"The best just make everyone better"

[UConnCat]

so says Nike

Nike Basketball @nikebasketball · 32m
The best just make everyone better. #MVP #WNBAFinals

 

[easttexastrash]

DT is a special player. What a joy to watch!

The GOAT!

 

[RadyLady]

Simply the best! when you have Diana Taurasi - no one else does

 

[geneticrex]

One of the rare intangibles is the ability to continually elevate the play of those that surround you.

DT has "it" in spades.

 

[Goodgood]

Money player for sure. She can't miss when the game is on the line. One tough competitor. No wonder Pat Summit said " four years of that?" while shaking her head after a loss to UConn and DT.

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Money player for sure. She can't miss when the game is on the line. One tough competitor. No wonder Pat Summit said " four years of that?" while shaking her head after a loss to UConn and DT.

"Will that girl never graduate?"

 

[UcMiami]

"Will that girl never graduate?"

Love the fact that Geno refused to allow her back in the gym at Uconn until she finished her degree - she had left for the WNBA without graduating.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Among UConn players, Dee just tied Swin with 3 WNBA titles and passed Sue and Maya (2 each).

 

[UConnCat]

Phil Jackson @PhilJackson11 · 12h
congrats to Phx Mercury and that shark Diana Taurasi MVP on their title.

 

[chrissaran]

How many years has D played and how many has Maya played? If Phoenix hadn't tanked the 2012 season, they wouldn't have Brittney Griner and no title. How is it that D played just 8 games and Penny Taylor didn't play at all that year? Someone will have an answer, and it's all BS. They tanked so that they could draft Griner number 1.

 

[phil sampieri]

How many years has D played and how many has Maya played? If Phoenix hadn't tanked the 2012 season, they wouldn't have Brittney Griner and no title. How is it that D played just 8 games and Penny Taylor didn't play at all that year? Someone will have an answer, and it's all BS. They tanked so that they could draft Griner number 1.

You sure like to stir the pot. I have two spoons the one that says ------- is yours.

How many years has D played and how many has Maya played? If Phoenix hadn't tanked the 2012 season, they wouldn't have Brittney Griner and no title. How is it that D played just 8 games and Penny Taylor didn't play at all that year? Someone will have an answer, and it's all BS. They tanked so that they could draft Griner number 1.

 

[geneticrex]

How many years has D played and how many has Maya played? If Phoenix hadn't tanked the 2012 season, they wouldn't have Brittney Griner and no title. How is it that D played just 8 games and Penny Taylor didn't play at all that year? Someone will have an answer, and it's all BS. They tanked so that they could draft Griner number 1.

Since this is a about how certain players make those around them better and how absolutely clutch some players are in the biggest situations, compare D and Maya on those two levels.


Nobody would say Maya isn't a great player, but she is cannot compare to Taurasi on those fronts, but then again, neither can anyone else.

 

[UConn990411]

How many years has D played and how many has Maya played? If Phoenix hadn't tanked the 2012 season, they wouldn't have Brittney Griner and no title. How is it that D played just 8 games and Penny Taylor didn't play at all that year? Someone will have an answer, and it's all BS. They tanked so that they could draft Griner number 1.

Grow up. It's called pro sports.

 

[UcMiami]

I love DT and think at this moment in time she is the GOAT, but to say Maya does not make those around her better or isn't clutch or whatever is belied by her career - she was the catalyst for MN winning its first title in her rookie year and there is no question that this year with the injuries MN had she held that team together. Diana is spectacular, but it took Phoenix five years to get back to the top after 2009. And this years Phoenix team is full of pretty spectacular players. DT certainly has had a strong hand in meshing those talents, but BG, PT, DB, and CD are all very talented and their coaching is very good.
And it is not just WNBA, but Maya has won in every overseas league she has played in - the Invincible Queen has had the same kind of international success that DT has had - she just hasn't had as many years to that career.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Maya is 7 years younger. Diana has accomplished more. But give Maya time. I think they are 1 and 1a. Stewie and Lou could be 1b and 1c.

 

[geneticrex]

As great a player as Maya is, she didn't come close to D's heroics at UCONN and simply winning championships at any level doesn't tell the story of clutch performances.

Maya might end up with a greater number of WNBA titles than DT. Does that mean she was a better crunch time performer??? Who knows and only time will tell, but what we do know is, she wasn't a better money player in college than Taurasi and hasn't been up to this point in her professional career either.

Biggest game on the line??? Give me Diana Taurasi with the ball in her hand.

 

[ThisJustIn]

How many years has D played and how many has Maya played? If Phoenix hadn't tanked the 2012 season, they wouldn't have Brittney Griner and no title. How is it that D played just 8 games and Penny Taylor didn't play at all that year? Someone will have an answer, and it's all BS. They tanked so that they could draft Griner number 1.

It gives me great pleasure to know you can't enjoy the Phoenix win. Just makes it all that more sweeter.... Enjoy your

 

[HuskyNan]

Since this is a about how certain players make those around them better and how absolutely clutch some players are in the biggest situations, compare D and Maya on those two levels.


Nobody would say Maya isn't a great player, but she is cannot compare to Taurasi on those fronts, but then again, neither can anyone else.

One more time (and these are Geno's words, not mine, restated):

Diana is a GUARD. She has the ball in her hands most of the time and has more options when a clutch play is needed.

Maya is a FORWARD. She depends on the guards to get her the ball and can't make clutch plays if the guards can't or don't get her the ball.

Comparing these two wonderful players apples to apples makes no sense.

 

[pap49cba]

Nan, stop confusing people with facts.....

 

[sarals24]

Also, Maya's teams at UConn were so dominant (the NC years) that she rarely had the opportunity to take as many clutch shots as Diana did. And in 2010, Maya pretty much singlehandedly brought UConn back to win that game after the 12-point half.

We're just so lucky to be able to have the argument at all

 

[alexrgct]

One of the rare intangibles is the ability to continually elevate the play of those that surround you. DT has "it" in spades.

. She does have "it"...even when Phoenix has to sit Griner in Game 3 and were thereby scared it-less...

 

[geneticrex]

One more time (and these are Geno's words, not mine, restated):

Diana is a GUARD. She has the ball in her hands most of the time and has more options when a clutch play is needed.

Maya is a FORWARD. She depends on the guards to get her the ball and can't make clutch plays if the guards can't or don't get her the ball.

Comparing these two wonderful players apples to apples makes no sense.

Do you think I don't understand the nuances of the game of basketball???

My opinion and that's only what it is, is simply the fact that Taurasi has proven time and again, on the biggest stage, she not only wants to take THE shot, she will MAKE the shot and because of that historical fact, I will take her over any other player in THE situation. Maya included.

 

[geneticrex]

Nan, stop confusing people with facts.....

Yeah, I'm confused.

 

[blackbird]

I think Nan's point is part of the reason that Diana is the better of the two.

Saying Maya is a forward and therefore depends on a guard to make plays for her is a little misleading. Angel, Taylor, Catchings, heck Parker and EDD are all forwards that can be given the ball and make plays for themselves and others. She's a small forward. In a lot of offenses, the small forward and shooting guard are interchangeable. To say that just because Maya is a forward she is thus dependent on guards isn't true. She's dependent on guards because she hasn't developed that portion of her game as well as she could have. Obviously, other elements of her game are far superior to 99.9% of WBA players out there, but this Maya/Diana comparison isn't as rough as say Leslie/Taursi..

 

[warbler1055]

Wow, comparison between DT and Maya is so idiotic. They are both great on and off the court. Probably the best of all time. But they are of different time and position. Right now DT is the best. In few years, who knows, may be it will be Maya's time or somebody else. UConn was lucky to have them for a few years. I just hope that our Football team have a few players to the same level as DT or Maya so we are not on the outside looking in the Power 5 conferences. I hate it, but our BB programs are national champions but it's FB which pays the bill.