AAs ?

[TC22]

Latson and Raven Johnson were high school teammates. They won State 3 years in a row and were National Champions their Sr year.

 

[The deacon]

Paige is playing her way out of the conversation... still plenty of time to turn it around, but at this point, she's not among the best players.

 

[triaddukefan]

First team locks:

Hannah, Juju, and Betts.

Latson making a strong run for the first team.

 

[bballnut90]

Napheesa Collier's entire 2019 is still a head scratcher. How on EARTH did Gustafson win POY over her and how on EARTHHHHH was she the #6 pick in the WNBA draft?

Gustafson averaged 28 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks on 70% FG, she deserved NPOY. She also took an unheralded Iowa team to an Elite 8 finish and Big Ten Championship. Collier was and is a better overall player but Meg deserved it.

How she fell to #6 in the draft still is puzzling. KLS had an up and down senior year where holes in her game were exposed, yet she still was picked ahead of Arike/Collier, both of whom have become franchise players and bonafide stars.

 

[nwhoopfan]

How she fell to #6 in the draft still is puzzling. KLS had an up and down senior year where holes in her game were exposed, yet she still was picked ahead of Arike/Collier, both of whom have become franchise players and bonafide stars.

Also while not quite a superstar, Jackie Young has looked on the cusp of it during parts of several seasons.

I don't know what kind of career Durr would've had without medical issues, but completely washed out of the W at this point as far as I know. Very minimal impact for the #2 overall pick.


Looking at the rest of that first round, several more gone from the league. Magbegor at #12 and the last pick of the first round was an absolute steal in retrospect.

 

[bballnut90]

Also while not quite a superstar, Jackie Young has looked on the cusp of it during parts of several seasons.

I don't know what kind of career Durr would've had without medical issues, but completely washed out of the W at this point as far as I know. Very minimal impact for the #2 overall pick.


Looking at the rest of that first round, several more gone from the league. Magbegor at #12 and the last pick of the first round was an absolute steal in retrospect.

I never understood the Durr hype. Always thought Arike was a better player when they were in college but for some reason Durr got all of the hype and accolades.

The draft itself was stacked—second round had Mabrey, Hiedeman, Cunningham, Han Xu, Jessica Shepard, Bridget Carleton and Kennedy Burke. I think only Durr/Leslie/Anigwe are the only first rounders no longer in the league which is pretty remarkable 6 years later.

 

[ucbart]

Gustafson averaged 28 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks on 70% FG, she deserved NPOY. She also took an unheralded Iowa team to an Elite 8 finish and Big Ten Championship. Collier was and is a better overall player but Meg deserved it.

How she fell to #6 in the draft still is puzzling. KLS had an up and down senior year where holes in her game were exposed, yet she still was picked ahead of Arike/Collier, both of whom have become franchise players and bonafide stars.

This post is soooooo not surprising from you. LOL! Next.

 

[bballnut90]

This post is soooooo not surprising from you. LOL! Next.

Don't get upset when someone answers a question you ask

 

[saywho]

While Strong is great and having an amazing season, I don't see her as a lock even for FOY. I think Mikayla Blakes at Vandy is also in the conversation. Shea has helped mold her into a great player and her play is just strengthening as the year progresses. That being said, I don't think anybody would be upset if Strong wins, but I don't think she is the only one in the conversation or is a run away with it this year either.

 

[visitingcock]

While Strong is great and having an amazing season, I don't see her as a lock even for FOY. I think Mikayla Blakes at Vandy is also in the conversation. Shea has helped mold her into a great player and her play is just strengthening as the year progresses. That being said, I don't think anybody would be upset if Strong wins, but I don't think she is the only one in the conversation or is a run away with it this year either.

If the awards were given out today, I woul concede Strong as national FOY and Blake’s as SEC FOY.

However. Joyce Edwards will push them both by years end. Over the last five straight games against ranked opponents, Joyce was the leadingscorer in all five games. To repeat; both of them are worthy of awards, but it COULD change, Joyce will face both of them in the next month,

 

[GamecockFam]

If the awards were given out today, I woul concede Strong as national FOY and Blake’s as SEC FOY.

However. Joyce Edwards will push them both by years end. Over the last five straight games against ranked opponents, Joyce was the leadingscorer in all five games. To repeat; both of them are worthy of awards, but it COULD change, Joyce will face both of them in the next month,

Another name to throw out there for SEC FOY is Sira Thienou at Ole Miss. She gets almost no media love but she could creep into the conversation if she continues getting better. She isn't necessarily a high scorer (though she did have a 29 point game against Florida) but it's all the other metrics that make her stand out.

Let's face it, this is another superb freshman class!

 

[Sluconn Husky]

While Strong is great and having an amazing season, I don't see her as a lock even for FOY. I think Mikayla Blakes at Vandy is also in the conversation. Shea has helped mold her into a great player and her play is just strengthening as the year progresses. That being said, I don't think anybody would be upset if Strong wins, but I don't think she is the only one in the conversation or is a run away with it this year either.

Strong leads the nation in Win Shares and Box Plus Minus, is 2nd in Offensive and Defensive Rating, and 2nd in Player Efficiency Rating by 0.1 point. Also 7th in Effective FG Percentage and 12th in True Shooting Percentage.

 

[saywho]

Strong leads the nation in Win Shares and Box Plus Minus, is 2nd in Offensive and Defensive Rating, and 2nd in Player Efficiency Rating by 0.1 point. Also 7th in Effective FG Percentage and 12th in True Shooting Percentage.

I’m aware of the stats of pretty much all D-1 women players on top 25 teams, and most top recruits. I tend to be a stat nerd that struggles with sleep so I peruse them rather nightly. But thank you for sharing with the forum!

Like I said, Sarah is a phenomenal player and I doubt anybody would question or be upset if she won FOY (and if she does win, she deserves it!), but I don’t think she’s running away with it or that it’s just some foregone conclusion she is going to win it. There are others in the conversation whether you personally are in agreement with it or not.

I could delve quite deeply into (and thoroughly support) why being surrounded by a large number of other quality players (including two other #1 recruits that demand defensive attention from other teams) and a coach who ensures the team as a whole plays defense cohesively is going to naturally inflate some of the specific statistics you mention. I’m not saying that to take away from how great she is … she is great! But at the end of the day, I’m not here to convince anybody that one player is better or more deserving than somebody else — because we don’t get a vote in who wins any awards at the end of the season. Also, I think everybody here knows this isn’t the place where opinions are going to be changed when it involves anything to do with UConn or its players (which is actually a complement not a knock toward UConn faithful.) So, it’d all be a moot point and a waste of energy on my part trying to defend all the attacks that would be sure to come

 

[packwrap]

I’m aware of the stats of pretty much all D-1 women players on top 25 teams, and most top recruits. I tend to be a stat nerd that struggles with sleep so I peruse them rather nightly.

I think you are right that Sarah is not yet a lock. The media likes to focus on scoring, and freshman who put a team on their back. Last year it was JuJu's 50 at Stanford and rise of USC that moved her to pole position.

Sarah does have one advantage though in addition to advanced metrics. Her highlight reel! I've never seen anything like it, she quietly makes something happen at what appears to be all 5 positions, and from every square foot of the court!

A nice performance v TN and SC will also help.

If voters view the evidence, she will be the leader.