JANIAH BARKER!!! Girl can move!
Thanks for the video. This confirms my impressions from the only games of hers I watched -- the Tennessee and LSU games.
She is fast, quicker in the open court than Aaliyah, who is really fast for a big. She also has quick hands in addition to quick feet. This makes her an excellent open-court defender. She'll be great on the high hedges Geno likes to run.
She also has an impressive midrange shooting game, a shot she can get off without a lot help. And she has some good quick low post moves.
What I didn't see in this video, and in those other games, is a great low post defender. Perhaps this is merely an effect of playing next to Lauren Ware, who carried more of this load.
But she doesn't strike me as a traditional rim protector. Also, she looks small for 6'4". This may be an illusion because she plays in a semi-crouch much of the time, and this may be inevitable for someone who understands her virtue is speed.
When folks here call for another big from the portal, I think they're looking for a low post player and a rim protector. I think Barker could be a great addition for us -- assuming she can fit into the team chemistry -- but I don't think she'd solve the problem others think we have. I don't really think we have the deficiency many think we do. I think Jana will be enough. If Geno brings in Barker, it will mainly be to play next to Jana, not instead of her.
And this leaves us with a conundrum since it means she will effectively displace Sarah Ayanna Ice Caroline and Aubrey
for two years. I'm not totally convinced this is the best use of our roster. Still, it's hard not to like this kid and to want to add her. This is why Geno gets paid the big bucks, tough calls like these.