Azura Stevens Leaving

[Shenandoah]

That's just the thing, the money is not that great.

It does allow her to go overseas after the W season is finished, where the money is, in many cases much better.

 

[Shenandoah]

Despite the obvious fact that Z should have played most if not all of the 2H on Friday evening, I seriously doubt that was the deciding factor regarding her decision to go pro. I imagine she'd already made that decision some time before the Final Four took place. She doesn't strike me as the type of person who makes a decision like that on the spur of a moment.

+1. One doesn't make that announcement so soon after their last game, without knowing in advance that that is what she was planning all along.

 

[oldude]

It does allow her to go overseas after the W season is finished, where the money is, in many cases much better.

Correct. Top WBB players, between the WNBA, overseas & endorsements can earn $.5 - $1 million annually.

 

[wallman]

Not trying to stir the pot but when will the WNBA deal with the inequality of saying when a female player can go pro?

 

[oldude]

Not trying to stir the pot but when will the WNBA deal with the inequality of saying when a female player can go pro?

I think the WNBA has it right. If anyone needs to change it’s the NBA. I’d really like to see a lot more MBB players earn their degrees and develop their games in college.

 

[Shenandoah]

I honestly think he was a bit flexible with MW as she was literally handed the 7th player role, even when there were much less talented players, who earned it in practice every day. She was given repeated opportunities to solidify that spot and never could.
It literally drives me more nuts than I already am, with many here, if not most, handing MW the starting job next year. And it taking about her becoming an AA or even NPOY. Actually unless she improves enormously in quite a few areas, she may again be 6th or 7th player.
While neither of CW or Ono has practiced for even one minute, I think both may well start, because they saw as clear as day, what happened this year. There are now two starting spots and the 6th player available, and I think they might just grab it. Also they both fit best into the roles needed of players on the team. I hope for MW that she solidifies the 6th spot as they need a slashing, driving offensive player badly. But she is not a guard and CW clearly is, and I at least here think she might have the attitude and personality to want to take over.
While AZ leaving is a huge loss on top of Gabby and Kia, it provides enormous opportunities for pretty much every one.
I think Geno actually will be re-energized as no one now will pick them as the favorites and there's so, so much to do to get them to be a good team. The expectations of a NC, undefeated season will be significantly lessened. His coaching in the last two semi-final losses was no where near his capabilities. One could give him a pass for last years loss as it was so unexpected and yes, also sooner or later, one has to lose. His coaching in this semi-final was much less than stellar. I won't go into all this in depth now but I think he will do better with the challenges of next years team than most will expect. If he doesn't or can't, it may well speak the end of probably one of, if not the best, coaches, teams in any team sport ever.
As in life in a moment or a few moments, things can change enormously. We lost Ezi, we lost in the semi- finals, we lost AZ - all unexpected to most here.
One if my closest friends, his wife of many years, suffered a horrible stroke a little more than a year ago, leaving her profoundly limited in speech and mobility. She suffered and struggled for shy of three months before passing away. That is how truly bad change and loss can and does look.
We can all use a bit of perspective, as much as so many here love U Conn women's BB, change is upon us! How do we handle it and ourselves?
Bronx23

Perspective is surely correct. My condolences on your friends passing. I've worked in Cardiac Cath Labs most of my career, and have seen 40 year old, outpatients, walk in, and leave to the morgue. Every day that I wake up on top of the dirt, is a good day. WCBB is a great diversion, but it is not the end of the world if we lose.

 

[wallman]

I think the WNBA has it right. If anyone needs to change it’s the NBA. I’d really like to see a lot more MBB players earn their degrees and develop their games in college.

Understand what your saying but ultimately its not your choice, it should be the choice of the individual and by stopping individuals from earning while the NCAA is earning money is not equitable.

 

[oldude]

Understand what your saying but ultimately its not your choice, it should be the choice of the individual and by stopping individuals from earning while the NCAA is earning money is not equitable.

Of course it’s not my choice. But any league has the right to set it’s own restrictions relative to who may, or may not play in that league.

I would point out that after Lebron and other HS players were drafted, with mixed results, the NBA actually raised the age limit for eligibility to 19. I’d like to see them raise it again to 22 or 4 years after your HS graduation as the WNBA has done. MBB would be so much better without “one and dones.”

 

[wallman]

Of course it’s not my choice. But any league has the right to set it’s own restrictions relative to who may, or may not play in that league.

I would point out that after Lebron and other HS players were drafted, with mixed results, the NBA actually raised the age limit for eligibility to 19. I’d like to see them raise it again to 22 or 4 years after your HS graduation as the WNBA has done. MBB would be so much better without “one and dones.”

But that is the point. Not every high school kid wants to go to college and has the drive for an education. Just as guys get to choose then why should the gals not have the same choice.

 

[j66kicker]

Not trying to stir the pot but when will the WNBA deal with the inequality of saying when a female player can go pro?

As soon as a player challenges them legally

 

[wallman]

As soon as a player challenges them legally

Excellent point.

 

[eebmg]

I think the WNBA has it right. If anyone needs to change it’s the NBA. I’d really like to see a lot more MBB players earn their degrees and develop their games in college.

The money in the NBA is way to much to expect that. It is unrealistic to expect top tier players to miss out on incredible income opportunities. You can always go back for your education if you want to.

 

[JustinesGuy]

It does allow her to go overseas after the W season is finished, where the money is, in many cases much better.

Very good point. You are of course correct.
I wish Z the best of luck. When Justine was interviewing her after the game and she was bawling her eyes out, not like a gabby cry but a full on crocodile tears I said to myself ut oh...

 

[Shenandoah]

I think the WNBA has it right. If anyone needs to change it’s the NBA. I’d really like to see a lot more MBB players earn their degrees and develop their games in college.

I agree. That was one of the problems that I had with Jim Calhoun. I understand that he was just playing the game the way it was designed, but I hated to see players only play for a year or 2, then bolt for the pros. Nothing, including health, is guaranteed, but at least with a degree, one has a better shot at success after the career, however short or long it is, is finished. That is also my take on Azura leaving. The chance for a free Master's Degree is nothing to sneeze at. But, she didn't ask me!

 

[oldude]

But that is the point. Not every high school kid wants to go to college and has the drive for an education. Just as guys get to choose then why should the gals not have the same choice.

Guys get to choose if they’re 19 and over. I’m suggesting the NBA let them choose once they’re 22.

If they don’t want to go to college, they can play overseas like the younger 2 Ball brothers, or they can opt to play in the D-league, like the top recruit for Syracuse who recently decommitted.

 

[oldude]

The money in the NBA is way to much to expect that. It is unrealistic to expect top tier players to miss out on incredible income opportunities. You can always go back for your education if you want to.

But the point is that the NBA controls that decision. The league moved the age limit to 19 to eliminate eligibility for HS kids. They could move it to 22 to eliminate one and dones, while insuring a lot more MBB players earn a college degree.

 

[ScarlettB]

Who would you have benched in order to start Z and why?
KLS? Gabby? Kia? Crystal Dangerfield? Pheesa?
I'm not trying to be obnoxious here, and you may well be right. But I do think we ought to understand who we would have had to subtract in order to add Z to the starting line-up. And since Geno believes that subs should change the dynamics when they come in, how would that have changed if the sub was someone else?

I would have started Z in place of Dangerfield in the game against ND. She would have given me more height and help against Sheppard. I might have even been able to get her to foul out. Doing so would probably have helped to increase the rebound margin as well. I could then have used Dangerfield as my first off the bench to spell Samuelson and Nurse. Z had 19 points in 30 minutes, Dangerfield had 8 in 30 minutes. I think Z is/was more productive in that game. Even if I hadn't started Z in the ND game, I certainly would have played her more once I saw how productive she was being. As for the entire season, I would start people based on the match ups and on who was being the most productive.

 

[Zanzman]

What’s the difference in graduating high school and going to pump gas or flip burgers and going to the nba they are all jobs. I wish there a better system that would tell the average kid they are not ready for the pro game from high school

 

[oldude]

What’s the difference in graduating high school and going to pump gas or flip burgers and going to the nba they are all jobs. I wish there a better system that would tell the average kid they are not ready for the pro game from high school

The NBA minimum salary is $1.3 million for a 1st year player. That’s just a bit more than you can make flipping burgers at Mickey D’s...

 

[wallman]

Guys get to choose if they’re 19 and over. I’m suggesting the NBA let them choose once they’re 22.

If they don’t want to go to college, they can play overseas like the younger 2 Ball brothers, or they can opt to play in the D-league, like the top recruit for Syracuse who recently decommitted.

I totally get your point and I am just being devils advocate. When a foreign player can come into our league before our own players it just seems wrong.

 

[willtalk]

I gave a hint in my last post, but I suppose it was not obvious enough. One of the reasons that players put/subject themselves to Geno's program and hands is that he is able to get the best out of them. To do that he has to recognize and push them to their POTENTIAL.It seems to me that Geno and Stevens were not on the same page as to where each felt the program could take her or the necessary means to do so. It seems obvious that either Stevens did not recognize what her actual potential was or she was just satisfied at the level she was at now. Geno obviously had an objective for her to reach within her time at Uconn and that was not progressing along to his liking. He expressed a sense of frustration about that earlier this season. That was a key red flag to how this was going to end and if I could see that I am sure Geno also saw the handwriting on the wall. His silence speaks to that. And unlike her last school, she is certainly smart enough not to say anything negative about the most successful coach in the business.

 

[oldude]

I totally get your point and I am just being devils advocate. When a foreign player can come into our league before our own players it just seems wrong.

There is no age difference for international players. They also have to be 19. The difference for international players is that they do not have to be 1 year removed from HS, like U.S. players. This addresses the fact that different countries can have much different systems and age requirements for Primary Education.

 

[wallman]

There is no age difference for international players. They also have to be 19. The difference for international players is that they do not have to be 1 year removed from HS, like U.S. players. This addresses the fact that different countries can have much different systems and age requirements for Primary Education.

Actually I think the foreign players who don't go to college in the US can be younger. Plus Zandalazini is an example of a player who never went through the draft. Just talking female players here.

 

[oldude]

Actually I think the foreign players who don't go to college in the US can be younger. Plus Zandalazini is an example of a player who never went through the draft. Just talking female players here.

I was talking about the men. As for the women, you are correct. You can be 20, or two years younger than American players, if you’re an international player. That hasn’t been a significant issue to date, but with the continued development of WBB internationally, it certainly could become a problem.

 

[wallman]

I was talking about the men. As for the women, you are correct. You can be 20, or two years younger than American players, if you’re an international player. That hasn’t been a significant issue to date, but with the continued development of WBB internationally, it certainly could become a problem.

Thanks, I hear ya.