28 Olympic team

[cancontent]

Dillon -
I don't know how USA Basketball is 'scouting' players now, but I remember Carol Callan saying that yes they paid careful attention to foreign play by USA women. I would hope they still do.

I agree that is wonderful that US women have many more options for making money during the WNBA off season that don't include full seasons abroad. It should lead to fewer injuries and better life experiences, but it also changes their development curves, especially for the NT and international rules/play.

Again, I agree that it is hard to separate players from system, coaching, opponents, and single game performances. I do think something was 'off' within the USA squad, and didn't think France was significantly different from other Semi/Final opponents we have seen in other world cups. The international competition has been fierce for all of this century though perhaps the depth has deepened.

On coaching, while I don't follow the W as much as WCBB, I thought Cheryl was a good choice - I am not sure any more. She had a lot of experience on the bench for the NT and was the logical choice, but ...

She also led the US squad to the World Championship the year prior with most of this same roster. Don't recall much in the form of complaints about how she managed the team then.

Both Reeve and Kerr for the men's team are under scrutiny. Both teams had to battle to win gold when the expectation is that these games should be forgone conclusions. It is what it is.

 

[UcMiami]

As I said before WNBA coaches are too insulated in the way the game is played.
They don't get a chance to see junk defenses and offenses like college coaches do. Go back and get a good college coach to lead the team. The Assistants can be from the WNBA and college.

I don't think that college coaches in general are better able to adapt than pros. Geno and Dawn are special cases in that they had long USA experience and had actually coached a number of the stars in college and had a lot of experience coaching against most of the rest of the roster. Neither is likely coming back to coach again, and the other contenders in the college ranks are who?

Kim - the obvious one with similar experience and success in coaching and she isn't interest. (Not sure why or if there is some actual history there.)

Jeff - really like him, but he hasn't reached the pinnacle and I believe his only NT player is Angel.

Tara and Muffet are gone from the game. There are other good college coaches, but few with NT experience on the bench and few with any USA basketball experience.

Just don't see an obvious successor in the wings with a can't miss resume.

The advantage with the WNBA coaches is that they are in the thick of coaching the NT players and/or studying their film to defend against them.

 

[TheFarmFan]

I don't think that college coaches in general are better able to adapt than pros. Geno and Dawn are special cases in that they had long USA experience and had actually coached a number of the stars in college and had a lot of experience coaching against most of the rest of the roster. Neither is likely coming back to coach again, and the other contenders in the college ranks are who?

Kim - the obvious one with similar experience and success in coaching and she isn't interest. (Not sure why or if there is some actual history there.)

Jeff - really like him, but he hasn't reached the pinnacle and I believe his only NT player is Angel.

Tara and Muffet are gone from the game. There are other good college coaches, but few with NT experience on the bench and few with any USA basketball experience.

Just don't see an obvious successor in the wings with a can't miss resume.

The advantage with the WNBA coaches is that they are in the thick of coaching the NT players and/or studying their film to defend against them.

I would be thrilled to have Reeve back in 28. She made great adjustments as the tournament went on, often going deeper into the bench (Young, KP) deeper in the tournament when the matchups called for it. I was hella impressed with her coaching and can see now why the Lynx have been perennial threats.

She also has a great, calm, confident sideline demeanor. My WBB fanship arises out of Stanford and Tara, so maybe I'm just biased here, but I tend to prefer the drama to come from the clutch plays on the court and not the pearl clutching on the sidelines...

 

[Ladeeeeda]

I don't think that college coaches in general are better able to adapt than pros. Geno and Dawn are special cases in that they had long USA experience and had actually coached a number of the stars in college and had a lot of experience coaching against most of the rest of the roster. Neither is likely coming back to coach again, and the other contenders in the college ranks are who?

Kim - the obvious one with similar experience and success in coaching and she isn't interest. (Not sure why or if there is some actual history there.)

Jeff - really like him, but he hasn't reached the pinnacle and I believe his only NT player is Angel.

Tara and Muffet are gone from the game. There are other good college coaches, but few with NT experience on the bench and few with any USA basketball experience.

Just don't see an obvious successor in the wings with a can't miss resume.

The advantage with the WNBA coaches is that they are in the thick of coaching the NT players and/or studying their film to defend against them.

I don't know..... Staley loves the limelight. I see her trying to run it back in LA in '28. She sure put a lot of face time in all over Paris this time around

 

[Dillon77]

I would be thrilled to have Reeve back in 28. She made great adjustments as the tournament went on, often going deeper into the bench (Young, KP) deeper in the tournament when the matchups called for it. I was hella impressed with her coaching and can see now why the Lynx have been perennial threats.

She also has a great, calm, confident sideline demeanor. My WBB fanship arises out of Stanford and Tara, so maybe I'm just biased here, but I tend to prefer the drama to come from the clutch plays on the court and not the pearl clutching on the sidelines...

@UcMiami

By and large, I thought Coach Reeve did a solid job with this team; in particular with the adjustments of Young, Copper, etc.
My only ???/gripe was why she didn't give Griner a stint in the second half. Her short run in the first half was relatively effective and I thought her appearance could've thrown a different look at the French.

Outside of that, my major quibble with this team still probably had to do with the construction, which we've covered and, to some degree, Coach Reeve was dealing with, as well.

We'll know soon enough because Berlin 2026 and preparations for it are really not far away.

 

[cancontent]

@UcMiami

By and large, I thought Coach Reeve did a solid job with this team; in particular with the adjustments of Young, Copper, etc.
My only ???/gripe was why she didn't give Griner a stint in the second half. Her short run in the first half was relatively effective and I thought her appearance could've thrown a different look at the French.

Outside of that, my major quibble with this team still probably had to do with the construction, which we've covered and, to some degree, Coach Reeve was dealing with, as well.

We'll know soon enough because Berlin 2026 and preparations for it are really not far away.

I was watching the Canadian broadcast and I recall Megan McPeak who covers the Mystics speculating that it could be due to the issues of guards being unable to get passes inside. With all the turnovers, I can understand that guess.

 

[GoUconn7961]

I was watching the Canadian broadcast and I recall Megan McPeak who covers the Mystics speculating that it could be due to the issues of guards being unable to get passes inside. With all the turnovers, I can understand that guess.

I think it takes a very good passer to thread the needle at the appropriate height for a big being double & triple-guarded down low. That's why I didn't understand DT on the bench. They play on the same team, they do that all the time. BG could've had her way inside, but the people on the floor spent their time dribbling instead of passing that ball around the horn and then shooting it inside to her.

The French defense stifled them and to some extent I think they were caught off guard. Not sure they thought it was going to be a cake walk, but I don't think they expected that level of intensity.

Now I realize through the thread DT may have had back pain, but she's a gamer and I bet she could've put in some minutes if necessary.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Rhyne Howard never tries and has looked totally disinterested in every gamer she ever plays. I would take Alisha Gray over her.

I do not agree with this sentiment. Rhyne works hard on both sides of the ball. She can stand to be more efficient, but the effort is there.

And I say that as a fan of Allisha Gray.

 

[baggerbob]

I think it depends a lot on who is coaching - I heard a report that AT wasn't going to camp until Cheryl called her and ask her to come - she felt that USA wasn't looking for her 'style of player.' And she probably would have been right with a different coach. Angel McC who Geno loved, might not have been given a chance by a different coach, etc.

I would not be surprised if Griner retires before 2028. Between Russian jail and aging she is slower than she used to be. Still great talent and you can't beat the size, but ...

As with this cycle, I think the front court is a more settled situation barring injuries - A'ja, Breanna, and Phee will be back and be the core. The guards/wings are more of a question to me as no one has 'demanded' they be consider a core player - you can make a case for each, but you can make a case against each, which is what has been true with the WC and Olympics since 2018 - they haven't found the next DT or Sue.

I actually think Clark and Paige could be the NEXT as that would be quite a back court.

The guards were the problem this year. Their needs to be an upgrade there. Lack of consistent shooting, playmaking, and defense were big problems.