2024 WNBA Discussion Thread

[VolBall09]

No you don’t? We were talking about who we would want to take the last shot and it’s Sabrina because she’s better, it’s not about college stats or how good Sabrina was 3 years ago

Clark is the better player. Bar none. As I said, that’s why she holds all the records. That doesn’t happen by accident

 

[glv98]

No you don’t? We were talking about who we would want to take the last shot and it’s Sabrina because she’s better, it’s not about college stats or how good Sabrina was 3 years ago

Forget college. Glory days don't matter now, no one cares in a last shot W situation.

Based on actual W stats, I'd go w Sabrina. She shoots 3s at almost 38%, Clark just above 35%. SI has a better overall fg%, 44 to 40%. SI is a shade better ft shooter but both are near 90%. Also, SI is bigger, stronger therefore more likely to be able to create if she can't get a 3. Most of all, SI has a ton more experience against this competition in this situation.

Unless you want to base it on college accomplishments and tv ratings, SI would be a no brainer for me. Which is why she's on the Olympic team.

 

[glv98]

I love Rickea and believe she will be an elite pro but with Curt Miller at the helm, she is not getting enough minutes. The pattern is clear, RJ will have a great game and then get benched in the next for a defensive mistake or her PG not finding her. Then, he put in another ball hog to solve he problem. The LA Sparks are the Lord of the Flies.

Also, MIller does not seem to believe in developing rookies and he treats Rae and Rickea as interchangeable cogs for the one position. So when Rae gets going it is unfortunately at Rickea's expense.

In contrast, Clark and Reese get tons of minutes and are established pillars in the starting line-ups. More playing time = more opportunities= more ROY hype.

Ironically, Rickea was best poised of the three to make the quick transition to the W but Miller would rather lose with "the veterans he trusts".

Turning point for Rickea. Hard to remember it was only a little over a week ago she had a double double against the Lynx and just ten days since she was POG in a win over the Aces. But Curt isn't allowing her to have a clear trajectory, as you said it's up and down. He did the same w Cam, she was pretty much benched for a couple of games before she got hurt.

Rickea's frustrated, not used to such a quick hook and not use to all the losing. He's clearly testing her, using Rae to do so. Now she's back to pressing a bit to make something happen, not having the luxary of letting the game come to her. She's also been getting some welcome to the leagues the last few games, took a major pop to the face last game that left her staggering and sent to the bench., She said in an interview adjusting to the physicality was a huge challenge.

To make it worse, Curt said with Cam out, RIckea is back to being asked to learn both the 3 and 4 positions. Everyone had previously agreed she was best at 3 and she played her best games there. He said he knows that's a big ask for a rookie, learning two of his playbooks which are famously large and involved. It's puzzling but typical that his response to her struggling with that is to bench her, not to let her play through.

They don't have a game until Friday at Phoenix, he said they'd have a couple of major practices this week. Would not be surprised to see Rae or Talbot get the start over Rickea, depending how those practices went. It'll be interesting to see how she responds. But at this point, any rookie recognition is way, way down the list of concerns for her. Just have to hope all this makes her stronger in the end.

 

[glv98]

Our beloved Catch on the call for the commish cup game tonight on Prime. Good game so far, Lib up 30-28 early second qtr.

SI just nailed a logo 3, a running floater in the lane, and a steal and score. Has 18 pts on 8-10 shooting midway thru the 2nd qtr. Lib suddenly up to 10 pt lead. Yep, I'l take this vet for my last second shot.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Turning point for Rickea. Hard to remember it was only a little over a week ago she had a double double against the Lynx and just ten days since she was POG in a win over the Aces. But Curt isn't allowing her to have a clear trajectory, as you said it's up and down. He did the same w Cam, she was pretty much benched for a couple of games before she got hurt.

Rickea's frustrated, not used to such a quick hook and not use to all the losing. He's clearly testing her, using Rae to do so. Now she's back to pressing a bit to make something happen, not having the luxary of letting the game come to her. She's also been getting some welcome to the leagues the last few games, took a major pop to the face last game that left her staggering and sent to the bench., She said in an interview adjusting to the physicality was a huge challenge.
...

Curt Miller is making the same mistake Kellie made...He is trying to make a work horse out of a stallion...ANd the horse will shut down before it dons a plow...

 

[Lucy]

I didn’t even notice this during the game, but none of the networks even mentioned it.

Okay, that is unbelievable. How were those refs not reprimanded.

 

[glv98]

Curt Miller is making the same mistake Kellie made...He is trying to make a work horse out of a stallion...ANd the horse will shut down before it dons a plow...

I think that's the challenge for her - not shutting down. It's different now. She's going to have to meet him at least halfway to work horse. She has to be more consistently aggresive on D and on the boards, espec when her shot isn't falling. After a really hot shooting start, it hasn't been falling the last few games. Which is once again where not being allowed to play thru hurts. Shooters gotta shoot, but it's hard fm the bench. But we know her offense will happen.

The good news is both RJ and Miller are effusive in their mutual praise and in their relationship. She compared playing for him to playing for VIc, said she's use to tough coaching and wants it. He says she couldn't be better to work with or more eager to learn. Hopefully that's truth and not PR on both parts.

 

[Lucy]

This one of those debates that both sides are going die on their hill no big and small it is.

I’m beginning to think we need to implement like no Clark or Reese discussions on Tuesdays.
We have political free Tuesdays at our house. Actually refreshing.

 

[glv98]

Okay, that is unbelievable. How were those refs not reprimanded.

You have to credit Angel's restraint here. She's almost holding on, like a mutual dance. I wonder if they thought they were about to fall over a photog and were holding each other up. It's really weird that no one reacted - refs, coaches, players. But as I said earlier it's Erica Wheeler so . . .

 

[Lucy]

You have to credit Angel's restraint here. She's almost holding on, like a mutual dance. I wonder if they thought they were about to fall over a photog and were holding each other up. It's really weird that no one reacted - refs, coaches, players. But as I said earlier it's Erica Wheeler so . . .

I thought at one point it looked like Angel was trying to get around Wheeler but was blocked.

 

[glv98]

I thought at one point it looked like Angel was trying to get around Wheeler but was blocked.

If that had been CC and Angel we would have had to raise the terroism alert to red and several academic papers on the cultural implications would have been launched.

 

[Coach Jumper]

I think that's the challenge for her - not shutting down. It's different now. She's going to have to meet him at least halfway to work horse. She has to be more consistently aggresive on D and on the boards, espec when her shot isn't falling. After a really hot shooting start, it hasn't been falling the last few games. Which is once again where not being allowed to play thru hurts. Shooters gotta shoot, but it's hard fm the bench. But we know her offense will happen.

The good news is both RJ and Miller are effusive in their mutual praise and in their relationship. She compared playing for him to playing for VIc, said she's use to tough coaching and wants it. He says she couldn't be better to work with or more eager to learn. Hopefully that's truth and not PR on both parts.

Total PR
Rickea needs to be under a personality stronger than hers to excel
And Curt is weaker than dishwater

 

[glv98]

Total PR
Rickea needs to be under a personality stronger than hers to excel
And Curt is weaker than dishwater

Don't think that's true at all. He's not a public yeller and screamer but he won championships w personalities like Alyssa Thomas. The short leash is one of the ways he shows his strenght. He's definitely in charge.

 

[glv98]

Great win for the Lynx. I'll take first half Sabrina to take my last chance shot, the Lynx really shut her down after her huge first half. Stewie got hot in the second half, both Stewie and SI had double doubles. But the Lynx had a huge third qtr after great halftime adjustments and had great scoring balance. Final 94-89.

Best thing for me was it was a back and forth game played at a high level with zero extra drama, zero prolonged mugging for the camera or taunting (until the very end when Courtney Williams started counting her commish cup bonus money on court lol). I guess that makes it boring or not good for the game, but it sure was nice to see. Just pros being pros.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Don't think that's true at all. He's not a public yeller and screamer but he won championships w personalities like Alyssa Thomas. The short leash is one of the ways he shows his strenght. He's definitely in charge.

Kellie tried the "short leash" thing too,,,look what it did for her

 

[ReignSupreme]

Total PR
Rickea needs to be under a personality stronger than hers to excel
And Curt is weaker than dishwater

She's in the pro's now, she has an opportunity many don't have, she has to go and take it regardless of who the coach is. If she embraces the role that Alyssa Thomas embraced under Curt's coaching, the leash won't be short, she'd almost never leave the game.

I am not a fan of Curt, but Rickea has to look to do more than just score. There is no reason she can't be averaging at least 15 and 7 on that team especially with a guard like Nurse who damn near shoots it every time she touches the ball.

 

[VolBall09]

She's in the pro's now, she has an opportunity many don't have, she has to go and take it regardless of who the coach is. If she embraces the role that Alyssa Thomas embraced under Curt's coaching, the leash won't be short, she'd almost never leave the game.

I am not a fan of Curt, but Rickea has to look to do more than just score. There is no reason she can't be averaging at least 15 and 7 on that team especially with a guard like Nurse who damn near shoots it every time she touches the ball.

Miller won’t have a job next year. I don’t buy the alpha/beta BS jumper is always on. But I am results based and Miller just isn’t getting it done.

Going to be 5-6 coaches out of a job in the W next season. They need to clean house in that way and put a better product on the floor.

Same with their officials, I know they are hard to come by, but they need to replace pretty much all of them and start over.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Miller won’t have a job next year. I don’t but the alpha/beta BS jumper is always on. But I am results based and Miller just isn’t getting it done.

Going to be 5-6 coaches out of a job in the W next season. They need to clean house in that way and put a better product on the floor.

Same with their officials, I know they are hard to come by, but they need to replace pretty much all of them and start over.

It's only BS if you're a Beta

 

[glv98]

Kellie tried the "short leash" thing too,,,look what it did for her

As usual, no idea what you're talking about. KJH never had a "short leash" on Rickea. If you're talking about when she didn't start for a while after the suspension, that's wasn't a "short leash", she still played starter mins and rarely came out of the game once she went in. The result was an All SEC season. And you can't be talking about last year when RJ played every second they could squeeze out of her, again to great success.

Last time RJ truly had a short leash was Vic her freshman year.

There is no reason she can't be averaging at least 15 and 7 on that team especially with a guard like Nurse who damn near shoots it every time she touches the ball.

She should average that and definitely needs to be more active on the boards and on D. But the fact Nurse and the other guards would rather saw off an arm than pass her (or anyone) the ball is a big reason why it's hard for her to get involved on offense. For RIckea, instictively, everything flows from her offense. That's what she has to overcome.

Miller won’t have a job next year.

Nah, they knew it was deep rebuild when Nnecka left. Curt built alot of cred with his run with the Suns. I don't think he's going anywhere.

 

[VolBall09]

As usual, no idea what you're talking about. KJH never had a "short leash" on Rickea. If you're talking about when she didn't start for a while after the suspension, that's wasn't a "short leash", she still played starter mins and rarely came out of the game once she went in. The result was an All SEC season. And you can't be talking about last year when RJ played every second they could squeeze out of her, again to great success.

Last time RJ truly had a short leash was Vic her freshman year.

She should average that and definitely needs to be more active on the boards and on D. But the fact Nurse and the other guards would rather saw off an arm than pass her (or anyone) the ball is a big reason why it's hard for her to get involved on offense. For RIckea, instictively, everything flows from her offense. That's what she has to overcome.

Nah, they knew it was deep rebuild when Nnecka left. Curt built alot of cred with his run with the Suns. I don't think he's going anywhere.

I just don’t think he can coach. Period. You don’t need to rebuild in the W. Everyone has a loaded roster. You need to use your roster properly and he does not.

 

[Coach Jumper]

As usual, no idea what you're talking about. KJH never had a "short leash" on Rickea. If you're talking about when she didn't start for a while after the suspension, that's wasn't a "short leash", she still played starter mins and rarely came out of the game once she went in. The result was an All SEC season. And you can't be talking about last year when RJ played every second they could squeeze out of her, again to great success.

As usual you have different opinion
"Alert the media"

Her "starter minutes" were given to her bc the other starters fell behind and Kellie went into emergency mode

 

[glv98]

I just don’t think he can coach. Period. You don’t need to rebuild in the W. Everyone has a loaded roster. You need to use your roster properly and he does not.

He definitely could coach the Sun. And the Sparks roster, full of journeymen and has beens, is far from loaded. As far as use of roster, is this an intentional tank job?

 

[glv98]

I don't get it, but the CC effect is undeniable and unbelievable. The numbers are what they are:

Report: WNBA attendance is 105% higher when Caitlin Clark plays

The report says, "Indiana Fever average 36% more fans on the road (15,142) than any other WNBA team."

www.wishtv.com

It's true Angel draws eyes too, but not like this. Also true that other teams, like the Aces, are having the attendance success winning brings. But to deny the CC effect is just to live permanently on Planet Delulu.

 

[VolBall09]

He definitely could coach the Sun. And the Sparks roster, full of journeymen and has beens, is far from loaded. As far as use of roster, is this an intentional tank job?

Just bad coaching. Prioritizing the wrong players, older players over young, and too much emphasis on individual defense rather than team defense.

Building your team around Hamby is never going to win you a lot of games. Sue’s the ultimate role player but will never be a star.

 

[VolBall09]

I don't get it, but the CC effect is undeniable and unbelievable. The numbers are what they are:

Report: WNBA attendance is 105% higher when Caitlin Clark plays

The report says, "Indiana Fever average 36% more fans on the road (15,142) than any other WNBA team."

www.wishtv.com

It's true Angel draws eyes too, but not like this. Also true that other teams, like the Aces, are having the attendance success winning brings. But to deny the CC effect is just to live permanently on Planet Delulu.

A’Ja is super fun to watch and very skilled. I love watching her play. She conducts herself with humility and class. Like Clark, she also gets hammered a lot with no calls.

WNBA does a terrible job of protecting their assets.