Question about Kiah Stokes

[pvdoggy]

I am a fan of Kiah Stokes but don't see that she has progressed much this year compared to
the end of last year. For all the folks who have projected her to score more, be an AA, be a
high first round draft choice after this year, etc... do you still think that is going to happen ?
May be it is in her nature but she is just not aggressive enough to me and that won't translate
well in the next level. Unless something change dramatically, I can't see her being picked in
the first round.

 

[RadyLady]

I am a fan of Kiah Stokes but don't see that she has progressed much this year compared to
the end of last year. For all the folks who have projected her to score more, be an AA, be a
high first round draft choice after this year, etc... do you still think that is going to happen ?
May be it is in her nature but she is just not aggressive enough to me and that won't translate
well in the next level. Unless something change dramatically, I can't see her being picked in
the first round.

hard to tell after just a few games. have to keep the faith

 

[winlots]

PVD: That is putting it mildly, my friend. Been patient and been supportive of Stokes for the most part for three years.. But that was one lousy and disappointing first half. Second half at one point she did three very nice and different things in a row. But overall, what a let down re what I was hoping for and , finally, even expecting.

Tell you one thing, if she loped down the floor in either directon on my team, I'd yank her butt ON THE SPOT and make it SUPER clear that she was going to go back in in a few, but that if she loped again, it would be TWICE the time on the pine next time.....and exponential from there. NO excuse for that crap at this point when she knows we have to count on her now. And I can't understand why it is condoned. ????

 

[baggerbob]

Kiah needs to work hard in practice ,and games, Gabby is showing she is ready for minutes, Geno can play Stewie, Morgan KML, and 2 guards, or 3 guards, Kia and Gabby both have size.

 

[hoophuskee]

I think she'll probably be a later-half 1st round pick. I'll drop her lower the moment I see hre yanked and if I see Gabby take over more minutes from her (don't expect that to happen) or if her minutes are drastically reduced.

Geno has said she sticks jump shots in practices. I don'texpect Gneo to give up and if she play a bit of the high post I expect with games under her belt and Geo coaching she'll improve and be a fine player. I expect much better recogntion of making passes setting picks etc going forward.

Another thing I'm disappoitned with her is she doesn't post/finsh strong. She gets too "backboard happy" sometimes and looks like she fades when she goes left.

My prediction- later-half first round pick. UCONN is trying to have her learn to play more than just 5 plus feet from the basket. She's going to look ugly for a while when she is out there on the outside. And as a result she isn't getting a bunch of touches inside. IMO she'll progress.

 

[Geno-ista]

I think by N Dame she will be subbing for Tuck Stewie and even KML possibly. I see the improvement on low post of her moves with quickness and power to the hoop, whether the shots went down or not. She kills us at the high post. Watch when the balls in her hands- it's a hot potato. When Tuck gets the ball, she's a cool cucumber and a true triple threat as a 4. I still think Stokes will be a high first round pick and have a long WNBA career spelling starters giving quality minutes on defense and rebounding. Depending on match ups, we will see one or the other more. Vs So Car vs Coates- a lot of Stokes. Vs most centers or 4's, we'll see Tuck more.

 

[HuskiesU]

To be honest all the talk about her being is AA and first round pick wouldn't be surprise if she's not for the fact she's been inconsistent her whole career. But to me she hasn't played bad so far if Kia and Gabby is going to score for us I'll take her 8p 10r 5b & 2 dumb plays every game.

I have a feeling this team is going to be real explosive comes March. We have players who can put the ball in the hoop and excute. The Defense will get better

 

[caramel]

I have seen Geno say several times,that he and the coaches intend to have a player play to their strengths,and improve on their weaknesses.Kiah's strength is rebounding and blocked shots.Her weakness is consistent scoring.Even at this juncture,being a senior,it takes time to hone your offensive game,when you haven't been called on much to be a scorer,and it takes time to realize the confidence you need to be consistent.
Kiah will be fine,when it is most important,and that is when it all really matters,March and April.
One thing that should be taken into consideration,is the amount of true scorers on this team,and how K iah,most nights,is not expected to score more than 8 or 10 points per game.
Her main responsibility,is defense and rebounding and good decisions.She will be a strength as the year moves forward.

 

[mrmojack]

Kiah's value will be seen when we play a big team like Duke or South Carolina.
We are going to need her defense against all big teams. If we had to play a
big team without her we would see her real value. IMO

 

[Wbbfan1]

While still early, Kiah has not demonstrated that she should be a 1st round draft pick. She looks lost on both ends of the court and IMHO is not an instinctive player. Kiah should be dominating the boards and be a force on defense and she's not. I'm not sure if its Geno's read and react offense that is causing Kiah problems. In yesterday's game, she should have parked herself in the low post and been able to score easy baskets all day long since Creighton didn't have a player that could match up with her. Who knows if she was in the low post more, she would have had more then 2 offensive rebounds. As it was the team only had 11 total, which is not great with the superior size the team had over Creighton.

 

[snlMINAJ]

sometimes its the system you play in. i am no coach, nor am i criticizing the UConn coaches, but i think stokes isnt being utilized to get her maximum potential.

-some centers wont excel at the high post
-some centers dont go three years of college bball not looked at to score and then are their 4th year
-some centers are able to play through mistakes their first 2.5 years

i think sometimes players are average in college and excel in the WNBA because their roles are different, their expectations are different, etc.

 

[j66kicker]

All this AA and 1st round pick talk was based on anticipation of Kiah performing in a way she had never demonstrated, and still hasn't so far this year. Aren't AA players usually already AAs - or at least "really really good" - BEFORE their senior years? If she doesn't start adding that anticipated offense to her game right away, she won't even be a starter much longer, much less an AA.

 

[Jonathan Husky]

All this AA and 1st round pick talk was based on anticipation of Kiah performing in a way she had never demonstrated, and still hasn't so far this year. Aren't AA players usually already AAs - or at least "really really good" - BEFORE their senior years? If she doesn't start adding that anticipated offense to her game right away, she won't even be a starter much longer, much less an AA.

I agree ! Projecting Kiah as a first round WNBA pick is a fantasy based on her play at UConn including this year.She will be lucky to continue as a starter on this UConn team My guess is after another poor game or two Morgan will be the starter and Gabby will start getting a lot of the post minutes, playing with Stewie and Morgan and KML.

We all love Kiah and want her to be a star but her play doesn't justify it.

 

[MarlboroughMike]

sometimes its the system you play in. i am no coach, nor am i criticizing the UConn coaches, but i think stokes isnt being utilized to get her maximum potential.

-some centers wont excel at the high post
-some centers dont go three years of college bball not looked at to score and then are their 4th year
-some centers are able to play through mistakes their first 2.5 years

i think sometimes players are average in college and excel in the WNBA because their roles are different, their expectations are different, etc.

I believe this post is dead on. When Tara had the Ogwumike sisters, she ran the triangle. When she did not, she adjusted to a guard oriented offense. Geno appears unwilling to adjust to Kiah's strengths ( she spent 3/4 of her time on the court in the last game at the high post by design), so Kiah will take the fall for not living up to her potential (which is not at the high post), yet Williams at 5'11" spent all her time with her back to the basket in the low post against Creighton. ???

 

[HuskyPup]

PVD: That is putting it mildly, my friend. Been patient and been supportive of Stokes for the most part for three years.. But that was one lousy and disappointing first half. Second half at one point she did three very nice and different things in a row. But overall, what a let down re what I was hoping for and , finally, even expecting.

Tell you one thing, if she loped down the floor in either directon on my team, I'd yank her butt ON THE SPOT and make it SUPER clear that she was going to go back in in a few, but that if she loped again, it would be TWICE the time on the pine next time.....and exponential from there. NO excuse for that crap at this point when she knows we have to count on her now. And I can't understand why it is condoned. ????

For one thing I doubt she's even be on your team. Funny how all of a sudden we are all D1 coaches. Stewie loped down the court a few times yesterday...are you going to bench her as well? Kiah does hustle more times than not. I wouldn't say she played bad yesterday...just not what we were expecting.
I too am a big fan of Kiah and I sincerely hope that she makes all of you doubters choke on your words. It's early in the season. Lot's of time remaining to increase her WNBA stock and scoring. When the team needs a key stop or rebound you bet your sweet arse she'll be in the game. As far as her "needing " to score ...she doesn't. Stewie, KML, Tuck and MoJeff will shoot enough for everyone. Lets see how she does against the upper echelon of teams remaining on their schedule. I think she's going to be all right....as with everyone else on this year's team.

 

[Bgillon]

sometimes its the system you play in. i am no coach, nor am i criticizing the UConn coaches, but i think stokes isnt being utilized to get her maximum potential.

-some centers wont excel at the high post
-some centers dont go three years of college bball not looked at to score and then are their 4th year
-some centers are able to play through mistakes their first 2.5 years

i think sometimes players are average in college and excel in the WNBA because their roles are different, their expectations are different, etc.

I disagree with your point that she hasn't been looked at to score. Geno has never told her NOT to score. She has had plenty of opportunity to assert herself on both ends of the court, 3 years! The fact is she has not had the confidence in herself to do that. Geno cannot make her be a player she is unwilling to become. A case in point Sunday was called out by Meghan when Stokes got a pass in the high post and never even looked inside to pass it. She immediately passed it around the perimeter. Meghan called her out on the fact she HAS to look inside on those plays.

If she doesn't start to assert herself on the offensive end, we will see 5 opponents on our 4 offensive players. And that will be ugly against the better teams.

 

[RadyLady]

For one thing I doubt she's even be on your team. Funny how all of a sudden we are all D1 coaches. Stewie loped down the court a few times yesterday...are you going to bench her as well? Kiah does hustle more times than not. I wouldn't say she played bad yesterday...just not what we were expecting.
I too am a big fan of Kiah and I sincerely hope that she makes all of you doubters choke on your words. It's early in the season. Lot's of time remaining to increase her WNBA stock and scoring. When the team needs a key stop or rebound you bet your sweet arse she'll be in the game. As far as her "needing " to score ...she doesn't. Stewie, KML, Tuck and MoJeff will shoot enough for everyone. Lets see how she does against the upper echelon of teams remaining on their schedule. I think she's going to be all right....as with everyone else on this year's team.

I agree with just about everything in this post (and wish I had written it actually) with just a little edit - her scoring would be helpful - in the paint, on jump shots outside the paint etc. It would be great as it will stretch the defense and make other teams think twice about sagging off of her to double up on another player. She like other players have nights when the shots don't go in as well. And, there were a couple of times yesterday when she had the ball and no one guarding her and after hesitation decided to pass to another. You could almost here her brain thinking about the situation. And as I mentioned somewhere, possible not here, she did take an ill advised jump shot too early in the shot clock at the end of the Stanford game and likely heard about it which possibly further adds to any mental block. She needs to relax and let the game come to her, recognize situations and execute per those situations. I have hope for her, and she has done well when presented with post players of her ilk...

But the harshness of some of these posters who are clearly not seeing the game as a whole is off-putting I must say, even when presented with supported facts. Such is life I suppose.

 

[Sonny44]

I disagree with your point that she hasn't been looked at to score. Geno has never told her NOT to score. She has had plenty of opportunity to assert herself on both ends of the court, 3 years! The fact is she has not had the confidence in herself to do that. Geno cannot make her be a player she is unwilling to become. A case in point Sunday was called out by Meghan when Stokes got a pass in the high post and never even looked inside to pass it. She immediately passed it around the perimeter. Meghan called her out on the fact she HAS to look inside on those plays.

If she doesn't start to assert herself on the offensive end, we will see 5 opponents on our 4 offensive players. And that will be ugly against the better teams.

I agree, she's had four years to figure out her role. Not supposed to score????????????? She could lose her starting role. I mean I like her as much as any BY'er, but she just doesn't seem capable of becoming what we hoped for her. Maybe she feels less pressure coming off the bench.

 

[j66kicker]

I believe this post is dead on. When Tara had the Ogwumike sisters, she ran the triangle. When she did not, she adjusted to a guard oriented offense. Geno appears unwilling to adjust to Kiah's strengths ( she spent 3/4 of her time on the court in the last game at the high post by design), so Kiah will take the fall for not living up to her potential (which is not at the high post), yet Williams at 5'11" spent all her time with her back to the basket in the low post against Creighton. ???

Maybe GA had Kiah in the high post to see what she can did there. (Ditto Williams in the low post)

 

[watanabe]

I tink she's having a challenge keeping her intensity up.
She needs that "moment" thing to happen. As soon as it does, We'll see a top ball player.
.....If it happens

 

[Icebear]

Post players are dependent upon guards delivering the ball to them in time and at the right position. If that is not done by guards there is little the post player can do about it.nit is the post players responsibility to gain an advantage by position in the post. I see Kiah doing that. She and the guards need to get in sync.

Stef had many nights when she did not score in the low post because that timing was off, especially, against better teams like Stanford that work hard to disrupt that timing. We have seen this before. Many times. It is not necessarily about personnel but can be about experience and playing together.

 

[Jim]

I don't think the training Kiah did with the Marines this summer has paid off. I have yet to see her blow up a single opposing center!!!

 

[Phillyconn]

I disagree with your point that she hasn't been looked at to score. Geno has never told her NOT to score. She has had plenty of opportunity to assert herself on both ends of the court, 3 years! The fact is she has not had the confidence in herself to do that. Geno cannot make her be a player she is unwilling to become. A case in point Sunday was called out by Meghan when Stokes got a pass in the high post and never even looked inside to pass it. She immediately passed it around the perimeter. Meghan called her out on the fact she HAS to look inside on those plays.

If she doesn't start to assert herself on the offensive end, we will see 5 opponents on our 4 offensive players. And that will be ugly against the better teams.

Just what scoring option is she? 1st, 2nd, 3rd? If you want her to score, feed her the ball down low, let her get comfortable with becoming a more potent scorer, by taking more shots. I think she should have a chance to score down low. Give her the ball, in the post, more than once or twice, let her get into the game by taking shots then move her out to the foul line for jump shots or passes. Let her establish an offensive comfort zone(post) If she can't do that then concentrate on something else. Swim or Sink