Shoni

[wire chief]

The WNBA poll on the most impressive rookie so far. I daresay none of us would have guessed this back in April. What specifically did we not realize about her?

 

[msf22b]

That at heart, she was a team player with mucho flexibility to her game and a solid mind
to figure out what was require to succeed at the next level.

 

[VAUConnFan]

We did not miss anything.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Agreed. We did not miss anything... And I'm thinking McBride is EQUALLY impressive....

 

[easttexastrash]

Chiney is 9th in scoring and 11th in rebounding. She gets my vote. Chiney is also shooting 54% from the field to Shoni's 39% (32.6% from three point range). To say that she is having a more impressive season than Chiney would be to ignore the stats.

 

[ThisJustIn]

I'm not comparing stats. I'm looking at the individual performance and pondering what impact she could, would or might have in the league. I had no doubt Chiney would be impressive. So, her stats don't "impress" me. Shoni and Kayla's do....

 

[VAUConnFan]

A good class of rookies this year.

 

[easttexastrash]

I'm not comparing stats. I'm looking at the individual performance and pondering what impact she could, would or might have in the league. I had no doubt Chiney would be impressive. So, her stats don't "impress" me. Shoni and Kayla's do....

What about Shoni's rookie campaign so far leads you to label her as the "most impressive rookie?" I think she is a very good player who is perfroming well, but there is no way that she could carry a team like Chiney is.

 

[UCONNfan1]

A good class of rookies this year.

Agreed. So far the biggest surprises for me have been Bria and Shoni. I think after watching McBride in the NCAA's made me realize she IS that good and being drafted 3rd was no surprised unless one wasn't paying attention.

But Shoni's fitness was a big question mark for me - after seeing how much a more talented (in my mind) Skyler struggled last year, I thought Shoni might not even last a year. As for Bria, her shot was just so inconsistent at UCONN - never doubted her fire or intensity, but her shooting was just not that good. Both have been big surprises for me and therefore the most impressive in my book...

 

[Striper69]

Chiney is 9th in scoring and 11th in rebounding. She gets my vote. Chiney is also shooting 54% from the field to Shoni's 39% (32.6% from three point range). To say that she is having a more impressive season than Chiney would be to ignore the stats.

Shoni doesn't have to. She can bide her time with the talent-rich Dream lineup.

Chiney is the most impressive rookie cause Coach D and the Sun have rode on her back from the start and Chiney welcomed the load.

 

[Striper69]

A good class of rookies this year.

I was just thinking that tonight.

Has there ever been such an impressive rookie class?

Remember that three of the best aren't even able to play this year:
Jen Hamson
Natalie Achonwa
Chelsea Gray

 

[Striper69]

The WNBA poll on the most impressive rookie so far. I daresay none of us would have guessed this back in April. What specifically did we not realize about her?

Bill Laimbeer was at one of the games looking hard at her.

She didn't really show what she's doing right now with Atlanta. On Louisville's team she had to be the big scorer who every team keyed on.

I didn't have a clue that she could be the point guard she has been with the Dream.

 

[hjoerring]

Shoni doesn't have to. She can bide her time with the talent-rich Dream lineup.

Chiney is the most impressive rookie cause Coach D and the Sun have rode on her back from the start and Chiney welcomed the load.

I am clearly with you here. All knew about Shoni's flair, but there were legitimate questions about discipline. (we knew she could shoot from downtown and make others look good, etc). Atlanta was the best place for her-- at least compare to CT, NY or Tulsa (all random towns). Being able to stear a team is something else-- Skyler has finally gotten the handle on a very difficult situation to her credit. Very few rookies could have done that earlier. Bria is doing well and learning from a great PG and coach- not to mention the work ethic she learned at CT. Chiney's responsibilities are almost too great to comment on. With better play from significant others she will be force. Perhaps not a whole lot have changed from her Stanford experiences .....

 

[DishNSwish]

IMO Shoni's game is meant for the WNBA, but she's far from the first with that claim.

To me, the biggest difference between Shoni Atlanta and Shoni Louisville is the myriad of finishers on her Dream team. When you're hitting Erika, Lyttle, Angel, Tiff Hayes, etc. with passes instead of her Cardinal teammates, the assists are a whole lot easier to rack up.

 

[DaddyChoc]

well said... wcbb coaches put constraints on your game, in the W as you mentioned you have better finishers. not surprised with Shoni

IMO Shoni's game is meant for the WNBA, but she's far from the first with that claim.

To me, the biggest difference between Shoni Atlanta and Shoni Louisville is the myriad of finishers on her Dream team. When you're hitting Erika, Lyttle, Angel, Tiff Hayes, etc. with passes instead of her Cardinal teammates, the assists are a whole lot easier to rack up.

 

[Kibitzer]

IMO Shoni's game is meant for the WNBA, but she's far from the first with that claim.

To me, the biggest difference between Shoni Atlanta and Shoni Louisville is the myriad of finishers on her Dream team. When you're hitting Erika, Lyttle, Angel, Tiff Hayes, etc. with passes instead of her Cardinal teammates, the assists are a whole lot easier to rack up.

Excellent point.

Among the myriad (I like this word more as an adjective than a noun) statistics maintained by NBA teams are something like "would be" assists for those instances when a fine pass results in a blown layup (or the shooter gets fouled). By doing so, they (coaches, players, etc.) keep closer tabs on passers.

It is no knock on Sue to suggest that recipients of her passes by the likes of Diana, Swin, Tamika or Asja boosted her assists stat. They were Finishers, like Stewie and KML are for Moriah.