A'ja Wilson pre-commitment threads (merged)

[UcMiami]

VAU - the .426 is not dreadful, though you certainly hope for .450+, but I do consider .300 to be the Mendoza line for three point shooting and for a volume shooter of 3s I would raise that to .333. I added Moriah into the list but she was an inconsistent part time player for Uconn last year and certainly not on any ballots for rookie of the year, so doesn't really belong in a discussion of 'freshman' greats - the others with the exception of the injured Bird were full time starters or for DT full-time sixth players.
Not sure which Wade trophy winner you refer to? But even in an up tempo run and gun offense 122 TOs is a lot and an A/TO of 0.75 is not good and for a guard less good.
And while DD was the 'face' of the UNC revival ... she is only one of 3 freshman starters on a team that also starts a very good sophomore all of whom shot the ball significantly better. I think maybe you give her a little too much credit for the revival.

 

[UcMiami]

But how many of those players were asked to be "the man" their first year. The team, for better or worse, was put on DD's shoulders. And she was being coached by someone who allowed her to take whatever shots she wanted. I'm not saying the above is comparable mind you, but that there are mitigating factors.

Valid - I am not saying DD didn't have a very good year - I am only saying to 'have reservations' about shooting percentage with DD and with A/TO is a valid position to take with someone who is being touted as the next great thing in WCBB. Some people wanted her to be on a ten player AA team, those stats are I think why she wasn't. She is a freshman and has lots of time to improve and I expect she will, but as a freshman she was both very dynamic and very inconsistent and that is a hard thing for a team to hang its hat on if it wants an NC.
This is an unfair comparison, but her freshman year looked similar to Simmons' freshman year. Eye popping play and singlehandedly winning some games for her team. Does she now develop the consistency of really great players?

 

[Suebird10fan]

Remember too that this started with a comparison to KML. DeShields just isn't at that level yet. My hunch is she'll be a first team AA before all is said and done but she's got a ways to go.

.426 is not particularly good even for a guard unless you're hitting a lot of 3s which DeShields wasn't. A simple way to look at FG% is to adjust by adding to the FGM 50% of made three pointers (since 3 point shots count for 50% more than 2 point shots!) A good shooter should be over .500 on adjusted FG% (yes, even guards). DD was .467. No one on UConn was below .500 for adj FG% except Pulido.

 

[Wally East]

The only reason Sylvia Hatchell has a NC is Charlotte Smith hit a 3 with 2 sec. left vs GA & Andy Landers!

Or 0.7 seconds left vs. Leon Barmore and La Tech, but, you know, details

That '94 team easily handled UConn in the Elite Eight, the same team, plus Nykesha, that ran the table.

 

[Deadrody]

Or 0.7 seconds left vs. Leon Barmore and La Tech, but, you know, details

That '94 team easily handled UConn in the Elite Eight, the same team, plus Nykesha, that ran the table.

Really ? You're telling us about how good the team in 1994 was ? ROTFLMAO!!!!

 

[Bill In Georgia]

You know when ND beat UConn in one of their earlier epic battles, she was quoted as saying as she walked out of the facility, .."That's the last time that is going to happen, I will bring 4 in a row to UConn ..... The came the emergence of Ms Jefferson, and there was a cooling of the words, as it was evident that MJ was a better all around package, except from the 3 pt line and now that question is a thing of the past.... ..
Just a little tidbit from the past....
I guess from the looks of things she went off and recruited her own team...
Is there a rule that prevents "signers" from actively recruiting other players??? Interesting??

 

[baggerbob]

Just a reminder, Kia Nurse has quite the ped

Remember too that this started with a comparison to KML. DeShields just isn't at that level yet. My hunch is she'll be a first team AA before all is said and done but she's got a ways to go.

.426 is not particularly good even for a guard unless you're hitting a lot of 3s which DeShields wasn't. A simple way to look at FG% is to adjust by adding to the FGM 50% of made three pointers (since 3 point shots count for 50% more than 2 point shots!) A good shooter should be over .500 on adjusted FG% (yes, even guards). DD was .467. No one on UConn was below .500 for adj FG% except Pulido.

DD is going to be a good player, but she's in the same age group as Stewie, and no-where near the player. In recent history DT, Maya, Brittany, EDD, and Stewie transcend other players, that's a lot in a short period of time. Can you imagine the Olympics with Brittany, and Stewie running pick, and roll with any of the others, that will be the Women's Dream Team, most of them in their best playing days.

 

[msf22b]

Just a reminder, Kia Nurse has quite the ped

DD is going to be a good player, but she's in the same age group as Stewie, and no-where near the player. In recent history DT, Maya, Brittany, EDD, and Stewie transcend other players, that's a lot in a short period of time. Can you imagine the Olympics with Brittany, and Stewie running pick, and roll with any of the others, that will be the Women's Dream Team, most of them in their best playing days.

and EDD, Maya, Sue, Dinah and Mighty Mouse (I hope).

 

[Suebird10fan]

Parker has to be on that list in all fairness

 

[msf22b]

Parker has to be on that list in all fairness

Oh, sure, a scattered few from distant campuses and bergs.

I was mainly thinking of the UConn contingent +

 

[HuskeySlim]

I guess I am somewhat biased because I love UCONN WBB. I think Geno and Chris Dailey are the best teachers and coaches of any big girl with potential coming out of high school. Look at Stef Dolson. I think she improved from freshman to senior year more than any other big before her anywhere. Every girl is not Stef though. Stef wanted it, and did whatever it took to get there. Remember all the naysayers asking Geno, "Why did you recruit her"? Well done Stef, you made us all proud.I am sure A'ja has her own reasons for going to her chosen college.
I wish it was UCONN, but wherever she does go I wish her the best.
As for Diamond, what a player she is going to be. I am sure she has 1st team All America in her future. Having said that, I am not sure she would have been a fit at UCONN. I think she is more of an "I", "me" player and UCONN's motto is "we", team and unselfishness all the way. It has proven to work 9 times before, and now we are gunning for more.

 

[VAUConnFan]

VAU - the .426 is not dreadful, though you certainly hope for .450+, but I do consider .300 to be the Mendoza line for three point shooting and for a volume shooter of 3s I would raise that to .333. I added Moriah into the list but she was an inconsistent part time player for Uconn last year and certainly not on any ballots for rookie of the year, so doesn't really belong in a discussion of 'freshman' greats - the others with the exception of the injured Bird were full time starters or for DT full-time sixth players.
Not sure which Wade trophy winner you refer to? But even in an up tempo run and gun offense 122 TOs is a lot and an A/TO of 0.75 is not good and for a guard less good.
And while DD was the 'face' of the UNC revival ... she is only one of 3 freshman starters on a team that also starts a very good sophomore all of whom shot the ball significantly better. I think maybe you give her a little too much credit for the revival.

If a player is hooting .426 overall and shooting less than .300 from three as what you term as a volume shooter, then that means she is killing it from two, and, likely, keeping defenses honest by hoisting just enough threes to allow her to get closer to the basket.

Granted, basketball is a team game, but North Carolina was nowhere last year and they were an Elite 8 team this year. If you do not want to give Ms DeShields the lion's share of the credit, so be it. We can agree to disagree.

How many Wade Trophy winners has UConn produced? Of those, it should not be too difficult to determine which one had the assist to turnover ratio below 1.0 in their freshman season.

Stefanie Dolson had 103 turnovers in 40 games this past year. Can you live with that? I dare say yes we all can because UConn just won the national championship. Diana Taurasi in 2003 had 115 turnovers in 37 games. No need to ask if anyone can live with that because UConn won the national championship that year as well. Ms DeShields averaged one more turnover per game than Ms Dolson while handling the ball considerably more and navigating through more defenders. Ms Deshields committed less than a third of a turnover more per game than Ms Taurasi in a championship season. North Carolina was an Elite 8 team while committing 17 turnover per game, 3.4 of them attributable to Ms DeShields. So, Ms Deshields is responsible for 23% of North Carolina's offense and 20% of their turnovers. Do you honestly think North Carolina has a problem with that? Ivory Latta in 2006 had 126 turnovers. In 2007 , she had 136 turnovers. It is the way North Carolina plays, the way they have always played, the way they played when they had better teams than UConn. UConn is much better now and fans, like us, are finding fault with the way Carolina plays because it does not mesh with our individual perceptions of what we might consider good basketball, or the way the game should be played.

 

[doggydaddy]

If a player is hooting .426 overall and shooting less than .300 from three as what you term as a volume shooter, then that means she is killing it from two, and, likely, keeping defenses honest by hoisting just enough threes to allow her to get closer to the basket.

As some e posted, she shot .476 on 2's. Not killing it.

And she didn't shoot threes just to keep defenses honest.

 

[wes33]

Good read,dads tough. http://thetandd.com/sports/south-ca...cle_c2070f02-c1e2-11e3-86da-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[Teacherdeb]

Hmmm... Do I catch a whiff of Elena D? Domineering dad, initial basketball reluctance...

 

[DaddyChoc]

nothing much there... but I like how dad pushes her but when she wants to get away she finds comfort in hanging with her grandmother

 

[Icebear]

Nothing at all.

 

[blake]

Nothing at all!!

 

[HGN]

Nice article............I guess we will all know in 48hrs.

 

[meyers7]

Good read,dads tough. http://thetandd.com/sports/south-carolina-native-a-ja-wilson-anything-but-normal-as/article_c2070f02-c1e2-11e3-86da-0019bb2963f4.html A'JA is there a hint here?

ummmm, no.

I agree though, tough dad.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Hmmm... Do I catch a whiff of Elena D? Domineering dad, initial basketball reluctance...

Hopefully not. We don't need anymore basketball players quitting school in the middle of the night days after the semester begins.

 

[stwainfan]

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/3120395520/h0EC05D4A/

 

[herbiep]

Hopefully not. We don't need anymore basketball players quitting school in the middle of the night days after the semester begins.

No danger of that, since she will be going to UNC, or SC....

 

[easttexastrash]

When I look at her I think of Candace Parker. It will be exciting to see where she lands. Sounds like some coach is about to get a player that is no stranger to hard work.

 

[doggydaddy]

You all missed this clue?

First paragraph-
COLUMBIA – When the No. 1 women’s basketball recruit in the country goes home, she curls up on the couch and watches “NCIS” with her parents. She sends texts and tweets full of emojis. On weekends, she sleeps in and watches movies with her friends. She loves her pearls.

Clear as a bell.