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Message: [QUOTE="DefenseBB, post: 2690552, member: 7492"] I do think Thompson has stronger WCBB background than some of the others due to her time on the bench, but the long history of great players in all sports being highly successful coaches is very short. I was talking about college and Hall of Fame players but I will give my rebuttal on both your concurrent dialogues College: Umm, wasn't Cooper let go at USC? While she had success at lower schools, she also crashed and burned at a P5 so as my comments are about top programs and coaches being elite, which is what Virginia is striving for, so I wouldn't say she's in the mix. Stephanie White is not doing well at Vanderbilt and she has Carolyn Peck on her staff. She just had her best player transfer. To me, great coaches can immediately make an impact by teaching the lesser skilled players about the game and instilling discipline and effort. I haven't seen that from Ms. White. For the WNBA- As coach of the Fever team she did not have to recruit those players/entice them to come as the GM did that. The players, for the most part are also self motivated and usually in very good physical condition. They also don't have a lot of practice time so either they already know the game or are sitting on the bench. Congrats on her title but she's still highly unproven and thus far looks like a bust especially considering how much money she and her staff are taking from Vandy.... I am also not a huge fan of the WNBA as it is only 12 teams so the talent should be spread out pretty evenly but it isn't. Winning a title as a coach in the WNBA to me is "meh". So while you mention Brondello, I don't recall her being a great player in the Swoopes, Catchings, Cooper, Thompson, Staley or Mulkey mold. Winning a title is always nice but come on, they play 34 games and have 8 teams make the playoffs, have 2 single round elimination games then in the semi's play a best of 5. For a league 20+ years in existence, kid of sad so it's not like WCBB with 349 schools and 65 P5 schools who are vying for a NCAA titles. I appreciate the input as I did have to re-assert my logic for clarity but your "great players/great coaches" list is not convincing. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach