Napheesa | The Boneyard

Napheesa

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ed4ourgirls

ed4ourgirls

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A number of posters have sung the praises of Napheesa Collier, and with good reason IMO.

On a PER MINUTE basis here are the team leaders in rebounds and blocks:

----------------OR------DR-------TOT-------Blocks
Natalie------.130-----.206-------.336--------.063
Napheesa---.136-----.182--------.317--------.078
Gabby-------.103-----.203-------.306--------.022
Stewie-------.074-----.222-------.296--------.120

. . . and steals PER MINUTE

----------------Steals
Gabby---------.103
Mo------------.087
Napheesa----.080
Stewie--------.060

So Napheesa leads the team in offensive rebounds, is second in total rebounds and
blocks, and is third in steals. Not bad for the 7th player in a 7 player rotation.
 
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Coming into college, I predicted to myself that Collier would have two strong attributes: 1. a superb energy level and the ability to use it to get rebounds, steals, etc. at disproportionate numbers, and 2. good offensive instincts to partially make up for a lack of experience.

Attribute 1 has proven to be right on the money. She's like a tornado on the floor. :D I was a little off on Attribute 2, in that she hasn't quite honed her instincts and decision making on offense yet. This is why a lot of her interior shots result in bad misses or blocks.

But when she actually figures that part out? Watch out. That combination of agility, height, and length is going to be brutal to defend against, especially since it seems to me like there's room for her to become more of a long range threat too (she's shown a jumper a few times during the year).
 
Pheese's talent to me is undeniable. She is in my mind a future AA. Her weaknesses on the court are problems of commission not ommission. She's frequently out of position on the boards, yet she reads the ball off the rim and her arms are so long she gets the rebound. She takes herself out of the game committing silly fouls. This by being in poor position for loose balls or not moving her feet well enough to stay in front of the ballhandler. Once she gets the rebound she doesn't commit to putting the ball back up. When she does her upper body strength isn't enough to finish. I've yet to seè her use a good power dribble. She has good shooting form but lacks confidence beyond the foul line. She wants to drive right to left. She's occasionally out of position during switches. These to me are ALL fixable issues. She has the body type and the mental makeup to play around the rim. She has the quickness to cover smaller players on the perimeter. She has the shooting form to step away from the basket. Again, an all around player with AA potential, and potentially my favorite player. And what an intelligent young woman.
 
JordyG said:
Pheese's talent to me is undeniable. She is in my mind a future AA. Her weaknesses on the court are problems of commission not ommission. She's frequently out of position on the boards, yet she reads the ball off the rim and her arms are so long she gets the rebound. She takes herself out of the game committing silly fouls. This by being in poor position for loose balls or not moving her feet well enough to stay in front of the ballhandler. Once she gets the rebound she doesn't commit to putting the ball back up. When she does her upper body strength isn't enough to finish. I've yet to seè her use a good power dribble. She has good shooting form but lacks confidence beyond the foul line. She wants to drive right to left. She's occasionally out of position during switches. These to me are ALL fixable issues. She has the body type and the mental makeup to play around the rim. She has the quickness to cover smaller players on the perimeter. She has the shooting form to step away from the basket. Again, an all around player with AA potential, and potentially my favorite player. And what an intelligent young woman.
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If UConn can land a strong post player and another good big player, it will free up Napheesa to move around and get good shots. Would also free up KLS to move around as well. But without a strong center, other teams will double up on both of them, and especially clog the middle. Could be rough...
 
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Was talking to a fellow fan a few days ago about the team and we pretty much agreed that she probably has the most growth potential among the younger players on the team, meaning, the skills seem to be there, but need to grow through practice and experience. We think KLS has already shown some of the growth and that is we thought of Napheesa as the one with the most open space to fill. She has the tools, and I'm betting we see it develop nicely.
 
JordyG said:
Pheese's talent to me is undeniable. She is in my mind a future AA. Her weaknesses on the court are problems of commission not ommission. She's frequently out of position on the boards, yet she reads the ball off the rim and her arms are so long she gets the rebound. She takes herself out of the game committing silly fouls. This by being in poor position for loose balls or not moving her feet well enough to stay in front of the ballhandler. Once she gets the rebound she doesn't commit to putting the ball back up. When she does her upper body strength isn't enough to finish. I've yet to seè her use a good power dribble. She has good shooting form but lacks confidence beyond the foul line. She wants to drive right to left. She's occasionally out of position during switches. These to me are ALL fixable issues. She has the body type and the mental makeup to play around the rim. She has the quickness to cover smaller players on the perimeter. She has the shooting form to step away from the basket. Again, an all around player with AA potential, and potentially my favorite player. And what an intelligent young woman.
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Amen! I said this earlier in the season. The weight room will definitely help. She's easily bumped off course. Once she gets stronger, she will definitely be a force inside and from the outside.
 
Kaizen said:
Napheesa and Katie Lou are two best recruits in the class 2015
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Perhaps. But Asia Durr has been amazing, as has Ogunbowale for ND. Judging from what she did against UConn, Marina Mabrey is a top freshman as well. Kristine Enigwe was almost unstoppable until she was hurt, and really carried Cal single-handedly. So if KLS and Napheesa are the best of the 2015 class, it's not by all that much.
 
Fairfield Fan said:
If UConn can land a strong post player and another good big player, it will free up Napheesa to move around and get good shots. Would also free up KLS to move around as well. But without a strong center, other teams will double up on both of them, and especially clog the middle. Could be rough...
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I see next season as a great one for those who love coaching. By the time tourney comes this will be one rough and rugged team. Fun to watch. I can't wait.
 
And a pretty darn good free throw shooter!
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ed4ourgirls said:
A number of posters have sung the praises of Napheesa Collier, and with good reason IMO.

So Napheesa leads the team in offensive rebounds, is second in total rebounds and
blocks, and is third in steals. Not bad for the 7th player in a 7 player rotation.
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Ed, thanks for doing this. I can't sing, but I like to speak or write her praises.
 
JordyG said:
Pheese's talent to me is undeniable. She is in my mind a future AA. Her weaknesses on the court are problems of commission not ommission. She's frequently out of position on the boards, yet she reads the ball off the rim and her arms are so long she gets the rebound. She takes herself out of the game committing silly fouls. This by being in poor position for loose balls or not moving her feet well enough to stay in front of the ballhandler. Once she gets the rebound she doesn't commit to putting the ball back up. When she does her upper body strength isn't enough to finish. I've yet to seè her use a good power dribble. She has good shooting form but lacks confidence beyond the foul line. She wants to drive right to left. She's occasionally out of position during switches. These to me are ALL fixable issues. She has the body type and the mental makeup to play around the rim. She has the quickness to cover smaller players on the perimeter. She has the shooting form to step away from the basket. Again, an all around player with AA potential, and potentially my favorite player. And what an intelligent young woman.
Expand ...
Jordy- that is the most ominous incredible and negative recommendation of a player I've ever read- she's a freshman. Bottom line - she is a complete unbridled Thorobred, and not only is she an off the charts athlete, she has a nose for the ball and makes things happen whenever she's on the court. She will be playing 38 minutes a game w KLS and Gabby and Kia next yr.
 
One thing that hasn't been said much about Naphessa but should be: She is fast running the court. Last game she was flying back on D at a sprinting pace, and typically got into place to stop the ball or take a defensive spot. I am SO impressed with her in all respects. And yes, she will get even better.
 
BigBird said:
One thing that hasn't been said much about Naphessa but should be: She is fast running the court. Last game she was flying back on D at a sprinting pace, and typically got into place to stop the ball or take a defensive spot. I am SO impressed with her in all respects. And yes, she will get even better.
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BB- hours on it. If we didn't need KLS's three's so badly to balance our attack, Collier would prob be in more minutes. She is pure dynamite! Defending passing lanes, offensive rebounds and tips to keep balls live. She's fantastic is right!!!
 
I really expect she, Lou and Butler to be a big Tiro in the coming year and following years.....
 
To me, Collier is probably the perfect teammate. Completely unselfish and never stops working. She has tremendous instincts and reactions to the ball. And when she gets stronger and starts looking for her shots in the offense, look out.
 
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Geno-ista said:
Jordy- that is the most ominous incredible and negative recommendation of a player I've ever read- she's a freshman. Bottom line - she is a complete unbridled Thorobred, and not only is she an off the charts athlete, she has a nose for the ball and makes things happen whenever she's on the court. She will be playing 38 minutes a game w KLS and Gabby and Kia next yr.
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Glad you liked it. I guess saying all of the issues were fixable and she is going to be an AA wasn't positive enough.
 
Kaizen said:
Napheesa and Katie Lou are two best recruits in the class 2015
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However, they have not produced the best results to be the best recruits. They may potentially be the two best recruits.
 
I too expected more from Napheesa this year, but I can see it coming. I was overhyped about her when Geno made her a starter and disappointed when she couldn't hold it.
 
I think all she needs is a little more hand strength and she'll absolutely shine. She's a fine rebounder now, imagine when she starts hanging to more of those balls she gets to and drops/is stripped. That will also help her finish around the basket. She'll get there, 18/19 year old humans don't have their full strength yet.
 
I think that whether you consider JordyG's post to be too negative or not (and I don't) he has identified the freshman weaknesses that Collier has displayed and why she was unable to maintain her starting role. Her upside is great and what she is bringing right now is pretty good. You can see that she has excellent court awareness and an understanding of the Uconn system, but is not yet able to play with freedom and confidence within that system - something that will come as she has to think about it less.
She strikes me as a Morgan type of player capable of treating defenses from anywhere. With more strength she will be a handful at both ends.
 
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