DeShields leaving UT, going professional

[cabbie191]

Some thoughts about DD and whether a WNBA manager would be sane to draft her:

Clearly a skilled player who unfortunately played for two programs that weren't up to snuff to mold that talent to be the best it could be. And at UNC, I think that suited her fine. Sylvia was going to let her play her style and she stated that was a big draw for going to UNCheat.

When watching her play, I was mainly troubled about how she presented herself attitude-wise. The occasional pouting is a huge red flag for me. Compare this with Natalie Butler who never came close to having the career at UConn that I am sure she dreamed of. Injury setting back her return after the required sitting for a year, and then never having the production that everyone hoped she would have, must have been so very disappointing to her. But despite this, did we ever see anything but a big smile on her face?

On the other hand, people "grow up" at different stages in their lives; some never, some very early on, others in between. I don't think I really became what I would call a good functioning adult until I was in my late 20's.

So my bottom line is I think there is the potential for the maturity side of Diamond to catch up with her pysicial skills.

If I were a manager, not sure how I would choose.

 

[the Q]

I don't know about others, but the most challenging transition I ever made, 2nd only to being a dad, was leaving the relative comfort & security of college to be on my own, earn a living and function as an adult.

Hopefully, DD is up to the challenge.

Absolutely.

But again, when you're talking about athletes, she's probably gonna be well compensated overseas. Which would make things a lot of easier for any of us leaving college.

Frankly, it's entirely possible she just got a really good offer to leave now, degree in hand. I'm curious where she is starting her career.

 

[Carnac]

So does this mean we have to settle for "Carnac the Okay"?

No, just Carnac. I gave ALL of my prognostication paraphernalia to good will.

I'm going to join some of the other posters here and surf the net, and report or post stories and articles (that may be of interest) that are related to our team, and WCBB.

 

[LadyVols9]

Diamond's biggest weakness for any WNBA team is her complete lack of emotional maturity. There hasn't really been any change in her maturity level since her freshman year. Her going pro, when she is very well off financially, is nothing more than an excuse. I love all LVs but I am happy this new team will not share the burden of a personality like DD. With maturity, she could be great. Without it, she will just be a super talented athletic player who just wasn't wired for the next level.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

No, just Carnac. I gave ALL of my prognostication paraphernalia to good will.

I'm going to join some of the other posters here and surf the net, and report or post stories and articles (that may be of interest) that are related to our team, and WCBB.

Oh crap, somebody else who will beat me to it!

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Diamond's biggest weakness for any WNBA team is her complete lack of emotional maturity. There hasn't really been any change in her maturity level since her freshman year. Her going pro, when she is very well off financially, is nothing more than an excuse. I love all LVs but I am happy this new team will not share the burden of a personality like DD. With maturity, she could be great. Without it, she will just be a super talented athletic player who just wasn't wired for the next level.

Perhaps before her freshman year. She was the player who actively recruited several other high school kids to join her at UNC. And then she promptly bailed out on them by departing for UT, leaving them high and dry.

A pattern of lack of dependability that I believe few GM's will be willing to overlook.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Oh crap, somebody else who will beat me to it!

With all those surfers in the water--no wonder some are drowning in their own words.

I'm jealous---I'm so darn busy, I don't have time to surf for news or surf to correct that which some one
posted--to correct one word.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Some thoughts about DD and whether a WNBA manager would be sane to draft her:

Clearly a skilled player who unfortunately played for two programs that weren't up to snuff to mold that talent to be the best it could be. And at UNC, I think that suited her fine. Sylvia was going to let her play her style and she stated that was a big draw for going to UNCheat.

When watching her play, I was mainly troubled about how she presented herself attitude-wise. The occasional pouting is a huge red flag for me. Compare this with Natalie Butler who never came close to having the career at UConn that I am sure she dreamed of. Injury setting back her return after the required sitting for a year, and then never having the production that everyone hoped she would have, must have been so very disappointing to her. But despite this, did we ever see anything but a big smile on her face?

On the other hand, people "grow up" at different stages in their lives; some never, some very early on, others in between. I don't think I really became what I would call a good functioning adult until I was in my late 20's.

So my bottom line is I think there is the potential for the maturity side of Diamond to catch up with her pysicial skills.

If I were a manager, not sure how I would choose.

Playing for MONEY is much different than HS or AAU or College---you perform or sit a bit and you are gone. It will be interesting to see how this goes--but if i were an WNBA coach, I'd give DD a shot--the talent is there--however, I'd make it clear it is not my job to teach you what you should have known about team BB and Defense, you get paid to perform---she could become another Diggins, not Stewie or Candy

 

[oldude]

Diamond's biggest weakness for any WNBA team is her complete lack of emotional maturity. There hasn't really been any change in her maturity level since her freshman year. Her going pro, when she is very well off financially, is nothing more than an excuse. I love all LVs but I am happy this new team will not share the burden of a personality like DD. With maturity, she could be great. Without it, she will just be a super talented athletic player who just wasn't wired for the next level.

LV9, while I've only seen DD play a handful of games over the past 4 years, your comments as a Lady Vol fan reinforce my gut feeling that DD has more in common with Johnny Football than many people would like to believe, particularly when it comes to maturity, or the lack there of. For her sake, I hope I'm wrong.

 

[LadyVols9]

LV9, while I've only seen DD play a handful of games over the past 4 years, your comments as a Lady Vol fan reinforce my gut feeling that DD has more in common with Johnny Football than many people would like to believe, particularly when it comes to maturity, or the lack there of. For her sake, I hope I'm wrong.

I hope I am wrong too. I really do. Johnny Football is no role model. Ha.

 

[Justavisitor]

DD will be a lottery pick in the WNBA draft when she enters. What she did in college off the court will have little to do with that. Each player left for different reasons, but what DD did is essentially no different than what Natalie Butler, Kaela Davis, Allisha Gray, & Jewell Loyd did-they changed their minds.

Good post. She simply changed her mind and is going pro. For those questioning her maturity, she had enough maturity to go to class and earn her degree. In addition, she has not been in any trouble on the college level and she has done what was asked of her and more. She also has a very good work ethic and is a much more disciplined player when compared to the level of discipline she had at UNC. She will go on to be just fine. Just because she changed her mind that doesn't make her immature as some of the saltier TN fans will claim. The immaturity seems to be with the fans that don't know how to let go and let live.

 

[Justavisitor]

DD is a trainwreck waiting to happen but remember Dennis Rodman and all HIS weirdness didn't have trouble getting an offer from some team until he was too old to play! DD will get several offers from GM's thinking they're the one to get her talent to overshadow her lack of maturity! Then down the road they'll let her go quietly to the next GM with rose colored glasses!

She showed much maturity throughout the season last year and was not where the trouble lied. The staff was very pleased with Diamond's contributions and never give up attitude. She was NOT the issue.

 

[the Q]

How much money would it take for people to realize this was just an offer too good to refuse?

 

[Justavisitor]

Some fans never learn the value of team chemistry. That is especially true of college fans ( esp/WCBB fans ) because the limited number of games played and the constant turnover in rosters vial graduation makes that sort of thing harder to gage. Of course now with the increase in transfers the concept of addition via subtraction should begin to manifest in various program.

The greatest example of "addition via subtraction" comes from Allen Iverson's career in the NBA. He led his 76'er team virtually single handedly to the finals and almost the Championship in 2001. He was an acknowledged superstar and the heart of his team. Everyone had high expectations for them. Yet that was as close as they ever got. In fact the regressed year by year, until the team decided to part with Iverson's ball hogging ways. They the 76'sr fans were upset especially isnce the team got virtually nothing in return. Iverson fans expected the team to take a wins nosedive, but surprisingly the teams record improved sightly after he was gone. Iverson was traded to Denver, a team with much more talent and it was expected with his addition that the team would challenge for the title. Well that didn't happen so he was again traded and as happened the first time the team did better without him.

Iverson was one of the greatest offensive talents to ever play in the NBA, yet it became obvious to everyone that his game was an overall team liability. He went from team to team until no one wanted him anymore, despite the fact that he could still put points on the board. Teams recognized that the negatives he brought far outweighed his positives. Of course that was some time ago and to many NBA fans have forgotten that lesson.

Now DD is no Iverson and it's not even close. So if a unstoppable and consistent player like Iverson can hurt a teams chemistry to the point where they are better off without him, what does that say for a far lesser and inconsistent player like DD?

LOL at the Iverson reference. Iverson led Philly to the finals and was the best player pound for pound to play the game. The reason they could no longer reach the same level of success was due to several team injuries, bad trades, and the rise of the Detroit Pistons with the help of their old coach, Larry Brown.

 

[Vowelguy]

How much money would it take for people to realize this was just an offer too good to refuse?

Huh? What offer? And what offer that didn't exist in April?

The only explanation that makes sense to me is her closeness with Cooper and being less enamored with staying after Tea's departure.

 

[Justavisitor]

Williams has already shown a very good mid-range shot and while she hasn't shown a 3 pt game DeShields has shown that she hasn't one. Williams is a better inside scorer and is miles ahead of DeShields as a defender and rebounder, to say nothing about their attitudes. Any GM who sees these two as close is blind.

DD's midrange shot is outstanding. You have to factor in that she also takes alot of difficult shots that others don't take. This is in large part due to her athleticism and being able to get a shot off. In a professional setting, the talent level of those around you is much higher. The need to take those type of shots is not as necessary. You also have to factor in the minutes players. She averaged 34 minutes per game on a team that played up tempo. This will also impact the shooting %. With the limited roster and the style/talent of the SEC, she didn't get much rest. You can't find every thing in a stat sheet.

 

[cabbie191]

LV9, while I've only seen DD play a handful of games over the past 4 years, your comments as a Lady Vol fan reinforce my gut feeling that DD has more in common with Johnny Football than many people would like to believe, particularly when it comes to maturity, or the lack there of. For her sake, I hope I'm wrong.

Hmm - I suppose you could make a "in common" connection between the two but for all my doubts, I'd rather take my chances on the worst side of DeShields than the best side of Manziel.

 

[Bestiarius]

Diamond's biggest weakness for any WNBA team is her complete lack of emotional maturity. There hasn't really been any change in her maturity level since her freshman year. Her going pro, when she is very well off financially, is nothing more than an excuse. I love all LVs but I am happy this new team will not share the burden of a personality like DD. With maturity, she could be great. Without it, she will just be a super talented athletic player who just wasn't wired for the next level.

In watching Diamond play at Tennessee, I got the feeling she was passive aggressive in dealing with Holly. Holly would try to channel her into a specific way of playing and although she didn't agree with Holly's plan, eventually she capitulated and began to do what Holly wished. It appeared she was intentionally sabotaging the plan at times. She appeared to think she was playing with children, too far below her level to be considered seriously.

Perhaps in the WNBA, with the higher caliber players and better coaches who might recognize how to utilize her talents, she could be very successful. At Tennessee, her teammates couldn't catch her high velocity passes, or didn't cut the right way. This must have been frustrating for her.

She will be attractive to WNBA teams because, if for no other reason, she will put butts in the seats just because she is Diamond.

 

[DefenseBB]

I must respectfully disagree with your assessment. In particular "DD has the most upside than the others". I am tempted to agree with that statement. However in all her years in the NCAA with the possible exception of UNC, she has not lived up to that potential. She has topped the list for many many preseason awards over multiple years yet been conspicuously absent at the end of the season. And now she is leaving an underperforming team that appears to have suffered from a poisoned atmosphere for multiple years .....

If I was a GM that would be a red flag. I might draft her in the second or third round but I would not waste a first rounder on her.

Apologies on the delay, been out of town and busy with family duties. Hey, I get it, she has been and suspect will continue to be "underachieving or overrated " depending on your vernacular. I am following all that I have seen of WNBA rankings and all of sports views when it comes to "talent" like this. There are 12 picks in the first round- there is no way she is not a 1st round pick. I agree with you "history" however all it takes is one "Jerry Jones" type to think they will cure these ills...

 

[CajunHusky]

DD's midrange shot is outstanding. You have to factor in that she also takes alot of difficult shots that others don't take. This is in large part due to her athleticism and being able to get a shot off.

One person's "difficult shot" is another person's "forced shot"

 

[DefenseBB]

no WNBA executive will take a player who has quitted 2 schools in her 4 years college period.

Kaizen- I say this with all sincerity, your reply may be one of "frankness" and not one of reality. Do you honestly think the WNBA will go 3 rounds of 12 picks AND NOT select her? Of course someone will take her baggage and all thinking "they will solve the conundrum" that is DD. Will they fail, probably...but they will try.

 

[Rocket009]

DD's midrange shot is outstanding. You have to factor in that she also takes alot of difficult shots that others don't take. This is in large part due to her athleticism and being able to get a shot off. In a professional setting, the talent level of those around you is much higher. The need to take those type of shots is not as necessary. You also have to factor in the minutes players. She averaged 34 minutes per game on a team that played up tempo. This will also impact the shooting %. With the limited roster and the style/talent of the SEC, she didn't get much rest. You can't find every thing in a stat sheet.

Not sure I agree with this evaluation. I watched a lot of TN games last year and while her shot selection was slightly better than previous years, she still throws up a lot of bad shots early in the shot clock. In fact you can pretty much guarantee that if DD hit a three, the very next possession she throws up another three - usually off balance and without running any offense. I give you that she was a little better later in the season than earlier, but teams that played tough D caused DD to shoot about .200. I think that playing against Pro defenses will be feast or famine for her. Good defensive teams will shut her down.

 

[CajunHusky]

I said it before ..... DD was all in for this season with the Lady Vols .... she wrote a long Instagram post after the season attesting to just that. Two months later she gone. Something happened.

WNBA money is peanuts compared to overseas money.... and of course she could start collecting on those endorsements now (I am sure she is already entertaining offers)

 

[DefenseBB]

One other point. Gabby will be a guard in the pros. She is a shutdown defender with incredible athleticism who will continue to get better in all facets of the game. Any GM that takes DD ahead of Gabby should be fired on the spot. Mark my word, Gabby will be the 2nd player drafted after Wilson in next year's draft.

Oldude- sorry, I have been away and not ignoring the thread. I really hope a smart GM sees all that Gabby can still be based on her growth these past 3 years as I would love her to make an Olympic team as the "shut down player" of the other teams leading scorer. If Gabby continues her game evolution with a solid 10-15 foot shot and a 35% 3 pt percent. She very well should be taken ahead of DD.

 

[CajunHusky]

Kaizen- I say this with all sincerity, your reply may be one of "frankness" and not one of reality. Do you honestly think the WNBA will go 3 rounds of 12 picks AND NOT select her? Of course someone will take her baggage and all thinking "they will solve the conundrum" that is DD. Will they fail, probably...but they will try.

I think any WNBA executive knows that their top pick should make the team (for their own job security). After the first round, picks have dramatically less chance of making a team. My top pick would not got for a player with a significant probability of not being with my team one or two years down the road.