Breanna, Napheesa, and Dee - oh my! | The Boneyard

Breanna, Napheesa, and Dee - oh my!

HuskyNan

HuskyNan

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I love Diana, have for decades, but maybe it’s time to make room for some youngsters


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It is, indeed, a very strong group. Not one of these players is a should surprise anybody who has been following the U.S.A. National Team. Per @HuskyNan , I just hope the U.S.A. Selection Committee views all players with open eyes for what they bring to the team now. If a tiebreaker is needed, I'm fine with dedication and service factoring into the mix.

Thanks to all for their service and go U.S.A.!
 
Dillon77 said:
It is, indeed, a very strong group. Not one of these players is a should surprise anybody who has been following the U.S.A. National Team. Per @HuskyNan , I just hope the U.S.A. Selection Committee views all players with open eyes for what they bring to the team now. If a tiebreaker is needed, I'm fine with dedication and service factoring into the mix.

Thanks to all for their service and go U.S.A.!
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Tactfully put, Dillon77. I'll say what you wanted to say, and Nan pretty much also said... DT should not be on that team.
 
The deacon said:
Tactfully put, Dillon77. I'll say what you wanted to say, and Nan pretty much also said... DT should not be on that team.
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Couldn't disagree more. Dee has been available to team USA every single cycle since she was in high school. U-whatever teams, World teams, Olympic teams. She's the consummate team player and an incredible leader. If she wants to be on the team, she should be on the team. I didn't hear ANYONE complain when Tamika Catchings, long in the tooth, made the team in her final go-around.

Too bad if some younger player, who may be "better" gets left off. If Dee wants it, she has earned a spot. I imagine there will be some hysteria hopefully when she makes the team, and someone else is left off. Plenty of time for others in the future.
 
EricLA said:
Couldn't disagree more. Dee has been available to team USA every single cycle since she was in high school. U-whatever teams, World teams, Olympic teams. She's the consummate team player and an incredible leader. If she wants to be on the team, she should be on the team. I didn't hear ANYONE complain when Tamika Catchings, long in the tooth, made the team in her final go-around.

Too bad if some younger player, who may be "better" gets left off. If Dee wants it, she has earned a spot. I imagine there will be some hysteria hopefully when she makes the team, and someone else is left off. Plenty of time for others in the future.
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No one knows what will happen in the future. I believe if a young player deserves it, she should be chosen. I don't know who will be coaching but whoever it is they have a lot of top talent to work with.
 
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EricLA said:
Couldn't disagree more. Dee has been available to team USA every single cycle since she was in high school. U-whatever teams, World teams, Olympic teams. She's the consummate team player and an incredible leader. If she wants to be on the team, she should be on the team. I didn't hear ANYONE complain when Tamika Catchings, long in the tooth, made the team in her final go-around.

Too bad if some younger player, who may be "better" gets left off. If Dee wants it, she has earned a spot. I imagine there will be some hysteria hopefully when she makes the team, and someone else is left off. Plenty of time for others in the future.
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Age isn't everything, but it does matter. Catchings was 36 for the 2016 Olympics. Diana will be 42 for this summer's Games.

Because she's been on national teams since whenever should not matter. Because she wants it? That's laughable.

She's earned our respect for her career and our thanks for all she's brought to UConn and USA basketball. A spot on the 2024 team should not be part of that package.

You feel the other players listed don't supply enough leadership? Hopefully you're kidding...
 
The deacon said:
Age isn't everything, but it does matter. Catchings was 36 for the 2016 Olympics. Diana will be 42 for this summer's Games.

Because she's been on national teams since whenever should not matter. Because she wants it? That's laughable.

She's earned our respect for her career and our thanks for all she's brought to UConn and USA basketball. A spot on the 2024 team should not be part of that package.

You feel the other players listed don't supply enough leadership? Hopefully you're kidding...
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Please read my post again. "She's the consummate team player and an incredible leader."

Where did I say others were not great leaders? Come on. I get we disagree, but your comment is silly.
 
The deacon said:
Tactfully put, Dillon77. I'll say what you wanted to say, and Nan pretty much also said... DT should not be on that team.
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Diana... player... coach... inspiration... intangibles... She'll be 6% of an 18 person roster. If she's a mistake, it's a risk worth taking. And... nobody "deserves" anything.
 
EricLA said:
Couldn't disagree more. Dee has been available to team USA every single cycle since she was in high school. U-whatever teams, World teams, Olympic teams. She's the consummate team player and an incredible leader. If she wants to be on the team, she should be on the team. I didn't hear ANYONE complain when Tamika Catchings, long in the tooth, made the team in her final go-around.

Too bad if some younger player, who may be "better" gets left off. If Dee wants it, she has earned a spot. I imagine there will be some hysteria hopefully when she makes the team, and someone else is left off. Plenty of time for others in the future.
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DT is not one of the best players in the country in 2024. She has been on every team she earned a spot on and NO player should be the team because of what they did in the past. People wonder why the WNBA has such low fan appeal yet they keep pushing out players from 20 years ago. DT is one of my all time favorites but last year it was painful to watch her in some games.
 
I assume this is just the first go round and there will be other chances to vie for a spot. I can think of a couple (maybe more :)) college players who should get a shot at making the team once the NCAA tournament is over.
 
Maybe D can function as a bench coach?

Even then, she takes up a roster spot.
 
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EricLA said:
Please read my post again. "She's the consummate team player and an incredible leader."

Where did I say others were not great leaders? Come on. I get we disagree, but your comment is silly.
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I apologize for my 'silliness', EricLA. I'll chalk that up to chronology.

However, you base your support of DT being on the team due to her 'consummate leadership.' It does seem my question asking if you feel others don't supply enough leadership is relevant. No?
 
The deacon said:
I apologize for my 'silliness', EricLA. I'll chalk that up to chronology.

However, you base your support of DT being on the team due to her 'consummate leadership.' It does seem my question asking if you feel others don't supply enough leadership is relevant. No?
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LOL good one. I'm getting long in the tooth as well!

But seriously, If I said "Paige is the consummate team player and an incredible leader", I'm somehow slighting Nika and KK and Aaliyah and Ash? It just so happens that Paige is also the best player on the team, something Diana would be far from,

Like I said, I TOTALLY get that some feel Diana should step aside and not be selected, never mind "trying out". I feel differently. BTW I don't base my support solely on her leadership and "team-mated-ness". I also just think she is deserving due to her history and commitment to Team USA, provided she's not a total disaster on the court.

Of the 18 players listed, it's certainly full of talent and skill and leadership and everything in between. Will be fascinating to see who the final 12 are. No matter who, there will be plenty of debate!
 
Is Chelsea Gray able to play? The last I heard, she was injured.
 
Rowdy831 said:
DT is not one of the best players in the country in 2024. She has been on every team she earned a spot on and NO player should be the team because of what they did in the past. People wonder why the WNBA has such low fan appeal yet they keep pushing out players from 20 years ago. DT is one of my all time favorites but last year it was painful to watch her in some games.
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OK, so here's Diana's 2023 stats:

GP MIN PTS FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OREB DREB REB AST TOV STL BLK PF
26 27.3 16.0 4.9 12.2 40.3 2.5 7.2 34.2 3.7 4.3 84.8 0.1 3.5 3.6 4.6 3.0 0.5 0.5 2.6

16 points, 3.6 RB, 4.6 assists in 27.6 minutes a game

If she gets on the team, she's unlikely to be a starter but she won't be a boat anchor on the floor, and her vast experience, will to win, clutch play, and leadership qualities will be more than useful.
 
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Pharos said:
Diana... player... coach... inspiration... intangibles... She'll be 6% of an 18 person roster. If she's a mistake, it's a risk worth taking. And... nobody "deserves" anything.
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The teams have 12 players
 
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EricLA said:
Couldn't disagree more. Dee has been available to team USA every single cycle since she was in high school. U-whatever teams, World teams, Olympic teams. She's the consummate team player and an incredible leader. If she wants to be on the team, she should be on the team. I didn't hear ANYONE complain when Tamika Catchings, long in the tooth, made the team in her final go-around.

Too bad if some younger player, who may be "better" gets left off. If Dee wants it, she has earned a spot. I imagine there will be some hysteria hopefully when she makes the team, and someone else is left off. Plenty of time for others in the future.
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I agree with you 1000%. Plus who says the top point scorer in the WNBA isn't good enough to be on the team? DT can still light it up. I really don't understand people looking at her birthdate and determining she shouldn't be on the team. Oh well, some people are Nika haters, and some people are DT haters, and some people hate both.

What do you mean hater? Well, the camp hasn't started yet, but the haters are SURE it's a done deal and their minds are made up already. I'd say that's a little bit biased.
 
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Boreifs said:
History is also replete with fans who are the last to understand that the discussion should be done.
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Fortunately, the fans don't pick the Olympic team, the USA Basketball National committee does. If they decide that Diana brings value to the roster, perhaps fans would be wise not to second guess them?
 
I think this just shows how far UCONN has fallen off. For the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympics, there were 6/5/5 UCONN players on the final roster. A couple more on the preliminary squads. Now here in 2024 it's down to 3 in the preliminary squads with one of them being a 40+ year old player.
 
meyers7 said:
I think this just shows how far UCONN has fallen off. For the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympics, there were 6/5/5 UCONN players on the final roster. A couple more on the preliminary squads. Now here in 2024 it's down to 3 in the preliminary squads with one of them being a 40+ year old player.
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"Fallen off" or maybe they're just trying to branch out and find a different mix of players? If I remember correctly, there used to be quite a lot of complaints from other programs that UConn got so many players on the team. It's politics as much as it is talent.

And UConn players are still playing in the Olympics with 3x3 basketball and being pretty successful with that.
 
I've posted for years USA basketball didn't do themselves any favors by not breaking in a younger point guard to spell Sue before her time ran out. Chelsea Gray, if she is able, would be the best option but beyond that I don't see anyone on the list who is a pure PG. Plum, Young and Ionescu, like Diana, are all acceptable PGs but if C. Gray can't go, all of those could wind up making it just to share in ball handling duties.

If I were picking the twelve and all listed are healthy and available, DT is left out. However that's just me.
 
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