Watching Stokes play for the Liberty, I see a player who is far more assertive and confident on the offensive side of the ball. At UConn, Stokes was used as a defensive specialist and seemed reluctant to shoot and did not get nearly as many touches. Even with a healthy lead, there were plenty games when Stokes seemed reluctant to take open shots unless she was right under the basket. Now she is taking them with confidence and hits them.
Just a few months removed from her UConn season, Stokes is even more dominant defensively and is an integral part of the Liberty offense. In the recent NY/San Antonio game, Stokes not only dominated defensively... blocking shots, getting steals and generally creating havoc when she was on the court... but was just as assertive on the offensive side. She had teammates LOOKING for her. The announcers commented especially about Boyd and Sugar looking for Stokes. She got touches, mades good decisions, hit the open man, hits open jumpers, etc.
Even assuming everything you say is true - and, not a reflection of minutes per game, etc. - that doesn't substantiate the contention that "she was never given a chance..". That sort of statement puts all the onus on somebody, everybody, else but Kiah.
People forget that the player plays a role in the player-coach/player-team relationship. There are two parties involved - it's not a one-way street. Although not at the elite college level that UConn is, having coached girls for 20 years, I can tell you that sometimes you can't get a certain level of performance out of a kid until they're ready to give it. And, yes, each coach and each kid will have a different dynamic, a different end result. But, it ain't all on the coach. Every one of us responds and produces differently if you change our environment - you see it in professional sports all the time. Sometimes, it is the change of environment - sometimes, it's the change in the player.
I coached mostly middle-school and high school age kids. I saw a huge difference in kids from 6th to 8th grade, from 10th to 12th grade. We see dramatic changes from freshmen & sophomores to juniors and seniors. Why should we assume that the growth, improvement, development stops there? People change from 21 to 22, from 22 to 23, as they entire the professional workplace, with different demands, perks, advantages and disadvantages. They mature: they focus. They get better at what they do.
Nowhere in here do I say that Geno was the best coach, the ideal coach for Kiah. Nowhere do I say that she doesn't have a better coach for her, now. I merely challenge, and question, the presumption that her relatively lack of offensive production at UConn is all a reflection of a flaw in coaching. Simply put, it ain't that simple, and it ain't that easy a "problem" to diagnose.
