Congrats to Griner...

[HuskyNan]

When she first came into college, she was pretty ordinary. She has evolved and has developed her skills, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. However her biggest asset is not her skill level but her height and her reach. In the WNBA she won't have the advantages that she has in college and she won't get nearly the calls that she gets now due to horrible college officials. She will be successful but she is not and will not be a superstar in the WNBA. Her assault on the record books was somewhat of a joke because she has such a physical advantage over her opponents. She will never have the skill level of Diana or Maya or Sue and many other WNBA players. She is the most talented 6'8" player to every play in college but to everyone who has had natural ability and then worked to refine their game to the extreme, she isn't even in the conversation.

When she came into college she was a freshman and freshmen posts need a year or two in college to adjust to the speed and physicality of the game. It was like that for Kara Wolters, Ashja Jones, Tamika Williams, Tina Charles....

As for the calls, Griner was absolutely mugged in the first half but got to the free throw line only 2-3 times. I don't know what game you're seeing.

And, once again, height doesn't make a great player. Georgetown had a 6-10 kid and Michigan State had a 6-8 player and neither one of them accomplished anything like Griner. It takes more than height.

 

[easttexastrash]

She will be successful but she is not and will not be a superstar in the WNBA.

LOL. Is that why Geno wanted her so bad for the Olympics? He must be a horrible judge of talent.

Once the WNBA season starts I am going to start a thread with your quote "She will be successful but is not and will not be a superstar in the WNBA."

I will admit that you are right about one thing, the part where you say she is not a superstar in the WNBA. That is 100% accurate.

 

[msf22b]

I actually think that Phoenix will pick Griner because she dovetails with their needs.
But if it was (say) Connecticut picking first, they might well pick EDD.
Can you imagine the mayhem that her, Kara, Tina and Asia would cause?

 

[alexrgct]

When Griner first came into the college game, she led a completely pedestrian Baylor team to the Final Four in a region that included Tennessee playing in its home state and a pretty good Duke squad. Not a bad freshman season.

As Wilt once said, no one roots for Goliath. And she did bring some I'll will on herself. That does not keep her from being an all-time great.

As for the EDD question, she didn't play anywhere near the competition Griner did with as much on the line as Griner did. She has far more to prove from a wnba value perspective.

 

[RadyLady]

we have been listening a lot this season of the "3 to see". Well, I made my decision about which one I want to see. Elena appears to have a great deal of class in her demeanor, and showed a great deal of grace in Delaware's loss in the Sweet 16.

She fought hard until the end and IMO, went out as a champion would have gone out.

 

[chocher]

They are both great talents. Griner has a bigger upside to develop and I am sure they will get that talent out of her. EDD has the better all around game but we have NEVER seen a 6'8 female that can run the floor, play defense as well as offense. I think EDD still has some issues with being away from home. They both will help improve the WNBA. The WNBA needs more superstars and these two will elevate the WNBA in skills and popularity. DT and Sue are not getting any younger.

 

[Zorro]

I am sad to see BG lose her last game but there is a part of me that is glad that she is moving beyond the college game and much of the physical and verbal abuse. I think she is going to blow up the WNBA when she is no longer surrounded by multiple players pushing and shoving on her on virtually every play.

The "3 To See" will all have very successful careers. BG and DT will be TNT! I am very excited that BG will get to play with the greatest player in the history of the game. DT will help bring BG to a level of play that she has never achieved before.

I never read the "conversations"on the espn board, but for some reason I did take a look at them tonight. Incredibly vicious, disgusting, sophomoric, nasty comments about Griner. Since that one incident as a freshman, she has been a model of restraint and deportment, unlike her little piss-ant critics. She will be a star in the pros ala Bill Russell. I am looking forward to watching it.

 

[ochoopsfan]

This is a great year to be picking 2nd. You don't have to ever 2nd guess your pick and you are getting a great player no matter what.

 

[CCinCT]

I
I would go with EDD over Griner. Griner loses her temper too much and gets overly physical. EDD can hit the three and block shots. She to me would be the better all around player.

Channel 6 Fox sports WTIC just showed a replay of another Griner cheap shot - an elbow to the face of a Louisville player.

 

[Gurleyman]

This is a great year to be picking 2nd. You don't have to ever 2nd guess your pick and you are getting a great player no matter what.

It's like Oden-Durant. The Thunder (well, Sonics at the time) were more than happy to be in the 2 spot.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Channel 6 Fox sports WTIC just showed a replay of another Griner cheap shot - an elbow to the face of a Louisville player.

LOL did you see the "cheap shots" the L'ville players had at the start of the game?

and 02: Griner loses her temper too much and gets overly physical. Really? Would love for you to pull out some examples of all those times Griner has lost her temper.

 

[DaddyChoc]

it was a joy to watch BG evolve... happy to be a witness, thanks

 

[CCinCT]

LOL did you see the "cheap shots" the L'ville players had at the start of the game?

and 02: Griner loses her temper too much and gets overly physical. Really? Would love for you to pull out some examples of all those times Griner has lost her temper.

Maybe the throwdowns on Dolson ?

 

[easttexastrash]

I can only imagine what it must feel like to have so many people hate you, many for just what you are. It saddens me that so many adults are so filled with hatred for a person they don't even know.

 

[DaddyChoc]

BG isn't the only one ETT... but I understand. My problem is the the adults that call the players immature, strange. I know BG's swag is a lil different from Diggins but both are equally hated on by a few

 

[DaddyChoc]

wonder if that halftime tweet bought out the mojo gods tho...

 

[UcMiami]

Back to the OP sentiment - Congrats to Griner for a wonderful college career and good luck in the WNBA - she is going to be a star at the next level, not quite as dominant but she will also have much better supporting players on her team and many fewer double teams.
And yes, I was impressed with what I saw of EDD this weekend and she too will be a great player at the next level. I think she may be better than Jackson offensively, and her defense was better than I expected.

 

[uconndoit]

I am sad to see BG lose her last game

It's better than seeing her WIN her last game.

 

[Icebear]

Ton of ill will and bad mojo in this thread.

She is a great athlete. I do think she has not learned yet how to play without taking numerous plays off. She still has a lot more to learn but without a doubt she is a game changer.

That said if anyone thinks going to the pros is going to stop the verbal abuse and the physical play against her then they have another think coming. It is about to get worse.

 

[Waquoit]

Griner is a tremendous talent and she'll be a star in the pros. She played a passive game tonight, yes, but it doesn't taint everything she's accomplished during her career.

It does a little. Only 1 NC when she had the chance for more. I don't think she passes Taurasi on the all-time list.

 

[Icebear]

It does a little. Only 1 NC when she had the chance for more. I don't think she passes Taurasi on the all-time list.

Should have had 3 but didn't complete the deal.

 

[southie]

I know we all have opinions on her college career, and on her future career. Mine:

Britteny Griner = Greg Oden
Ellena Delle Donne = Kevin Durant

Well, perhaps a bit extreme, but, you get my point.

Griner will be the # 1 pick in the draft (like Oden), but EDD will be a scoring machine, better passer, better leader in the WNBA; probably Rookie of the Year, as well. Griner will face more players here own size, and with much more strength than what she faced in college. She will be a force defensively, but she will get into more foul trouble as players will take it right to her.

 

[meyers7]

Baylor may have overlooked the Cardinals. Oh - I just noticed that Baylor lost to the Cardinal and the Cardinals, lol.

Didn't notice that. Good catch.

 

[JellyBean]

I have to say congrats to Brit Griner as well. What a great 4 years for this young lady and women's college hoops! I just admire her courage. Sure there were other athletes who faced constant taunts about their gender, their athletic ability, or some other silly stuff. Brit took those negative comments in stride. When teams were physical with her and tried to provoke her, she managed to keep her cool..minus that game against Texas Tech in 2010. But wow...three years of constant pushing, holding, and she never whined about it. Mad props, Brit. Good luck in the WNBA.

 

[huskiemaniac]

I know we all have opinions on her college career, and on her future career. Mine:

Britteny Griner = Greg Oden
Ellena Delle Donne = Kevin Durant

Well, perhaps a bit extreme, but, you get my point.

Griner will be the # 1 pick in the draft (like Oden), but EDD will be a scoring machine, better passer, better leader in the WNBA; probably Rookie of the Year, as well. Griner will face more players here own size, and with much more strength than what she faced in college. She will be a force defensively, but she will get into more foul trouble as players will take it right to her.

What makes you think Griner is going to be injury plagued? Oden played a year, we've seen Griner for four with no signs pointing towards a physically fragile player.