Another way too early Top 25 from ESPN

[BobbyJ]

Haley Jones is a forward, albeit one with a good handle and an excellent passer. Jump is a catch and shoot 2-guard. I don’t see a pg anywhere, or a g/w who can create on the perimeter like the Hull sisters. Also, there is no way Tara will start three post players.

And only one outside shooter and 3 point threat in Jump.

 

[nwhoopfan]

It sounds like Stanford is doomed reading some of these posts. Geez, they probably won't even go undefeated in Pac 12 play this year.

 

[SECbbfan24]

Every time I defend Kim Mulkey, a little part of my soul dies, but LSU at 22 is disrespectful.

LSU lost 4 out of 5 starters but only return Morris. They ran off a transfer they just signed (Esmery Martinez). Unless she signs Angel Reese (who visited last Friday), she honestly botched the portal minus Ladazhia Williams. They passed up on multiple kids just to get particular ones and one of them backed out of their commitment less than a week after signing...

They signed a very good class but Kim may be one of the few coaches in America who seems to have the mindset that freshmen can't do much and should ride the bench for a couple years before actually playing... So they will probably be very mediocre next year. Back to middle of the pack.

 

[Pinhead]

Some surprises; Nebraska and South Dakota State. Nebraska played well all year and barely cracked the Top 25. I think they got ranked once or twice and then after a loss, they were done. Really huge surprise. LSU ranked that low? Shocked. I am really glad to see Princeton getting the love. No BYU?

Haha I wondered about BYU but was pleasantly surprised to see some Utah Ute love!

 

[Bone Dog]

As good as Jones is, you can’t play her at pg. She’s an average outside shooter. Her strength is from the high post into the basket.

You’re right, of course. But HJ is just one of those players who are so driven to win that they’ll find a way wherever they’re playing. I don’t like counting her out. I think there’s a couple of kids like that at UConn.

 

[BobbyJ]

LSU lost 4 out of 5 starters but only return Morris. They ran off a transfer they just signed (Esmery Martinez). Unless she signs Angel Reese (who visited last Friday), she honestly botched the portal minus Ladazhia Williams. They passed up on multiple kids just to get particular ones and one of them backed out of their commitment less than a week after signing...

They signed a very good class but Kim may be one of the few coaches in America who seems to have the mindset that freshmen can't do much and should ride the bench for a couple years before actually playing... So they will probably be very mediocre next year. Back to middle of the pack.

After she jumps through hoops and empties the tank to get Mikaylah Williams, if successful I doubt she'll play that game with her.

 

[Sakibomb25]

It sounds like Stanford is doomed reading some of these posts. Geez, they probably won't even go undefeated in Pac 12 play this year.

No but not having a quality point guard leaves a big gap in the line-up for Stanford. I think they are rated too high… until they have proven they have a point guard.

What’s the point of having quality posts if you can’t give them the ball? I suspect things will be fine for Stanford, as Jones will slot in to play point guard… and while we do lose part of her game, you can bet she’ll be more consistent with her three-pointers because she has to moving forward.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Baylor doesn't have a "true" big at this time which may explain the lower than expected ranking.

Iowa State & Texas should be able to handle Baylor twice each, and keep Baylor out of the Big 12 conference Championship in 2023....

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Fair enough. I was mainly thinking of Smith and Ursin. When it came down to it they had other priorities. As for Egbo, I don’t believe she’s have gone to LSU no matter what.

Egbo said at the end of the 2020-2021 season, "Coaching does not matter and we will go farther than last year, because all of our talent is back!" or words to that effect.

Apparently coaching does matter....

Particularly with Geno & CD, as the Final Four second place run is two years (to Geno & CD's 14 in a row....

 

[Argonaut]

LSU lost 4 out of 5 starters but only return Morris. They ran off a transfer they just signed (Esmery Martinez). Unless she signs Angel Reese (who visited last Friday), she honestly botched the portal minus Ladazhia Williams. They passed up on multiple kids just to get particular ones and one of them backed out of their commitment less than a week after signing...

They signed a very good class but Kim may be one of the few coaches in America who seems to have the mindset that freshmen can't do much and should ride the bench for a couple years before actually playing... So they will probably be very mediocre next year. Back to middle of the pack.

Whoever she has, she’ll have them a top 15 team before all is said and done. Look at how much she was able to get out of her players at Baylor, but how little they’ve done (except BG) in the W. Don’t be so quick to discount her ability to turn lemons into lemonade.

And she’ll do it in the most ostentatious blazers her stylists can find.

 

[nwhoopfan]

No but not having a quality point guard leaves a big gap in the line-up for Stanford. I think they are rated too high… until they have proven they have a point guard.

What’s the point of having quality posts if you can’t give them the ball? I suspect things will be fine for Stanford, as Jones will slot in to play point guard… and while we do lose part of her game, you can bet she’ll be more consistent with her three-pointers because she has to moving forward.

They got thru this season without a point guard, and mostly looked good doing it.




Tara might eventually regret not playing Van Gytenbeek more minutes. Will be interesting to see how she does with Baylor.

 

[visitingcock]

No but not having a quality point guard leaves a big gap in the line-up for Stanford. I think they are rated too high… until they have proven they have a point guard.

What’s the point of having quality posts if you can’t give them the ball? I suspect things will be fine for Stanford, as Jones will slot in to play point guard… and while we do lose part of her game, you can bet she’ll be more consistent with her three-pointers because she has to moving forward.

I wonder what percentage of players in the portal could even get through Stanford admissions - much less PGs

 

[SECbbfan24]

Whoever she has, she’ll have them a top 15 team before all is said and done. Look at how much she was able to get out of her players at Baylor, but how little they’ve done (except BG) in the W. Don’t be so quick to discount her ability to turn lemons into lemonade.

She def made lemonade last season. She took a team that went 9-13 and went 26-6. Their highest SEC finish in nearly 15 years after Fargas ran a middle tier program for a decade.

I suspect they will be pretty good by mid SEC play but so many new faces is going to be a challenge. Unless she somehow got Reese, then that changes a lot.

I certainly am excited for a change instead of expecting the same ole from The previous staff. This program needed to be rebuilt from top to bottom and that is always going to take time. She certainly is off to a great start.

 

[Big12wbbFan]

Iowa State & Texas should be able to handle Baylor twice each, and keep Baylor out of the Big 12 conference Championship in 2023....

That remains to be seen.

 

[DrummerDee]

I like Iowa State and Oklahoma to be stronger and
stronger next year. I was surprised about how much
North Carolina State has reloaded for next year. The
other school (IMO) that will be more of a threat in March/April
is Notre Dame. N.D. will be more "seasoned" and Coach
Ivey will have another year to blend the players she
wants to her brand of WBB! Overall... It should be a great year.
GO HUSKIES... beat ... well... beat everyone! ( But be somewhat
mindful of Creighton, a good team , and no longer a sleeper in
the BIG EAST.... Morgan Maley is a fine player! ) Z

You do realize ND lost People's and Brunelle..and Their post was denied a waiver for an additional year. They are gonna struggle.

 

[SCspur]

As good as Jones is, you can’t play her at pg. She’s an average outside shooter. Her strength is from the high post into the basket.

Indya Nivar will be Stanford’s PG.

 

[Zarathustra]

You do realize ND lost People's and Brunelle..and Their post was denied a waiver for an additional year. They are gonna struggle.

I forgot about the denied waiver, but I did take into account People's ( DePaul) and Brunelle ( Virginia).
Thanks for the additional insight. Time will tell! Cheers, Z

 

[oldude]

Indya Nivar will be Stanford’s PG.

We’ll see. Nivar is a talented combo guard, who may be better as an “off guard” than a pg. She will also be a freshman next year. Giving the keys to the team to any freshman not named Paige Bueckers is going to be a risk.

 

[Bone Dog]

We’ll see. Nivar is a talented combo guard, who may be better as an “off guard” than a pg. She will also be a freshman next year. Giving the keys to the team to any freshman not named Paige Bueckers is going to be a risk.

I agree... though there have been a few cases recently of successes with freshmen PGs, like Texas and Iowa St, and maybe even Iowa. I'd have included Oregon, but Pao Pao was injured for most of that year. I wonder if some of these high schools are getting better at developing talent at that position.

 

[JellyBean]

As good as Jones is, you can’t play her at pg. She’s an average outside shooter. Her strength is from the high post into the basket.

I see, and I think Tara does as well, Haley Jones as a point forward. Haley could/should improve her outside shooting, if her goal is to play at the next level. Agree 100% that Haley's strength is the high post. Her court vision & passing ability is outstanding! But she is a point forward and this off-season, I think that she will be working on her outside shooting and decision making.

 

[DeeHusky]

I agree... though there have been a few cases recently of successes with freshmen PGs, like Texas and Iowa St, and maybe even Iowa. I'd have included Oregon, but Pao Pao was injured for most of that year. I wonder if some of these high schools are getting better at developing talent at that position.

I agree as well, Amber Orrange, Kiana Williams and Lili Thompson started their whole careers I think

 

[SCspur]

We’ll see. Nivar is a talented combo guard, who may be better as an “off guard” than a pg. She will also be a freshman next year. Giving the keys to the team to any freshman not named Paige Bueckers is going to be a risk.

I’ve watched Nivar exclusively throughout HS at Apex Friendship as well as the Carolina Flames AAU program. She can and definitely will play PG. Also being a freshman doesn’t mean she can’t lead her team to success, Ty Harris as a freshman led her team to a national championship. She won’t be given “the keys” because there’s tons of veteran presences around her, she just needs to be a steady ball handler and be able to set her teammates up whenever other teams try to press or use quick guards. Jones will still be the conductor.

 

[oldude]

I’ve watched Nivar exclusively throughout HS at Apex Friendship as well as the Carolina Flames AAU program. She can and definitely will play PG. Also being a freshman doesn’t mean she can’t lead her team to success, Ty Harris as a freshman led her team to a national championship. She won’t be given “the keys” because there’s tons of veteran presences around her, she just needs to be a steady ball handler and be able to set her teammates up whenever other teams try to press or use quick guards. Jones will still be the conductor.

No doubt that Nivar can play. But I’m not quite ready to elevate her to the same level as Ty Harris. I think her impact at Stanford next season remains to be seen.

 

[bballnut90]

LSU should move up significantly with the addition of Angel Reese. I could see them in the 12-17 range.

 

[SECbbfan24]

LSU should move up significantly with the addition of Angel Reese. I could see them in the 12-17 range.

I think LSU could end up being more balanced as a team next year instead of strictly just two players carrying the team

But like I said earlier in the transfer thread, adding star players does not equate to automatic success. It will take work to mold a collective group of players (no matter how talented they are) into a team. The portal does so much good but chemistry is extremely important and this is where coaching matters.

I do expect the defense this season to be significantly better with the addition of Starkey and it being year two under Kim. The defense was a hot mess last season but they scored the ball very well.

I will be interested to see how the rest of the portal shapes out. Still a lot of kids out there plus this doesn't include grad transfers who could pull the trigger to transfer at any moment.