Will Sedona Prince Scramble the WNBA Draft?

[bballnut90]

I’ll come eat my crow: Prince looked awful today and didn’t look like a lottery pick in the least bit. I thought she’d play much better than she did. Credit SC’s post defenders who did a terrific job of preventing her from getting good touches in the paint and the high post, as well as the guards whose on ball pressure prevented entry passes. TCU’s offense looks very rhythm oriented and South Carolina completely took them out of it today.

 

[rubymae4]

I’ll come eat my crow: Prince looked awful today and didn’t look like a lottery pick in the least bit. I thought she’d play much better than she did. Credit SC’s post defenders who did a terrific job of preventing her from getting good touches in the paint and the high post, as well as the guards whose on ball pressure prevented entry passes. TCU’s offense looks very rhythm oriented and South Carolina completely took them out of it today.

Honestly, after watching her today, I wouldn’t even draft her. It has nothing to do with her skills. Her effort was dismal, just no interest in doing anything other than setting some picks and jogging from one end of the court to the other. Getting boxed out for every rebound, no defense…I’ve rarely seen someone so disinterested in playing a game. I can’t imagine how negatively she would affect her teammates…

 

[cancontent]

So the age difference wasn't a factor. Can the COVID year frustration be put aside in this case now? It definitely wasn't an advantage last night.

 

[oldude]

Save some crow for me. It’s not the meager 6 points she scored. SC is a relentless defensive team that can clamp down on an opponent. But Prince had only 2 rebounds in 33 minutes. Five of her teammates had 2 or more rebounds and three of them were reserves. When you’re 6’7” and 2 rebounds is all you have to show for 33 minutes against a top opponent, there is something lacking in your effort. In UCLA’s win over SC, Betts had 14 rebounds, often ripping them down against a swarm of SC players.

But you can’t teach 6’7”. So someone in the W will draft Prince and she may hang around for years as a backup center, i.e. Mercedes Russell, frustrating all the fans and pundits who see her enormous potential. Note that Russell was likely left unprotected by the Seattle Storm and the Valkyrie passed on drafting anyone off the Storm’s roster in the expansion draft this past week.

 

[visitingcock]

Honestly, after watching her today, I wouldn’t even draft her. It has nothing to do with her skills. Her effort was dismal, just no interest in doing anything other than setting some picks and jogging from one end of the court to the other. Getting boxed out for every rebound, no defense…I’ve rarely seen someone so disinterested in playing a game. I can’t imagine how negatively she would affect her teammates…

I think Watkins got in her head.

Prince blocked Watkins’ shot the the ball headed up court. Watkins stole the ball near half court and raced back with Prince following - then dunked it. It’s not like it was in Prince’s face but she seemed to play with a lack of energy after that.

 

[maccca3232]

Note that Russell was likely left unprotected by the Seattle Storm and the Valkyrie passed on drafting anyone off the Storm’s roster in the expansion draft this past week.

It is almost certain she was left unprotected but the main reason she wasn't selected was due to her free agency status, she was an unrestricted free agent, like three of her Seattle team mates.

This is important as Valkyries could only select one unrestricted free agent for the entire draft, that one player was Mo Billings, from then on all other unrestricted free agents couldn't be selected by the Valkyries including Russell.

 

[Geew1992]

I think Watkins got in her head.

Prince blocked Watkins’ shot the the ball headed up court. Watkins stole the ball near half court and raced back with Prince following - then dunked it. It’s not like it was in Prince’s face but she seemed to play with a lack of energy after that.

I watched the first quarter. Her lack of energy and interest showed from the beginning to me.

 

[GamecockFam]

Save some crow for me. It’s not the meager 6 points she scored. SC is a relentless defensive team that can clamp down on an opponent. But Prince had only 2 rebounds in 33 minutes. Five of her teammates had 2 or more rebounds and three of them were reserves. When you’re 6’7” and 2 rebounds is all you have to show for 33 minutes against a top opponent, there is something lacking in your effort. In UCLA’s win over SC, Betts had 14 rebounds, often ripping them down against a swarm of SC players.

But you can’t teach 6’7”. So someone in the W will draft Prince and she may hang around for years as a backup center, i.e. Mercedes Russell, frustrating all the fans and pundits who see her enormous potential. Note that Russell was likely left unprotected by the Seattle Storm and the Valkyrie passed on drafting anyone off the Storm’s roster in the expansion draft this past week.

My sentiments as well. I'm still not convinced that she isn't a first round pick as she possesses a rare talent at her size, but I'm backing down on some of my claims. Part of the issue wasn't Prince's fault, as our guards were relentless on preventing passes to Prince and limiting her touches. But the old Prince did rear her head and the "effort" issues were clearly noticeable when they dug themselves into a hole.

lol I blame you all! In the matter of a month I've gone from vocally doubting Prince as as first round pick, to buying into the arguments that she could be taken at #2 in the draft after her performances against Notre Dame and NC State. Now I think she'll be a low first round or early second round pick.

 

[cancontent]

My sentiments as well. I'm still not convinced that she isn't a first round pick as she possesses a rare talent at her size, but I'm backing down on some of my claims. Part of the issue wasn't Prince's fault, as our guards were relentless on preventing passes to Prince and limiting her touches. But the old Prince did rear her head and the "effort" issues were clearly noticeable when they dug themselves into a hole.

lol I blame you all! In the matter of a month I've gone from vocally doubting Prince as as first round pick, to buying into the arguments that she could be taken at #2 in the draft after her performances against Notre Dame and NC State. Now I think she'll be a low first round or early second round pick.

Welcome to the whacky merry-go-round of 2025 WNBA draft predictions. Please ensure you're at least 48" tall to participate as it's going to be an interesting ride of hot takes until April 2025.

 

[rubymae4]

But you can’t teach 6’7”. So someone in the W will draft Prince and she may hang around for years as a backup center, i.e. Mercedes Russell, frustrating all the fans and pundits who see her enormous potential.

You also can’t teach “effort.”

Given the amount of time Prince has spent in NCAAW (re: all of the posts debating about her age), it’s clear this is who she is as a player. Maybe a team wants to take a chance on her thinking she just needs the right coach, but if I’m a GM/coach, I want someone less skilled but who puts in the work day in/day out.

I’m not one to be so negative about a player, but for some reason her play yesterday really irked me. Moving on…

 

[oldude]

You also can’t teach “effort.”

Given the amount of time Prince has spent in NCAAW (re: all of the posts debating about her age), it’s clear this is who she is as a player. Maybe a team wants to take a chance on her thinking she just needs the right coach, but if I’m a GM/coach, I want someone less skilled but who puts in the work day in/day out.

I’m not one to be so negative about a player, but for some reason her play yesterday really irked me. Moving on…

Prince’s play yesterday irked a lot of people. But she will get drafted by somebody. That’s why I compared her to 6’6” Mercedes Russell, a notorious underachiever at TN. Russell was drafted near the end of the 2nd round, 22nd overall in 2018 by the NY Liberty who soon waved her. She was picked up by the Seattle Storm, who needed a backup for Stewie.

In her 7 years in Seattle she’s mostly been a serviceable backup post, picking up a couple championship rings along the way. That may be Prince’s future in the W, although she has a much more extensive skill set than Russell, should she decide to use it.