DeShields leaving UT, going professional | Page 9 | The Boneyard

DeShields leaving UT, going professional

Alydar said:
Williams has already shown a very good mid-range shot and while she hasn't shown a 3 pt game DeShields has shown that she hasn't one. Williams is a better inside scorer and is miles ahead of DeShields as a defender and rebounder, to say nothing about their attitudes. Any GM who sees these two as close is blind.
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DD's midrange shot is outstanding. You have to factor in that she also takes alot of difficult shots that others don't take. This is in large part due to her athleticism and being able to get a shot off. In a professional setting, the talent level of those around you is much higher. The need to take those type of shots is not as necessary. You also have to factor in the minutes players. She averaged 34 minutes per game on a team that played up tempo. This will also impact the shooting %. With the limited roster and the style/talent of the SEC, she didn't get much rest. You can't find every thing in a stat sheet.
 
oldude said:
LV9, while I've only seen DD play a handful of games over the past 4 years, your comments as a Lady Vol fan reinforce my gut feeling that DD has more in common with Johnny Football than many people would like to believe, particularly when it comes to maturity, or the lack there of. For her sake, I hope I'm wrong.
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Hmm - I suppose you could make a "in common" connection between the two but for all my doubts, I'd rather take my chances on the worst side of DeShields than the best side of Manziel.
 
LadyVols9 said:
Diamond's biggest weakness for any WNBA team is her complete lack of emotional maturity. There hasn't really been any change in her maturity level since her freshman year. Her going pro, when she is very well off financially, is nothing more than an excuse. I love all LVs but I am happy this new team will not share the burden of a personality like DD. With maturity, she could be great. Without it, she will just be a super talented athletic player who just wasn't wired for the next level.
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In watching Diamond play at Tennessee, I got the feeling she was passive aggressive in dealing with Holly. Holly would try to channel her into a specific way of playing and although she didn't agree with Holly's plan, eventually she capitulated and began to do what Holly wished. It appeared she was intentionally sabotaging the plan at times. She appeared to think she was playing with children, too far below her level to be considered seriously.

Perhaps in the WNBA, with the higher caliber players and better coaches who might recognize how to utilize her talents, she could be very successful. At Tennessee, her teammates couldn't catch her high velocity passes, or didn't cut the right way. This must have been frustrating for her.

She will be attractive to WNBA teams because, if for no other reason, she will put butts in the seats just because she is Diamond.
 
CajunHusky said:
I must respectfully disagree with your assessment. In particular "DD has the most upside than the others". I am tempted to agree with that statement. However in all her years in the NCAA with the possible exception of UNC, she has not lived up to that potential. She has topped the list for many many preseason awards over multiple years yet been conspicuously absent at the end of the season. And now she is leaving an underperforming team that appears to have suffered from a poisoned atmosphere for multiple years .....

If I was a GM that would be a red flag. I might draft her in the second or third round but I would not waste a first rounder on her.
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Apologies on the delay, been out of town and busy with family duties. Hey, I get it, she has been and suspect will continue to be "underachieving or overrated " depending on your vernacular. I am following all that I have seen of WNBA rankings and all of sports views when it comes to "talent" like this. There are 12 picks in the first round- there is no way she is not a 1st round pick. I agree with you "history" however all it takes is one "Jerry Jones" type to think they will cure these ills...
 
Kaizen said:
no WNBA executive will take a player who has quitted 2 schools in her 4 years college period.
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Kaizen- I say this with all sincerity, your reply may be one of "frankness" and not one of reality. Do you honestly think the WNBA will go 3 rounds of 12 picks AND NOT select her? Of course someone will take her baggage and all thinking "they will solve the conundrum" that is DD. Will they fail, probably...but they will try.
 
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Justavisitor said:
DD's midrange shot is outstanding. You have to factor in that she also takes alot of difficult shots that others don't take. This is in large part due to her athleticism and being able to get a shot off. In a professional setting, the talent level of those around you is much higher. The need to take those type of shots is not as necessary. You also have to factor in the minutes players. She averaged 34 minutes per game on a team that played up tempo. This will also impact the shooting %. With the limited roster and the style/talent of the SEC, she didn't get much rest. You can't find every thing in a stat sheet.
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Not sure I agree with this evaluation. I watched a lot of TN games last year and while her shot selection was slightly better than previous years, she still throws up a lot of bad shots early in the shot clock. In fact you can pretty much guarantee that if DD hit a three, the very next possession she throws up another three - usually off balance and without running any offense. I give you that she was a little better later in the season than earlier, but teams that played tough D caused DD to shoot about .200. I think that playing against Pro defenses will be feast or famine for her. Good defensive teams will shut her down.
 
I said it before ..... DD was all in for this season with the Lady Vols .... she wrote a long Instagram post after the season attesting to just that. Two months later she gone. Something happened.

WNBA money is peanuts compared to overseas money.... and of course she could start collecting on those endorsements now (I am sure she is already entertaining offers)
 
oldude said:
One other point. Gabby will be a guard in the pros. She is a shutdown defender with incredible athleticism who will continue to get better in all facets of the game. Any GM that takes DD ahead of Gabby should be fired on the spot. Mark my word, Gabby will be the 2nd player drafted after Wilson in next year's draft.
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Oldude- sorry, I have been away and not ignoring the thread. I really hope a smart GM sees all that Gabby can still be based on her growth these past 3 years as I would love her to make an Olympic team as the "shut down player" of the other teams leading scorer. If Gabby continues her game evolution with a solid 10-15 foot shot and a 35% 3 pt percent. She very well should be taken ahead of DD. :)
 
DefenseBB said:
Kaizen- I say this with all sincerity, your reply may be one of "frankness" and not one of reality. Do you honestly think the WNBA will go 3 rounds of 12 picks AND NOT select her? Of course someone will take her baggage and all thinking "they will solve the conundrum" that is DD. Will they fail, probably...but they will try.
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I think any WNBA executive knows that their top pick should make the team (for their own job security). After the first round, picks have dramatically less chance of making a team. My top pick would not got for a player with a significant probability of not being with my team one or two years down the road.
 
Kaizen said:
A player leaves the school with mutual discussion and agreement between the coach and the player is accepted and understanded.

When do Stevens and Butler say they will definitely stay and mentor the upcoming freshmen?

Do you think DD has mutual discussion and agreement with Holly? If yes, I will take back my words ... Thanks.
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I get your premise, however that is not how it usually happens in any number of programs. Look at Jewel Lloyd with ND and Muffet-that was not agreed upon and mutually discussed. Many issues will play into the balance of power and transfers alone give an indication of that. Some are openly discussed, some are player driven and some are coaches driven. I don't have an objection to your use of "quit" per se' at she did leave the team after she recommitted to it. As I have said something about the Cooper situation thinks that has a significant undertone here. She was/is allowed to leave and I believe if she has graduated, can enroll anywhere else.
 
oldude said:
I don't know about others, but the most challenging transition I ever made, 2nd only to being a dad, was leaving the relative comfort & security of college to be on my own, earn a living and function as an adult.

Hopefully, DD is up to the challenge.
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Can we talk offline as I am still struggling with all of those transitions even as my 2 college kids are slow to adapt (I can't blame them privately) :rolleyes: but also can't tell their mother that...
 
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Fairfield Fan said:
Perhaps before her freshman year. She was the player who actively recruited several other high school kids to join her at UNC. And then she promptly bailed out on them by departing for UT, leaving them high and dry.

A pattern of lack of dependability that I believe few GM's will be willing to overlook.
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That was then, this is now. She may or may not support her teammates as a pro---if she does not support them--look up in them thar hills for her haid. Many people are stupid as kids or young adults---look at all those terrible things some politician wrote in his/her youth--and now we play--gotcha!
 
DefenseBB said:
I get your premise, however that is not how it usually happens in any number of programs. Look at Jewel Lloyd with ND and Muffet-that was not agreed upon and mutually discussed. Many issues will play into the balance of power and transfers alone give an indication of that. Some are openly discussed, some are player driven and some are coaches driven. I don't have an objection to your use of "quit" per se' at she did leave the team after she recommitted to it. As I have said something about the Cooper situation thinks that has a significant undertone here. She was/is allowed to leave and I believe if she has graduated, can enroll anywhere else.
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I like this post on so many levels especially the --I don;t have an objection to your use of quit per se---any comment can be written with multiple words--and some select a single word --you took the higher road. I too like your Loyd comment and DD;s choices.
 
CajunHusky said:
One person's "difficult shot" is another person's "forced shot"
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When the shot clock is running down and a shot has to go up the most talented player is the one holding the ball and taking the shot, regardless of whether it is a good shot or a bad shot. There were times when only DD was going to be able to get a shot off during an offensive possession.
 
easttexastrash said:
When the shot clock is running down and a shot has to go up the most talented player is the one holding the ball and taking the shot, regardless of whether it is a good shot or a bad shot. There were times when only DD was going to be able to get a shot off during an offensive possession.
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That may be how the NBA works, but on a well coached college team, that moves the ball, the person who takes the shot is the player with the open shot.
 
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easttexastrash said:
When the shot clock is running down and a shot has to go up the most talented player is the one holding the ball and taking the shot, regardless of whether it is a good shot or a bad shot. There were times when only DD was going to be able to get a shot off during an offensive possession.
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I've underlined the qualifiers in your statement ...... in all other situations can we agree to call a difficult shot a forced shot.
 
easttexastrash said:
When the shot clock is running down and a shot has to go up the most talented player is the one holding the ball and taking the shot, regardless of whether it is a good shot or a bad shot. There were times when only DD was going to be able to get a shot off during an offensive possession.
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Good or great players work very hard BEFORE the shot clock runs down to avoid that situation. Let's face it, good shot selection has never been Diamond's forte.
 
vowelguy said:
And what evidence is there that your statement applies here?
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Didn't realize we were in a court of law. Silly me, I thought this was a board where people share opinions.

But if you absolutely need proof, watch just about any UConn game from this past season to see numerous times where the shot clock is running down when the Huskies make the extra pass to the open shooter who converts the shot.
 
oldude said:
Didn't realize we were in a court of law. Silly me, I thought this was a board where people share opinions.
But if you absolutely need proof, watch just about any UConn game from this past season to see numerous times where the shot clock is running down when the Huskies make the extra pass to the open shooter who converts the shot.
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Definitely not a court of law, and also ironic that you missed the irony of @vowelguy post.
Let me spell it out for you. You inadvertently described TN as: "a well coached college team, that moves the ball" On second thought, that was not ironic it was down right wrong.
 
I am reminded of one of those SNY shows from the KML days at practice where Geno says (may not be verbatim) "we have the best shooter in college basketball wide open for the last 20 minutes and no one passes her the ball"
 
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oldude said:
Didn't realize we were in a court of law. Silly me, I thought this was a board where people share opinions.

But if you absolutely need proof, watch just about any UConn game from this past season to see numerous times where the shot clock is running down when the Huskies make the extra pass to the open shooter who converts the shot.
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You missed my point (&a joke).
It's a discussion about DD, and you described a player with a good coach or on a good team.
 
vowelguy said:
You missed my point (&a joke).
It's a discussion about DD, and you described a player with a good coach or on a good team.
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Sorry. I'm a little slow on the uptake. Throw in an emoji next time. :)
 
CocoHusky said:
Definitely not a court of law, and also ironic that you missed the irony of @vowelguy post.
Let me spell it out for you. You inadvertently described TN as: "a well coached college team, that moves the ball" On second thought, that was not ironic it was down right wrong.
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Yea. I screwed up. One of the problems with reading posts and watching the Yankees at the same time. Kind of like walking and chewing gum...
 
vowelguy said:
You missed my point (&a joke).
It's a discussion about DD, and you described a player with a good coach or on a good team.
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of course one could then argue that in complete objectivity, it is not always or only the coach; but maybe the team, team chemistry, a player or two or three, or ball hogging etc ..... but then that might address why a WNBA executive might not use their first round pick on DD.
 
While most of the other players in the WNBA draft next year will be playing college ball, one assumes DD will be in Europe, Asia, or Australia playing on a pro team. The WNBA GMs will have scouting reports on her and how she is adapting to the pro ranks before they have to decide when to draft her - and those scouting reports will be much more important than all the stuff that happened at TN and UNC. In fact as far as the GMs are concerned they will feel a lot more comfortable about where she should be drafted than they would have after two somewhat lackluster years at TN.
 
To any of yall who are saying or think that Deshields wont be a 1st round pick in the 2018 WNBA....... Lemme know if you are willing to place a wager on that. Im willing
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No money wager..... just one of those type of wagers that you see governors make when the super bowl comes around. :p
 
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