Bashaara Graves in the WNBA

#26
#26
Every player has weaknesses, and coaches need to push players to turn them into strengths. In Graves's case, she had no real offensive game or offensive confidence outside of getting offensive rebounds. She needed to be pushed to learn back-to-the basket moves in the paint and take 10-12-foot shots, to make quicker decisions with the basketball--she was always too slow and hesitant. She developed a bit but it was a slow go with her--and that's true of a lot of kids who really don't get much better in four years. Is that true of most programs--or just us? Look at Carter--she's got the same narrow game she had when she started at UT. Coaches have to attack a player's weaknesses early--as freshman--and keep at it. If you don't, they'll just settle into doing what they're comfortable doing and not much else. We saw that with Graves--a rebounder with a very limited offensive game; we see with Carter; we've seen it with a TON of players. Just no development. Simmons was the pretty much same player as a senior as she was as a freshman--a bit more maturity, but that's about it. It took N. Anosike FOUR years to screw up the courage to take a 10-foot jumper; I swear she did it for the first time in the NCAA tourney as a SENIOR. It's too bad in a lot of cases. I think in some cases players just don't have what it takes to to broaden their games, but in other cases the problem is coaching--the coaches don't push hard enough and soon enough.
 
#27
#27
Tiffany Mitchell got drafted by the Indiana Fever & gets to play with lady vol great Tamika Catchings.
 
#28
#28
T.J. said:
My thoughts exactly! Sorry everybody if I came across crass in my original thread. I do like Bashaara and the Lady Vols. Unfortunately I've been in a negative funk because of how the season ended. Trust me I've never felt so disappointed with a Lady Vol team ever. Thanks for calling me out to wake me up out of my funk.

Reading again what I originally posted. YES, I was way too negative. I do hope Bash makes a WNBA team. If it is the 2nd or 3rd round. She could possibly succeed as a pro player. Best of luck to her!

I apologize for being so negative. I'll be more positive. Thanks!

T.J.
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I really think that coaching, or like thereof, caused much of Graves downfall. She never completely recovered from her sophomore year collapse. A good coach can do wonders with her potential. She has a good 10 to15 foot jumper. She can play tough. She may have to play a year in Europe to develope into a good small forward.
 
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#29
#29
It breaks my heart that B Graves was never given a chance to really develop into the player she could have been. Holly never had a clue about how to develop her and use all her talents.

How much longer are these young players going to be penalized because our coach does not know what she is doing.

It really makes no sense to many lady vol fans. We lose many recruits and Holly takes no responsibility.

Sad!!
 
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#32
#32
Here are Bashaara's career average's. There is a drop from her freshman to sophomore season, but wasn't her sophomore season when she had the back injury? Otherwise the numbers are pretty steady.

Season...Min....FG Pct...FT Pct...RPG....Asst..TO....Blk....Stl....Pts....PPG
2012.....29.9...0.522....0.701....8.03....42....66...13....49....461....13.2
2013.....25.0...0.535....0.689....6.80....42....53...8......14....326....9.3
2014.....28.4...0.504....0.740....7.00....74....63...19....35....382....10.6
2015.....29.7...0.538....0.737....8.27....44....46...11....31....340....10.3
 
#35
#35
Now the question is will she make the Lynx team? That is one of the drawbacks about the WNBA they only carry what 11 players on a team
 
#36
#36
PointGuard said:
Flat stats = poor player development?
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That's certainly a possibility. But guard play is so important in women's basketball more so than in men's basketball IMO. If TN had better guard play, Graves' numbers would have been better I believe. Impossible to say. I just don't believe the numbers support a collapse so much as they show the flatness you refer to.
 
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#37
#37
LVJeff said:
That's certainly a possibility. But guard play is so important in women's basketball more so than in men's basketball IMO. If TN had better guard play, Graves' numbers would have been better I believe. Impossible to say. I just don't believe the numbers support a collapse so much as they show the flatness you refer to.
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Her efficiency remained the same for most of her career, with career highs her senior year. She just hasn't gotten as many touches since her freshman year. As you pointed out, she played with solid guards her freshman year, and The Z-list her senior year...
 
#38
#38
T.J. said:
My thoughts exactly! Sorry everybody if I came across crass in my original thread. I do like Bashaara and the Lady Vols. Unfortunately I've been in a negative funk because of how the season ended. Trust me I've never felt so disappointed with a Lady Vol team ever. Thanks for calling me out to wake me up out of my funk.

Reading again what I originally posted. YES, I was way too negative. I do hope Bash makes a WNBA team. If it is the 2nd or 3rd round. She could possibly succeed as a pro player. Best of luck to her!

I apologize for being so negative. I'll be more positive. Thanks!

T.J.
Click to expand...

Personally, and I am not trying to be negative here, but my common sense tells me how positive or negative we try to be here is not going to effect how this team plays next year. Not much at least.

When the head coach walks up to the mic after a loss, and you know you are going to hear the same old recycled excuses; when highly rated and highly gifted players on the once most respected women's college basketball program repeatedly makes mistakes that 12 years old would hang their heads in shame for; and when the program with the richest tradition in it's sport stays out of the top contenders this long, it is time to ask, "What needs to be done differently?"

I am sure there is someone out there thinking about how far they made it into the tournament. So what? Teams of the past most years made it that far with relative ease. Answer me this: When they did lose out, did they go down to a more talented team, or did they lose to a better coached team?

Guess we will find out how things play out soon enough. Or I might do a BigVolDaddy by saying, "If she makes those s--t excuses again, I am gonna puke my big orange guts out."

Good luck Brashaara. Gonna miss you.
 
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#39
#39
Vols4life said:
Now the question is will she make the Lynx team? That is one of the drawbacks about the WNBA they only carry what 11 players on a team
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The WNBA carry 12 players.

I think she (Graves) will make it because;

1.) The Lynx didn't have a first round pick (they had 2 in the 2nd round) and they traded it to get a backup point guard (Jia Perkins who averaged 13ppg last season with San Antonio).

2.) Their starting front court include Rebekkuh Brunson (PF who is 34) and Sylvia Fowles (C who is 31)

3.) Their back up post are Keisha Hampton (6'2 Post from Depaul who isn't as good of a rebounder as Graves), Natasha Howard (6'3" Post who isn't a great rebounder either but a heck of a scorer), and Asjha Jones (6'2 Post who will be 36 by the end of the season and is more than likely will retire since she won a ring last year)

4.) Most WNBA teams keep 5 post, so unless they sign someone else I think she makes the team, she would fill the role that Deveraux Peters played for them, she will come in and play about 15 minutes a game at both post spots.
 
#41
#41
She did not show up in the SEC. Why would the WNBA be interested. OF to Europe or Asia to fill an American roster spot. I would not pay her to play
 
#43
#43
bobkitten said:
It will be fun to watch her game develop.
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Yes it will and watching the press conference of the Lynx after drafting her, it is a player they have watched, wanted the past 2 seasons and feel she would be a huge boost to their chances of repeating as Champions. Which I am rooting for. She was unable to win it all here but seeing her win it all at the next level would be awesome.
 
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#47
#47
Graves worked hard to develop a midrange game last year, with a nice step-back jumper. Regardless of stats, she's much more versatile than she was two years ago. Minn has a lot of other options, but if she doesn't make their team, she may stick somewhere else. Congrats to her.
 
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#49
#49
I think it is a great fit for Graves and I expect her to make the roster. They don't need big scoring help on that team, they need tough nosed rebounding and solid defense, they have enough scorers.
 
#50
#50
I'm happy for Graves. She was my favorite LV player this past year - never saw any quit or negative outlook in her even when the season was its rockiest.

Darn - I used to live in the Twin Cities area. Would have been nice to see her play for the Lynx now and then.
 
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