Sabrina Ionescu POY

[Floridaduck]

Sabrina Ionescu is women's college basketball's 2019-20 national player of the year

ESPN.com tabbed the Oregon senior for top honors. Coach Dawn Staley, freshman Aliyah Boston and mid-major star Ciara Duffy also earned accolades.

www.espn.com

 

[bballnut90]

Sabrina Ionescu is women's college basketball's 2019-20 national player of the year

ESPN.com tabbed the Oregon senior for top honors. Coach Dawn Staley, freshman Aliyah Boston and mid-major star Ciara Duffy also earned accolades.

www.espn.com

If the NCAAs are canceled I'm going to feel especially bad for Sabrina and the Ducks. Deciding to skip the W to come for her senior year, dedicating the season to Kobe, and right when everything seemed lined up to make a massive run at a title it might be canceled.


Note--not saying I dont feel bad for everyone involved (us fans too!) Just an awful situation all around. But wanted to emphasize her since I know she's had a tough year so far and this will sting big time if/when the tournament gets canceled.

 

[Floridaduck]

I was thinking about this too but, if cancellation comes, I think I may feel worse for the good teams and great seniors who got upset in their conference tournaments (ASU, Gonzaga, others) but figured to have a chance to redeem themselves in the NCAA. At least some Oregon, SC, UConn, MD, others will have ended their last college season with a triumph and a trophy. So there's that.

The flip side of this is, of course, in the NCAA tourney 64 are chosen and 63 of those ALWAYS end their season on a loss.

 

[eebmg]

If the NCAAs are canceled I'm going to feel especially bad for Sabrina and the Ducks. Deciding to skip the W to come for her senior year, dedicating the season to Kobe, and right when everything seemed lined up to make a massive run at a title it might be canceled.


Note--not saying I dont feel bad for everyone involved (us fans too!) Just an awful situation all around. But wanted to emphasize her since I know she's had a tough year so far and this will sting big time if/when the tournament gets canceled.

Sabrina will be looked upon by most as a champion even if she does not get the trophy in the sense that she took OR from obscurity to FF and potentially beyond and with her career expected to be long and successful, this will be a small hole in her resume imho.

 

[UcMiami]

I think most fans will celebrate their seniors and their teams without having to see them compete in the NCAA a last time. Senior nights are always special and specific.

 

[bballnut90]

I was thinking about this too but, if cancellation comes, I think I may feel worse for the good teams and great seniors who got upset in their conference tournaments (ASU, Gonzaga, others) but figured to have a chance to redeem themselves in the NCAA. At least some Oregon, SC, UConn, MD, others will have ended their last college season with a triumph and a trophy. So there's that.

The flip side of this is, of course, in the NCAA tourney 64 are chosen and 63 of those ALWAYS end their season on a loss.

I'd rather lose playing than be robbed of the NCAA tournament. Especially for all of those teams you mentioned...honestly the conference titles mean very little compared to what a title, or even a Final Four would bring:

UCONN-last shot for Crystal to win a title. Has never lost an AAC game so I don't think it means all that much to fans/coaches if we're being honest. Has been playing their best ball to finish the year and would've had an opportunity to shut up any doubters and keep the Final Four streak alive.

Oregon-has won 3 straight Pac 12s. The program has made a massive turn the past 4 years and this year they were primed for a great shot at the title. Had homecourt laid out until the Final Four and likely 3 of the top 5 WNBA picks.

Maryland-another team that seems to have turned the corner and is playing great basketball. Has won a zillion Big 10 regular season titles. Brenda's squad looks prime for a shot at getting back in the Final Four this year with a great blend of youth and experience.

SC-this looks like Dawn's best team ever. They've won 5 of the last 6 SEC tournament titles and 4/6 or 5/7 regular season titles. Would be awesome for her to win a 2nd title without any asterisk or people doubting the first title.

 

[Zanzman]

Guess she won’t be a generational player now

 

[domerduck]

Guess she won’t be a generational player now

Really, how many players required a pandemic to keep them from winning the national championship.

 

[shiverz45]

Guess she won’t be a generational player now

What she does at the next level should factor in to whether she should wear that label. I am still trying to figure out how she got so many rebounds looking at her stature and the position she plays.

 

[mbr33ct]

Wonder if the NCAA/AP/Coaches....etc...etc voting for AA's. Will it still take place? This would become a sticking point for Crystal as well as Megan. For Crystal this will decide if her number hangs from Gampel's ceiling.

 

[domerduck]

What she does at the next level should factor in to whether she should wear that label. I am still trying to figure out how she got so many rebounds looking at her stature and the position she plays.

Mikayla Pivec is almost 2 inches shorter and she also got over a thousand as well at Oregon State. Ruthy, Sabrina, and Mikayla led the PAC12 in rebounding. Mikayla has always been exceptionally strong (state Javelin champion) and Sabrina focused on her strength this year as her rebounding was 17% better than last year. The Sabrina story is when she played with her brother and all guys in pick-up she had to learn how to rebound or she'd never get the ball.

 

[Shades]

What she does at the next level should factor in to whether she should wear that label. I am still trying to figure out how she got so many rebounds looking at her stature and the position she plays.

She follows up her own shot, especially when she knows it’s off.

 

[WestCoast]

Mikayla Pivec is almost 2 inches shorter and she also got over a thousand as well at Oregon State. Ruthy, Sabrina, and Mikayla led the PAC12 in rebounding. Mikayla has always been exceptionally strong (state Javelin champion) and Sabrina focused on her strength this year as her rebounding was 17% better than last year. The Sabrina story is when she played with her brother and all guys in pick-up she had to learn how to rebound or she'd never get the ball.

Pivec is 5'10", an inch shorter than Ionescu. But, your points are well taken. Both of them rebound very well for guards and seem to have an advanced sense of where missed shots are going.

 

[Centerstream]

Wonder if the NCAA/AP/Coaches....etc...etc voting for AA's. Will it still take place? This would become a sticking point for Crystal as well as Megan. For Crystal this will decide if her number hangs from Gampel's ceiling.

Good question. I started a separate thread on the main Women's forum with this question but nobody posted to it over a couple of hours, so I deleted it.
Especially curious about the national awards that are based on the players "pre-tournament" (NCAA) performances.

 

[bballnut90]

I wouldn't be surprised if honors either dont happen at all or are given in a month or two when covid-19 hopefully slows down. Right now everyone is understandably focused on the pandemic.

 

[UcMiami]

The honors are not based on performance in the NCAA tournament so I see no reason that the various AA teams and the various player of the year awards would not be awarded - only a few candidates did not complete their conference tournaments and the body of work represented by the regular season is certainly extensive enough to evaluate.

 

[Floridaduck]

Guess she won’t be a generational player now

Maybe the size of her upcoming Nike contract and endorsement package will speak louder than some opinions on a WBB board as to who is generational and who is not. Just saying... maybe should be factored in a bit.

 

[domerduck]

Hoophalls kept to their schedule to add the final 5 for both McLain award (which Ruthy won before and is in the Final 5 again) and Leslie award (Nelson-Ododa, Cunane, Mompremier, Boston & Brewer) which was named yesterday after all the cancellation announcements. Sabrina is up for the Lieberman award. Aari for the Drysdale award, and Sabally up for Cheryl Miller award. They set up the fan vote to start also yesterday and you can vote with the link.

Hoophall Awards

www.hoophallawards.com

 

[domerduck]

The Riveting Rise of Sabrina Ionescu

She didn't get her shot at an NCAA title. But that doesn't take the shine off her star. Here's how she became the best in the game.

www.espn.com

 

[eebmg]

Maybe the size of her upcoming Nike contract and endorsement package will speak louder than some opinions on a WBB board as to who is generational and who is not. Just saying... maybe should be factored in a bit.

But can she lift the Liberty to championship contender. Boy I hope so.

 

[Drumguy]

Maybe the size of her upcoming Nike contract and endorsement package will speak louder than some opinions on a WBB board as to who is generational and who is not. Just saying... maybe should be factored in a bit.

ah, no. She's a terrific player yes, but generational, probably not. It doesn't diminish how great a player she is and I'd want her on my team, but realistically there are very few, not one per year. Is she better than Moriah was? Pheesa? Lou? hard to argue yes. She is more like Jackie Stiles than Stewart.

generational players imho, Stewart, Taurasi, Moore, EDD, Catchings, Griner - players whose skills are so above everyone else, they shift the paradigm. Of course I think she can change that - I wouldn't have called Sue Bird generational before - great but not generational, but based on her total career I'd add her to the list.

 

[domerduck]

ah, no. She's a terrific player yes, but generational, probably not. It doesn't diminish how great a player she is and I'd want her on my team, but realistically there are very few, not one per year. Is she better than Moriah was? Pheesa? Lou? hard to argue yes. She is more like Jackie Stiles than Stewart.

generational players imho, Stewart, Taurasi, Moore, EDD, Catchings, Griner - players whose skills are so above everyone else, they shift the paradigm. Of course I think she can change that - I wouldn't have called Sue Bird generational before - great but not generational, but based on her total career I'd add her to the list.

Wow...I guess we will see if you are right, but considering your judgement on Bird's greatness, I wonder.....Jackie Stiles....really???.

I think I'd put my money on Sabrina. Kobe, Lebron, Curry, Taurasi, Bird, Lobo, Lawson, & Tara V seem pretty impressed with Sabrina, but what do they know. We bow to the brilliance of Drumguy.

 

[PAC-12HoopFan]

Will be very interesting to see what the next few months hold for Ionescu. For public relations purposes, it may not be the best timing to announce any specific details of what her contract with Nike will provide for her. Probably not the best time to release her first prototype shoe. The WNBA Draft is still scheduled to take place on April 17. Not the best time to launch her brand..... However, when that info is announced, I think that the bar for female athletes will be raised. Anyone venture to guess what her endorsement contract with Nike will fetch her? Would $20 million over 5 years be in the likely ballpark?

 

[Drumguy]

Wow...I guess we will see if you are right, but considering your judgement on Bird's greatness, I wonder.....Jackie Stiles....really???.

I think I'd put my money on Sabrina. Kobe, Lebron, Curry, Taurasi, Bird, Lobo, Lawson, & Tara V seem pretty impressed with Sabrina, but what do they know. We bow to the brilliance of Drumguy.

You probably don't know how incredible a player Stiles was in college. She singlehandedly brought SMS to national awareness. Great college player not generational. The question is SI generational. She's no Taurasi.

 

[Shades]

The question is SI generational.

Geno seems to think so.


Nobody has ever gotten 2000 pts, 1000 reb, and 1000 ast in a NCAA career. That covers a couple of generations. Multi-generational.