Stokes and Dolson headline U.S. women's select team

[Fairfield Fan]

Tiffany Hayes no longer plays with USA Basketball. She plays for Azerbaijan. And no I'm not kidding.

Hayes, Henry to miss Dream's next 5 games

Did not know that! Hilarious! I hope they are well compensated for the switch.

 

[CocoHusky]

More odd decisions regarding the Olympics. Steph, but no Tiff? I can't figure it out.

I don't think so. More a function of us having a very very boring WBB news summer. This is a select team to scrimmage USA team before the Olympics and we are putting waAAAAAAY too much significance on this especially when we don't know who was asked and might have declined.

 

[Geew1992]

Did not know that! Hilarious! I hope they are well compensated for the switch.

This article is from 2015.

 

[Orangutan]

McBride is out for the season injured, Vandersloot has been struggling with injuries this year and would probably have declined. I think a lot of players are looking forward to a month break from competition - and their teams are probably very happy not to have them involved. Would not be surprised if the Sparks team members are 'showing solidarity' and focusing on fitness for the second half of the WNBA season.

Yup, can't imagine Sloot would have accepted if offered. She needs all the rest possible to get healthy. Same thing with Diggins. I could easily imagine her declining so as to get some rest for a knee that probably isn't 100% yet.

 

[Orangutan]

Yes, very odd. Tolliver has been amazing this year, and probably the key part that pulls together that fantastic front line of the LA Sparks.

Toliver plays for Slovakia.

 

[Wally East]

This article is from 2015.

Doesn't matter. You have to wait three years.

Here's the rule:

A competitor who has represented one country in the Olympic Games, in continental or regional games or in world or regional championships recognised by the relevant IF, and who has changed his nationality or acquired a new nationality, may participate in the Olympic Games to represent his new country provided that at least three years have passed since the competitor last represented his former country. This period may be reduced or even cancelled, with the agreement of the NOCs and IF concerned, by the IOC Executive Board, which takes into account the circumstances of each case.

 

[Geew1992]

Doesn't matter. You have to wait three years.

Here's the rule:

A competitor who has represented one country in the Olympic Games, in continental or regional games or in world or regional championships recognised by the relevant IF, and who has changed his nationality or acquired a new nationality, may participate in the Olympic Games to represent his new country provided that at least three years have passed since the competitor last represented his former country. This period may be reduced or even cancelled, with the agreement of the NOCs and IF concerned, by the IOC Executive Board, which takes into account the circumstances of each case.

Who knew??!! Thanks

 

[UcMiami]

Wally - thanks for finding that - is this a change, I thought it used to be a lifetime choice? Once you had represented a country in worlds or olympics you were not allowed to switch - maybe put in to deal with all the split countries?

I don't think of Sims as a USA PG - she and Diggins for that matter fill more of the DT type of combo guard role - they are #2 (3.0) and #5 (2.7) in turnovers per game (DT is at #4) while they're well down in assists per game at 3.7 (14th) and 3.3 per game. Their strength has always been in their scoring ability. Players like Sloot, January, Whalen, and Jefferson are all under 2.0 TOs per game, Bird who is at 2.6 TOs per game leads the league in assists at 5.8 so still well above a 2.0 ratio.

And I am not saying they couldn't adapt, just that is not the game they are used to playing professionally nor really in college. They have always been a primary scoring option on their teams and continue to be. That is not an easy transition to make as a couple of people connected with USA basketball have talked about - how do you still be an effective scorer when you are the fifth option on offense for your team with the ball in your hands most of the time.

(Jewell Loyd is similar to Diggins and Sims and you see her (and the team) struggle in the role of PG when Sue is off the court.)

I do find the lack of PGs 'interesting' - they had lots of options that really do play a more USA type role professionally - January is having a really good year, and while Moriah is playing more minutes than Mitchell or Powers, she is shooting significantly higher percentages, matching them in scoring and rebounding and doubling them in assists and A/TO ratio while playing more of her minutes against starters. (And playing on a dreadful team!) Both Mitchell and Powers sort of exploded onto the scene, and for rookies they are playing very well, but their production has evened out a bit - perhaps the result of teams having better scouting than in the first couple of weeks.

I am pretty sure that Vandersloot would have begged off this team because of the minor injuries she has struggled with this year - Chicago really needs her healthy if they are to make any noise.

Coco - agree that we over-analyze what is in effect the practice team - we sure don't worry this much about the male practice players at Uconn!

 

[meyers7]

Bird who is at 2.6 TOs per game leads the league in assists at 5.8 so still well above a 2.0 ratio.

That's good, at least she doesn't have to worry about getting a spanking.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

I don't think so. More a function of us having a very very boring WBB news summer. This is a select team to scrimmage USA team before the Olympics and we are putting waAAAAAAY too much significance on this especially when we don't know who was asked and might have declined.

But that's the problem. There's too little transparency in this process. We're not talking about nuclear weapons policy. It's basketball. The Olympic committee should tell us so that we know. Won't hurt anyone.