2020 WNBA Sophomores | The Boneyard

2020 WNBA Sophomores

Which of these prominent 2019 WNBA rookies will have the best season next year?

  • Napheesa Collier

    Votes: 9 26.5%
  • Asia Durr

    Votes: 2 5.9%
  • Teaira McCowan

    Votes: 20 58.8%
  • Arike Ogunbowale

    Votes: 2 5.9%
  • Jackie Young

    Votes: 1 2.9%

  • Total voters
    34
  • Poll closed .
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Which of these prominent 2019 WNBA rookies will have the best season next year?
 

bballnut90

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McCowan or Ogunbowale most likely. McCowan has finally been unleashed and is dominating. Still hasn't scratched the surface of her potential if she can develop a couple of good post moves. Arike is also playing at a ridiculously high level and is very comfortable out there but will need to adjust with another ball dominant guard in Diggins (or 2 if they land Ionescu) in the lineup. She'll likely have reduced scoring but higher efficiency as the season pans out.

Collier is also in the mix but a lot depends on if Moore is back. If Maya comes back it'll mean less touches for Collier.

Young isn't really in a position to have a breakout year for the Aces as long as the big 3 of Liz/McBride/A'ja are there.

Durr I don't see breaking out in NY either....she's not the most aggressive player and is playing alongside a high volume shooter in Tina Charles. Nurse also looks like a better wing than Durr in her ability to move off the ball and get open looks. I never understood why people were so locked in with Durr at 2 over others like Ogunbowale or McCowan. Both Arike/McCowan would've been more helpful IMO than Durr has been.
 
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McCowan or Ogunbowale most likely. McCowan has finally been unleashed and is dominating. Still hasn't scratched the surface of her potential if she can develop a couple of good post moves. Arike is also playing at a ridiculously high level and is very comfortable out there but will need to adjust with another ball dominant guard in Diggins (or 2 if they land Ionescu) in the lineup. She'll likely have reduced scoring but higher efficiency as the season pans out.

Collier is also in the mix but a lot depends on if Moore is back. If Maya comes back it'll mean less touches for Collier.

Young isn't really in a position to have a breakout year for the Aces as long as the big 3 of Liz/McBride/A'ja are there.

Durr I don't see breaking out in NY either....she's not the most aggressive player and is playing alongside a high volume shooter in Tina Charles. Nurse also looks like a better wing than Durr in her ability to move off the ball and get open looks. I never understood why people were so locked in with Durr at 2 over others like Ogunbowale or McCowan. Both Arike/McCowan would've been more helpful IMO than Durr has been.
I think that Young's numbers can break out certainly. She is dreadful at finishing her drives. Last year she had one of the top FG% for a guard, but she hasn't adjusted in the W. Her 2FG% is same as her 3FG%, 31%. If she could finish better her numbers would rise, and of course her minutes as well.
 

bballnut90

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I think that Young's numbers can break out certainly. She is dreadful at finishing her drives. Last year she had one of the top FG% for a guard, but she hasn't adjusted in the W. Her 2FG% is same as her 3FG%, 31%. If she could finish better her numbers would rise, and of course her minutes as well.
True but she isnt going to be a primary scorer with McBride, Hamby, Wilson and Cambage as being ahead of her as go to options. Plum is also a better scorer if she plays confidently and can hit open shots. Young will improve but I'll be surprised if she breaks out next year.
 

Bigboote

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As bballnut said, Maya may be back next year. But Skylar will be back, which I think will give Arike growing pains. McCowan will have a good year; it remains to be seen whether she’ll have a better year than Pheesa.

As Geno said, this year is the worst that Pheesa will have.
 

MilfordHusky

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I voted for McCowan. She is too much physically for most teams. She has come on nicely.
 

bballnut90

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As bballnut said, Maya may be back next year. But Skylar will be back, which I think will give Arike growing pains. McCowan will have a good year; it remains to be seen whether she’ll have a better year than Pheesa.

As Geno said, this year is the worst that Pheesa will have.

Why will Arike have growing pains with Skylar back but Collier wont with Maya?
 

Orangutan

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McCowan likely puts up huge numbers next year.

I'm unconvinced that having a huge monolith like McCowan at center is the way to win championships in the current league. But McCowan will be a 20-and-10 machine if she plays starters' minutes for a fully year.

On the subject of Maya coming back and putting a damper on Collier's production, I remain unconvinced that Maya is coming back next year. Or ever for that matter. But we'll see. It seems impossible to know either way.
 

Bigboote

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Why will Arike have growing pains with Skylar back but Collier wont with Maya?
Maya might mot be back, and many threads have alluded to it being unlikely.
 
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I know the Fever will be good next year, they will probably will have their best season post Catchings
 

bballnut90

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Maya might mot be back, and many threads have alluded to it being unlikely.

Right, but why do you think Arike will have growing pains with Skyler while Collier wouldn't with Maya coming back? (if Maya does come back)
 

bbsamjj

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Durr was averaging nearly 10ppg while shooting close to 47% FG before her injury. If she gets healthy and improves over off-season, I see her and Nurse forming a very good backcourt, particularly if Durr hits her 3-pointers like she did in college.
 
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Durr was averaging nearly 10ppg while shooting close to 47% FG before her injury. If she gets healthy and improves over off-season, I see her and Nurse forming a very good backcourt, particularly if Durr hits her 3-pointers like she did in college.
Her first year in college, she had a tough year recovering from injuries. Was fantastic after that. I see a repeat.
 
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I think of a backcourt as a PG + SG. If Nurse and Durr play at the same time, one of them should be in the SF position. Maybe you want to think of it as a three guard system.
 

Dillon77

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Whoa. So many ways to address this "..have the best season." From an individual, statistical perspective?
From an incremental/improvement perspective? Adapting to slightly different perspectives? Combinations thereof?

What makes it interesting is that of the players you chose, Napheesa Collier had a great, overall season, while both Arike Ogunbowale and Teaira McCowan came on strong after the All-Star break.
With that in mind, here are some thoughts:

- Collier. Continued excellence wouldn't be such a bad outcome, would it? ;) If Moore comes back, there will be adjustments, but that would hold true for players like Sims, as well. Plus, Phee is used to sharing the ball and playing in unison, so don't see it as a big deal. If Moore does not come back, I think she might become even more aggressive on the shooting end.

- Durr. After watching her for many years at ND, I've always thought of her as a combo guard who looks for her shot. She and Nurse would benefit beyond belief having someone like Ionescu who could hit them in their favorite spots. If not, I see incremental growth.

- McCowan can become a 20-10 machine for sue and can help protect the lower part of the paint. Defensively, can she move out to cover more mobile centers who can hit the medium-range jumper and/or drive by her?

- Young. Jackie used to be a solid finisher on drives while she was at ND. Could tthis be a case of playing point guard at a faster, more intense level after a very long and demanding collegiate season?
The good news is that she has fit in well with the overall team. But I wonder...this is still the player that is the leading scorer in Indiana history. Could she help more at a position other than point guard?

- Ogunbowale. I happen to think Arike will do just fine playing with Skylar Diggins-Smith and/or MoJeff. Both of those guards have shown the ability to play with very talented scorers: you know MoJeff's running mates and don't forget Diggins-Smith played with K-Mac, Jewell Loyd and Natalie Novosel, all of whom could score. Plus, Arike played off other scorers, as well: Jackie Young and Marina Mabrey.
Less on the ball could translate to more efficiency. Good for all concerned.

Will be interesting to see how Kalani Brown progresses: will she get more PT?
While I expect Brianna Turner to be a wing person for Griner, expect more shots from her next year.
Stay tuned on KLS and Alanna Smith, who was largely MIA this year.

I'd love to see how Jess Shepard comes back, but those ACLs can take longer than expected.
 
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McCowan simply because she’s a big big on a team without much other size. I imagine she’ll be much improved after a season abroad or with development coaches here. Regardless I could see her being extremely dominant starting next season like she’s shown flashes of this season. Napheesa Collier will continue to improve, as will the other rookies, but I just see McCowan having the most chance to show great improvement and dominate.
 

Bigboote

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Right, but why do you think Arike will have growing pains with Skyler while Collier wouldn't with Maya coming back? (if Maya does come back)

I didn't say that Collier wouldn't have growing pains if Maya is back, and didn't mean to imply it. I was pointing out that there's speculation that Maya's return is unlikely, in which case Collier wouldn't have growing pains associated with her return.

Before reading this thread and many stories that have been linked recently, I would have felt that Collier would have fewer growing pains with Maya around than Ogunbowale would have with Skylar around. But I didn't have a full appreciation that Arike has played out of her natural position all year. (Agler and McGraw are both good coaches -- I wonder why McGraw didn't put Arike at the point guard spot two years ago rather than Mabrey?) I tend to think of Collier as very adaptable, but I hadn't given Ogunbowale her due for adapting to the PG spot this year.
 

bballnut90

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I didn't say that Collier wouldn't have growing pains if Maya is back, and didn't mean to imply it. I was pointing out that there's speculation that Maya's return is unlikely, in which case Collier wouldn't have growing pains associated with her return.

Before reading this thread and many stories that have been linked recently, I would have felt that Collier would have fewer growing pains with Maya around than Ogunbowale would have with Skylar around. But I didn't have a full appreciation that Arike has played out of her natural position all year. (Agler and McGraw are both good coaches -- I wonder why McGraw didn't put Arike at the point guard spot two years ago rather than Mabrey?) I tend to think of Collier as very adaptable, but I hadn't given Ogunbowale her due for adapting to the PG spot this year.

Thanks for the reply. I think both Collier and Arike will do quite well next year if other stars are back too. Arike will likely still the bailout for Dallas but wont have the ball as much as she did this past season. I could see her and Skylar clashing since theyre both more ball dominant, but I also can see them thriving together if they're willing to play unselfishly. Arike also didnt play PG because Mabrey/Young did an excellent job running the show and they needed Arike to be a scorer first and foremost.

ND had three very different PG options in Arike/Mabrey/Young, all of them were excellent passers and capable of handling various duties. As it played out, Arike was mostly a scorer, Mabrey a shooter and handled majority of PG duties, Young did a little bit of everything. It got them a ring and a runner up appearance so I think Muffet made a good call there.
 

MilfordHusky

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I am not sure that Maya will come back next year--or ever. She may have a higher calling. If she does come back, that may reduce Phee's minutes, but it may mean that the two of them will alternate between SF and PF. I can seem them on the floor together hitting each other on cuts to the hoop. I see them as very complementary.

With regard to Arike and Skylar, they are both ball dominant PGs, and there is only one ball. Skylar's presence on the floor will reduce Arike's shot attempts by about 5 per game in my opinion. That could be a good thing if the quality of Arike's shots goes up--and her shooting percentage with it. But her ppg will likely decline. One thing that MAY help Arike and Skylar coexist is their "Irish heritage." That could build camaraderie and reduce potential conflict.
 

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