best women's player in college basketball

[Ozzie Nelson]

EDD, but by the end of the year KML will get a lot of votes.

I just don't get it. Griner is a force that never was in WCBB, and she comes in behind EDD and KML? Plese elaborate on what I am missing here.

 

[speedoo]

and Tenn on Dec. 20th. They are both great players, who will no doubt be on the USA teams down the road.

IMO Nneka will have to improve her defense to have a shot at a Team USA spot. Her rebounding and offense are excellent, and I think the eventual retirement of players like Cash and Catchings will open up some spots, but there will still be plenty of talent for Team USA to choose from at the 3-4 positions, and defense will always be a major consideration.

 

[cardfan]

IMO Nneka will have to improve her defense to have a shot at a Team USA spot. Her rebounding and offense are excellent, and I think the eventual retirement of players like Cash and Catchings will open up some spots, but there will still be plenty of talent for Team USA to choose from at the 3-4 positions, and defense will always be a major consideration.

Her D is fine. She will make the team, not for London, but next games.

 

[Kibitzer]

how about that supporting cast that russel had? plus, a very shrewd coach.

How about the many times Russ went head-to-head against Wilt Chamberlain, who once averaged 50 ppg for a season?

We all know that Russ earned 11 NBA championship rings, 1 Olympic gold medal and 2 NCAA championships. But an obscure stat is most telling. During his incomparable career, he played in 14 "game seven" contests. Each team won three, lost three going on the court will all the money on the table. Russ was a winner in 13 of 14.

Just incidentally, he changed the way the game is played. Since this thread is about wcbb I have no further comment on this topic.

 

[UConn990411]

I just don't get it. Griner is a force that never was in WCBB, and she comes in behind EDD and KML? Plese elaborate on what I am missing here.

It's all personal bias.

Griner is really unlikeable and plays for a team that is competitive with UConn, while EDD (for some reason I can't figure out) is still a fan favorite to many on this board and plays for a team that UConn likely will never play.

Put the two together and you get these irrational arguments that EDD is the best player in the women's game.

 

[DEK1234]

I don't think Griner is unlikable. I mean besides "The Incident," I feel like she's a nice kid. Granted, I haven't seen her play enough to gauge her actions on the court. But from the bit I have seen, she is one of a kind in WCBB right now.

 

[PacoSwede]

Lauren was playing professionally in Australia when she was 17. ... Jackson had to learn to play physically as she spent a lot of time in the post. We really haven't seen that from Elena and won't until she joins the WNBA.

Wouldn't surprise me a bit if she never joins the WNBA. In fact, I'd be somewhat surprised if she does.

 

[speedoo]

Wouldn't surprise me a bit if she never joins the WNBA. In fact, I'd be somewhat surprised if she does.

I'd be surprised if she did not. She certainly has the talent, so only question is does she want to or not. The season is short enough to allow her to either play professionally the rest of the year, or pursue another career while staying close to home.

 

[Vowelguy]

Wouldn't surprise me a bit if she never joins the WNBA. In fact, I'd be somewhat surprised if she does.

completely disagree

 

[PacoSwede]

completely disagree

I'm curious ... why are you so sure she wants to do it?

 

[boontonbomber]

How about the many times Russ went head-to-head against Wilt Chamberlain, who once averaged 50 ppg for a season?

We all know that Russ earned 11 NBA championship rings, 1 Olympic gold medal and 2 NCAA championships. But an obscure stat is most telling. During his incomparable career, he played in 14 "game seven" contests. Each team won three, lost three going on the court will all the money on the table. Russ was a winner in 13 of 14.

Just incidentally, he changed the way the game is played. Since this thread is about wcbb I have no further comment on this topic.

i know that you will not comment further, but i'm not sure how you think russell changed the way the game was played. i would really like to know what your thoughts are. someone who i think did change the way the game was played was oscar robertson, who, for all of his scoring and rebounding, averaged almost 10 assists a game FOR HIS CAREER.

 

[Kibitzer]

Oscar Robertson was a wonderful basketball player, no question about it.

I could recite championship series after championship series but I choose to not do so. I cannot resist the temptation to mention one of Russ's first, back in 1958. The Celtics took Philly out in five. Russ had 144 rebounds. That's not a typo. 144. In 5 games.

They didn't keep track of blocked shots as an official stat back then, but Russ had a few.

No player in any professional sport can match his record of achievement at the highest level. There is a reason.

Russ was "beyond category."

 

[jsloanjr]

I would pick EDD, but BG would be very tough to pass up.

 

[boontonbomber]

i would not be surprised if uconn beats baylor and griner for the third straight year. we have geno , and better yet, he has coached griner. in which case, would opinions regarding griner change in any way ? next year it's even more likely that uconn will beat them.

 

[ctchamps]

Add my vote to Griner!

 

[Vowelguy]

I'm curious ... why are you so sure she wants to do it?

Why wouldn't she?

 

[DaddyChoc]

It's all personal bias.

Griner is really unlikeable and plays for a team that is competitive with UConn, while EDD (for some reason I can't figure out) is still a fan favorite to many on this board and plays for a team that UConn likely will never play.

Put the two together and you get these irrational arguments that EDD is the best player in the women's game.

you're wrong, atleast with me.

Im not happy that EDD didnt stay at UConn... but I wish she loses every game she plays BUT I know a basketball player when I see one.

Nothing at all against Griner, you may not know but Im "pro-dunk" and as for "the incident".... *happens and Im not going to hold that against, not me!

but Im going with EDD

 

[PacoSwede]

Why wouldn't she?

I don't know why she wouldn't continue as a pro. Maybe she would; I don't know that, though. You seem positive she would. How come?

And, why answer with a question? Was my question too tough? Don't have an answer?

I'll answer yours, regardless. I think it's possible she would not go pro simply because I can imagine some people are actually capable of resisting the glamor and big bucks (sarcasm intended in both cases) of playing women's pro ball. All that wonderful time on the road, riding buses, risking injury, forfeiting time that you might rather use doing something more important to yourself so you could play in half-empty auditoriums under the watchful eye of horrible refs. How could anyone resist such a wonderful lifestyle? In Elena's case, I suspect, some pretty attractive alternatives are available, but I guess the allure of pro ball simply must be irresistible to any young woman.

Seems to me, though, that Elena was able to resist a considerably less onerous experience and a damn excellent chance for true glory when she decided she didn't want to play for UConn. If she was able to resist that opportunity, for whatever reason -- some here seem to think they know the reason -- why couldn't/wouldn't she make a similar decision after college? If she had reasons to pass on likely national championships, what has changed that would make her desirous of toiling as a pro ballplayer?

Maybe it is different now, somehow, but I say: not necessarily. Not all college stars are unable to resist the money game; Bill Bradley took off for a Rhodes Scholarship, and wasn't Maya hoping to do the same? No doubt others have more examples.

 

[arty155]

it's early in the season, but who is the best player?

- I’ll admit I’m the guy on this board still just trying to figure out which end of the ball to aim at the basket, but…
- Didn’t USA Basket Ball recently make this call – regarding our ‘best current WCBB player?
- Wasn’t Brittney Griner the only WCBB player to tour Europe with our senior team players in September? *
- Guess we could speculate - sincerely - why others were not selected (maybe didn’t fit team needs, maybe inconvenient timing, maybe, maybe)...
- But for now, USA BB seems among the very few of us with a real non-nonsense stake in answering this question, and we just saw their most recent call in Sep, right?
- Boonton - just a great thread - I've learned pleanty. As for your question, my instinct is to ask WWGD? ** Hence the above.

* per Big 12's website, anyway
**What Would Geno Do? Who would be his #1 WCBB player recommendation to USA BB today? I figure that's BG, as you put it - this "early in the season."; since he probably concurred in that USA BB selection back in September.

 

[Vowelguy]

And, why answer with a question?

In the 15+ years the WNBA has existed, I've yet to hear an All-American say "No thanks." So, I think it's more than reasonable to assume she will, and put the burden of proof on you to suggest otherwise.

Reportedly she has also expressed interest in the Olympics, suggesting bigger ambitions.

 

[ladybears4eva]

and Tenn on Dec. 20th. They are both great players, who will no doubt be on the USA teams down the road.

i have a feeling she will not play in the wnba for very long.

 

[ladybears4eva]

Why did she play so many minutes versus other players? Because the coach wanted to win, so he played the best.

i just didn't see the games as being that close...atleast i don't remember.

 

[Cafe Poliziano]

Wouldn't surprise me a bit if she never joins the WNBA. In fact, I'd be somewhat surprised if she does.

Have to agree, imo Edd did not have the "desire" to Play in the big leagues of college, although she may go wnba imo she won't last if she can't take being away from home for an extended period. That and she will take a pounding at the pro level something she has never had to deal with at the glorified high school competition level she faces at Delaware.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Have to agree, imo Edd did not have the "desire" to Play in the big leagues of college, although she may go wnba imo she won't last if she can't take being away from home for an extended period. That and she will take a pounding at the pro level something she has never had to deal with at the glorified high school competition level she faces at Delaware.

"she can't take being away from home for an extended period"

do you know her in real life? How did you get this "current" and very personal info.

Perhaps her view on life has changed...young adults and teens do that, right?

 

[Cafe Poliziano]

Perhaps her view on life has changed...youngt adults and teens do that, right?[/quote]

do you know her in real life? How did you get this "current" and very personal info.



It is not on a personal level in the slightest, the same way 99.9% of everyone else who posts about her gets their info, and occasionally people do change but it does not happen all that often. Thus far Edd has shown no inclination to compete on the top level and as such falls more and more behind the other highly talented players who do gain that experience, can't really be argued otherwise. Edd has talent for sure but has yet to demonstrate that she wants to compete at the highest levels of wcbb. If she does go to the WNBA she will have a steep learning curve. I do find it funny that people actually think her stats against 3rd and 4th teir players is on par with the actually elite players that play against the best that wcbb has to offer, thinking this is akin to believing fairy tales imo. But whatever works for those folk I guess. As I have stated in another post what would her and her teams numbers look like if she played against the likes of MM, TC, RM, TH, KF, or had to try to out rebound the UT team, or drive the lane against B Griner ??

GO UCONN !!!!!!!