00:13:04
    chunk of players that are now
  • 00:13:06
    sophomores, rising juniors that are
  • 00:13:09
    really kind of the future of this team.
  • 00:13:10
    And it's not to discredit someone like
  • 00:13:12
    Ay or Sarah or even Caroline who are the
  • 00:13:13
    seniors, but it's it's kind of a
  • 00:13:16
    multi-layered recruiting strategy and
  • 00:13:19
    it's probably why the title of this this
  • 00:13:22
    uh this episode is are you scared yet?
  • 00:13:25
    Because you should be. uh because this
  • 00:13:27
    team is so loaded and I want to get your
  • 00:13:30
    thoughts on
  • 00:13:32
    combinations and what exactly they're
  • 00:13:34
    going to do because I think that's the
  • 00:13:36
    biggest honestly that's the biggest push
  • 00:13:37
    back I get is like what are you going to
  • 00:13:39
    do if like you're on the bench for like
  • 00:13:40
    multiple you know what I mean like so
  • 00:13:42
    I'm curious to hear your thoughts about
  • 00:13:44
    all of this and we're going to talk
  • 00:13:45
    about that after a quick
  • 00:13:53
    break you're back on the Hoop Scout pod
  • 00:13:55
    with T Baker here of the next uh and
  • 00:13:58
    obviously a Big East Energy Hoopscap
  • 00:14:00
    contributor. Um
  • 00:14:02
    RT what what do you what do you see from
  • 00:14:05
    this entire core squad? Because you
  • 00:14:07
    obviously have Sarah Heckle I mean Sarah
  • 00:14:10
    Heckle. Yeah, I combine the kind of
  • 00:14:11
    combine the two. Kaylee Heckle and Sarah
  • 00:14:14
    Williams and all of these sophomores
  • 00:14:17
    Morgan Jana Ayanna Sarah Strong who
  • 00:14:21
    might be the best player in the country.
  • 00:14:22
    She's my best player next year going
  • 00:14:24
    into the season. and then Ali Zabel. Um,
  • 00:14:26
    and that's before we talk about the
  • 00:14:28
    freshman. So, what are your thoughts
  • 00:14:30
    about how they've kind of set this up
  • 00:14:32
    multi-layered?
  • 00:14:34
    Yeah. Well, it's it's interesting
  • 00:14:35
    because I'm looking at the the Hoop
  • 00:14:37
    Girls ratings from 2024. Sarah Strong's
  • 00:14:39
    number one, Ali Zabel's number seven,
  • 00:14:42
    Morgan Shell's number 11, and Kaylee
  • 00:14:44
    Heckle's number 13. So, you have four
  • 00:14:45
    players in the top uh 15 of that
  • 00:14:48
    recruiting class. Some of which were
  • 00:14:50
    acquired and and recruited out of high
  • 00:14:52
    school, some that were taken from the
  • 00:14:53
    portal like like Ali Zabel. So, I think
  • 00:14:55
    it's
  • 00:14:55
    like it's a lot of talent and um you
  • 00:15:00
    know that that comes with how do you
  • 00:15:02
    manage the talent? I think Yukon has
  • 00:15:04
    always had a lot of talent and has been
  • 00:15:07
    really good at managing that because of
  • 00:15:09
    the the team culture. Like I don't think
  • 00:15:11
    stars on Yukon's roster can either get
  • 00:15:13
    too high or too low. Like they are very
  • 00:15:15
    humbled and stars um in Yukon's system
  • 00:15:19
    are you know oftentimes pulled into more
  • 00:15:22
    of a team dynamic. So, I think that
  • 00:15:25
    there are individual stars, but it's
  • 00:15:26
    also a role-based team, a team that that
  • 00:15:29
    team offense, motion offense, like
  • 00:15:30
    there's there's um a lot of different
  • 00:15:32
    ways that you can contribute within
  • 00:15:33
    Yukon systems and and I think that's how
  • 00:15:35
    Yukon's been successful at retaining top
  • 00:15:37
    talent, but certainly that's a question,
  • 00:15:39
    right? Um but it also creates a
  • 00:15:41
    competitive edge in practice. Like
  • 00:15:42
    players want to compete for playing
  • 00:15:44
    time. It creates like a healthy level of
  • 00:15:45
    competition, I think, within the team
  • 00:15:47
    about earning those minutes during
  • 00:15:49
    practice. um you know to get on the
  • 00:15:51
    floor during a game.
  • 00:15:54
    Yeah. No, I I I I totally agree. Um I
  • 00:15:57
    think what's what's interesting to me
  • 00:15:59
    about this uh this team is how I mean is
  • 00:16:04
    is getting it to 15 because and I know
  • 00:16:07
    people are going to take advantage of it
  • 00:16:08
    and I know it's a lot about you know I
  • 00:16:10
    talked about this in the past like an
  • 00:16:11
    insurance policy just in case you have
  • 00:16:12
    an injury or multiple like they've had
  • 00:16:15
    in the last few years. Do you think
  • 00:16:16
    that's really what it is or do you think
  • 00:16:18
    it's just like, hey, we have 15 slots.
  • 00:16:20
    Like, why wouldn't we fill it? Um, you
  • 00:16:23
    know, because I almost feel like you're
  • 00:16:26
    it's a double-edged sword. You're you're
  • 00:16:27
    doing this so you don't have to go heavy
  • 00:16:29
    portal, right? And you're doing this so
  • 00:16:31
    you don't have like a five or six person
  • 00:16:34
    um recruiting class, you know, and this
  • 00:16:36
    year they only had three. uh like what
  • 00:16:39
    what where do you think the the strategy
  • 00:16:41
    lies more in kind of preventing heavy
  • 00:16:44
    portal usage or is it so you don't have
  • 00:16:47
    to go crazy and get a really large um
  • 00:16:49
    recruiting boss?
  • 00:16:52
    I think I think it's it's probably a
  • 00:16:54
    little bit of both. Like in my opinion,
  • 00:16:56
    it's really like in this new era where
  • 00:16:59
    transfers are very common, you can
  • 00:17:01
    pretty much expect that at least one
  • 00:17:03
    player will transfer out of your team in
  • 00:17:05
    the offseason. Like if you look at the
  • 00:17:06
    data, it's probably up to like 2.5. I
  • 00:17:08
    don't know. I'm just making that up. But
  • 00:17:10
    there's a lot of players that transfer
  • 00:17:11
    in the off season. So I think if you
  • 00:17:14
    have 15 players, you're sort of building
  • 00:17:16
    in that expectation that maybe some of
  • 00:17:17
    these players won't last four years. We
  • 00:17:19
    saw that with with Cadence Samuelson, uh
  • 00:17:21
    Cadence Samuels. We've seen it with
  • 00:17:22
    other Yukon transfers in the past. Um
  • 00:17:26
    and I So I think I think it is about
  • 00:17:28
    maximizing the spots you have and making
  • 00:17:30
    sure that they're filled with talent
  • 00:17:32
    that you want there. and you know just
  • 00:17:34
    building in for the inevitable like how
  • 00:17:36
    much more am I going to have to build
  • 00:17:37
    this roster if players turn over next
  • 00:17:39
    year right um so it's it's really and
  • 00:17:42
    and what I'm fascinated by and what I
  • 00:17:44
    want to know is when and who um will be
  • 00:17:48
    announced as as the general manager for
  • 00:17:50
    Yukon women's basketball that's a new
  • 00:17:52
    position within college sports and um
  • 00:17:55
    I'm curious who that will be what type
  • 00:17:58
    of person would step into that role how
  • 00:18:00
    they interact with a coach like Gino
  • 00:18:01
    Oryma who is used to kind of being the
  • 00:18:04
    the big boss, you know, like I don't
  • 00:18:05
    know. It's is this a dynamic of sports,
  • 00:18:08
    college sports that I'm very intrigued
  • 00:18:09
    by. And I'm curious when we're going to
  • 00:18:12
    hear that announcement of who Yukon's uh
  • 00:18:14
    GM is going to be. Do you think it's a
  • 00:18:16
    former coach Allah the men with Tom
  • 00:18:19
    Moore who's been on the staff or do you
  • 00:18:22
    think
  • 00:18:23
    it's some some teams at least on the
  • 00:18:25
    men's side have gone to actual front
  • 00:18:29
    office folks in their own professional
  • 00:18:30
    leagues. Um, or do you think it's
  • 00:18:33
    someone in the Yukon family that kind of
  • 00:18:35
    knows Gino well? Maybe a former player
  • 00:18:38
    that doesn't that's older that's
  • 00:18:40
    retired. I'm just curious. I could see,
  • 00:18:43
    if I were to make a prediction, I think
  • 00:18:44
    that potentially Tanya Cardo or Jamal
  • 00:18:47
    Elliot would be promoted to that
  • 00:18:49
    position. Um, someone in the Yukon
  • 00:18:50
    family, people who are very familiar
  • 00:18:52
    with the current roster and its
  • 00:18:53
    construction, people who understand that
  • 00:18:55
    Gino Orama's coaching career is limited
  • 00:18:58
    and who can work with him. Like I don't
  • 00:19:01
    I don't anticipate like a newbie coming
  • 00:19:02
    in sort of like to the Yukon program at
  • 00:19:04
    this stage of Gino's career and being
  • 00:19:06
    the general manager being a super smooth
  • 00:19:08
    transition. But if you have people who
  • 00:19:10
    have coached alongside him, won
  • 00:19:12
    championships with him, know the
  • 00:19:13
    personnel, can sell the school, like I
  • 00:19:16
    think that would be a great use of um
  • 00:19:18
    you know, one of those those assistant
  • 00:19:20
    coaches and a position potentially
  • 00:19:22
    that's um builds in longevity and and a
  • 00:19:24
    transition to whoever the future coach
  • 00:19:26
    is, right? having some level of
  • 00:19:28
    continuity between who the GM is now and
  • 00:19:29
    who it can be in the future. Yeah. No,
  • 00:19:31
    it's a it's a great point and maybe
  • 00:19:33
    we'll do this on another show, but like
  • 00:19:34
    I I honestly could see them it it all
  • 00:19:37
    depends because on the men's side, the
  • 00:19:39
    reason why Tom Moore was promoted into
  • 00:19:41
    this position and they brought in Mike
  • 00:19:42
    Nardy from as a younger guy to from Ohio
  • 00:19:45
    from Ohio State from Villanova um is
  • 00:19:47
    because they saw potential in a younger
  • 00:19:50
    coach who Dan really respected, right?
  • 00:19:52
    So they bring him in and they promote
  • 00:19:54
    Tom. Tom had been doing dual rows any
  • 00:19:56
    dual roles anyway. So it was like a
  • 00:19:58
    seamless transition. Plus it gets him
  • 00:20:00
    off the road. Like Tom is older. He got
  • 00:20:02
    a chance to just kind of now he's just
  • 00:20:04
    there. He's now he's just in in
  • 00:20:05
    Connecticut, you know, just gets to kind
  • 00:20:08
    of help with the support staff. Doesn't
  • 00:20:10
    have to be traveling a ton. So if
  • 00:20:12
    someone's got, you know, like Jabelle is
  • 00:20:14
    on the road all the time, so like maybe
  • 00:20:16
    she's the one that's like, "Hey, you
  • 00:20:17
    know, I'd love to do this because I'm
  • 00:20:19
    just speculating, right?" or in the
  • 00:20:21
    future they bring in someone that's kind
  • 00:20:24
    of got some gravitas like a Jen Rosati
  • 00:20:26
    or a Rebecca Lobo or someone like that
  • 00:20:28
    just because it kind of helps to kind of
  • 00:20:31
    keep the continuity of the Yukon family
  • 00:20:33
    and and then also they've worked with
  • 00:20:35
    Gino and whoever else replaces him.
  • 00:20:38
    Yeah. And I mean to speak to our last
  • 00:20:39
    episode, the days for the sun might be
  • 00:20:41
    numbered. So Jen Rosati might be looking
  • 00:20:43
    for a job. She might be looking for a
  • 00:20:44
    job. It's true. And I hate that for her
  • 00:20:46
    because she's one of my favorites ever
  • 00:20:48
    and I love the interview I did with her.
  • 00:20:49
    So, um, yeah, but no, it's but that's
  • 00:20:52
    that's the first thing that pops into my
  • 00:20:53
    head is like someone that because that's
  • 00:20:55
    what happens in in pro sports anyway.
  • 00:20:57
    Yeah. You know, uh, you know, first one
  • 00:20:59
    that pops into my head is a Duke guy.
  • 00:21:00
    Tanjan Langden is the GM of some NBA
  • 00:21:03
    team, you know what I mean? So,
  • 00:21:06
    this this is this is the natural
  • 00:21:07
    progression. And there's so many like
  • 00:21:09
    legendary sort of like GM coaching or GM
  • 00:21:12
    star player dramas in in professional
  • 00:21:15
    sports over the years that I'm very
  • 00:21:17
    curious to see how it plays out in the
  • 00:21:19
    college environment. It honestly it it
  • 00:21:22
    it's confusing to me what exactly that
  • 00:21:25
    would look like right in this moment,
  • 00:21:27
    right? Um can GMs fire someone? Like
  • 00:21:31
    what are the rules around being in right
  • 00:21:35
    not really an employee but kind of an
  • 00:21:36
    employee of a university, right? like
  • 00:21:38
    those are the types of labor questions
  • 00:21:40
    that come to mind for me. But um it's
  • 00:21:42
    going to be an interesting couple years
  • 00:21:43
    as as this transition happens. And um
  • 00:21:47
    I'm I'm just very curious if they're
  • 00:21:48
    going to put that someone in that
  • 00:21:49
    position for this season and when we'll
  • 00:21:51
    hear that announcement. The other
  • 00:21:53
    interesting part of this before we go is
  • 00:21:55
    forget about the the um the labor laws
  • 00:21:58
    and things of that nature. That's that's
  • 00:22:00
    that's a whole other show. Um but where
  • 00:22:02
    does this person sit? Do they sit up
  • 00:22:05
    top? Do they sit on the bench like
  • 00:22:07
    because or do they stand like you know
  • 00:22:10
    Allah every Lakers GM over the last you
  • 00:22:13
    know 30 years they just kind of hang you
  • 00:22:15
    know just kind of like hover in the
  • 00:22:16
    tunnel um because honestly that was a
  • 00:22:18
    question that was asked to Tom Moore is
  • 00:22:19
    like are you going to be like not on the
  • 00:22:21
    bench and he was just like we haven't
  • 00:22:22
    discussed it so like that's I mean even
  • 00:22:24
    internally from someone down the hall
  • 00:22:26
    from Gino like they don't even know what
  • 00:22:28
    they're going to do and maybe they know
  • 00:22:29
    now that was like a month ago but
  • 00:22:31
    that'll be interesting like once they
  • 00:22:32
    hire this person do they kind
  • 00:22:36
    float around during game day or do they
  • 00:22:38
    I'm just curious like what what would
  • 00:22:39
    you prefer? They hired you as GM. Do you
  • 00:22:41
    want to sit on the bench or do you want
  • 00:22:42
    to run around? I think I think that if I
  • 00:22:47
    were in that role, I would try to
  • 00:22:50
    approach it by giving the coach that
  • 00:22:51
    space. So like not being on the bench
  • 00:22:54
    because then you might be too tempted to
  • 00:22:55
    kind of butt in in stuff that's like not
  • 00:22:57
    your business or you're not the coach,
  • 00:22:59
    right? So to clearly delineate like
  • 00:23:00
    you're the coach, you're the X's and
  • 00:23:02
    O's, I'm about personnel. Like I think
  • 00:23:03
    that's an important line and maybe not
  • 00:23:06
    being on the bench can help set that
  • 00:23:07
    line. But I do think that is the the
  • 00:23:09
    boundary that we're going to be
  • 00:23:10
    exploring in the coming years. Like
  • 00:23:12
    coaches who have been at these
  • 00:23:14
    universities forever, maybe some of them
  • 00:23:15
    are promoted to GM and that's how they
  • 00:23:17
    exit coaching. Like I think of someone
  • 00:23:18
    like Brenda Freeze, like she's been at
  • 00:23:21
    Maryland forever. Like who's going to
  • 00:23:22
    come be the GM at Maryland? Like
  • 00:23:24
    Brenda's been doing this for years. Like
  • 00:23:26
    so I'm just very curious about how those
  • 00:23:28
    dynamics will be sorted out. And you
  • 00:23:30
    know, human nature is complicated, so
  • 00:23:33
    there will be some conflict in those
  • 00:23:34
    types of roles, and we'll probably see
  • 00:23:36
    some of it play out. So, um, it's just a
  • 00:23:39
    fascinating dynamic to me. No, I I agree
  • 00:23:41
    totally. Um, if I was in the GM role, I
  • 00:23:44
    would definitely just walk around, you
  • 00:23:46
    know, wear my little suit and be in be
  • 00:23:48
    in the tunnel, especially knowing where
  • 00:23:50
    how uh how how Gample works. Um, just
  • 00:23:54
    stay stay out of Gino's hair. Um, the
  • 00:23:57
    interesting part is if it's a coach, if
  • 00:23:59
    it's Jamal or if it's Tanya or whoever,
  • 00:24:02
    um, having been a coach, you might have
  • 00:24:05
    to get off the bench because then you
  • 00:24:07
    don't mess around with the, you know,
  • 00:24:09
    the dynamic of whoever took your
  • 00:24:11
    position or if they're just going to go
  • 00:24:12
    with, you know what I mean? Because I
  • 00:24:14
    wonder like how Tom's going to deal with
  • 00:24:16
    that because Tom's Tom's a pretty vocal
  • 00:24:17
    guy. He was a head coach at Quinnipiac.
  • 00:24:19
    Um, yeah, I'm curious to see how that
  • 00:24:22
    plays out, but it'll be an interesting
  • 00:24:24
    uh side note as the as the future holds
  • 00:24:26
    for for Yukon women's basketball. For
  • 00:24:28
    sure. What do you think about
  • 00:24:30
    potentially Gino retiring into a GM
  • 00:24:32
    role? Oh god, that would be awesome.
  • 00:24:36
    That is a that's a Speaking of walking
  • 00:24:38
    around in the suit, can picture him, you
  • 00:24:40
    know. I I think it' be a track suit by
  • 00:24:42
    then. I don't know if it'll be like a
  • 00:24:43
    like a a suit, you know what I mean? We
  • 00:24:45
    might might get him some comfy comfy
  • 00:24:47
    clothes to walk around in. Yeah. Uh, but
  • 00:24:50
    I mean that would that be like would
  • 00:24:51
    isn't that like the perfect thing for
  • 00:24:53
    Gino to kind of like sunset his career
  • 00:24:55
    and you know looking like Red Arback
  • 00:24:58
    with your cigar like the Celtics guy
  • 00:25:00
    like uh just you know another title.
  • 00:25:02
    Let's go get it. Yep. Well, if it
  • 00:25:05
    happens, you heard it here first. I love
  • 00:25:06
    it. We're going to make sure we clip
  • 00:25:08
    that. So, if it does happen, I'll be
  • 00:25:09
    like, remember four years ago when T
  • 00:25:10
    said this? Um, all right. This is a
  • 00:25:13
    great episode. Really appreciate you. Go
  • 00:25:14
    check out everything that he has uh on
  • 00:25:16
    his socials and uh at the next and
  • 00:25:19
    hopefully in the future here with some
  • 00:25:20
    Big East coverage. So look, Hoopscap
  • 00:25:22
    pod, we're on all the time. You know it.
  • 00:25:25
    That's it for today.
  • 00:25:27
    [Music]
  • 00:25:28
    Let's get it. Let's get it. Let's get
  • 00:25:30
    it. Let's get it. Let's get it. Let's
  • 00:25:31
    get it. Let's get it. Let's get it.
  • 00:25:32
    Yeah.
  • 00:25:35
    Yukon,
  • 00:25:36
    baby. Home of the champions. Let's go.
标签
  • Yukon
  • Kaylee Heckle
  • women's basketball
  • transfer portal
  • Gino Auriemma
  • roster depth
  • coaching strategy
  • college basketball
  • team culture
  • general manager