A Question On Paige Keeps Rolling Around In My Head

[RockyMTblue2]

Well, I think she passed Tayler Hill about a week after this aired. 🤣 Seeing those clips makes me bummed that Maya Nnaji didn’t stick with hoops.

Nnaji was a talent and a wise acre who gave Paige competition.

 

[BobbyJ]

There are some big differences in the pros, the biggest is the 'no zone' rule which greatly decreases the double teams. Additionally pro ball is generally much more weighted to one on one play. And you have a much shorter shot clock so you don't have the time to 'reset' if a play breaks down.

In college teams play a lot of zone, box and one, etc. especially against super star players. The lane is often very clogged as well.

And specific to Geno - the motion at Uconn when it is playing well is constant off the ball - again easier with the 30 sec shot clock. And Uconn usually has a roster of really good players and seldom a truly dominant scorer and only occasionally during a season do they play against an equally skilled team maybe 6 games in the regular season and another 3 in the NCAA.

I agree with others above - we saw all the types of shots at Uconn that she displayed in the pros and you could put together a highlight reel from Uconn days very similar to the one posted above for her first season - she just didn't string together many of them in individual games, and their were fewer times she spent one-on-one with numerous fakes and spins - again 'no zone' and double teams very seldom in the W. and the shot clock ticking over faster so a reset not really possible. She probably also had an easier time getting her college shot off against less skilled college defenders so didn't need as many moves.

Zone defense is legal in the WNBA, it's the defensive 3 second rule that prevents teams from using it a lot. And there is constant hedging and double teaming off high screens. It's the only way they keep Bueckers from scoring 25 a night.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The algorithm is certainly working in mysterious ways today! I've just been served up this one, perhaps because I watched the one you linked to. At 1:58 Coach Cosgriff makes the Plan P comment I've often quoted:



There's another one where one of her teammates says that you quickly learn to keep your eye open and your hands up!

I suspect that was Nnaji

 

[AidanFan20]

That comment about Geno showing up... MANY times.

When top HEAD coaches come to games, the player ain't no five-star... It's that rare "six-star". These do NOT grow on trees... There are maybe 3-5 per decade in each gender. A high-school fan can go YEARS without seeing one of these gems on the court, let alone having a chance to watch them multiple times...

I've been lucky... In addition to seeing Paige online since her soph year at Hopkins, and to a much lesser extent Caitlin Clark, my elbow-rub claim to fame is seeing most of Jason Kidd's high-school games in the flesh. Like Paige, he was like 20 levels above everyone on the court, and big-name HS head coaches like Dean Smith and Lute Olson got into games whenever they could. I'm not good at spotting famous faces, but my then-wife was REALLY good at it. She would point them out for me.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm sticking this here. I've seen an abbreviated version of this healing Paige trying to sneak into practice and I'll bet you have to. This longer version is so much funnier and so Paige and she gets a high five from Jamelle. Wait for it:

 

[WiseWillie]

I'm sticking this here. I've seen an abbreviated version of this healing Paige trying to sneak into practice and I'll bet you have to. This longer version is so much funnier and so Paige and she gets a high five from Jamelle. Wait for it:

Good post, Rocky. Loved this back and forth when it first came out and still creates a smile when watching it now. Shows the unique rapport they had. I recall the comment by Rebecca I think it was during the FF or maybe one of the earlier matchups about the time Paige came off the floor and gave Geno a slap on the behind like he was one of her teammates. I don't recall exactly what Ryan said while they rolled that for the viewers but something like "No one could have done that but Paige". However, Rebecca's comment was quick and spot on: "Nor would we have even tried!"