Just Some Thoughts on Draft Selections...
by dillon77 (2019-09-16 12:03:39)

In reply to: Not so much JY.  posted by NDLAW88


So much of how a rookie does depends on the situation she is walking into. A lot of this is in the control of the team, but sometimes circumstances take over and skewer things.

Plus, I think it's really hard for a WNBA rookie -- particularly one that was playing right up to and throught the NCAAs -- to get through a WNBA season without some degreee of exhaustion setting in. As good as UConn and ND players are, the WNBA has the best players in the world and to step up, earn your roster spot and then make yourself valuable (even relevant) is pretty tough.

Some - Collier, Arike, McCowan -- are going to shine. A lot are going to make it through and will benefit from playing overseas and coming back next spring.

To your points:

- Should the Aces (Bill Laimbeer, specically) taken Arike instead of Jackie Young?
My gut? No. Arike should be playing off-ball and guess who he has there? K-Mac and Kelsey Plum. While Jackie has had an "ehhh" shooting season (oddly having trouble finishing, which I used to think of as her strength), she has done a good job of running the point for a lot of scoring options in front of her.

Do I think of her as a PG long-term? Actually, I think Jackie could become a bigger, stronger version of Jewel Loyd, but stay tuned on that. Even though he traded away Moriah Jefferson, I think Laimbeer has to make up his mind what to with Kelsey Plum, Jackie and K-Mac. If her knee recuperates, you could see Lindsay playing minutes next year, too.

- Chicago.

KLS: There was a huge thread on the Boneyard about KLS not playing much and her mother commenting on articles written about it (ugh). Head Coach Wade's done a good job with Chicago (Coach of the Year in many estimates) but drafting KLS to be a power forward does not seem to be one of them.
And then KLS got injured a few weeks into the season and never could get back into the rotation. In my mind, she's 3 who needs to get a bit tougher in all aspects of the game. But she's got Diamond DeShields ahead of her. Let's see if she gets her mojo back while playing in France but this could be a trade waiting to happen...

Looking back, Chicago should still have drafted a UConn Huskey...but it should've been Napheesa Collier at the power forward slot.

As for Gabby Williams. she's a great athletic player who used her superior athletic ability to beat up on most of college basektball. But most everyone is a good athlete in the WNBA and the fact of the matter is Gabby was an undersized guard playing forward who can't shoot reliably outside of the foul line. If she can't improve her percentage and range, she'll be a sub.

- Collier is in the right spot at Minnesota and will only get better there. So will Jess Shepard when she gets back from injury. Perfect situation playing under Coach Reeve and playing with Collier.

- On one hand, Arike had to learn how to play point and also keep being her main shooting option, once Moriah Jefferson wasn't going to play and Sklar Diggins-Smith didn't come back. That's the bad news. The good new was she could do what she does best, regardless of the odds: be a high-volume iniator/closer. She'll take less shots with Sky back next year, but will probably have a higher shooting percentage because of it.

- Kudos to Marina Mabrey, who many thought wouldnt' even make the LA Sparks roster. She isn't playing much at all now that the Sparks injured and suspended are back, but she had some moments. I think plaing overseas will help her immensely for next year, regardless of what team she ends up on.

- Bri had a great last 1/3 of the season and rebounds and plays D well. She's got to work on her offensive tool-kit. She's got the Aussie Leage (Tottenville?) to do that.

Orangutan follows the WNBA and bunch and the Chicago Sky in particular, so it would be intersting to get his takes.



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