USC Gamecocks 2024-25 Season: Part Two

[cancontent]

Having a legit PG who can direct things makes all the difference. The difference between PG play between LsU and SC is astounding

SDW is horrible
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Yes she's struggled this season, but she's not horrible. Most on the board know I'm not her biggest fan but LSU's offence isn't a good fit for her at all.

Her career stats indicate she can do the job. To the level of the WNBA? Maybe not, but she could definitely hold her own overseas from what I 've seen.

To me, this is like Van Lith's situation last year. Seeing Van Lith this season at TCU seems to confirm this.

 

[Bone Dog]

Yes she's struggled this season, but she's not horrible. Most on the board know I'm not her biggest fan but LSU's offence isn't a good fit for her at all.

Her career stats indicate she can do the job. To the level of the WNBA? Maybe not, but she could definitely hold her own overseas from what I 've seen.

To me, this is like Van Lith's situation last year. Seeing Van Lith this season at TCU seems to confirm this.

SDW maybe should have stayed at Duke, as you said elsewhere. The stats suggest improvement at LSU, but I think those may be misleading given how weak Kim’s early season schedule was. And judging from today’s TCU-Texas A&M game, I worry about Hailey Van Lith’s improvement too. It may not be as substantial as appears. She had some brilliant stretches today, but also several absurd ones too.

Kids churn their portal in search of something. And they end up on teams with little chemistry as a result.

 

[jumpstart]

If y'all need me to provide DJ services at your next home game, just let those in charge know. Just provide gas money, lodging at the Hyatt Place, ,and free meals and I will do it, Warning, I wont be playing any Waylon Jennings or the Statler Brothers or whatever music y'all are used to hearing.

They usually play "Sympathy for the Devil" when they play you guys, so that will do. You need sympathy after they get through with you.....

 

[USMC(ret)]

SDW maybe should have stayed at Duke, as you said elsewhere. The stats suggest improvement at LSU, but I think those may be misleading given how weak Kim’s early season schedule was. And judging from today’s TCU-Texas A&M game, I worry about Hailey Van Lith’s improvement too. It may not be as substantial as appears. She had some brilliant stretches today, but also several absurd ones too.

Kids churn their portal in search of something. And they end up on teams with little chemistry as a result.

And this is what makes South Carolina a unique team: a dozen really talented players who buy into the concept of sharing the ball on offense and playing hard, physical defense.
Van Lith’s story at Louisville, LSU, and TCU is an example of the opposite. She had a very nice career at Louisville as a shooting guard who wanted/needed the ball in her hands. She graduates, but without sniffing a natty, so she heads to LSU, fresh off a natty; but LSU already has three other players who want/need the ball in THEIR hands, and Hailey Van Lith is forced into playing point guard, and it’s a bad fit from the start. I remember watching games where it seemed like her teammates were consciously freezing her out. So, it’s onto TCU, where she can reprise her role at Louisville.
Kim Mulkey said it best in her remarks after the last game against the Gamecocks: “They have 10 McDonalds All Americans… how do you even keep 10 McDonalds All Americans?” Answer: you only sign those you think will buy into your vision of championship contending team. Nothing revolutionary in that… I think that was Geno’s blueprint, too. It works for him, and it works for Dawn.

 

[visitingcock]

And this is what makes South Carolina a unique team: a dozen really talented players who buy into the concept of sharing the ball on offense and playing hard, physical defense.
Van Lith’s story at Louisville, LSU, and TCU is an example of the opposite. She had a very nice career at Louisville as a shooting guard who wanted/needed the ball in her hands. She graduates, but without sniffing a natty, so she heads to LSU, fresh off a natty; but LSU already has three other players who want/need the ball in THEIR hands, and Hailey Van Lith is forced into playing point guard, and it’s a bad fit from the start. I remember watching games where it seemed like her teammates were consciously freezing her out. So, it’s onto TCU, where she can reprise her role at Louisville.
Kim Mulkey said it best in her remarks after the last game against the Gamecocks: “They have 10 McDonalds All Americans… how do you even keep 10 McDonalds All Americans?” Answer: you only sign those you think will buy into your vision of championship contending team. Nothing revolutionary in that… I think that was Geno’s blueprint, too. It works for him, and it works for Dawn.

Yes it HAS worked for them - thus far. bUT it did not appear to have worked well this last recruiting cycle. ( based upon recruit rankings) Geno did not sign normal UConn level recruits. SCar signed only one recruit again perhaps not of the usual level.

Was this most recent cycle an anomaly or is NIL disrupting thing that have mattered more in the past!

 

[USMC(ret)]

Yes it HAS worked for them - thus far. bUT it did not appear to have worked well this last recruiting cycle. ( based upon recruit rankings) Geno did not sign normal UConn level recruits. SCar signed only one recruit again perhaps not of the usual level.

Was this most recent cycle an anomaly or is NIL disrupting thing that have mattered more in the past!

Not sure there’s a lot of NIL money in WBB, except at a very few schools (Texas can print money). I think some schools recruit successfully off of their pedigree. Geno can point to his past players in the WNBA and his many natties… heck, you could populate an entire wing of the Hall of Fame with his former players. I suspect some players transfer out of programs because their parents think that minutes on the court in games is more important than actual player development, and the parents are often not impartial when it comes to evaluating their own kids.
And then there’s kids who have what I call “Kobe Bryant Disease”. They want minutes, they want shots, and they want fame… no interest in natties. These kids watched Kobe dribble the ball outside the arc, and then decide if he was going to drive the lane or shoot the 3. Shaq to Kobe:” There’s no I in team.” Kobe to Shaq: “No, but there’s an M and an E”. Some players want to be JuJu Watkins instead of Raven Johnson or Tessa Johnson. And some coaches recruit with that in mind.

 

[cancontent]

Not sure there’s a lot of NIL money in WBB, except at a very few schools (Texas can print money). I think some schools recruit successfully off of their pedigree. Geno can point to his past players in the WNBA and his many natties… heck, you could populate an entire wing of the Hall of Fame with his former players. I suspect some players transfer out of programs because their parents think that minutes on the court in games is more important than actual player development, and the parents are often not impartial when it comes to evaluating their own kids.
And then there’s kids who have what I call “Kobe Bryant Disease”. They want minutes, they want shots, and they want fame… no interest in natties. These kids watched Kobe dribble the ball outside the arc, and then decide if he was going to drive the lane or shoot the 3. Shaq to Kobe:” There’s no I in team.” Kobe to Shaq: “No, but there’s an M and an E”. Some players want to be JuJu Watkins instead of Raven Johnson or Tessa Johnson. And some coaches recruit with that in mind.

You mean the young Kobe Bryant I hope? The later version of Kobe was very different than the one you're referring to.

 

[Cockygirl]

Not sure there’s a lot of NIL money in WBB, except at a very few schools (Texas can print money). I think some schools recruit successfully off of their pedigree. Geno can point to his past players in the WNBA and his many natties… heck, you could populate an entire wing of the Hall of Fame with his former players. I suspect some players transfer out of programs because their parents think that minutes on the court in games is more important than actual player development, and the parents are often not impartial when it comes to evaluating their own kids.
And then there’s kids who have what I call “Kobe Bryant Disease”. They want minutes, they want shots, and they want fame… no interest in natties. These kids watched Kobe dribble the ball outside the arc, and then decide if he was going to drive the lane or shoot the 3. Shaq to Kobe:” There’s no I in team.” Kobe to Shaq: “No, but there’s an M and an E”. Some players want to be JuJu Watkins instead of Raven Johnson or Tessa Johnson. And some coaches recruit with that in mind.

So true! Some kids want to be the super star of their team, some want to be the home town hero, some see dollar signs (I think several schools offer a good bit of money), and some just want a championship however they can contribute. It is much different these days in the recruiting world.

 

[visitingcock]