The AA table is getting crowded. Only five seats. . .

[Kibitzer]

. . . and at least one is taken.

OK, conceede one seat at the All-American table to Brittney Griner. She's not only the biggest, but unquestionably the most dominant player in wcbb.

Four seats remaining.

A strong case must be made for Odyssey Sims, Griner's terrific teammate, arguably the best point guard, BUT. . .

Skylar Diggins is also a point guard, surely the most photogenic and undoubtedly the best left-handed PG now playing.

Those two ladies may claim one or two seats at this choice table. There are three others with credentials that demand consideration.

Elena Delle Donne is one. She has propelled an otherwise mediocre team in a rinky-dink league to a place in the rankings and a certain invitation to the Big Dance. She has preferred triple-A to the Big Leagues, like an Off Broadway star. But she is good enough to deserve to be considered for AA honors.

Chiney evokes memories of her superb sis, and she is carrying a good team to a likely Final Four appearance.

Finally, our very own Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. She is not only the best shooter in wcbb, but in my not-at-all humble opinion, as good a player as anybody I just mentioned. Others may be bigger, but none are better. So, KML, sit down at the AA table and look for the day (soon, I hope) when your name is squeezed on the Wall of Honor in Gampel. With Diana and Maya and all those other UConn legends.

KML, AA. Period.

 

[UConnCat]

Well, ESPN has ordained Griner, Diggins and EDD as the 3 to watch this year so surely they'll be on the team. That leaves 2 spots to be filled from a group that should include KML, Sims and Chiney. I think Chiney has to be on the team which leaves either Sims or KML. Tough call.

 

[UConnCat]

Here's what Kara Lawson had to say about KML:

“But I will tell you something; I think what Mosqueda-Lewis is doing, and how efficiently she is doing it, the rate she is shooting the basketball … I’m not going to say I’ve never seen it before, because I’m sure we can research some other numbers, but just look at how many three-pointers she has made.

“Are you kidding me? Shooting over 50 percent from the field, too. That kid is not getting enough whatever [praise]. I’ve never seen anything like it. There are great shooters out there, but they don’t shoot like she does. Whoa.”

 

[DishNSwish]

Well, ESPN has ordained Griner, Diggins and EDD as the 3 to watch this year so surely they'll be on the team. That leaves 2 spots to be filled from a group that should include KML, Sims and Chiney. I think Chiney has to be on the team which leaves either Sims or KML. Tough call.

Pre-ordained? Not necessarily, we had a really good discussion on this last night with Voepel, Rich Elliott, Roger Cleveland, Doug Feinberg and myself as to who should be 1st, 2nd and 3rd team All-Americans. Beth Mowins on twitter disagreed with me on Delle Donne over KML for first team too.

 

[gibhunter]

It's basically about choosing a team. Your starting 5 who would you like to have? If you get rid of small/power forward distinction and point/shooting guard distinction, you have clear two best guards in Sims and Diggins so they should be on the team.
Then you have KML, Ogwumike and EDD. Purely from statistics perpective KML comes out last in that equation.

Guard 1: Sims
Guard 2: Diggins
Forward 1: Ogwumike
Forward 2: KML or EDD (objectively I'd pick EDD)
Center: Griner

This would leave #3 team in the nation (might be #2 if we beat ND) without AA representative, but UConn really doesn't have one this year. KML is just as important or probably less important to UConn's success as Dolson. If Dolson is our MVP than how could KML be our AA rep? I'd say right now that both along with Faris are second team AA.

 

[meyers7]

Pre-ordained? Not necessarily, we had a really good discussion on this last night with Voepel, Rich Elliott, Roger Cleveland, Doug Feinberg and myself as to who should be 1st, 2nd and 3rd team All-Americans. Beth Mowins on twitter disagreed with me on Delle Donne over KML for first team too.

You are confusing "should" and "will".

 

[UConnCat]

Pre-ordained? Not necessarily, we had a really good discussion on this last night with Voepel, Rich Elliott, Roger Cleveland, Doug Feinberg and myself as to who should be 1st, 2nd and 3rd team All-Americans. Beth Mowins on twitter disagreed with me on Delle Donne over KML for first team too.

I hope there is a good debate on who should be on the team. My comment was not that the AAs have been pre-ordained, but was directed at the absurdity of ESPN declaring 3 players as the 3 to watch this season. I do think that will influence voters but I hope not. I would choose KML over Delle Donne too for exactly the reason mentioned by Beth Mowins: level of competition.

 

[Icebear]

It's basically about choosing a team. Your starting 5 who would you like to have? If you get rid of small/power forward distinction and point/shooting guard distinction, you have clear two best guards in Sims and Diggins so they should be on the team.
Then you have KML, Ogwumike and EDD. Purely from statistics perpective KML comes out last in that equation.

Guard 1: Sims
Guard 2: Diggins
Forward 1: Ogwumike
Forward 2: KML or EDD (objectively I'd pick EDD)
Center: Griner

This would leave #3 team in the nation (might be #2 if we beat ND) without AA representative, but UConn really doesn't have one this year. KML is just as important or probably less important to UConn's success as Dolson. If Dolson is our MVP than how could KML be our AA rep? I'd say right now that both along with Faris are second team AA.

Stef will not be an AA on a 5 player or 6 player roster. She will likely be on a 10 player roster with KML on a 5 or 6 player roster. It is about the positions. Also, I take Sims over Diggins on a 5 or 6 player roster and include Diggins on the 10 player roster for the same reasons as Stef, position competition. My AA first team 5 are Griner, Delle Donne, Chiney, KML, and Sims. If 6 I add Dolson because Griner will be MOP.

 

[CL82]

Stef will not be an AA on a 5 player or 6 player roster. She will likely be on a 10 player roster with KML on a 5 or 6 player roster. It is about the positions. Also, I take Sims over Diggins on a 5 or 6 player roster and include Diggins on the 10 player roster for the same reasons as Stef, position competition. My AA first team 5 are Griner, Delle Donne, Chiney, KML, and Sims. If 6 I add Dolson because Griner will be MOP.

Flip Diggins and EDD. EDD is having a great year, but that's easier to do in the minors. I'd move her down to 8 or so, behind Steph. JMO.

 

[gibhunter]

No way would I take Sims over Diggins. Diggins is Taurasi-esque. She is carrying a relatively young (experience-wise) Notre Dame squad to #2 ranking in the nation. I doubt that Sims could do that.

 

[Icebear]

Flip Diggins and EDD. EDD is having a great year, but that's easier to do in the minors. I'd move her down to 8 or so, behind Steph. JMO.

My choice is based on the number of so so outings Diggins has had. Although recently she has been better. For long stretches early in the season she was not the best player on the Irish let alone top 5 in the country.

 

[MilfordHusky]

In approximate order, I take Griner, Chiney, KML, EDD, and Diggins.

Odyssey just misses, perhaps because she shares things with Griner. Skylar's confidence and leadership on the #2 team that is much better than expected makes the difference, though I think she is a diva.

In terms of positions, either KML or EDD could be considered a "guard." Some AA teams are not based on positions, just the best 5 players.

I agree with Kara, who is one of the most astute observers. Kaleena is shooting roughly 55/50/90 on all FGs, threes, and FTs. That is crazy good and perhaps unprecedented. Efficiency does matter. Ultimately, the game is about putting the ball in the hoop, and no one does it better than Kaleena.

 

[arch]

Stef will not be an AA on a 5 player or 6 player roster. She will likely be on a 10 player roster with KML on a 5 or 6 player roster. It is about the positions. Also, I take Sims over Diggins on a 5 or 6 player roster and include Diggins on the 10 player roster for the same reasons as Stef, position competition. My AA first team 5 are Griner, Delle Donne, Chiney, KML, and Sims. If 6 I add Dolson because Griner will be MOP.

Griner, KML and whoever. Can't see Diggins or Sims or any forward over KML.

 

[Icebear]

I agree with Kara, who is one of the most astute observers. Kaleena is shooting roughly 55/50/90 on all FGs, threes, and FTs. That is crazy good and perhaps unprecedented. Efficiency does matter. Ultimately, the game is about putting the ball in the hoop, and no one does it better than Kaleena.

Add to that 6.2 rebounds per game, 57 assists, 33 steals, and only 39 fouls in 26 games or 1.5 per game.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Add to that 6.2 rebounds per game, 57 assists, 33 steals, and only 39 fouls in 26 games or 1.5 per game.

Yep, and a very good A/TO ratio of 57:33.

And in the biggest game, she had a superlative performance.

 

[Kibitzer]

Kara Lawson nailed it. "I've never seen anything like it."

There are not five better players than Kaleena. In my view, none better. Not a single one!

Griner is more dominant because her height (certainly an asset) enables her to be a force in the paint at both ends of the court.

Nobody shoots the ball as well as KML or whose floor play is markedly superior to hers. She is AA with no asterisk.

 

[Vowelguy]

my 1st team: Sims, Diggins, KML, Chiney, Griner
2nd team: Lucas, A Thomas, EDD, Dolson, ?

10th probably would've been Chelsea Gray had she continued as she was playing.
Maybe McBride or Achonwa.

 

[EricLA]

People can OOH and AAH over Chiney and rightfully so, but she's literally the ONLY scoring option on many nights. Yet KML is blessed to be on a team that has 4 players averaging double figures in scoring, and one (Hartley) who is at 9.3 PPG. Stanford, OTOH, has 3 in double figures, and the 4th is only at 7.7 PPG. Chiney averages 15.5 shots per game. KML 11.1.

I realize that Chiney's numbers are more gaudy, but per minute I bet KML's are just as good, if not better. KML deserves to be on the first team over both Diggins and Sims, however given that some teams are done by position, you could have Griner, Ogwumike, KML, EDD and Diggins, which is what my 1st team would be. Simms is a terrific PG for Baylor, but aside from assists, her stats pale in c0mparison to KML's...

 

[Vowelguy]

People can OOH and AAH over Chiney and rightfully so, but she's literally the ONLY scoring option on many nights.

That would seem to make her performance more notable, not less, since defenses can concentrate solely on her?

 

[EricLA]

That would seem to make her performance more notable, not less, since defenses can concentrate solely on her?

Not really. when you take into account the number of shots taken and the number of minutes played. She's not quite the volume shooter a player like Simmons of Tennessee is, but my point is merely that I don't think you can say Chiney is a better or more deserving player than KML based solely on the numbers.

Side note - Chiney shoots 58% from the field in 34.5 minutes. KML is at 55% in 28.7 MPG. The thing most remarkable about KML's numbers is that more than half her shots are from beyond the arc, while Chiney's are literally within a few feet of the basket.

I think both are 1st team AA's and Chiney is the best player in her class, as KML is the best in hers.

 

[Sakibomb25]

That would seem to make her performance more notable, not less, since defenses can concentrate solely on her?

Which makes her consistency all the more remarkable. She's the focus of the defense, but she still ends up producing. Yes she takes more shots than KML, but she's also hitting around 58% of her shots. It's not like she is putting up bricks with every shot she takes.

Just to note - she's averaging 22.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.4 assists, and 1.26 steals per game. And she's shooting 79% from the charity stripe.

 

[Sakibomb25]

Not really. when you take into account the number of shots taken and the number of minutes played. She's not quite the volume shooter a player like Simmons of Tennessee is, but my point is merely that I don't think you can say Chiney is a better or more deserving player than KML based solely on the numbers.

Side note - Chiney shoots 58% from the field in 34.5 minutes. KML is at 55% in 28.7 MPG. The thing most remarkable about KML's numbers is that more than half her shots are from beyond the arc, while Chiney's are literally within a few feet of the basket.

I think both are 1st team AA's and Chiney is the best player in her class, as KML is the best in hers.

But they also play different positions. KML maybe listed as a forward, but she's playing more like a wing, especially with her 3-point shooting. So it would be better to compare her to say DelleDonne than Ogwumike.

 

[pksundevil]

I agree with Kara, who is one of the most astute observers. Kaleena is shooting roughly 55/50/90 on all FGs, threes, and FTs. That is crazy good and perhaps unprecedented. Efficiency does matter. Ultimately, the game is about putting the ball in the hoop, and no one does it better than Kaleena.

EDD is shooting 50/50/91, and that includes some early-season games where her percentage was lower because she was playing through Lymes. Since mid-January she is above 50% on 3-pointers. It is hard to make the case that she is not the best pure shooter, or at least tied for the best.

 

[cardfan]

People can OOH and AAH over Chiney and rightfully so, but she's literally the ONLY scoring option on many nights. Yet KML is blessed to be on a team that has 4 players averaging double figures in scoring, and one (Hartley) who is at 9.3 PPG. Stanford, OTOH, has 3 in double figures, and the 4th is only at 7.7 PPG. Chiney averages 15.5 shots per game. KML 11.1.

I realize that Chiney's numbers are more gaudy, but per minute I bet KML's are just as good, if not better. KML deserves to be on the first team over both Diggins and Sims, however given that some teams are done by position, you could have Griner, Ogwumike, KML, EDD and Diggins, which is what my 1st team would be. Simms is a terrific PG for Baylor, but aside from assists, her stats pale in c0mparison to KML's...

KML is amazing and had a great game last night. I think she is better than Diggins, but of course Diggins is a Sr and brand name.

Tara recently said Chiney is the most consistent player that she's had at Stanford, which is saying something, especially compared to Nneka. Chiney at the post is double and tripled teamed every night, which is why her numbers are even more impressive (22.4 ppg and 12.4 rpg) and 58% FG. She is our team, KML has a lot of help and doesn't get the D coverage Chiney gets. She had 20 straight double doubles and is one away from breaking Nneka's record of 51 doubles as a Jr. She is also on record to break the single season record for most pts and rebounds in Pac12 (held by Nneka).

 

[Sakibomb25]

EDD is shooting 50/50/91, and that includes some early-season games where her percentage was lower because she was playing through Lymes. Since mid-January she is above 50% on 3-pointers. It is hard to make the case that she is not the best pure shooter, or at least tied for the best.

But to help KML's case over EDD, the competition UConn has faced is much better than that of Delaware. Not saying that EDD wouldn't be just as successful on a BCS team, but the quality of competition is a factor, imho.