Draft coverage

[Wbbfan1]

The SEC was the strongest WBB according to them and they demonstrated it tonight by not having a SEC player selected until the 3rd round.

 

[MilfordHusky]

You can say a lot of things about Sims, but she has never been a flopper. She's like a bicycle with no seat, she'll get in ya ass!

Ok, it was her teammates who flopped. I think she's a lot tougher than Skylar. This will be interesting.

 

[triaddukefan]

How many times can Schoni say "you know" in one interview?

 

[Blueballer]

You can say a lot of things about Sims, but she has never been a flopper. She's like a bicycle with no seat, she'll get in ya ass!

Really? When we we played them this year the first 3 she took was a flop and she got to the line for three. I'm not saying she wasn't touched but she really SOLD it.

 

[UcMiami]

Not really sure about the Sun team - Thomas and O are both best within ten feet of the basket and Bone as well. And they already have Pederson, Griffin and Hampton

And in the third round they add another - Stallworth

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'm not sure what to make of Alyssa Thomas. When I first saw her, I thought she had a body like Maya's. She had a great career at Maryland. But in watching games where she was largely shut down, I wonder how she'll do at the next level. Can she match up at the 4 position? I don't think she's a good enough shooter for the 3. She also is very left-handed. She could be a star or maybe just a marginal player. Thoughts?

 

[easttexastrash]

Really? When we we played them this year the first 3 she took was a flop and she got to the line for three. I'm not saying she wasn't touched but she really SOLD it.

LOL. Well, there is a pretty big difference between flopping and making sure the ref knows that you were fouled.

 

[VAMike23]

I like Coach Mike T. He may not have gotten the Sun a title, but they were always in the hunt. He's made some good personnel moved. The Mystics too often selected overrated ACC players. I think Asjha was their only UConn pick and they traded her. They are now building a winning culture. Stef, Bria, and Kara are very nice additions. I can now go to their games and cheer for the home team, though maybe not against Minnesota. That will feel odd.

Though I really dislike ND, I'm ok with Achonwa and probably also McBride. I got to see Kayla in person in Nashville and was very impressed with her handle and shot. Possibly the best dribbler I saw this year--very quick and low.

Don't forget one Tiffany Hayes in Atlanta. She's a major contributor for them.

The Connecticut Sun will have some good players and people. They will get to see how the State supports WBB.

Milford - we're up to our eyeballs in Huskies here in DC !! Love it!! Time to head back to the Mystics ticket counter....

I agree there will be a certain sense of unease now when Maya comes to town. Rooting against Maya is simply not an option, but I might just take a cue from the folks on Capitol Hill and "abstain" from cheering too hard for either team. I'll simply cheer for Maya, Stef and Bria to make plays and let the chips fall where they may.

Of course, all this is nothing compared to the mixed feelings the Ogwumikes will have when CT plays the Sparks!!

 

[VAMike23]

Liston may not be the most athletic player, but she's a great shooter. Put her on the floor with Maya and Seimone, and she'll get open looks.

I think she is an interesting wildcard, and a nice 3-pt threat off the bench, though in a different mold than Wiggins. I think that TL will need to be a little leaner and meaner to make it in the W but now that she's a pro we'll see if she can take that step. Certainly wouldn't be the first time, and she is not so far away as some pros have been (Jess Adair for example).

 

[UcMiami]

I think she is an interesting wildcard, and a nice 3-pt threat off the bench, though in a different mold than Wiggins. I think that TL will need to be a little leaner and meaner to make it in the W but now that she's a pro we'll see if she can take that step. Certainly wouldn't be the first time, and she is not so far away as some pros have been (Jess Adair for example).

You know - I think the rap on her is defense, but I see her in as being a bit like KML on that end - questionable quickness but good effort. And her shooting is really good - .481 from three this year and I think it was a lot higher until she lost all the point guards and had to shift to more ball handling duties (and defenses could key more on her. If she can be adequate on defense, her shooting should keep her in the league. As a spot up shooter getting kick outs from Maya, and Augustus she can be a weapon off the bench.

 

[EricLA]

Round #2 complete and still no Simmons!

I am sure the LV fans are hot around the collar.

They went absolutely bonkers. Not sure which peeved them more - the fact that Simmons went so late in the draft (feel badly for the kid either way), or the love fest with UCONN, and Lobo's constant carping about Dee as the best player in the world. Of course, little do they know that Maya is now #2, and soon Stewie will be #3.

 

[socal613ws]

slaughter at 3rd round is a great pickup by the sparks!

 

[VAUConnFan]

I'm not sure what to make of Alyssa Thomas. When I first saw her, I thought she had a body like Maya's. She had a great career at Maryland. But in watching games where she was largely shut down, I wonder how she'll do at the next level. Can she match up at the 4 position? I don't think she's a good enough shooter for the 3. She also is very left-handed. She could be a star or maybe just a marginal player. Thoughts?

Word is that Ms Thomas is actually right handed and plays left handed: Much like Phil Mickelson.

She had nice stats at Maryland and there have been some pretty good players out of Maryland. She is probably a tad quicker than most of the 4s she will see at the next level. Whether she will be able to bang with them will be fun to observe. Whether Ms Thomas can be an effective shooter at the 3 position, IMO, will depend upon where she is able to get the ball in the offense. If her good looks come primarily from beyond the arc, she might have problems. There is always the chance of her being a better perimeter shooter than she had the opportunity to demonstrate in college.

All that said, I truly believe the middle is a bit clogged in CT.

 

[Icebear]

Doris Burke was right. She said McBride would be in top 3.

They clearly knew that information. Doris wasn't the only one who had stated that.

 

[pinotbear]

How many times can Schoni say "you know" in one interview?

Unfortunately, you're right about this: earlier this season, when I watched some Schoni video promoting a UConn-Louisville game, it was painfully obvious. I don't know if the Cardinal program does much interview "prep" sessions, but, she'd have been better served by something like that.

 

[Icebear]

I would hope that they talked to the GMs and asked who they were considering.

Or maybe it was just a way of keeping TN in the conversation and it blew up worse than they considered possible.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Word is that Ms Thomas is actually right handed and plays left handed: Much like Phil Mickelson.

She had nice stats at Maryland and there have been some pretty good players out of Maryland. She is probably a tad quicker than most of the 4s she will see at the next level. Whether she will be able to bang with them will be fun to observe. Whether Ms Thomas can be an effective shooter at the 3 position, IMO, will depend upon where she is able to get the ball in the offense. If her good looks come primarily from beyond the arc, she might have problems. There is always the chance of her being a better perimeter shooter than she had the opportunity to demonstrate in college.

All that said, I truly believe the middle is a bit clogged in CT.

We'll see how Alyssa can expand her game.

I think she was perhaps the best Terp ever. She finished as the leading career scorer, male or female, and at least the female leading career rebounder. She was a 2x AA and 3x ACC POY, I believe. I don't think anyone topped those honors.

 

[UcMiami]

Or maybe it was just a way of keeping TN in the conversation and it blew up worse than they considered possible.

That was my take on it. I don't think if they talked to any GM about their top 15 players that she would have made the conversation, or their top 5 guards. And when some portion of your teams fans take the attitude that TN will better using the 'addition by subtraction' formula relative to her.
I give ESPN credit for not focusing the camera on her throughout the second round, but ...

 

[UcMiami]

We'll see how Alyssa can expand her game.

I think she was perhaps the best Terp ever. She finished as the leading career scorer, male or female, and at least the female leading career rebounder. She was a 2x AA and 3x ACC POY, I believe. I don't think anyone topped those honors.

I think she has a place in the league and should do really well - she has great strength and physical skills, but falls into that 'tweener' category, a little short for a 4, not enough range for a classic 3. And as a pro her physicality will not be as exceptional as it was in college. I just think the Sun might not be the best fit for her because they have so many players now that are best at 15 feet and in, but really only one center. And the top two rookies to some degree duplicate skills.
The trade made a lot more sense to me when the idea of McBride as the second pick was talked about. When she went to the Stars ... I thought they would have to 'stretch' to find a complementary pick. Thomas was I think appropriately taken at 4 except for a team that had just gotten Chiney. For that team Stef or Bria or Natasha, or ... seemed to make more sense.

 

[magic]

I thought the combination of Chiney and Stef would have been better than Chiney and Alyssa Thomas. I just have not ever seen AT make a difference in a really big game against a really good team, like Uconn. She played terribly against Irish in FF. To me she has been overhyped every year. Besides , Chiney is a power forward, and I just don't see Thomas playing the 3. I'm not sold on KB either. I think some of these picks are made to appease the fan base, and to avoid criticism. Me thinks Coach Thibault knows what he's doing.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Unfortunately, you're right about this: earlier this season, when I watched some Schoni video promoting a UConn-Louisville game, it was painfully obvious. I don't know if the Cardinal program does much interview "prep" sessions, but, she'd have been better served by something like that.

Even intelligent kids can sound awkward or "unintelligent" in interviews. Chelsea Gray's interview with LaChina Robinson was painful to hear.

 

[Striper69]

All of these girls look gorgeous tonight! But Jude...my my my.

Big Lurp.... ‏@biglurp 10m
@elliottctpost @jaltavilla @NHRJimFuller Who is Nadia Ockunwa? She just went all Travolta on @NatAchon's name.

Jude was looking good, wasn't she...

cute girl.

 

[UcMiami]

Even intelligent kids can sound awkward or "unintelligent" in interviews. Chelsea Gray's interview with LaChina Robinson was painful to hear.

Public speaking is not an easy thing to do and the use of 'fillers' whether 'you know', of clearing of the throat
, or 'ummms' or any of a number of others is very common. I took a public speaking course once and it was extremely painful to listen to the play-backs. It has nothing to do with intelligence or speed of thought. Practice can help, but only if it is reviewed and really worked on does someone get better.
I don't know how Uconn handles it, but generally speaking the women's players do quite well, and part of that I think is getting comfortable being around reporters. The horde certainly helps. And not just in familiarity, but also I think they are protective of the women's team - they do not do 'gotcha' journalism so mistakes are allowed to be corrected. Not as likely to happen on the men's side I think.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Public speaking is not an easy thing to do and the use of 'fillers' whether 'you know', of clearing of the throat
, or 'ummms' or any of a number of others is very common. I took a public speaking course once and it was extremely painful to listen to the play-backs. It has nothing to do with intelligence or speed of thought. Practice can help, but only if it is reviewed and really worked on does someone get better.
I don't know how Uconn handles it, but generally speaking the women's players do quite well, and part of that I think is getting comfortable being around reporters. The horde certainly helps. And not just in familiarity, but also I think they are protective of the women's team - they do not do 'gotcha' journalism so mistakes are allowed to be corrected. Not as likely to happen on the men's side I think.

For some reason when a lot of these kids from the South talk I can't for the life of me understand what they are saying. The accent plus trying to speak fast and out of breath during an interview plus not so great English makes it tough to understand.