The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
The next Collier?
UConn freshman Edwards drawing big comparisons
One is an icon. Statistically and fundamentally, an all-time great player for THE all-time great program. The other, at this stage, can only aspire to reach such heights. Their resumes couldn’t be more different. So why, you ask, is a highly-touted yet unproven freshman like Aaliyah Edwards already drawing comparisons to … Napheesa Collier? Well, it starts with how she competes.
“She still wants to impact every possession,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “She plays hard like Pheesa did, she has a lot of energy like Pheesa did, she has a motor like Pheesa had.”
Collier, a two-time All-American, was such a relentless worker and competitor that Auriemma frequently called her a “machine.” She played in 150 games for the Huskies — finishing top-five in program history in points (2,401) and rebounds (1,219)
— and is now a star in the WNBA.
“In terms of their makeup and their motor and how hard they go, yeah, she has a lot of Pheesa’s qualities,” Auriemma said. “If she can develop her game to match Pheesa’s game, then we’re on to something.”
Edwards, a five-star prospect from Canada, has yet to play in a game for UConn. So, of course, it’s a bit early to be asking whether she can match Collier in stature.
But that hasn’t tempered expectations for the 6-foot-3 forward, who figures to play a prominent role in the Huskies’ frontcourt.
“She can play on the outside as well, but on the inside is where she flourishes more,” said junior Christyn Williams, who was actually the first to toss out the comparison to Collier during a Zoom call with media earlier this month.
“She’s very tough. She’s a competitor, so she competes. On the defensive end, she’s very mature for her age. It’s like she’s done this before.”
Though only 18, Edwards has a world of experience competing against older players. She made her debut with the senior Canadian national team at the FIBA AmeriCup in 2019. She was the team’s youngest player but held her own against a United States squad that included the likes of Collier, Tina Charles, Stefanie Dolson and Sylvia Fowles.
Since arriving on campus in late July, Edwards has made the gym her home. So, too, has the rest of the Huskies’ freshman class, which Auriemma says is “competitive as hell.” They’ve also been juggling online
classes and a host of other team activities, making for a busy few months.
“Our schedule has been so busy you’d think that the average person would just want to go home and nap for five hours, but no, after practice we’re in here putting up extra shots, and after study hall we come back in the gym and put up extra shots,” Edwards said.
Edwards figures to spend plenty of time in the post this season, where the Huskies have only one established option — 6-5 junior Olivia Nelson-Ododa. The team’s other true big, 6-5 freshman Piath Gabriel, is more of a project, albeit one with upside, and may not make as big an impact immediately as Edwards.
In that sense, Edwards’ role could be unique.
“When you think back to when Pheesa was a freshman, she played behind (Breanna Stewart, Morgan
Tuck and Gabby Williams), so there wasn’t a lot of room,” Auriemma said. “I think Aaliyah is going to be in a different situation. She’s going to have to play a lot. She’s going to be thrown into situations that are going to make her grow up fast whereas Pheesa had an opportunity to kind of slide in there.”
Edwards, hoping to acclimate the best she can, has been working a lot with associate head coach Chris Dailey on her footwork while learning the ins and outs of the team’s offense.
“I’m ready for the challenge,” Edwards said. “That’s one of the reasons why I chose UConn. The coaches and my teammates are going to motivate me and push me to my best potential.”
And maybe, if all goes according to plan, she’ll become the next Napheesa Collier.