Can we talk a little bit about Diana the freshman vs KML?

[blackbird]

I don't agree at all.

I think the leaders showed themselves to be Kelly and Bria..which probably explained why the team seemed to falter a lot more when they were struggling.

And I think Tiff and Caroline are this team's heart.

 

[DEK1234]

How crazy is is that we can actually compare two of the best to ever play in WCBB because they both attended UConn. Some programs have never had that out of this world type superstar and we've had two (and you can make the argument for even more). And to add to that, we've got Kaleena on her way to making some serious noise in WCBB. On top of that, I hear this one player we've got coming in next year is pretty good too. I think her name starts with a B...

 

[rington]

It's funny how so many people can change their opinions so quickly. Earlier in the year there were several fans who stated that KML was a one-dimensional player; one who after playing a few minutes got tired, and her shots barely made it to the rim.
I hope she continues to prove these people wrong.
I know some of these early critics. They now deny they ever said such things and now have only praise for this upcoming star.

 

[winlots]

ALEX - GREAT post and wonderful, thoughtful thread by all participants.

Would just throw in one follow-on to your very interesting opening stats: without actually carrying out the statistical tests, just by eye-ball it seems to me that only three of the several comparisons would yield statisically significant differences. Taurasi up on one: asssists. Lewis up on both rebounds and points.


(Kudos also for your wisdom in adding that caveat when presenting your comparative figures, noting that the contextual cirsumstances involving teammates, opponents et al are very large and relevant variables when attempting these kinds of interesting, but difficult, comparisons.)

 

[winlots]

How crazy is is that we can actually compare two of the best to ever play in WCBB because they both attended UConn. Some programs have never had that out of this world type superstar and we've had two (and you can make the argument for even more). And to add to that, we've got Kaleena on her way to making some serious noise in WCBB. On top of that, I hear this one player we've got coming in next year is pretty good too. I think her name starts with a B...

DEK - got a couple of "M's" that look pretty special as well, wouldn't you say??

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

So the argument could be made, at least quantitatively, that KML has had a better freshman season.

So let’s talk qualitatively. My memories of D the sophomore-senior cloud my memories of her as a freshman. I remember she fouled out in the BET final against ND and then had a really tough game in the national semis. Did she have any signature games against a top opponent like KML had against Stanford or the BET final? Watching her play, did you think she was going to be anything close to what she became? What do you think when you watch KML?

Random comments/observations (in a day full of my random comments/observations):

- Honestly, I always hate these types of discussions because basketball is a team sport. Diana's numbers may appear to be somewhat modest, but her teammates were All-Americans. Not just high school All-Americans, but college All-Americans. Had Diana wanted to average 25 ppg as a freshman, she could have (with only Geno holding her back, in terms of minutes on the court to score that much).

- In one way, KML reminds me of Kedra Holland-Corn (KHC, the WNBA player vs. KML, the college freshman). When KHC made her first shot, the next five also went in. When she missed her first shot, she missed the next five. But the percentages balanced out. And she never lost confidence in her shot. Though KML is a better all-around player (and will continue to get better), that is my outside observation, at this stage of their respective careers.

- Plus, I am curious to see what KML does next. Right now, over 53 percent of her shot attempts are from three. Would be great to see her create a consistent mid-range jumper off a dribble or two. Maya Moore, for example, had a great mid-range jumper (the best since Seimone Augustus, who was the best since Chamique Holdsclaw). In fact, Maya's mid-range jumper was so good (and her three point shot became such a weapon) that I felt she did not take advantage of her size enough by going to the basket more. I would like to see KML learn to post up against smaller guards/wings and go over either shoulder or use a drop step to score. And she needs to get to the line more. By taking so many outside shots, she is averaging 1.93 free throw attempts per game, which is simply too few to be a truly elite scorer. Put it this way...Brianna Banks has been to the line 27 times in 359 minutes; KML has been to the line 64 times in 921 minutes. Again, when the outside shot is already incredible and the sky is the limit otherwise, to say nothing of the tremendous coaching staff and the work they do with individual players, I cannot wait to see how she develops over the next three years.

- As for Diana Taurasi, every time she took a shot I thought it was going in. Even today, every time she shoots the ball, I do not just think it is going in; I expect it to go in. Not sure there are more than a handful of players in the women's game (or even the men's game) about whom I can make that comment.

 

[DEK1234]

DEK - got a couple of "M's" that look pretty special as well, wouldn't you say??

Of course! Obviously can't overlook them either. Overall, let's just say it's fun being a UConn fan!

 

[Icebear]

- As for Diana Taurasi, every time she took a shot I thought it was going in. Even today, every time she shoots the ball, I do not just think it is going in; I expect it to go in. Not sure there are more than a handful of players in the women's game (or even the men's game) about whom I can make that comment.

This is exactly how Geno describes KML. His very unexaggerated comment is that when Kaleena shoots in practice everyone everyone so completely expects the shot to go in they are stunned when it doesn't. He then scited a particular shot in the game where she took a shot and was shocked when she didn't make it.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Cam, I really liked Chamique's mid-range jumper. She was the first player I saw who played like a guy. In terms of accuracy, I'd guess that Seimone was even a little better. Watching Seimone play last year, I thought she seemed automatic. Maybe not quite so in college. Maya had the best ability to elevate in my view. Not sure I could separate those 3 players, but I wouldn't put Maya at the bottom of that list, even if it is the best of the best. She just seems to come up with a loose ball, elevate, and nail the shot before the defense knows that happened. Her jumper, especially short- and mid-range, and her finger roll, in my view, are the best in the game.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Cam, I really liked Chamique's mid-range jumper. She was the first player I saw who played like a guy. In terms of accuracy, I'd guess that Seimone was even a little better. Watching Seimone play last year, I thought she seemed automatic. Maybe not quite so in college. Maya had the best ability to elevate in my view. Not sure I could separate those 3 players, but I wouldn't put Maya at the bottom of that list, even if it is the best of the best. She just seems to come up with a loose ball, elevate, and nail the shot before the defense knows that happened. Her jumper, especially short- and mid-range, and her finger roll, in my view, are the best in the game.

Oh, I was not ranking them. I was just saying one player's was the best since another's, in the sense that each player was the top of her respective era.

 

[HuskyNan]

- I am curious to see what KML does next. Right now, over 53 percent of her shot attempts are from three. Would be great to see her create a consistent mid-range jumper off a dribble or two. ,I would like to see KML learn to post up against smaller guards/wings and go over either shoulder or use a drop step.

Over the last 8-10 games of the regular season, KML was going into the paint much more. She said Geno told her that if her threes weren't droping she should look for other ways to score. Geno actually designed a couple of player for her to get to the basket, something he rarely does, and to her credit she's been making the most of them.

What excites me most about KML isn't her prodigious tAlent but the way she is soaking up what Geno tells her and transforming his instructions into actions. Geo was on Maya for years about not settling for being a jump shooter but, for some reason, she was reluctant to go into the paint a lot. I think KML has more layups in traffic in her freshman year than Maya did in her career.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Oh, I was not ranking them. I was just saying one player's was the best since another's, in the sense that each player was the top of her respective era.

Got it. Yes, they were outstanding.

 

[boontonbomber]

c'mon, you can't compare diana and kml. kml is playing against bigger, stronger, and quicker players, and many more of them.

 

[Scotter]

I think that perception is wrong, unless you're discounting all the times Maya finished above the traffic. This is a sore point with me though because IMO Kaleena gets over credited and Maya gets undercredited in this area. Geno spins this narrative that Kaleena likes contact so much more than Maya, and how she attacks the basket so much more than Maya. It perpetuates what is largely a myth that they are so different in this area. As I said earlier in this thread, their on court personalities are for more similar than different. Before the season I said she wasn't going to be going to the free throw line much more than Maya no matter how much Geno talked up how Kaleena likes contact, and the season has borne that out. Some of the shots Kaleena does take in traffic are because she doesn't have any other option. Maya did, and Maya's 2P FG% reflects this.

What excites me most about KML isn't her prodigious tAlent but the way she is soaking up what Geno tells her and transforming his instructions into actions. Geo was on Maya for years about not settling for being a jump shooter but, for some reason, she was reluctant to go into the paint a lot. I think KML has more layups in traffic in her freshman year than Maya did in her career.

 

[HuskyNan]

I think that perception is wrong, unless you're discounting all the times Maya finished above the traffic. This is a sore point with me though because IMO Kaleena gets over credited and Maya gets undercredited in this area. Geno spins this narrative that Kaleena likes contact so much more than Maya, and how she attacks the basket so much more than Maya. It perpetuates what is largely a myth that they are so different in this area. As I said earlier in this thread, their on court personalities are for more similar than different. Before the season I said she wasn't going to be going to the free throw line much more than Maya no matter how much Geno talked up how Kaleena likes contact, and the season has borne that out. Some of the shots Kaleena does take in traffic are because she doesn't have any other option. Maya did, and Maya's 2P FG% reflects this.

I paused a moment after reading your post. You're right more often than I am, shocking I know, but I was sure I'd seen KML getting into the paint more recently. So, I went to UConn's official site and dug out the stats.

I was wrong that it's been 8-10 games. But, KML has been getting more shots from close range, more twos, and making more FTs in recent games than before. This is how it broke down:

1st 26 games - KML shot 175 threes (55.0% of her shots) and 143 two point shots (5.5/game) and 41 free throw attempts, or 1.57 attempts per game.
last 7 games - KML shot 41 threes (46.6% of her shots) , and 47 two point shots (6.7/game) and 23 free throw attempts, or 3.29 attempts per game.

The total number of shots taken per game didn't change a lot, 12.2 shots/game for the first 26 games vs 12.6 shots in the last 7 games, but KML's scoring went from 13.8 ppg to 18.6 ppg (14.8 for the year) despite taking fewer three point shots. Her three point shooting also improved (36.6% vs 51.2%, 39.4% for the year). So, Geno was right to tell KML to mix it up as making a couple shots somehow loosened her up or gave her confidence or whatever.

I'd like to add that my original post wasn't intended as any kind of a shot at the marvelous Miss Maya. She is one of the greats, not just at UConn but in women's basketball. I was only trying to express my admiration for Kaleena.

 

[Kibitzer]

I paused a moment after reading your post. You're right more often than I am, shocking I know, but I was sure I'd seen KML getting into the paint more recently. So, I went to UConn's official site and dug out the stats.

I was wrong that it's been 8-10 games. But, KML has been getting more shots from close range, more twos, and making more FTs in recent games than before. This is how it broke down:

1st 26 games - KML shot 175 threes (55.0% of her shots) and 143 two point shots (5.5/game) and 41 free throw attempts, or 1.57 attempts per game.
last 7 games - KML shot 41 threes (46.6% of her shots) , and 47 two point shots (6.7/game) and 23 free throw attempts, or 3.29 attempts per game.

The total number of shots taken per game didn't change a lot, 12.2 shots/game for the first 26 games vs 12.6 shots in the last 7 games, but KML's scoring went from 13.8 ppg to 18.6 ppg (14.8 for the year) despite taking fewer three point shots. Her three point shooting also improved (36.6% vs 51.2%, 39.4% for the year). So, Geno was right to tell KML to mix it up as making a couple shots somehow loosened her up or gave her confidence or whatever.

I'd like to add that my original post wasn't intended as any kind of a shot at the marvelous Miss Maya. She is one of the greats, not just at UConn but in women's basketball. I was only trying to express my admiration for Kaleena.

I think there is one significant difference between Kaleena and Maya with reference to the way they go/went "into the paint," and it's not measurable alone by the number of two- or three-point shots taken.

Maya's style of scoring from the paint seemed most often to be gracefully sailing through the lane and tossing in a runner while on the move.

Kaleena, on the other hand, seems to be posting up her defender, back to the basket, far more often than Maya did. Her wide body and strength seem well-suited for this and Stefanie's frequent positioning at the high post sort of reverses their roles; i.e., entry pass from center (vicinity of the perimeter) to guard (in the low post).

Kaleena also seems to have a knack for getting garbage points (they all count) by snagging offensive rebounds, especially when guarded by a smaller (height or weight, or both) defender.

In summary, I expect Kaleena to look more like a power forward on offense (but occasionally steping behind the arc to drill a trey), whereas Maya was the supreme wing/small forward.