How will Paige Adjust to the WNBA?

[omshanti]

That’s… not the taunt I was talking about lmao. I was talking about the hand wave to Raven. But my main point wasn’t even focused on the taunting. My point was that she should’ve gotten way more T’s this year but she didn’t, despite her actions not being any different than anyone else. I’ve seen tons of compilations of other players waving their hands in a taunting manner or looking the wrong way at somebody and immediately getting T’d. Why is it different for her? It’s just she’s popular and they refuse to punish her, even though the stuff she pulls is no different, if not more warranting, of a technical.

Unlike CC, Reese got called for taunts and other stuff like that much more than she did. I’ll admit this year not as much as she should’ve, but the year prior she was getting T’d left and right for staring down at people, sticking her tongue out, etc.

I like a little trash talk, but if it ain’t called fairly because one player is a superstar and the other is a regular Joe, then what’s even the point of technicals? I’m not making excuses for another player with bad sportsmanship, I’m criticizing officials for not calling taunts and other behaviors fairly for all.

You are absolutely correct about CC and the college vs pro calls against or in favor of her. The calls are being called she doesn’t like it. Mugged? She is being defended in the W. It’s a new game.

Paige has another year to add to her stats and mystique. Her offensive game is complete. She doesn’t need the ‘oohs and ahhs’ and allows the game to come to her. She is a beast on defense and is a consummate team player. Paige is another pro. Ready college player that Geno has coached very well. Can’t wait for November!

 

[The deacon]

CC took over 1200 3 pt shots in college.

Or, in 139 games, less than 9 three-point attempts per game.

 

[Zanzman]

Or, in 139 games, less than 9 three-point attempts per game.

You say that like 8 plus threes isnt alot for one player

 

[The deacon]

You say that like 8 plus threes isnt alot for one player

Many people here and elsewhere say Caitlin took 30 shots per game... my point is, she didn't, not even close.

 

[JoePgh]

You say that like 8 plus threes isnt alot for one player

I think Geno would have been delighted if Paige averaged 8 3-point attempts per game last season. The same applies to Azzi when she is healthy. He was delighted when KML and KLS were able to take 8 3's per game.

Clark was a better shooter and a better offensive player than anyone else on Iowa's roster for all four years that she was there. It was in Iowa's team interest that she should take as many shots as she could get open for, and I think Lisa Bluder was smart enough to know that.

 

[Cuango]

It would have been coaching malpractice if she hadn’t shot all those threes! They were in two consecutive title games largely due to those three pointers by Clark! If she had just had a little more help we could be talking about Iowa winning back to back championships!
I will always choose Paige but let’s face it, Clark is a hell of a player!

 

[WLT1717]

I agree with you that she is being misused and, if used properly, Indiana would be performing much better.

But part of that misuse is het ball dominance in a league full of talent. There’s a reason why Ogunbowale’s team has not performed better. Considering that, her being in the top ten for assists in a twelve team league does not “speak” the way you think it does. Only being in the top twenty for scoring as the ball dominant player in a 12 team league is even less impressive.

But she is only a freshman. Indiana could figure out how to use her right in time, or perhaps trade her to a team who will.

She’s doing fine. Four games in, and climbing the charts. It won’t be enough for you.

You do realize this post was made after her 10 TOs and 9 point performance after failing to get around Dijonai’s defense right? I’m aware she had a decent game yesterday, this post was made like 4 days

I agree with you that she is being misused and, if used properly, Indiana would be performing much better.

But part of that misuse is het ball dominance in a league full of talent. There’s a reason why Ogunbowale’s team has not performed better. Considering that, her being in the top ten for assists in a twelve team league does not “speak” the way you think it does. Only being in the top twenty for scoring as the ball dominant player in a 12 team league is even less impressive.

But she is only a freshman. Indiana could figure out how to use her right in time, or perhaps trade her to a team who will.

I’m a UCONN fan. But CC is off to a great start on the worst team in the league. Too bad you can’t appreciate it.

 

[packwrap]

She’s doing fine. Four games in, and climbing the charts. It won’t be enough for you.



I’m a UCONN fan. But CC is off to a great start on the worst team in the league. Too bad you can’t appreciate it.

I'm with you, she's tracking toward 20 5 and 5 for the season. Turnovers will drop toward 4, and her shooting percentages will creep up. The tandem with Mitchell works well, now they just have to get more out of Boston and Katie Lou.

Boston should not be difficult, the high pick and roll works great for them, they just don't use it enough. Down low Boston is a better Czinano, so nothing new.

KLS can be so much more, but at a minimum, she's a terrific spot up 3 pt shooter. They have to get her more shots.

Some defense would help too.

Last year they had 17 wins, so far 0-4. They will be better by last 10 games, will they make 20 wins?

 

[diggerfoot]

She’s doing fine. Four games in, and climbing the charts. It won’t be enough for you.



I’m a UCONN fan. But CC is off to a great start on the worst team in the league. Too bad you can’t appreciate it.

Good Lord! The Fever right now have a point guard who has a 0.8 A/T ratio and shoots 40%. In college Clark averaged 4.7 turnovers a game her senior year and ended near the top of most turnovers all time in college. I’m willing to bet none of the other players in the top five of most turnovers all time were point guards.

Clark obviously has great skills as a passer and ball handler, so the root of her turnover problem must be her decision making, and the root cause of that is she is making the decisions of a point guard. If you are a poor decision maker as point guard the whole team suffers. At Iowa she may have had to play point guard, but the measly 12 team WNBA league has plenty of talent so that Clark can be put in a role of making shooting guard decisions.

If or when some WNBA team shifts Clark more to shooting guard than point guard, both she and the team will do better. Or perhaps the right coach can develop her decision making better than what it has been her whole career. Few people realized or acknowledged that Clark’s teammates at Iowa shot 53%, or 8% better than Clark shot her senior year. Having teammates shoot so efficiently pads the assists part of the A/T ratio mightily. But no WNBA team will ever perform well offensively with their point guard having an A/T ratio less than 1.0, more turnovers than assists. None.

 

[yhun89]

I'm with you, she's tracking toward 20 5 and 5 for the season. Turnovers will drop toward 4, and her shooting percentages will creep up. The tandem with Mitchell works well, now they just have to get more out of Boston and Katie Lou.

Boston should not be difficult, the high pick and roll works great for them, they just don't use it enough. Down low Boston is a better Czinano, so nothing new.

KLS can be so much more, but at a minimum, she's a terrific spot up 3 pt shooter. They have to get her more shots.

Some defense would help too.

Last year they had 17 wins, so far 0-4. They will be better by last 10 games, will they make 20 wins?

Why does KLS seem to play so few minutes these days? I don’t think she even had 3 shot attempts before halftime last night.

 

[Rb335]

I think the variety of Paige’s game will prove to be a big asset. She can score at all 3 levels, play on and off the ball offensively, and distribute. She has a high level IQ and understands how to navigate defensive breakdowns, getting into secondary actions. Defensively she’s above average at the college level, I’d expect that to translate into solid defense at the next level.

The big question mark is how she’ll handle physicality. The W is 5x more physical than most college games. How will she adjust to that as someone who has historically avoided contact in favor of a finesse game. Just look at Clark, struggling with that. She was one to initiate contact most of the time at Iowa.

Paige comes in as someone who has elite level skills and IQ, but doesn’t necessarily have any type of natural athletic traits that distinguish her. Therefore, I’d expect an adjustment period, an effort to get stronger/quicker, and reliance on her IQ to outsmart opponents. I’m intrigued to see how a franchise uses her.

 

[Dugway]

Many people here and elsewhere say Caitlin took 30 shots per game... my point is, she didn't, not even close.

She took just enough shots to get Iowa to the final game; two years in a row. This past season it was 886 shots in 39 games for an average of 22.7 shots per game.

She is not my all-time favorite player, not even in the Top 20, but she is one heck of a player! I personally would hope that folks would stop hating on her, particularly in the press/internet. Stop with the divisiveness, the race baiting commentary, the veteran vs. rookie sensation commentary, doing everything possible to build divides in the league as opposed to unity. The popularity that Clark has brought to the game has translated to millions and millions of dollars in revenue that the league would not have elsewise.

 

[WFFL]

First thing we have to stop thinking the college game and the pro game are the same level of play lol , once that happens then we can make predictions on future impacts. No college player , Paige & JuJu included will come in and dominate the WNBA. Not happening in todays game.

 

[HuskyNan]

Isn’t there an Iowa forum somewhere for these Caitlin threads?