21 Finalists named for Olympic team.

[speedoo]

How come no Alana Beard? She beat out DT for 2004 WCBB Player of the Year.

Have you seen Beard play in the last couple of years?

Me neither.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Geno, talking about heartbreak, shows that he is more than a great coach and a big wiseass--as we all know.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Obviously, injuries may shorten the list. I think, as Geno noted recently, some very, very good players will not make the team.

I largely agree with Eric's 12 picks. However, when I think about it, I cannot leave Swin off the team. Along with Maya, Catch, and Angel, she is the hardest worker (they all play pretty much the same position!).

I also largely agree with the longer list of locks. But I think, because it is not a "best players" list, one lock will be locked out. There will likely be a surprise or two.

Looking at it from a different perspective, who gets eliminated first? I think Appel is the easy answer. She was a great college player who has struggled with injuries. If she plays the 5, she is too far down the depth chart. Lawson is smart, a good teammate, and a good 3-point shooter. But she is also too far down the list. I think either Renee or Lindsay Harding may be next. Both are very good, but this is the best of the best.

As some have said, Maya is the future of USA Basketball. She makes it as a player, perhaps a 2, a 3, or a 4.

I have no idea what Cappie's status is. Based on talent, she makes it. Based on her tsunami statement and missing out last time, she does not.

CP3 makes it on talent. If she does not appear hungry or healthy, maybe not.

Diana and Sue are the most indispensable players. They are as certain as it comes.

Syl and Tina look like true locks. Tina is competing for "best player in the world" status.

Griner may be the future. Does the future start this summer? It may well.

Angel and Catch play too hard and are too good. Geno, having had experience with Bria last year and Kaleena this year, will not let Angel pout. He is a very good coach for her. If the committee senses pouting, Angel may slip.

Dupree, Asjha, and Sophia Young? Hmm. Close.

Good job!

 

[wire chief]

Seven UConnites out of the final 12? You must all sense politically that can't happen.
Pare down Renee and Maya for this year. Should they have a good 4 years, then Renee can replace Sue
and Maya give Asjha a retirement.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'll bet dinner that Maya makes it. She has a unique skill set, is a winner, and represents the future.

 

[wire chief]

I'll bet dinner that Maya makes it. She has a unique skill set, is a winner, and represents the future.

She's all you say. Still, there may be 3 Lynx-mates who've had more effective seasons. So, when you think of assets from the whole WNBA, I don't think she's top 12...yet. She's the future? Yes, that's why I say wait for her in '16.

 

[DaddyChoc]

my prediction

Jayne Appel (San Antonio Silver Stars),
Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx),
Sue Bird (Seattle Storm),
Rebekkah Brunson (Minnesota Lynx),
Swin Cash (Chicago Sky),
Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever),
Tina Charles (Connecticut Sun),
Candice Dupree (Phoenix Mercury),
Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky),
Brittney Griner (Baylor University),
Lindsey Harding (Atlanta Dream),
Asjha Jones (Connecticut Sun),
Kara Lawson (Connecticut Sun),
Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream),
Renee Montgomery (Connecticut Sun),
Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx),
Candace Parker(Los Angeles Sparks),
Cappie Pondexter (New York Liberty),
Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury),
Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx) and
Sophia Young (San Antonio Silver Stars).

 

[meyers7]

IMO assuming no injuries.

The first 7 pick themselves

Guards - Bird, Taurasi
Forwards - Catchings, Augustus, Parker
Posts - Fowles, Charles

So you need 5 more.

Need a post, big one so I'm betting Griner makes it. Now were are down to 2 guards and 2 forwards. I'm thinking Whalen will be the backup Point. McCoughtry and Moore. A scorer and one who will work harder than probably anyone else (and is versatile and has a 3pt shot).

That leaves one spot left and you need a shooting/scoring guard. Now the questions come up, Pondexter fits but is she all in for the USA (or vice versa). Lawson brings experience but is long in the tooth (relatively) . But as the 12th player how much time will they see anyway? 3rd option, have Augustus play that shooting/scoring 2 spot and take another FW. Then I think you go with Cash/Dupree (outside shot of Brunson).

So final if I had to guess.
Bird, Taurasi, Catchings, Augustus, Parker, Fowles, Charles
Griner, Whalen, Moore, McCoughtry, and Cash (she'll just work that hard for it)

 

[Icebear]

Meyers I think your list is good but if you go with Geno's sentiments he would take Asjia Jones over Swin emotionally at this point.

 

[meyers7]

Meyers I think your list is good but if you go with Geno's sentiments he would take Asjia Jones over Swin emotionally at this point.

Hopefully emotions or sentiment won't have much to do with it.

 

[VAMike23]

Meyers I think your list is good but if you go with Geno's sentiments he would take Asjia Jones over Swin emotionally at this point.

I agree that there will be a close battle between Brunson, Swin and Ashja for one of the Forward spots. I think one of them, but only one, will make the team.

Pre-Trials, all three have their strong points going in: Brunson had a very impressive year as a dominant rebounder and is physically in her prime. Ashja is healthy now and has Geno's support as you mention and detailed in his recent interview. Swin, though, has been impressive on past USA teams and the Committee will remember.

It could boil down to whether the Committee wants to move ahead with new blood (Brunson) or give a nod to Jones since her overall skillset is a bit broader, and she is "due", or do you go with Swin who brings unmatched energy as well as tons of proven experience at the Int'l level.

I think this will likely be one of the last selections so they may very well look at the other 10-11 players selected and say "Now, what do we need from this last spot? Where are we 'light' as a team with the other 10 or 11 we've already picked?" If they say we need strength&rebounding role player at this spot then they go should go with Brunson. If they say we need size with scoring versatility then they go with Asjha. If they need more of a slasher with energy & fire, and someone with extended range (Swin has greatly improved her perimeter game) then they go with Swin.

How they perform at the Trials is the biggest factor of course, but if all play well then the factors above will come into play.

 

[speedoo]

I agree that there will be a close battle between Brunson, Swin and Ashja for one of the Forward spots. I think one of them, but only one, will make the team.

Pre-Trials, all three have their strong points going in: Brunson had a very impressive year as a dominant rebounder and is physically in her prime. Ashja is healthy now and has Geno's support as you mention and detailed in his recent interview. Swin, though, has been impressive on past USA teams and the Committee will remember.

It could boil down to whether the Committee wants to move ahead with new blood (Brunson) or give a nod to Jones since her overall skillset is a bit broader, and she is "due", or do you go with Swin who brings unmatched energy as well as tons of proven experience at the Int'l level.

I think this will likely be one of the last selections so they may very well look at the other 10-11 players selected and say "Now, what do we need from this last spot? Where are we 'light' as a team with the other 10 or 11 we've already picked?" If they say we need strength&rebounding role player at this spot then they go should go with Brunson. If they say we need size with scoring versatility then they go with Asjha. If they need more of a slasher with energy & fire, and someone with extended range (Swin has greatly improved her perimeter game) then they go with Swin.

How they perform at the Trials is the biggest factor of course, but if all play well then the factors above will come into play.

Brunson is not that much younger than either Swin or Asjha, I believe. For example Asjha was born in 1980, Brunson about 16 months later in 1981. The big difference among the three is that Swin has far more USA national team experience.

But you're right, this could very well be the last decision, because they each offer a different set of skills.

 

[VAMike23]

Brunson is not that much younger than either Swin or Asjha, I believe. For example Asjha was born in 1980, Brunson about 16 months later in 1981. The big difference among the three is that Swin has far more USA national team experience.

But you're right, this could very well be the last decision, because they each offer a different set of skills.

Good catch - for some reason I had it in my head that Brunson was 27 or so. But she's pretty much the same age as the other two.

 

[rocky rococo]

USA Basketball has a record of being very smart in one respect: bringing the future of the team along even if they may not quite be in the top 11-12-13 at the moment, so they can get the "Gee, whiz, this is the Olympics" out of their system before we expect them to be the backbone of the team. That's why I expect both Griner and Maya to be on the team, the 2016 and (especially) 2020 teams will be very much built around them. It's a very practical approach, but also one that works against relative late-bloomers like Asjha.

 

[speedoo]

USA Basketball has a record of being very smart in one respect: bringing the future of the team along even if they may not quite be in the top 11-12-13 at the moment, so they can get the "Gee, whiz, this is the Olympics" out of their system before we expect them to be the backbone of the team. That's why I expect both Griner and Maya to be on the team, the 2016 and (especially) 2020 teams will be very much built around them. It's a very practical approach, but also one that works against relative late-bloomers like Asjha.

Yes, and for the same reason I expect one of Whalen, Renee and Harding to be on the team, as the future PG because Sue can't play forever unfortunately. It's such a crucial position, you need to have someone who can backup Sue and also get ready for down the road.

 

[speedoo]

OK here is one way to look at the potential final roster. Take each position and see if you can identify the 2 most likely to make the team for starters. But my problem is again the only 2 locks I see are Sue and DT. So look at it this way:

PG/1 - Sue plus one of Whalen, Harding, Renee, Lawson, Cappie
SG/2 - DT plus Cappie, Seimone or Angel
SF/3 - 2 or 3 of Maya, Catchings, Angel, Seimone, Young, Parker, Swin, Dupree
PF/4 - 2 or 3 of Parker, Brunson, Jones, Tina
C/5 - 2 or 3 of Fowles, Tina, Griner, Appel.

The bolded names are either locks (Sue, DT, also italicized) or players who can go at more then one position, and therefore add flexibility which we all know is very valuable when one puts together a 12 player team, especially with Geno as coach. So Tina has more value than Fowles and the other centers because she can easily play power forward with her mid range game. Same with Parker who has more value as a PF who can also play the 3, I believe. And so on.

I think that after Sue and DT the players most likely to make the team are those who can play 2 positions. That totals 7 players:

Sue, Cappie
DT, Seimone, Angel
Parker
Tina

That gives you enough guards if you are ok with Cappie backing up Sue at the point, which is questionable IMO (I would be much more comfortable with Whalen at the point). You definitely need at least 2 more post players, probably 3, which would bring you to 9 or 10. So that is your core of 9 or 10 and now you can fine tune with 2 or 3 more players.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Good catch - for some reason I had it in my head that Brunson was 27 or so. But she's pretty much the same age as the other two.

Brunson appears to be younger because she was more or less in DT's class (BE ROY)

 

[Phil]

Where ya been Phil? They are long gone.

They were in the last Olympics.

 

[easttexastrash]

Griner will make the team. If she doesn't and an opposing team beats the us in the paint they will have a lot explaining to do for leaving the best shot blocker in the world at home. IMO Griner is the best post player in the world at this point.

Brunson may well make the team and if it comes down to Angel or Maya, Angel gets the nod. She is just too good on defense to leave off the roster. I also think that Cappie and Brunson make it

Bird, Pondexter, DT, Syl, BG, Brunson, Charles, Parker, Angel, Catchings, Brunson, Augustus

 

[speedoo]

Griner will make the team. If she doesn't and an opposing team beats the us in the paint they will have a lot explaining to do for leaving the best shot blocker in the world at home. IMO Griner is the best post player in the world at this point.

Brunson may well make the team and if it comes down to Angel or Maya, Angel gets the nod. She is just too good on defense to leave off the roster. I also think that Cappie and Brunson make it

Bird, Pondexter, DT, Syl, BG, Brunson, Charles, Parker, Angel, Catchings, Brunson, Augustus

One, not enough guards. Two, BG may or may not be the best post player. Geno and the committee will watch her in the trials against Tina, Syl and company, not against weak college competition.

 

[easttexastrash]

One, not enough guards. Two, BG may or may not be the best post player. Geno and the committee will watch her in the trials against Tina, Syl and company, not against weak college competition.

Oops. Listed Brunson twice. Replace one Brunson with Whalen.

I said IMO on BG. And I remember Geno's comments during the European tour when he said BG was the only player on the team that was unstoppable. That team did include Charles but not Big Syl. Syl is a load!

 

[easttexastrash]

And nobody will stop Griner one on one. If they have to play her straight up she will eat their lunch

 

[ladybears4eva]

funny thing how there's no ogwumike... or delle donne...

i guess they aren't really the best college players of the year...

griner is a phenom... and would be the first college player since 1988's olympic team..if she does make it.

i think after geno's comment's in the summer and most recently about having a the ability to compete against whatever other teams throw at us... use can't choose to not have grinner on... she is a defensive and offensive mismatch.

if aussies combine penny taylor, 6'8 liz and 6'5 lauren.....scary...

id throw griner, parker, DT, Cappie, ans sue... at them

 

[DaddyChoc]

funny thing how there's no ogwumike... or delle donne...

i guess they aren't really the best college players of the year...

griner is a phenom... and would be the first college player since 1988's olympic team..if she does make it.

i think after geno's comment's in the summer and most recently about having a the ability to compete against whatever other teams throw at us... use can't choose to not have grinner on... she is a defensive and offensive mismatch.

if aussies combine penny taylor, 6'8 liz and 6'5 lauren.....scary...

id throw griner, parker, DT, Cappie, ans sue... at them

we're sold...

 

[ladybears4eva]

One, not enough guards. Two, BG may or may not be the best post player. Geno and the committee will watch her in the trials against Tina, Syl and company, not against weak college competition.

she played well this past summer... even with charles there... she won best post player... and geno recognized her ability to dominate and only one on the team who can dominate...