Nice move by Olivia

[JordyG]

She's listed as a PF here. Playing Center on defense against smaller players. She's the tallest player. Lot of cuts from the wing on offense. I think I saw one back to the basket offensive move, lots of dribble drives.

I never questioned what her listing was, that is irrelevant. I questioned what her skill set was and remains, and that was never as a PF. Ever. I will not repeat my list of what 4's have, but I will repeat that she had none of them. Both Austin and Reese entered college with better shots, and handles, as well as better moves around the rim. Once Reese came to college and realized that she wasn't the female Michael Jordan she became better around the rim and rebounder because of it. In her first year. Once Liv came to college she quickly became exposed. Liv became the player she should have been all along in her senior year. Plus neither Reese or Austin have Liv's size. So tell me, which team in WCBB has the luxury of playing a 6'5" player as a PF? Ever?

 

[JordyG]

All these things you said she didn't have...isn't college where you expect to improve on them? Everyone isn't a good FT shooter...even some guards. If you're a forward...and you want to get to the basket you put the ball on the floor. Key from TN often brings the ball down low and she's a natural center. It's a bad habit, not a skill! Making the person a center...doesn't instantly change that mindset. And all forwards do not rely on jumpshots. You said she had athleticism. She was a leaper. She blocked a lot of shots, but on offense, against bulkier (not even taller...aka Aneesa Morrow) she had trouble rebounding and boxing out. Right height...wrong build. You said she ran the floor well. I don't even see where she would get to use that skill much in UCONN"s offense while playing the 5. We'll have to disagree the intent of her recruitment. Last true 5s I can remember at UCONN are Dolson and Stokes. That's a long gap.

She reminds me of Shakira Austin who was used as a center at MD and left because she felt she was a forward. She became a different player and her skills vastly improved in a different position and offense. Angel Reese also left MD. I think she expected to play forward, but with no real center...she played a lot of center. I don't see her as becoming some knockdown 4, but her athleticism is put to better use than being stuck under the basket.

I've changed my mind. You're right. Her size, skill set, abilities, team need and history be damned, Geno misused and mismanaged Liv's talent for 4 years at UConn. Finally someone has hit the nail on the head. He should have built a team around her meager skill set and hoped for the best.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I never questioned what her listing was, that is irrelevant. I questioned what her skill set was and remains, and that was never as a PF. Ever. I will not repeat my list of what 4's have, but I will repeat that she had none of them. Both Austin and Reese entered college with better shots, and handles, as well as better moves around the rim. Once Reese came to college and realized that she wasn't the female Michael Jordan she became better around the rim and rebounder because of it. In her first year. Once Liv came to college she quickly became exposed. Liv became the player she should have been all along in her senior year. Plus neither Reese or Austin have Liv's size. So tell me, which team in WCBB has the luxury of playing a 6'5" player as a PF? Ever?

PF or forward...whatever adjective you want to add here doesn't really matter to me. Arkansas has a 6'5" guard. Stewie? Point was she's not a center as you stated. Let me restate what I said...so there's no mischaracterization. All I said was...Liv played the 5 out of necessity and I admire her for that. Who else was available? Next I said...I FELT she was a 4 based on her collective skills coming out of HS. The player in that video looks nothing like Liv at UCONN. It doesn't mean Geno or UCONN broke or misued her talent. I didn't say that either. I don't see why folks would expect her to all of a sudden just pull those skills out of her bag at the NBA level when she didn't need to use them for the past 4 years. I'll allow you or anyone else to look at the video I posted or any other one and come to your own conclusion if she looks more like a 4 or a 5. You see her as a 5...which, btw...is absolutely ok and doesn't make you delusional at all. Reese and Austin may be a couple inches shorter, but framewise...there's no contest. Liv will be fine.

 

[jchusky]

Olivia just like Williams I thought would be better players in the Wnba than at Uconn, sometimes the Uconn system limits someone's offensive abilit esp with the grueling practices and sacrifices they make individually for the better of the team. In the Wnba there's more freedom to score.

 

[Bone Dog]

She's listed as a PF here. Playing Center on defense against smaller players. She's the tallest player. Lot of cuts from the wing on offense. I think I saw one back to the basket offensive move, lots of dribble drives.

She drives a few times, and she seems quicker here than she was in college. It's interesting to see her sprint the floor (around 1:15) rather more quickly than I'm used to seeing. On a couple of drives, her handle seems almost nimble compared to the slow, rhythmic technique she developed later. Of course, in these games she isn't really challenged by anyone on the court.

 

[eebmg]

I'll piggy back on this thread this video snippet of Liv blocking Stewie cleanly.

Bonus. Observation, Liv has gone Hollywood.

 

[Bone Dog]

My reassessment:
In these two videos, Olivia plays a little more like a 4 on offense, though there are plenty of times when she's simply stationed in the lane. She may not always have her back to the basket, but she doesn't often stray far from the rim. On D, she's clearly playing the 5 spot. It's good to see her running the court, and blocking shots. In that respect she seems a bit like Adhel Tac or Awa Fam Thiam (from Spain). Her shooting from distance seems actually a little better than what she was able to do in college. She makes one 3 with a good arc on it, not at all like the bullets she threw at the rim as a Husky.

It is also wonderful to see her so young, and surprising how little her general dimensions changed.