DeShields leaving UT, going professional

[j66kicker]

DD is a trainwreck waiting to happen but remember Dennis Rodman and all HIS weirdness didn't have trouble getting an offer from some team until he was too old to play! DD will get several offers from GM's thinking they're the one to get her talent to overshadow her lack of maturity! Then down the road they'll let her go quietly to the next GM with rose colored glasses!

Rodman was a very consistent, high-impact defensive player who was a multi-year all-star, multi-year rebounding champion, multi-year DPOY and played a significant role in 5 NBA championships with two different teams. Being a total flake off the court had no apparent effect on his on-court performance, and he had the savvy to keep his weirdness from negatively impacting the team dynamics.

 

[Buckaroobanzai]

Does DD have the option to play the 2017-2018 season as a PG player? Since she was going to play for Tennessee this coming season, I assume that she retains a season's eligibility.

 

[CocoHusky]

Davis, Loyd, and Gray left after stellar careers. Loyd did everything she could for Notre Dame, and starred there. She left for a pro career rather than attempt to get ND into another Final Four. But no one could fault those three for moving to the next level. And none of the three was questioned about their heart, their coach ability, or anything else.

Butler did all she could for a great UConn program, but she simply was not close to the level of talent ht takes to play regularly. And with a slew of talented players, including an All American post player, coming in, it was clear that she would ride the bench. Further, Butler hinted at a major personal issue that wouldn't go away. So some good reasons for not coming back for a fifth year.
DD is a quite different case.

Check the shooting numbers and you will find that Davis and Diamond have similar career numbers=neither was "spectacular". Loyd left ND days after assuring her coach she would would be staying=same as Diamond. DD reason for leaving TN sounds personal=same as Natalie's hint.
Some have (incorrectly so) questioned Butler's heart, toughness & conditioning. Davis spent two years at GT, to say "coach ability" was not an issue, is revisionist.

 

[oldude]

DD is a trainwreck waiting to happen but remember Dennis Rodman and all HIS weirdness didn't have trouble getting an offer from some team until he was too old to play! DD will get several offers from GM's thinking they're the one to get her talent to overshadow her lack of maturity! Then down the road they'll let her go quietly to the next GM with rose colored glasses!

Dennis Rodman and all his weirdness gave 100% every time he was on the court. He was a defensive force and a rebounding machine. As for DD?

 

[Replicant]

It will be interesting to see how her pro career pans out...

In the plus column: Her size and uber athleticism are ideal for a pro guard or small wing. Additionally, the run-n-gun, me-me-me, score-score-score style of several clubs is conducive to her personal make-up.

In the minus column: She has been injury prone her entire collegiate career and pro ball is going to be exponentially more physical - I rather doubt she'll be able to hold-up. Additionally, I question her bball IQ and if her future coach limits her minutes because she just can't get with the program, well, you can't just transfer to another school anymore.

 

[rt bb fan]

Can DD sign with any WNBA team this summer?

 

[easttexastrash]

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.

You act as if you know that she didn't. Haven't we all learned by now that decisions are made for reasons that we don't know at the time. In life, I prefer to give the benefit of the doubt unless I am presented with proof to think otherwise.

 

[easttexastrash]

She's in the mix along with Frese, Warlick, McGraw, Walz, and Mulkey.... its a deep field among coaches

That is a deep class. I am not sure who is #1.

 

[Vowelguy]

Can DD sign with any WNBA team this summer?

Uhh, this is addressed in about a dozen posts a page ago.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Can DD sign with any WNBA team this summer?

Like Snoopey says, see above; but short answer NO. She would have had to declared, renounced her remaining eligibility and been passed over in the draft.

 

[meyers7]

I'm sure everyone has noticed the avatar change. No more "Carnac the great". I would have changed my handle too, but the system would not allow me to. I'm not in the prediction business anymore. I had fun with it for a while, but I got tired of it, and moved on.

But I am going to stick my chest out this one last time and say I told you so. I said emphatically way back on January 19, (as well on other occasions) that Diamond DeShields was NOT coming back next year. I publicly (here in the yard) dined on a little crow after she made her announcement that she was in fact coming back for her senior year. No one was more surprised about that decision that me. Everything (crystal ball, Ouija board, tarot cards, rabbit feet, envelopes, etc. you name it) that I had at my disposal at that time said she was not coming back.

I also predicted before the season began that no team would go undefeated last season. I was correct on that one too. However I would give anything to have been wrong on that one. I didn't see UConn getting to 36-0 back in September. I was heart broken that we lost, and by the way we lost. Here is that post from January below:


Massengill is 2018 - DD will definitely be gone by then.

The answer: "Gone to the WNBA. The question.Where will Diamond DeShields be next year?

My first real "step way out there on a limb prediction" of the season. Next year, color her gone!

Carnac, Jan 19, 2017Report
#25+ QuoteReply

Hope you didn't dislocate your shoulder.

 

[Charliebball]

another take on DD and the Vols p-er Raul:

 

[meyers7]

"She'll have a chance to make a fresh start, and a new bed to lay in." That should be lie in. Things lay, people lie.

Except Sally.

 

[Trappa]

DD will get several offers from GM's thinking they're the one to get her talent to overshadow her lack of maturity! Then down the road they'll let her go quietly to the next GM with rose colored glasses!

To me, DD has shades of Angel McCoughtry. Wouldn't that be something else if Georgia's Best Ever HS Player ended up in Atlanta with McCoughtry.

 

[cabbie191]

I would have been incredibly impressed if you had continued to insist that DD was gone, even after she announced she was coming back. That act of omniscience would have truly earned the nickname "Carnac the Great."

So does this mean we have to settle for "Carnac the Okay"?

 

[cabbie191]

Some thoughts about DD and whether a WNBA manager would be sane to draft her:

Clearly a skilled player who unfortunately played for two programs that weren't up to snuff to mold that talent to be the best it could be. And at UNC, I think that suited her fine. Sylvia was going to let her play her style and she stated that was a big draw for going to UNCheat.

When watching her play, I was mainly troubled about how she presented herself attitude-wise. The occasional pouting is a huge red flag for me. Compare this with Natalie Butler who never came close to having the career at UConn that I am sure she dreamed of. Injury setting back her return after the required sitting for a year, and then never having the production that everyone hoped she would have, must have been so very disappointing to her. But despite this, did we ever see anything but a big smile on her face?

On the other hand, people "grow up" at different stages in their lives; some never, some very early on, others in between. I don't think I really became what I would call a good functioning adult until I was in my late 20's.

So my bottom line is I think there is the potential for the maturity side of Diamond to catch up with her pysicial skills.

If I were a manager, not sure how I would choose.

 

[the Q]

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.

Absolutely.

But again, when you're talking about athletes, she's probably gonna be well compensated overseas. Which would make things a lot of easier for any of us leaving college.

Frankly, it's entirely possible she just got a really good offer to leave now, degree in hand. I'm curious where she is starting her career.

 

[Carnac]

So does this mean we have to settle for "Carnac the Okay"?

No, just Carnac. I gave ALL of my prognostication paraphernalia to good will.

I'm going to join some of the other posters here and surf the net, and report or post stories and articles (that may be of interest) that are related to our team, and WCBB.

 

[LadyVols9]

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.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

No, just Carnac. I gave ALL of my prognostication paraphernalia to good will.

I'm going to join some of the other posters here and surf the net, and report or post stories and articles (that may be of interest) that are related to our team, and WCBB.

Oh crap, somebody else who will beat me to it!

 

[Fairfield Fan]

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.

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.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Oh crap, somebody else who will beat me to it!

With all those surfers in the water--no wonder some are drowning in their own words.

I'm jealous---I'm so darn busy, I don't have time to surf for news or surf to correct that which some one
posted--to correct one word.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Some thoughts about DD and whether a WNBA manager would be sane to draft her:

Clearly a skilled player who unfortunately played for two programs that weren't up to snuff to mold that talent to be the best it could be. And at UNC, I think that suited her fine. Sylvia was going to let her play her style and she stated that was a big draw for going to UNCheat.

When watching her play, I was mainly troubled about how she presented herself attitude-wise. The occasional pouting is a huge red flag for me. Compare this with Natalie Butler who never came close to having the career at UConn that I am sure she dreamed of. Injury setting back her return after the required sitting for a year, and then never having the production that everyone hoped she would have, must have been so very disappointing to her. But despite this, did we ever see anything but a big smile on her face?

On the other hand, people "grow up" at different stages in their lives; some never, some very early on, others in between. I don't think I really became what I would call a good functioning adult until I was in my late 20's.

So my bottom line is I think there is the potential for the maturity side of Diamond to catch up with her pysicial skills.

If I were a manager, not sure how I would choose.

Playing for MONEY is much different than HS or AAU or College---you perform or sit a bit and you are gone. It will be interesting to see how this goes--but if i were an WNBA coach, I'd give DD a shot--the talent is there--however, I'd make it clear it is not my job to teach you what you should have known about team BB and Defense, you get paid to perform---she could become another Diggins, not Stewie or Candy

 

[oldude]

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.

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.

 

[LadyVols9]

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.

I hope I am wrong too. I really do. Johnny Football is no role model. Ha.

 

[Justavisitor]

DD will be a lottery pick in the WNBA draft when she enters. What she did in college off the court will have little to do with that. Each player left for different reasons, but what DD did is essentially no different than what Natalie Butler, Kaela Davis, Allisha Gray, & Jewell Loyd did-they changed their minds.

Good post. She simply changed her mind and is going pro. For those questioning her maturity, she had enough maturity to go to class and earn her degree. In addition, she has not been in any trouble on the college level and she has done what was asked of her and more. She also has a very good work ethic and is a much more disciplined player when compared to the level of discipline she had at UNC. She will go on to be just fine. Just because she changed her mind that doesn't make her immature as some of the saltier TN fans will claim. The immaturity seems to be with the fans that don't know how to let go and let live.

 

[Justavisitor]

DD is a trainwreck waiting to happen but remember Dennis Rodman and all HIS weirdness didn't have trouble getting an offer from some team until he was too old to play! DD will get several offers from GM's thinking they're the one to get her talent to overshadow her lack of maturity! Then down the road they'll let her go quietly to the next GM with rose colored glasses!

She showed much maturity throughout the season last year and was not where the trouble lied. The staff was very pleased with Diamond's contributions and never give up attitude. She was NOT the issue.

 

[the Q]

How much money would it take for people to realize this was just an offer too good to refuse?

 

[Justavisitor]

Some fans never learn the value of team chemistry. That is especially true of college fans ( esp/WCBB fans ) because the limited number of games played and the constant turnover in rosters vial graduation makes that sort of thing harder to gage. Of course now with the increase in transfers the concept of addition via subtraction should begin to manifest in various program.

The greatest example of "addition via subtraction" comes from Allen Iverson's career in the NBA. He led his 76'er team virtually single handedly to the finals and almost the Championship in 2001. He was an acknowledged superstar and the heart of his team. Everyone had high expectations for them. Yet that was as close as they ever got. In fact the regressed year by year, until the team decided to part with Iverson's ball hogging ways. They the 76'sr fans were upset especially isnce the team got virtually nothing in return. Iverson fans expected the team to take a wins nosedive, but surprisingly the teams record improved sightly after he was gone. Iverson was traded to Denver, a team with much more talent and it was expected with his addition that the team would challenge for the title. Well that didn't happen so he was again traded and as happened the first time the team did better without him.

Iverson was one of the greatest offensive talents to ever play in the NBA, yet it became obvious to everyone that his game was an overall team liability. He went from team to team until no one wanted him anymore, despite the fact that he could still put points on the board. Teams recognized that the negatives he brought far outweighed his positives. Of course that was some time ago and to many NBA fans have forgotten that lesson.

Now DD is no Iverson and it's not even close. So if a unstoppable and consistent player like Iverson can hurt a teams chemistry to the point where they are better off without him, what does that say for a far lesser and inconsistent player like DD?

LOL at the Iverson reference. Iverson led Philly to the finals and was the best player pound for pound to play the game. The reason they could no longer reach the same level of success was due to several team injuries, bad trades, and the rise of the Detroit Pistons with the help of their old coach, Larry Brown.

 

[Vowelguy]

How much money would it take for people to realize this was just an offer too good to refuse?

Huh? What offer? And what offer that didn't exist in April?

The only explanation that makes sense to me is her closeness with Cooper and being less enamored with staying after Tea's departure.