In Praise of Napheesa

[JudgeSCR]

Napheesa is not flashy. She will rarely hit the three that takes your breath away. She does nothing to draw attention to herself. But we should pause to recognize what a crazy game Napheesa had against SMU and what a great year she is having. She gets a little lost in the rightful swoon over Katie Lou’s offense and Gabby’s all-around athleticism and play. This is to take nothing away from any of the other Core Four (okay I gave up on the Fantastic Four). They play great together and make each other better. However, we should pause and look at what Napheesa has done.

Yesterday her numbers were 19/16/6. That’s 19 points, 16 rebounds and 6 blocks! She also had 2 assists and 0 turnovers and 0 steals – what a slacker! That is just a crazy game, particularly considering that she only played 29 minutes and was either matched against the 6’3” Froling or the 6’5” Collins. Maybe the size of those two accounted for her “off” shooting night – she only shot 61% (versus her normal 65%). And 6 blocks are just amazing. She blocked shots on the perimeter, on drives and under the basket. When you block shots like that they not only stop that particular play but they tend to speed the other team up because they become aware of the consequences otherwise.

That game, while extraordinary should not shock us. Napheesa is 2nd of the starters in scoring, rebounds and steals (and second lowest in turnovers). She is 1st in blocks and field goal percentage. Her offense, while not flashy, is unstoppable on the low blocks. Her defense improves daily. Her rebounding is steady at a very high level. What’s not to love?

Her yearly averages show repeated excellence: 19.3 points (65% FGs), 8 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. Let’s get some UConn perspective here. Stewie, in her sophomore year averaged 19.4 points (49% FGs), 8.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. Virtually the same numbers as Napheesa and those numbers garnered Stewie AP Player of the Year honors! I am not saying that Napheesa is as good as Stewie. Or that she affects the game in the same way. But her results are stunningly similar and similarly spectacular. Napheesa does not have Stewie's length or long arms. What she does accomplish she accomplishes with basketball knowledge and savvy and a subtle array of post moves. She fights for great position, has great hands (when was the last time she dropped a pass she could have caught?), reads the ball in the air and off the rim and knows where she is and how to get the space needed to put the ball in the hole. Again, nothing flashy but devastatingly efficient.

We should also remember that these numbers have been put up during the toughest part of the UConn schedule. Some in games where Napheesa and Gabby have been asked to hold their own against taller and bigger players.

If Napheesa carries this type of performance through the year, it would be a gross injustice if she doesn’t make All American.

 

[Suebird10fan]

Amen!!!

As I posted elsewhere Napheesa is the #2 NPOY in the country after Kelsey Plum IMHO. Yes, gross injustice if she doesn't make AA.

 

[BobbyJ]

My favorite. A coach's dream on and off the floor. And she's gonna get better.

 

[MilfordHusky]

19 ppg at UConn is a benchmark. In the past 15+ years, only 2 players have passed that threshold. No one in the great class of 2002 did. Not even Diana did. Tina, in her senior NPOY season, averaged 18.2 ppg. The great Stewie averaged 19.4 ppg as a sophomore and as a senior. The iconic Maya Moore averaged 22.3 ppg as a senior, on her way to 3,036 career points.

Currently, Pheesa is at 19.3, virtually the same as Stewie in her best scoring seasons. Lou is still over 20 ppg, better than anyone other than Maya in over 15 years.

 

[tonehill68]

I posted some time back about what I think her best attribute was -- her temperment. This along with her skill set and desire will make her an AA (imo and others). She had a great game but it went unnoticed because it snuck up on you. I love her game and just hope the voters that are watching these games select her as the All American she "is". Go Phesa!!!!

 

[DefenseBB]

I feel that posting what I am about to say will sound a negative of Pheesa of which this is not. As far as NPOY, the candidate must be considered the #1 option on their own team and NC has GREAT stats and UConn would not be where they are without any of the top 7, however the #1 on the team is KLS that all teams have to try to stop. KLS ability to light it up and take inside as well as her 3 pt shot is lethal. Pheesa is great inside and the Stewie like numbers are remarkable. She deserves AA team recognition however getting to NPOY is a bit of a reach especially with the year Plum is having.

 

[Scud49]

She is simply wonderful, and a perfect fit with the others. I love her soft "shooter's touch" - IMO it's a natural ability that can't be coached in. When I see her putting it up, I know I feel good inside.

 

[Los24]

I think if someone doesn't knock off UConn this year they won't until Pheese and Lou leave. Their play compliments each other so well. To me Pheese is "the assassin," she gets her business done quitely and by the time you notice it's over.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Her athleticism is deceptive because she is so fluid. Her little rising jumper is a thing of beauty and is rarely missed. She's money.

 

[NoelAustin]

When I watched what Napheesa did in the last five seconds of the 3rd quarter of the NC game, I knew she would be extraordinary. She has "presence" in a big way, like many before her - Sue, DT, Maya; it is what separated Larry Bird, Wayne Gretzgy, and Joe Montana. I look forward to her success as a pro, but will enjoy the rest of her career at UConn.

 

[BostonCanuck]

Yep, I love me some Napheesa Collier!

 

[Roundball fan]

Silky smooth and yes she is money in the bank. I think we have all come to expect every shot she takes will go down and wonder why it didn't when she misses. Napheesa and Gabby make the game a lot of fun when the are eating up all those big girls on the other teams.

 

[ricky]

Napheesa is not flashy. She will rarely hit the three that takes your breath away. She does nothing to draw attention to herself. But we should pause to recognize what a crazy game Napheesa had against SMU and what a great year she is having. She gets a little lost in the rightful swoon over Katie Lou’s offense and Gabby’s all-around athleticism and play. This is to take nothing away from any of the other Core Four (okay I gave up on the Fantastic Four). They play great together and make each other better. However, we should pause and look at what Napheesa has done.

Yesterday her numbers were 19/16/6. That’s 19 points, 16 rebounds and 6 blocks! She also had 2 assists and 0 turnovers and 0 steals – what a slacker! That is just a crazy game, particularly considering that she only played 29 minutes and was either matched against the 6’3” Froling or the 6’5” Collins. Maybe the size of those two accounted for her “off” shooting night – she only shot 61% (versus her normal 65%). And 6 blocks are just amazing. She blocked shots on the perimeter, on drives and under the basket. When you block shots like that they not only stop that particular play but they tend to speed the other team up because they become aware of the consequences otherwise.

That game, while extraordinary should not shock us. Napheesa is 2nd of the starters in scoring, rebounds and steals (and second lowest in turnovers). She is 1st in blocks and field goal percentage. Her offense, while not flashy, is unstoppable on the low blocks. Her defense improves daily. Her rebounding is steady at a very high level. What’s not to love?

Her yearly averages show repeated excellence: 19.3 points (65% FGs), 8 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. Let’s get some UConn perspective here. Stewie, in her sophomore year averaged 19.4 points (49% FGs), 8.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. Virtually the same numbers as Napheesa and those numbers garnered Stewie AP Player of the Year honors! I am not saying that Napheesa is as good as Stewie. Or that she affects the game in the same way. But her results are stunningly similar and similarly spectacular. Napheesa does not have Stewie's length or long arms. What she does accomplish she accomplishes with basketball knowledge and savvy and a subtle array of post moves. She fights for great position, has great hands (when was the last time she dropped a pass she could have caught?), reads the ball in the air and off the rim and knows where she is and how to get the space needed to put the ball in the hole. Again, nothing flashy but devastatingly efficient.

We should also remember that these numbers have been put up during the toughest part of the UConn schedule. Some in games where Napheesa and Gabby have been asked to hold their own against taller and bigger players.

If Napheesa carries this type of performance through the year, it would be a gross injustice if she doesn’t make All American.

I see her turn around shot, fade shot and bank shots as some of the purest and sweetest shots I have ever seen. How much flash are we talking? These are also very high percentage shots. Then her rebounding and and huscle efforts are simply tenacious. Why not let her start shooting more three's?

 

[BostonCanuck]

I see her turn around shot, fade shot and bank shots as some of the purest and sweetest shots I have ever seen. How much flash are we talking? These are also very high percentage shots. Then her rebounding and and huscle efforts are simply tenacious. Why not let her start shooting more three's?

I think she has the total green light to take the uncontested three. And the beauty is that she's taking them, and other good mid-range J's, when it makes sense to do so. Potted a nice three on Saturday on the inbounds from Lou.

 

[ricky]

I think she has the total green light to take the uncontested three. And the beauty is that she's taking them, and other good mid-range J's, when it makes sense to do so. Potted a nice three on Saturday on the inbounds from Lou.

I saw that shot and that's what I would expect after watching U19. But come to think about it, she is so good at cleaning up missed shots. You need her near the rim. The arc is too far to let her roam for too long.

 

[Bigboote]

I feel that posting what I am about to say will sound a negative of Pheesa of which this is not. As far as NPOY, the candidate must be considered the #1 option on their own team and NC has GREAT stats and UConn would not be where they are without any of the top 7, however the #1 on the team is KLS that all teams have to try to stop. KLS ability to light it up and take inside as well as her 3 pt shot is lethal. Pheesa is great inside and the Stewie like numbers are remarkable. She deserves AA team recognition however getting to NPOY is a bit of a reach especially with the year Plum is having.

I'm not sure I'd say that Lou is the clear #1 on the team. She scores about one point per game more than Napheesa, which I'd attach minor significance to. Pheese has led the team in scoring in seven games, Lou in six; minor significance. Pheese has the better inside game, Lou the better perimeter, they're about equal in mid-range. If the game is on the line and you need a three, Lou is the better option, if you need a two, Pheesa is.

I'd certainly say they have two #1's, and as has been said before, they may cancel each other out in POY voting.

 

[hugefan]

Not even close to either Williams or KLS. 90% of her shots are within 2 feet of the basket and the majority of those shots come due to the passing of the perimeter players and especially Williams. Williams is also the better threat from 15 feet than Collier. That is not a knock but factual. She is never the top focus of the defense and thus is left open for a lot of those shots but the passers make the other teams defense pay. A question to ask is why? Well the offense is geared toward players scoring from where they are capable, A player is left open in areas where the opposing coach wants them to take shots. Uconn has shooters who provide more scoring and efficiency from behind the arc as those shots give more points and can burry teams.

 

[ricky]

Not even close to either Williams or KLS. 90% of her shots are within 2 feet of the basket and the majority of those shots come due to the passing of the perimeter players and especially Williams. Williams is also the better threat from 15 feet than Collier. That is not a knock but factual. She is never the top focus of the defense and thus is left open for a lot of those shots but the passers make the other teams defense pay. A question to ask is why? Well the offense is geared toward players scoring from where they are capable, A player is left open in areas where the opposing coach wants them to take shots. Uconn has shooters who provide more scoring and efficiency from behind the arc as those shots give more points and can burry teams.

I understand the math that 3 is more than 2 points. But when you miss all those 3's, Collier is there to to clean your mess. Like mom.

 

[hugefan]

I understand the math that 3 is more than 2 points. But when you miss all those 3's, Collier is there to to clean your mess. Like mom.

I think you mean Williams is there to clean up she leads the team in rebounds in less minutes and I guess you really don't understand math just as you don't understand team basketball

 

[ricky]

I think you mean Williams is there to clean up she leads the team in rebounds in less minutes and I guess you really don't understand math just as you don't understand team basketball

I know this much. If you jack up a bunch of 3's, you need rebounders. That's role playing and team work 101. Write that down.

 

[hugefan]

But obviously you are missing on the fact that without 3s then you only have players who will have no room to get open looks and players who won't get open looks as they wouldn't have teammates to pass them the ball. Oh btw I think we are typing not writing.

That's the beauty of Williams she can soar over players that are bigger and make great passes.

 

[donalddoowop]

Not even close to either Williams or KLS. 90% of her shots are within 2 feet of the basket and the majority of those shots come due to the passing of the perimeter players and especially Williams. Williams is also the better threat from 15 feet than Collier. That is not a knock but factual. She is never the top focus of the defense and thus is left open for a lot of those shots but the passers make the other teams defense pay. A question to ask is why? Well the offense is geared toward players scoring from where they are capable, A player is left open in areas where the opposing coach wants them to take shots. Uconn has shooters who provide more scoring and efficiency from behind the arc as those shots give more points and can burry teams.

What is not even close is your statement that she is not close to being as good as Williams or Samuelson. That is not even close to being the truth. Collier plays where she can best help the team and where the coaches tell her to play. It's one thing to say Collier is not as good as Williams or Samuelson, but to say she is not close to being as good is not true. Did playing close to the basket cause Bill Russell, Patrick Ewing, Bill Walton, or Wilt Chamberlain hamper them from being some of the best players in basketball history? There are many players who play inside who are not nearly as effective as Collier. Just saying.

 

[ricky]

But obviously you are missing on the fact that without 3s then you only have players who will have no room to get open looks and players who won't get open looks as they wouldn't have teammates to pass them the ball. Oh btw I think we are typing not writing.

That's the beauty of Williams she can soar over players that are bigger and make great passes.

I rarely miss a fact in they same way Collier rarely misses a rebound. Rebounds are important for your second chance 3's and 2's. UConn will need those in some up coming games.

 

[hugefan]

What is not even close is your statement that she is not close to being as good as Williams or Samuelson. That is not even close to being the truth. Collier plays where she can best help the team and where the coaches tell her to play. It's one thing to say Collier is not as good as Williams or Samuelson, but to say she is not close to being as good is not true. Did playing close to the basket cause Bill Russell, Patrick Ewing, Bill Walton, or Wilt Chamberlain hamper them from being some of the best players in basketball history? There are many players who play inside who are not nearly as effective as Collier. Just saying.

You are misreading and over reacting, the post I was responding to was a generalization that a certain player was better at everything than everyone else. As I stated there are areas of the game where other players are better and needed, not generalizations. Unlike some I don't have disdain for some players, I believe you need a squad to be successful, you need balance and there are reasons why a player like Williams may get overlooked as she is the giver over the recipient.

 

[wallman]

Excellent point. Williams is oft not recognized as the anchor of the front court both offensively and defensively.