Way too early 2019 mock draft

[CamrnCrz1974]

She had a great season last year. She has been improving every year after (for me) a disappointing rookie season. I’m not saying Griner isn’t a great player. But have you seen Griner? There’s nobody like her. What I’m saying is with her tools, she should be unstoppable. If she had Maya’s heart and work ethic, she would be unstoppable.

Here’s a couple simple stats you didn’t recite.
In 5 years in the league:
0 MVP’s
With her tools should have
5 MVP’s

1 WNBA Championship
Should have
4 WNBA championships
(giving pass in 2015 when Taurasi and Taylor sat)

After the tank she went to a championship level team that includes Taurasi, Taylor, Dupree, and Bonner.

Just so we are clear, she should have five MVPs, per your statement.

• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Candace Parker have five MVPs? Does Candace Parker have five MVPs now?
  
• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Maya Moore have five MVPs? Does Maya Moore have five MVPs now?
  
• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Sylvia Fowles have five MVPs? Does Sylvia Fowles have five MVPs now?

Just so we are clear, she would have 4 WNBA Championships, per your statement,

• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Maya Moore have 4 WNBA Championships?
  
• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Candace Parker have 4 WNBA Championships?
• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Sylvia Fowles have 4 WNBA Championships?

Interesting that she is not given a pass for 2017, with no Taylor (retired), Bonner (pregnancy), or Dupree (traded), whereas other teams had their full rosters of star players.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Just so we are clear, she should have five MVPs, per your statement.

• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Candace Parker have five MVPs? Does Candace Parker have five MVPs now?
  
• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Maya Moore have five MVPs? Does Maya Moore have five MVPs now?
  
• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Sylvia Fowles have five MVPs? Does Sylvia Fowles have five MVPs now?

Just so we are clear, she would have 4 WNBA Championships, per your statement,

• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Maya Moore have 4 WNBA Championships?
  
• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Candace Parker have 4 WNBA Championships?
• After 5 years in the WNBA, did Sylvia Fowles have 4 WNBA Championships?

Interesting that she is not given a pass for 2017, with no Taylor (retired), Bonner (pregnancy), or Dupree (traded), whereas other teams had their full rosters of star players.

Killjoy!

 

[Dillon77]

Difference between paint eaters in the NCAA and in the W where there is a defensive paint rule and players can draw you out and make you defend.

Good point. Given Laimbeer's many years in the W, I'm sure he'd look for the post and/or forward that addresses that. Will be interesting to see A'ja Wilson fit in with the Ace's guards (Moriah, Kmac, Kelsey Plum).

 

[Shades]

Interesting that she is not given a pass for 2017

She probably was headed to an MVP in 2017 had she not missed so many games. Shouldas don’t count with me though.

Obviously you’re willing to give her a pass every year. I had and have much higher expectations of her based on her physical gifts. Is that okay?

 

[Shades]

Will be interesting to see A'ja Wilson fit in with the Ace's guards (Moriah, Kmac, Kelsey Plum).

She could fit in well with any team. Instant upgrade.

 

[Dillon77]

She could fit in well with any team. Instant upgrade.

Oh, I'm sure she will. I'm just interested in seeing them all mesh together; not just A'ja and the guards, but also adding Laimbeer and his style.

 

[Shades]

Oh, I'm sure she will. I'm just interested in seeing them all mesh together; not just A'ja and the guards, but also adding Laimbeer and his style.

I’m also very curious about the Korean center that arrived in Vegas today.

Park Ji-soo committed to join U.S. WNBA

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

She probably was headed to an MVP in 2017 had she not missed so many games. Shouldas don’t count with me though.

Obviously you’re willing to give her a pass every year. I had and have much higher expectations of her based on her physical gifts. Is that okay?

Interesting that you did not respond to my questions to you about Maya Moore, Candace Parker, and Sylvia Fowles.

Your expectations of Griner do not seem to match up to expectations of other superstar players.

There has never been a five-time MVP in the history of the WNBA. But presumably, you are holding her to a standard higher than that for Moore, Parker, Fowles, Swoopes, Cooper, Griffith, Jackson, Holdsclaw, Charles, etc., with no explanation or reasoning behind it.

 

[SCGamecock]

Good list, thanks for putting together an alternate version.
Bill Laimbeer, who loves to collect as many "paint-eaters" as possible, might already be palpitating over the players in this draft (even with A'ja Wilson aboard): Brown, McCowan, Turner, Shepard, Anigwe, Gustafson, Collier. Whew!

As for order, totally depends on team needs, situation and philosophy, as pointed out by many others.

Laimbeer has stated on the record that he doesn’t see Wilson as a center... so it wouldn’t surprise me to see him draft another big early in the 2019 draft for that true center, even with Bone on the roster.

 

[SCspur]

Laimbeer has stated on the record that he doesn’t see Wilson as a center... so it wouldn’t surprise me to see him draft another big early in the 2019 draft for that true center, even with Bone on the roster.

I think A’ja will start at the 4 with Harrison at the 5. She’s listed as a Center but I think Bill plans on using her in multiple scenarios.

 

[bbballfan23]

Anyone else find it odd that not only Lou is a little too low at 3 but Pheesa at 6!? Both are better pro prospects than Gabby & 2/3 current college players (Durr) in the national USA pool. Their versatility will get them both off the board in the top 4 IMHO. Shepard is solid but highly doubt there’s a coach in America crazy enough to take her over Pheesa. Same with Durr over Lou.

 

[Orangutan]

She had a great season last year. She has been improving every year after (for me) a disappointing rookie season. I’m not saying Griner isn’t a great player. But have you seen Griner? There’s nobody like her. What I’m saying is with her tools, she should be unstoppable. If she had Maya’s heart and work ethic, she would be unstoppable.

Agree with this 100% Griner runs too hot and cold for me. Sometimes she is a monster and sometimes she disappears. 1 NCAA NC and one WNBA title are obviously great achievements but with her abilities it really feels like she should have a couple more of each.

 

[Orangutan]

Mabrey listed at #12 is interesting to me. I'm not totally sure she has the athleticism to stick at the next level. But she's tough, determined, a good passer, and a great shooter, so maybe she has a chance. Think maybe she's more of a 2nd round pick, though.

Turner has some obvious question marks. She's 6'3 and fairly lean, so she'd be small to play center. To play the 4, you really need to have midrange jumper or you become an offensive liability. Reports are that Turner has been working on that shot while she rehabs her knee.

On the other hand, she has plenty of athletic ability, she's a very good defender and a shot-blocker, and most of all she's just a player. Some people just have the instinctive ability of how to play the game and be effective.

Athletically, she reminds me a little of Jessica Breland. With Breland's moon-ball midrange shot, she'd be an easy high first-round pick. I think Turner is a little bit out "out of sight, out of mind" for some people. She is listed 4th among the ND players here and I think she could have the best career.

 

[bballnut90]

Anyone else find it odd that not only Lou is a little too low at 3 but Pheesa at 6!? Both are better pro prospects than Gabby & 2/3 current college players (Durr) in the national USA pool. Their versatility will get them both off the board in the top 4 IMHO. Shepard is solid but highly doubt there’s a coach in America crazy enough to take her over Pheesa. Same with Durr over Lou.

Eye test says Shepard’s a better creator and facilitator than Collier. Different players but Shepard as a passing 4 has more potential to me in the pros than Collier playing the 3 or 4. If Shepard shows her range again next year and excels in the high post, she should be a highly coveted pick. Strong, physical 6-4 players who aren’t afraid to bang, and also possess good perimeter skills don’t grow on trees.

I also don’t think Collier is a better pro prospect than Williams. Williams is a better athlete and all around player. Despite good length, Collier is a little small to play the 4 in the pros and is an inconsistent perimeter shooter. Plus she isn’t close to being the athlete Williams is.

Anyone who’d take Durr at 1 should be fired IMO. Good explosive scorer, but doesn’t bring much else to the table.

 

[bballnut90]

Mabrey listed at #12 is interesting to me. I'm not totally sure she has the athleticism to stick at the next level. But she's tough, determined, a good passer, and a great shooter, so maybe she has a chance. Think maybe she's more of a 2nd round pick, though.

Turner has some obvious question marks. She's 6'3 and fairly lean, so she'd be small to play center. To play the 4, you really need to have midrange jumper or you become an offensive liability

I think Mabrey is a late 1st or 2nd rounder. She’s one of the craftier players on ND and has an incredibly quick release. She’s also a solid defender and a very good passer. Definitely better suited as an off guard even though she’s likely playing point next year. I think she should get a shot, she has exposure and has proven she can put up monster numbers on any given night.

Turner should be fine as a 5 IMO. No she isn’t Fowles or Griner esque, but she is very athletic and defensively can hold her own. She does need to put on about 10lbs of muscle though and work on her hands (I’m not even sure how someone does can work on this besides more reps, but so many passes slip through her fingers, and she fumbles rebounds). She does run the floor extremely well. We still haven’t seen her fully healthy yet, so I’m hoping this is the year we do. A lot of people (including myself) thought she was a better long term prospect than Wilson after her freshman year. Wilson made massive strides each year after, while Turner has dealt with injury issues all 3 seasons (and she was injured part of her freshman year too).

 

[UConnCat]

I think Mabrey is a late 1st or 2nd rounder. She’s one of the craftier players on ND and has an incredibly quick release. She’s also a solid defender and a very good passer. Definitely better suited as an off guard even though she’s likely playing point next year. I think she should get a shot, she has exposure and has proven she can put up monster numbers on any given night.

Mabrey is not a solid defender. She's actually a pretty bad defender.

 

[bbballfan23]

Eye test says Shepard’s a better creator and facilitator than Collier. Different players but Shepard as a passing 4 has more potential to me in the pros than Collier playing the 3 or 4. If Shepard shows her range again next year and excels in the high post, she should be a highly coveted pick. Strong, physical 6-4 players who aren’t afraid to bang, and also possess good perimeter skills don’t grow on trees.

I also don’t think Collier is a better pro prospect than Williams. Williams is a better athlete and all around player. Despite good length, Collier is a little small to play the 4 in the pros and is an inconsistent perimeter shooter. Plus she isn’t close to being the athlete Williams is.

Anyone who’d take Durr at 1 should be fired IMO. Good explosive scorer, but doesn’t bring much else to the table.

Collier is quicker, longer, more explosive certainly. A better scorer, shooter, passer, shot blocker, defender. So I’ll give Shepard the edge in rebounding but everything else is Pheesa’s. Check the numbers & she had to share a lot with Z & Gabby. Shepard didn’t have an equal on ND in the post.

 

[bballnut90]

Mabrey is not a solid defender. She's actually a pretty bad defender.

I think she does a solid job. She averages over 2 steals per game and was just named ND's co-DPOY along with Young. She isn't going to be a lockdown defender, but I think she can hold her own in most matchups on the defensive side.

 

[bbballfan23]

I think she does a solid job. She averages over 2 steals per game and was just named ND's co-DPOY along with Young. She isn't going to be a lockdown defender, but I think she can hold her own in most matchups on the defensive side.

I agree. She isn’t a good defender but she works very hard, which is half of the battle for most players. She can maybe be a specialty shooter off the bench but I don’t ses her ever being a starter in the WNBA.

 

[UConnCat]

I think she does a solid job. She averages over 2 steals per game and was just named ND's co-DPOY along with Young. She isn't going to be a lockdown defender, but I think she can hold her own in most matchups on the defensive side.

I don't think so. The perimeter players in the WNBA will blow by her. ND played mostly zone this past season because of a short roster and because, other than Young, it didn't have the players to play 1 v 1 defense. The next time Mabrey gets in a real defensive stance will be the first time she does.

 

[bballnut90]

Collier is quicker, longer, more explosive certainly. A better scorer, shooter, passer, shot blocker, defender. So I’ll give Shepard the edge in rebounding but everything else is Pheesa’s. Check the numbers & she had to share a lot with Z & Gabby. Shepard didn’t have an equal on ND in the post.

I'd say Shepard is hands down a better passer than Collier despite Pheesa having more assists and a better A/TO ratio. Rewatch the NCAA tournament. She's also better at creating her shot in the post too. I think Shepard's game translates better as a 4 than Collier's does. She's stronger, a better banger inside but can also step out and facilitate the offense from 15-20 feet, or knock down the open jumper. Collier has all the skills needed to be a good 4, but is a little undersized at 6-1, where Shepard is 6-4 and has brute strength. Again, different players with different skill sets, but I think Shepard is more unique as a prospect and has pro skills that can make her standout in the W. I also think she has more upside than Collier due to her relatively late start playing for a good coach. If she went to ND from the get go, I think she'd be a couple steps ahead of where she is now.

 

[bballnut90]

I agree. She isn’t a good defender but she works very hard, which is half of the battle for most players. She can maybe be a specialty shooter off the bench but I don’t ses her ever being a starter in the WNBA.

Agreed. I don't see her as a starter, but I think she can make a roster spot and compete for minutes as a backup 2 or 3pt specialist. Not many players have the range or quick release than Mabrey does.

 

[bbballfan23]

I'd say Shepard is hands down a better passer than Collier despite Pheesa having more assists and a better A/TO ratio. Rewatch the NCAA tournament. She's also better at creating her shot in the post too. I think Shepard's game translates better as a 4 than Collier's does. She's stronger, a better banger inside but can also step out and facilitate the offense from 15-20 feet, or knock down the open jumper. Collier has all the skills needed to be a good 4, but is a little undersized at 6-1, where Shepard is 6-4 and has brute strength. Again, different players with different skill sets, but I think Shepard is more unique as a prospect and has pro skills that can make her standout in the W. I also think she has more upside than Collier due to her relatively late start playing for a good coach. If she went to ND from the get go, I think she'd be a couple steps ahead of where she is now.

You completely lost me when you said better upside. Hahaha people think Napheesa struggled this year & her numbers are much better than Shepard’s. Can you imagine if she has a great year. Her talent laps Shepard’s on a bad day.

 

[bballnut90]

I don't think so. The perimeter players in the WNBA will blow by her. ND played mostly zone this past season because of a short roster and because, other than Young, it didn't have the players to play 1 v 1 defense. The next time Mabrey gets in a real defensive stance will be the first time she does.

I don't think she's going to be a starting SG in the league so I don't see this being an issue. If she plays 10-15 minutes off the bench, she isn't going to draw the opposing team's best penetrating guard. As someone else mentioned, a lot of defense comes down to sheer effort. I think she'll hold her own just fine when she's on the court.

 

[UConnCat]

I don't think she's going to be a starting SG in the league so I don't see this being an issue. If she plays 10-15 minutes off the bench, she isn't going to draw the opposing team's best penetrating guard. As someone else mentioned, a lot of defense comes down to sheer effort. I think she'll hold her own just fine when she's on the court.

She puts a lot of effort in to offense; I'll give her that. Her defense is more the matador style. She can talk to KML about how many minutes that earns you in the WNBA.