USA Basketball officials explain leaving Parker off Olympic team

[DaddyChoc]

The article does kinda imply that Stewart took Parker's slot. Let's see, nine returning players, so three not returning. A. Jones is retired, CP, who is the third? (Dupree, I think). Three added are Britney Griner, EDD, and Stewart, all tall. Do the math.

Parker was left off to make room for Stewie... in 2012 Stewie wasnt an issue so thats why CP3 was on the that team. AJones nor Cash should've made the teams they were on.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I dunno
The state above by Husky Love seems quite unequivocal.

I asked Geno after one of his radio shows "how much say do you have in choosing the olympic team?"
His answer was that he would have more input this time rather than 2012 because USA Basketball trusts him more. He said there is a selection committee and he does not have a vote. However, he is the coach and will advocate. He's in the room during the decision process.

I'm not saying he's the one who said don't have Candace come back. I'm just pointing out that Geno does have a weighed opinion.

Im really enjoying your post lately, you've been a mellow fellow this season

 

[ScarlettB]

Geno and Cappie have had a freiendship going back to when he recruited her. The below article has more info on the 2012 team selection.

Will Cappie Pondexter have shot to make 2012 Olympic team?

Hmmm, this qutoe is in that article:

As Auriemma said, "When you're picking this team, the committee is trying to take in consideration so many things. When we went to the World Championships two Octobers ago, that team we took there had an unbelievable run. That was a phenomenal team. We played tremendous basketball and won a gold medal against the Czech Republic on their home court.

"If the committee had asked me, 'What do you want the Olympic team to be, I would have said, 'Hey, give me that [World Championship] team back.' And I think the changes that the committee made to that team have made the team better".

Thanks for posting that article. Geno coached the team that won that world championship he referenced, so I have to believe his preference for Whalen in 2012 helped seal Cappie's fate. Whalen is a good player, but I still think Cappie was purposely punished for taking some time for herself. Parker has taken some time off too, so one might consider that this was a factor, but certainly no one considered leaving Diana off the team because she took time off from basketball. I don't believe it is only Geno that makes these decisions - the committee is certainly responsible, but if I were on the committee, I would take the coaches preferences into account before making my decision.

 

[LesMis89]

That is what she said at the time but if you read her book she admits that it was really due to more than that.

Welp, I guess it's now clear that I haven't read her book...

Thanks for the reply.

 

[UConnCat]

Thanks for posting that article. Geno coached the team that won that world championship he referenced, so I have to believe his preference for Whalen in 2012 helped seal Cappie's fate. Whalen is a good player, but I still think Cappie was purposely punished for taking some time for herself. Parker has taken some time off too, so one might consider that this was a factor, but certainly no one considered leaving Diana off the team because she took time off from basketball. I don't believe it is only Geno that makes these decisions - the committee is certainly responsible, but if I were on the committee, I would take the coaches preferences into account before making my decision.

When did Taurasi take time off from playing for USA Basketball? She may have missed an off-year European tour but I don't believe she passed on a major competition. Even when injured, she attended training camps. If you're talking last season in the WNBA, I can't imagine that matters to USA BB nor should it.

 

[easttexastrash]

When did Taurasi take time off from playing for USA Basketball? She may have missed an off-year European tour but I don't believe she passed on a major competition. Even when injured, she attended training camps. If you're talking last season in the WNBA, I can't imagine that matters to USA BB nor should it.

If I am not mistaken she was on site but not participating in the last training camp, no? Didn't her Russian contract forbid her from playing anywhere else until their season was over?

 

[meyers7]

Parker was left off to make room for Stewie...

Well you don't really know that.

AJones nor Cash should've made the teams they were on.

Luckily though they did, because they proved themselves very valuable. Probably a good thing you are not picking the team.

 

[UConnCat]

If I am not mistaken she was on site but not participating in the last training camp, no? Didn't her Russian contract forbid her from playing anywhere else until their season was over?

She was there and practiced with the team.

 

[easttexastrash]

She was there and practiced with the team.

Oh yeah? In that case the press that I read was wrong as it stated that she was present but not participating.

 

[ChicagoGG]

reading these posts it dawned on me that Candace has not said a word about this...could there be a reason she was not chosen...she is a great player no doubt...but first off Griner does more for this Olympic team with her defense...Della Donne and Stewart are the future so i can understand their selections...Bird and Taurasi's credentials speak for themselves...if you chose CP over Whalen then you go with a single point guard and that would not work in international up and down style basketball...maybe chose her in place of Augustus however when healthy she is the best mid range shooter in the game which again is a staple of successful international basketball...all in all for the most part USA basketball got the selections correct...you can't please everyone...that being said i can't wait to see this team play...

Excuse, me, Candace has said quite a bit. In fact, she leaked her non-selection to the press the day BEFORE the USA BB committee announced the team. It was all over the internet and social media.

 

[UConnCat]

Oh yeah? In that case the press that I read was wrong as it stated that she was present but not participating.

Oh yeah? Provide a link. I recall watching a video with her playing. She was there in any event so it's not responsive to my question.

 

[Biff]

Oh yeah? In that case the press that I read was wrong as it stated that she was present but not participating.

Well you are correct then. The press you read was wrong. Does this look like participation to you or not??????

 

[BISweet]

Anyone who doesn't think Geno has influence on the roster is kidding themselves. I'm not going to get into who's right or wrong in terms of leaving Candace off, but Geno definitely has a say and he and the committee didn't choose her. Such is life. Could happen to any one of the UConn players next cycle.

I would guess that if anyone had specific proof that Geno influences the ROSTER of the Olympic team--they should publish it.
But speculation is SO MUCH BETTER THAN PROOF~~!!!!

 

[easttexastrash]

Well you are correct then. The press you read was wrong. Does this look like participation to you or not??????

View attachment 13422

It sure does, and I am thrilled that I am wrong. Next to BG, DT is my favorite player on the planet. And I love that she and BG just wrapped up a season in Russia and will now be playing together throughout the summer. I hope that DT can help BG continue to mature, both as a person and a basketball player.

 

[BISweet]

I don't know how much things have changed over the years regarding coach's input. I remember for the 1996 Olympics Vanderveer did NOT want Lobo on the team and she sure didn't play much. Obviously coming off the massive uptick in interest of the "95" undefeated UCONN team the powers that be really wanted her on that team. Maybe someday we'll hear the real reason why Parker wasn't selected. Sure wasn't talent.

You just proved that the Coach has no say in who is selected. You also proved the coach dictates who plays and who does not.
Seems this should dispel any more speculation along those lines..
Geno may be the big DOG in WBB college basketball but I have few doubts only UConn fans think of in God like terms. Certainly not ND or Baylor or USC or Stanford (didn't they destroy this gods 90 plus winning streak mid way?)...there may be others (as the Alerts say)

 

[Icebear]

So we are at recess and its time to pick our teams. I have first pick. I pick Stewie. Your turn. You pick Candice. My turn EDD. Your turn DT. Mine. Griner. Yours. Etc etc etc. I just don't see CP being left off anyone's team. USA or P.E.

Except that is nothing like how it is done.

 

[easttexastrash]

But speculation is SO MUCH BETTER THAN PROOF~~!!!!

That's what I told ALL of my exes.

 

[Icebear]

it CLEARLY is an ultimatum if you consider the possibility that at least one of them might not make the team otherwise, for any reason. Let's see. Age. Need for younger guard(s) who can keep up with the flow? The bottom line is that if this team wins gold, it will be forgotten. If the team doesn't win gold, there will be H___ to pay. Tune back later in the summer.

But it is not an ultimatum unless you think Geno is the only person who can coach the team. Gene has said in the past that Diana and Sue are like having an coach on the floor, an extension of himself in directing play. Having them on the team lowers the demand on him in managing the team. This is no small thing when you have the limited time for practice that the USA team has.

 

[mkwstar23]

Yes she has. Monday she said she was surprised and disappointed.

had not seen that...thanks for the info

 

[mkwstar23]

Excuse, me, Candace has said quite a bit. In fact, she leaked her non-selection to the press the day BEFORE the USA BB committee announced the team. It was all over the internet and social media.

everything i saw said it was from USA basketball...not Candace Parker said....apologies

 

[mkwstar23]

YOU CAN'T LEAVE ONE OF THE TOP 5 PLAYERS IN THE WORLD, OFF THE TEAM. PERIOD!!!! This is not a McD's AA team. Whoever is responsible for this slight, should be ashamed of themselves. Absolutely, Ridiculous.

i understand your thoughts but it appears that the selection committee thinks that there are 12 players in the US better than her...crazy...i think she should have been selected...hope the reason, the real reason she was not selected comes out some day...

 

[HuskyNan]

Excuse, me, Candace has said quite a bit. In fact, she leaked her non-selection to the press the day BEFORE the USA BB committee announced the team. It was all over the internet and social media.

I've seen a couple of people mention that Parker leaked the info but there is no indication of that whatsoever. The AP posted the story that she hadn't been selected. Parker's expression of disappointment, which was very classy, came out the next day.

 

[HuskyNan]

Parker was left off to make room for Stewie...

Specifically, as in "Let's take Stewart and leave Parker off the roster"? How do you know this is a fact?

 

[UConnCat]

I've seen a couple of people mention that Parker leaked the info but there is no indication of that whatsoever. The AP posted the story that she hadn't been selected. Parker's expression of disappointment, which was very classy, came out the next day.

The news was first reported by ESPN's Los Angeles reporter. Given the location of the reporter, I mentioned that the source was likely Parker herself or someone she told, eg, someone connected to the Sparks.

 

[mkwstar23]

Specifically, as in "Let's take Stewart and leave Parker off the roster"? How do you know this is a fact?

i don't think there is anyway CP was left off for Stewart...Stewie is simply the youngest player on the squad...certainly not the least talented in my opinion...just a thought

 

[iri10]

IMO it's most likely that the two roster choices (Stewart on the team, Parker not on the team) were independent of each other. If the goal from On High was simply to have Stewie on the team, they could have removed a number of other players with far less of a crapstorm from the media and fans. It would have changed the overall balance of the roster, sure, but probably not catastrophically.

The idea of picking a rookie is very familiar territory for USA basketball. But if one of the leading young guards had not gotten injured and had impressed at the last camp, who knows? Maybe there'd have been no Stewie, with one of those young guards there instead...and Parker still gone. With the information we have now, we can only speculate.

 

[Mdoggie]

Except that is nothing like how it is done.

Are you sure?

 

[UcMiami]

Oh yeah? In that case the press that I read was wrong as it stated that she was present but not participating.

I think you are remembering the gathering out West either last spring or maybe longer ago when she was injured and couldn't participate. I think Augustus or Whalen was also on the sidelines and maybe another player as well - they were all present and active during the practice, just not on the court.

I believe Candace has always made camps and competitions when she has been healthy - I am sure she missed time before/after her pregnancy, but if she has been healthy she has been participating. So I think that story line has no legs.

The only person who I can remember 'begging off' a USA team when generally healthy was Cappy (and thanks Nan for finding those stories.) In her case it had a disastrous effect on her future with the team, not for politics, but because with a new coach and a new system two other players were added to the team - Angel and Whalen - and did really well providing the offensive punch, more disruptive defense, and better PG skills, and when the next team was pulled together they had passed her in knowledge of the system and particular skills needed for the team. And Pondexter wasn't a fixture for the NT - 2008 was her first team, she was a reserve who played well but her stats were just average - 9th on the team in scoring, with 17 assists and 5 steals. In her absence in 2010 and playing off the bench Angel was second in scoring with 9 assists and 24 steals and Whalen scored about the same with 14 assists and 12 steals, and they both rebounded better. In effect the team had moved on - had Cappy been available in 2010 then one of the two would not have made team, and in 2012 they would have had to play well enough in trials to supplant her as opposed to the other way around.

To some degree I think Parker falls into the same category - Stewart was on the 2014 team because both EDD and Parker were unavailable. Having gotten into the team and with a future upside and a position as the 'rookie' she was not going to be displaced. The real decision came down to EDD, Catchings, and Parker - the three players unavailable in 2014. Catchings like Bird and Taurasi was not going to be displaced and is a team captain. So the final throw came down to the reigning WNBA POY and the former two time WNBA POY. Neither are stellar defensively, and offensively they are both great but slightly different - EDD is better in the midrange to the arc while Candace is stronger from 15 feet in - both great players. Pick-em.

 

[UcMiami]

it CLEARLY is an ultimatum if you consider the possibility that at least one of them might not make the team otherwise, for any reason. Let's see. Age. Need for younger guard(s) who can keep up with the flow? The bottom line is that if this team wins gold, it will be forgotten. If the team doesn't win gold, there will be H___ to pay. Tune back later in the summer.

I actually agree it was an ultimatum by Geno, but it wasn't directed to USA basketball at all - it was directed to Sue and DT - if I take this job, then you have to do everything in your power to get onto the team going to Rio, because I don't want to do it without you. Those were the two people he was talking to and that was the message he was delivering. Sue sat out foreign competition to get her body ready for this summer and DT sat out a WNBA season to do the same. The three of them made a pact and good health willing, they are all living up to it.

 

[meyers7]

The idea of picking a rookie is very familiar territory for USA basketball. But if one of the leading young guards had not gotten injured and had impressed at the last camp, who knows? Maybe there'd have been no Stewie, with one of those young guards there instead...and Parker still gone. With the information we have now, we can only speculate.

Except for Stewie isn't really a "rookie". She played in the WC's. Same experience Griner had. And more experience than EDD has had. EDD is the real rookie. If anyone took Parker's place, it was EDD.

Actually Stewart has quite a bit of experience at the International level. Been with USA Basketball since U16's. And twice has won USA WBB Athlete of the Year. I think people forget (or don't realize) Stewart is not Geno's Golden Girl, she's USA Basketball's Golden Girl. No way she was not gonna be on the team. Nothing to do with Geno.