Atlanta Dream Profile on Kiah Stokes

[Wbbfan1]

http://www.wnba.com/dream/news/prospectprofilestokes011515.html

 

[VAMike23]

Great find! And an interesting read.

More than watching her play in her first WNBA season this upcoming season, I'm interested in seeing how she plays next summer after she has (presumably) played overseas for 1 season. I think playing a long Euro-league season as a professional could do a lot for her offense, if she plays heavy minutes (which as an 'import' she probably would, or she wouldn't likely be hired).

 

[HuskyPup]

great article..........
I agree with most of it except the line "But anything that Stefanie Dolson does, Kiah Stokes does less well." Granted Dolson was great at UConn but I can think a of a few things Kiah does better than Dolson. (run the floor, post D 1 on 1, team D, and shot blocking come to mind) So far ..like the first 3 years of her career here she shows flashes, I agree she has not shown that "Beast Mode" mentality especially on offense that I believe we are all hoping to see. As someone mentioned on this site before "she is what she is". We can always hope it will show up. (Ncaa tourney time would be a great time for it to show up) Either way, she will be a steal for whichever team selects her this year. GO Kiah!

 

[DEK1234]

great article.....
I agree with most of it except the line "But anything that Stefanie Dolson does, Kiah Stokes does less well." Granted Dolson was great at UConn but I can think a of a few things Kiah does better than Dolson. (run the floor, post D 1 on 1, team D, and shot blocking come to mind) So far ..like the first 3 years of her career here she shows flashes, I agree she has not shown that "Beast Mode" mentality especially on offense that I believe we are all hoping to see. As someone mentioned on this site before "she is what she is". We can always hope it will show up. (Ncaa tourney time would be a great time for it to show up) Either way, she will be a steal for whichever team selects her this year. GO Kiah!

I agree with your points and I also didn't like the mention of rumors of her transferring. Kiah's father has said that there has never been a desire to transfer and that he didn't understand where all those rumblings were coming from.

 

[snlMINAJ]

yes, its hard to follow overseas, but i would just LOVE to see what her stats would be like at this age (compared to high school) playing 30-35 MPG
i get the whole 'she hasnt earned 30MPG at uconn' or 'she doesnt have the offense to play longer in the rotations' BUT could you imagine if she was playing 28-33MPG this year?

i think shed easily average 13+ RPG and 5+ BPG

 

[snlMINAJ]

i also think this is a rather nasty quote, and i dont believe it. if so, id love to know the players who lost respect for her...

"She averaged career-lows of 2.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 10.7 minutes in 32 games during a nightmarish sophomore season. Her teammates lost respect for her as a player." - Rich Elliot, ctpost.com

 

[mrmojack]

B. Hartley was described as the steal of the draft by her Washington coach.
Uconn kids are doing well in the WNBA because they know how to play
team ball and can defend. If Kiah falls to middle/late 1st round, she will
go to a decent team and have time to adjust to the pro game. I would like
to see her fall to Minnesota and then she could learn behind McCarville
and Brunson, both who are getting up in age. I believe the fact that the
Lynx coach coached with Geno on the National team, she had time to
pick Geno's brain a bit.

Where she falls draft wise may depend on how Kiah does in the South Carolina
game and again in the NCAA tourney. I would also like to see her go up against
Izzy Harrison of Tenn or Ruth Hambin of Ore St. I think she will fare pretty
well. If she plays like she did in the ND game, all will be good.

As a side note, did anyone notice the 3 outside shots she took in the Temple
game? That was probably the most in her career. Hopefully we will see a
more offensive minded Kiah the rest of the season.

Just can't go wrong taking a Uconn kid in the draft.

 

[EricLA]

Well at least 78% of the people think that if Kiah is still available when the Dream select at #10 they should take her. Aside from the "less well than Dolson" comment, not much to argue with in that analysis.

i also think this is a rather nasty quote, and i dont believe it. if so, id love to know the players who lost respect for her...

"She averaged career-lows of 2.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 10.7 minutes in 32 games during a nightmarish sophomore season. Her teammates lost respect for her as a player." - Rich Elliot, ctpost.com

I believe that was the season Geno (or CD) had a chat with her and said that her teammates did not like playing with her. It was a real thing - probably coming from Hartley and Dolson. but I can't be sure. In fact, I found it in another article. Here's a quote from Stokes herself...

"There was a few times freshman and sophomore year I was like, `I'm sick of this,"' Stokes said. "But it never crossed my mind that I actually wanted to leave. But I think when (Auriemma) told me, `Your teammates don't respect you on the court,' that kind of hurt because I was like, really, they're friends with me off the court but on the court they don't really want to be around me. And that kind of hit home. And that was, I think, the biggest thing that kind of stuck with me."

 

[dtbtbtb]

She will be the steal of the draft...while she will not score much in the WNBA either, she'll have a long long career due to the things she does really really well (defense, rebounding and blocking shots)

 

[bschwartz]

Only once since 2003 has a WNBA champion not included a UConn Alum. Just Sayin' Maybe Indy should grab her for that reason alone. As a big fan of her, I am kinda hopin' she drops to a better team where she can focus on being a player who comes in when a team needs a defensive boost. Minny would be great. I am interested to see if WNBA coaches can bring her offense out. Either way, I am ok. Although I wouldn't mind a little mean streak in her, I think she will be fine as a pro. If she decides to do something else, she'll be fine too. She's had many chances to quit and play a bigger role at an easier place to play. She hasn't done that.

 

[HuskiesU]

Will be a perfect fit as Alanta has a lot of scoring power and is more so a guard orient team. She can come in be the same player she is now at UConn. Rebounds and be a good defender. But something is telling me she will be a better pro than college player

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Well at least 78% of the people think that if Kiah is still available when the Dream select at #10 they should take her. Aside from the "less well than Dolson" comment, not much to argue with in that analysis.
I believe that was the season Geno (or CD) had a chat with her and said that her teammates did not like playing with her. It was a real thing - probably coming from Hartley and Dolson. but I can't be sure. In fact, I found it in another article. Here's a quote from Stokes herself...

"There was a few times freshman and sophomore year I was like, `I'm sick of this,"' Stokes said. "But it never crossed my mind that I actually wanted to leave. But I think when (Auriemma) told me, `Your teammates don't respect you on the court,' that kind of hurt because I was like, really, they're friends with me off the court but on the court they don't really want to be around me. And that kind of hit home. And that was, I think, the biggest thing that kind of stuck with me."

Good find on that "team mates quote."

What I liked best in the assessment was Lin Dunn's comment:I believe the consensus right now is that the two Connecticut players (Stokes and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis), because of the schedule they play and the fact they play for Geno [Auriemma], are in my mind considered first-rounders and perhaps top five picks." -

A good jab back at the sky is falling crowd ( or coven). Not to mention how many recruits in the last 3 classes have highlighted "I want to play for the best Coach" statements.

 

[MilfordHusky]

If the Lynx somehow get Kiah, they will be THE team to beat. They have 3 great offensive players plus Rebekkah Brunson, but are soft defensively in the middle. Maya will teach Kiah about intensity. And Minnesota is not far from Kiah's home in Iowa. That would be a great situation for Kiah.

 

[johnnyc]

Kiah Stokes = steal of the draft

 

[UcMiami]

I think of her sort of the same way as Charde - someone who has really benefitted from the Uconn experience but who maybe would have 'thrived' more on a different college team, but would have graduated as a less complete player.
I doubt she ever starts in the WNBA but could have a very good and long career with the right team and coaching staff - better than Jessica Moore but the same kind of fundamentally sound piece for a winning team.

 

[JoePgh]

Good find on that "team mates quote."

What I liked best in the assessment was Lin Dunn's comment:I believe the consensus right now is that the two Connecticut players (Stokes and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis), because of the schedule they play and the fact they play for Geno [Auriemma], are in my mind considered first-rounders and perhaps top five picks." -

A good jab back at the sky is falling crowd ( or coven). Not to mention how many recruits in the last 3 classes have highlighted "I want to play for the best Coach" statements.

I think there was a zinger embedded in Lin Dunn's comment -- I don't think it should be taken at face value. I base that conclusion on these facts: (a) As head coach of the Indiana Fever, she never drafted a UConn player and passed over Kelly Faris despite her Indiana ties, taking the guard from Cal instead; (b) she has been a very loud proponent of the "UConn dynasty is bad for the sport" point of view. She has stated that UConn is on ESPN too much, and should get less publicity than it does.

I think she was saying that the UConn pedigree of KML and Stokes will cause them to be drafted higher than she thinks they should be, because other WNBA coaches and GM's have the mistaken impression that UConn provides something special in the way of basketball training.

 

[Striper69]

She will be the steal of the draft...while she will not score much in the WNBA either, she'll have a long long career due to the things she does really really well (defense, rebounding and blocking shots)

+1.


I could get her to be a scorer (and passer) though...

 

[Striper69]

If the Lynx somehow get Kiah, they will be THE team to beat. They have 3 great offensive players plus Rebekkah Brunson, but are soft defensively in the middle. Maya will teach Kiah about intensity. And Minnesota is not far from Kiah's home in Iowa. That would be a great situation for Kiah.

Heh heh.. the rest of the league better hope that the Lynx aren't able to draft her. Perfect place and team for her.

 

[NOI33]

I think there was a zinger embedded in Lin Dunn's comment -- I don't think it should be taken at face value. I base that conclusion on these facts: (a) As head coach of the Indiana Fever, she never drafted a UConn player and passed over Kelly Faris despite her Indiana ties, taking the guard from Cal instead; (b) she has been a very loud proponent of the "UConn dynasty is bad for the sport" point of view. She has stated that UConn is on ESPN too much, and should get less publicity than it does.

I think she was saying that the UConn pedigree of KML and Stokes will cause them to be drafted higher than she thinks they should be, because other WNBA coaches and GM's have the mistaken impression that UConn provides something special in the way of basketball training.

I agree. To add, I sense that she was trying to imply that Uconn's weak conference schedule might make these seniors look better than they actually are, and thus it inflates their stock value. Not that I agree, but it's a valid assessment on her part.