Congrats to Griner...

[alexrgct]

What makes you think Griner is going to be injury plagued? Oden played a year, we've seen Griner for four with no signs pointing towards a physically fragile player.

I agree. Oden's issues have been health-related. EDD has some Kevin Durant in her, but I don't see Oden when I see Griner. If anything, EDD has been the one limited by physical issues.

 

[ghostmutt]

Being tall is no guarantor of success; there have been more than a few stiffs in the 6'-5" and above category in WBB history.

Britney put in the time to refine her game and amassed incredible stats. Some may look askance at her fiery on-court demeanor, but it always stood in contrast to the even-tempered presence she showed off the court, despite the sexist negativity aimed her way. She seems like a nice person.

She is as near to a sure thing as a pro prospect that exists, with a great chance to repeat the feat of winning both WNBA ROY and MVP in her first season. She will get her chance to add more championships to her resume playing alongside our beloved DT. That is a terrible twosome that no one will want to mess with.

 

[EricLA]

To me hate is a bit of an overstatement - the only team i truly hate is Tennessee, but that's part of the passion of sports. Ever see the massive fights that break out in European soccer stadiums? How do you think Red Sox fans mostly feel about Yankee fans and vice versa? I could go on and on. There is a ton of passionate feelings involved in sports - both in college and the pros. There are reasons fans dislike or hate players. Much of the time the feelings are irrational, but there you have it...

 

[southie]

Not making an exact comparison, mind you. Perhaps you can also go back to the Sam Bowie and Michael Jordan draft comparison, as well.

My point is that EDD will be the better pro player, despite Griner being the #1 pick. I remember Portland struggling when deciding between drafting Oden and Durant. Still shocked that the choice wasn't Durant.

Griner doesn't have Lisa Leslie perimeter skills, so she has a limited game. After watching what EDD can do in all facets of the game, I see so much Kevin Durant in her game, and her size will be the x-factor.

 

[PacoSwede]

Back to the OP sentiment - Congrats to Griner for a wonderful college career and good luck in the WNBA - she is going to be a star at the next level, not quite as dominant but she will also have much better supporting players on her team and many fewer double teams.

My reaction to the OP: It spawned a good thread, but I truly don't think that at this time congratulations is what she wants. It would just piss me off if I were in her situation. Not the time to be thinking about accolades, which she's heard before anyway. They don't salve that kind of loss.

 

[meganmatthews]

Griner sent another interesting tweet during halftime. It simply said "HELLLPPP!!!"

 

[RadyLady]

To me hate is a bit of an overstatement - the only team i truly hate is Tennessee, but that's part of the passion of sports. Ever see the massive fights that break out in European soccer stadiums? How do you think Red Sox fans mostly feel about Yankee fans and vice versa? I could go on and on. There is a ton of passionate feelings involved in sports - both in college and the pros. There are reasons fans dislike or hate players. Much of the time the feelings are irrational, but there you have it...

I believe that some mistake passion for hatred.

 

[easttexastrash]

I know we all have opinions on her college career, and on her future career. Mine:

Britteny Griner = Greg Oden
Ellena Delle Donne = Kevin Durant

Well, perhaps a bit extreme, but, you get my point.

Griner will be the # 1 pick in the draft (like Oden), but EDD will be a scoring machine, better passer, better leader in the WNBA; probably Rookie of the Year, as well. Griner will face more players here own size, and with much more strength than what she faced in college. She will be a force defensively, but she will get into more foul trouble as players will take it right to her.

I am looking for the list of the players her own size. Other than Cambage I haven't found any others but maybe there are.

 

[herbiep]

What - did she come to your house and kick your dog or something?

Griner is a tremendous talent and she'll be a star in the pros. She played a passive game tonight, yes, but it doesn't taint everything she's accomplished during her career.

6'8", but, I can't say great. Not compared to the talent of EDD, Diane, Maya, Candice, and many more, with way more talent, just not 6'8"

 

[Bestiarius]

The punch eliminated a lot of the cheap shots that frustrated her and stunted her game.

I think the punch had the opposite effect. She took so much heat from it, the chance of a recurrence was non-existent. Opponents knew that.

 

[easttexastrash]

I think the punch had the opposite effect. She took so much heat from it, the chance of a recurrence was non-existent. Opponents knew that.

I agree. Walz well knew that he could do whatever he wanted and that BG could not retaliate. Once BG saw that the refs were going to allow L'ville to beat her up like they did in the first half she was demoralized.

That's why Mulkey should have put in a bruiser that she didn't normally play and let that player return the physical play to make the refs clean it up.

 

[UcMiami]

Ton of ill will and bad mojo in this thread.

She is a great athlete. I do think she has not learned yet how to play without taking numerous plays off. She still has a lot more to learn but without a doubt she is a game changer.

That said if anyone thinks going to the pros is going to stop the verbal abuse and the physical play against her then they have another think coming. It is about to get worse.

Yeah - go to the ESPN Baylor threads for any game and see the kind of vitriolic hate speech being posted - turns my stomach. (Thanks mods for not allowing anything like that here!)
And I would say that Kim not finding a way to get either Griner or Sims a few minutes on the bench during the game is one reason you may see Griner take a few plays off. Same has frequently been said about EDD not hustling getting down the court. It is hard for any players to go 20 minutes flat out, and especially for the big ones. That should improve at the next level as the teams have so much more consistent talent in support.
And EDD may be better offensively than EDD, but ... Griner is far superior right now defensively. And they will both face fewer double teams, but that may affect EDD less as the individual player guarding her will be closer to her own size and skill set. Griner on the other hand has consistently played against a number of players her size and with good skills, and has still been double teamed. She will still have the same high, length, speed advantage she is used to against most of the WNBA.

 

[UcMiami]

I agree. Walz well knew that he could do whatever he wanted and that BG could not retaliate. Once BG saw that the refs were going to allow L'ville to beat her up like they did in the first half she was demoralized.

That's why Mulkey should have put in a bruiser that she didn't normally play and let that player return the physical play to make the refs clean it up.

I think Kim and the rest of the team all failed to back up Griner. Kim should have adjusted the offense by moving Griner and her two defenders farther from the basket and played 4 on three with cutters and mismatches. And a few of the other players should have been getting more physical on the defensive end to either force the refs hands or take the legs away (exhaust, like a prize fighter going to the body, not undercut) from the Louisville three point shooters. You have to play the hand you are dealt as far as how a game is called, and teammates need to have each other's backs - not like they were in early foul trouble - no one had 4 fouls at the end of the game.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Did you ever see anyone cheap-shot her again? Me neither. Not talking physical play, during her freshmen year she was the target of multiple cheap-shots. That all stopped with that punch.

 

[DaddyChoc]

DT will make BG a awesome player

 

[Icebear]

Did you ever see anyone cheap-shot her again? Me neither. Not talking physical play, during her freshmen year she was the target of multiple cheap-shots. That all stopped with that punch.

It didn't really stop. Nor did her responses. See the UConn-Baylor game this year.

 

[OneTrickPony]

DT will make BG a awesome player

I agree wholeheartedly DC...Diana will be the best thing that ever happened to Brittany...

 

[easttexastrash]

I think Kim and the rest of the team all failed to back up Griner. Kim should have adjusted the offense by moving Griner and her two defenders farther from the basket and played 4 on three with cutters and mismatches. And a few of the other players should have been getting more physical on the defensive end to either force the refs hands or take the legs away (exhaust, like a prize fighter going to the body, not undercut) from the Louisville three point shooters. You have to play the hand you are dealt as far as how a game is called, and teammates need to have each other's backs - not like they were in early foul trouble - no one had 4 fouls at the end of the game.

I agree. I posted mid-game that Mulkey needed to move BG to the high post and upen up the paint for BG's teammates.

 

[easttexastrash]

I agree wholeheartedly DC...Diana will be the best thing that ever happened to Brittany...

I agree. And I guarantee you that DT will HAVE HER BACK like BG's teammates and coach should have last night. And might I add, like Geno would have last night. I am very disappointed in Mulkey for not throwing her coat in the first half.

She needs to go to the school of WWGD.

 

[OneTrickPony]

I agree. And I guarantee you that DT will HAVE HER BACK like BG's teammates and coach should have last night.

I agree with you...in addition, I think Dee will keep her from loafing through big segments of the game...that wasn't the issue last night because she was smothered, but she has been doing that a lot this year...especially in the UConn game...

Last night, the failure of the rest of the team to respond to the game really surprised me...I think they had all grown way too reliant on supergirl...

 

[easttexastrash]

I agree wholeheartedly DC...Diana will be the best thing that ever happened to Brittany...

I'm very excited about what will happen with those two. DT will mold BG and I think that BG will help extend DT's career. It is possibly the best thing that could have happened to either.

 

[easttexastrash]

I'm very excited about what will happen with those two. DT will mold BG and I think that BG will help extend DT's career. It is possibly the best thing that could have happened to either.

Sims and Madden both stepped up in terms of play. Hayden was an absolute ghost, as was Williams. Pope should have played 40 minutes.

 

[OneTrickPony]

I'm very excited about what will happen with those two. DT will mold BG and I think that BG will help extend DT's career. It is possibly the best thing that could have happened to either.

Yes...this could be a dominant battery for some time...

 

[UcMiami]

ETT - I do think Sims and Madden stepped up, but on the defensive end I think they Madden Williams Pope and Hayden could have gotten a few more fouls with physical play to send a message. Sims and Griner are too important to throw fouls away, but a few Louisville players getting hard body shots on screens/cuts might have upped the ante for the refs, or at least given the Louisville players more to think about. A shoulder to the gut or breastbone of a screener or an forearm to the ribs of a cutter can be worth the cost of the foul. They seem to have sleepwalked a bit through the first 30 minutes and only turned up their physicality in the last 10.
And agree about DT and BG being good for each other.
One other thing on BG and rebounding - shot blockers and BG is one of the best often take themselves out of position for defensive rebounds and have to rely on teammates to do that work - its is a good trade-off for the defense as BG covers for everyone else with her shot blocking/intimidation.