Haley Jones vs Azzi Fudd....Who is the All American?

[TeamFirst!]

I love Haley Jones as a player but this year it isn't even close:

PPG: Jones = 11 vs Fudd = 24
Overall Shooting Percentage: Jones = .444 vs. Fudd = .544
3 Pt Percentage: Jones = .083 vs Fudd = .435
Turnovers: Jones = 25 vs Fudd = 11

Jones has a rebounding edge, assist edge and blocking edge but that's it. Azzi has more steals and better free throw percentage. Azzi is the clear All American so far this year.

 

[oldhusky]

Jones is a very interesting player. She has some point guard skills but could be a good PF as well. Tremendous versatility, and in everything other than shooting/scoring she is probably superior to Azzi, but there is no comparison shooting.

Jones is a mediocre shooter and in a high efficiency offense like Stanford's, they try to get the ball inside to the bigs, or outside to the better shooters. Against most competition that works very well. The interesting thing is against top competition Jones often becomes the go to scorer. The easy baskets inside and open looks outside are reduced and then Haley Jones creating for herself is the best option.

Her ability to get at least a so so shot on demand is very valuable weapon when the better options are being shut down. Azzi by comparison is a great shooter/scorer who you are looking to get as many shots for as possible all game long, She is not option B or C, she is option A.

As for the WNBA possibilities, I expect Haley Jones to be a fine player that is above average in most categories, but I do not expect her to be an above average scorer at the next level. Obviously I wish we had her, and Stanford's and South Carolina's success (with Boston) the last few seasons is a constant reminder of one year where the recruiting did come up short.

Maybe other programs will have the same reaction some day, wondering what could have been if they nabbed Paige or Azzi instead of us!

 

[The deacon]

I love Haley Jones as a player but this year it isn't even close:

PPG: Jones = 11 vs Fudd = 24
Overall Shooting Percentage: Jones = .444 vs. Fudd = .544
3 Pt Percentage: Jones = .083 vs Fudd = .435
Turnovers: Jones = 25 vs Fudd = 11

Jones has a rebounding edge, assist edge and blocking edge but that's it. Azzi has more steals and better free throw percentage. Azzi is the clear All American so far this year.

I'm often with you, TeamFirst, but you lost me here. I'm very much a proponent for Azzi being an All-American this year, and I know Haley has not shot great.... actually, she only occasionally has. However, your line that 'all' Haley has the edge on is rebounding, assists and blocks kind of hurts your point, wouldn't you say? As Oldhuskie followed up by saying, Haley has 'tremendous versatility, and in everything other than shooting/scoring she is probably superior to Azzi.'

Remember, too, that in so many of Stanford's big games ever since Jones has been there, she has been the Cardinal's go-to player in big situations, and she usually delivers, at a rate better than her typical stats. At least at this point in the season, both Azzi and Haley should be considered clear All-Americans.

 

[Zarathustra]

BOTH! It may be decided by what team does better during the
whole season. Of course, Azzi has the edge now. A shoe-in!

 

[my2cents]

We don't get to see many Stanford games, the only game I saw was Stanford vs South Carolina. The only reason SC won was because of the bad shot choices Jones made.

 

[Bone Dog]

Are Haley and Azzi competing for the same spot? I don’t normally think of Haley as a shooting guard. Though in a sense she fills a role similar to what Evina did for us, though with more size. That “Swiss army knife” player is sometimes hard to categorize.

 

[eebmg]

Well, decided to look at those pesky stats. The way everyone was talking, I thought she had 5 or 6 assists per game But 3.3 (and 2.5 TO) per game. If Azzi was asked to be a PG (i.e Nika could ,not make the transition to Point God), Azzi could more than match that stat line. She is a very clever passer but Geno pushes her to shoot first and often. Rebounds might also be easier if she did not spend so much time 30+ feet from the basket to rain 3's. Anyway, the numbers are for all to see.
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[The deacon]

Well, decided to look at those pesky stats. The way everyone was talking, I thought she had 5 or 6 assists per game But 3.3 (and 2.5 TO) per game. If Azzi was asked to be a PG (i.e Nika could ,not make the transition to Point God), Azzi could more than match that stat line. She is a very clever passer but Geno pushes her to shoot first and often. Rebounds might also be easier if she did not spend so much time 30+ feet from the basket to rain 3's. Anyway, the numbers are for all to see.
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I think we're all dancing around the reality that Azzi and Haley should BOTH be All-Americans this year, or at least are headed that way. Throw in another superior talent often talked about on the Boneyard, Caitlin Clark, and we have three of the best players in the country, all playing different roles on their teams yet all worthy of All-American honors. It shouldn't be either/or for Jones and Fudd, nor for either of them or Clark.

Frankly, we're talking about three of the best players in women's college basketball, and comparisons are fun, yet really pointless. We're thrilled Azzi is on the Huskies, just as Stanford fans surely are happy to have Haley, and Hawkeye fans know they'd be, well, lost without Caitlin.

 

[Next 12]

I am a Uconn fan and do not have all the facts and figures like the way more knowledgeable posters so as a fan with little concern in numbers, I say AZZI!! AZZI is more AA to her teammates because of her scoring and new defensive skills that I'll put against most players she will face. GO AZZI!!! GO HUSKIES!!!

 

[Bone Dog]

If Brink can control the fouling, which she may be on the way to this season, then she gets my vote.

 

[MD#12Fan]

I’ll chime in. Of course, Team First doesn’t understand that the 2 players to be compared play different positions. (such as not knowing the value of a true point guard)
How about comparing Fudd and Clark?
Anyone see Clark taking ridiculous jumpers from the logo the other night. Azzi understands team play. When is somebody gunna take away Clark’s drive to the right? See if she is as effective going left.
I know AE is our post, but I predict that she evolves into a 3 at the next level. I consider Jones to be a 3. Who would you take, Jones or AE for your team? (Totally agree with earlier post- Jones’ play versus SC was nothing short of hideous. WCBB is totally figuring her out. Nika could shut her down totally and Azzi can play their freshman point guard. Brink will flop around and get in foul trouble. Only concern for me re: Stanford is the other bigs. Dorka.)

 

[Bone Dog]

Anyone see Clark taking ridiculous jumpers from the logo the other night. Azzi understands team play. When is somebody gunna take away Clark’s drive to the right? See if she is as effective going left.

I agree about the poor shot selection and team play. I'd choose Azzi over her any day. But I don't think stopping Clark's drive is as simple as taking away the move to the right. She scores to the left as well -- maybe she's not quite as proficient going left, but if defenders overplay the right, it won't matter much. Plus, the problem of that quick release on the jumper makes overplays even more counter productive, not to mention her excellent passing. Clark is a great player and there are no easy solutions to defending her.

It's tempting to think of Clark as an alternative to Paige, but she really isn't. She scored 22 in the first half and the commentators were wondering why Czinano wasn't getting the ball much. Clark relies on her shooting to win the close games, and often loses them because of this. She has admitted as much herself. For Paige it's not the ball in her hand that wins the game. It's the team she's molded that wins the close ones. I imagine Geno recruited Clark too, but I'm very sure Paige was who he wanted most of all.

 

[MD#12Fan]

I agree about the poor shot selection and team play. I'd choose Azzi over her any day. But I don't think stopping Clark's drive is as simple as taking away the move to the right. She scores to the left as well -- maybe she's not quite as proficient going left, but if defenders overplay the right, it won't matter much. Plus, the problem of that quick release on the jumper makes overplays even more counter productive, not to mention her excellent passing. Clark is a great player and there are no easy solutions to defending her.

It's tempting to think of Clark as an alternative to Paige, but she really isn't. She scored 22 in the first half and the commentators were wondering why Czinano wasn't getting the ball much. Clark relies on her shooting to win the close games, and often loses them because of this. She has admitted as much herself. For Paige it's not the ball in her hand that wins the game. It's the team she's molded that wins the close ones. I imagine Geno recruited Clark too, but I'm very sure Paige was who he wanted most of all.

I agree about your analysis of team play. It is such a delicate balance. I am a huge Larry Bird fan and I often wondered how he knew when to shoot or not to shoot.
I‘m not as enamored with Clark as you are. It’s about team involvement, like you point out, and about getting good shots. Just because Clark shoots it, it doesn’t mean it’s a good shot. (IMO same for Azzi as well) Clark single-handedly got Iowa within 6-8 against NC St, but then she pulls an off-balance shot from the logo. Instant end to the rally. Ugh. Sorry, IMO ugly!
I‘m probably older than you- Clark reminds me of Pistol Pete in college at LSU. Saw him on TV once or twice. (NIT) Impossible to love the volume of crazy shots. Not even basketball. It’s a spectacle though.

 

[TeamFirst!]

I continue to be surprised by the responses here. It’s not even close folks. Look at the numbers. Haley is 1 for 12 for the year as a 3 point shooter. And All American selections are usually not defined by “well, we’ve got to have a 3 in this slot and a 1 there” as much as generally selecting bigs and perimeter players but maybe some people “do not understand” that. Jones is a good player but surely there are many others who warrant selection over her this year.

 

[Bone Dog]

I agree about your analysis of team play. It is such a delicate balance. I am a huge Larry Bird fan and I often wondered how he knew when to shoot or not to shoot.
I‘m not as enamored with Clark as you are. It’s about team involvement, like you point out, and about getting good shots. Just because Clark shoots it, it doesn’t mean it’s a good shot. (IMO same for Azzi as well) Clark single-handedly got Iowa within 6-8 against NC St, but then she pulls an off-balance shot from the logo. Instant end to the rally. Ugh. Sorry, IMO ugly!
I‘m probably older than you- Clark reminds me of Pistol Pete in college at LSU. Saw him on TV once or twice. (NIT) Impossible to love the volume of crazy shots. Not even basketball. It’s a spectacle though.

I remember Pistol Pete, though I mainly remember him from his Celtics days. I didn’t follow the NBA much in the 70s. It was the lost decade for me. 60s and 80s were when I followed pro ball.

 

[nwhoopfan]

If you dissect stats, probably need to look at minutes per game. Brink was mentioned, she's only averaging 18 mpg. Double that and she'd be putting up some monster numbers.

 

[Valleyfan]

Like most of the poster, I agree - there’s no debate. better shooter, HJ better basketball player. If your team was only missing a shooter, , but if you were picking first it would be HJ

 

[TeamFirst!]

It's about honoring a player as ALL AMERICAN. It has nothing to do with who is the 1st pick in the draft and even that is debateable.
The numbers are not even close.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well Miles was the best player on the floor today and it wasn't even close. Still a really small sample size so far this year to be making declarations about awards.

 

[bballnut90]

Jones getting AA last year wasn't stats based. She's has had a knack for stepping up in big games, making big plays and winning. Especially in big games she's been great. She's never been one to require a lot of shots to play well and doesn't seem to have a problem letting others step up and taking a back seat if a teammate is hot or someone else is playing well. This year however, I don't feel the same. She's had 2 good games so far with many other games where she's been more of a support player, and against SC she just didn't play well. I don't think Stanford needs to have a 1st Team AA representative this year even if they are a top 2 team. If anyone gets it, I think it's Brink, but Cameron is only playing 18 minutes a game. As a team they're incredibly deep, balanced, unselfish and can beat you in a variety of ways. Only 3 players average over 20 minutes per game.

Fudd's a much better scorer and a likely 1st Team AA if she keeps up her level of play.

 

[Huskie02]

I love Haley Jones as a player but this year it isn't even close:

PPG: Jones = 11 vs Fudd = 24
Overall Shooting Percentage: Jones = .444 vs. Fudd = .544
3 Pt Percentage: Jones = .083 vs Fudd = .435
Turnovers: Jones = 25 vs Fudd = 11

Jones has a rebounding edge, assist edge and blocking edge but that's it. Azzi has more steals and better free throw percentage. Azzi is the clear All American so far this year.

After today Jones. Azzi was a non factor up to the point she got hurt.

 

[HuskyNan]

Well Miles was the best player on the floor today and it wasn't even close. Still a really small sample size so far this year to be making declarations about awards.

Did you suddenly turn into a UConn fan? I can’t imagine why you would post this now otherwise