The 2017-20 USA Basketball Women's National Team Head Coach

[oldude]

I'm looking on the bright side here. With Geno no longer having to divert his attention to the national team, he will become even more focused on building UConn into an unbeatable juggernaut that strikes fear and terror into every other WBB program in the nation.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I can think of no earthly reason to expect Dupree on the team. I like her as a player, but she is getting up there. Not needed.

If you are suggesting that they would be on the team because Dawn is HC, then you are defacto saying that there were folks on the team because Geno was the head coach. I don't think that is (exactly) true. Possibly a tendency to want players that the HC is comfortable with, but Dawn has been around the national team. Plus, and referring to Dupree, that was many years ago in Dawn's career, I wouldn't assume that Dawn runs the same stuff at an SEC school that she ran at Temple.

 

[Orangutan]

Folks, we've been over this many times. The coach does not pick the team.

Not officially. Personally, I think it's naive to believe the coach has no impact (however slight or indirect it may be) on team selection.

 

[Scotter]

Not officially. Personally, I think it's naive to believe the coach has no impact (however slight or indirect it may be) on team selection.

I'll agree it's a factor on the margins, but it's certainly not enough influence to put Candice Dupree or Tiffany Mitchell on the World Championship team. And I wouldn't even pencil Aja Wilson in yet given the depth of established frontcourt players already competing for spots.

 

[CMC'72]

I would have preferred Cheryl Reeves of the Minnesota Lynx.

Definitely!

 

[SCGamecock]

Does this mean that to make the Olympic squad, you should seriously consider going to SC now ?

Lol. Is that what it meant for UConn?

Don't worry... you still have Geno. He's still the GOAT.

Will Dawn be able to walk in more living rooms now? Maybe, maybe not.. but she was doing fine before this announcement. A lot of the nation's best recruits tend to take a hard look at SC now.

 

[Vowelguy]

Not officially. Personally, I think it's naive to believe the coach has no impact (however slight or indirect it may be) on team selection.

I believe the coach offers some comments/advice. But the ultimate decision still rests with the committee. And for a UConn fan (the previous commenter) to suggest otherwise potentially ends up denigrating Geno and some of the Olympians.

 

[SCGamecock]

I don't think it matters who the coach is. Seriously. Ann Donovan was the coach, and she's universally awful. Those players are immensely talented and self motivated and can win without an offense being installed by the head coach. It's not like they practice together a ton anyway...

Exactly. Coaching college kids and coaching professional basketball players are completely different things.

Dawn will be coaching the best women's basketball players on the planet... all she really has to do is show up. And for those naysayers worrying about offense.. Dawn will have the best assistants around, how do I know this? Because Dawn used to be one of them...

 

[SCGamecock]

I can think of no earthly reason to expect Dupree on the team. I like her as a player, but she is getting up there. Not needed.

If you are suggesting that they would be on the team because Dawn is HC, then you are defacto saying that there were folks on the team because Geno was the head coach. I don't think that is (exactly) true. Possibly a tendency to want players that the HC is comfortable with, but Dawn has been around the national team. Plus, and referring to Dupree, that was many years ago in Dawn's career, I wouldn't assume that Dawn runs the same stuff at an SEC school that she ran at Temple.

I was JUST about to point this out. Thank you.

Geno has had Dawn as an assistant on multiple occasions now and it's even being thrown around that he recommended USA Basketball chose Dawn as his successor. If Geno has his hands on it then I think it's a pretty good decision..

Plus, it can't be overlooked that Dawn is currently a college head coach and she's going to lead a USA Basketball program that's in flux... I'm sure it helps that she may know this upcoming generation of players "better" than somebody like Cheryl Reeves would, since she's a professional coach. That may not mean anything, but then again maybe it does.

 

[UcMiami]

When is the next competition for the national team?

They may try and get together sometime this spring or more likely in the fall during the WNBA playoffs, but the next competition is the WC in 2018 late summer or early fall usually.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm looking on the bright side here. With Geno no longer having to divert his attention to the national team, he will become even more focused on building UConn into an unbeatable juggernaut that strikes fear and terror into every other WBB program in the nation.

Well, it'll be about time!

 

[Mdoggie]

Andy Landers. Lol

 

[Charliebball]

I'll agree it's a factor on the margins, but it's certainly not enough influence to put Candice Dupree or Tiffany Mitchell on the World Championship team. And I wouldn't even pencil Aja Wilson in yet given the depth of established frontcourt players already competing for spots.

Wilson needs to drive the ball to her right and to her left before she makes the Olympic team.......

 

[UcMiami]

Older players only make it if they are exceptional - like DT, Sue, Catchings - and have a long history of Olympic appearances. No one makes their first Olympics at 36 unless they have some unique skill that the team is lacking. With EDD, Stewie, Tina, Griner, the front line is already well stocked.

Ummm, maybe Asjha would qualify as an older player who made the team without an exception talent.
Dupree has been in and out of the team based on injuries/availability of other players and had performed very well in the WCs the last two goes round.
It is going to be an interesting transition with some serious changes in the back court, and I do think Dawn will not have an easy time in the 2018 WCs or the Olympics - yes the USA has the talent advantage, but it isn't that pronounced and the other teams get much more time to practice - coaching is really important and I am not sure she is as strong a coach as they could have chosen. I was hoping for Cheryl, but I think there were other possible choices.

 

[baggerbob]

It remains to be seen, how many who won gold in 2016 will be back for the next Olympics. Injuries happen, and their careers for earning money are limited. Look at the men who played for Coach K who decided not to play in 2016.

 

[Dillon77]

In the same way that the reins of the Men's team was handed over to Gregg Popovich, I was hoping that the next coach of the Women's Team would be Cheryl Reeve, coach of the Minnesota Lynx. Save for Stewie, all of our 2016 players are in the WNBA and Reeve -- the very established, very successful coach -- gets to see them year-in and year-out. Plus she was Geno's assistant.

That said, welcome to the captain's deck, Dawn Staley...she's certainly paid her dues in USA Basketball as a player, coach, assistant coach.

It will be interesting to see if she has a playing style/plan she'd like to employ, if it will be noticeably different than what we've seen and who will work best within that framework. Given the level of individual and collective excellence on the team, I expect the best will still find their way onto the floor. But a few of those best slots will have what Dawn is looking for. That's what will make this interesting. While we've gotten to know Dawn's SC team as being a "pound it to A'ja and Alaina," she herself was a top-flight PG on the international level. So I'll be interested in what rolls out of camp. As for players, yes, we've all been over the committee making the final selections, but her point of view and advice to the committee will bear some weight. Stay tuned!

 

[Nuyoika]

The funniest part about this is now LV fans are sure he is being pushed out. It's not like he didn't say 2016 was gonna be his last go around forever ago and that he really only came back for his former greats who were likely playing in their last go around for USAB.

 

[UcMiami]

In the same way that the reins of the Men's team was handed over to Gregg Popovich, I was hoping that the next coach of the Women's Team would be Cheryl Reeve, coach of the Minnesota Lynx. Save for Stewie, all of our 2016 players are in the WNBA and Reeve -- the very established, very successful coach -- gets to see them year-in and year-out. Plus she was Geno's assistant.

That said, welcome to the captain's deck, Dawn Staley...she's certainly paid her dues in USA Basketball as a player, coach, assistant coach.

It will be interesting to see if she has a playing style/plan she'd like to employ, if it will be noticeably different than what we've seen and who will work best within that framework. Given the level of individual and collective excellence on the team, I expect the best will still find their way onto the floor. But a few of those best slots will have what Dawn is looking for. That's what will make this interesting. While we've gotten to know Dawn's SC team as being a "pound it to A'ja and Alaina," she herself was a top-flight PG on the international level. So I'll be interested in what rolls out of camp. As for players, yes, we've all been over the committee making the final selections, but her point of view and advice to the committee will bear some weight. Stay tuned!

Not just her point of view, but the style of play she wants to implement will have a bearing on the selection.

 

[Dillon77]

Not just her point of view, but the style of play she wants to implement will have a bearing on the selection.

Yup. In agreement with you:"... It will be interesting to see if she has a playing style/plan she'd like to employ,"

 

[oldude]

The funniest part about this is now LV fans are sure he is being pushed out. It's not like he didn't say 2016 was gonna be his last go around forever ago and that he really only came back for his former greats who were likely playing in their last go around for USAB.

A couple of ignorant posts by LV fans tying the change to the Candace Parker situation, but then quickly rebutted by a more knowledgeable fan. I particularly like the sarcastic post by a LV fan, "I'll bet Holly was runner up...."

 

[Vowelguy]

Ummm, maybe Asjha would qualify as an older player who made the team without an exception talent.

Jones was a last minute replacement when Griner dropped out. She would not have been selected otherwise.
And she was 32, not 36.

 

[UcMiami]

Jones was a last minute replacement when Griner dropped out. She would not have been selected otherwise.
And she was 32, not 36.

But had not played already on two WC teams as Dupree has.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Love you Dawn. But maybe you can recruit and assign a coach that specializes in modern offenses and their applications?

Dawn had proclaimed Geno an offensive genius. Perhaps she will ask him.

"South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, an assistant on the Olympic staff, marveled at Auriemma's offensive coaching mind. The Olympic experience, she said, was enlightening because she watched Auriemma's mind at work."

"He's just amazing," Staley said. "He always thinking of way to outfox the defense. To me, he's a genius."

 

[JordyG]

Dawn had proclaimed Geno an offensive genius. Perhaps she will ask him.

"South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, an assistant on the Olympic staff, marveled at Auriemma's offensive coaching mind. The Olympic experience, she said, was enlightening because she watched Auriemma's mind at work."

"He's just amazing," Staley said. "He always thinking of way to outfox the defense. To me, he's a genius."

I see an opening for Doug Bruno.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Congrats to Dawn! This is a big honor. I think she was an elite player. I'm not sure yet if she is an elite coach. Surely, it's a step down from Geno, but that would be true for anyone. I thought Cheryl would be the best option, though it may not work for a WNBA coach. Clearly, Dawn inherits a ton of talented players. It will be interesting to see that she does with Moriah.