FIBA Column on Future USA SR Team

[Wbbfan1]

USA streets ahead, but is a backcourt road block lying in wait?

I agree with writer, USA dominates at Wing, Forward and Center positions. Now who will the guards be going forward.

Not sure I agree with writer, that Kia Nurse would be a lock to make future USA teams if eligible. If it was a Geno coached team then maybe, if not there are other USA Guards who IMHO project a higher upside then Kia.

 

[mkwstar23]

watching Kia for two years one thing is certain she is a great on the ball defender and that is a must for international play...something that Diggins and Sims and Vandersloot and Loyd can not do...not that she is a better player than those mentioned just a much better defender...i would think that Jefferson is the heir apparent to Sue Bird but after that guard position is up in the air for 2020...might see Maya play a lot of the 2 spot in the next olympics...and don't bet that DT won't be back again too...anxious to see how Kia develops this year offensively...

 

[baggerbob]

In 4 years Brittney, EDD, Stewie, Maya, and either Moriah, or Jewell will be your starters. Maya is a natural shooting guard to replace DT in 4 years. Tina, Angel, maybe Sylvia, Odyssey, Nneka have experience at worlds. Then you have newcomers for the final spots.

 

[Kaizen]

USA streets ahead, but is a backcourt road block lying in wait?

I agree with writer, USA dominates at Wing, Forward and Center positions. Now who will the guards be going forward.

Not sure I agree with writer, that Kia Nurse would be a lock to make future USA teams if eligible. If it was a Geno coached team then maybe, if not there are other USA Guards who IMHO project a higher upside then Kia.

The best guard in USA is Moriah, and she should be in the next USA international team.

 

[VAMike23]

In 4 years Brittney, EDD, Stewie, Maya, and either Moriah, or Jewell will be your starters. Maya is a natural shooting guard to replace DT in 4 years. Tina, Angel, maybe Sylvia, Odyssey, Nneka have experience at worlds. Then you have newcomers for the final spots.

I would argue that Maya is not a natural shooting guard at all - she is fine at the wing and we have seen that she can make assists from anywhere, but Team USA will need a pair of true guards alongside her in the starting lineup. Maya has gotten better as a ballhandler and has brought the ball up from time to time, but it's still not where her bread is buttered by a long shot.

(This is no knock on Maya, as she is my favorite athlete in all of sport . . .)

 

[BigBird]

Much dicussion about the next point guard(s) for team USA has mentioned Sims, Diggins, and Loyd. I'll wait and see about Jewel, but as to the other two, in the games I've seen, they still make way too many horrendous decisions with shot selection and distribution.

Talking heads like to label them as players who can "single handedly take over a game." Maybe so. But I think that "look, I'm going to shoot the ball now" approach is exactly the reason they will both fail to make the next Olympic team.

Moriah and a couple of emerging players (still undergraduates), and we'll be OK.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kia has one thing that no one else on the list has: 2 more years with Geno and staff. Canada will field a quality team for a while.

 

[dtbtbtb]

As a season ticket holder for the Wings I get to see a lot of Sims and Diggins and I'm not impressed with their decision making as a PG. Diggins is actually better in my eyes than Sims who basically is trying again and again to go to the basket regardless of who or how many are in her way...I would take Loyd over both of them but again not as a PG (that is Mo's position on the NT for 2020)

 

[wallman]

I agree with you as far as Diggins over Sims and Like Jefferson down the road, simply because she will do what Bird did and forego scoring to get the team run the way they want it to be run. However, Lloyd also needs to know when to hold back and improve her passing. I could see USA going long at all positions, include Jefferson and play the way Uconn did, switching on everything. You don't really need positions that are specifically dedicated as you can dominate with versatile players who can match the euro game.

 

[Orangutan]

I think Loyd and Jefferson are almost certain to be a part of the national team for a long time. Beyond that, who knows? 2020 is a long way away. By that time, current college players will be in the mix. Maybe someone like Kelsey Mitchell could make the team? There are a lot of possibilities.

I look at last year's Euroleague and the runners-up were led by Kayla McBride and DeWanna Bonner, currently afterthoughts for Team USA. I'm not going to worry about our guard play in 2020 when our second-tier players are stars at Europe's highest level.

The most important part of the equation is point guard and that's locked up for a long time with Jefferson.

 

[wallman]

I don't see Mitchell ever donning the red, white and blue

 

[UcMiami]

I am really impressed with how Moriah has transitioned into the WNBA. There are very few guards who have made that transition and be as successful. She is playing on a dreadful team and still maintaining a high assists level and a 2-1 A/TO, and she is shooting very well too. As long as she does well overseas and doesn't hit a sophomore slump in the W, I don't see how she could not be added to the National team pool - she is exactly the type of player they need.

I am also surprised that while everyone sees Stewart as the runaway ROY, no one seems to mention Moriah as the second best rookie - she has been really good from the first game. Some stats:
Minutes: Stewart #1 (35.1), Moriah #2 (29.4), #3 is Mitchell at 21.4 and no other rookie is above 20.
Points: Stewart #1 (18.2), Moriah #2 (12.5), #3 is Powers at 10.2 and no other is above 10
Field goal %: Stewart #4 (45.2), Moriah #6 (43.3 and #1 guard), Courtney Williams (40.9) is the only other guard above 40
3Pt %: Moriah #3 at 40.6 %, and the only one of the three taking more than 1 three point shot a game (2.9) No one else making more than 1.0 attempts is above 35.5% (Ariel Powers)
Rebounds: Stewart #1, Moriah #8 and the #2 guard behind Williams
Assists: Moriah #1 (4.1), Stewart #2 (3.6), #3 Mitchell at 1.5
A/TO: Moriah #1 (2.3), Stewart # 5 (1.6) - Belyakova at 2.1 is th only other 'rookie' above 2.0
Steals: Moriah #1 (1.5), Stewart #2 (1.2) - #3 Powers at 1.0 is the other rookie at or above 1.0

Agree with folks that have issues with Diggins, and Sims, and I would add Loyd to that list - I don't see any of the three being an effective USA PG, though all three might be a good two guard. The issue I have, as others have said above, is with decision making - USA guards typically have always looked to pass first, and have done so efficiently. Even DT for all the scoring she does, her first instinct is to pass.

People complain about Angel, but I think she has been a consummate USA bench player. The commentators on the seattle game said her answer to 'what had she learned on the NT' was that, when on the bench every player was concentrating on when they went in they were not going to make the same mistakes they were seeing during their time on the bench. She wanted to bring that back to Atlanta. It is an interesting idea.

 

[JordyG]

I am really impressed with how Moriah has transitioned into the WNBA. There are very few guards who have made that transition and be as successful. She is playing on a dreadful team and still maintaining a high assists level and a 2-1 A/TO, and she is shooting very well too. As long as she does well overseas and doesn't hit a sophomore slump in the W, I don't see how she could not be added to the National team pool - she is exactly the type of player they need.

I am also surprised that while everyone sees Stewart as the runaway ROY, no one seems to mention Moriah as the second best rookie - she has been really good from the first game. Some stats:
Minutes: Stewart #1 (35.1), Moriah #2 (29.4), #3 is Mitchell at 21.4 and no other rookie is above 20.
Points: Stewart #1 (18.2), Moriah #2 (12.5), #3 is Powers at 10.2 and no other is above 10
Field goal %: Stewart #4 (45.2), Moriah #6 (43.3 and #1 guard), Courtney Williams (40.9) is the only other guard above 40
3Pt %: Moriah #3 at 40.6 %, and the only one of the three taking more than 1 three point shot a game (2.9) No one else making more than 1.0 attempts is above 35.5% (Ariel Powers)
Rebounds: Stewart #1, Moriah #8 and the #2 guard behind Williams
Assists: Moriah #1 (4.1), Stewart #2 (3.6), #3 Mitchell at 1.5
A/TO: Moriah #1 (2.3), Stewart # 5 (1.6) - Belyakova at 2.1 is th only other 'rookie' above 2.0
Steals: Moriah #1 (1.5), Stewart #2 (1.2) - #3 Powers at 1.0 is the other rookie at or above 1.0

Agree with folks that have issues with Diggins, and Sims, and I would add Loyd to that list - I don't see any of the three being an effective USA PG, though all three might be a good two guard. The issue I have, as others have said above, is with decision making - USA guards typically have always looked to pass first, and have done so efficiently. Even DT for all the scoring she does, her first instinct is to pass.

People complain about Angel, but I think she has been a consummate USA bench player. The commentators on the seattle game said her answer to 'what had she learned on the NT' was that, when on the bench every player was concentrating on when they went in they were not going to make the same mistakes they were seeing during their time on the bench. She wanted to bring that back to Atlanta. It is an interesting idea.

And it's about time someone spoke up for Moriah's ROY chances. As you say, she's been the model of consistency which is the most difficult thing for rookies. She has taken her leadership role on a poor to average team very seriously and has really been the sole bright spot. As for the starting guard spot in the next Olympics, everyone should just pump the brakes a bit on Diggins and Odyssey. The PG position is consistently the most difficult position to learn at the pro level. It takes a certain maturity. The beauty of it is 4 years, and a lot can happen in a young PG's professional and private life in that time.

 

[Orangutan]

Loyd is not a point guard. Period. I don't know why people even discuss her as a possibility there.

But she is a good shooting guard who is getting better. Her FG% is up, her assists are up and her turnovers are down. So as far as decision-making, she is trending the right way. And she's still only 22.

 

[MilfordHusky]

In response to Orang and Miami ...

I love Moriah. She's like Sue but smaller and quicker. She prefers to pass, makes good decisions, and tells folks what to do. She's a good shooter and an extremely pesky defender--she was the national DPOY! Just as Lindsay takes a different approach from Sue, so does Mo. All are effective in their own way. I see her as the USA PG of the future. I think she's unanimously the second best rookie in the league and already a top-flight PG. If Seattle gets into the playoffs and the MVP voting is points based for players 1 through 5, I think Stewie gets some votes. She's about 5th or 6th on my personal list right now.

I see Jewell on Team USA, but at SG. When she plays PG for Seattle, the offense really lags. They take a step down at both the PG and SG slots when she moves over. She's learning from Jenny, Sue, Stewie, et al. Her shot selection is getting much better. I see her on Team USA by 2020, possibly in 2018. She should be a fixture for 6-10 years. As noted, she's only 22. Recall that she played at ND for only 3 years.

Who will be the other PG? It's a long way away, but this player has the potential. In my opinion, she's underrated as the #3 recruit (because #1 and #2 are 10" taller). She already has the game of a college sophomore.

Angel played very well in London and Rio, but poorly in Istanbul. If she focuses and evolves her game, she'll be a Team USA fixture. She's accustomed to being the best player on the team and trying to do everything. When she does only what she's best at, she's very, very good. She was the fastest player in Rio, both running the floor and getting up for rebounds. The WNBA GM pre-season vote was right: she is the most athletic player in the league. When she harnesses it, she becomes a sure-fire HOF inductee.

 

[Dillon77]

I'm in complete agreement with Orangutan that Jefferson will be option 1 at point guard for many years to come and that Loyd has, is and always will be primarily a shooting guard. She is getting better at the non-shooting aspects of her trade but let's not discount the fact that she is awfully good at what she does. And will only get better, knock on wood.

Like Wallman, I think the back-up point guard could be somewhat different than Ms. Jefferson. Emphasis on could. That gets back to whom the next coach is and what he/she believe should constitute that position. (And if said coach gets the selection committee on board...). It could be a "usual" PG, but it could be a combo guard, which are becoming increasingly prevalent in the the WNBA. But that person has to have the ability to make the offense work and very much take a team-first approach for the time she is spelling Moriah.

As for other guards....we're blessed with a lot of them. Besides Jefferson and Loyd, there's McBride, Sims, Rodgers, Diggins, etc. and the 2-3s, led by Maya and possibly joined by a Bonner.

 

[UcMiami]

I think the most critical aspect of the off guards/wings for the future teams will be really good distance shooting. Driving skills are nice, but the classic defensive stance against both men's and women's USA teams is to pack it in and make them prove they can hit jump shots from 15' and out. I think players like Sugar Rogers and Toliver could get serious consideration specifically for that reason. And it is a current big weakness for Sims, Diggins, and Loyd who are all mired in the 30% range on threes.

 

[wallman]

I think the most critical aspect of the off guards/wings for the future teams will be really good distance shooting. Driving skills are nice, but the classic defensive stance against both men's and women's USA teams is to pack it in and make them prove they can hit jump shots from 15' and out. I think players like Sugar Rogers and Toliver could get serious consideration specifically for that reason. And it is a current big weakness for Sims, Diggins, and Loyd who are all mired in the 30% range on threes.

Tolliver already plays for another country.

 

[Orangutan]

I think the most critical aspect of the off guards/wings for the future teams will be really good distance shooting. Driving skills are nice, but the classic defensive stance against both men's and women's USA teams is to pack it in and make them prove they can hit jump shots from 15' and out. I think players like Sugar Rogers and Toliver could get serious consideration specifically for that reason. And it is a current big weakness for Sims, Diggins, and Loyd who are all mired in the 30% range on threes.

Alas, noted Slovakian Kristi Toliver is not eligible for team USA. Kristi Toliver's career speaks volumes about life as a women’s basketball player

 

[UcMiami]

Wallman and Orang - thanks for the correction - had forgotten about that.

 

[easttexastrash]

watching Kia for two years one thing is certain she is a great on the ball defender and that is a must for international play...something that Diggins and Sims and Vandersloot and Loyd can not do...not that she is a better player than those mentioned just a much better defender...i would think that Jefferson is the heir apparent to Sue Bird but after that guard position is up in the air for 2020...might see Maya play a lot of the 2 spot in the next olympics...and don't bet that DT won't be back again too...anxious to see how Kia develops this year offensively...

Wait...Sims is not a good on-ball defender? Say what now? You seriously think that Nurse is a better on-ball defender than Sims? Come on down to Colorado...I have some ocean front property you may be interested in.

 

[easttexastrash]

I predict that Candace Parker will be the starting PG in 2020.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Actually Parker will be the player coach for the 2020 Olympics and that way she'll be guaranteed a place on the team

 

[mkwstar23]

Wait...Sims is not a good on-ball defender? Say what now? You seriously think that Nurse is a better on-ball defender than Sims? Come on down to Colorado...I have some ocean front property you may be interested in.

YES Kia Nurse i think is a better on the ball defender than Sims...better player no, better defender yes....lol

 

[Ctpaul0825]

Renee Montgomery will deserve a look as her game has significantly improved in the pro league.