Kelly Graves calls out players

[BRS24]

So, when UConn lost to AZ last year, Geno mentioned at some point that the players were immature, however I don't remember him saying it at the post-game presser, so I'm surprised that Graves went all in, especially as OR had quite a few challenges with injuries.

Oregon women's basketball coach Kelly Graves calls out players after Ducks fall in 2OT

"I think at times our players have acted and performed entitled," Graves said. "I mean, we have had a nice run. We made it at least to the Sweet 16 every year since 2017. First first-round exit in a long time. This group hasn't won anything. We haven't won a Pac-12 championship. We haven't won in the NCAA tournament, with great depth."

"I think we've got to come back and work harder and be tougher," Graves said. "I think at times we're not tough. I think there were times tonight -- at some point you just say, 'Hey, toughen up, let's go. I know you're banged up. Doesn't matter. We need you.' I just think that happens, and I think it's a mindset. I think we've got to come back and hungrier because we're no longer the hunted. We're hunting like everybody else."

 

[Mdoggie]

Absolutely nothing wrong with his statement.

 

[Geew1992]

I have no problem with what he said.

I have a question about Prince… what was she ranked out of high school? Is this the player she was then? Has her injury affected how she plays now?

 

[CocoHusky]

I have no problem with what he said.

I have a question about Prince… what was she ranked out of high school? Is this the player she was then? Has her injury affected how she plays now?

Sedona was ranked 8th in her HS Class. She was a much better player before the injury. Keep in mind that her injury was at USA basketball where she was competing on a front line with ONO and NaLyssa Smith. Despite her size she was not really a true post more of a finesse forward stretch four. She has remaining eligibility, I wonder if she'll be back given Graves comments.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Sedona was ranked 8th in her HS Class. She was a much better player before the injury. Keep in mind that her injury was at USA basketball where she was competing on a front line with ONO and NaLyssa Smith. Despite her size she was not really a true post more of a finesse forward stretch four. She has remaining eligibility, I wonder if she'll be back given Graves comments.

As soon as I read this...I assumed he meant Prince...at the very least. She can't keep running from place to place. It's not a good look. I know she prefers playing the perimeter, but they needed her size inside and she disappears at what seems the worst moments. She tries, but it just doesn't stick. I have so much respect for ONO because...she sacrificed herself to play the five because that's where she was needed.

 

[JellyBean]

I have no problem with what he said.

I have a question about Prince… what was she ranked out of high school? Is this the player she was then? Has her injury affected how she plays now?

sedona-prince

High School Girls' Basketball Recruiting Sedona Prince

www.espn.com

From what I remember back around 2017-18 range, Prince has always been a pretty versatile Big with a decent offensive game. Not the traditional post player but she had that high post game. Decent passer.

Also, I don't have a problem with what Coach Graves said about the team or players in that they may have an "entitled" mindset. I am sure some folks will have an issue with what he said or how he said it. But to me what he was saying is no different than what any elite program coach says about their team. There is a standard, in this case Oregon, that has been set and Coach Graves wants the team to reach that standard every year. I have no problem with what he said, and if players leave, that is okay. That is their choice. You just wish them well and move on.

 

[Floridaduck]

Sedona has already announced she will be back. Nyara has not made a decision but the smart money says she will go pro. I do expect some others entering the portal. Oregon has the ESPN 2nd ranked recruiting group coming in.

 

[WestsideWaltz]

As Judge Judy would say: "You picked them".

 

[GoCardinal]

As an outsider, I expected a little more out of their last highly rated class. Specifically Parrish and Scherr, not that either have been bad but I was thinking they’d make bigger impacts sooner. Parrish played only 13 minutes last night.

 

[bballnut90]

As soon as I read this...I assumed he meant Prince...at the very least. She can't keep running from place to place. It's not a good look. I know she prefers playing the perimeter, but they needed her size inside and she disappears at what seems the worst moments. She tries, but it just doesn't stick. I have much respect for ONO because...she sacrificed herself to play the five because that's where she was needed.

My guess too that this was directed at Prince. She has all the tools to be an absolutely dominant player but it hasn't panned out for whatever reason. 6-7, moves extremely well, smooth jumper, good ball handling skills, great passer...there's no reason she shouldn't be averaging 15+ PPG (her season numbers of 9.3 points, 4.9 rebounds).

 

[Figurehead]

So, when UConn lost to AZ last year, Geno mentioned at some point that the players were immature, however I don't remember him saying it at the post-game presser, so I'm surprised that Graves went all in, especially as OR had quite a few challenges with injuries.

Oregon women's basketball coach Kelly Graves calls out players after Ducks fall in 2OT

"I think at times our players have acted and performed entitled," Graves said. "I mean, we have had a nice run. We made it at least to the Sweet 16 every year since 2017. First first-round exit in a long time. This group hasn't won anything. We haven't won a Pac-12 championship. We haven't won in the NCAA tournament, with great depth."

"I think we've got to come back and work harder and be tougher," Graves said. "I think at times we're not tough. I think there were times tonight -- at some point you just say, 'Hey, toughen up, let's go. I know you're banged up. Doesn't matter. We need you.' I just think that happens, and I think it's a mindset. I think we've got to come back and hungrier because we're no longer the hunted. We're hunting like everybody else."

I am an Oregon fan and have been one for along time. I think Graves is the one with the issues. Some have questioned his health, his commitment as a coach and his ability to adapt. Something is amiss. He is not the same guy Oregon hired from Gonzaga, full of positive confidence.

I have fully supported and defended him for years but that support is eroding because I am starting to see beyond my green colored glasses. They guy can recruit as well as anyone in the country but he seems burned out and disinterested at times. His game time decisions are atrocious at times.

If he were to move on my heart would not be broken if he retired early. Oregon is a good enough job for a young coach to do well. You guys may be right about this all along. I welcome your input. Many of you were right.

 

[Figurehead]

My guess too that this was directed at Prince. She has all the tools to be an absolutely dominant player but it hasn't panned out for whatever reason. 6-7, moves extremely well, smooth jumper, good ball handling skills, great passer...there's no reason she shouldn't be averaging 15+ PPG (her season numbers of 9.3 points, 4.9 rebounds).

He told Oregon fans thru the media she was going to be a Pac-12 player of the year. He told Oregon fans Paopao was going to be the best player ever out of La Jolla Country day high school. Look at who has come out of that high school. At some point the chickens or ducks will come home to roost. He over sells the bling anf hype. Yes I am that Oregon fan who is tired of his banter.

 

[eebmg]

I am an Oregon fan and have been one for along time. I think Graves is the one with the issues. Some have questioned his health, his commitment as a coach and his ability to adapt. Something is amiss. He is not the same guy Oregon hired from Gonzaga, full of positive confidence.

I have fully supported and defended him for years but that support is eroding because I am starting to see beyond my green colored glasses. They guy can recruit as well as anyone in the country but he seems burned out and disinterested at times. His game time decisions are atrocious at times.

If he were to move on my heart would not be broken if he retired early. Oregon is a good enough job for a young coach to do well. You guys may be right about this all along. I welcome your input. Many of you were right.

First thought is "Welcome to great expectations". Of course, you can be the happy go lucky engine who could as you develop your program and have a great tandem like Hubbard, Ionescu but a top 20 team which seems to have gotten their players back losing in 1st round should put everyone from players to coach under the magnifying glass.

Funny thing is I saw the end of regulation where PaoPao made a game tying 3pt shot to force OT and Belmont looked shell shocked. I could not follow the game further but was stunned they lost in 2OT.

 

[TheFarmFan]

My guess too that this was directed at Prince. She has all the tools to be an absolutely dominant player but it hasn't panned out for whatever reason. 6-7, moves extremely well, smooth jumper, good ball handling skills, great passer...there's no reason she shouldn't be averaging 15+ PPG (her season numbers of 9.3 points, 4.9 rebounds).

Agreed. Not going to lie, I think she's one the of the most overrated "personalities" in WBB. Whereas I think Bueckers always let's her game speak for herself first, which I think gives her more legitimacy to speak out outside the Court, Prince has always seemed fairly entitled without the results to back it up. And for a 6'7" player, she has about the worst rebounding stats I've ever seen. Lexie Hull, our 6'1" bean pole guard, gets more rebounds per game than Prince does.

 

[southie]

My guess too that this was directed at Prince. She has all the tools to be an absolutely dominant player but it hasn't panned out for whatever reason. 6-7, moves extremely well, smooth jumper, good ball handling skills, great passer...there's no reason she shouldn't be averaging 15+ PPG (her season numbers of 9.3 points, 4.9 rebounds).

Rebounding is all about effort and want-to. Sedona has never had good rebounding numbers, even in high school when most of her opponents had no one taller than 6'0.

 

[ThisJustIn]

I have no issue with what he said (and DO wonder if there's some self-reflection he needs to do), but I kinda hate the timing of it. Smells of sour grapes and it's a stink that carries through the spring/summer. Feels like exit-interview talk with concrete plans needed to address it on both the player and coaching side.

 

[ConnecticutBB]

Coach Graves statement regarding we (his team) is no longer the hunted team. As Geno has said many times it’s harder to remain #1 year after year. Graves team with Sabrina & Co. we’re the best Oregon has ever had. This present team along with future teams need to earn there rankings. A lesson learned by the team with the lose to Belmont…only my opinion.

 

[bballnut90]

Agreed. Not going to lie, I think she's one the of the most overrated "personalities" in WBB. Whereas I think Bueckers always let's her game speak for herself first, which I think gives her more legitimacy to speak out outside the Court, Prince has always seemed fairly entitled without the results to back it up. And for a 6'7" player, she has about the worst rebounding stats I've ever seen. Lexie Hull, our 6'1" bean pole guard, gets more rebounds per game than Prince does.

Agree with this for the most part--although I'll give her credit in that her whistle blowing about the differences in the bubble last year between the men and women was likely a big reason why the women are getting so much more coverage/a field of 68 this year.

 

[Basket]

As Judge Judy would say: "You picked them".

Yep. Graves sounds just like Walz did after losing at home to Maryland in a regular season game. It was the “rant” game that went viral with his everybody expects a participation trophy tirade that people loved hearing. He was criticizing his players and embarrassed about the loss and used the rant to deflect that he chose the players he was saying weren’t committed to getting better. I think it worked. They had a good year after that

 

[Basket]

Coach Graves statement regarding we (his team) is no longer the hunted team. As Geno has said many times it’s harder to remain #1 year after year. Graves team with Sabrina & Co. we’re the best Oregon has ever had. This present team along with future teams need to earn there rankings. A lesson learned by the team with the lose to Belmont…only my opinion.

Oregon just isn’t that good like the rest of the Pac 12 excluding Stanford and including overrated Arizona

 

[southie]

Oregon just isn’t that good like the rest of the Pac 12 excluding Stanford and including overrated Arizona

Oregon was getting a lot of deserved publicity when Ionescu was there. After she left, they're back to being the program they were without her. It happens. If you can't replace the best player in your program's history with a similar player (or enough players to replace her production), then you are going to take a step or two back.

 

[nwhoopfan]

After she left, they're back to being the program they were without her.

Not exactly. Before Ionescu arrived, they hadn't finished over .500 in conference or been to the Tourney since 2005.

 

[CocoHusky]

Oregon was getting a lot of deserved publicity when Ionescu was there. After she left, they're back to being the program they were without her. It happens. If you can't replace the best player in your program's history with a similar player (or enough players to replace her production), then you are going to take a step or two back.

Not exactly. Before Ionescu arrived, they hadn't finished over .500 in conference or been to the Tourney since 2005.

In the post-Sabrina era, Oregon had the #1 recruiting class in 2020 + Sedona Prince + Taylor Mikesell who was immediately eligible. Graves should be be doing more with the accumulated talent. In fairness Graves also lost his key assistant to a small school if I remember correctly.

 

[nwhoopfan]

In the post-Sabrina era, Oregon had the #1 recruiting class in 2020 + Sedona Prince + Taylor Mikesell who was immediately eligible. Graves should be be doing more with the accumulated talent. In fairness Graves also lost his key assistant to a small school if I remember correctly.

Agreed they should be doing more, but that's not what I was refuting. Even underachieving the last 2 years, clearly much better than they were the decade+ before Ionescu arrived.

 

[southie]

And, I'm not necessarily saying they're underachieving (as recruiting class rankings are subjective). I'm saying their high point was a Final Four with Ionescu; she's gone. What have you done for me lately? Those recent recruiting classes were in large part due to what Ionescu did while at Oregon; but, the players who have remained/joined the program since Ionescu's departure have to earn their success based on their hard work; you don't get anything given to you just because Ionescu was great at Oregon.