espnW's countdown of the top 25 players in WCBB

[nwhoopfan]

Of course, but it also helps if you don't miss so much.

Lexie has significantly better shooting percentage, 5 fewer assists, 8 more turnovers, 53 more steals, and 1 more rpg. I'll take that over 4.3 more ppg.

I was looking at the stats for all 4 at the same time. Definitely Brown has the best shooting % of the 4. Mitchell's shooting % looks ok compared to the other 2. Mitchell is the lowest behind the arc, Ogunbowale is the best behind the arc. Probably a little unfair to look at assists because Ogunbowale and Durr aren't the primary playmakers for their teams I'm assuming. Yes, Mitchell and Brown are virtually even in that department. I haven't seen enough of all of them to make an assessment based on eyeball test.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Good list. I was amazed Nurse hit 46% 3 pt. I only caught maybe 6 UConn games and based on that I would have used the Jeff Walz defense and let her shoot anytime. Kia was awful. Obviously I only saw her bad shooting nights. I know early in the year she was dreadful. Cant argue with her great percentage though.

Kia started the season slowly, possibly feeling some pressure as the conference pre-season POY; however, she finished the season hot. In the first 2 rounds of the NCAA tourney, she shot 6-7 and 9-12 from the arc. Those are numbers that Lou, Maya, Diana, Kaleena, or anyone else would he happy with.

 

[Plebe]

Canada had to do too much.

AYou are right. I’m too hard on them. I was pulling for the Bruins and wanting Billings to show more offense and Canada to finish at the hoop more. They did all they could against a better team.

Canada and Billings were UCLA's two consistent performers last year. Their two X factors were Kennedy Burke (#3 in scoring and #2 in rebounding) and the outside shooting of Korver and Kornet. To stay close with UConn on the scoreboard, they needed both of those X factors to show up. Korver was 5-of-11 from 3, while Kornet was 2-of-9. But the thing that really killed them was Burke only getting 5 points and 4 rebounds on 2-of-9 shooting.

 

[triaddukefan]

Lexie was 6th in the AP voting.

That sounds about right. Im hoping she can make that 10 player All-American team at the end of the year. I forget what its called..... WBCA?

 

[cbraarj]

Well if Gabby was 6-5 she probably wouldn't have been a guard in HS, so she probably wouldn't have the all around skill package. She probably also wouldn't have been a high jumper and probably wouldn't be as athletic and mobile.

Thats right because only guards can be athletic and mobile. Sorry Breanna Stewart, Candace Parker and Elena Della Donne, I guess you are just not mobile or athletic enough!

 

[cbraarj]

Kia started the season slowly, possibly feeling some pressure as the conference pre-season POY; however, she finished the season hot. In the first 2 rounds of the NCAA tourney, she shot 6-7 and 9-12 from the arc. Those are numbers that Lou, Maya, Diana, Kaleena, or anyone else would he happy with.

I agree with everthing you said and will add that she played all summer and needed to recuperate from hernia surgery. This year she had a lot of rest and mainly concentrated on her Senior season!

 

[oldude]

Good list. I was amazed Nurse hit 46% 3 pt. I only caught maybe 6 UConn games and based on that I would have used the Jeff Walz defense and let her shoot anytime. Kia was awful. Obviously I only saw her bad shooting nights. I know early in the year she was dreadful. Cant argue with her great percentage though.

Did you miss the NCAA tournament? Kia established an all time record hitting an amazing 22 of 32 3-pt shots (68%)

 

[MilfordHusky]

That sounds about right. Im hoping she can make that 10 player All-American team at the end of the year. I forget what its called..... WBCA?

There are 2: coaches and sportswriters. That’s the coaches group.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I agree with everthing you said and will add that she played all summer and needed to recuperate from hernia surgery. This year she had a lot of rest and mainly concentrated on her Senior season!

Thanks! I had forgotten about the surgery.

 

[meyers7]

That sounds about right. Im hoping she can make that 10 player All-American team at the end of the year. I forget what its called..... WBCA?

There are 2: coaches and sportswriters. That’s the coaches group.

USBWA.

 

[SCGamecock]

Is there any chance that they omitted Z, because she didn't play last year? I doubt that they did, but strange things can happen.

Azura probably won’t be on this list. Not because she isn’t very good but exactly because of the reason you stated...

Everything we know about Azura so far is from her time at Duke and the expectation that she’ll be a better player because she’s now being coached by Geno. Can’t really place a player off of expectation alone.

FWIW, Allisha Gray wasn’t on this list last year either, likely for the exact same reason. It’s not far fetched to think that Gray was one of the top 25 players in the country last year.. Had Gray returned, she would be on this list. I suspect Stevens will be on the list next year if she returns.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Azure' is #9!! Awesome for UCONN with core 4 and 6th man in top 15.

 

[SCGamecock]

Azura probably won’t be on this list. Not because she isn’t very good but exactly because of the reason you stated...

Everything we know about Azura so far is from her time at Duke and the expectation that she’ll be a better player because she’s now being coached by Geno. Can’t really place a player off of expectation alone.

FWIW, Allisha Gray wasn’t on this list last year either, likely for the exact same reason. It’s not far fetched to think that Gray was one of the top 25 players in the country last year.. Had Gray returned, she would be on this list. I suspect Stevens will be on the list next year if she returns.

Just kidding!

 

[j66kicker]

Azure' is #9!! Awesome for UCONN with core 4 and 6th man in top 15.

Counting down the top 25 women's basketball players for 2017-18

10. Kalani Brown
9. Azura Stevens
8. Sabrina Ionescu
7. Asia Durr
6. Jordin Canada

 

[Orangutan]

Azura probably won’t be on this list. Not because she isn’t very good but exactly because of the reason you stated...

Everything we know about Azura so far is from her time at Duke and the expectation that she’ll be a better player because she’s now being coached by Geno. Can’t really place a player off of expectation alone.

FWIW, Allisha Gray wasn’t on this list last year either, likely for the exact same reason. It’s not far fetched to think that Gray was one of the top 25 players in the country last year.. Had Gray returned, she would be on this list. I suspect Stevens will be on the list next year if she returns.

Kind of moot since we know now that she is on the list but...

Stevens is a legit top 25 player based on the player she was at Duke. She averaged 18.9 ppg and 9.6 rpg in her last year at Duke. Plus, Duke struggled with guard play during her years there. She never had a Lexie Brown to set her up.

 

[MilfordHusky]

My guess is that Wilson will be #1 and Mitchell will be among the 3 UConn players. ESPN really likes Gabby, so I'm predicting:

1. A'ja
2. Gabby
3. Pheesa
4. Kelsey
5. Lou

 

[oldude]

Azure' is #9!! Awesome for UCONN with core 4 and 6th man in top 15.

This is incredibly BAD for WBB...

 

[Golden Husky]

It's almost here. Sunday. $100.

Let me know if you need help collecting. I can make a few calls.

 

[YellwJcket999]

My guess is that Wilson will be #1 and Mitchell will be among the 3 UConn players. ESPN really likes Gabby, so I'm predicting:
1. A'ja
2. Gabby
3. Pheesa
4. Kelsey
5. Lou

I agree with your list. I don't think that espnW will see it that way. Kelsey and KLS will be just as below or they will switch positions for 2 and 3.
1. A'ja
2. Mitchel
3. KLS
4. Collier
5. Williams

Still Uconn has 5 of the top 10 players in the country. Fun times ahead. Very fun times indeed.

 

[Orangutan]

As long as we're playing this game, my guess is:

1. Wilson
2. KLS
3. Mitchell
4. Williams
5. Collier

 

[meyers7]

Let me know if you need help collecting. I can make a few calls.

Oh I fully expect him to welsh on the bet. But I can needle and shame him on here.

 

[jennyo70]

My remaining 5 in order would be:
1)Wilson
2) Williams
3) Collier
4) KLS
5) Mitchell

I love watching Gabby play. Her hustle and defense is on another level. Looking forward to seeing her in action live on Sunday.

 

[Go/huskies]

1. Williams
2. Wilson
3. Mitchell
4. Lou
5. Collier

 

[Bigpetunia]

My remaining 5 in order would be:
1)Wilson
2) Williams
3) Collier
4) KLS
5) Mitchell

I love watching Gabby play. Her hustle and defense is on another level. Looking forward to seeing her in action live on Sunday.

Personally, I like your list a lot, and would even be sorely tempted to move Gabby to the top spot, on grounds that no player in the country consistently does more to help her team win games than she. But the people who compile lists such as this one will not see it that way - they just aren't all that knowledgeable, which, translated, means that defense will never be as highly valued as offense...just the nature of the beast. I expect them to put Gabby at #5. But that's ok, Gabby, if you should read this. There are plenty of us who get it!

 

[MilfordHusky]

I don't think ESPN will put both non-Huskies at the top, nor do I think that they will put all 3 Huskies at the top. That means, most likely, Wilson at 1 and Mitchell at 3-5.

As I noted, they LOVE Gabby. I see her at #2. I have trouble putting either Lou or Pheesa as low as #5. We are so lucky!!!