Andra Espinoza-Hunter Makes U16 Team

[tennparker3]

I really like Sedona's game. She impressed me with the few videos I've seen of her.

This team though... idk what to think. I talked to three people who were there at different times of the camp and all three were very clear that Boothe was by far the best player on the court (and I don't talk to Kenny). Chris Carr from Minnesota was another one they thought was a clear step above the rest. Kasi and Charli were mentioned as well but Sedona and Jade were equally impressive so the posts were deep in talent at the trials.

 

[Huskies Rule]

I saw his comments. Don't the coaches of the team pick the players? I don't understand why they'd care about Nike.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Does Nike pay the committee? Somehow I doubt that.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Wasn't there a great hullabaloo a couple of years ago about some player that didn't make the team?? Anyone recall how that turned out (and who the person hullabalooing was?)

Seems like USA Basketball has always been pretty open - and the fact that APPLICANTS can attend remind coaches that you can nominate a kid folks might not have seen.

 

[Huskies Rule]

Does Nike pay the committee? Somehow I doubt that.

Come on. One would hope at the very least that selection committees are independent. But Nike clearly exerts significant influence through its generous, nationwide sponsorship of the highest profile travel teams (among them Boo Williams, Texas United, Philadelphia Belles, MYC Gauchos, Cal Swish). Sponsoring tournaments and the wide-ranging publicity it provides athletes and coaches, the limitless gear, footwear, uniforms, etc. Yes, I'd say Nike $$$ has its hands and influence on practically everything.

 

[triaddukefan]

Wasn't there a great hullabaloo a couple of years ago about some player that didn't make the team?? Anyone recall how that turned out (and who the person hullabalooing was?)

Seems like USA Basketball has always been pretty open - and the fact that APPLICANTS can attend remind coaches that you can nominate a kid folks might not have seen.

I dont recall

 

[MilfordHusky]

Congrats to Andra and the others. Well done!

 

[Wbbfan1]

Annually there are discussions on who gets invited and make the U16 and U17 teams with claims of money, coaching and other influences that impact the decisions USA Basketball make. USA Basketball makes the claim they are selecting the best team and that doesn't necessarily mean the best players will make up the team.

I guess the issue that Kenny Kallina has that if Rellah Boothe is really the 2nd best player in the 2017, how did she not make the team. She is from Florida http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/12378990/star. I'm sure there are other players that he and/or others thought should have made the team.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I don't think Boothe's ranking should have any relevance in whether or not she made the team. Not that Boothe didn't make a legitimate case; she very well may have. But it's being made to sound pretty cutthroat here, and I have a hard time seeing Nike caring that much about high school girls basketball to somehow bribe or influence the result. Either way, it should be noted that Hoopgurlz' 3rd (Kushkituah) and 5th (Richards) ranked players from the '17 class were cut as well, and neither are from Florida, something Kalina is still harping on. He says in this long exchange that players from Texas and Cal are basically shoe-ins, yet Richards is from Texas and 5th ranked. I'm curious if the two non-invitees who made the team are affiliated with Nike in any way.


Edit:

Well, I have no idea how to get the link to the twitter conversation to post.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Prospect Nation Staff Draft before Team Announcement: http://prospectsnation.com/story/u16-pn-staff-draft

Made Team http://www.usab.com/news-events/news/2015/05/15-wu16-team-named.aspx

Interesting that 5 Players made the U16 Team that went undrafted. Adames, Espinoza-Hunter, Littleton, Meyers and Wallace.

That's a huge difference as their draft contained 24 players and you would think the team would be made up most of the players they evaluated(drafted) as best at the trial. I can understand 1 or 2 undrafted players, not five.

 

[CocoHusky]

Prospect Nation Staff Draft before Team Announcement: http://prospectsnation.com/story/u16-pn-staff-draft

Made Team http://www.usab.com/news-events/news/2015/05/15-wu16-team-named.aspx

Interesting that 5 Players made the U16 Team that went undrafted. Adames, Espinoza-Hunter, Littleton, Meyers and Wallace.

That's a huge difference as their draft contained 24 players and you would think the team would be made up most of the players they evaluated(drafted) as best at the trial. I can understand 1 or 2 undrafted players, not five.

Do you mean unranked as opposed to undrafted? 5 unranked players is not unusual for HS freshmen and Sophomores

 

[UcMiami]

There always seems to be some controversy over the selections for any team, but especially for the youngest ones (16/17) The fact is with 150 players attending that is a lot of talent to watch - even as you get down to 40, and after the first few truly stand out performers arguments could probably be made for any of 25 players. I thought the approach by Flynn from yesterday in discussing positional rankings was the most informative, but all of these folks are up in the stands, not on the floor and not in meetings. USA has a formula that has been pretty darned successful, and they are not necessarily selecting the best individuals for a team but a team that hopefully will play the best as a unit.

As for the AAU and HS coaches (college coaches being influential in U16 selections is crazy) having influence - on the invitees, I am sure they do have some influence, but more from their teams presence at the major tournaments than by pushing an individual player. If a players AAU and HS team do not play national events (and do well in them) then the chance of their players getting noticed nationally is much slimmer - hence the pay your way. And the players on those nationally prominent teams are competing against better players during the course of a year, so they are being pushed harder to be better by their competition.

Nike or other sponsors - under 16 team selection - you got to be kidding.

 

[Wbbfan1]

No, I meant undrafted. Prospect Nation had a draft on who they thought were the best players at the trial. These were the 24 best players they saw at the trial out of the 40 remaining players. I would have thought 10 or 11 of the players that made the team would have been one of their drafted players. Their article states they evaluated the players based on the their play at the trials and not any other events.

NIKE does sponsor USA Basketball so its not unrealistic that AAU coaches associated with NIKE have some influence. Also NIKE sponsors the http://nikegirlseybl.com/teams/ which is made up of some of the best AAU Teams in the country. USA Basketball does not conduct Regional Tryouts, where are they getting the information for these young players to determine who to invite.

Do you mean unranked as opposed to undrafted? 5 unranked players is not unusual for HS freshmen and Sophomores

 

[Kibitzer]

Any time all-star selections are made -- whether for a USA team, a local or regional all-star team, Olympians, or a hall of fame -- there will be challenges to the wisdom or integrity of the selection authority.

Looking back, the immortal Joe DiMaggio took three ballots to get into Cooperstown (IIRC). More recently, there was some grumbling about Asjha Jones being selected for the Olympic team -- and because Morgan Tuck was denied consideration for AA honors because of a stupid rule.

Now, look ahead and ponder the chances for, say, Tom Brady to be enshrined in Canton.

Can't please everybody -- but USA Basketball does a darn good job. IMO.

 

[Boreifs]

Those players not selected have at least two and at most four more shots at making a National team before they graduate from high school. Last year, half of the U16 team from two years ago didn't make the U17 roster. I presume that everybody gets feedback after the trials; the world is not over for any of them. At that age, things change quickly.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Individual Analysis of the 12 Players Making Team: http://www.bluestarmedia.org/index.php/component/k2/item/1247-usa-party-of-12

Not Glowing analysis on some players. Potential......

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Interesting read.

 

[Huskies Rule]

Kenny Kalina Tweets about USA Basketball selections for U16 team and how they are overlooking (being Kind) Florida players.

I strongly suspect that the nefarious anti-Florida bias is a direct response to that infamously sketchy character known as DavidinNaples.

 

[TFintheMix]

Come on. One would hope at the very least that selection committees are independent. But Nike clearly exerts significant influence through its generous, nationwide sponsorship of the highest profile travel teams (among them Boo Williams, Texas United, Philadelphia Belles, MYC Gauchos, Cal Swish). Sponsoring tournaments and the wide-ranging publicity it provides athletes and coaches, the limitless gear, footwear, uniforms, etc. Yes, I'd say Nike $$$ has its hands and influence on practically everything.

I applaud Nike supporting WBB. Their influence is huge because so few corporations contribute to the sport. On the men's side, you have Nike, Fila, Reebok and sponsors outside of the shoe companies.

 

[CocoHusky]

No, I meant undrafted. Prospect Nation had a draft on who they thought were the best players at the trial. These were the 24 best players they saw at the trial out of the 40 remaining players. I would have thought 10 or 11 of the players that made the team would have been one of their drafted players. Their article states they evaluated the players based on the their play at the trials and not any other events.

NIKE does sponsor USA Basketball so its not unrealistic that AAU coaches associated with NIKE have some influence. Also NIKE sponsors the http://nikegirlseybl.com/teams/ which is made up of some of the best AAU Teams in the country. USA Basketball does not conduct Regional Tryouts, where are they getting the information for these young players to determine who to invite.

Thanks, I was unaware of the Prospect Nation draft.

 

[Huskies Rule]

I applaud Nike supporting WBB. Their influence is huge because so few corporations contribute to the sport. On the men's side, you have Nike, Fila, Reebok and sponsors outside of the shoe companies.

I will never applaud a company that makes tens of billions in profits using a business model that outsources labor to the poorest countries of the world, employing and maltreating thousands of children (and adults) under harsh working conditions, most in miserable sweatshop factories, paying wages that United Nations monitors (The International Labour Group) says are below living, sustainable levels required for survival, in even those impoverished countries.

In Viet Nam, the average Nike worker fabricating an Air Jordan sneaker will make $1.60 PER DAY. In its dozens of Indonesian factories, the average worker is rewarded with $2.50 PER TEN-HOUR DAY. Nike's answer to workers' expressed concerns about safety, good ventilation, rest-breaks, increased pay and oppressive production schedules has been to throw tens of millions of dollars into a multi-media, public relations campaign to clean up its image, without making real and substantive improvements to the lives of the abused.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Honesty Scott-Grayson is from Brick, New Jersey. Yes, Brick City. I just wonder if she's a decent shooter.

 

[willtalk]

Annually there are discussions on who gets invited and make the U16 and U17 teams with claims of money, coaching and other influences that impact the decisions USA Basketball make. USA Basketball makes the claim they are selecting the best team and that doesn't necessarily mean the best players will make up the team.

I guess the issue that Kenny Kallina has that if Rellah Boothe is really the 2nd best player in the 2017, how did she not make the team. She is from Florida http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/12378990/star. I'm sure there are other players that he and/or others thought should have made the team.

I think that statement might be the key as to why certain players were selected and others left off. There are enough top quality players available to select the individual pieces that would make up the best team. A team of ALL STARS isn't always the best team. I was watching a hi- light video after the second cut and a saw a snippet of a player missing an open teammate cutting alone to the basket. This was not on a break but in a half court set. Rather than pass the ball to the teammate for the easy layup and score she maintained her dribble made a couple moves past two players too score. Very impressive individual effort but I doubt she made the team. Some individuals watching that play might be entirely focused on the great moves that player made to get the score and not see the lack of court vision or team work.

It all depends on what someone is looking for in a player. Sometimes people who scout and evaluate players individual skill sets and abilities do not consider how that individual part will fit into the whole. Some of the other things the committee seems to value is how well the player interacts with their teammates in creating team chemistry and yes harmony. From what I heard that is a major part of the selection process. Their talent pool is so vast that they certainly might allow themselves that luxury.

A lot of really good players who are stars and the focus on their own high school teams never learn until they get to the next level how to play with other elite players. UConn like the USA teams,to a degree also has the luxury of of being somewhat selective in who they recruit as well. It's not just about how good they are,but also how well they fit into the system.

I am not implying that that is the reason that certain players were not picked, rather that it is something to consider.

 

[triaddukefan]

I will never applaud a company that makes tens of billions in profits using a business model that outsources labor to the poorest countries of the world, employing and maltreating thousands of children (and adults) under harsh working conditions, most in miserable sweatshop factories, paying wages that United Nations monitors (The International Labour Group) says are below living, sustainable levels required for survival, in even those impoverished countries.

In Viet Nam, the average Nike worker fabricating an Air Jordan sneaker will make $1.60 PER DAY. In its dozens of Indonesian factories, the average worker is rewarded with $2.50 PER TEN-HOUR DAY. Nike's answer to workers' expressed concerns about safety, good ventilation, rest-breaks, increased pay and oppressive production schedules has been to throw tens of millions of dollars into a multi-media, public relations campaign to clean up its image, without making real and substantive improvements to the lives of the abused.

And yet the school you love and the teams your support are a Nike school/team

 

[EricLA]

Individual Analysis of the 12 Players Making Team: http://www.bluestarmedia.org/index.php/component/k2/item/1247-usa-party-of-12

Not Glowing analysis on some players. Potential.

Nice write up on Andra. Like this kid a lot!