Kia Nurse MVP of WNBL

[HuskylnSC]

I always felt Kia got the short end of the All American stick. Her entire career she was considered the 4th best player on her team and we're only allowed to nominate 3 players. She deserved the recognition as an AA. At least she got NDPOY

 

[Lynx23]

Kia was genuinely surprised to be recruited by UCONN. I suspect she was comfortable deferring to her more talented and better known teammates. nearly all of whom have made the Wall. She was always a young, rising star on the Canadian National team, and she has established herself as a bona fide star for the NY Liberty and UC Capitals. Her shooting for the UC Captials has not been great, but she led the team into the playoffs while Griffin sat out almost the entire year with an injury, and Tolo spent a considerable amount of time out with injury as well. I imagine Kia was double and tripled-team much of the time as she became the main scoring threat while also leading the WNBL in minutes, which had to take a toll as well. The fact that she was the WNBL's MVP is probably less a matter of her leading the league in scoring than her all-around play and contribution to her team.

 

[Orangutan]

Very happy for close runner up Brianna Turner as well.


Nurse polled 94 votes to win the award over the Adelaide Lightning’s first-year star import Brianna Turner (88 votes) and a trio of Australian Opals – Melbourne Boomers co-captain Cayla George (70), Perth Lynx guard Katie-Rae Ebzery (69) and Adelaide’s Steph Talbot (65) – rounding out the Top 5.

I'm trying to imagine this thread had it been a Notre Dame alum that won the award after leading the league in scoring on sub-40% shooting and it had been a UConn alum that finished second while averaging a double-double and leading the league in blocks.

In all seriousness, Kia has become a great pro and her best basketball is still ahead of her. She has greatly exceeded my expectations for her pro career.

As for Bri, I'm delighted that she had a great season in Australia. It's been fun following she and Westbeld on instagram these past few months. They seem to be having the time of their lives in Australia.

It's not the best quality of pay or play in the world, but spending the American winter enjoying Australian summer seems like a pretty nice perk!

Both Nurse and Turner have interesting WNBA seasons ahead. After one year of youth, Brondello went back to her natural tendencies and stocked Phoenix with vets to surround SDS/BG/DT. Turner will have to fight for minutes against vets like Jess Breland.

Meanwhile, the Liberty are going to have quite the competition for backcourt playing time. Point guard seems pretty set with Clarendon signed and Ionescu waiting in the wings. Nurse is their best two guard but Durr and Marine Johannes are both too talented not to play.

 

[Lynx23]

I'm trying to imagine this thread had it been a Notre Dame alum that won the award after leading the league in scoring on sub-40% shooting and it had been a UConn alum that finished second while averaging a double-double and leading the league in blocks.

Honestly, I don't think anyone would have cared as I doubt many BY'ers follow the WNBL. But since it was Kia who won the MVP it bears some acknowledgement, and congratulations are in order. While many players had better stats (except for ppg and mpg, which do count), she carried the UC Capitals on her shoulders for nearly the entire season. That's what an MVP does. And since its Australia we're taking about and not the USA, apparently something more than stats matters.

 

[Carnac]

In addition, Marine Johannes (underrated only by those who don't know of her) just signed a multi-year contract and Asia Durr will be returning from injury. Could be an interesting year for The Liberty. Plenty of young talent and a new coach, owner, and venue.

Gee, I hope so. I've been following the Liberty for the last 4 years. I've seen them once in person in Las Vegas. Had great seats, really enjoyed the game. It would be nice to see them climb back on top of the Eastern Conference standings. A perch they haven't sat on in a while.

 

[eebmg]

Gee, I hope so. I've been following the Liberty for the last 4 years. I've seen them once in person in Las Vegas. Had great seats, really enjoyed the game. It would be nice to see them climb back on top of the Eastern Conference standings. A perch they haven't sat on in a while.

Having a successful team in NYC is so important for the WNBA. And playing in Barclays a worthy venue I can actually get to. I cant wait for my tickets.

 

[Orangutan]

I'm trying to imagine this thread had it been a Notre Dame alum that won the award after leading the league in scoring on sub-40% shooting and it had been a UConn alum that finished second while averaging a double-double and leading the league in blocks.

Honestly, I don't think anyone would have cared as I doubt many BY'ers follow the WNBL. But since it was Kia who won the MVP it bears some acknowledgement, and congratulations are in order. While many players had better stats (except for ppg and mpg, which do count), she carried the UC Capitals on her shoulders for nearly the entire season. That's what an MVP does. And since its Australia we're taking about and not the USA, apparently something more than stats matters.

Probably true that it would have passed by without notice. I'm just still thinking back to the awful, weeks-long Arike/Collier debate.

Sometimes the best thing you can do to be a team player is take a ton of shots and score a ton of points. Kia's team has been winning so it seems this is one of the situations. Well done to her.

 

[UcMiami]

Kia was genuinely surprised to be recruited by UCONN.

That was mostly on CD as recruiting coordinator - Uconn thought she was in the next class, she was on their radar but they were napping and had to jump in quickly when they realized she was in the current recruit class. The other colleges recruiting her had been on her for six months or more before Uconn arrived and stole the prize out from under them.

It is tough she wasn't on an AA 1st team - wonder if there has been another DPOY not to make 1st team? Part of that was the nominating limit for AA by team as I remember.

Kia has has an easier transition into pros than a player like Gabby as she is more easily slotted into a typical role in any system. Gabby is an unique talent that doesn't naturally fit and needs to have a special role defined for her in the coach's system.

 

[eebmg]

Probably true that it would have passed by without notice. I'm just still thinking back to the awful, weeks-long Arike/Collier debate.

Sometimes the best thing you can do to be a team player is take a ton of shots and score a ton of points. Kia's team has been winning so it seems this is one of the situations. Well done to her.

Why awful? It was fun. The scorer vs the Swiss Army Knife but I imagine the Lynx making the playoffs helped sway many in the decision.

But I see you are linking the Kia volume shooting numbers to Arike. But again, the UC Capitals winning may also be helping Kia's cause not to mention all the intangibles.

.

 

[Lynx23]

Probably true that it would have passed by without notice. I'm just still thinking back to the awful, weeks-long Arike/Collier debate.

Sometimes the best thing you can do to be a team player is take a ton of shots and score a ton of points. Kia's team has been winning so it seems this is one of the situations. Well done to her.

You're a gentleman, Orangutan. BTW, I'm an ND grad and a UCONN dad, caught between two worlds I suppose. But always a Kia fan.

 

[j66kicker]

Probably true that it would have passed by without notice. I'm just still thinking back to the awful, weeks-long Arike/Collier debate.

Sometimes the best thing you can do to be a team player is take a ton of shots and score a ton of points. Kia's team has been winning so it seems this is one of the situations. Well done to her.

Didn't know there was any debate:

AP WNBA ROY: Collier
ESPN WNBA ROY: Collier
"WNBA" WNBA ROY: Collier

McGraw's Bench WNBA ROY: Arike?