The Silent Assassin: Why Gianna Kneepkens May Be College Basketball's Most Underrated Guard

Utah women's basketball managed a turbulent start to the season with the help of their super star guard Gianna Kneepkens. Now, with Tournament season ahead, she's ready to re-introduce herself.

On February 10th, a tweet was sent from the Utah women’s basketball account with the caption ‘Welcome to the 50/40/90 club’. Rarified air for any hooper at any level. And the Utes had two of them in Kennady McQueen and Gianna Kneepkens.

Within a week, the discussions about Kneepkens specifically started to become noticeably more common on social media.

“Gianna Kneepkens…one of the most UNIQUE elite shooters in WCBB,” one tweet read.

“If we’re talking about the COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR in women’s college basketball, I’d have Gianna Kneepkens at the top of my list,” said another.

Many in the world of NCAA women’s hoops were discovering her for the first time. Others were getting reacquainted after a foot injury took the 6’0 guard off the floor for the 2023-2024 season. But to those around the program, what everyone is seeing is just an affirmation of what’s always been there, from the moment she left Duluth, Minnesota to come play in Salt Lake City.