KLS and Shooting

[geneticrex]

By all accounts KLS has been an efficient long range shooter for the bulk of her high school and international careers. Not simply a scorer that puts up numbers thanks to high volume shooting, but a high percentage scorer, especially from long range.

Before KLS arrived at Storrs, I read a few articles mentioning the top priorities for her to make a successful jump to the next level. It seemed the top priority routinely mentioned had to do with KLS's overall level of strenght. I even heard this from KLS herself, as she stated her desire to gain strenght as a goal before she embarked on her collegiate career.

This got me to thinking (dangerous, I know), perhaps the weight training regiment she is now involved in has temporarily affected her shot 'feel' to a degree. Since gaining strenght was stated as a key issue for her, I'm guessing this is the first time in her basketball life she's really had to hit the weights in such an advanced fashion. When it comes to shooting a basketball, touch, or feel, or whatever you'd like to call it, is a key component.

Now I understand that KLS in not the only basketball player involved in strenght and conditioning protocols, but because she herself questioned her strenght levels coming in and I've no doubt her UCONN experience to this point has increased her strenght level at a rate she is unaccustomed to, perhaps she just needs a little adjustment period to adapt to her newfound power.

Any takers, or am I a raving lunatic???

 

[Orangutan]

I don't think you're a lunatic. Delle Donne gained about 15 pounds of muscle before the '14 WNBA season. I remember seeing an interview at the time where she said that she had to adjust her shot a little because she wasn't used to jumping as high as she could with the extra muscle.

 

[pvdoggy]

May be a simpler explanation is the black tape on two of the fingers of her shooting hand (supposedly some sort of injury) and the fact that the college game is a little faster than what she is used to. C. Ekmark is supposed to be a great shooter in high school as well and still has not been able to make the transition to the speed of the game in college either. Also I have heard a lot of people talked about KLS quick release. Not sure I see that so far. Some of the ND shooters the other day had really quick release, it's like they catch and shoot right away. Both KLS and Ekmark seem to catch, set, then shoot. Other than that I really like KLS floor game. She is a terrific basketball player.

 

[Grayjay]

I hadn't thought about it that way, but you are probably onto something. I know that in my playing days, lifting often messed with my shooting accuracy.

 

[j66kicker]

I had read here that Mater Dei has a strength training program, but I also saw a quote from KLS that she had never done weight training before.

 

[winlots]

GENE: I'm a taker. Personal experience. Freshman year (carrying a chem engineering load and labs, working 7 meals per week in the dining halls, and playing in and practicing with the marching band) I decided it would be fun and interesting to row in fall crew practice. (Turned out that basketball practice started before fall crew season finished, so for a couple of weeks, I ended up running from the lake up to the court.)

Bottom line in support of your hypothesis: my shoulders were so tight from rowing that my mediocre shot was even less effective than it had been. When I became a waiter Captain as a soph, I did a whole lot of shoulder flexibility exercises with a dish towel while performing my supervisory duties in the kitchen and dining halls; as a result, combined with newly acquired knowledge about the use of "successive approximations", I became a better shooter than I ever had been.

 

[geneticrex]

May be a simpler explanation is the black tape on two of the fingers of her shooting hand (supposedly some sort of injury) and the fact that the college game is a little faster than what she is used to. C. Ekmark is supposed to be a great shooter in high school as well and still has not been able to make the transition to the speed of the game in college either. Also I have heard a lot of people talked about KLS quick release. Not sure I see that so far. Some of the ND shooters the other day had really quick release, it's like they catch and shoot right away. Both KLS and Ekmark seem to catch, set, then shoot. Other than that I really like KLS floor game. She is a terrific basketball player.

I hate simple explanations.

 

[Aluminny69]

I can't believe they have any time for weight training once the season starts. KLS has been plagued by minor injuries and illness. It is going to take her a while to acclimate to WCBB. Fortunately, I don't think UConn is relying on her to play to her full potential this season. Next season, hopefully we will see a big improvement.

 

[j66kicker]

I can't believe they have any time for weight training once the season starts. KLS has been plagued by minor injuries and illness. It is going to take her a while to acclimate to WCBB. Fortunately, I don't think UConn is relying on her to play to her full potential this season. Next season, hopefully we will see a big improvement.

I suspect they make time - 6 AM or whenever.

 

[Eggman]

genetricrex: maybe you're raving, or assuming, or something else? I would think the coaches and Rosie and strength conditioning coach have done this routine before. Or maybe it's the first time for all of them.
If they've done it before, I would guess they know what they're doing, and either they expect this and aren't concerned or it doesn't have anything to do with strength and conditioning.
I can't wait 'til she turns it on and starts stroking(come on now) those threes in bunches. So far, in almost all other aspects, she's been a delightful surprise.

 

[geneticrex]

genetricrex: maybe you're raving, or assuming, or something else? I would think the coaches and Rosie and strength conditioning coach have done this routine before. Or maybe it's the first time for all of them.
If they've done it before, I would guess they know what they're doing, and either they expect this and aren't concerned or it doesn't have anything to do with strength and conditioning.
I can't wait 'til she turns it on and starts stroking(come on now) those threes in bunches. So far, in almost all other aspects, she's been a delightful surprise.

You read what I posted and somehow made the leap, I think the UCONN coaching and training staff doesn't know what their doing???

Um'.....................................interesting.

 

[HoopsFan21]

KLS was sick at the beginning of the season, and now the rest of the team is catching something. Seemingly she's had some sickness or minor injury going back to before the season got underway, and yet she's going out there and giving it her best shot while learning a new system at a new level of competition. I say we cut her some slack if she doesn't knock down 3s like Kaleena at UC-Davis or Maya against Syracuse.

 

[uconnfan68]

I hadn't thought about it that way, but you are probably onto something. I know that in my playing days, lifting often messed with my shooting accuracy.

Yeah, that.

 

[Huskies Rule]

By all accounts KLS has been an efficient long range shooter for the bulk of her high school and international careers. Not simply a scorer that puts up numbers thanks to high volume shooting, but a high percentage scorer, especially from long range.

Before KLS arrived at Storrs, I read a few articles mentioning the top priorities for her to make a successful jump to the next level. It seemed the top priority routinely mentioned had to do with KLS's overall level of strenght. I even heard this from KLS herself, as she stated her desire to gain strenght as a goal before she embarked on her collegiate career.

This got me to thinking (dangerous, I know), perhaps the weight training regiment she is now involved in has temporarily affected her shot 'feel' to a degree. Since gaining strenght was stated as a key issue for her, I'm guessing this is the first time in her basketball life she's really had to hit the weights in such an advanced fashion. When it comes to shooting a basketball, touch, or feel, or whatever you'd like to call it, is a key component.

Now I understand that KLS in not the only basketball player involved in strenght and conditioning protocols, but because she herself questioned her strenght levels coming in and I've no doubt her UCONN experience to this point has increased her strenght level at a rate she is unaccustomed to, perhaps she just needs a little adjustment period to adapt to her newfound power.

Any takers, or am I a raving lunatic???

To think that 'weight training' has anything to do with Lou's shooting woes is hysterical. She's beautiful, but have you seen her guns? Well, nobody has.

 

[geneticrex]

To think that 'weight training' has anything to do with Lou's shooting woes is hysterical. She's beautiful, but have you seen her guns? Well, nobody has.

Raving lunatic it is then.

I can live with that.

 

[WestCoastFan]

Raving lunatic it is then.

I can live with that.

And...we've come full circle.