Breanna's Arms

[UConnCat]

There's been a lot of talk of Stewart's wingspan. Check out the length of her arm in this photo. Oh, and the time in the weight room is starting to pay off.

 

[UConnCat]

And this one:

 

[speedoo]

There's been a lot of talk of Stewart's wingspan. Check out the length of her arm in this photo. Oh, and the time in the weight room is starting to pay off.

That picture is very telling. Breanna and the other player are pretty even, up to their shoulders, yet Breanna's fingertips are nearly a foot higher than the other player's. That's all wingspan.

 

[ABachelor6CR]

I heard that her wingspan is 3 inches longer than Michael Jordans

 

[Kibitzer]

It didn't take Geno long to designate her to defend the opposing player designated to make the inbounds pass from under her/their basket. I'm old enough to remember Phil Jackson doing that so well with the Knicks, back in the day. He was like a windmill on steroids.

 

[EricLA]

In the Wake game, she had 3 blocks and 2 steals. I didn't look up her YTD numbers, but one thing that will be great about her is that opposing teams really have no way of preparing a game plan to go against a 7'1" wingspan. I think she will not only surprise some teams with her length, but will force them to be more conservative with their passing (and out of bounds plays) to keep the ball out of her reach...

 

[Kibitzer]

As I watch Breanna Stewart play basketball, I am reminded of what legendary golfer Bobby Jones said after watching Jack Nicklaus win the 1965 Masters Golf game.

He was asked for his opinion of the quality of Jack's skills as a golfer. His response:

"Mr. Nicklaus plays a game with which I am not familiar."​

 

[Wonkster]

... remember Phil Jackson doing that so well with the Knicks, back in the day. He was like a windmill on steroids.

I almost called Breanna "The Human Windmill" before the season started, but hesitated, as she already had several nicknames.

 

[ThisJustIn]

What I love is the trust and awareness that Stef and Stew have. During the game, there was a moment when a Wake Forest player was driving into the paint, and Stef was a little too far away -- and realized that moving in would be a foul. She sorta stepped to the side with a seal that said, "Ms. Stewart? Take care of this mess."

Stewie promptly blocked the heck outta the ball.

 

[Biff]

That picture is very telling. Breanna and the other player are pretty even, up to their shoulders, yet Breanna's fingertips are nearly a foot higher than the other player's. That's all wingspan.

Actually, not to be a downer here but that picture is a little misleading in that it has a perspective issue that makes Bre's arms look even longer than they are.

Fortunately for you I can computer enhance the crap out of the picture to give you the true perspective.....Just trying to keep it real....ahem. Now if she could only jump.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

It didn't take Geno long to designate her to defend the opposing player designated to make the inbounds pass from under her/their basket. I'm old enough to remember Phil Jackson doing that so well with the Knicks, back in the day. He was like a windmill on steroids.

Squarest shoulders ever!!

 

[Phil]

but one thing that will be great about her is that opposing teams really have no way of preparing a game plan to go against a 7'1" wingspan. I think she will not only surprise some teams with her length, but will force them to be more conservative with their passing (and out of bounds plays) to keep the ball out of her reach...

I'll repeat a theory I have mentioned before. Most peoples arms are proportional to their height (a typical wingspan is equal to your height). Basketball players learn how much arc their shots by a classic feedback loop, they try shots, and when they get stuffed, they increase the height, but I contend they "learn" based upon the head height of their opponent. In most cases, this works out, because the extension can be estimated from the head height, but in the case of Stewart, her wing span is proportionately longer, so the shot will not clear her hand. Opponents won't play her enough to learn from experience, and unconsciously modify their shot, so they have to do it consciously, which is hard to do in the heat of the game.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

And this one:

UCONN Defense="A Call To Arms"

 

[Bestiarius]

Biff - Resident genetic engineer.