USAB National Team Pool for 2018 World Cup [merged]

[stwainfan]

Wait, I thought Tennessee was much better off without her this year (according to Vol fans). Why would she be invited to try out for the National Team?

She has played on USA teams before. She certainly has the talent.

 

[DefenseBB]

She has played on USA teams before. She certainly has the talent.

Let me interject-“had” the talent. When competing on younger teams from an age group pool vs. an open pool, she was a talented player but as her game did not improve, she has not been a part of a national team for 3 years. I have stuck up for the young lady (yes she is still young at 21/22) but I do think she has let opportunity pass her by. BTW what are her Euro stats looking like? I haven’t heard nary a word about her.

 

[Orangutan]

BTW what are her Euro stats looking like? I haven’t heard nary a word about her.

 

[stwainfan]

View attachment 26963

Thanks.

 

[stwainfan]

Let me interject-“had” the talent. When competing on younger teams from an age group pool vs. an open pool, she was a talented player but as her game did not improve, she has not been a part of a national team for 3 years. I have stuck up for the young lady (yes she is still young at 21/22) but I do think she has let opportunity pass her by. BTW what are her Euro stats looking like? I haven’t heard nary a word about her.

I doubt she has lost any talent. I know she went to Turkey. I haven't found anything on the team.

 

[Grahamland]

The main issue I have is the fact that Chelsea Gray was left out. I think she’s more than deserving. I also have an issue with any college players being allowed to participate in general. I think until you’ve proven your abilities at the highest level (I.e. the WNBA) you shouldn’t be able to make the team over other players who have paid their dues and proven their worth in the professional ranks. Just my opinion.

 

[SVCBeercats]

WHAT?! No Mechelle Voepel snit fit about no Parker?!

 

[hussybulldog]

I also have an issue with any college players being allowed to participate in general. I think until you’ve proven your abilities at the highest level (I.e. the WNBA) you shouldn’t be able to make the team over other players who have paid their dues and proven their worth in the professional ranks. Just my opinion.

Except the youngsters are not allowed in participating in WNBA! So they are invited to the training camp to show themselves on the the same stage as the veterans.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Except the youngsters are not allowed in participating in WNBA! So they are invited to the training camp to show themselves in the the same stage as the veterans.

Some folks have no idea how to continue to build for the future by introducing college players to the process and exposing them to professionals and their preparation.

 

[trb123]

The main issue I have is the fact that Chelsea Gray was left out. I think she’s more than deserving. I also have an issue with any college players being allowed to participate in general. I think until you’ve proven your abilities at the highest level (I.e. the WNBA) you shouldn’t be able to make the team over other players who have paid their dues and proven their worth in the professional ranks. Just my opinion.

Few college players make the National team. There is a tradition of selecting one college player - DT, Moore and Stewart are among the lucky ones. I believe Parker was there in 2008. Most college players are here for training and to rub shoulders with WNBA stars.

When you say that you have an issue with any college player being allowed to participate, I hope you are not grumbling because two UConn players have been selected and no Теннесси player has been considered worthy of the honor. As far as I can remember, no Теннесси player has merited the accolade (the national team training camp; not the age-group limited camps or equivalent) for nearly a decade. I also consider objections to including college players in the camp shortsighted, petty and sordid. Just my opinion.

Your penultimate sentence has nothing to do with the selection of college players for the training camp. The USABL does not chose college players over WNBA players for the national team barring the tradition I mentioned above.

 

[Plebe]

WHAT?! No Mechelle Voepel snit fit about no Parker?!

Mechelle has already tweeted specifically about Parker not being on the team.

She's pretending not to have noticed Parker's earlier tweet that made it clear it was Parker's decision.

 

[JDuro]

The final training camp roster for the camp will be released later as some of the pros playing in Asia, such as Stewart, Fowles, and Lloyd, won’t be participating. Also the 5 collegiate players will be in the middle of their seasons so they likely won’t be there either so I assume there will be some added invitees or else hold camp with a reduced roster. A’ja Wilson will only be there as an observer.

 

[meyers7]

Where's Diamond?

 

[SVCBeercats]

MShe's pretending not to have noticed Parker's earlier tweet that made it clear it was Parker's decision.

It was the smart move. This way she avoids the embarrassment of being left off the team for a second time.

 

[HoopsFan21]

So based on the list, here's my team, you get to pick 12 I think: Sue, Tina, Griner, Collier, Stef, Tuck, Stewie, Delle Donne, KLS, DT, Maya, and Tiff

 

[hussybulldog]

Mechelle has already tweeted specifically about Parker not being on the team.

She's pretending not to have noticed Parker's earlier tweet that made it clear it was Parker's decision.

Maybe you should stop following her tweeter if it has not been so insightful

 

[hussybulldog]

So based on the list, here's my team, you get to pick 12 I think: Sue, Tina, Griner, Collier, Stef, Tuck, Stewie, Delle Donne, KLS, DT, Maya, and Tiff

Why Griner? You can send Stevens ! Can’t you find another substitute for Delle Donne .

 

[trb123]

So based on the list, here's my team, you get to pick 12 I think: Sue, Tina, Griner, Collier, Stef, Tuck, Stewie, Delle Donne, KLS, DT, Maya, and Tiff

Not the strongest team but good enough to win an olympic gold.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

USA Basketball almost certainly explained the decision privately, or at least offered to do so. This quote from committee chair Carol Callan says as much:

"We generally don't talk about players that aren't here because there's a variety of reasons why they aren't," Callan said. "She's one of them. We choose not to try to speak for them. I would simply suggest you ask her. Candace has been an important part of our program over the years, and we talked about the decision when she didn't make the Olympic roster. I don't want to speak for her or try to verbalize."​

Absolutely irresponsible and low-class of USA Basketball to clam up like this. They're casting aspersions on Parker with their silence. And what in the world is this "suggest you ask her" nonsense? This is a All of Fame player in her prime. Just shows that the Powers That Be in USA Basketball have pulled some dirty stuff, and by refusing to comment, they're implying that Parker is to blame.

Just dirty.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Why Griner? You can send Stevens ! Can’t you find another substitute for Delle Donne .

Stevens isn't on the list. I was building my team based on those in the national team pool.

 

[Orangutan]

11 of 12 players from the last Olympic team are in the pool (Catchings retired). They could easily add someone (N. Ogwumike?) to those 11 and call it a day. Here is the ages those players will be next September when the World Cup is played:

Stewart - 24
Griner - 27
Delle Donne - 29
Moore - 29
Charles - 29
McCoughtry - 32
Fowles - 32
Augustus - 34
Whalen - 36
Taurasi - 36
Bird - 37

Is this the tournament where USAB finally brings in youngsters or do they kick that can down the road to 2020? Realistically, I think they have to let some of the older players go. Unless Taurasi or Bird experience a major decline in performance, they are not leaving either of them out. I'd guess Whalen and Augustus are as good as gone. McCoughtry is a question mark but I think she's still very good.

Who gets in will be interesting. One thing I noticed:

Jewell Loyd PER 2016 - 18.1
Jewell Loyd PER 2017 - 19.1

Diana Taurasi PER 2016 - 18.3
Diana Taurasi PER 2017 - 19.0

Across the board, 2017 Loyd and 2017 Taurasi are *very* similar based on their WNBA statistics.

 

[easttexastrash]

Whatever is going on between Parker and USAB is shameful. This is possibly the best player on the planet and she is being omitted from demonstrating her skills to the world for some unknown reason. That is one thing I like about individual sports; if you are the best and perform as such, then you go to the Olympics. I get the feeling that USAB is very political and that the committee makes decisions based on personal feelings about players instead of talent.

Chelsea Gray should absolutely be in the pool. There are no college players, other than maybe Wilson, who should be considered before her.

 

[Orangutan]

Chelsea Gray should absolutely be in the pool. There are no college players, other than maybe Wilson, who should be considered before her.

For what it's worth:

 

[meyers7]

Whatever is going on between Parker and USAB is shameful.

Agree. And one of the reasons she's not there.

This is possibly the best player on the planet and she is being omitted from demonstrating her skills to the world for some unknown reason.

Oh I think most people can figure it out.

I get the feeling that USAB is very political and that the committee makes decisions based on personal feelings about players instead of talent.

Well they are making a team, not just picking the best talent. Just like UCONN there is a lot of talent that is not pursued, usually because it doesn't fit with the team.

Parker has burned her bridges now. She should have taken a look at Swin Cash.

 

[willtalk]

For what it's worth:

This is a pure " catch 22" illogical rational to justify punitive measures. This implies that a major criteria to be invited to a National evaluation camp is to have already been part of the National Program. But you can not be chosen for the National program without first being evaluated at a National camp. Bottom line is that this is nothing but rational for blacklisting players who ever for any reason refuse to attend a National camp. I believe Gray declined an invitation the summer before starting her freshman year. She stated she wanted to focus on getting herself ready for her first year of college.

It certainly smells like the rational behind her omission is conveniently making her an example for anyone who would dare to refuse to attend any National Camp when invited. Now her being invited to the last camp was also convenient because it was almost a certainty she would not be able to attend. Why didn't the same criteria they used for not inviting her now apply then as well? They use the criteria of attending a national camp to justify excluding her now, yet not apply that same standard to the last one knowing the odds were slim that she would be able to attend.

A previous poster mentioned that they felt college players should not be invited because they have not proven themselves against the best competition. Well someone else responded that the point was to integrate them into the National system as early as possible. So which one is it? To evaluate talent or integrate into the system? It seems to vary depending on what ever suits their present agenda's. Now I can understand the former, because often college players have not had the opportunity to be evaluated against better competition. Now anyone who plays in the best league in the world does not need to be evaluated in a limited training camp. They have their careers as a standard. If the other is the criteria- chemistry? Well that is what the national camps are for so why not invite players to evaluate them- unless you have already decided for other reasons.

I contend that Chelsea is the perfect player to use as an example because until the last year she has had a relatively low national profile. They can use her as an example of why it is important to never refuse an invite to a national camp. This is all about a group of people displaying and exercising their power. When considering a number illogical actions they have taken absent any sort of rational accountability it reeks of a self serving group. It is not unusual for people in positions of trust to forget their responsibility and begin to use those positions for self serving and often vindictive purposes. The NCAA being a prime example of an organization that has become goal displaced.

These groups and organizations can attempt to bs and spin to hide their own self serving agenda's but when really held to a real standard their contradictions expose themselves. The whole Parker thing is another example of some sort of agenda cover up. They need to totally clean house every now then with every position of trust and governing body. When this is not done these bodies become goal displaced, self serving and eventually steeped in corruption.

 

[triaddukefan]

For what it's worth:

 

[Plebe]

Maybe you should stop following her tweeter if it has not been so insightful

I don't "follow" her Twitter, much less her tweeter

I happen to notice her tweets because they get plastered on ESPN's website.

 

[triaddukefan]

Does Australia need a PG? How about Spain?

 

[hussybulldog]

Stevens isn't on the list. I was building my team based on those in the national team pool.

It was a joke! Who knows , maybe she will be invited to next camp..

 

[bbsamjj]

The Parker/USA Basketball decision has been debated a ton and as others have said, the real news was made back in September when she revealed she wasn't trying out for the team anymore. Whether this breakup is because of Parker, USA Basketball, or a combo of both, it's obvious that her time with USA bball is over. She has two Olympic golds in her trophy case, and USA is so deep they could probably bring any combo of 12 and still win gold.

I missed the Vandersloot news--thanks for pointing it out.

As for Chelsea Gray, USA basketball has an odd of history of simply ignoring some worthy players (Becky hammon--who eventually signed with Russia, and Vickie Johnson, come to mind). Agree she is more than worthy and should be invited, though given USA's recent history with inviting young guards on the team, who knows what will come of it.

Which brings me to the guards again--I think this is the time to bring in some new blood at guard for team USA. Bird and Taurasi will surely make the team, but agree with others that Augustus and Whalen should be replaced for younger options. Diggins and Gray would be my top two choices, from the list McBride and Hayes would be next.