Gray wins WNBA ROY | The Boneyard

Gray wins WNBA ROY

UConnCat

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over Brittany Sykes. The vote was 30-10. I thought the vote would be closer. Sykes's stats were a tiny bit better but Gray played on a better team that made the playoffs. I also think Gray benefitted from the NCAA championship/Staley halo effect. Both players had fine rookie seasons.

 

Orangutan

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I felt that she never quite got the recognition she deserved in college, being overshadowed first by DeShields and then by Wilson. I'm happy that she's getting her moment in the sun now.
 
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She was not selected for the USAB camp.
Did she turn down an offer? Was she injured?
Did the selection committee find she was not good enough?
 

MilfordHusky

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Gray got off to a good start at the beginning of the season. Some voters may have made up their minds early. Sykes came on in the second half of the season. She may have the greater upside. Kelsey Plum didn't do much until late in the season, but she looked good over the last few games. It remains to be seen how she meshes with Moriah. I'll be interested in seeing how Coates and Akhator do in the long run.

Though she had a few off-games, I was impressed watching Allisha at SC. I think she may have a better all-around game than Kaela Davis or Diamond DeShields. I thought she might be undersized in the pros, but she had a good season. Unlike most ROYs, I don't see her as a future MVP or Olympian, but I do see her as a solid pro.
 
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The head coach picks the team so Dawn must not have wanted her on the team.
That's not quite accurate. The selection committee picks the team. The head coach "doesn't have a say" in the team that's chosen.
 

UConnCat

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That's not quite accurate. The selection committee picks the team. The head coach "doesn't have a say" in the team that's chosen.

I was being sarcastic. Remember how certain fans claimed Geno picked the national team during his tenure as coach?

The coach has input but yes the committee selects the team.
 
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I was being sarcastic. Remember how certain fans claimed Geno picked the national team during his tenure as coach?
The coach has input but yes the committee selects the team.
Got you.
Maybe Dawn has to choose between Wilson and Gray. She went with the height.
 

VAMike23

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I was impressed by both Gray and Sykes this year for sure.

Congrats to AG!
 

RockyMTblue2

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@triaddukefan that's our girl!
Congrats Allisha!

Do you miss anything? By that I mean: Does anything get by you? Two deserving candidates, but unlike the AAC, there are no ties in the WNBA I guess. Ever been one to anyone's knowledge?
 

Nuyoika

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Congrats! I thought she was the better overall player between her and Davis. She wasn't going to get much limelight at SCar just because they already had Wilson, Coates, the perceived better player in K. Davis. I do however think had she not been defending Lou that night in September UConn could have won by 20. What I like best about her is even when she didn't have good offensive nights she would still contribute on the defensive end and get after it on the boards. Nice for her to get recognition.
 

donalddoowop

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Congrats! I thought she was the better overall player between her and Davis. She wasn't going to get much limelight at SCar just because they already had Wilson, Coates, the perceived better player in K. Davis. I do however think had she not been defending Lou that night in September UConn could have won by 20. What I like best about her is even when she didn't have good offensive nights she would still contribute on the defensive end and get after it on the boards. Nice for her to get recognition.
What happened to Davis? She did not play much during the playoffs, did she? Was she injured? That's a lot of questions but I was just wondering. I'm not a big fan of the way Davis played.
 

CocoHusky

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Congrats! I thought she was the better overall player between her and Davis. She wasn't going to get much limelight at SCar just because they already had Wilson, Coates, the perceived better player in K. Davis. I do however think had she not been defending Lou that night in September UConn could have won by 20. What I like best about her is even when she didn't have good offensive nights she would still contribute on the defensive end and get after it on the boards. Nice for her to get recognition.
The game was in February, otherwise very very strong points.
 

Nuyoika

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What happened to Davis? She did not play much during the playoffs, did she? Was she injured? That's a lot of questions but I was just wondering. I'm not a big fan of the way Davis played.
Idk... seems liked after the big 35+ point night vs Louisville she cooled waaaaaaaaaaaaay off then didn't really show back up much until the tourney came around. Seems like she has the pro frame but she doesn't seem like she goes even 85% out there. Maybe she's just one of those kids that are just so smooth you can't really tell they are working hard. Majority of her criticism at guard is that she wasn't very efficient. She could have easily raised her over % by being willing to get in the lane more for easier buckets but she loves the jumper and in reality @ SCar there wasn't any room in the lane anyway on offense.
 

donalddoowop

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Idk... seems liked after the big 35+ point night vs Louisville she cooled waaaaaaaaaaaaay off then didn't really show back up much until the tourney came around. Seems like she has the pro frame but she doesn't seem like she goes even 85% out there. Maybe she's just one of those kids that are just so smooth you can't really tell they are working hard. Majority of her criticism at guard is that she wasn't very efficient. She could have easily raised her over % by being willing to get in the lane more for easier buckets but she loves the jumper and in reality @ SCar there wasn't any room in the lane anyway on offense.
Thanks Nuyoika.
 

meyers7

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I was being sarcastic. Remember how certain fans claimed Geno picked the national team during his tenure as coach?

The coach has input but yes the committee selects the team.
You're waaaayyyy too nice.
 

bballnut90

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Idk... seems liked after the big 35+ point night vs Louisville she cooled waaaaaaaaaaaaay off then didn't really show back up much until the tourney came around. Seems like she has the pro frame but she doesn't seem like she goes even 85% out there. Maybe she's just one of those kids that are just so smooth you can't really tell they are working hard. Majority of her criticism at guard is that she wasn't very efficient. She could have easily raised her over % by being willing to get in the lane more for easier buckets but she loves the jumper and in reality @ SCar there wasn't any room in the lane anyway on offense.

For being a big physical guard, she seemed to settle for a lot of jumpshots and she isn't the purest of shooters, although she has great range. No doubt part of that was due to Coates and Wilson taking up so much room inside, and once Coates went out with injury, Davis's production improved immensely. Was hoping to see more of that in the pros where there's usually better spacing and more opportunity, but she hasn't taken off yet. She could wind up like another Shekinna Stricklen who is a big guard and a fantastic 3pt specialist, but to find success, Davis would need to be on a team with a dominant post player a la Griner/Fowles/Jones to space the floor better and get better looks.
 

CamrnCrz1974

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For being a big physical guard, she seemed to settle for a lot of jumpshots and she isn't the purest of shooters, although she has great range. No doubt part of that was due to Coates and Wilson taking up so much room inside, and once Coates went out with injury, Davis's production improved immensely. Was hoping to see more of that in the pros where there's usually better spacing and more opportunity, but she hasn't taken off yet. She could wind up like another Shekinna Stricklen who is a big guard and a fantastic 3pt specialist, but to find success, Davis would need to be on a team with a dominant post player a la Griner/Fowles/Jones to space the floor better and get better looks.

Given her lineage (with her father being regarded as a very blue collar, hardworking player), it is surprising that Davis has not put in the work to improve her jump shooting accuracy. She demonstrated she could work better in a team concept at SC, but she also needs to figure out - at the professional level - how to contribute when her shot is not falling.

As an example, both Davis and Gray shot 38 percent from the floor. But Davis only averaged 1.5 rebounds in 15.5 mpg. By contrast, Gray averaged nearly 4.0 rebounds in just over 27 mpg - and Gray is listed as two inches shorter than Davis. Gray also averaged 1.5 steals, which ranked 7th in the entire league. Davis shot much better from three (42 percent to 29 percent), but Gray made up for it by shooting over 80 percent from the free throw line while getting to the line 4 times per game.

@bballnut90 's comparison to Shekinna Stricklen is a very good one (especially considering they are the exact same height and had similar problems when first entering the league). If Davis can turn herself into a three-point specialist on a team with scorers around her, that would be incredible. But she also needs to contribute in other areas when her shot is not falling.
 

CocoHusky

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Given her lineage (with her father being regarded as a very blue collar, hardworking player), it is surprising that Davis has not put in the work to improve her jump shooting accuracy. She demonstrated she could work better in a team concept at SC, but she also needs to figure out - at the professional level - how to contribute when her shot is not falling.

As an example, both Davis and Gray shot 38 percent from the floor. But Davis only averaged 1.5 rebounds in 15.5 mpg. By contrast, Gray averaged nearly 4.0 rebounds in just over 27 mpg - and Gray is listed as two inches shorter than Davis. Gray also averaged 1.5 steals, which ranked 7th in the entire league. Davis shot much better from three (42 percent to 29 percent), but Gray made up for it by shooting over 80 percent from the free throw line while getting to the line 4 times per game.

@bballnut90 's comparison to Shekinna Stricklen is a very good one (especially considering they are the exact same height and had similar problems when first entering the league). If Davis can turn herself into a three-point specialist on a team with scorers around her, that would be incredible. But she also needs to contribute in other areas when her shot is not falling.
Davis was doomed biologically from her mother's side of the family. If you have ever encountered the mother, as I have on multiple unpleasant occasions, you would instantly understand why.
 

RockyMTblue2

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By the time I realized I put the wrong month it was too late. That's what happens when you get into your 30s I hear. Things start to slip.

Go ahead, flaunt it to the $0.05 gas crowd.
 

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