Good Diamond Deshields Piece | The Boneyard

Good Diamond Deshields Piece

RockyMTblue2

RockyMTblue2

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Some stuff you could wince at, but it is an in depth look.

Diamond DeShields, daughter of former MLB player Delino DeShields, wants to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft

What does this say about her leaving early? Nothing, if she has her degree?

"It’s just not smart [for women] right now. … For now, college basketball is the biggest platform, not professional. From what people have told me, it’s a culture shock when you get there. [Women] are not going into a situation where we can make millions of dollars like the guys. We have to fight every day for every dollar we earn. Some of my friends in the league have talked to me about places that haven’t given them all their money overseas, spending eight months away from home in another country where you don’t know anybody except the one American teammate that’s there with you."
 
Oh look, ESPN pushing DeShields as a superstar! Who would have thought? :rolleyes:

I expect everyone here will love Diamond now that she said this, right?

"I love Geno [Auriemma]. He’s a great coach, he’s a great leader, a great example for his players and he has instilled a competitiveness in them they probably wouldn’t have had they gone somewhere else. Kansas has won 13 consecutive regular-season championships, and nobody is saying it’s bad for the game. … They work hard. You’re a hater if you think that that’s bad for the game. Everybody else needs to elevate themselves."
 
She'll never be accused of being humble. Some things are best kept to yourself.

"I just like to think of myself as an extremely unique individual, someone who does things how they want to do it. Not in a bad, disrespectful, disobedient way. My dad always raised me, ‘don’t let anyone back you in a corner,’ and ‘do what you want to do.’ That’s how I think about life. I feel like I am truly one of a kind in all aspects, on and off the floor. The level of intellect I have is beyond what most people would assume about me. There’s only one creature that is synonymous, and that is the unicorn."

The flip side of this is you pretty much always get what DD is thinking.
 
If she goes pro. Does she get #1 pick?
 
Orangutan said:
Oh look, ESPN pushing DeShields as a superstar! Who would have thought? :rolleyes:
I expect everyone here will love Diamond now that she said this, right?
"I love Geno [Auriemma]. He’s a great coach, he’s a great leader, a great example for his players and he has instilled a competitiveness in them they probably wouldn’t have had they gone somewhere else. Kansas has won 13 consecutive regular-season championships, and nobody is saying it’s bad for the game. … They work hard. You’re a hater if you think that that’s bad for the game. Everybody else needs to elevate themselves."
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I think she's always said nice things about him. If the BY is slowly softening its criticisms of her (I certainly am!), it's because the last 6 weeks she's becoming far more of a team player, looking more for the open teammate than in controlling the dribble herself, and her turn overs are way down, too. That's been a personal disappointment, as I used to watch Tenn games just to see if DD would get to double figures in turn overs.
 
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RockyMTblue2 said:
She'll never be accused of being humble. Some things are best kept to yourself.

"I just like to think of myself as an extremely unique individual, someone who does things how they want to do it. Not in a bad, disrespectful, disobedient way. My dad always raised me, ‘don’t let anyone back you in a corner,’ and ‘do what you want to do.’ That’s how I think about life. I feel like I am truly one of a kind in all aspects, on and off the floor. The level of intellect I have is beyond what most people would assume about me. There’s only one creature that is synonymous, and that is the unicorn."

The flip side of this is you pretty much always get what DD is thinking.
Expand ...
To me, that quote makes it pretty easy to figure out why she didn't want to play for Geno. He wouldn't tolerate "someone who does things how they want to do it". She made a good decision to play at colleges where that is more likely to be tolerated.
 
RockyMTblue2 said:
I'd take Plum #1. She plays well every game. Diamond's athleticism is compromised by her frailty and her erratic play.
Expand ...
Plummer can certainly score. I do think the ceiling for Diamond is higher.
 
JoePgh said:
To me, that quote makes it pretty easy to figure out why she didn't want to play for Geno. He wouldn't tolerate "someone who does things how they want to do it". She made a good decision to play at colleges where that is more likely to be tolerated.
Expand ...

Except for she basically says that she did want to play for Geno - "It was too far [from home in Georgia]. A lot of my friends were there at the time, and I know how hard of a coach he is. I knew if I couldn’t have that phone call, ‘Mom, can you come up?’ I would have probably lost my mind. I loved him. I really did. If [UConn] were a bit closer, I probably would have been there, honestly."

(emphasis mine)
 
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In interesting piece on Diamond. She said she wants to be the #1 pick in the WNBA draft. She did not indicate which draft, the one next month, or the 2018 draft. My money is on the one next month!!

She's a red-shirt junior. She should have her degree in May. Her class is eligible for this year's WNBA draft. I've said all year, she's leaving after this season for the WNBA. Why should she spend another year in college, chasing a championship that she realizes she may never get, when can can move on with her life and career aspirations at the next level?

I didn't need any prognosticating paraphernalia, or an Epiphany to come to that conclusion. Anyone could see that. After reading this piece, I think she has pretty much removed any doubt about her plans for next year. DeShields should be a first round selection. The first overall pick?, I don't think so. The San Antonio Stars have the first pick, and they don't need a guard as much as they do a wing and a post player. Kelsey plum will go before she does. And maybe Shatori Walker-Kimbrough. Two post players that are also coming out that may fill a need for a team: Alaina Coates (SC) & Kelsey Lang (Texas).
 
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Carnac said:
In interesting piece on Diamond. She said she wants to be the #1 pick in the WNBA draft. She did not indicate which draft, the one next month, or the 2018 draft. My money is on the one next month!!
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Well she is not going to be #1 in the 2018 draft.
 
If Diamond had played at Tennessee her freshman year. She would be among the 2,000 point club members. Parker, Holdsclaw, Catchings, and Gordon are members of the 2,000 point club.
 
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meyers7 said:
You don't think she'll stay 2 years???

Wilson will go #1.
Expand ...

I think it'll be Wilson also. She's ready for the pro game. Can you imagine how good she'll be if her teammates can shoot from the outside and create more space for her to operate?
 
Coach said:
I think it'll be Wilson also. She's ready for the pro game. Can you imagine how good she'll be if her teammates can shoot from the outside and create more space for her to operate?
Expand ...

A'ja Wilson is a junior this year. Unless she's eligible AGE WISE (like Jewel Loyd was), I believe she'll have to wait until next year's draft.
 
Kaizen said:
Not really, I think Gabby could be the #1 pick in 2018.
Expand ...

Gabby has to develop an outside jumper. Gabby can be a perimeter player on defense in the W, but not on offense.....yet. I don't think her athleticism will be that much of a difference maker in the W for her to play offense or defense as a post player. I love Gabby, but could you imagine her trying to guard players like Nneka, Chiney, Stewie, Tina or any of the other 4's in the W?

With that being said, she will be a top 5 pick. But I think Wilson goes #1.
 
Coach said:
I think it'll be Wilson also. She's ready for the pro game. Can you imagine how good she'll be if her teammates can shoot from the outside and create more space for her to operate?
Expand ...

I think you'll see more of that next year as we will be more forward based and will allow us to play much faster.
 
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Kaizen said:
Not really, I think Gabby could be the #1 pick in 2018.
Expand ...

I think Williams will have to improve her perimeter skills to get taken highly in next years draft. She needs to develop a consistent 3 point shot and better ball handling because she'll likely be a guard at the next level and not a forward. She may be able to get by with just her athleticism in College but the pros is a whole different ball game and their are tons of players just as athletic as her if not more.
 
Not a team player. Sounds like Sun material.
 
Orangutan said:
Oh look, ESPN pushing DeShields as a superstar! Who would have thought? :rolleyes:

I expect everyone here will love Diamond now that she said this, right?

"I love Geno [Auriemma]. He’s a great coach, he’s a great leader, a great example for his players and he has instilled a competitiveness in them they probably wouldn’t have had they gone somewhere else. Kansas has won 13 consecutive regular-season championships, and nobody is saying it’s bad for the game. … They work hard. You’re a hater if you think that that’s bad for the game. Everybody else needs to elevate themselves."
Expand ...

If you liked Diamond--after reading you probably still like her--if you didn't like her--she gave you a few more reasons. The least of which is "I want to go 1st in the WNBA draft" Why not someone has to. But I wonder what WNBA management will think of her comments on the WNBA salary--it is what it is--will she be able to live on it???? Or European teams--not paying the money to players that was owed??? She has an ego---someone say Geeeeze!!!
 
Carnac said:
In interesting piece on Diamond. She said she wants to be the #1 pick in the WNBA draft. She did not indicate which draft, the one next month, or the 2018 draft. My money is on the one next month!!

She's a red-shirt junior. She should have her degree in May. Her class is eligible for this year's WNBA draft. I've said all year, she's leaving after this season for the WNBA. Why should she spend another year in college, chasing a championship that she realizes she may never get, when can can move on with her life and career aspirations at the next level?

I didn't need any prognosticating paraphernalia, or an Epiphany to come to that conclusion. Anyone could see that. After reading this piece, I think she has pretty much removed any doubt about her plans for next year. DeShields should be a first round selection. The first overall pick?, I don't think so. The San Antonio Stars have the first pick, and they don't need a guard as much as they do a wing and a post player. Kelsey plum will go before she does. And maybe Shatori Walker-Kimbrough. Two post players that are also coming out that may fill a need for a team: Alaina Coates (SC) & Kelsey Lang (Texas).
Expand ...

The April draft will have DD in it, if she has any hopes of #1. But pick this, next or the next--and she doesn't look like a #1 in any of them. If I had to make a choice I'd take MD's W-K over DD, she is more predictable.
 
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