CBS WNBA Mock Draft | Page 2 | The Boneyard

CBS WNBA Mock Draft

To justify DeShields as the #1 pick, "Lady Vols reporter Maria Cornelius" is cited.

Ms. Cornelius cannot be seriously considered for any basketball acumen or expertise. She is the shamefully biased monitor of The Summit. As such, for years she not only tolerated hundreds of despicable posts aimed at all things UConn (especially Diana and Geno) but actually encouraged this incessant verbal vitriol.

I strongly believe that she had much to do with the construction of that infamous 37-page complaint. A keen basketball analyst she ain't. Her lone claim to fame is as the persistent poisoner of the UConn well.
 
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Kelsey Plum would be my #1. She reminds me a lot of DT. Further, if Saniya continues to perform at the level at which she has been performing, I think she'll go at the bottom of round 1; otherwise, round 2 or 3.


My Man!
 
I've listened to interviews with Plum and Deshields and I can't even imagine why anyone would want Deshields over Plum. Everything she says is I, I, I. Very rarely are her teammates even mentioned. Plum is almost the complete opposite, giving her teammates and coaches as much love as possible. And, Deshields hasn't produced up to her potential... or maybe she has. A little flash here and there doesn't mean squat to me, I like to see substance. Heck, even I can make a great pass once in a while, especially if I'm not worried about turning the ball over 5 or 6 times. I'm done.

I guess I'm not. When asked, she has stated she was the best WBB player to come out of Georgia, even after being reminded Maya Moore came from Georgia. Confidence is one thing, but being a little humble can go a long way..... especially when you are not producing. OK, now I'm done.

Maya Moore is the best player on the planet (and that includes the men).
 
K-State's cnter should be the #1 pick if the WNBA GMs had an sense (but they don't).
 
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I was wondering about this as well. Courtney Paris was great in college but she has only been average in the WNBA and she's a better player than Osahor.

Not exactly the same player. Osahor has a WNBA-length three point shot, plus she facilitates very well.
 
I think that Diamond is way too risky at #1. She could be the most athletic player in the league and the 80th best player. Any GM would be rolling the dice with her. Ruth Riley is smart. I don't see her picking Diamond.

If Alexis Jones drops to #8, both Triad and I will swear off donuts. She's clearly top 5 and possibly the best guard in the draft.


Jones has been having chronic knee issues.
 
Kelsey Plum would be my #1. She reminds me a lot of DT. Further, if Saniya continues to perform at the level at which she has been performing, I think she'll go at the bottom of round 1; otherwise, round 2 or 3.

We'll very quickly see how well Plum's game translates to the WNBA, where athleticism is the premium. I think she'll find scoring a bit more difficult, like she did against the Cuse in last year's FF.
 
My Man!

How good a pro would Plum be? Honestly asking. There are some great college players who don't even stick with a pro team. And then there are mediocre college players who end up as stars. Courtney Paris bombed as a pro.

Would Plum be an All-Star as a freshman? Or does she come off the bench? Honestly asking for opinions.
 
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Every mock draft that I've seen includes Kelsey Mitchell. I find that to be very presumptuous. I've watched almost all of Ohio State's games and have yet to hear anyone (commentators, coaches, teammates, or Mitchell herself) mention that she's planning on leaving. I just can't imagine her doing so. Not only should Ohio State be a better team next season, there's an outside chance that Mitchell might be chasing Plum for the career scoring title. I'm pretty sure she returns for her senior year.
If you remember a couple of years ago, Jewel Lloyd never at any point in her Jr. season mentioned coming out early, until she did. KMitch hasn't said a word about it, but she sees the WCBB landscape, she knows she has no shot at a Natty and because of the team she plays on and the talent they have coming back, no shot at breaking Plum's career scoring record. Unless she just wants to be a Senior at tOSU, which does have some pull if you're an Ohioan like she is, I really don't see any reason for her to come back.
 
In terms of speed and vertical, Diamond will be near the top of the WNBA early on. But that may not translate to great play.
I guess others see that in her, but I don't. She is the best athlete on TENN but that isn't saying much. I think there are so many great athletes in the WNBA that she won't be dominant in that way.
 
How good a pro would Plum be? Honestly asking. There are some great college players who don't even stick with a pro team. And then there are mediocre college players who end up as stars. Courtney Paris bombed as a pro.

Would Plum be an All-Star as a freshman? Or does she come off the bench? Honestly asking for opinions.

Say what?
 
If you remember a couple of years ago, Jewel Lloyd never at any point in her Jr. season mentioned coming out early, until she did. KMitch hasn't said a word about it, but she sees the WCBB landscape, she knows she has no shot at a Natty and because of the team she plays on and the talent they have coming back, no shot at breaking Plum's career scoring record. Unless she just wants to be a Senior at tOSU, which does have some pull if you're an Ohioan like she is, I really don't see any reason for her to come back.
Who are the realistic first round WNBA-eligible propects who actually did come back for a final NCAA year??
 
If I was a WNBA GM I would stay as far away from DD as possible. She is a low percentage shooter, hi turnover, and very streaky.
Compare her to other #1's: Stewart, Moore, EDD, Charles ......

If I am the Stars GM I am thinking "big" .... I have Mo and Mac. I like Maryland's Jones more than Coates. And there are some really nice forwards in the draft .... Coffey, SWK. It's a weak draft. I might trade the #1 for a shot at next year's (Wilson, Turner etc) and a lower pick this year.
 
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We'll very quickly see how well Plum's game translates to the WNBA, where athleticism is the premium. I think she'll find scoring a bit more difficult, like she did against the Cuse in last year's FF.

This discussion reminds me a bit of some the reservations that were expressed about Rachel Banham, another prolific scorer in college ( not as much as Plum of course) but whose athleticism was widely questioned. Does anyone here have the knowledge to compare Plum's game to Banham's, and weigh in on whether this is a legitimate concern for Plum as well?
 
How good a pro would Plum be? Honestly asking. There are some great college players who don't even stick with a pro team. And then there are mediocre college players who end up as stars. Courtney Paris bombed as a pro.

Would Plum be an All-Star as a freshman? Or does she come off the bench? Honestly asking for opinions.

I was referring to his post about Saniya.

I think Plum will fit in with the right WNBA team.
 
I guess others see that in her, but I don't. She is the best athlete on TENN but that isn't saying much. I think there are so many great athletes in the WNBA that she won't be dominant in that way.

If you watched her at a game (preferably as close to courtside as possible) then I think you'd change your mind.

She's like Gabby and Kimbrough-Walker- you have to see her play up close to really appreciate her.
 
Plum certainly isn't an elite athlete. She is in the best shape of her career this season and is noticeably quicker w/ a little extra bounce in her step. But her game isn't predicated on quickness, she's very crafty and deceptive. She has no trouble getting past defenders even without blow by speed.

I don't know how she'll do as a pro. We'll have to wait and see. I think of a couple other players who aren't elite athletes but are among the best female basketball players in the world--Diana Taurasi and Elena Delle Donne. Athleticism isn't everything, having a high skill level is also important.
 
I guess others see that in her, but I don't. She is the best athlete on TENN but that isn't saying much. I think there are so many great athletes in the WNBA that she won't be dominant in that way.
She may not dominate, but her athleticism is competitive with the best. Maya is a stud, but she needs more than her athleticism to success at the pro level. I'm not a big Diamond fan; I rate her an A in athleticism, a C in basketball IQ, and a C- in consistent effort.
 
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Another vote for San Antonio taking Plum first. DeShields CAN be very good, but too inconsistent. She has stated that she wants to be the first pick, so she probably comes out this year, as Aja Wilson, barring unforeseen circumstances, will almost certainly be the first pick next year.

I would take Gabby over Aja.
 
This discussion reminds me a bit of some the reservations that were expressed about Rachel Banham, another prolific scorer in college ( not as much as Plum of course) but whose athleticism was widely questioned. Does anyone here have the knowledge to compare Plum's game to Banham's, and weigh in on whether this is a legitimate concern for Plum as well?
Banham suffered two ACL tears at MN, that took away some of her athleticism, she's also bigger than Plum. She was basically a non-factor for the Sun, playing barely 10 minutes per game on a team that didn't really have great guard play. I only saw a couple of Sun games and she didn't play in either game I saw. It's difficult to compare player-to-player, but Plum's lack of athleticism could be a problem for her in the WNBA, it was for Jackie Stiles.
 
Who are the realistic first round WNBA-eligible propects who actually did come back for a final NCAA year??
Jewel Lloyd was the first underclassman to go after the WNBA changed its policy.
 
Jewel Lloyd was the first underclassman to go after the WNBA changed its policy.
Jewel's situation was an age anomaly. But, anyway, she left. I can't think of any redshirt legit WNBA prospects who actually came back and played their last year of NCAA eligibility. ??
 
Plum's lack of athleticism could be a problem for her in the WNBA, it was for Jackie Stiles.

It's been pointed out elsewhere Stiles had a nice rookie year. A series of injuries derailed her career.
 
I think Plum's game translate well to the W - no she isn't the most athletic but like DT she is very smart and dedicated to her game. She will benefit greatly from not being the primary/only weapon on her team as a pro. She is faster than KML, and has a much more developed floor game. Defensively she may be a bit of a liability to start with, but not anywhere near the issues that a lot of players will have in suddenly being expected to defend. I could see SA taking her #1 since I think their likely post/forward prospects should still be available with later picks.

It is not an inspiring collection of bigs and I am intrigued by the one no one has mentioned - Russell at TN. You see flashes of the skill that made her the #1 in this class, but whether a good organization and coach can bring that back is anyone's guess. (A similar question re Graves from last year - I hope she is working in Europe and can make another try for a roster spot.)
 
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