@BobbyJ
"Sounds really innovative. What current coaches are at the forefront of this thinking? It's weird how he's never thought of this before. And how should Auriemma go about doing this?"
(It's sometimes hard to read intent -- sans emoji's -- in a largely black and white medium. I'm guessing you have point of view, but your wording and jerseyguy's comment got me thinking.)
I think I'm getting the gist of this line of thought and will add one or two other scenario setters: In many instances, young woman are learning individual technical skills earlier and are also taking in more basketball (WCBB, WNBA, the NBA, etc.). Some of this is great, some of it results in five non-related, one-person shows in AAU events.
Through the 2019-20 season, you could count on two teams running a Princeton-based system that relied on ball and people movement, screens, a mix of shot-making and lack of turnovers: UConn and Notre Dame. Both coaches made allowances for individual talents to shine, but they fit in within that offense. I'd say that Niele Ivey has changed that dynamic a bit for ND.
Coach Ivey has largely eschewed the Princeton offense, as McGraw taught it, in favor of getting ball players who can -- and must -- create their own shots, whether through dribble penetration, pull-up jumpers, etc. The "team aspect" comes into play via working off high screens (Hidalgo and Westbeld are masters of the pick and pop); an off-ball player reacting to dribble penetration (Miles dribbling and Citron back-door cutting or fading to the arc for a three). One will see elements of the Princeton with players setting screens, then curling into open areas (usually Citron and Westbeld).
The similarity to the "old ND" is the transition game. McGraw and Ivey will always get solid rebounders who can throw outlet passes (Jess Shepard, Westbeld, Kate Koval) to the guards, all of whom are fast and technically adept on the break.
Ivey believes young talent largely wants to play in up-tempo, high-scoring offenses...and they want to get to the pro's. To that end, she hired Carlos Knox, who was in the WNBA for a long stretch, to work on skills that will help them make the transition. Westbeld is a disciple of Knox, particularly on footwork. Meanwhile, Ivey oversees tape review with her point guards, Miles and Hidalgo. Plus, there is a constant stream of ND alums coming into work, from Diggins-Smith (a South Bend native) to Kayla McBride.
There is a constant amount of work to balance this "I/We" continuum into player and team to match Ivey philosophy and players' talents. It's a hard take and one reason why I think ND recruiting is hit or miss: she's after a particular player. But when she hits it -- see Miles, Hidalgo, Soni Citron -- it soars.
That said, it's awfully hard to critique what Geno and Chris Dailey have done, from recruiting to creating one beautiful offense that can hum like few others. Save for Strong and Bueckers, most of the half-court sets seem to dictate what many players are doing. Perhaps, that's why I liked what I saw of KK Arnold driving hard and Chen getting off her mid-range game. Softened up ND's defense.
It will be interesting to see variations or similarities once Azzi and Aubrey come back.
