Lou's play in the WNBA

[Dokey]

https://twitter.com/i/redirect?url=...cc1&uid=1125243850124025856&nid=244+2726993937

 

[Waquoit]

It supposed to be James Wade's and some of her Chicago teammates fault for Lou's struggles last year and now is Brian Agler's and some of her Dallas teammates fault for Lou's struggles this year.

You noticed that, too?

 

[Rb335]

You noticed that, too?

Lou is definitely less effective in the W compared to her Uconn career. She thrives in a specific offensive system and is less effective in the pick and roll. Last night she made a couple of very nice extra passes that set up Sabally for open jump shots. Sabally hasn't shot the ball great, but percentages will always get better when you take open in rhythm shots. In return, Sabally made a nice pass to a wide open Lou who knocked down the shot.

Compare that to Arike who forced up a contested shot that got blocked with 3 seconds left on the shot clock. Freeze the frame and Lou was wide open 5 feet to her left spotted up to shoot. Seattle is so effective because they take the shots that the offense gives them. Dallas played well and the ball moves better when Lou is on the floor. But until all 5 players on the floor trust each other, you'll end up with some questionable shot selections.

So long story short, its partially her teammates, partially the WNBA style, but mostly her not being a selfish offensive player.

 

[Byukiok808]

I might be crazy but does anyone think Lou would do well on a team like Vegas or Los Angeles? Both teams have elite level posts and with opposing defenses focused inside it could leave Lou open on the perimeter. Allen and even Plum for Vegas and Gray for Los Angeles seem more willing to pass than either Ogunbowale or Mabrey. Maybe even Minnesota? She could fill the role Bridget Carlton is playing for the team. Plus she’d have built in chemistry with Collier and Dangerfield.

 

[Dokey]

Watch Dallas play. The team seems to play with neck braces that prevent them from swiveling their heads to find the open shooter. Arike is especially bad, which is unfortunate because otherwise she is a tremendous player. Sabally is on her way to a great career. The Wings need to build around her, not Arike. As someone else mentioned, Lou appears to be getting extra minutes and is starting because of her greatly improved defense. Her career in WNBA will advance slower than some of her former UConn teammates but I am now convinced she’ll get there, as she changes her game from college to pro. She is no longer just a shooter. Indeed, she seldom shoots. Dallas is young and could be a top team. I would use Arike as trade bait to fill holes.

 

[donalddoowop]

Arike was showing off in the first half, dribbling between her legs unnecessarily, strutting and showing displeasure when she did not receive the ball when she wanted it. She changed in the second half when the defense tightened up on her and she started missing shots, some close in. Until she changes her attitude and thinks more team play, she will not be as complete a player as she has the talent to be. She got lucky in the game before last night's game when the officials, for some reason, did not call a technical foul on her for throwing the ball down court and out of bounds when she was called for stepping out of bounds. That should have been a delay of game technical. She really needs to change her attitude, imo.

 

[Bigboote]

She often wears something around her midriff when she’s “on the bench”. Looks like a brace, but it may be a heating pad or electrostim or something.

 

[baggerbob]

I might be crazy but does anyone think Lou would do well on a team like Vegas or Los Angeles? Both teams have elite level posts and with opposing defenses focused inside it could leave Lou open on the perimeter. Allen and even Plum for Vegas and Gray for Los Angeles seem more willing to pass than either Ogunbowale or Mabrey. Maybe even Minnesota? She could fill the role Bridget Carlton is playing for the team. Plus she’d have built in chemistry with Collier and Dangerfield.

Seattle would be a perfect place for Lou, eventually she could take Clark's place. Maybe not a defensive stopper, but with Stewie, Howard, Ezi, and Russell, they have enough defenders.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Uh, Clark is probably the best perimeter defender in the WNBA right now, and the heart and soul of the Storm. Obviously nowhere near their most talented or most important player, but she's critical to their success. KLS could not replicate what Clark does for them. Not to mention for a supposed 3 point shooting specialist, Samuelson is at 31% for her career thus far. It wasn't always a strength of Clark's, but she's become absolutely deadly. 48% each of the last 2 seasons. One of these things is not the same as the other.

 

[WFFL]

LOL at these posts suggesting its the Wings players fault she's not as successful in the WNBA .

 

[Jlong231]

I don’t think anyone is really suggesting it’s anyone’s fault, I think people are just saying she maybe just hasn’t found the perfect situation to fully compliment her game, and yes sometimes the players/teams you are on can hinder that, especially If it’s not the right fit. Imo I think she is doing better and improving this year, just like someone mentioned she is just going to have to continue adapting her game, right now her getting minutes is because she has become a better defender/rebounder, and the ball moves better when she is in the game. She will get better with becoming more aggressive scoring when needed. I actually think Dallas is a good team for her. The more minutes she gets, the more comfortable I see her getting offensively.

 

[Waquoit]

LOL at these posts suggesting its the Wings players fault she's not as successful in the WNBA .

I'm hoping that she doesn't run out of teams.

 

[WFFL]

I don’t think anyone is really suggesting it’s anyone’s fault, I think people are just saying she maybe just hasn’t found the perfect situation to fully compliment her game, and yes sometimes the players/teams you are on can hinder that, especially If it’s not the right fit. Imo I think she is doing better and improving this year, just like someone mentioned she is just going to have to continue adapting her game, right now her getting minutes is because she has become a better defender/rebounder, and the ball moves better when she is in the game. She will get better with becoming more aggressive scoring when needed. I actually think Dallas is a good team for her. The more minutes she gets, the more comfortable I see her getting offensively.

I think she needs to expand her offensive game . Not being able to create her own shot really hinders her skill set . She's added a dribble drive which helps alot and gives her increased minutes , but i dont see her overtaking Sabally or Thornton's spot anytime soon until she develops a 1 on 1 game. That's where the WNBA is trending towards and most successful players can make it happen themselves.

 

[Jlong231]

I think she needs to expand her offensive game . Not being able to create her own shot really hinders her skill set . She's added a dribble drive which helps alot and gives her increased minutes , but i dont see her overtaking Sabally or Thornton's spot anytime soon until she develops a 1 on 1 game. That's where the WNBA is trending towards and most successful players can make it happen themselves.

This is very true, I do feel like she is capable of doing that now, I just think that with this team and the team she was in before it’s not really required for her to be the “scorer” if that makes sense. I think if she was on a team like pheesa, where she came in, and was expected to be the main person right away, we would see her being more aggressive offensively. But she’s in situation were she is just basically used to hit open shots, when she is open. I think if she felt like she had the green light to score when she wanted to like arike, we would see her being way more aggressive. Right now her success in the league will be her doing the little intangible things that help your team win, that often goes unnoticed in the box score. That’s why I’ve said I don’t necessarily think she is struggling this season, I think with the role she has with this team she is doing fine, the scoring will come. Imo if coach went and told her Lou I need you to score at least 10-15 points a game, we would definitely see a more aggressive Lou. I think she could easily score 10-15 points a game if she wanted to.

 

[Bigboote]

I don’t think anyone is really suggesting it’s anyone’s fault, I think people are just saying she maybe just hasn’t found the perfect situation to fully compliment her game. . .

I often tell people that I believe in luck, but one is responsible for one's own luck. I think Lou works hard enough and has a good enough attitude that she'll find a good fit. I disagree that Dallas is a good fit for her, at least not as long as it's the Arike show with sidekicks.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Face it, Lou is a system player. A system that caters to setting her up for shots. This is how it was in high school and at UCONN. She is a shooter, like KLM, but not a total basketball player. Athletically she average at best. She, at best, will float float around the league as the 3rd to 5th option off the bench.

That makes her "float" through games and "disconnected". I guess you dont see her set screens, roll to the basket and hardly ever get the ball passed to her. She is one of the best at switching on defense, in a man to man, and often results in mismatches. Thats not floating or disconnected, thats being responsible as a teammate. Amazing what some people see on their TV or computer screens and then read the box scores to see how "involved" a player is. There are so many intangibles that aren't in the score sheet, Lou does a lot of them. Watch some replays and see how many touches she gets, not many. There are a few "me" players on the Wings, including 2 from ND. Mayberry, in 8 games since staring at pg still averaging under 3 apg. Is that what a pg should be doing? AO, has never seen a shot she wont take. One on three, she will take it, One on two no problem One on one, I got this. 2 on 1, hell no I aint passing. This is a young team, that hasnt played as a team in many games. Maybe its the coaches fault or maybe its all he has to put on the court, They only played 7 players last night, and Lou got 26 minutes. She would have had more if she didnt get her 5th foul. Pretty good for a "floater". I suppose she was picked on all of those Team USA teams as they needed a player that floats and is disconnected from the game, Amazing

 

[SVCBeercats]

Wrong! Agler just doesn't want anymorwe calls and harassment from Lou's mother.

 

[SVCBeercats]

I often tell people that I believe in luck, but one is responsible for one's own luck. I think Lou works hard enough and has a good enough attitude that she'll find a good fit. I disagree that Dallas is a good fit for her, at least not as long as it's the Arike show with sidekicks.

Don't you think it will be someone else's show no matter where she plays? I think she will experience the WNBA is a similar fashion as KLM.

 

[Waquoit]

Don't you think it will be someone else's show no matter where she plays? I think she will experience the WNBA is a similar fashion as KLM.

Good point, she's a journeyman now. It's up to her to find a way to fit.

 

[sivad40]

Great analogy.

Face it, Lou is a system player. A system that caters to setting her up for shots. This is how it was in high school and at UCONN. She is a shooter, like KLM, but not a total basketball player. Athletically she average at best. She, at best, will float float around the league as the 3rd to 5th option off the bench.

It's telling that the system that most people believe that Lou would fit in best is one that would allow her to basically float on the perimeter and take 3 point shots.

 

[Huskee11]

She just turned 23, and is starting in the WNBA. So calling her a journeyman is idiotic.

If by being a "system player" you mean someone who actually gets the ball passed to her when she is open, yeah.

 

[nwhoopfan]

She just turned 23, and is starting in the WNBA. So calling her a journeyman is idiotic.

Plenty of starters in the WNBA could be described as journeymen. I'll give you that 23 is on the young side for being tagged with that label. But I'd also point out that she's started 2 out of the 40 games she's played in, so calling her a starter needs a rather large asterisk. Especially this year with a bunch of opt outs and injuries. Every team has been juggling their lineups throughout the season.

 

[baggerbob]

Uh, Clark is probably the best perimeter defender in the WNBA right now, and the heart and soul of the Storm. Obviously nowhere near their most talented or most important player, but she's critical to their success. KLS could not replicate what Clark does for them. Not to mention for a supposed 3 point shooting specialist, Samuelson is at 31% for her career thus far. It wasn't always a strength of Clark's, but she's become absolutely deadly. 48% each of the last 2 seasons. One of these things is not the same as the other.

Alysha was drafted in 2010, didn't make it into the league until 2012. Wasn't a starter until 2015, she worked at her game overseas to become the glue player she is.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Alysha was drafted in 2010, didn't make it into the league until 2012. Wasn't a starter until 2015, she worked at her game overseas to become the glue player she is.

That's all true. There's plenty of time for Samuelson to add to her game. I guess I was looking at it like plugging in KLS for Clark in the immediate future.

 

[Bigboote]

Don't you think it will be someone else's show no matter where she plays? I think she will experience the WNBA is a similar fashion as KLM.

I'm not sure how to interpret that. Most teams aren't, to go back to the post you were responding to, one player's show with a bunch of sidekicks. So in that sense, I do think she could wind up on a team that's not someone else's show.

If you mean, the team won't be Lou's show, I'm absolutely with you. I don't think she'll be a star. She may wind up a KML-level player, but I think it's equally likely she'll wind up a 10-15 point scorer for several years.