WBCA Individual Awards/All-America Team

[bbballfan23]

Just thought this would be a fun discussion & take the stress off of everyone worried about tomorrow night's game. I believe the winners are announced publicly on Thursday and formally on Saturday. Let's post who you think will win each Individual award and then their AA Team (Can only be 10).

Nancy Lieberman (PG)
Kia
Lexie Brown
Katelynn Flaherty
Kelsey Mitchell
Sabrina Ionescu

Ann Meyers Drysdale (SG)
Lou
Asia Durr
Victoria Vivians
Arike Ogunbowale
Kitija Laksa

Cheryl Miller (SF)
Gabby
Shakayla Thomas
Sophie Cunningham
Jaime Nared
Teana Muldrow

Katrina McClain (PF)
Pheesa
Lauren Cox
Caliya Robinson
Myisha Hines-Allen
Ruthy Hebard

Lisa Leslie (C)
Kelani Brown
Teaira McCowan
A'ja Wilson
Mercedes Russell
Monique Billings

 

[bbballfan23]

I'm going with...
Ionescu, Lou, Gabby, Pheesa & A'ja.

Assuming the winners are automatically AA's...the other 5 are.
Kelani Brown, Victoria Vivians, Asia Durr, Kelsey Mitchell, Arike Ogunbowale.

Kia Nurse wins DPOY.

Tough call to leave off McCowan & Lexie Brown.

 

[rt bb fan]

I think Lou is not going to get NPOY, because she is not scoring enough in the NCAA tournament. Aj'a will probably win.

 

[bbballfan23]

I think Lou is not going to get NPOY, because she is not scoring enough in the NCAA tournament. Aj'a will probably win.

The WBCA is doing individual awards this year for the first time. They've always done the Nancy Lieberman award (Best PG) but they've added the 4 other positions. My picks were who I think should win best for their positions. Agree with you though, A'ja is POY.

 

[Oldbones]

I think Lou is not going to get NPOY, because she is not scoring enough in the NCAA tournament. Aj'a will probably win.

Quoting Geno "Lou is the best player in the country."
Quoting Dawn "A'ja is the best player in the country BY FAR." So on the average a significant edge to Wilson.

 

[DEpup]

I'm going with...
Ionescu, Lou, Gabby, Pheesa & A'ja.

Assuming the winners are automatically AA's...the other 5 are.
Kelani Brown, Victoria Vivians, Asia Durr, Kelsey Mitchell, Arike Ogunbowale.

Kia Nurse wins DPOY.

Tough call to leave off McCowan & Lexie Brown.

I have a lot of frustration with how we even on this board make excuses for folks not to properly award Kia. So largely Kia with some help basically shuts down not only Lexi but Greenwell too yesterday and this board is feeling bad that Lexie doesn't get on the all american list? They are called guards for a reason and Kia defines that term. She should be on the list. I wonder if Kia gets a crack at Ionescu and shuts her down, what new excuses will be made to still not give Kia the credit she deserves and say Ionescu is the best......

 

[bbballfan23]

I have a lot of frustration with how we even on this board make excuses for folks not to properly award Kia. So largely Kia with some help basically shuts down not only Lexi but Greenwell too yesterday and this board is feeling bad that Lexie doesn't get on the all american list? They are called guards for a reason and Kia defines that term. She should be on the list. I wonder if Kia gets a crack at Ionescu and shuts her down, what new excuses will be made to still not give Kia the credit she deserves and say Ionescu is the best.

I think she's getting the recognition she deserves as DPOY. There are 2 sides of the court though. She's a role player for us. 4/5th option offensively.

 

[Lynx23]

I think she's getting the recognition she deserves as DPOY. There are 2 sides of the court though. She's a role player for us. 4/5th option offensively.

And an extremely important role it is. I've said this before and I'll say it again, BY'ers who place a premium on offensive skills in defining a player worthy of 1st Team AA consideration (by the way, Kia's offensive stats are pretty good) will be in for a shock next year when we're being lit up by a team's best perimeter shooter. I would say that what Kia may lack in terms of her offensive skills she makes up by limiting the other team's points. Granted, defense is a team effort, but if you watched closely yesterday, when she wasn't guarding Brown, she was all over Greenwell. In the meantime our offensive stars were letting Odom have her way. I share Dpup's frustration with this board. I figure Kia's only chance of being a WBCA 1st Team AA selection is to be the DPOY. That means she's the best in the nation at something important to the game. To me that merits strong consideration for AA. Some of you don't see it because you're too hung up on some kind of subjective "eye test", which is really a convenient crock. She's not the tallest or the fastest but she is arguably the toughest. And she's arguably the most WNBA ready of anyone in the draft. BTW, if she makes AA, great. If not, who really cares? She lives in Canada. She won't be visiting regularly to check her banner out (that's what this is really all about). I have a feeling she doesn't care. But this UCONN will miss her big time next year...and Gabby too.

 

[Sonny44]

I think Lou is not going to get NPOY, because she is not scoring enough in the NCAA tournament. Aj'a will probably win.

Wait until tomorrow night when we blow their drawers off.

 

[bbballfan23]

And an extremely important role it is. I've said this before and I'll say it again, BY'ers who place a premium on offensive skills in defining a player worthy of 1st Team AA consideration (by the way, Kia's offensive stats are pretty good) will be in for a shock next year when we're being lit up by a team's best perimeter shooter. I would say that what Kia may lack in terms of her offensive skills she makes up by limiting the other team's points. Granted, defense is a team effort, but if you watched closely yesterday, when she wasn't guarding Brown, she was all over Greenwell. In the meantime our offensive stars were letting Odom have her way. I share Dpup's frustration with this board. I figure Kia's only chance of being a WBCA 1st Team AA selection is to be the DPOY. That means she's the best in the nation at something important to the game. To me that merits strong consideration for AA. Some of you don't see it because you're too hung up on some kind of subjective "eye test", which is really a convenient crock. She's not the tallest or the fastest but she is arguably the toughest. And she's arguably the most WNBA ready of anyone in the draft. BTW, if she makes AA, great. If not, who really cares? She lives in Canada. She won't be visiting regularly to check her banner out (that's what this is really all about). I have a feeling she doesn't care. But this UCONN will miss her big time next year...and Gabby too.

No doubt it will be a struggle next year unless Christyn Williams is a great defender (won’t have the IQ of Nurse in year 1 though). I think losing Gabby defensively will hurt even more bc many times her steals lead to layups. As for Kia, yes she’s been great defensively but she also has 4 other active good-great defenders behind her helping out...just as Geno said yesterday.

 

[DEpup]

I think she's getting the recognition she deserves as DPOY. There are 2 sides of the court though. She's a role player for us. 4/5th option offensively.

I COMPLETELY disagree that Kia is a role player. Your post is what I am talking about. Constantly undervaluing Kia. Sad.

 

[hugefan]

It has been a pleasure watching the games as we have a great defensive team, not only are Gabby and Kia great but all of our team does a great job following the scout and switching on players. There is always a player who is not particularly part of the scout who gets some buckets that ultimately makes no difference to the final score but that’s from the whole team scout and sometimes a little help from the refs.

 

[bbballfan23]

I COMPLETELY disagree that Kia is a role player. Your post is what I am talking about. Constantly undervaluing Kia. Sad.

It’s okay to be a role player on a team like this. Similar to Draymond Green for the Warriors. Doesn’t mean she isn’t a great player in her own right but we just have other options ahead of her Lou, Pheesa, Gabby & Z when she comes in.

 

[Golden Husky]

I found the exchange between bbballfan23 and DEpup interesting and entertaining. My own view is that DEpup won the debate.

 

[Los24]

It’s okay to be a role player on a team like this. Similar to Draymond Green for the Warriors. Doesn’t mean she isn’t a great player in her own right but we just have other options ahead of her Lou, Pheesa, Gabby & Z when she comes in.

I believe Kia is more than a role player but also think the defensive comments are a bit over the top. A role player contributes just in a couple of ways. Kia is a complete player.

Kia is the best player at face guarding someone I have seen this year hands down, but there is more to defense than that and people here ignore steals, deflections and defensive rebounds. Gabby to me is the DPOY. Not only does she take tough assignments she can literally guard 1 - 5. She disrupts and impacts the game defensively in a way Kia can not. She is also one of the best help defenders. That said people have different perspectives and believe guarding the best perimeter player is as critical, so be it.

Also give Brown her due... She was impressive defensively against us and was DPOY in the ACC.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Let's post who you think will win each Individual award and then their AA Team (Can only be 10).

Nancy Lieberman (PG)
Sabrina Ionescu

Ann Meyers Drysdale (SG)
Lou Samuelson

Cheryl Miller (SF)
Gabby Williams

Katrina McClain (PF)
Myisha Hines-Allen

Lisa Leslie (C)
A'ja Wilson

ALL-American Team
Sabrina Ionescu
Lou Samuelson
Gabby Williams
Myisha Hines-Allen
A'ja Wilson
Asia Durr
Kelsey Mitchell
Victoria Vivians
Ruthy Hebard
Teaira McCowan

 

[SVCBeercats]

I think Lou is not going to get NPOY, because she is not scoring enough in the NCAA tournament. Aj'a will probably win.

Maybe tomorrow's game against U. Of S. Caro. will decide the NPOY.

 

[Lynx23]

I think she's getting the recognition she deserves as DPOY. There are 2 sides of the court though. She's a role player for us. 4/5th option offensively.

And yet she has still managed to score over 1600 points in her career at UCONN while shooting over 50% from the field this year, including 45% from beyond the arc. I think this is DEpup's point and mine; she tends to be dismissed, not by all, but by enough to frustrate her biggest fans. I'll grant this. Kia may not be one of the 10 best basketball players in WCBB by any arbitrary definition but if she is named the National DPOY by the WBCA then she belongs among the top 10 because a panel of basketball people has determined that she's the best at what she does best, play defense. That means she's better at it then the other nine (9) players on the list. Assuming defense actually counts.

 

[Sam.the.Man]

Let's post who you think will win each Individual award and then their AA Team (Can only be 10).

Nancy Lieberman (PG)
Sabrina Ionescu

Ann Meyers Drysdale (SG)
Lou Samuelson

Cheryl Miller (SF)
Gabby Williams

Katrina McClain (PF)
Myisha Hines-Allen

Lisa Leslie (C)
A'ja Wilson

ALL-American Team
Sabrina Ionescu
Lou Samuelson
Gabby Williams
Myisha Hines-Allen
A'ja Wilson
Asia Durr
Kelsey Mitchell
Victoria Vivians
Ruthy Hebard
Teaira McCowan

I agree except to leave Pheesa off the AA team would be a gross injustice! I would take her over Hebard, McCowan and even Mitchell everyday of the week.

 

[jaundicedeye]

Wait until tomorrow night when we blow their drawers off.

I would settle for the old-fashioned "blowing their doors off" and hope that our opponents remained clothed throughout the contest. Not looking for any wardrobe malfunctions to stop the action or steal from the headlines. Certainly not anything about SC's losing "streak"!

 

[bbballfan23]

Let's post who you think will win each Individual award and then their AA Team (Can only be 10).

Nancy Lieberman (PG)
Sabrina Ionescu

Ann Meyers Drysdale (SG)
Lou Samuelson

Cheryl Miller (SF)
Gabby Williams

Katrina McClain (PF)
Myisha Hines-Allen

Lisa Leslie (C)
A'ja Wilson

ALL-American Team
Sabrina Ionescu
Lou Samuelson
Gabby Williams
Myisha Hines-Allen
A'ja Wilson
Asia Durr
Kelsey Mitchell
Victoria Vivians
Ruthy Hebard
Teaira McCowan

So you’re telling me Oregon, Louisville & MS St will have the same number of AA’s as UConn!? No chance

 

[SVCBeercats]

So you’re telling me Oregon, Louisville & MS St will have the same number of AA’s as UConn!? No chance

I'm telling you who will be selected, not my picks, the WBCA's picks.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

The first name is who I think will get the award the following name is who IMHO should get the award!


Nancy Lieberman (PG)
Sabrina Ionescu Kia Nurse, Tied Defensive player of the year and led the country for 3 pt. shooting for 3/4 of the season

Ann Meyers Drysdale (SG)
Lou Samuelson Katie Lou Samuelson, The MOP in Division I WBB by far, not even close!

Cheryl Miller (SF)
Gabby Williams Gabby Williams, Tied Defensive player of the year and was the best BB player in USA, men or women

Katrina McClain (PF)
Lauren Cox Naphessa Collier, Both Offensively and Defensively she is one of the outstanding big girls in Division I

Lisa Leslie (C)
A'ja Wilson Teaira McCowan, The best TRUE CENTER in Division I

ALL-American Team
Sabrina Ionescu Sabrina Ionescu
Lou Samuelson Katie Lou Samuelson
Gabby Williams Gabby Williams
Myisha Hines-Allen Myisha Hines-Allen
A'ja Wilson A'ja Wilson
Asia Durr Asia Durr
Kelsey Mitchell Kia Nurse plays both outstanding offense and defense, Mitchell only plays offense
Victoria Vivians Victoria Vivians
Ruthy Hebard Naphessa Collier Plays both outstanding offense and defense
Teaira McCowan Teaira McCowan

The 4 UCONN girls were among the elite at their positions in Division I on the BEST team in Division I and deserve recognition for that fact! The school on the front of your jersey shouldn't dictate who gets or doesn't get any awards! If you're among the best you should be rewarded!