Who's #2?

[sharris952]

I'm struggling to pick a #2. Notre Dame has outstanding perimeter players (Mabrey, Arike and Young) but without Turner the inside game would be Westbeld, Nelson and two freshmen who won't be up to the task. Thompson has big shoes to fill replacing Allen but Thompson's strength is scoring more than passing and that's what she'll need to do for the Irish. I still expect Notre Dame to score enough points to win most games.

South Carolina has a solid inside player but, other than Harris, there are too many questions surrounding the supporting cast. SC will lose 1/2 its points to the WNBA and I don't know who is going to make up for that loss. UConn lost a lot of points to the WNBA last year but had two highly rated and offensively gifted sophomores ready to step in and score. I don't see that type of talent ready to step in and help Wilson.

Baylor will also be strong inside but with questions on the perimeter. We saw at times how Wallace can struggle when she tries to do too much. Prince, Davis and Jones are big losses for Baylor.

I guess I'll go with ND, with or without Turner.

For those that only saw the tournament, Cuevas was the team's best 3pt shooter as is easily a double figure scorer if given the green light. Because of team chemistry and balance, she was asked to sacrifice some of her scoring this year. IMO she will step in nicely for one of our guards points next year. I believe she will flourish in this role. She gives up some height that we had on defense, but she was always capable of frustrating and stopping any little point guard that most other teams put on the floor. Harris displayed later in the year that she could score and became more aggressive in the tourney. Alexis Jennings speaks for herself with regards to her former play at KY. SC really just needs to fill that 3 spot that Davis occupied, but they have options on campus and coming in as they displayed late in the season when at times Davis was not giving Dawn what she wanted or having an off night. I would say SC is probably a clear cut #2 especially with so many defections from the other top teams. Tenn and Texas have to show more to be placed in the top five for next. year. My motto has always been don't show me on paper, prove it to me on the court. All press guides teams have rarely won it all. The best coached teams with adequate talent have won the championships ala UConn most years and this past year SC.

 

[Rixxx]

Tenn, to be rated, needs to improve their team shooting percentages, decrease TO from DD, get a few more post moves along with a text book hook shot from MR, and finishes on drives from JN on a consistent basis. The consensus is correct that Tenn has talent. But deficiencies last year cancelled out that talent. Opportunities to improve are there for next season, JMO.

 

[easttexastrash]

The 4 best players in all of Women's College Basketball next year will be playing for UConn. As a result, I will have to strongly disagree with your post.

I disagree there. Kalani Brown and A'ja Wilson will be in the top 5, and I am guessing that Kelsey Mitchell will crack the top 5, also.

 

[FASTEDDY]

I disagree there. Kalani Brown and A'ja Wilson will be in the top 5, and I am guessing that Kelsey Mitchell will crack the top 5, also.

So collier, samuelson, and Azure are not all Top 5 players according to you.

Come on, really?

Just being huge and shooting 2 foot shots doesn't make you a great player.

collier, Sammy, and azure have actual talent, moves and game.

brown and Wilson are just there b/c of size (for the most part) and Mitchell is just a chucker (takes a huge amount of shots and accumulates point/stats).

Of course this is JMO.

 

[Jim R]

My vote was South Car because they return arguably the best player in WCBB

Hate to disagree with you, but Wilson is hardly that. I'll give her an excellent performance in the championship game, yes, but not even in the Top 5. She's limited, period. Around the boards, she's pretty good. Facing the basket, it's almost always going to the left. And, when not shooting lay ups, she rarely scores, reliably, from more than 10 ft from the basket.
I can think of at least nine other better players (4 Huskies), and wouldn't be surprised to see our own Azura pick up that award at the end of next year. USC played a team they knew well in the finals, and took advantage of it.

 

[easttexastrash]

So collier, samuelson, and Azure are not all Top 5 players according to you.

Come on, really?

Just being huge and shooting 2 foot shots doesn't make you a great player.

collier, Sammy, and azure have actual talent, moves and game.

brown and Wilson are just there b/c of size (for the most part) and Mitchell is just a chucker (takes a huge amount of shots and accumulates point/stats).

Of course this is JMO.

I think some of the players will have much less impressive numbers with the addition of the new players and that the points will be spread out much like they were for Baylor last season.

And if you think Brown and Wilson are there "just because of size" you know very little about their games. Brown will have such impressive point and rebounding numbers next season that it will be impossible keep her off of first team AA. If she gets about 30 minutes a game, which I suspect she will, she is easily going to average a double-double, I'm guessing about 2o+ points and somewhere in the range of 12 rebounds per game. She will probably pick up about 3 or 4 blocks a game. And, in case you don't know, has a very nice shot from around the free-throw line, so she doesn't just shoot two-foot shots.

There is going to be a lot of talent in WCBB next season. I think there will be several players in consideration for AA, including a couple from Tennessee (DD and Russell), Thomas from FSU, Martin from WVU, Holmes from Texas, Anigwe from Cal, Durr from Louisville, Canada from UCLA, Ionescu from Oregon.

 

[easttexastrash]

Hate to disagree with you, but Wilson is hardly that. I'll give her an excellent performance in the championship game, yes, but not even in the Top 5. She's limited, period. Around the boards, she's pretty good. Facing the basket, it's almost always going to the left. And, when not shooting lay ups, she rarely scores, reliably, from more than 10 ft from the basket.
I can think of at least nine other better players (4 Huskies), and wouldn't be surprised to see our own Azura pick up that award at the end of next year. USC played a team they knew well in the finals, and took advantage of it.

You may want to watch Stevens play at least 1 game in a UCONN jersey before making such lofty predictions about her. She will still be the new player in the rotation and may not want to immediately take over the team in order to defer to the 3 AAs returning to the team.

 

[FASTEDDY]

I think some of the players will have much less impressive numbers with the addition of the new players and that the points will be spread out much like they were for Baylor last season.

And if you think Brown and Wilson are there "just because of size" you know very little about their games. Brown will have such impressive point and rebounding numbers next season that it will be impossible keep her off of first team AA. If she gets about 30 minutes a game, which I suspect she will, she is easily going to average a double-double, I'm guessing about 2o+ points and somewhere in the range of 12 rebounds per game. She will probably pick up about 3 or 4 blocks a game. And, in case you don't know, has a very nice shot from around the free-throw line, so she doesn't just shoot two-foot shots.

There is going to be a lot of talent in WCBB next season. I think there will be several players in consideration for AA, including a couple from Tennessee (DD and Russell), Thomas from FSU, Martin from WVU, Holmes from Texas, Anigwe from Cal, Durr from Louisville, Canada from UCLA, Ionescu from Oregon.

Nope!

Top 4 players are @ UCONN!

I'm a UCONN homer, what can I say?!

 

[bags27]

I love Lou, but there is absolutely no way she ranks above Wilson. Given what Wilson did in the finals and what we don't yet know about Z, I think you have to consider her the leading candidate for POY.

On the other hand, for 2nd best team, I voted for Other: the Golden State Warriors.

 

[sharris952]

Hate to disagree with you, but Wilson is hardly that. I'll give her an excellent performance in the championship game, yes, but not even in the Top 5. She's limited, period. Around the boards, she's pretty good. Facing the basket, it's almost always going to the left. And, when not shooting lay ups, she rarely scores, reliably, from more than 10 ft from the basket.
I can think of at least nine other better players (4 Huskies), and wouldn't be surprised to see our own Azura pick up that award at the end of next year. USC played a team they knew well in the finals, and took advantage of it.

If you are serious, then you hardly watched Wilson other than when she played UConn. Wilson has been a dominant force since entering College basketball and also in USA Basketball. She has been the MOP on two USA gold medal winning junior national teams. She is not only a polished offensive player, she consistently ranks int he top 5-10 of multiple categories in the conference and country. Defensively she is the all time shot blocker at SCAR and she still has a year to go. Though she has not shot many 3 pointers. She is extremely consistent from 12-15 feet which is why so many teams have a tough time guarding her, because when teams came out on her she was effective putting the ball on the floor. You are talking about a two time conference player of the year 3 time All American and 2 time 1st team All American. I will yield to those who do this for a living in judging her talents. Be a homer all you want, but I would say about 98% of the media if polled today would tell you she will be the 1st pick in next year's deep draft class, and a leading candidate for NPOY next year.

 

[Jim R]

If you are serious, then you hardly watched Wilson other than when she played UConn. Wilson has been a dominant force since entering College basketball and also in USA Basketball. She has been the MOP on two USA gold medal winning junior national teams. She is not only a polished offensive player, she consistently ranks int he top 5-10 of multiple categories in the conference and country. Defensively she is the all time shot blocker at SCAR and she still has a year to go. Though she has not shot many 3 pointers. She is extremely consistent from 12-15 feet which is why so many teams have a tough time guarding her, because when teams came out on her she was effective putting the ball on the floor. You are talking about a two time conference player of the year 3 time All American and 2 time 1st team All American. I will yield to those who do this for a living in judging her talents. Be a homer all you want, but I would say about 98% of the media if polled today would tell you she will be the 1st pick in next year's deep draft class, and a leading candidate for NPOY next year.

Let's just say, we agree to disagree. Any fair assessment admits her weaknesses. I could be mistaken, but, wasn't she the pre-season pick by many for NPOY last year? She's been given that press ever since stepping onto the floor at USC. She's had the blessing of WCBB sportswriters from day one. "Polished"? Go back and watch the games. I've got no ax to grind with Wilson, and am happy for her success. She's simply overrated, and limited. Homer? I think not. I'm a USC '82 grad. Let's just say, there are a # of WCBB players that have better all around games, without the attitude.

 

[SCGamecock]

Let's just say, we agree to disagree. Any fair assessment admits her weaknesses. I could be mistaken, but, wasn't she the pre-season pick by many for NPOY last year? She's been given that press ever since stepping onto the floor at USC. She's had the blessing of WCBB sportswriters from day one. "Polished"? Go back and watch the games. I've got no ax to grind with Wilson, and am happy for her success. She's simply overrated, and limited. Homer? I think not. I'm a USC '82 grad. Let's just say, there are a # of WCBB players that have better all around games, without the attitude.

Southern California, perhaps?

Can't be South Carolina.. You've been quite harsh of Wilson/Dawn/South Carolina in the past and it's very difficult for me to believe that a South Carolina alum or fan would come on a UConn message board to join in on criticism of the Gamecocks.

Unless you're a UConn women's basketball fan that just happened to have attended South Carolina in the early 80's.

 

[sharris952]

Let's just say, we agree to disagree. Any fair assessment admits her weaknesses. I could be mistaken, but, wasn't she the pre-season pick by many for NPOY last year? She's been given that press ever since stepping onto the floor at USC. She's had the blessing of WCBB sportswriters from day one. "Polished"? Go back and watch the games. I've got no ax to grind with Wilson, and am happy for her success. She's simply overrated, and limited. Homer? I think not. I'm a USC '82 grad. Let's just say, there are a # of WCBB players that have better all around games, without the attitude.

Yes I agree with sc gamecock. I have observed your post and I went to South Carolina and have my terminal degree from that institution. Last year, no one could have foreseen Kelsey Plum's historic year and if not for that Wilson most likely would have been your NPOY> Other than that, she has led a program that to 2 final fours in her three years in school. She is also 6'5 with her skills. Please name the other girls that are her height in the College game today not in the past that can either play the 4 or the 5 and are more polished than her. I will wait for this grand list with baited breath. I don't think someone with he proven accolades is considered overrated and limited. Make sure you list includes these so-called players at her position's USA basketball performance if it exists. USC grad or not, you simply cannot ignore facts and if all of her perceptions have been press, she would not be sitting on three SEC Championships, and one National Championship for which everyone should agree she played a major part.

 

[Vowelguy]

The "other" category is up to 9.
2 folks cited Miss St.
Who else is being voted for?

 

[triaddukefan]

The "other" category is up to 9.
2 folks cited Miss St.
Who else is being voted for?

I'm sure some people have voted for UConn's bench as #2

 

[Vowelguy]

I'm sure some people have voted for UConn's bench as #2

I'm gonna to assume no one is that dumb.

 

[triaddukefan]

I'm gonna to assume no one is that dumb.

I've read through some of the replies in the ESPN threads around here... So nothing will surprise me from now on

 

[BlueDevils]

My unpopular opinion: Katie Lou is a tad bit overrated.

Gabby Williams is a warrior and Collier is a straight out BALLER!

Uconn will be the most talented/versatile team next year. My vote for 2nd best is Stanford. Tara is Tara and she's bringing in some really good recruits to surround around McPhee and the international post player Smith.

 

[bballnut90]

Let's just say, we agree to disagree. Any fair assessment admits her weaknesses. I could be mistaken, but, wasn't she the pre-season pick by many for NPOY last year? She's been given that press ever since stepping onto the floor at USC. She's had the blessing of WCBB sportswriters from day one. "Polished"? Go back and watch the games. I've got no ax to grind with Wilson, and am happy for her success. She's simply overrated, and limited. Homer? I think not. I'm a USC '82 grad. Let's just say, there are a # of WCBB players that have better all around games, without the attitude.

If you don't consider Wilson polished, then who is polished? The only front court player you could make an argument for over Wilson is Collier. If you wanted to go with a true post who is more efficient but doesn't possess inside/out abilities, you can throw Jones from Maryland or Kalani Brown in the mix. That's about it.


She has her weaknesses, but every player does. Wilson, as a 4, is the best in the country at her position. She presents an incredibly difficult matchup since she has a good (not great) face up game, can run the high low, or beat you off the dribble. She is a terrific rebounder and a great finisher at the basket. Her face up jumper from 4-15 feet isn't the most consistent, similar to how Tina Charles' face up game isn't the most consistent, but it's still a strong part of her game. She's made huge strides all 3 seasons and took her team to the promised land after many people counted them out once Coates was injured.


Sure she didn't win POY after she was a favorite entering the season, but she did put her team on her back and lead them to an unexpected championship. Kind of like how Stewart didn't win any FOY awards after being the #1 recruit, but then went on to lead the Huskies to a title in 2013. I don't think anyone looks back and harps on Stewart for losing FOY to Loyd, just like how no one looks at Wilson and harps on her for not winning NPOY as a junior. Just my two cents.

 

[bizarro aj]

Isn't this a speculation thread?

 

[cbraarj]

My vote was South Car because they return arguably the best player in WCBB

No they dont because Azura has it all and Wilson was outplayed by Willliams head to head.

 

[meyers7]

I'm gonna to assume no one is that dumb.

That's a pretty big assumption here on this board.

 

[cbraarj]

I'm not sure if we'll be as good as we were this year.. but I don't think our drop off is going to be as steep as most people probably think it should be after losing three first rounders.

Like it's been said already, we still return Wilson.. and next year is definitely going to be the A'ja Wilson Show for us. She wont have a Coates to dominate the paint and relegate her to the high post... now Wilson will be able to move all over the court. How far SC goes depends on how much her supporting cast steps up. Harris is a good point guard and a hard worker.. I think she's going to take a nice sophomore leap. Cuevas, who I accurately predicted last year to be much improved this season, is going to further establish herself as a scorer at the shooting guard spot... a role I think she's perfect for.. Cuevas pushes tempo and attacks the basket relentlessly, either making the layup or drawing the foul (occasionally both). She was also our best 3-point shooter last season.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Jennings will bring to the team. She's a proven competitor in the SEC and is versatile in a way that Coates wasn't, she also has exceptional footwork (Kentucky post players tend to.. Mitchell does well there, I guess). SC is going to need Cliney to expand her role as more than a defensive stopper... she has shown that she can score but needs to be more consistent (she's capable of some bad misses). Our 2016 class will be counted on heavily for depth and I expect Harrigan to improve a lot.. she got a lot of playing experience for a freshmen this year.

Our incoming freshmen class will be expected to play a lot according to Dawn. I think our class is a little underrated.. Williams is a 6'4 stretch 4 with a nice offensive game, can pop from the arc and score inside, she needs to get stronger to consistently play inside.... Grissett, at 6'2, is a strong wing that can defend 1-5, freakishly athletic and attacks the basket with aggression... Troup and Jackson are both 2/3 type guards (with Jackson being more of a 3-guard) and are very sharp offensively. Troup is very reminiscent of Tina Roy, but will likely end up being a better 3 point shooter and she can put the ball on the floor (something Roy couldn't do)... Jackson's game is more akin to Tiffany Mitchell. All four of them will see the court a lot this year.

We lost bonafide guards in Gray and Davis and a stalwart at center in Coates.. but our depth situation improved greatly this upcoming season. Like it's already been said, we have a lot of players just waiting in the wings...

IMO when Coates was injured and lost for the season that opened up the offense for SC and made them harder to guard. I dont know if they win with her in there. Congratulations, on South Carolina National Champions!

 

[SCGamecock]

IMO when Coates was injured and lost for the season that opened up the offense for SC and made them harder to guard. I dont know if they win with her in there. Congratulations, on South Carolina National Champions!

Thank you!