ESPN AA Team

[nwhoopfan]

Come on. They lost 5 starters from the previous year and then ran the table. That is worthy of recognition, and I'm the furthest thing from a fan of Staley.

 

[VAUConnFan]

JuJu is really, really good, but she's too much of a volume shooter to be the #2 player in the nation, in my opinion. I would put her in about the 4-6 range.

A volume shooter as compared to whom? If compared to Paige, no argument. But, with Clark, their shots per game averages are almost identical. And volume shooting has very likely put USC on one of the top lines. And has, lately, put so much defensive focus on her that it has opened the floor for the rest of the team. USC beat a very good Stanford team with Watkins playing her worst game of the season. Even if Watkins is not the second best player in the country, it should not be because of the volume of her shots.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

ESPN leads off the season’s AA teams, POY, etc. with their selections by Creme, Voepel & Philippou as follows:

AA team
Clark
Brink
Watkins
Hidalgo
Bueckers

POY - Clark
FOY - Watkins
COY - Staley

Lots of great players out there, but I have to say that I think ESPN got it right. I have no doubt there will be some grumbling in Baton Rouge….

I don’t know, four guards and Brink? Plus, I’d take Liz Kitley over Brink any day.

 

[JoePgh]

Aaliya Edwards COULD be chosen ahead of Rickea too. I like them both pretty equally. If both were in the board, the question for me would be whose personality fits my team the best.

My opinion is that Aaliyah has the perfect personality for the pro game. She is totally coachable, even-tempered when the game gets chippy, not likely to get in trouble with officials when the calls don't go her way, but always intense and relentless in her play. There is never a question about her physical conditioning. As a freshman, she was prone to fouling, but she has largely overcome that.

Obviously I don't know as much about Rickea Jackson. But I do recall that there were a few games where she was a healthy scratch, for reasons which were never disclosed. That makes me wonder about her coachability.

I think that Aaliyah's pro career will be at the same level as her two most recent predecessors at UConn's power forward position. Their names were Breanna and Napheesa.

Could one Sarah Strong be the next in that line of succession?

 

[oldude]

I don’t know, four guards and Brink? Plus, I’d take Liz Kitley over Brink any day.

Watkins is listed as a guard, but she’s 6’2” and typically plays as a wing. In addition, Paige is playing the power forward position.

 

[Rowdy831]

That is actually a very good last point. The other losses were to teams that were in the top 5 at some point in the season, with both NC State and UCLA being as high as #2, SC being #1 and Texas being a strong top 5. ND winning the ACC makes that loss a little better but a victory would have been that much better in terms of seedings. I don't care what anyone says, being a #1 is huge compared to a #2 or #3. The difference is in the second and third games. You are playing #8, in the second game, perhaps a #29-#32 ranked team whereas as a #3, you play #6 and in the Sweet Sixteen you play #2 and then presumptively #1, making for a tough two game stretch with one day off. It's a much tougher road.

I don't disagree with your point at all but with UConn it will come down to matchups. Usually teams have to figure out how to deal with UConn but this year UConn is so challenged inside they are the ones who need to figure out how to beat a couple teams who will have a much different roster but still equal in talent.

This team to me looks really good. All the players on the team are those that impacted their teams the most and all but Brink led their team to a conference championship. AE had a great year and meant a lot to UConn but I really don't see a name on the list that she should be ahead of at this point. Even to make the second 5 will take a little good fortune.

 

[Reypl21]

I don’t know, four guards and Brink? Plus, I’d take Liz Kitley over Brink any day.

That makes you and very few people. Probably zero WNBA front offices

 

[CONN78SEJ]

That makes you and very few people. Probably zero WNBA front offices

God help us if WNBA front offices start listening to you.

 

[Jumper33]

I don’t know, four guards and Brink? Plus, I’d take Liz Kitley over Brink any day.

With all due respect to Liz Kitley and well wishes in regard to her injury, Brink’s rim protection is truly outstanding. Good luck to anyone who goes near her in the paint.

Brink did have some uncharacteristic poor games this season while Kitley was overall very consistent in her scoring, but were there any really good bigs in the ACC to challenge her?

 

[CONN78SEJ]

With all due respect to Liz Kitley and well wishes in regard to her injury, Brink’s rim protection is truly outstanding. Good luck to anyone who goes near her in the paint.

Brink did have some uncharacteristic poor games this season while Kitley was overall very consistent in her scoring, but were there any really good bigs in the ACC to challenge her?

I think Kitley more than proved herself last year leading Virginia Tech to the Final Four, and had chances to beat LSU but lost by 5 points in the semifinals, and LSU went on to blowout Iowa in the Finals 102-85. IIRC top seeded Stanford lost in the 2nd round. Kitley’s way better than Brink IMHO.

 

[AmeriConn]

If considering injured,
Azzi Fudd should be in.

As much as I would like to, I can’t agree.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Well, Watkins is a high-volume shooter who just lead USC to the PAC-12 conference championship. I know she’s had some head scratching games, where she’s missed a lot of shots. But I’ve also seen her play Big games where she hit everything, not unlike a young Caitlin Clark.

As for Hidalgo, she’s had her share of less than efficient offensive games too. But she is far and away the most dangerous defensive player in the country.

Far and away?

 

[bbsamjj]

If there is one person keeping A. Edwards off any All American lists it will be Paige. I actually don't think any team will place two in the top 10, and if there is one team, it's probably SC (Cardoso and PaoPao).

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Please name 15 interior post players in the country who are better than Aaliyah, and can shoot it from 20 feet.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Of course not, it’s how they are in transition, outlet passing, and perimeter shooting, and she is stellar in those areas as well.

 

[TN-Gamecock]

In the WNBA, I think a Brink & Stewie matchup would be awesome...

 

[WiseWillie]

Well, Watkins is a high-volume shooter who just lead USC to the PAC-12 conference championship. I know she’s had some head scratching games, where she’s missed a lot of shots. But I’ve also seen her play Big games where she hit everything, not unlike a young Caitlin Clark.

As for Hidalgo, she’s had her share of less than efficient offensive games too. But she is far and away the most dangerous defensive player in the country.

My and I expect others reaction to reading ... "far and away the most dangerous defensive player in the country" is what kind of stats back that up?

That is actually a very good last point. The other losses were to teams that were in the top 5 at some point in the season, with both NC State and UCLA being as high as #2, SC being #1 and Texas being a strong top 5. ND winning the ACC makes that loss a little better but a victory would have been that much better in terms of seedings. I don't care what anyone says, being a #1 is huge compared to a #2 or #3. The difference is in the second and third games. You are playing #8, in the second game, perhaps a #29-#32 ranked team whereas as a #3, you play #6 and in the Sweet Sixteen you play #2 and then presumptively #1, making for a tough two game stretch with one day off. It's a much tougher road.

Don't agree with the comment that the ND loss caused UConn a #3.

 

[WiseWillie]

In the WNBA, I think a Brink & Stewie matchup would be awesome...

Really? Comparing Brink and Stewie on the same level is true fantasy.

 

[oldude]

My and I expect others reaction to reading ... "far and away the most dangerous defensive player in the country" is what kind of stats back that up?

Don't agree with the comment that the ND loss caused UConn a #3.

Well, here’s a stat. With 147 steals at nearly 5 steals per game, Hidalgo leads all of D1 basketball by a fairly significant margin.

 

[ctkaiser]

JuJu is really, really good, but she's too much of a volume shooter to be the #2 player in the nation, in my opinion. I would put her in about the 4-6 range.

She does what her team needs her to do.

 

[ctkaiser]

If there is one person keeping A. Edwards off any All American lists it will be Paige. I actually don't think any team will place two in the top 10, and if there is one team, it's probably SC (Cardoso and PaoPao).

PaoPao is a great shooter but does her overall game really say All American?

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think that Aaliyah's pro career will be at the same level as her two most recent predecessors at UConn's power forward position. Their names were Breanna and Napheesa.

Stewie is approaching GOAT status, but Phee is a prideful person who doesn't want to be second to anyone. If Liya is close to them, she will be awesome!