I just hate to see people bag on a player I really like and have enjoyed watching these last 4 years. Kaleena is everything a UConn player is supposed to be and has given it her all. With the exception of Kaleena, no one was happier to see her name go up on that wall than I was. I am now hoping that Mo gets to enjoy that same privilege.Hoops - to be fair to Moriah's speed, she is usually kicking it out to Kaleena from near the basket and Kaleena is at the top of the key extended. But absolutely agree with your premiss.
It's disappointing that the entire basketball watching world equates one's defensive ability with their weight. Read other message boards and all you hear about Kaleena is how she's slow, unathletic, gets beat all the time on defense, can't run in transition, and on and on. I mean Kaleena should be on the bench, never mind a starter on the best women's basketball team, right? Watch Kaleena during a game. What she lacks in speed she makes up for with basketball IQ and then some. Amazing for such a terrible defensive player, she always seems to be in the right place at the right time and is tipping balls and stealing leading to the offense going the other way. Oh yeah, she's so slow that she's basically the go to player in transition. How many times do we see Mo kick it out to her? Clearly she's fast enough in transition to keep up with Mo to receive her kick out pass to drain all those 3s.
and she runs the whole game... she'd run her critics into the ground.It's disappointing that the entire basketball watching world equates one's defensive ability with their weight. Read other message boards and all you hear about Kaleena is how she's slow, unathletic, gets beat all the time on defense, can't run in transition, and on and on. I mean Kaleena should be on the bench, never mind a starter on the best women's basketball team, right? Watch Kaleena during a game. What she lacks in speed she makes up for with basketball IQ and then some. Amazing for such a terrible defensive player, she always seems to be in the right place at the right time and is tipping balls and stealing leading to the offense going the other way. Oh yeah, she's so slow that she's basically the go to player in transition. How many times do we see Mo kick it out to her? Clearly she's fast enough in transition to keep up with Mo to receive her kick out pass to drain all those 3s.
I'm not going to make the argument that KML doesn't get more flack than she should because of her weight. And I agree that, even at the next level, conditioning isn't an issue. But KML simply does not have the lateral quickness to keep guards/quick forwards in front of her reliably, and that's going to be a major liability in the WNBA. It's the only reason that she's not the unanimous, unquestioned #1 pick in this year's draft. It seems like you're implying the only concerns about her defense are because of superficial judgements about her weight, but that's simply not the case.It's disappointing that the entire basketball watching world equates one's defensive ability with their weight. Read other message boards and all you hear about Kaleena is how she's slow, unathletic, gets beat all the time on defense, can't run in transition, and on and on. I mean Kaleena should be on the bench, never mind a starter on the best women's basketball team, right? Watch Kaleena during a game. What she lacks in speed she makes up for with basketball IQ and then some. Amazing for such a terrible defensive player, she always seems to be in the right place at the right time and is tipping balls and stealing leading to the offense going the other way. Oh yeah, she's so slow that she's basically the go to player in transition. How many times do we see Mo kick it out to her? Clearly she's fast enough in transition to keep up with Mo to receive her kick out pass to drain all those 3s.
The thing I notice about KLM's critics is that they are the same people that make a point of pride and principle that they never watch a minute of a UConn game. So, what would they know, any way?
I think because people (other fans - and maybe even some UCONN fans) have often been not only critical of her defense, but also of her weight. Folks here were pointing out how it IS possible to be built like her and still play really solid defense...Holy Smokes, how the hell did this thread get where it is?
My original post was a picture of her on defense. All I pointed out was that she had a great defensive game, not usually the strongest aspect of her play.
Holy Smokes, how the hell did this thread get where it is?
My original post was a picture of her on defense. All I pointed out was that she had a great defensive game, not usually the strongest aspect of her play.
It's called "thread morph" ctfjr. I think it's a result of poor attention span. Whatever, it comes with our territory.Holy Smokes, how the hell did this thread get where it is?
My original post was a picture of her on defense. All I pointed out was that she had a great defensive game, not usually the strongest aspect of her play.
I agree totally. KML is a great kid and a great talent and she does a wonderful job of compensating for her lack of lateral quickness by her basketball acumen but there have been times where she has been beaten badly because of that deficiency. To ignore the 500 lb elephant in the room is just silly. You're so right to note that a number of the people criticizing were NOT attacking her, just stating their observations that have come through on broadcasts by people like Doris Burke and others who are very good at basketball analysis. I do feel that there are people on this board who will not tolerate anything being said about anyone on this team that could somehow possibly be construed as negative and I think that's a bit over the top. I wouldn't want to see any player getting run over the coals but it's a fact of life that there have been times where she's been beaten badly by quicker players and it's resulted in either points scored by an opponent or possibly a foul being called on a teammate who's tried to react to defend that player KML let slip past or both.I'm not going to make the argument that KML doesn't get more flack than she should because of her weight. And I agree that, even at the next level, conditioning isn't an issue. But KML simply does not have the lateral quickness to keep guards/quick forwards in front of her reliably, and that's going to be a major liability in the WNBA. It's the only reason that she's not the unanimous, unquestioned #1 pick in this year's draft. It seems like you're implying the only concerns about her defense are because of superficial judgements about her weight, but that's simply not the case.
I agree totally. KML is a great kid and a great talent and she does a wonderful job of compensating for her lack of lateral quickness by her basketball acumen but there have been times where she has been beaten badly because of that deficiency. To ignore the 500 lb elephant in the room is just silly. You're so right to note that a number of the people criticizing were NOT attacking her, just stating their observations that have come through on broadcasts by people like Doris Burke and others who are very good at basketball analysis. I do feel that there are people on this board who will not tolerate anything being said about anyone on this team that could somehow possibly be construed as negative and I think that's a bit over the top. I wouldn't want to see any player getting run over the coals but it's a fact of life that there have been times where she's been beaten badly by quicker players and it's resulted in either points scored by an opponent or possibly a foul being called on a teammate who's tried to react to defend that player KML let slip past or both.