30 chosen for 2017 National Team Training Camp | Page 3 | The Boneyard

30 chosen for 2017 National Team Training Camp

There was a time when, as an Olympics was 6 months away, USABB would pick a dozen all-stars, bring them together a couple of times for a couple of days and send them to the Games to win gold. Their game plan would be to give 2 or 3 of them 10-15 shots a game. Bring the ball up, clear out for one of them and let them beat their man. The team would rely on superior athleticism and physicality as their defensive plan.

That changed sometime just before or just after Geno was selected as coach. I don't remember where exactly I read it but there was an interview with some of the USABB leadership where they said that they were trying to develop a program that took players at a young age and slowly expose them to a style of play that emphasised a team concept rather than a star concept. I think that there are/were players who didn't accept that style of play which is more like Golden State. "Stars" who were not interested in setting screens and working hard at team defense and made excuses to miss team sessions got left behind (and we all know to whom I am referring).

The best team isn't necessarily the 10 statistically best players. My thoughts about players like Tuck and Stokes being invited has more to do at this point of their careers with their value as practice players than their prospects of making the team. They have a good idea of how to play in a team concept, practice at a very high energy level and are willing to do the things that don't show up in box scores.

I see USABB becoming a true developmental program where players are brought in young and over the course of 10 years are taught to play a style that is reminiscent of UConn-style BB. I think that is the point of the U23 team that played that exhibition tournament in Japan. Those that show up every summer, show ability and buy into the concept will have a heads up when a national team is chosen. The national team will not be the dozen top players but rather the dozen top players who fit the program. Prima donna's need to leave their tiaras at home.
 
Who was left off/who should have been invited?

Just for giggles pick two:
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Morgan adds value well beyond her stats. She is steady as a rock, a calming influence who knows where everyone on the court belongs and what they should be doing. Five years ago, she was the only player who could defend Stewie. She may still be. In that sense, she is like Asjha Jones, a solid but undersized defender.

Kiah had a so-so season this year as she played with Kia Vaughn. If she ups her game, she could be an elite defender, shot-blocker, and rebounder. There's always room for someone who can stop Liz Cambage or the post players who beat our U-19 team.
 
Alydar said:
There was a time when, as an Olympics was 6 months away, USABB would pick a dozen all-stars, bring them together a couple of times for a couple of days and send them to the Games to win gold. Their game plan would be to give 2 or 3 of them 10-15 shots a game. Bring the ball up, clear out for one of them and let them beat their man. The team would rely on superior athleticism and physicality as their defensive plan.

That changed sometime just before or just after Geno was selected as coach. I don't remember where exactly I read it but there was an interview with some of the USABB leadership where they said that they were trying to develop a program that took players at a young age and slowly expose them to a style of play that emphasised a team concept rather than a star concept. I think that there are/were players who didn't accept that style of play which is more like Golden State. "Stars" who were not interested in setting screens and working hard at team defense and made excuses to miss team sessions got left behind (and we all know to whom I am referring).

The best team isn't necessarily the 10 statistically best players. My thoughts about players like Tuck and Stokes being invited has more to do at this point of their careers with their value as practice players than their prospects of making the team. They have a good idea of how to play in a team concept, practice at a very high energy level and are willing to do the things that don't show up in box scores.

I see USABB becoming a true developmental program where players are brought in young and over the course of 10 years are taught to play a style that is reminiscent of UConn-style BB. I think that is the point of the U23 team that played that exhibition tournament in Japan. Those that show up every summer, show ability and buy into the concept will have a heads up when a national team is chosen. The national team will not be the dozen top players but rather the dozen top players who fit the program. Prima donna's need to leave their tiaras at home.
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It really changed prior to the 1996 Olympics - when they pulled together a team and trained them for a year (and their college coach took a year away from Stanford.) From then on with the exception of the 2006 WC team the NT has been a pretty consistent team with at least 8 returning star players and consistently 2 'rookies' being trained for the team. The 2006 WC team stands out because the starting center, PG, and PF and a few others from the 2004 Olympics were not available/not on the 2006 team and they struggled to a Bronze. Most of those players returned for the 2008 Olympics and order was restored.
 
>The best team isn't necessarily the 10 statistically best players. My thoughts about players like Tuck and Stokes being invited has more to do at this point of their >careers with their value as practice players than their prospects of making the team. They have a good idea of how to play in a team concept, practice at a very >high energy level and are willing to do the things that don't show up in box scores.

Yet even still players who play hard, practice hard, hustle and produce were not invited. This is a Uconn board and I am a Uconn fan but the intangibles argument doesn't cover skipping over players who have just as good intangibles with higher production. As I said before, there is some politics involved in the selection process.

Given the intangibles argument would you agree that the "best player" isn't necessarily the one with the best stats? Should intangibles - team play, hustle, impact etc go into determining who is the best player?
 
The problem with intangibles is - Well they are intangibles. They are hard to recognize just by watching a few games. Fans who follow a team through out their season ( or multiple seasons ) might recognize what intangibles a team member brings to a team. That is provided they are even capable of recognizing them to begin with. Most fans fans tend to focus purely on stats. Now fans will often recognize and point out the intangibles that certain players on the team they follow bring to the table. But how many fans know the intangibles that players from other teams bring? That is a variable that tends to create a built in bias affecting objectivity in respect to fans in general. Very understandable but still a reality.
 
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EricLA said:
Nneka is smart. Accept the invite even if you can't be there due to hopefully your team being in the WNBA finals. She's also deserving. I hope you are right and she makes it. On the other hand...

One poster said Parker had "prior commitments". The dates of the training camp should not have come as a surprise. Every player who has Olympic team aspirations had to know when the approx. dates were. One of the most important tenets of being part of Team USA is subjugating everything personal for the team. It does not appear that Parker has learned that, and it would not surprise me to see her left off the team again.
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Of course Nnecka is smart. She went to Stanford! On the other hand, Parker went to Tennessee. You draw you own conclusion...
 
Alydar said:
I see USABB becoming a true developmental program where players are brought in young and over the course of 10 years are taught to play a style that is reminiscent of UConn-style BB. I think that is the point of the U23 team that played that exhibition tournament in Japan. Those that show up every summer, show ability and buy into the concept will have a heads up when a national team is chosen. The national team will not be the dozen top players but rather the dozen top players who fit the program. Prima donna's need to leave their tiaras at home.
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Or they can just decline the invite, effectively "retire/quit" USA basketball, and tweet silly comments about "fooling me twice".
 
EricLA said:
Totally petty/petulant and indicative of the attitude that helped cost her a spot on the Olympic team in the first place. Lack of humility, taking responsibility for her past actions, and essentially cutting off her nose to spite her face. #TrueColors...
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Her true colors showed when she averaged a triple double in USA's last overseas Olympic tune up tour and both EDD and Breanna Stewart remarked how much they appreciated Parker as a teammate for her guidance and leadership... which is virtually what every teammate Parker has had says about her, including the smart Stanford graduate Nneka.

And what past actions does she have to take responsibility for? Choosing to have her knee scoped instead of playing at the 2014 World's?
 
tennparker3 said:
Her true colors showed when she averaged a triple double in USA's last overseas Olympic tune up tour and both EDD and Breanna Stewart remarked how much they appreciated Parker as a teammate for her guidance and leadership... which is virtually what every teammate Parker has had says about her, including the smart Stanford graduate Nneka.

And what past actions does she have to take responsibility for? Choosing to have her knee scoped instead of playing at the 2014 World's?
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I thought that she showed a not so flattering side of herself when, right after she was not chosen for the team she posted that old video of her dunking at UConn in the final seconds when someone with class wouldn't have rubbed her opponents' noses in it. Reminded me of a spoiled child who has a tantrum when they don't get what they want.

I don't think anyone denies her great talent.

JMO
 
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tennparker3 said:
Her true colors showed when she averaged a triple double in USA's last overseas Olympic tune up tour and both EDD and Breanna Stewart remarked how much they appreciated Parker as a teammate for her guidance and leadership... which is virtually what every teammate Parker has had says about her, including the smart Stanford graduate Nneka.

And what past actions does she have to take responsibility for? Choosing to have her knee scoped instead of playing at the 2014 World's?
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There's way more to it than that - you must know this. There are REASONS (as in PLURAL) that she was left off the Olympic team and at least some of them had zero to do with her basketball talent (or any kind of vendetta Geno or the committee was accused of having towards her).

So yeah, her latest unfortunate decision followed immediately by her tweet (that was dripping with petulance and innuendo) do indeed show her true colors. And no, I'm not going to get into it on a public form. But many of us who post frequently on this forum (and probably yours as well) know of the other reasons that transpired outside of the public eye. And that's what I meant by saying her #truecolors are shining thru - and it has zero to do with her basketball talents, which are extensive.

So you can post whatever you like about how great her stats are/were, or some comments that someone had about her, and pretend like that is the universal and absolute truth. But just because someone says something over and over does not make it true, or in this case, universal and absolute. There's a lot more going on beneath the surface when it comes to Parker and USA basketball,and her "falling out" is self inflicted.
 
Everyone is tap dancing around the edges.

What did she (Parker) do?

This is a fan bb, with online presence represented as avatars. I doubt there is any consequence to expressing the knowledge that some many in the know have about her situation with USA Basketball.

Inquiring minds want to know. As someone mentioned earlier, I am open to inbox messages if there is hesitance to posting publicly.
 
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Final list of attendees for next week's camp. Those playing in the WNBA finals and Tina Charles will not be there. Assistants not named yet, court coaches will be Rizzotti, Semrau, Walz and Clark-heard.

 
A few thoughts:

Is Tina taking a rest break?

I look for Lou and Pheesa to observe and work hard. They will be like pros in college by their senior year, as Maya and Stewie were.

There is no one on that list who can match Tiffany's drives to the hoop, though Griner can probably stop her.
 
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YellwJcket999 said:
Everyone is tap dancing around the edges.

What did she (Parker) do?

This is a fan bb, with online presence represented as avatars. I doubt there is any consequence to expressing the knowledge that some many in the know have about her situation with USA Basketball.

Inquiring minds want to know. As someone mentioned earlier, I am open to inbox messages if there is hesitance to posting publicly.
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I believe it's only fair that the answer to your question be: Candace knows.
 
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EricLA said:
There's way more to it than that - you must know this. There are REASONS (as in PLURAL) that she was left off the Olympic team and at least some of them had zero to do with her basketball talent (or any kind of vendetta Geno or the committee was accused of having towards her).

So yeah, her latest unfortunate decision followed immediately by her tweet (that was dripping with petulance and innuendo) do indeed show her true colors. And no, I'm not going to get into it on a public form. But many of us who post frequently on this forum (and probably yours as well) know of the other reasons that transpired outside of the public eye. And that's what I meant by saying her #truecolors are shining thru - and it has zero to do with her basketball talents, which are extensive.

So you can post whatever you like about how great her stats are/were, or some comments that someone had about her, and pretend like that is the universal and absolute truth. But just because someone says something over and over does not make it true, or in this case, universal and absolute. There's a lot more going on beneath the surface when it comes to Parker and USA basketball,and her "falling out" is self inflicted.
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I don't quite get why you can so confidently go after other posters for putting out other information that runs counter to your read of the situation, but then say you're unwilling to reveal all of this secret "knowledge" you possess. If you want to denigrate what other posters are putting out there, I think you should be willing to share what you know. Otherwise, it seems to me you are engaging in the same type of petty character assassination you're accusing Parker of perpetuating.
 
bbsamjj said:
I don't quite get why you can so confidently go after other posters for putting out other information that runs counter to your read of the situation, but then say you're unwilling to reveal all of this secret "knowledge" you possess. If you want to denigrate what other posters are putting out there, I think you should be willing to share what you know. Otherwise, it seems to me you are engaging in the same type of petty character assassination you're accusing Parker of perpetuating.
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LOL :rolleyes: Maybe you should hobnob with more important folks. Then you'd know as well. Or ask Candace. SHE knows...!
 
DishNSwish said:
Pretty darn impressive nine players from Sparks and Lynx that will have to miss.
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Including, perhaps, the next starting point guard. Another good performance by Gray in the finals could give her a leg up on the competition.
 
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Alydar said:
I thought that she showed a not so flattering side of herself when, right after she was not chosen for the team she posted that old video of her dunking at UConn in the final seconds when someone with class wouldn't have rubbed her opponents' noses in it. Reminded me of a spoiled child who has a tantrum when they don't get what they want.
I don't think anyone denies her great talent.
JMO
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Agreed that the video of her dunking on UCONN was not a flattering side of Parker.
Equally unflattering was USA basketball filming promotional ads with Parker for the 2016 Olympics at a time when she was not selected for the team.
 
CocoHusky said:
Agreed that the video of her dunking on UCONN was not a flattering side of Parker.
Equally unflattering was USA basketball filming promotional ads with Parker for the 2016 Olympics at a time when she was not selected for the team.
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The promotional ads were by NBC Sports. How do you know those ads were filmed after the Committee had voted to select the team?
 
UConnCat said:
The promotional ads were by NBC Sports. How do you know those ads were filmed after the Committee had voted to select the team?
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If they were filmed after the committee voted doesn't that make it worse?
 
CocoHusky said:
Agreed that the video of her dunking on UCONN was not a flattering side of Parker.
Equally unflattering was USA basketball filming promotional ads with Parker for the 2016 Olympics at a time when she was not selected for the team.
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I'd call it awkward, not unflattering. The ads were recorded prior to the team being picked.

I'm sure there is an interesting story behind the naming of the team but insiders won't talk. It will no doubt come out in a book sometime in the next 20 years.
 
CocoHusky said:
If they were filmed after the committee voted doesn't that make it worse?
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Of course, I misunderstood your post. I thought you were saying that the ads were filmed after the team had been chosen but that's not what you said. Sorry.

But the alternative is to have no promotional ads before the team is chosen. NBC sports decided they wanted to use Parker and the committee hadn't yet voted. Should appearances in promo ads sway the committee? That's surely not right.
 
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