Who will be the 2018 NPOY?

[oldude]

Yes, I know it’s way too early for this thread, but since we have seven months to kill before the first Huskies game, I figured, ‘What the hell?”

This past season, Kelsey Plum pretty clearly became the consensus NPOY. The same was true of Stewie in each of the prior two seasons. At present, next season’s NPOY is up for grabs IMO, so I pulled together a list of the “Usual Suspects” plus one lady that might not immediately come to mind.

I’ve listed 5 of 7 seven returning WBCA 1st team AA’s: Kelsey Mitchell, A’ja Wilson, Lou, Gabby & Pheesa. I’ve added an X-factor (Z) to the list plus “Other” for any plyer that the BY feels I missed, i.e. Kalani Brown, Brianna Turner (injured?), Jordan Canada, DD, etc.

Cast your vote and tell us why. Hopefully this will kill a week or so of the next seven months.

 

[Sonny44]

I don't see the need for two token non-UCONN players.

 

[oldude]

I don't see the need for two token non-UConn players.

I was limited to 7 choices. I guess I could have also listed Danger, Batouly & Megan, but I was hoping to get some participation from some of our visiting fans of other teams.

 

[Iowafan]

I chose Gabby because I feel she brings the whole package to the court. She excels at her defense and gets the job done on offense. She is a leader for her team and models that in the way she approaches the game. Her value to her team is worth a lot. Her stats are very impressive in all areas. I like her chances this next year to continuing to be a shining star for Connecticut.

 

[the Q]

I think Gabby is the best player in the country. No one can do everything she can.

I'm gonna go with Wilson because UConn has so much freaking talent this upcoming year, and Wilson now a senior will probably up some monster numbers herself while also likely being a 1 seed (like it or not, scoring numbers clearly matter, see Gabby only being a 2nd team AA). Plus she is also the reigning MOP of the FF. It just adds a little more cache and hype for the upcoming season.

 

[Go/huskies]

Gabby should be up for the award, but I think it'll be a little hard since the Lou or Collier will be the preseason AAC POY. I voted for A'ja.

 

[the Q]

Gabby should be up for the award, but I think it'll be a little hard since the Lou or Collier will be the preseason AAC POY. I voted for A'ja.

It's also really hard to win POY without being a top scorer.

The lowest one I've seen in the last 10 years was Stewie at 17.6 PPG. IMO Gabby probably needs to get to at least 16 PPG to have a shot. But if she gets out-rebounded by Collier again it will be a challenge, plus having Z there should take away some rebounding chances for both Collier and Gabby.

 

[triaddukefan]

Wilson.

 

[bballnut90]

Williams or Wilson. I think Williams will take on a larger role next year offensively. I think expectations for Stevens are sky high, but I don't see a reason to believe that she'll be the go to player over the Big 3 on this year's squad. I'd expect that we'll see a more balanced array of scorers next year with the three forwards, Nurse and Stevens all averaging between 10-16ppg.

Wilson will likely clean up hardware if she keeps SC in the top 5 next year and puts up big numbers. I do think her and Williams will be the 2 best players in the country next season. They were the 2 best by the end of this season, IMO.

 

[Go/huskies]

It's also really hard to win POY without being a top scorer.

The lowest one I've seen in the last 10 years was Stewie at 17.6 PPG. IMO Gabby probably needs to get to at least 16 PPG to have a shot. But if she gets out-rebounded by Collier again it will be a challenge, plus having Z there should take away some rebounding chances for both Collier and Gabby.

Lindsey Harding won the Naismith award back in 2006-2007 with a 13ppg avg.

 

[the Q]

Lindsey Harding won the Naismith award back in 2006-2007 with a 13ppg avg.

Yeah, I was looking at a different POY award list.

USBWA POY award.

 

[meyers7]

I could see Wilson and Williams each grabbing one.

 

[oldude]

I chose Gabby because I feel she brings the whole package to the court. She excels at her defense and gets the job done on offense. She is a leader for her team and models that in the way she approaches the game. Her value to her team is worth a lot. Her stats are very impressive in all areas. I like her chances this next year to continuing to be a shining star for Connecticut.

My choice as well. I think Gabby is the best BIG GAME player in the country, and next year I expect she will extend her range to the arc. I can't imagine anybody trying to defend Gabby at the arc, because she will blow by the 1st defender, and if a secondary defender tries to help, Gabby will feed her open teammate for an easy layup.

 

[Rema64]

I think Gabby if she plays like she did this year.

 

[Rema64]

Wilson.

She would be my non-UConn choice after Gabby and Napheesa

 

[ricky]

It's also really hard to win POY without being a top scorer.

The lowest one I've seen in the last 10 years was Stewie at 17.6 PPG. IMO Gabby probably needs to get to at least 16 PPG to have a shot. But if she gets out-rebounded by Collier again it will be a challenge, plus having Z there should take away some rebounding chances for both Collier and Gabby.

Z will take a lot of heat from the post off Collier. This will allow her to roam and score from all over the floor. She can obviously move with ease but now she will definitely make it rain. She could possibly average 25 - 30 a game. Collier POY.

 

[LadyVols9]

probably Wilson but I could see Williams getting it if SC has a down year.

 

[JordyG]

Gabby. But,
"Aja
When all my dime dancin' is through
I run to you".
The most heart warming smile in WCBB. Lights up all my rooms.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I voted Gabby because she's my favorite!!!!

 

[noirwestern]

Guess I'm the odd man out here since I don't see Wilson faring as well against the double and triple teams she's going to see all year. Mitchell should run away in the sheer scoring numbers department but after all that scoring will have little energy to spend on anything else. Williams by a few feet. 6' 2.25, to be exact.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

WAY TOO EARLY!!!! But GO UCONN PLAYERS

 

[OneTrickPony]

I have to think in a year where Gabby may not have to go 40 minutes every game guarding the other team's center, she might just have an offensive explosion of the UCONN variety...if she does, dead people in Cook County will be voting for her...

 

[UConnCat]

ESPN will hype Wilson in the preseason. Wilson will want the POY awards and will have the opportunity to go after them. She's an aggressive player (which I like and admire about her).

Stevens will be perhaps the most talented player in the country (6-6 and can score inside and make 3s) but it remains to be seen how aggressively she plays. She'll also be playing with multiple AAs.

Gabby will certainly be in the conversation. If she could make 3s she'd be like Maya.

 

[OneTrickPony]

ESPN will hype Wilson in the preseason. Wilson will want the POY awards and will have the opportunity to go after them. She's an aggressive player (which I like and admire about her).

Stevens will be perhaps the most talented player in the country (6-6 and can score inside and make 3s) but it remains to be seen how aggressively she plays. She'll also be playing with multiple AAs.

Gabby will certainly be in the conversation. If she could make 3s she'd be like Maya.

She's be Maya...

 

[oldude]

There are two different schools of thought on POY. Geno has always said it should be the best player from the best team (easy for him to say). Stewie would certainly fit that characterization.

The 2nd school of thought for POY would be someone that literally lifts their team up to another level, like Kelsey Plum, without whom Washington would have been an average team at best.

I'm fairly confident that UConn will be the best team next season, but if you side with Geno's POY reasoning it could be like splitting hairs to choose between the 4 likely Husky POY candidates. I tend to lean towards Gabby, but Lou & Pheesa will be even better next year and Z could be other-worldly once she's turned loose on opposing teams.

As for the 2nd alternative, with the departure of Coates, Davis & Gray, A'ja Wilson will have to carry SC on her back if the Gamecocks are to get back to another FF. Wilson certainly stepped up in the tournament when Coates went down, but Gray & Davis were also instrumental in SC's title run. If Wilson becomes a dominant force who carries SC to success, she could well be the POY.