KK is on Point

[PJCLaw]

I just checked the NCAA Div I statistics posted on ESPN and noticed that while KK's assist average is only 47th in the Nations (4.8 apg), she is the only player in the top 50 who averages less than 26 mins a game. I haven't checked the per 40 min stats, but I would not be surprised if her assist average per 40 mins is top 10 in the country. Talk about making the most with less. UConn's efficiency is literally shown in all categories, when you see how few minutes their players play compared to other schools. Go Huskies!

 

[meyers7]

Speaking of assists, UCONN is probably going to end up with 5 players over 100 assists for the season

Arnold and Strong already there (135 and 117)

Shade's at 87
Fudd and Heckel at 86

Also Arnold is rocking a 3.86 a/TO ratio
Heckel at 2.61
Strong at 2.25
Shade at 2.07
Fudd at 1.95

 

[Skeets]

Blowouts and a deep and talented bench puts the starters at a disadvantage when it comes to putting up real gaudy numbers. But it's a good problem to have. I don't think any starter would complain, they know...

 

[BBallF]

You can't compare KK to anyone else and not just on the basis of minutes. It's our ball movement offense, the fact that there are 3 other great passers on her starting team, and the points off of turnovers. Our point guard does not dominate the ball like Hidalgo or Miles actually have to. Interestingly, if KK played the same number of minutes per game as the leader, Morgan from Kentucky, KK would be 8th.

 

[packwrap]

KK has shown a lot this year, especially restraint, as she has dropped turnovers dramatically, without compromising her aggressiveness. Leadership as well.

She will rise to an all American candidate next year, but as often case with UConn players, will have a tough road with several high media players in front of her like JuJu, Hidalgo, and Blakes plus less minutes due sharing her spot with K9.(well earned by K9 by the way)

Still KK will be happy to help lead another promising team in the quest for another title.

 

[oldhusky]

Much of KK's improvement is simply that she finally has been used almost exclusively at her natural position this year. I'm sure she has improved her decision making with experience, but KK at the 1 is way better for her than at the 2, which she has played for much of her career.

KK's passing stats are good for rate of assists, and great for assist/turnover ratio. That is partly by design. The offensive scheme is consistent with ball and player movement, We have a point forward in Sarah and play a significant number of minutes with two point guards in the lineup when Kayleigh teams with KK.

Actually the multiple point guard line ups were even more common the last few years, sometimes with three on the floor at the same time, Nika, KK and Paige two years ago and Kaitlin, KK and Paige last year. Of all the players who have played one position bigger than their natural one, and we have had many, KK had the biggest adjustment because her outside shot is marginal for a SG or 2.

Next year I hope we see a similar bump in Ash's play as she will probably get a higher percentage of her minutes at the 2, her best position, and maybe Blanca if she is more at the 3 and not splitting as much time there and at the 4, but that may depend on Ayanna progressing more or bringing in another big.

 

[Skeets]

KK has shown a lot this year, especially restraint, as she has dropped turnovers dramatically, without compromising her aggressiveness. Leadership as well.

She will rise to an all American candidate next year, but as often case with UConn players, will have a tough road with several high media players in front of her like JuJu, Hidalgo, and Blakes plus less minutes due sharing her spot with K9.(well earned by K9 by the way)

Still KK will be happy to help lead another promising team in the quest for another title.

I agree. Don't discount the effect of being a "high media" player. And it's not that they don't deserve the media attention, it's more if you don't have it, you are at a severe disadvantage.

 

[oldude]

I have commented previously that KK is the 2nd best “pure pg” in the nation to Harmon at TX, when you consider her impact at both ends of the court.

 

[FanSince17]

Here’s my comparison: Jalen Brunson. He averaged 14.4 ppg, around 3 assists and 3 rebounds a game for his college career. He played on an NCAA championship team.
What makes him different? A combination of quickness and strength.
Sound familiar?

 

[YKCornelius]

I have commented previously that KK is the 2nd best “pure pg” in the nation to Harmon at TX, when you consider her impact at both ends of the court.

oldude, do you have a mindset of what a "pure point guard" is?

Taking that question one step further, in your opinion, what is the crossover point that separates a pure point guard from a combo guard? Perhaps you don't have any crossover point or defined criteria, but rather your label is situational? Said differently, perhaps the label is simply reflective of the role of the player inside of her team.

From my perch, I can't help but think there are players on several P4 teams who perform the same roles as KK and Rory, along with added situational roles (primarily scoring and rebounding). Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, Kiki Rice, Aubrey Galvan, NyCeara Pryor, Toni Morgan, Raven Johnson, Jasmine Bascoe, and Chit Chat Wright quickly come to mind.

I am not suggesting any of them are better point guards than KK or Rory, but simply trying to understand why you might label them as either "pure point guards" or "combo guards"?

The next question is what needs to change for a player to move from "pure point guard" to "point guard" to "combo guard"?

Cheers.

 

[FanSince17]

oldude, do you have a mindset of what a "pure point guard" is?

Taking that question one step further, in your opinion, what is the crossover point that separates a pure point guard from a combo guard? Perhaps you don't have any crossover point or defined criteria, but rather your label is situational? Said differently, perhaps the label is simply reflective of the role of the player inside of her team.

From my perch, I can't help but think there are players on several P4 teams who perform the same roles as KK and Rory, along with added situational roles (primarily scoring and rebounding). Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, Kiki Rice, Aubrey Galvan, NyCeara Pryor, Toni Morgan, Raven Johnson, Jasmine Bascoe, and Chit Chat Wright quickly come to mind.

I am not suggesting any of them are better point guards than KK or Rory, but simply trying to understand why you might label them as either "pure point guards" or "combo guards"?

The next question is what needs to change for a player to move from "pure point guard" to "point guard" to "combo guard"?

Cheers.

I'll chime in. Point means the point of the offense. Traditional offenses are 1-2-2, a point, 2 wings and 2 posts. This also applies to transition. In college, I played the 2 and 3, which with a true point, which we utilized, I only had to worry about which side of the court I was running down, 2 on the right, 3 on the left. Wings had minimal ballhandling responsibilities in our offense. In this arrangement, the point could attack the front of a defense, step into an open shot on top, and defend the opposing team's primary ballhandler. The point also has leadership responsibilities, as they are the coach's communicator on the floor.
Frankly, I think the term is going by the way of the Dodo. I'd even argue that UConn has a point forward in Sarah, al a Larry Bird or LeBron James. KK's role may be more nuanced than what I described.

 

[oldude]

oldude, do you have a mindset of what a "pure point guard" is?

Taking that question one step further, in your opinion, what is the crossover point that separates a pure point guard from a combo guard? Perhaps you don't have any crossover point or defined criteria, but rather your label is situational? Said differently, perhaps the label is simply reflective of the role of the player inside of her team.

From my perch, I can't help but think there are players on several P4 teams who perform the same roles as KK and Rory, along with added situational roles (primarily scoring and rebounding). Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, Kiki Rice, Aubrey Galvan, NyCeara Pryor, Toni Morgan, Raven Johnson, Jasmine Bascoe, and Chit Chat Wright quickly come to mind.

I am not suggesting any of them are better point guards than KK or Rory, but simply trying to understand why you might label them as either "pure point guards" or "combo guards"?

The next question is what needs to change for a player to move from "pure point guard" to "point guard" to "combo guard"?

Cheers.

Good question. I guess in my view, looking for your shot first makes you a combo guard. Certainly that applies to Hidalgo, Miles and others. But I agree there is a broad range of possibilities.

The other aspect, which is more easily defined is that you defend the opposing team’s pg, doing everything possible to disrupt that pg from effectively initiating their offense. This is where I think KK excels. I place her 2nd to Harmon as a defensive disrupter.

Now you might then ask, what about Hidalgo who leads the nation in steals? While Hidalgo is a thief, to be sure, she takes far too many chances on defense, often leaving her teammates exposed and scrambling on the back end. Against UConn she was beaten several times by Azzi and others.

KK takes chances too. But she is also incredibly good at staying in front of an opponent, bodying up and effectively suffocating the other team’s offense. Harmon does the same thing for TX.

 

[packwrap]

The funny thing on KK as a point guard, as another poster pointed out, is that in much of her career at UConn, she has played at the 2 or 3 while Paige, Nika, K Chen, K9, or even Azzi has been at the point. By definition that would now make KK a proven combo guard. 😁

Geno's offense is so flexible that 1, 2, 3 can easily be played by 3 point guards, or if desired by 3 wings. The players just all have to know the whole offense, and figure out their slot. This fumbling around to get organized often even happens now in Q4 when goofy line ups are playing.

This pleasant chaos grows even more if say Bueckers is at 4, and Strong is at 5 like last years small team. Then you can have 5 point guard skilled players on the floor at once. Or this year with Blanca at 4 and Sarah at 5, you could instead go for 5 wings.

All nice options to have and KK, by eagerly trying new things, keeps improving.

 

[Gael]

pure pg

what a "pure point guard" is

Pardon if I take this in a different direction: etymology.

Historically, a "guard" denoted a defensive position, not an offensive one. The "point guard" was the guard at the head of a 1-2-2 zone. In that role, he was also called the "chaser." That player most often was the quickest and the best "ballhandler" on the team, so he would bring the ball up court and initiate the offense.

Hence, "point guard" may be a label that has migrated from denoting a defensive position to an offensive one (and "1").

Today, when differentiating between a "combo guard" vs. a "pure point guard," I think most folks would mean that the former is more effective shooter than the latter, and that the latter may be a better passer than the former. But folks also use the label "lead guard" and, perhaps most often, just simply "point guard." Much basketball terminology is imprecise and malleable.

KK is doing a very good job on defense and, as the OP points out, in distributing assists.

 

[boontonbomber]

I would so much like to see KK taking more shots. She is taking less than 5 shots per game. She's shown that she's very good getting to the basket. For her game down the road to be more complete I wish she would take more threes and short jumpers. I know that's not what she sees as her role, but seems like in those games which are over early ( most of them)she could be "encouraged " to work on that part of her game.