Great prospects who didnt pan out in the W

[bballnut90]

Who are some players that you thought had all of the tools to be an excellent WNBA player but never lived up to their potential?

2 that immediately come to mind are Tasha Humphrey and Amber Harris. Humphrey was an absolute beast at Georgia and played like a female Barkley. She had a couple of excellent games for the Shock but ultimately never panned out and was probably the biggest disappointment from the loaded 2008 class.

Amber Harris apparently always had effort/motivation issues but was still a stud in college. She had all of the tools and skills to be another Jonquel Jones but ultimately never planned out as a pro.

 

[JoePgh]

Who are some players that you thought had all of the tools to be an excellent WNBA player but never lived up to their potential?

2 that immediately come to mind are Tasha Humphrey and Amber Harris. Humphrey was an absolute beast at Georgia and played like a female Barkley. She had a couple of excellent games for the Shock but ultimately never panned out and was probably the biggest disappointment from the loaded 2008 class.

Amber Harris apparently always had effort/motivation issues but was still a stud in college. She had all of the tools and skills to be another Jonquel Jones but ultimately never planned out as a pro.

I'm still mystified by Kelly Faris's inability to make an impact in the WNBA. She and Tiffany Hayes were college teammates, and I thought they were approximately equal in their contributions to the UConn teams that they played for. But Tiff has become a multi-year all-star at the pro level after being drafted in the middle of the second round. Kelly played on the Sun's bench for several years but failed to become a significant scoring threat, and was eventually cut.

Going back a little further, it is equally surprising that Ann Strother failed to gain a foothold in the WNBA, despite a very good college career. She and Barbara Turner were college teammates, and while Turner did not have a great pro career, she did better and lasted much longer than Annie.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Giuliana Mendiola from Washington (only played a few games one season; there must be a story there but I'm unaware of it) and Nicole Powell and Candice Wiggins from Stanford. All 3 were studs in college. Powell looks to have had the best WNBA career, played for about a decade and had decent stats but none were close to being stars as professionals over the course of their careers.

 

[triaddukefan]

Amber Harris. She could score inside and out.... had range on her shot.... was a beast on the boards.... good shot-blocker... agile... had length and timing.... but alas didnt have the motor.

 

[bballnut90]

Giuliana Mendiola from Washington (only played a few games one season; there must be a story there but I'm unaware of it) and Nicole Powell and Candice Wiggins from Stanford. All 3 were studs in college. Powell looks to have had the best WNBA career, played for about a decade and had decent stats but none were close to being stars as professionals over the course of their careers.

Mendiola I thought would be better than she was. Powell too even though she carved out a career for herself. She basically turned into a 3pt shooter as time sent on when she was a triple double magnet in college. Wiggins I always thought was overrated...great athlete but poor shot selection/decision making. Kind of like a better Shoni Schimmel in that regard.

 

[bballnut90]

I'm still mystified by Kelly Faris's inability to make an impact in the WNBA. She and Tiffany Hayes were college teammates, and I thought they were approximately equal in their contributions to the UConn teams that they played for. But Tiff has become a multi-year all-star at the pro level after being drafted in the middle of the second round. Kelly played on the Sun's bench for several years but failed to become a significant scoring threat, and was eventually cut.

Going back a little further, it is equally surprising that Ann Strother failed to gain a foothold in the WNBA, despite a very good college career. She and Barbara Turner were college teammates, and while Turner did not have a great pro career, she did better and lasted much longer than Annie.

I honestly thought neither Faris nor Hayes would last in the pros. Faris I thought might do well as a defensive stopper or play a Gabby Williams type of role. Strother I never thought would be a great pro. She had a good but not great jumpshot and just didnt improve much over her career. Really struggled in a go to role.

For UCONN players I thought Jefferson and KML would be better than theyve been. Jefferson has been injury plagued and i think a lot of KML's short comings were hidden at UCONN but are being exposed now.


Alana Beard is another player who I thought would've been an all time great. She was ridiculously good in college and I thought shed go toe to toe with DT in the pros. Actually thought shed be better than DT and that definitely hasnt been the case. She's carved out a really solid career but didnt blossom into an All-WNBA staple like I thought she would.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

2 that immediately come to mind are Tasha Humphrey and Amber Harris. Humphrey was an absolute beast at Georgia and played like a female Barkley. She had a couple of excellent games for the Shock but ultimately never panned out and was probably the biggest disappointment from the loaded 2008 class.

@bballnut90 , I completely agree regarding Tasha Humphrey. But honestly, I believe she never developed --- at least not nearly as much as she should have --- at Georgia.

Recall that in the spring/summer of 2003, Duke was heavily recruiting Humphrey. Georgia's Andy Landers had hired Humphrey's mother as an assistant coach either the year before or two years before. Humphrey verbals (non-publicly) to Duke, but the scuttlebutt (per my sources) was that Landers threatened her mother's job. A few days later, Humphrey publicly announces her verbal commitment to Georgia. Gail Goestenkors would have done amazing things with Humphrey.

I'm still mystified by Kelly Faris's inability to make an impact in the WNBA.

@JoePgh , I disagree -- I am not mystified at all by Kelly Faris's inability to make an impact in the WNBA.

Faris was a great college player, who excelled in a great system. She maximized her skills and abilities; she reached the ceiling of her potential.

But she does not have a pro-level skill. She is not an elite athlete. She is not a lights-out shooter. She is not gifted with tremendous size/wingspan for her position.

To me, Faris was/is very similar to Stanford's Jeannette Pohlen, who, during her senior year, was named Pac-10 Player of the Year and a First Team All-American --- and she was Pac-10 POY when both Nneka (junior) and Chiney (freshman) Ogwumike were on the Cardinal. She was taken in the first round (9th overall) of the 2011 WNBA Draft. But while she played in 148 games over six seasons (all for Indiana), Pohlen's career average was 3.4 PPG, with 4.4 PPG in 2012 being her best points per contest average of her career. Again, like Faris, Pohlen was a great college player who was in a great system in which she was able to maximize her potential and excel. But that does not a pro prospect/player make...

For UCONN players I thought Jefferson and KML would be better than theyve been. Jefferson has been injury plagued and i think a lot of KML's short comings were hidden at UCONN but are being exposed now.

@bballnut90 , that is very interesting. I never thought KML was a particularly strong prospect. KML was a lights out three-point assassin in college, but she was not a great rebounder or passer for her size/position.

In fact, she has actually met my WNBA expectations -- and possibly even exceeded them -- in finding her niche as a roleplayer off the bench in Seattle and consistently contributing 5-6 ppg in 12-14 minutes per contest. I was worried that KML might go the way of Laurie Koehn, a three-point sniper from yesteryear (and whose college three-point record KML broke), who, after five seasons, never could find her role.

Alana Beard is another player who I thought would've been an all time great. She was ridiculously good in college and I thought shed go toe to toe with DT in the pros. Actually thought shed be better than DT and that definitely hasnt been the case. She's carved out a really solid career but didnt blossom into an All-WNBA staple like I thought she would.

I thought Beard would be very, very good. As much of a homer as I am, I had concerns about the consistency of Beard's three-point shot in the pros. I did not think she would be better than Taurasi, but I definitely thought she would be very, very good and a perennial All Star.

Here is Alana Beard's WNBA resume:

• WNBA champion (2016)
• 4× WNBA All-Star (2005–2007, 2009)
• All-WNBA Second Team (2006)
• 2× WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2017, 2018)
• 5× WNBA All-Defensive First Team (2007, 2012, 2016–2018)
• 4× WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2005, 2006, 2009, 2014)
• Most career steals among active players (705 and counting)
• 3rd on the WNBA all-time career steals list
• All-time steals leader in Washington Mystics history

Now, note the demarcation point of the All-WNBA (overall) and All Star berths -- 2009. Following the 2009 season, Beard sat out two consecutive seasons, she missed the 2010 season after undergoing surgery to repair an ankle tendon and sat out the 2011 season with a foot injury.

In other words, Alana Beard missed two WNBA seasons in the prime of her career due to injuries -- and she was never the same player:

• 2004-2009: 16.21 ppg (6 seasons, 193 total regular season games played, 3128 points scored)
• 2012-2019: 7.3 ppg (8 seasons, 217 total regular season games played, 1585 points scored)

Now, while she may not have lived up to expectations for the #2 pick in a deep WNBA draft, she still had a very, very good career, with multiple All Star appearances, All-WNBA accolades, a two Defensive MVP trophies.

In addition, Beard is one of only three WNBA players to record 4,500 points, 1000, rebounds, 1000 assists, 600 steals, and 200 blocks for their careers. The other two? Tamika Catchings and Sheryl Swoopes.

@bballnut90 , I agree that I expected a bit more from Alana Beard (maybe 3-4 All-WNBA teams and a few more All Star berths). We likely would have seen those accolades, had she not missed two full seasons in her prime with injuries. Yet on a personal note, I am happy she was able to not just resurrect her career, but THRIVE in her role, as she won her two WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards after she turned 35 years old.

As for me, here are the players whom I thought of as great prospects with WNBA potential who, for whatever reason, simply did not pan out in the league:

• Danielle Crockrom (Baylor) -- taken in the 2002 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Gwen Jackson (Tennessee) -- taken in the 2003 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Tasha Humphrey (Georgia) -- taken in the 2004 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Chandi Jones (Houston) -- taken in the 2004 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Lisa Willis (UCLA) -- taken in the 2006 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Laura Harper (Maryland) -- taken in the 2008 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Monica Wright (Virginia) -- taken in the 2010 WNBA Draft (first round)

 

[bballnut90]

@bballnut90 , I completely agree regarding Tasha Humphrey. But honestly, I believe she never developed --- at least not nearly as much as she should have --- at Georgia.

Recall that in the spring/summer of 2003, Duke was heavily recruiting Humphrey. Georgia's Andy Landers had hired Humphrey's mother as an assistant coach either the year before or two years before. Humphrey verbals (non-publicly) to Duke, but the scuttlebutt (per my sources) was that Landers threatened her mother's job. A few days later, Humphrey publicly announces her verbal commitment to Georgia. Gail Goestenkors would have done amazing things with Humphrey.



@JoePgh , I disagree -- I am not mystified at all by Kelly Faris's inability to make an impact in the WNBA.

Faris was a great college player, who excelled in a great system. She maximized her skills and abilities; she reached the ceiling of her potential.

But she does not have a pro-level skill. She is not an elite athlete. She is not a lights-out shooter. She is not gifted with tremendous size/wingspan for her position.

To me, Faris was/is very similar to Stanford's Jeannette Pohlen, who, during her senior year, was named Pac-10 Player of the Year and a First Team All-American --- and she was Pac-10 POY when both Nneka (junior) and Chiney (freshman) Ogwumike were on the Cardinal. She was taken in the first round (9th overall) of the 2011 WNBA Draft. But while she played in 148 games over six seasons (all for Indiana), Pohlen's career average was 3.4 PPG, with 4.4 PPG in 2012 being her best points per contest average of her career. Again, like Faris, Pohlen was a great college player who was in a great system in which she was able to maximize her potential and excel. But that does not a pro prospect/player make...




@bballnut90 , that is very interesting. I never thought KML was a particularly strong prospect. KML was a lights out three-point assassin in college, but she was not a great rebounder or passer for her size/position.

In fact, she has actually met my WNBA expectations -- and possibly even exceeded them -- in finding her niche as a roleplayer off the bench in Seattle and consistently contributing 5-6 ppg in 12-14 minutes per contest. I was worried that KML might go the way of Laurie Koehn, a three-point sniper from yesteryear (and whose college three-point record KML broke), who, after five seasons, never could find her role.



I thought Beard would be very, very good. As much of a homer as I am, I had concerns about the consistency of Beard's three-point shot in the pros. I did not think she would be better than Taurasi, but I definitely thought she would be very, very good and a perennial All Star.

Here is Alana Beard's WNBA resume:

• WNBA champion (2016)
• 4× WNBA All-Star (2005–2007, 2009)
• All-WNBA Second Team (2006)
• 2× WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2017, 2018)
• 5× WNBA All-Defensive First Team (2007, 2012, 2016–2018)
• 4× WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2005, 2006, 2009, 2014)
• Most career steals among active players (705 and counting)
• 3rd on the WNBA all-time career steals list
• All-time steals leader in Washington Mystics history

Now, note the demarcation point of the All-WNBA (overall) and All Star berths -- 2009. Following the 2009 season, Beard sat out two consecutive seasons, she missed the 2010 season after undergoing surgery to repair an ankle tendon and sat out the 2011 season with a foot injury.

In other words, Alana Beard missed two WNBA seasons in the prime of her career due to injuries -- and she was never the same player:

• 2004-2009: 16.21 ppg (6 seasons, 193 total regular season games played, 3128 points scored)
• 2012-2019: 7.3 ppg (8 seasons, 217 total regular season games played, 1585 points scored)

Now, while she may not have lived up to expectations for the #2 pick in a deep WNBA draft, she still had a very, very good career, with multiple All Star appearances, All-WNBA accolades, a two Defensive MVP trophies.

In addition, Beard is one of only three WNBA players to record 4,500 points, 1000, rebounds, 1000 assists, 600 steals, and 200 blocks for their careers. The other two? Tamika Catchings and Sheryl Swoopes.

@bballnut90 , I agree that I expected a bit more from Alana Beard (maybe 3-4 All-WNBA teams and a few more All Star berths). We likely would have seen those accolades, had she not missed two full seasons in her prime with injuries. Yet on a personal note, I am happy she was able to not just resurrect her career, but THRIVE in her role, as she won her two WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards after she turned 35 years old.

As for me, here are the players whom I thought of as great prospects with WNBA potential who, for whatever reason, simply did not pan out in the league:

• Danielle Crockrom (Baylor) -- taken in the 2002 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Gwen Jackson (Tennessee) -- taken in the 2003 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Tasha Humphrey (Georgia) -- taken in the 2004 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Chandi Jones (Houston) -- taken in the 2004 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Lisa Willis (UCLA) -- taken in the 2006 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Laura Harper (Maryland) -- taken in the 2008 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Monica Wright (Virginia) -- taken in the 2010 WNBA Draft (first round)

Agree regarding Humphrey. As a freshman she came in with a developed All-American game from the get go. By the time she was a senior she hadn't developed much and didn't make Georgia into a power like I thought she was capable of doing. That freshman class was pretty nuts with standouts like Fowles, Wiggins, Humphrey, Tennessee's 6 pack (really 3pack since 3 were injured), Ajavon/Carson, Larkins, Houston, etc. All of them were really really good as freshman, or at least had great moments. And I thought Humphrey was the best of the best that year.


Beard has had an excellent career (16 years now?) and I agree injuries hampered her when she was in her prime. I really thought she was going to be the next great guard in the WNBA. If she was eligible to be drafted as a soph, jr or senior in any draft, I think she would've been the first overall pick in every year from 2000-2009 besides 2001, 2004 and 2008. She has been excellent in her role in LA.

Also agree about Jackson and Harper. Gwen Jackson had a really good rookie season but I believe she got pregnant and then fizzled out after that. Athletic, good scorer and dominated the NCAAs better than anyone named DT in 2003. Laura Harper I thought had all of the tools to be an excellent pro too. Possible better than Langhorne, but she never found her footing.

 

[Go/huskies]

Courtney Paris, was a four time All American, 3 time big 12 POY, and definitely one of the greatest college players ever, but has never really found her mark in the WNBA.

 

[Plebe]

Rebecca Lobo never quite lived up to the promise of her epic college career. She had two good years with the Liberty but tore her ACL at the start of the 1999 season and was but a shadow of herself thereafter.

 

[Geew1992]

Kelly Mazzante from Penn State

 

[triaddukefan]

Kelly Mazzante from Penn State

Former 2nd pound pick by my Charlotte Sting (RIP)

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Beard has had an excellent career (16 years now?) and I agree injuries hampered her when she was in her prime. I really thought she was going to be the next great guard in the WNBA. If she was eligible to be drafted as a soph, jr or senior in any draft, I think she would've been the first overall pick in every year from 2000-2009 besides 2001, 2004 and 2008. She has been excellent in her role in LA.

@bballnut90 , I agree about 2001 (Lauren Jackson), 2004 (Diana Taurasi), and 2008 (Candace Parker).

However, I do not believe Beard would have been taken over Sue Bird in 2002, given Bird's position (point guard) and Seattle's need for a franchise playmaker.

Also agree about Jackson and Harper. Gwen Jackson had a really good rookie season but I believe she got pregnant and then fizzled out after that. Athletic, good scorer and dominated the NCAAs better than anyone named DT in 2003. Laura Harper I thought had all of the tools to be an excellent pro too. Possible better than Langhorne, but she never found her footing.

Harper is taller than Langhorne and appeared to have more versatility in the frontcourt. I never thought Langhorne would be the one with the better WNBA career.

Kelly Mazzante from Penn State

@Geew1992 , I disagree about Kelly Mazzante. First, Penn State's entire offense was geared around Mazzante. She never had to learn (and never developed the ability) to play without the ball in her hands. Mazzante was also an average rebounder for her height (6-0).

In addition, Mazzante did not develop her passing/playmaking skills, which was part of the problem -- when you have the ball in your hands that often, you have to be able to be a threat to pass as well as score. This is why Kelsey Plum was taken #1 overall (granted, not the deepest draft) -- she developed into a playmaker/facilitator, which has allowed her to find a place in her W despite being a bit undersized (5-8) in the backcourt.

As for me, here are the players whom I thought of as great prospects with WNBA potential who, for whatever reason, simply did not pan out in the league:

• Danielle Crockrom (Baylor) -- taken in the 2002 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Gwen Jackson (Tennessee) -- taken in the 2003 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Tasha Humphrey (Georgia) -- taken in the 2004 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Chandi Jones (Houston) -- taken in the 2004 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Lisa Willis (UCLA) -- taken in the 2006 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Laura Harper (Maryland) -- taken in the 2008 WNBA Draft (first round)
• Monica Wright (Virginia) -- taken in the 2010 WNBA Draft (first round)

Another player I would add to my list is Shenise Johnson, taken in the first round of the 2012 WNBA Draft. At Miami, Johnson did it all --- scoring, rebounding, passing/playmaking. For her college career, she averaged 17.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg, and 4.2 apg. Yet in the WNBA, she has had a few good seasons, but has not really captured the league in a way that I should she would.