One of the issues that is always difficult to gauge is how an athlete’s skill set translates from one level to the next. So from HS to College, and College to Pro, there is always a culling out of talent that doesn’t possess the requisite size, athleticism or ability to create their own shot/score consistently.
Of course intangibles are also part of the equation: work ethic, basketball IQ, toughness, team oriented and so on. On the intangibles, UConn players always rank very high, which may be why they almost always get drafted sooner rather than later.
Specifically, relative to Gabby, she checks all the boxes except one. While Gabby can certainly create her own shot, she needs to shoot the ball more consistently from midrange to the arc. If Gabby develops that ability, she will be a star in the WNBA, because she’s great at everything else.
Kia is off the charts on the intangibles. She’s also a shutdown defender who can knock down open shots, but as Kia herself admitted when interviewed immediately after being drafted, she needs to improve her ability to finish at the rim and her midrange game in the pros. For Kia, that’ll be quite the challenge, and it will determine whether she is a solid reserve or a front line starter in the pros.
