The teams that passed on Kia and Gabby....

[Stinger92860]

will be sorry. Of course I’m a UConn homer, but with the possible exception of A’ja I believe these 2 are going to be the best of the picks.

Edit: are there really 9 players better than Kia?

 

[CocoHusky]

This thread was....

Some very talented young ladies fulfilled a dream tonight by getting drafted. How about we congratulate then ALL!

 

[Jaybird65]

will be sorry. Of course I’m a UConn homer, but with the possible exception of A’ja I believe these 2 are going to be the best of the picks.

Edit: are there really 9 players better than Kia?

Not necessarily about being better players; most times it is about team needs & their projections. People see things differently. It's interesting to take a look back 5 years sometimes to see how things worked out.

 

[maccca3232]

Nurse is great but I would have been surprised if she got selected before any of: Canada, Brown or Vivians.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Sometimes a team will draft based on need, sometimes a team will draft the best player available. It appears Ms Williams went higher than expected at #4. Ms Steven entering the draft definitely shook things up. We will see how Dallas plans to utilize her. The inside physicality of the WNBA is no place for the squeamish.

 

[Stinger92860]

This thread was....

Some very talented young ladies fulfilled a dream tonight by getting drafted. How about we congratulate then ALL!

Sorry, I’m UConn first. Your everybody gets a throphy approach is so predictable. Let’s talk in a year and see how this plays out.

 

[Stinger92860]

Nurse is great but I would have been surprised if she got selected before any of: Canada, Brown or Vivians.

That’s Three and you forgot Wilson. She went 10. When I Saw her play in Bridgeport before she got here, I thought she would have an immediate impact. More than a few here disagreed. I say she is a steal at 10. Time will tell. I never (to you coco) said the others girls were not deserving, I am stating that Kia is better. My opinion, you can have yours.

 

[iri10]

*shrug* Gabby and Nurse picks seem OK to me. Gabby's potential range of performance at the pros is actually quite large - depends on how she adjusts and how they use her. She's got a lot to refine before she becomes great (as opposed to decent/good) at the WNBA level. In that respect, drafting her 4th may even be a bit of a "potential performance" draft rather than a "right now" draft pick.

Kia (again given the right team and circumstances) could be a useful bench player, and maybe - if she continues improving - a useful utility starter: someone who can sort of fill in the edges of a starting lineup with a little bit of shooting, a little bit of defense, etc. I like Kia a lot, but I'd think long and hard before drafting her ahead of most of the names above her in the draft order.

 

[psconn]

Curt Miller loves Kia and her family. He recruited her hard in college, and coached her sister and aunt. Few know Kia better than Miller. He chose to go with Lexie based on positional team needs. A 1/2 guard more than a 2/3. It must have been very difficult, but that's the job. As a season ticket holder, I will support Lexie 100% without needing to see the selection as a slight against Kia.

 

[BostonFan]

Not necessarily about being better players; most times it is about team needs & their projections. People see things differently. It's interesting to take a look back 5 years sometimes to see how things worked out.

I think Kia has a ceiling in the WNBA. She actually regressed in her senior year at Uconn. She got off to a good start, but then her shots & playmaking wasnt there.

 

[VaConnFan11]

While being a very good defensive player, Kia has a very big hole in her game. She can not create her own shot and does not shoot while being guarded.

 

[the Q]

Literally 2 teams passed on gabby. She went about where she should’ve.

Kia is a role player because of her lack of ability to create off the bounce. But a very efficient one. I think should’ve gone a bit high, probably more like 7. But that’s just splitting hairs.

Plus I’m not even accounting team needs into it

 

[Bronx23]

will be sorry. Of course I’m a UConn homer, but with the possible exception of A’ja I believe these 2 are going to be the best of the picks.

Edit: are there really 9 players better than Kia?

I believe there are more than that. Kia is a great player and person and been a truly outstanding part of U Conn's history. She's not on the wall because she's not been, nor do I believe is amongst the top 10 players in the country. Yes offense is overrated, and defense underrated.
She has a very specific skill set with some very strong parts of her game. Her motor, attitude and experience add tons. Defensively no one (except maybe Gabby) works harder and better. She's a very good shooter with open space She also has some real limitations when it comes to speed, quickness and creating offensively.
Again, I'm sorry to point these things out as a big U Conn fan but they are real not imagined.
She surely deserves all the props, adulation, love she is given but we should also be able to see the areas that need improvement.
Bronx23

 

[TerpWomenFan]

While being a very good defensive player, Kia has a very big hole in her game. She can not create her own shot and does not shoot while being guarded.

This is probably why Ariel Atkins was selected ahead of her by the Mystics. I didn't really see much difference between the two but Atkins will put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket. But I was sure the Mystics was going to take either Nurse or Vivians there. At least that would have been some really nice eye candy to watch at the Capital One Arena.

 

[Scud49]

[QUOTE="BostonFan, post: 2685029, member: 8793" She actually regressed in her senior year at Uconn. [/QUOTE]

Ah, no on this. Her 3 point shooting was solid all year, as was her leadership and defense. Oh, and she just happened to be voted as DPOY in WCBB too.

 

[eebmg]

As I indicated when Holly interviewed Kia after her selection , she has parts of her game she needs to improve and she knows it.

Interesting Interview for Kia. Darnell drafted 7 Kia 10. Kia a bit pissed.

She mentioned she had long discussions with Liberty coach Katie Smith about what parts of her game she can improve in. Mid range and finishing around the basket and that Katie Smith can help with that.

 

[CajunHusky]

I think Kia has a ceiling in the WNBA. She actually regressed in her senior year at Uconn. She got off to a good start, but then her shots & playmaking wasnt there.

I think that was more a function of how the team evolved. UConn forced an inside game the second half of the season and into the playoffs. I can't tell you how many times I yelled at the TV to kick the ball outside to an open Lou or Kia for a three but it just wasn't happening.

 

[oldude]

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.

 

[the Q]

As I indicated when Holly interviewed Kia after her selection , she has parts of her game she needs to improve and she knows it.

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.

All good points.

Her shooting and D (albeit overrated IMO, she's not Gabby, that much is for sure) will carve out a role basically anywhere. She can create spacing on O and isn't a liability on D. Those 2 traits alone will get you PT.

 

[BostonCanuck]

While being a very good defensive player, Kia has a very big hole in her game. She can not create her own shot and does not shoot while being guarded.

Kia's three ball is basically just catch-and-shoot, although when guarded she can pump-fake and either drive to the rim or dribble to one side for a more open shot.

What I'd really like to see her do is develop the ability to take an outside shot after curling off the screen, the way Lou does. Once she has that, maybe add a floater for use on the dribble drive. Lots of potential for Kia to be a solid contributor in the WNBA, but it would have been better if she had developed a few more offensive tools like these during her junior and senior years.

It kinda sucks that she's wasn't drafted by the Sun, though. That, the fact that DeSheilds was selected so early (number three!) and that Vivians was selected relatively late were the three surprises of the night for me.

 

[eebmg]

Kia's three ball is basically just catch-and-shoot, although when guarded she can pump-fake and either drive to the rim or dribble to one side for a more open shot.

What I'd really like to see her do is develop the ability to take an outside shot after curling off the screen, the way Lou does. Once she has that, maybe add a floater for use on the dribble drive. Lots of potential for Kia to be a solid contributor in the WNBA, but it would have been better if she had developed a few more offensive tools like these during her junior and senior years.

It kinda sucks that she's wasn't drafted by the Sun, though. That, the fact that DeSheilds was selected so early (number three!) and that Vivians was selected relatively late were the three surprises of the night for me.

It may be a blessing in disguise. Perhaps Kelly Faris was hurt playing in front of a crowd that expected and wanted so much success. Just a thought.

 

[JSB60]

I think Kia has a lot of upside as a pro. The W will allow her to be more physical and that will help her drive to the basket and defend even better.

 

[psconn]

Apologies if this has been mentioned, but I can't think of a better coach for Kia in the pros than Katie Smith. Big, strong, smart and fiery guard who can really shoot it... sound familiar? If Kia develops into 1st line guard in the pros, her game will probably resemble Katie's.

 

[psconn]

It may be a blessing in disguise. Perhaps Kelly Faris was hurt playing in front of a crowd that expected and wanted so much success. Just a thought.

I felt really bad for Kelly when the crowd went nuts for her and offered only semi-enthusiastic applause for some of the teams real stars. My seats are very close to the Sun bench and I'm a big body language watcher. You could tell it bothered/embarrassed her and you could tell that her teammates, while understanding, were impacted also. I asked Shekinna Stricklen about this once and she said that she understood, and that it was no problem. Sometimes body language from some others told a different story. I doubt that anyone on the team held this against Kelly but I'm sure it added pressure to Kelly's already tenuous position.

 

[psconn]

This Ned Griffen article in The Day offers great insights.
Sun take Duke guard Lexie Brown ninth at WNBA Draft

 

[DefenseBB]

will be sorry. Of course I’m a UConn homer, but with the possible exception of A’ja I believe these 2 are going to be the best of the picks.

Edit: are there really 9 players better than Kia?

Short answer is YES.

 

[Lynx23]

Personally, I couldn't be happier as a Jerseyite. Kia now brings her skills and huge personality to New York. I suspect she'll fit in nicely and I look forward to seeing her and her UCONN teammates in action. Kelly Faris is on the pre-season roster, too, along with Stokes, Charles, and Hartley. Would be great if Kelly made the team as well. Bottom line, regardless as to who feels Lexie or Kia should have been the Sun's choice, the slate is wiped clean and each rookie must prove herself worthy. Kia has always been a fighter. My money is on her.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

No doubt Aja is the first pic. I have no idea if she will be as dominant and she was at times at SC but no team was passing on her. The Fever picking Mitchell was predictable as she is a capable point/shooting guard. Again, not sure she will ever put up large numbers. Chicago picked the next 2 and to me (ignorant of the process) I don't know how they decided to choose Diamond then Gabby.

Both Gabby and Kia are very good players who could certainly help a team. They both seem to have a quality where you want them on your team even if they aren't the big producers. and have potential to be solid WNBA players. I look at a player like Camille Little. She was good as a college player on an Ivory Latta led team and has played solidly in the WNBA for years. She doesn't always score or rebound well but she seems to be in the mix each year.

 

[Roger G]

Curt Miller loves Kia and her family. He recruited her hard in college, and coached her sister and aunt. Few know Kia better than Miller. He chose to go with Lexie based on positional team needs. A 1/2 guard more than a 2/3. It must have been very difficult, but that's the job. As a season ticket holder, I will support Lexie 100% without needing to see the selection as a slight against Kia.

I will definitely support Lexie and the Sun and I think Miller is a great coach and appraiser of talent. That being said, I was disappointed that he did not take Kia and I think it may end up being a mistake. On a facebook page dedicated to the Huskies that I visit, there were many disparaging statements made about Miller and I defended him without hesitation, but I don't fully buy the justification. Kia can play the one and she has shown that. One poster there suggested that people who question Lexie rewatch the UConn/Duke game from the tournament. I did. But I still was not impressed. (One of her best passes was to Geno. ) She's got speed and poise, I'll give her that, but the intensity that Kia brings (and UConn players in general bring) is not there yet. Maybe he feels he can bring it out of her. I hope so. What may actually be behind this whole thing might be that Kia may have been tired of living in the sticks and wanted to go to the bright lights and the big city. We may never know. Bottom line is that in my opinion Kia is a better baller and could have backed up Jasmine Thomas as point. Nevertheless, I hope it works out for the Sun and for Kia.

Edit: there was one play in that tournament game where Lexie stepped in front of Kia and stole a pass. Kia caught up to her and poked the ball away from Lexie into the hands of another UConn player.

 

[socal613ws]

is Nurse Faris 2.0 ?