Kelly Faris in the wnba?

[svetbird]

what do you guys think her chances are? will she be drafted? I would love to see the storm take her!

 

[psconn]

She will be drafted. The trick is sticking on a team... very few roster spots.

 

[EricLA]

Not only will she be drafted, but she will go in the first round. Definitely in the top 10 and possibly in the top 5. This is a player who ANY team would love to have. Oh, and she'd start on most teams in the WNBA. Maybe not her first year, but definitely her 2nd. She's a better all around player than Kalana Greene, who starts on a Sun team many thought might win the WNBA title last year.

Not to pick on anyone, but I find it a tad surprising that any UCONN fan who's followed the team this season would even ask that, never mind suggest she "might" be drafted, but the "trick" is finding a spot on the roster. Honestly, she's better than at least 50% of the players in the WNBA as of right now.

 

[prebivalka]

She will be top 10 pick, I'd place a bet right now. But I think she will be even better. And I hope we get to see her in Europe some day too!

 

[psconn]

Kelly is an excellent player who will be a high draft choice. I was not providing analysis, just a quick answer. The fact is that a number of really good college players have struggled in the pros. It is a higher level of play where each individual is the best of the best from the previous talent pool. Similar to the high school to college transition. The average player she will face is bigger, faster and more experienced than opponents were in college. As I said, the trick is to stick on a very limited roster. I made no prediction or assessment of Kelly's chances, just stated that fact.

I also believe Kelly will succeed at the next level. If she adjusts to the talent level quickly, the are spots for her. The Sun have at least one or two depending on Alba Torrens status.

As enthusiastic as I am for Kelly in the pros, I will not make the kind of statements that fans here made about our 3 freshmen. They also are very good with tons of potential, but the game is different and it can take time to adjust. "Better than 50% of the players RIGHT NOW" This statement seems a bit of hyperbole (at her position or the whole league?) and can't be fact-based till she gets there.

You don' get four years to figure it out in the WNBA but Kelly should be a quick study and a welcome addition to several WNBA rosters.

 

[CL82]

I have no doubt she'll make a team and no doubt that she'll stick. It may take a bit though before she adjusts to the size, speed and athleticism difference. She's a smart kid. She'll figure it out and be playing a long time.

 

[bruinbball]

Agreed. Many players that have struggled in the WNBA are ones whose primary role was scoring. Roughly 50 players in the WNBA average 10+ points per game. Kelly may not be one of them but the good thing is that not many other players can bring the rebounding passing defense and intangibles that Kelly can bring. I wouldn't be surprised to see her have a 10 year WNBA career.

 

[semper]

She will play, and then she will coach!

 

[reno tony]

I hope she plays in the WNBA for as long as she likes. If not, she still has her part time job as Superwoman. And if she still isn't busy enough, I would love to see her come back to UCONN as an assistant coach. Can't think of many former players that Geno would trust more.

Kelly Faris is Superwoman in disguise!!​

 

[diggerfoot]

I think the concern expressed, the greater athleticism of the WNBA, works to Faris's advantage. Auriemma just stated that Faris might have been the most athletic even when Moore was here .... yes, hyperbole for sure, but Faris will have NO trouble with the athleticism of the WNBA. It's not just that she's stronger than she looks, she's quicker and faster as well.

This is in contrast with Stewart's adjustment to UConn, or with many college players adjustment to the WNBA, for which the argument "but the adjustment to the greater size, speed, strength, etc." applies. Her talent level will not make her the go to star for any team, but it is precisely her athleticism paired with her determination that should make her a regular for any team.

 

[svetbird]

Not only will she be drafted, but she will go in the first round. Definitely in the top 10 and possibly in the top 5. This is a player who ANY team would love to have. Oh, and she'd start on most teams in the WNBA. Maybe not her first year, but definitely her 2nd. She's a better all around player than Kalana Greene, who starts on a Sun team many thought might win the WNBA title last year.

Not to pick on anyone, but I find it a tad surprising that any UCONN fan who's followed the team this season would even ask that, never mind suggest she "might" be drafted, but the "trick" is finding a spot on the roster. Honestly, she's better than at least 50% of the players in the WNBA as of right now.

I love her game and the team obviously, but was asking because any mock draft I see has not had her picked at all. I have thought some of our other girls might get a look at the wnba who didn’t. As a Storm fan (and seeing how Sue talks about her ) I would love for them to pick her up. If not Connecticut would be great!

 

[bruinbball]

I thought if Lauren Jackson was playing this year, Kelly would be a great addition to the roster. however, I feel if Kelsey Bone comes out, she has improved her game throughout this year and would be a good pickup at the 5th spot in the draft and fill some needs for Seattle.

 

[Bigpetunia]

Kelly strikes me as a young woman who has the intelligence, the self-discipline, and the tendency to set such high standards for herself that part of me hopes she will opt out of furthering her basketball career altogether and adopt some alternative, loftier pursuit. Is she a great player? Undoubtedly. Would she be an asset to any WNBA team? Naturally. But the gifts she brings to the floor, her selflessness, her unrelenting drive, her determination to push herself beyond her actual level of talent...these gifts which we fans have come to so heartily appreciate are, I suspect, more germane to the college game than the professional game. She'd be good, no doubt, but probably something less than great at that level...whereas, well, I harbor no doubt whatsoever that she'd be a great and inspiring teacher, or surgeon, or community leader. Nothing wrong with playing basketball...but she just has all the ingredients, I think, to change course entirely and be a superstar in another arena.

 

[McHuskyFan]

I'm sure Kelly will go in the top half of the first round ... I just hope it's for a team that will be able to give her some playing time. She's got the brains & the bod for it

 

[Biff]

Kelly strikes me as a young woman who has the intelligence, the self-discipline, and the tendency to set such high standards for herself that part of me hopes she will opt out of furthering her basketball career altogether and adopt some alternative, loftier pursuit. Is she a great player? Undoubtedly. Would she be an asset to any WNBA team? Naturally. But the gifts she brings to the floor, her selflessness, her unrelenting drive, her determination to push herself beyond her actual level of talent...these gifts which we fans have come to so heartily appreciate are, I suspect, more germane to the college game than the professional game. She'd be good, no doubt, but probably something less than great at that level...whereas, well, I harbor no doubt whatsoever that she'd be a great and inspiring teacher, or surgeon, or community leader. Nothing wrong with playing basketball...but she just has all the ingredients, I think, to change course entirely and be a superstar in another arena.

You write like playing at the professional level and becoming an inspiring "whatever" are mutually exclusive. They are not.

 

[rocky rococo]

In reading around the web, I find that nobody outside of UConn fans believes Kelly has WNBA potential. Some are vociferous in their dismissal of Kelly to the point it seems that in some, mere mention of her name triggers an apopleptic reaction. If WNBA GMs generally share this apparent consensus opinion, she could be the steal of the draft as a late second or even third round pick.

A couple of people here have mentioned the Sun, but that's probably the team that has the skills and roles Kelly offerrs best covered with Kalana and Hightower. I've also seen Seattle mentioned, that might make a better fit and if the internet consensus is shared by GMs, Agler could pick her up easily in the 2d round. Other places I can see her fitting in well include San Antonio, and the two teams closest to her home, Chicago and Indiana.

 

[easttexastrash]

Top 5. She has all the skills.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think Mike T. likes her.

Kelly is an elite athlete. She has outstanding basketball smarts. She plays harder than 90% of the WNBA players. She has developed an offensive repertoire. As Al Davis said, "Just win, baby." That's what Kelly does. She's the Queen of the Postseason.

In some ways, Kelly is the opposite of Tiffany. Tiff could be the best player on the floor, even with Maya and Tina. She scored 30 points in a half. But her problem was consistency and she struggled in big games. Kelly does not have the offensive skills of Tiff, but she is very consistent and reliable, especially in pressure situations.

Teams passed on Tiffany last year, and she wound up being the steal of the draft. I'm thinking that at least one team will be smart enough to grab the kid with the UConn pedigree this year--the one who will change the team's culture.

 

[MarieYLee]

I think she can go anywhere from 7-12. Maybe 6 if Bone doesn't declare.