2023 Americup ... USA Gamethread(s)

#130
#130
I have seen very few players, ever, with as smooth a jumper as Rickea Jackson, but to my eye she's probably going to need to improve her handle quite a bit to ever become a phenom in the W. I think she can do it, but she will need to devote lots of her own time working really hard on it to get there. Will she be willing? Hope so!
 
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#132
#132
37620VOL said:
Rickea has the potential to be a Lebron James type talent in the W. If she can master being the focal point of an offense, distribute effectively, and shoot a good 3p %, look out!
Still potential at this stage though
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I doubt she even understands yet how much better she could be if she weren't so confident that her natural gifts are good enough to get wherever she wants to go. She could be truly amazing. I mean, she's already one of many really good players in her class. I'd love to see her put some separation between herself and the others -- like Chamique and Candace did. 🧡
 
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#133
#133
lvocd said:
I doubt she even understands yet how much better she could be if she weren't so confident that her natural gifts are good enough to get wherever she wants to go. She could be truly amazing. I mean, she's already one of many really good players in her class. I'd love to see her put some separation between herself and the others -- like Chamique and Candace did. 🧡
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Nothing we've seen so far says self-satisfaction and egotistical unwillingness to improve her game to me. The obvious is the body transformation fm willowy super model legs to what some twitter wiseguys are calling muscular "Thickea". No one will be throwing her around like a ragdoll a la Edwards this year. We've seen several videos showing her putting the work in the weight room and the coaches keep promising big things from her. Every indication is RJ knows what she needs to work on and is doing so. She's obviously worked on the 3 ball and her court vision and passing have taken a step forward. She seems very dialed in and focused to me. If she thought she was all ready for the W, she wouldn't have come back to face a monster draft class

That said, we do get carried way w extremes, and the truth probably lies somewhere between the "Lebron of the W" and just another good player in her class. And I very much agree the loosey goosey handle needs to get better. That "Spin Cycle" video was appalling; she was still dribbling way too hard and way too high and dribbled off her knee twice in that sequence. Still hit the fadeaway though.

Again, I just don't see reason to doubt the weaknesses are identified and being worked on. I worry a million times more about injury hampering RJ than unwillingness to work to improve.
 
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#135
#135
To me, Angel Reese is to rebounding as Tamari Key is to blocking shots. She's just a savant, has incredible inate ability. What a gift. OTOH, she does not appear to me to have improved her limited offensive skills very much so far.

This USA team thru 2 games looks very much like an all star team that hasn't even practiced together all that much. Which they are. Lots of one on one-ing. Hopefully they'll gel a bit and play more team ball as the tourney progresses. They'd better, Brazil looks tough.
 
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#136
#136
Brazil over Argentina by one point and Argentina had a eight foot wide open shot to win and missed. I didn't think we played our best overall game against Argentina. They also made a few prayer answered shots. I look for us to take an eight to ten point win today.
 
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#140
#140
lvocd said:
I doubt she even understands yet how much better she could be if she weren't so confident that her natural gifts are good enough to get wherever she wants to go. She could be truly amazing. I mean, she's already one of many really good players in her class. I'd love to see her put some separation between herself and the others -- like Chamique and Candace did. 🧡
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I just need her to be more vocal and demand excellence from her teammates, have that refuse to lose attitude.
 
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#142
#142
Volfan2012 said:
What has happened to Reese she can't make a layup or a free throw. Rebounding is all she is bringing.
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Lets be honest... she looks terrible because she likely hasn't been in a gym much with a basketball the last 3 months since the national title. All she has been doing is non stop appearances all over the country since then and milking that NIL space as dry as she can. I'm not all that surprised she looks horrid right now offensively that is. I'm sure she will be back to form when she actually gets back into the gym to work on her craft in the fall but is doubtful to be very efficient in this tournament given she likely hasn't been in the gym much as of late.
 
#143
#143
Would be hard to play worse than the USA played in that half. To only be down ten is really not that bad. We played bad enough to be down 20. Hopefully we can get more passing for better shots inside and mid-range and less one on one and long perimeter shots.
 
#145
#145
Announcers say Reese can't take the physicality. She's obviously rusty, never a super-skilled player but she's regressed. Why is she shooting free throws over her shoulder? And dang are they physical. RJ currently on bench w ice on face. She's the only one who can remotely score so she's had to force a few. Many turnovers. No blocking out. No one can hit a 3 except a lucky desperation 3 at the end. All the guards seem out of sorts, Jewel hasn't made much impact. Kamilla is still impossibly tall and long. Other than that, it's going great.
 
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