ND Iowa ESPN 2 tonight

[Orangutan]

No but I would take a lot of other kids in this draft over her...

Gustafson' draft stock is interesting to me. She's not as a big as most centers and she doesn't seem to be any kind of rim protector. I also question if she's quick enough to guard 4s.

Offensively, she's great as a low-post scorer but she gives the ball up immediately if she gets the ball anywhere else on the floor. Does she have a mid-range shot? It wasn't exhibited last night. I don't think that back-to-the-basket game is going to be quite so efficient against folks like Griner and Fowles, either.

Turner isn't offensively versatile either, but she's more athletic and better on D. I think I would take her before Gustafson if I were a WNBA GM (though it's hard to tell how much that's my bias talking).

 

[bbballfan23]

The few in the draft I would take before her are Brown, McCowan, Durr, Napheesa, and Lou.....that’s about it - I don’t think any other seniors are better

I’m not saying she isn’t a first round pick but she seemed very one deminsional offensively and non existent defensively. You may not like ND but no way she is taken ahead of Arike. Arike shared the court with her last night and I don’t think there was any doubt who the best player was.

Shepard was one I was high on but her lack of energy and effort on D last night was alarming. Won’t play in the W with that type of defense.

 

[nwhoopfan]

The other thing about them is they never seem to get rattled. Even when they fall behind against a good team, they have confidence that they'll come back because, well, they've done it now so many times.

I think that's even more important than their considerable talent. Experienced group that has played a bunch of games together, that has confidence that they will find a way to win regardless of what happens early in a game.

 

[DeeHusky]

I’m not saying she isn’t a first round pick but she seemed very one deminsional offensively and non existent defensively. You may not like ND but no way she is taken ahead of Arike. Arike shared the court with her last night and I don’t think there was any doubt who the best player was.

Shepard was one I was high on but her lack of energy and effort on D last night was alarming. Won’t play in the W with that type of defense.

I don’t have a problem with ND and I’m not biased I actually like Shepard’s game, but she won’t go before Gustafson. I don’t think Arike will make it in the W. She’s very much so a volume shooter, yes she had a good game last night, but that’s not indicative of how she will perform in the W. Think Kelsey Plum, Kelsey Mitchell, Vivians and other players who scored plenty points on plenty shot attempts. Her game hasn’t improved much to me imho.

 

[Fightin Choke]

I don’t have a problem with ND and I’m not biased I actually like Shepard’s game, but she won’t go before Gustafson. I don’t think Arike will make it in the W. She’s very much so a volume shooter, yes she had a good game last night, but that’s not indicative of how she will perform in the W. Think Kelsey Plum, Kelsey Mitchell, Vivians and other players who scored plenty points on plenty shot attempts. Her game hasn’t improved much to me imho.

As to the Shepard/Gustafson comparison, there is no reason to make that pronouncement at this point in the season. Let the season play out a bit more before we assume the draft order. Sure it's fun to make predictions, but I think people's opinions may change over the course of the season. I haven't even made a decision myself.
Same with Arike. I am stunned that you think Arike won't make the WNBA. Have you seen some of the players who have jobs in the league? Arike will be drafted in the first half of the first round unless she has a miserable season. I know people (especially on this site) just call her a volume shooter, but volume is just fine if you're a guard shooting 45%. If she can get off her shot at will in the W, then she will be very successful.

 

[DeeHusky]

As to the Shepard/Gustafson comparison, there is no reason to make that pronouncement at this point in the season. Let the season play out a bit more before we assume the draft order. Sure it's fun to make predictions, but I think people's opinions may change over the course of the season. I haven't even made a decision myself.
Same with Arike. I am stunned that you think Arike won't make the WNBA. Have you seen some of the players who have jobs in the league? Arike will be drafted in the first half of the first round unless she has a miserable season. I know people (especially on this site) just call her a volume shooter, but volume is just fine if you're a guard shooting 45%. If she can get off her shot at will in the W, then she will be very successful.

I’m not basing it off what she’s done so far, I’m basing it off the past; her game has not grown. It’s still the same as last year. She will be a good bench player, but she’s no star talent in the league. That’s just my opinion. And Of course she will go first round, didn’t say she wouldn’t.

 

[shiverz45]

I’m not basing it off what she’s done so far, I’m basing it off the past; her game has not grown. It’s still the same as last year. She will be a good bench player, but she’s no star talent in the league. That’s just my opinion. And Of course she will go first round, didn’t say she wouldn’t.

You said she would not make it in the WNBA. Being a good bench player is making it.

 

[DeeHusky]

You said she would not make it in the WNBA. Being a good bench player is making it.

Ok, obviously you all think she’s better than what I think she is and that’s ok. It’s just my opinion and let’s just agree to disagree.

 

[Orangutan]

I don’t have a problem with ND and I’m not biased I actually like Shepard’s game, but she won’t go before Gustafson. I don’t think Arike will make it in the W. She’s very much so a volume shooter, yes she had a good game last night, but that’s not indicative of how she will perform in the W. Think Kelsey Plum, Kelsey Mitchell, Vivians and other players who scored plenty points on plenty shot attempts. Her game hasn’t improved much to me imho.

The AP did a mock draft based on a poll of WNBA coaches and GMs and Shepard was projected as a 1st round pick. Gustafson was not. Shepard was invited to USAB training camp this fall. Gustafson was not.

We will see, but it appears Shepard's stock is higher than Gustafson's.

Kelsey Plum showed vast improvement last year and finished with a rock solid 15.4 PER in just her second season. She's already a solid pro. Mitchell and Vivians were drafted by a terrible Indiana team. I don't think it's fair to judge them after just one year.

I think all 3 of them will have nice pro careers. I also think Arike will have a nice pro career.

Arike reminds me a lot of Epiphanny Prince and Cappie Pondexter, a couple of other hyper-quick trigger-happy shooting guards who were WNBA all-stars.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Arike reminds me a lot of Epiphanny Prince and Cappie Pondexter, a couple of other hyper-quick trigger-happy shooting guards who were WNBA all-stars.

Arike never has had Pondexter's commitment to defense.

 

[dcfan]

Time to give Arike credit when it is clearly due, regardless of whether she plays for hated ND.

 

[Orangutan]

Arike never has had Pondexter's commitment to defense.

My frame of reference is Cappie's years with the Sky where any defensive ability she once had was gone, lol.

 

[Striper69]

28-17 after Q1. Gustafson is as advertised but she doesn't have enough around her to pull off the upset most likely.

The rest were starstuck. Megan was on her game as usual.