Kelis Fisher didn’t see the court much as a freshman. Despite coming in as the No. 25 recruit in the class of 2025 while being named Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year, the Baltimore native never cracked UConn’s rotation. She appeared in just 30 of 39 contests, averaging 5.7 minutes per outing.

It certainly wasn’t for a lack of talent. Instead, Fisher had a lot to learn during her first year of college, both on and off the court. She admitted it was difficult not to play, but knew patience was necessary.

“It was tough,” Fisher said. “Playing the game, that’s what we love to do. But also, it’s a process. Everything’s not going to be off the break; you can’t rush it. Stuff takes time in the process and if I have to take that process, I’m willing to do that and learn from the people in front of me. So it’s not a waste of time; it was just using my time wisely.”

Entering her sophomore season, Fisher is looking to claim a bigger role. She remains one of the team’s most skilled options, but will have to prove that the work she’s put in over the last calendar year has made a difference.

In terms of ability, few players on the Huskies have Fisher beat. She’s athletic and immensely skilled, which shows up most on the dribble-drive as well as defensively.

“She's just so explosive,” Auriemma said. “She can single-handedly change a game.”

“Kelis is really good at getting to the rim — really, really good. I don’t think there’s anybody that can keep her from getting to the rim… She’s pretty good at finishing, too,” he added later. “Were we playing 1-on-1 against the other team’s best player, she’d be really, really good.”

But negative plays tend to stack up on Fisher. During her limited action, she often flashed with an impressive bucket or a quick steal, only to commit an unforced turnover or unnecessary foul on the next possession. Fisher averaged 3.5 giveaways and 3.0 fouls per 40 minutes played, while she also struggled with making the right decision at times.

“We have to weigh all the time: What percentage of the time is [Fisher] helping our team, and what percentage of the time is she helping the other team?” Auriemma said in February.

To put it another way: “She can do things that none of them (KK Arnold, Azzi Fudd and Ashlynn Shade) can do. She's just capable of incredible things,” the coach said. “She also can do a lot of things that none of them would even dream of wanting to do. So here's the fine line that we're walking.”