WNBA GM survey on player characteristics

[UcMiami]

I found the full results of the WNBA GM survey to be interesting when thinking about some of the Olympic team issues - the age of Sue and Tamika and the inclusion of Angel in particular. These are the professionals tasked with evaluating pro talent and not popularity and some of the responses are interesting:

2016 WNBA.com GM Survey: Best Players/Coaches - WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA

Follow the links on the bottom for more questions and predictions - under the Miscellaneous link I particularly liked:
Which player would you want taking a shot with the game on the line?
1. Diana Taurasi = 42%
2. Maya Moore = 33%
3. Elena Delle Donne = 17%
4. Sue Bird = 8%

Add it up - Uconn 83% the rest of the field 17% - almost the same odds as at the start of the NCAA tournament this past year!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

DT...GOAT, hands down. Some of the results are a little surprising.

 

[DaddyChoc]

they like Angel

 

[UcMiami]

they like Angel

Yeah - that really stood out to me considering most comments before and after the US team was announced were in favor of dropping her:
Tied third for best forward
Second as best finisher
Tied second for best at getting her own shot
First Most dangerous in open court
First most athletic
Tied second best on ball defender
First best perimeter defender
She had a pretty insignificant 2014 WC, but was very good in the 2010 WC and 2012 Oly.

 

[MilfordHusky]

On the first page of the survey results, at least one former Husky is listed in every single relevant category. No. of times listed:

Diana 9

Sue 4

Maya 8

Tina 4

Tiffany 1

Swin 1

 

[MilfordHusky]

A certain former Husky (and former MVP) got no votes as the likely MVP, and her team finished a distant second as the most likely to win the title. I expect Miss Maya to play with a bit of an edge. Whenever Michael Jordan felt slighted, he got pi$$ed and played with an edge. I look for Maya to do the same.

 

[DaddyChoc]

nice to see Tiffany in the mix

 

[shinobimono]

Yeah - that really stood out to me considering most comments before and after the US team was announced were in favor of dropping her:
Tied third for best forward
Second as best finisher
Tied second for best at getting her own shot
First Most dangerous in open court
First most athletic
Tied second best on ball defender
First best perimeter defender
She had a pretty insignificant 2014 WC, but was very good in the 2010 WC and 2012 Oly.

Yeah, it seems that many posters were against her inclusion on the Olympic team because of facial gestures she makes during games. Last time I heard, that was not a criteria for keeping players off of the team. Go figure.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Yeah - that really stood out to me considering most comments before and after the US team was announced were in favor of dropping her:
Tied third for best forward
Second as best finisher
Tied second for best at getting her own shot
First Most dangerous in open court
First most athletic
Tied second best on ball defender
First best perimeter defender
She had a pretty insignificant 2014 WC, but was very good in the 2010 WC and 2012 Oly.

I don't know how Angel is now--but in College she was known as a "VOLUME" shooter. She is excellent at getting her own shot and as a defender on the ball. Apparently Geno likes her, and she likes Geno--nuff sed..

 

[BroadwayVa]

On the first page of the survey results, at least one former Husky is listed in every single relevant category. No. of times listed:

Diana 9

Sue 4

Maya 8

Tina 4

Tiffany 1

Swin 1

\Now I can see where the UCONN bias on the Olympic Team comes from!! Apparently, the USA Committee that chose 4 from this group saw the same things the survey saw. Nah--

 

[EricLA]

I found it fascinating. For ALL the histrionics (mostly by Tenn fans but even from some UCONN fans) that leaving Parker off was a crime, at her own position (forward) she was no better than tied for 3rd behind Maya and EDD. Tied with Tina and Angel. Frankly personally, I'd rank Tina ahead of Candace all day long at their position (not talking ball handling or shooting the 3 which Parker is better at), but rather PLAYING the 4 on both offense and defense. But Tina was also ranked as a center, which Parker is not...

Parker not even mentioned as one of the best rebounders in the league, something related to toughness that forwards need to do well. Nor was she mentioned as one of the best finishers, toughest, makes her teammates better, etc.

I think it's pretty clear that the GM's of the WNBA don't feel that "Parker is one of the top 2 or 3 players in the league", never mind in the world. I'm so glad to see that come out. I KNOW it won't change any minds or put the issue to rest, but at least people can stop with the charges that the Olympic committee is in Geno's pocket and that Candace was totally robbed. Of course you can still argue she "belonged" on the team, but it's far more a matter of dissenting opinion than something based on "facts" (given what the GM's of the league think about her play combined with what the Olympic committee felt)...

Facts don't lie people. She's not ranked terribly high at her position by the league GM's, and that's not even counting all the other chemistry issues that were frequently alluded to and everyone seems to "know" exists, but that no one will go on record as saying. I thought the last spot probably came down to Angel or Candace. It's pretty clear that the GM's are much higher on Angel's overall game than they are on Candace's. That surprised me, but I was pleased to see it as the GM's apparently do echo the feelings of the Olympic committee.

Side note - leadership question - who's the best leader? Dee and Catch led the way followed by Moore, Whalen and Bird. I would say that the GM's know far more about their players than casual fans do...

 

[stwainfan]

In only a limited time playing last year. Parker put up MVP numbers. Now I wouldn't want to give her any motivation.

 

[hoophuskee]

mods--

this thread is getting close to bringing up the discussion of parker on the olympics.

I can offer counterpoints an start to bring up some of the absuridities of the picks and bring up Parker etc, but how far do we want to go there? It may inveitably turn to that.

first off not one of the GM's not picking Maya with one vote is soooooooooo stupid. And someone is picking the Atlanta Dream to win it all? Really? And Catchings being 2nd in DPOY yet she is only tied for 3rd perimeter defender? Her leadership makes her 2nd best DPOY candidate? Please.

As for Parker- which dunces said "She would have a breakout season?" Candace Parker had the 3rd highest winshares of her career last year. Along with her highest PER. Along with highest DRB% Along with 2nd highest TRB% along with highest Assist % by far and not to mention but I will a two time MVP. What are they talking about "breaking out?" Some of us were generally arguing the incompetency / or inconsistency of not only the selection committee but of GM's in general and I don't see how--

Parker can be justified as 3rd in voting for MVP yet only seem to be tied for 3rd as best forward in WNBA? Where's the vote for Angel in that the Atlanta Dream are picked to win it all by someone and she is so awesome in much of the other categories? IS Parker 3rd in MVP because of her being tied for having the 3rd highest basketball IQ in the WNBA? Yet Maya More isn't there? Are you kidding me -- that Maya Moore should be left off of not having a high basketball IQ vs the others? And we can't look at some of these GM's as not being a joke? Maya Moore's usage has been over 30% the past two years- and she is both good to great for her position in both passing, scoring, overall defense and versaititly and team leadership and is a champion. Yet she can't crack near the tops in IQ?

Maya Moore is rated better at getting her own shot than Parker. She is a better shooter. And higher in may other categories yet Parker is rated higher in MVP? Maya Moore is entering her prime- so won't the other great players on her team be more able to set her up? And if Maya can get her own shot - among best in WNBA - you mean she won't stand out? Not to mention Maya is more Dangerous on the open floor per the voting than Parker. Maya Moore is regarded as the 3rd best leader and regarded number 1 as the best finisher.

And for those of us that follow the NBA - if we thought pre-season Steph Curry would be MVP again - and apparently the NBA GM's picked Curry 5th, who would be right?

These NBA GM picks are predictions. If you don't agree with many of the predictions, - in which you can go to below link and see quite a few are off- what does the current picks of these WNBA GM's really mean? It means what you want it to mean and take the rest with a grain of salt.

NBA.com 2015-16 GM Survey

 

[Charles T]

In < 15 min/game Angel McCoughtry had 20 steals [8 games] in the 2012 Olympics. Coming off the bench and making steals is what Coach Auriemma wanted from McCoughtry in 2012 and he wants it again in 2016.

 

[hoophuskee]

In < 15 min/game Angel McCoughtry had 20 steals [8 games] in the 2012 Olympics. Coming off the bench and making steals is what Coach Auriemma wanted from McCoughtry in 2012 and he wants it again in 2016.

I don't think Angel is the same any more. Just as they aren't putting Maya in the top 3 for MVP voting which is wrong. Just as they are saying Parker is only 3rd best sf yet have her 3rd in MVP voting, just as they have catchings as 2nd best DPOY candidate ye she is only 3rd best as a perimeter defender and nothing as a post defender, imo they aren't accounting for imo that Angel has lost a bit of quickness and athleticism. Take a look at her DRating last year. It dropped quite a bit. Dropping in this case not as good.

 

[UcMiami]

I don't think Angel is the same any more. Just as they aren't putting Maya in the top 3 for MVP voting which is wrong. Just as they are saying Parker is only 3rd best sf yet have her 3rd in MVP voting, just as they have catchings as 2nd best DPOY candidate ye she is only 3rd best as a perimeter defender and nothing as a post defender, imo they aren't accounting for imo that Angel has lost a bit of quickness and athleticism. Take a look at her DRating last year. It dropped quite a bit. Dropping in this case not as good.

Technically Angel at 29 is in her prime - and I don't really buy into the 'advanced stats' that much - her drop in DRating coincides with Atlanta trading away most of their talent and missing the playoffs for the first time in a long while. DRating and ORating for individual players do seem to track with team success or failure fairly closely.
Any voted on lists are always suspect, and 12 GMs is a pretty small voting pool so I don't take the actual 'winners' to mean a whole bunch, but with 144 players to choose from, getting a few votes in various categories does put you in pretty elite company - contrasting significantly to the generally uniformed fan base that felt Angel was not NT pool worthy.