Azzi is going to have to work to get shots off though. Her game is very much about hitting open looks. I imagine Geno will do some set plays for her to get open shots. She's not bad off the dribble but she isn't a speed demon. It wouldn't surprise me if she puts up good numbers but overall I think her game is efficiency. She's more of a high skilled artisan rather than a top athlete. She's similar to Paige in many ways. Maybe an even better shot but a little less quickness and creativity. What I like most about her is that she makes good decisions with the ball and can shoot well. What I think she MAY need work on is she came from private school ball to a degree. Those kids are not your super aggressive types. I know she's played a lot of AAU and USA basketball but I still see that private school player in her game. She may need to toughen up her defense some rather than just stand with her hands in the air. My bet is she supplements, rather than leads. She doesn't turn the ball over much and she hits some shots. She's like a Tom Brady offense. She manages the game well and nickle and dimes you to death by executing the game plan efficiently. Not a lot of missed shots. Not a lot of mistakes. Good defense. It's interesting though that when her team needed her in big games in high school she did deliver. She performs well under pressure.
I somewhat agree with you, though I have no real idea what the "private school" mindset is meant to be. I'll repeat the things I've seen with Azzi that seem to stand out to me:
1) Offensively she has the best pull up I've ever seen, especially moving from her left to right, and she can hit her shots with a hand in her face or a body on her. She doesn't hit only open shots. Even so her shot is great from any part of the half and quarter court. She knows her spots on the floor, finds them quickly, and knows how to get open shots. She is not the athlete that Patterson is, but few are. But the beauty of her game is how she gets the ball in a ready position to shoot, how quickly she gets that shot off, the position of her release, and how little wasted motion there is to it. Geno as well as I have noted how well she gets the ball to the cup. I've noted how well she finishes with either hand on either side of the basket. She has a nice power drive to the hoop and a nice variety of shots around the rim. When Geno says his concern is about "getting her enough shots" and how it's partially her fault and partially the teams fault, he's referring to her movement without the ball. This is not uncommon for players coming out of HS where they've become accustomed to working off the dribble. That's not how Geno's offense works, and for someone that has such a good pull up, getting her shot off through movement should be no problem. However, I think you give her little credit for her aggressiveness. The kid is an assassin. If you play up on her shot she'll dribble around you for the pull up. If you mark her hard she'll butter up the cup all night. If you lay off her she'll bury you from the arc. She also doesn't turn the ball over and is a terrific passer. Let me remind you that Azzi is already the best FT shooter on the team, and it wouldn't surprise me if she shoots 90% from the line. One opposing coach said he'd never seen her miss a FT. Teams will hesitate to foul her on the perimeter, on drives, or on her pull up for fear of an and one. Speed? Evina and CW are both slower than Azzi in say a 60 yard dash. Speed doesn't make you a great player.
2) During HS Azzi typically was their defensive stopper. Toughen up her defense? Geno has complimented her on her defense, a distinct rarity. Make no mistake, this young lady is an all around player. She always had the other teams best, and she's well accustomed to going hard on both ends all night. Azzi does far more than just stand around with her hands in the air. She stays with her mark, moves her feet well, keeps her hands up, and keeps position on head fakes. She is far stronger than she looks, and when you see her body type you'll note her solid upper body.
3) A supplementary player? A game manager? The kids been a leader on every team she's been on, and trust me, hitting the majority of her 3's ain't nickle and dimeing anyone. Don't be surprised if Azzi joins the 50/40/90 club almost immediately. Her weaknesses are occasionally deferring to other players and communicating on the court. She's all about the team. Because she prefers to lead by example like Sue don't underestimate the fire she plays with, because it's there.
Good defense. It's interesting though that when her team needed her in big games in high school she did deliver. She performs well under pressure.
That's what leader do, not complimentary players or followers.
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