Interesting article on difficulties integrating WNBA and International League efforts

[eebmg]

Provocative article regarding difficulties of foreign prospects/players in WNBA and the tension between the WNBA and Euroleague type competitions / opportunities.

It’s time for us to appreciate women’s professional basketball abroad more


Added benefit. Glowing report of Bria Hartley (with video highlights and Turkish announcers saying her name with a strong accent is really cool). Not surprising considering how well she played in the 2nd half for the liberty.


"The Turkish KBSL is probably the most competitive European league from top to bottom. One of their mid-table teams, Mersin Buyuksehir Belediye, has two WNBA starters on their team, namely New York Liberty point guard Bria Hartley and Washington Mystics center Krystal Thomas.

This season, Mersin is currently seventh in the KBSL with a 14-11 record and play tough games practically every week because of parity. But they had more success in continental play. Mersin advanced to the EuroCup Women quarterfinals before losing to Italian club Reyer Venezia Mestre on aggregate.

Hartley is Mersin’s leading scorer where she averaged 19.7 points and 4.7 assists in the KBSL while she averaged 17.6 points and 4 assists in EuroCup Women. Below, you can see a strong performance she had in KBSL play against Fenerbahçe:"

Don't know how to embed the clip but it is a keeper.

 

[Roger G]

Remember Bria before she had her injury in college. She was an almost Maya Moore. Yet she never really fully recovered and played up to her full potential. Maybe she finally will. I would love to see her as she seems to be a great young woman.