Laimbeer: Stokes is DPoY

[bschwartz]

LINK

"She's an elite defender right now. She's arguably the defensive player of the year [in the WNBA]," Laimbeer said Wednesday. "Just look at what she's already accomplished."

"We look to Kiah as our glue player," Laimbeer said. "She is always going to play defense. She will always be in position to block shots and is more solid as a help defender than people give her credit for.

"That is what has really surprised us," Laimbeer said. "Her perimeter shot is really outstanding. Inside, she's still developing her post awareness, but her upside there is huge. She easily has the potential to be a double-digit scorer in this league — easily. You couple that with her ability as a defender and rebounder and the potential for her to be an all-star is clear."

 

[MJL243]

If you google - Two Of A Kind: Stokes Fitting In With Charles On Liberty - you will bypass the Hartford Courant's paywall and you can read the article. This works with any Courant article.

 

[Aluminny69]

Shows how little I know. I was thinking, while watching her defend against Steph, that Kiah switched off too easily, giving Steph a mismatch. I think Steph ended up with 29 points, almost none (if any) of them against Kiah. I guess she was doing what Laimbeer told her to do.

 

[reno tony]

I am such a fan of hers. Tonight she had 7 pts./7 rebs./4 blocks. She passed EDD for second place with blocks per game trailing only Britney Griner.

 

[BroadwayVa]

LINK

"She's an elite defender right now. She's arguably the defensive player of the year [in the WNBA]," Laimbeer said Wednesday. "Just look at what she's already accomplished."

"We look to Kiah as our glue player," Laimbeer said. "She is always going to play defense. She will always be in position to block shots and is more solid as a help defender than people give her credit for.

"That is what has really surprised us," Laimbeer said. "Her perimeter shot is really outstanding. Inside, she's still developing her post awareness, but her upside there is huge. She easily has the potential to be a double-digit scorer in this league — easily. You couple that with her ability as a defender and rebounder and the potential for her to be an all-star is clear."

Kiah is my all star POY. Her defensive presence shall be missed next year--she was so quiet the way she defended and rebounded and Geno down played her defense with words like "that's what she does" the kid got little praise out side of a few hundred Kiah lovers and a bunch of media types, especially in 2 ND games.

 

[johnnyc]

Kiah is my all star POY. Her defensive presence shall be missed next year--she was so quiet the way she defended and rebounded and Geno down played her defense with words like "that's what she does" the kid got little praise out side of a few hundred Kiah lovers and a bunch of media types, especially in 2 ND games.

Sometimes not all that quiet. She was making some statements against some teams Especially check out the Green Bay game.

 

[easttexastrash]

I am really impressed with Stokes in the WNBA. The dynamics between her and Geno seem even more odd after watching her perform at such a high level under Laimbeer.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Interesting to think about Stokes and KML's college careers compared to their very early WNBA.

If you would have told me that Stokes would be averaging more minutes and points per game than KML, not sure I would have believed it.

Makes me think back to Rebecca Lobo and her statement about Stokes being a great professional player. She called it and I give her credit for that.

Get it Kiah!

 

[easttexastrash]

Interesting to think about Stokes and KML's college careers compared to their very early WNBA.

If you would have told me that Stokes would be averaging more minutes and points per game than KML, not sure I would have believed it.

Makes me think back to Rebecca Lobo and her statement about Stokes being a great professional player. She called it and I give her credit for that.

Get it Kiah!

I think that the WNBA lends itself to success for players who are highly athletic and move well, which certainly describes Stokes. I love seeing post players perform well and Stokes is certainly fulfilling her potential in the open style of the WNBA. She is already one of the top shot blockers an there is no reason to think that her numbers will not continue to improve in all categories.

 

[mrmojack]

It's a work in progress, but I see Kiah being more aggressive on offense lately.
She hit two short jumpers in the last game and is calling for the ball in the
paint. I did notice there were a few times she did not get the ball in the paint
from the guards when she was open. I saw that a lot at Uconn. The more
aggressive she gets the more she will get to the foul line and the points per
game will improve. She should be getting to the line more than she is now.

I liked the play in the SA game when Kiah got the rebound and threw it out
to the guard for a fast break and ran the floor and was rewarded with a lay
up. Great hustle play. She is always on the floor at the end of the game. Coach
Laimbeer loves the kid.

It's a great start to the WNBA season for Kiah and must be great for her
confidence. She was drafted by the right team and I'm sure Tina is a big help
to her as she is to Tina.

 

[easttexastrash]

I did notice there were a few times she did not get the ball in the paint
from the guards when she was open. I saw that a lot at Uconn.

Unfortunately, this seems to be a common occurrence for post players. Even at Baylor and also with the Mercury, BG would establish position just to have a guard look past her or jack up a long-range shot. This seems to have improved this year. Bonner,in particular, has been a more willing passer this season.

Hopefully Laimbeer will address this with the Liberty and will establish Stokes as a go-to player when she has worked to get position in the paint. Big girls like Stokes and BG who run the floor and then work hard to pin their defenders behind them need to have the ball fed to them. BG and Stokes rank 3 and 5 in FG% so if they are open they need to be getting the ball.

 

[easttexastrash]

Speaking of big girls, didn't someone predict that Jennifer Hamson was going to dominate the WNBA, including BG, this season? So far she is averaging 1 point and 1.2 rebounds per game.

UCONN has produced three of the top big girls in the league: Charles, Stokes and Dolson. This should be a good selling point in recruiting the next post/center that UCONN is looking for.

 

[xHunt3r]

Interesting to think about Stokes and KML's college careers compared to their very early WNBA.

If you would have told me that Stokes would be averaging more minutes and points per game than KML, not sure I would have believed it.

Makes me think back to Rebecca Lobo and her statement about Stokes being a great professional player. She called it and I give her credit for that.

Get it Kiah!

Na, I think it was easily predictable that KML would see limited minutes early on in her career. She does not have a speed/quickness/athletic ability to guard WNBA caliber wing players well... and she is not tall enough to guard post players well. Offensively she is not going to post up to many players nor does she create her own shot off the dribble... she is limited to being just a spot up shooter. But... she is a really good shooter. Right system with the right coach she'll can be an effect player in the league... wrong system/coach, she'll sit on bench for most of the game.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Speaking of big girls, didn't someone predict that Jennifer Hamson was going to dominate the WNBA, including BG, this season? So far she is averaging 1 point and 1.2 rebounds per game.

UCONN has produced three of the top big girls in the league: Charles, Stokes and Dolson. This should be a good selling point in recruiting the next post/center that UCONN is looking for.

Totally unfair of you, ETT. S-69 is a poster of way too far surpassing passions who just sees things much differently than everyone else. And two things are indisputably awesome about Hamson's effect: she got 9 blocks against Weber State!!!!!!!!! in her senior year, and BYU's rebound margin dropped from a +7.8 in her senior year to -1.4 last year, so even if her presence isn't always big, her absence surely is.

 

[ThisJustIn]

It's way early in Kiah's professional career - and who she's playing with & against is very different - but a quick glance at her stats don't show a huge change.

If I've done my maths correctly, her senior year at UConn, she averaged
18.3 minutes
3.7 blocks p/g
6.8 rebounds p/g
4.5 points p/g

Half way through the W season (mostly without Prince)
23.5 minutes
2.2 blocks p/g
6.2 rebounds p/g
5.6 points p/g

 

[Aluminny69]

It's way early in Kiah's professional career - and who she's playing with & against is very different - but a quick glance at her stats don't show a huge change.

I agree. Furthermore, Morgan Tuck replaced Kiah Stokes after the second game this year. I contend that, if Tuck were on the Liberty, she would also be starting instead of Stokes, and that Stokes would have fewer minutes played.

As you stated, it depends on who she is playing with and against. If Stokes had gone to Ohio State, she might have played 40 minutes a game.

 

[hoophuskee]

Kiah is my all star POY. Her defensive presence shall be missed next year--she was so quiet the way she defended and rebounded and Geno down played her defense with words like "that's what she does" the kid got little praise out side of a few hundred Kiah lovers and a bunch of media types, especially in 2 ND games.

Way overdone with All-Star POY. I guess Maya, Tina and Griner need to step aside. I know you were exaggerating regarding the 1st bold so I was just having equal fun.

IMO you're over-the-top though with your criticism "that's what she does." It WAS what she did. And for some reason Geno gets little credit from some on "what she does."

 

[hoophuskee]

Hopefully Laimbeer will address this with the Liberty and will establish Stokes as a go-to player when she has worked to get position in the paint. Big girls like Stokes and BG who run the floor and then work hard to pin their defenders behind them need to have the ball fed to them. BG and Stokes rank 3 and 5 in FG% so if they are open they need to be getting the ball.

You think this year or next Stokes is going to be a "go-to" player because of her fg%? Isn't it possible her high fg% is in part because a player like Tina gets so much attention?

 

[DobbsRover2]

I agree. Furthermore, Morgan Tuck replaced Kiah Stokes after the second game this year. I contend that, if Tuck were on the Liberty, she would also be starting instead of Stokes, and that Stokes would have fewer minutes played.

As you stated, it depends on who she is playing with and against. If Stokes had gone to Ohio State, she might have played 40 minutes a game.

Whatever, but do check the WNBA stats. Hate to keep harping back to those Win Share numbers, but they do try to measure a player's total contributions to the team. Stokes leads the Liberty in Win Shares while playing the 4th most minutes on the team, and that could well indicate that she should be playing even more minutes.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Speaking of big girls, didn't someone predict that Jennifer Hamson was going to dominate the WNBA, including BG, this season? So far she is averaging 1 point and 1.2 rebounds per game.

UCONN has produced three of the top big girls in the league: Charles, Stokes and Dolson. This should be a good selling point in recruiting the next post/center that UCONN is looking for.

Tina is 8th in the league in scoring, Stef is 19th, and Kiah is 64th. Maya is 3rd.

Tina is 5th in rebounding, Stef is 8th, and Kiah is 15th. Maya is 11th.

Kiah is 2nd in blocks, Stef is 8th, and Tina is 24th. Maya is 20th.

Tina is 18th in assists, Stef is 36th, and Kiah is 77th. Maya is 10th. Sue is 3rd.

 

[easttexastrash]

Tina is 8th in the league in scoring, Stef is 19th, and Kiah is 64th. Maya is 3rd.

Tina is 5th in rebounding, Stef is 8th, and Kiah is 15th. Maya is 11th.

Kiah is 2nd in blocks, Stef is 8th, and Tina is 24th. Maya is 20th.

Tina is 18th in assists, Stef is 36th, and Kiah is 77th. Maya is 10th. Sue is 3rd.

Not sure what point you are making with this post. I don't consider Moore a "big girl" if you are pointing out that I omitted her from my list. Can you clarify?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Not sure what point you are making with this post. I don't consider Moore a "big girl" if you are pointing out that I omitted her from my list. Can you clarify?

I'm listing the 3 bigs. Maya is not a true post, but is not a guard either. She is added mostly for context.

 

[Icebear]

I am really impressed with Stokes in the WNBA. The dynamics between her and Geno seem even more odd after watching her perform at such a high level under Laimbeer.

The dynamics between her and Geno is why Laimbeer has the player she is.

 

[TFintheMix]

I agree. Furthermore, Morgan Tuck replaced Kiah Stokes after the second game this year. I contend that, if Tuck were on the Liberty, she would also be starting instead of Stokes, and that Stokes would have fewer minutes played.

As you stated, it depends on who she is playing with and against. If Stokes had gone to Ohio State, she might have played 40 minutes a game.

Couldn't disagree more. Stokes is an elite athlete and defensive player. She was never given a chance to develop offensively at UConn. Time will tell.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Tina is 8th in the league in scoring, Stef is 19th, and Kiah is 64th. Maya is 3rd.

Tina is 5th in rebounding, Stef is 8th, and Kiah is 15th. Maya is 11th.

Kiah is 2nd in blocks, Stef is 8th, and Tina is 24th. Maya is 20th.

Tina is 18th in assists, Stef is 36th, and Kiah is 77th. Maya is 10th. Sue is 3rd.

Kiah is now of course now #1 in blocks after the big night against the Sun.

The problem though with stating rankings is that as you know Kiah gets a lot less minutes than Tina, and Stef, and Maya. If you look at either per-minute or efficiency ratings or shooting percentages, Kiah is actually ahead of all three players in a number of categories, some like Offensive Rating that you would not think possible. She has a better rebounding average per minute over all three players, which you probably would expect. And of course on something like blocks she is above everyone else in the WNBA except Griner's bpg and bpm rates.

Kiah does not get enough minutes yet to qualify for being listed in the Top 10 of many categories, but it will be interesting to see what happens if she starts getting the same kind of minutes as Stef (4 or 5 mpg more), let alone the 30+ mpg that Tina and Maya have earned in the pro's..