Who's next year's favorite for POY?

[bbsamjj]

This year, A'ja Wilson was the easy pre-season favorite, and she was never really threatened throughout the year.

But next year's race could be wide-open, with a variety of skill sets on display.

The underclassmen on the three AP All-Americans teams were:

First team:
Ionescu, Durr, KLS
Second team:
Kalani Brown, Arike, Gustafson
Third team:
McCowan, Collier

I have to think Ionescu has the edge because of her huge stats in pts/rebounds/assists, plus the fact that Oregon should be a top 5 team all next year. But I bet Durr averages the highest PPG of these players, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Brown and McCowan have absolutely monster seasons, though Miss ST is likely way down next year. And KLS will also certainly be a leading contended, particularly if UConn gets into the top 2.

 

[Shades]

Could be any one of those.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Agree... I could see any of the listed players, especially... perhaps in the following order (at least My Favorite Order ):
KLS
Collier
Durr
Brown
McCowan
Ionescu

I am NOT A FAN of the "pre-season" NPOY ... and for that matter Pre-Season AA designations. Why is this necessary??? The "pre-ordained" kind of thing just seems that it could give some voters an "easy way out"... for example.. a voter on either the east or west coast who rarely if ever sees a player on the opposite cost because of time differences and lack of coverage of a player in their area... they don't know how good player XYZ is because they don't see them, BUT, if "Everyone" says XYZ is the Pre-Season NPOY...well, just go with that when voting 5 months later. Let the players Play during the year be what's important WITHOUT any "pre-ordained/pre-conceived" ideas.

 

[Orangutan]

Ionescu. Followed closely by KLS, McCowan, and Durr

 

[jdubct]

Ionescu. Followed closely by KLS, McCowan, and Durr

Agree with your order. Ionescu will be the favorite going in. She's been in the spotlight all last season. If she has a season like last season, she'll win it.

 

[Jim]

With fewer offensive weapons on the team next year, KLS will put up big numbers. I vote for KLS.

 

[EricSD]

Based on the voting for this year, Lou should be the preseason favorite. She was 2nd behind Wilson.

 

[Los24]

Here is what I want to see from Lou to believe she can / will win it, or at least believe she is the best player for myself.

#1 Post up game utilized more. She is 6'3" and have seen her in position in many games but did not get the ball, it seemed only Gabby could/would get it to her.

#2 This one is a must. Needs to be go to in critcal spots and end of games. Really force a double team or take the shot....

Maybe continue to improve rebounding, but everything else is there.

 

[oldude]

Got to be Christyn Williams....

What the hell kind of answer do you expect to that question 3 days after the end of the season?

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think Lou and Ionescu are close.

Then McCowan, Durr, Brown, and Ogunbowale. Arike got a lot of press over the weekend.

 

[Joetro]

Brianna Turner?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Got to be Christyn Williams....

What the hell kind of answer do you expect to that question 3 days after the end of the season?

We once had a freshman finish second to Candace Parker. There’s a giant mural of her in the Werth Center.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Lou. She does it all!

 

[MilfordHusky]

If you buy the concept of the best player on the best team, it could be Arike.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Durr is too hot and cold for me, POY needs to be more consistent. At her best she is outstanding but she had too many relatively ineffective games this season. Also no passing or rebounding from her. Many of those other players mentioned can match her scoring and do so many other things on the court that she doesn't do.

 

[oldude]

OK, now here’s my serious answer. With UConn’s projected roster next season, if the Huskies get back to yet another FF, Lou will deserve NPOY, hands down.

 

[DeeHusky]

Which senior will go first in the 2019 draft?
I think Brown. What about you?

 

[wallman]

Brown ended up being a liability for Baylor. She will struggle even more with the W pace of the game.

 

[Sam.the.Man]

Here is what I want to see from Lou to believe she can / will win it, or at least believe she is the best player for myself.

#1 Post up game utilized more. She is 6'3" and have seen her in position in many games but did not get the ball, it seemed only Gabby could/would get it to her.

#2 This one is a must. Needs to be go to in critcal spots and end of games. Really force a double team or take the shot....

Maybe continue to improve rebounding, but everything else is there.

Very perceptive response, thank you for seeing things about the team and game in general that very, very few on here understand.

 

[EricSD]

OK, now here’s my serious answer. With UConn’s projected roster next season, if the Huskies get back to yet another FF, Lou will deserve NPOY, hands down.

More than that, with the loss of 3 of our core 6, I expect Lou, Pheesa, AND Crystal to have significant jumps in scoring (PPG) next season. I also expect Meg to average double digits in scoring as well. Point being - NPOY is mostly about offensive numbers. Also, seeing as the NPOY is as much about who's anointed at the start of the season, UCONN fans should make a big push for Lou. She's a senior and will have that to her advantage as well...

I know there's a whole thread on it, but starters should be Crystal, Lou, Meg, Pheesa and then either Batouly, Christyn, or Olivia. Keep in mind that Stef started as a freshman out of necessity. That's still a pretty terrific core 7... Add in Coombs with her sophomore leap and woohoo!

 

[Fightin Choke]

Brown ended up being a liability for Baylor. She will struggle even more with the W pace of the game.

I would gladly take that "liability" on MY team. Is Mulkey looking to move her?

 

[wallman]

I would gladly take that "liability" on MY team. Is Mulkey looking to move her?

I think the ACL odds are forever in their favor.

 

[Kaizen]

Between Lou and Phessa.

 

[bbsamjj]

OK, now here’s my serious answer. With UConn’s projected roster next season, if the Huskies get back to yet another FF, Lou will deserve NPOY, hands down.

Question to you on this--do you think UConn's roster is worse than Oregon's? Ionescu will certainly want to get them to the Final Four for the first time, but do you think KLS is more important to UConn's chances?

 

[Irishfan]

I would gladly take that "liability" on MY team. Is Mulkey looking to move her?

And since she wouldn’t have to sit out a year, it would be a great move. (As long as she had a personal reason)

 

[oldude]

Question to you on this--do you think UConn's roster is worse than Oregon's? Ionescu will certainly want to get them to the Final Four for the first time, but do you think KLS is more important to UConn's chances?

The Ducks certainly have more size, depth and on paper they should be a better team than the Huskies, but frankly I don’t view OR as a FF team.

 

[bballnut90]

Ionescu, Durr, KLS, McCowan are your 4 likely candidates IMO.

I don’t see ND having a strong candidate with likely 5 double figure scorers next year—all of their starters could be in the mix for AA honors.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I don't buy this idea that the winner is basically pre-determined at the beginning of the season. May have been the case this year with Wilson, but I don't think anybody picked Plum as the preseason favorite to win it in '17. There was some buzz coming off the team's first ever Final 4 and her chase of the scoring record, but she earned it by having the best season of any player in the country.

 

[Vowelguy]

THIS YEAR

USAToday

1. Aja, KLS, Durr, Ionescu, Vivians
2. Gabby, Kalani, Arike, Kelsey, Gustafson
3. McPhee, McCarty, Collier, Hines-Allen, Canada

AP

1. Aja, KLS, Durr, Ionescu, Vivians
2. Gabby, Kalani, Arike, Kelsey, Gustafson
3. Collier, McCowan, Hines-Allen, Canada, Lexie
4. Atkins (TX), Bell (MN), Brown (WKU), Butler (GM), Carleton (IaSt), Chennedy (TAMU), Cox (Bay), Cunningham (Mo), Flaherty (Mich), Goodwin (OklaSt), Gulich (OreSt), Hebard (Ore), Jensen (OklaSt), Jespersen (USF), McCarty (TX), McPhee (Stan), Moore (CMich), Muldow (WVa), Nurse, Nared (TN), Thomas (FlaSt), William (Miss St), Wright (Fla St)

WBCA

1. Kalani, Durr, Ionescu, McCowan, Kelsey, Arike, KLS, Vivians, Gabby, Aja
2. Anigwe (Cal), Atkins, Barta (Gonz), Bell, Billings, Blockton (Marq), Lexie, Buss (Ind), Canada, Chennedy, Charles (MD), Collier, Cox, Cunningham, Davis (Ford), Flaherty, Goodwin, Greenwell, Gulich, Gustafson, Harris (SC), Hebard, Hines-Allen, Jesperson, Laksa (USF), Mabrey (ND), Mavunga, McCarty, McPhee, Nared, Nurse, Robinson (GA), Russell (TN), Scaife, Shepard (ND), Azura, Thomas (FSU), Thorne (Mich), Wagner (MN), Wallace (Bay), William, Wright

NEXT YEAR

Preseason 1st team:
Ionescu (1/1/1), Ogunbowale (2/2/1), Durr (1/1/1), KLS (1/1/1), Brown (2/2/1)

2nd team:
Slocum, Collier (3/3/HM), Shephard (-/-/HM), Gustafson (2/2/HM), McCowan (-/3/1)

3rd team:
Chennedy (-/HM/HM), Mabrey (-/-/HM), Cunningham (-/HM/HM), Cox (-/HM/HM), K Charles (-/-/HM)

 

[MilfordHusky]

Durr is too hot and cold for me, POY needs to be more consistent. At her best she is outstanding but she had too many relatively ineffective games this season. Also no passing or rebounding from her. Many of those other players mentioned can match her scoring and do so many other things on the court that she doesn't do.

As we saw this year, in these selections, scoring trumps passing and defense.