Diamond in the Rough

[madtownvol]

I know that there is a post on Diamond but I want to talk about her in terms that focus on just her play and do not get into innuendo and aspersions about her attitude etc.

As noted on the preceding thread, the offensive system is part of the problem; the LV's post-centered offense does not make the best use of her skills (and we can add several others on the team who are similarly disadvantaged). However, Holly has shifted in more recent games to a more up-tempo style (at least in stretches) and has been working on spreading the floor more than in earlier point of the season). Nonetheless, Diamond has remained an inconsistent performer.

So, while the system is a part of the problem (i.e. trying to fit a group of players who are round pegs into square boxes), some of the dilemma also lies with Diamond, who remains a Diamond in the rough. She has the physical tools, size, speed, body control, strength, grace, creative flare needed to be an elite player. The talent is clearly evident but it has not been polished and chiseled into a form that delivers value game in game out. So, often she tries to, as the saying goes, write checks, drawing on her talent, that she can’t cash because her skills are not sufficiently polished.

I think some of these struggles likely have to do with the chronic injuries she has been battling. She is now moving better but it has hard to recoup lost practice time.

But we were are today, Diamond misses too many open jump shots (you can't blame the system for that); yes she has a beautiful stroke and great elevation on her shot but, if it doesn’t go in, well the team does not get style points. She is not a consistent mid range jump shooter though there is no obvious reason why she should not be deadly except for a lack of work.

On that point, Diamond has the ability to make difficult, off balance shots. But, she has apparently not put in the practice time needed to become proficient at making those kind of Steph Curry shots. It is totally true that she often has to take such shots because she gets the ball with the shot clock about to expire (and the team is expecting her to make the bail out shot). That is a system problem but, on the other side, she has ability to break a defense's back by making that kind of shot; and if you want to be the go-to player on this team, those are the situations where you need to deliver. Great players make great plays; good to average come up short trying to make great plays. It is a clear dividing line.

Given the team post oriented offense, the LVs don’t have a lot driving lanes but when Diamond does gets to the rim, she often misses.

She does not think fast enough on the court. I mean yes, she does see opportunities to make an amazing pass on some occasions but on many others, she does not see the double team or anticipate that a defender will shift over to help. There is the ole saying that great players have three options in their head whenever they have the ball; in general, it seems that Diamond is not understanding the game in that way; I think that is one key dimension that separates a player with potential from greatness.

I am not making these observations in the spirit of an anti-Diamond rant. I really appreciate her effort on defense and the offensive spark she brings to the team. But owing to a combination of factors, coaching, systems, injuries, pressure to perform, etc., Diamond is far from playing at all AA level or even being someone who looks likely to have a successful professional career.

With her abilities (and aspirations), that level of performance is a serious case of underachieving. Diamond wants to be a star, and given her capabilities that is exactly what she should want; But that raises expectations as well; and you handle the pressure of expectations by developing your game

My advice to her (if I had her counsel) would be to not listen to her dad or others who say, "You're the best and the coach was terrible for not making you the centerpiece." Instead embrace that you did not play at a level that warranted that role and work like hell to change that for next season.

This season she has not been prepared, mentally or physically (in a polished, skill sense) for the role of being a difference maker; but next year is a new opportunity to turn potential into reality and to chisel a rough Diamond into a priceless jewel.

 

[Amb3096]

Focusing on this statement here: "As noted on the preceding thread, the offensive system is part of the problem; the LV's post-centered offense does not make the best use of her skills (and we can add several others on the team who are similarly disadvantaged). However, Holly has shifted in more recent games to a more up-tempo style (at least in stretches) and has been working on spreading the floor more than in earlier point of the season). Nonetheless, Diamond has remained an inconsistent performer."

That is true for all of the players on the team, not just her.

She had a stinker last night. So did Andraya. And Jordan. And Te'a.

She gets a lot of the brunt for what has gone wrong with the team. It's not just her. No one on the team plays well night in, night out...except maybe Bashaara. And she's at the mercy of the guards getting her the ball.

None of the players appear to be thriving in this offensive scheme (or lack thereof). The inflexibility to adjust to personnel is what's killing the team (along with skill deficiencies for most of the guards).

 

[FrozenLVFan]

I'd like to pick up the same concept but on the defensive side, where she's still a Diamond in the rough. She's one of the quickest, most athletic players on the team, but she seems unable to keep her man in front of her and frequently gets beat to the basket. With her quickness and length, she should be formidable on defense, but somehow the necessary anticipation just isn't there. I hope she and Elzy can get this straightened out.

 

[FrozenLVFan]

...None of the players appear to be thriving in this offensive scheme (or lack thereof). The inflexibility to adjust to personnel is what's killing the team (along with skill deficiencies for most of the guards).

A few games ago, I thought our guards were starting to get it together. Jordan's looked better since she was taken out of the primary PG role and moved to the wing. Draya was looking more comfortable with her shot. Tea was playing more in control, had cut down on the ill-advised drives, and was playing great defense. But regardless of whether they've improved individually, collectively they looked like a hot mess last night.

 

[madtownvol]

Focusing on this statement here: "As noted on the preceding thread, the offensive system is part of the problem; the LV's post-centered offense does not make the best use of her skills (and we can add several others on the team who are similarly disadvantaged). However, Holly has shifted in more recent games to a more up-tempo style (at least in stretches) and has been working on spreading the floor more than in earlier point of the season). Nonetheless, Diamond has remained an inconsistent performer."

That is true for all of the players on the team, not just her.

She had a stinker last night. So did Andraya. And Jordan. And Te'a.

She gets a lot of the brunt for what has gone wrong with the team. It's not just her. No one on the team plays well night in, night out...except maybe Bashaara. And she's at the mercy of the guards getting her the ball.

None of the players appear to be thriving in this offensive scheme (or lack thereof). The inflexibility to adjust to personnel is what's killing the team (along with skill deficiencies for most of the guards).

I fully agree with you on this point and I did not mean to imply that Diamond is the reason the team is struggling (and indeed my post was arguing just the opposite of that).

But, the reality is that Diamond is not just any other player. Of the players on the team, I would guess she is the only one who has serious designs on seeing her retired number handing in the rafters of Thompson-Boling.

And I think that kind of aspiration is a very good thing and she has the talent for this to be a plausible goal.

But, at some point, she can't believe the hype. I recall in a game a while back, where several great LV alum were in attendance, Diamond said that they pressed her to show them "what she could really do." Her opponent was Stetson and she lit up the score board. Though fun to watch, Diamond was a proverbial giant playing against Lilliputians. But, she has the potential to be a game changer against much stouter competition but it remains just potential and unrealized potential is not worth much in real terms

The reality is that Diamond did not come here to be a Alexa Middleton type role player; her current level of performance, however, is in fact more at the role player level (though scattered with moments of brilliance).

Or let me put it this way, when LeBron James has a bad game, no one goes "yeah but Matthew Dellavedova stunk it up too" because we are discussing Different levels of player talent, different performance standards, and different levels of expectations.

 

[Amb3096]

I'd like to pick up the same concept but on the defensive side, where she's still a Diamond in the rough. She's one of the quickest, most athletic players on the team, but she seems unable to keep her man in front of her and frequently gets beat to the basket. With her quickness and length, she should be formidable on defense, but somehow the necessary anticipation just isn't there. I hope she and Elzy can get this straightened out.

And so does Andraya (the "Defensive Specialist"). And Jordan. And Jaime (who is probably just as athletic as Diamond). And Te'a.

This leads me to believe that they aren't being taught defense the right way. Ever notice how everyone who plays major minutes at UConn is a really solid defensive player?

 

[GameTime]

Of all the players, she looks the part of an all star....She has the name, body type, quickness, ball handling skills and charisma...What is missing is the mastery of all this potential...

If and when she ever becomes the player everyone thinks she is, it is baffling at how inept she plays at times...

 

[madtownvol]

And so does Andraya (the "Defensive Specialist"). And Jordan. And Jaime (who is probably just as athletic as Diamond). And Te'a.

This leads me to believe that they aren't being taught defense the right way. Ever notice how everyone who plays major minutes at UConn is a really solid defensive player?

I can't say if this philosophy is still in effect with Holly but under Pat Summit, defenders were taught to overplay so that put force into the paint were Parker and Anosike would be waiting (and then later Kelly Cain) and then Baugh and Johnson. I could imagine that Mercedes and Bash might be expected to also enforce the paint. It is a strategy, if that is the strategy (and I am conjecturing) that is another case of the system not matching the players' capabilities .

 

[Amb3096]

I fully agree with you on this point and I did not mean to imply that Diamond is the reason the team is struggling (and indeed my post was arguing just the opposite of that).

But, the reality is that Diamond is not just any other player. Of the players on the team, I would guess she is the only one who has serious designs on seeing her retired number handing in the rafters of Thompson-Boling.

And I think that kind of aspiration is a very good thing and she has the talent for this to be a plausible goal.

But, at some point, she can't believe the hype. I recall in a game a while back, where several great LV alum were in attendance, Diamond said that they pressed her to show them "what she could really do." Her opponent was Stetson and she lit up the score board. Though fun to watch, Diamond was a proverbial giant playing against Lilliputians. But, she has the potential to be a game changer against much stouter competition but it remains just potential and unrealized potential is not worth much in real terms

The reality is that Diamond did not come here to be a Alexa Middleton type role player; her current level of performance, however, is in fact more at the role player level (though scattered with moments of brilliance).

Or let me put it this way, when LeBron James has a bad game, no one goes "yeah but Matthew Dellavedova stunk it up too" because we are discussing Different levels of player talent, different performance standards, and different levels of expectations.

I'm not talking bench players, I'm talking starters. If Lebron has a bad game, then you expect Love, Irving or Smith to pick up the slack. When Diamond has a bad game, Reynolds and Carter rarely ever do anything but stink it up.

I also think Jaime, Bashaara, and Mercedes should be held to the same standard as Diamond. Those 4 are the potential WNBA players on the roster, so the same criticism applies. There's no reason they shouldn't be stars, and of that bunch, only Bashaara has been consistent (when she gets the ball, at least).

 

[Amb3096]

I can't say if this philosophy is still in effect with Holly but under Pat Summit, defenders were taught to overplay so that put force into the paint were Parker and Anosike would be waiting (and then later Kelly Cain) and then Baugh and Johnson. I could imagine that Mercedes and Bash might be expected to also enforce the paint. It is a strategy, if that is the strategy (and I am conjecturing) that is another case of the system not matching the players' capabilities .

Bashaara is many things, but a paint enforcer ain't one of them. She's no shot blocker.

Mercedes on the other hand....smh.

I should also add that during the 20 or so times a game when one of the LV guards gets beaten off the dribble and one of the posts comes over to help, the LV guard is also late to defend the dish to the opposing post that inevitably happens.

The LV guards are just...just...no.

 

[madtownvol]

I'm not talking bench players, I'm talking starters. If Lebron has a bad game, then you expect Love, Irving or Smith to pick up the slack. When Diamond has a bad game, Reynolds and Carter rarely ever do anything but stink it up.

I also think Jaime, Bashaara, and Mercedes should be held to the same standard as Diamond. Those 4 are the potential WNBA players on the roster, so the same criticism applies. There's no reason they shouldn't be stars, and of that bunch, only Bashaara has been consistent (when she gets the ball, at least).

Really, we are in largely agreement. Actually, though I think Bash has made the most of her abilities as an undersized post player without great hops. Maybe she could have added the midrange jumper to her game sooner but I don't anyone can look at her career and say she under achieved. I would give her many gold stars for effort.

But Jamie, Mercedes, Draya, Jordan, Te'a (though as a freshman I would giver her a bit of pass) could be playing better. When you have across the board underachievement, I think the fingers have to point in the direction of the coaching staff (lets say a 70-30 sharing of responsibility.

But the STAR player is also held to a different standard; she should set the tone with effort (in the game, in practice, getting in the extra work); she should also be the safety net who can settle the team down in crisis moments and come through with clutch plays.
Everything I have read about Diamond (and her own statements) is that she wants to be the STAR player. Wonderful, but that role comes with expectations and responsibilities and it means that she is held to a higher standard than worker bee player like Carter. Of the current team, she and Mercedes are probably in the same boat (the big problem with Mercedes, is that unlike Diamond, she does not seem to embrace the Star role (though Holly clearly wants her to be that).

 

[Amb3096]

Really, we are in largely agreement. Actually, though I think Bash has made the most of her abilities as an undersized post player without great hops. Maybe she could have added the midrange jumper to her game sooner but I don't anyone can look at her career and say she under achieved. I would give her many gold stars for effort.

But Jamie, Mercedes, Draya, Jordan, Te'a (though as a freshman I would giver her a bit of pass) could be playing better. When you have across the board underachievement, I think the fingers have to point in the direction of the coaching staff (lets say a 70-30 sharing of responsibility.

But the STAR player is also held to a different standard; she should set the tone with effort (in the game, in practice, getting in the extra work); she should also be the safety net who can settle the team down in crisis moments and come through with clutch plays.
Everything I have read about Diamond (and her own statements) is that she wants to be the STAR player. Wonderful, but that role comes with expectations and responsibilities and it means that she is held to a higher standard than worker bee player like Carter. Of the current team, she and Mercedes are probably in the same boat (the big problem with Mercedes, is that unlike Diamond, she does not seem to embrace the Star role (though Holly clearly wants her to be that).

Well, that's the other problem. Diamond's playing in a system where she can't be the star, because Holly's still on the sideline screaming, "inside out...INSIDE OUT!!!!!!"

To your point, Holly has to accept that Mercedes is not ready to carry the team, nor is it clear if she wants to. Diamond clearly has no such reservations.

 

[FrozenLVFan]

...
But the STAR player is also held to a different standard; she should set the tone with effort (in the game, in practice, getting in the extra work); she should also be the safety net who can settle the team down in crisis moments and come through with clutch plays.
Everything I have read about Diamond (and her own statements) is that she wants to be the STAR player. Wonderful, but that role comes with expectations and responsibilities and it means that she is held to a higher standard than worker bee player like Carter. Of the current team, she and Mercedes are probably in the same boat (the big problem with Mercedes, is that unlike Diamond, she does not seem to embrace the Star role (though Holly clearly wants her to be that).

IMHO, being a star not only means giving 110% but encouraging your teammates and holding them accountable for doing the same, a la Parker and Anosike. I think there's a disconnect between Diamond's physical abilities and her personality attributes when it comes to star potential. It's much harder to instill leadership abilities into someone than to teach them basketball skills. We've been struggling with this since the aforementioned Parker and Anosike left.

 

[LVJeff]

...I should also add that during the 20 or so times a game when one of the LV guards gets beaten off the dribble and one of the posts comes over to help, the LV guard is also late to defend the dish to the opposing post that inevitably happens...

Help defense is non-existent on this team. Indeed, the guards after being beaten often stop and watch and don't move to do anything.

Stephanie White talked about a lack of focus. These guards are not good at anything and I don't really believe they ever will be.

 

[Amb3096]

These guards are not good at anything and I don't really believe they ever will be.

They really aren't, and I think that's why the team is as bad as they are. No one to get them the ball, no one to take open shots, no one to play defense.

Just bad all around...

 

[alexvol]

I'd like to pick up the same concept but on the defensive side, where she's still a Diamond in the rough. She's one of the quickest, most athletic players on the team, but she seems unable to keep her man in front of her and frequently gets beat to the basket. With her quickness and length, she should be formidable on defense, but somehow the necessary anticipation just isn't there. I hope she and Elzy can get this straightened out.

She is not the only one that has not been able to keep their man in front of them.The whole damn team has had that trouble even the self proclaimed defensive specialist Carter who was beaten like a drum time after time last nite.

 

[alexvol]

I know that there is a post on Diamond but I want to talk about her in terms that focus on just her play and do not get into innuendo and aspersions about her attitude etc.

As noted on the preceding thread, the offensive system is part of the problem; the LV's post-centered offense does not make the best use of her skills (and we can add several others on the team who are similarly disadvantaged). However, Holly has shifted in more recent games to a more up-tempo style (at least in stretches) and has been working on spreading the floor more than in earlier point of the season). Nonetheless, Diamond has remained an inconsistent performer.

So, while the system is a part of the problem (i.e. trying to fit a group of players who are round pegs into square boxes), some of the dilemma also lies with Diamond, who remains a Diamond in the rough. She has the physical tools, size, speed, body control, strength, grace, creative flare needed to be an elite player. The talent is clearly evident but it has not been polished and chiseled into a form that delivers value game in game out. So, often she tries to, as the saying goes, write checks, drawing on her talent, that she can’t cash because her skills are not sufficiently polished.

I think some of these struggles likely have to do with the chronic injuries she has been battling. She is now moving better but it has hard to recoup lost practice time.

But we were are today, Diamond misses too many open jump shots (you can't blame the system for that); yes she has a beautiful stroke and great elevation on her shot but, if it doesn’t go in, well the team does not get style points. She is not a consistent mid range jump shooter though there is no obvious reason why she should not be deadly except for a lack of work.

On that point, Diamond has the ability to make difficult, off balance shots. But, she has apparently not put in the practice time needed to become proficient at making those kind of Steph Curry shots. It is totally true that she often has to take such shots because she gets the ball with the shot clock about to expire (and the team is expecting her to make the bail out shot). That is a system problem but, on the other side, she has ability to break a defense's back by making that kind of shot; and if you want to be the go-to player on this team, those are the situations where you need to deliver. Great players make great plays; good to average come up short trying to make great plays. It is a clear dividing line.

Given the team post oriented offense, the LVs don’t have a lot driving lanes but when Diamond does gets to the rim, she often misses.

She does not think fast enough on the court. I mean yes, she does see opportunities to make an amazing pass on some occasions but on many others, she does not see the double team or anticipate that a defender will shift over to help. There is the ole saying that great players have three options in their head whenever they have the ball; in general, it seems that Diamond is not understanding the game in that way; I think that is one key dimension that separates a player with potential from greatness.

I am not making these observations in the spirit of an anti-Diamond rant. I really appreciate her effort on defense and the offensive spark she brings to the team. But owing to a combination of factors, coaching, systems, injuries, pressure to perform, etc., Diamond is far from playing at all AA level or even being someone who looks likely to have a successful professional career.

With her abilities (and aspirations), that level of performance is a serious case of underachieving. Diamond wants to be a star, and given her capabilities that is exactly what she should want; But that raises expectations as well; and you handle the pressure of expectations by developing your game

My advice to her (if I had her counsel) would be to not listen to her dad or others who say, "You're the best and the coach was terrible for not making you the centerpiece." Instead embrace that you did not play at a level that warranted that role and work like hell to change that for next season.

This season she has not been prepared, mentally or physically (in a polished, skill sense) for the role of being a difference maker; but next year is a new opportunity to turn potential into reality and to chisel a rough Diamond into a priceless jewel.

I have had great respect for your insights and posts over the years and you have some valid points in this post.However ,if you haven't noticed Diamond's contributions have slowly ebbed as the year has progressed.I submit that it is not just fitting into the "system " but she has been counselled by the head coach to fit into the system and she has also been influenced by nay sayers to the point she is going overboard to try to please said naysayers and has completely lost confidence in herself .Sad to say that I believe that the coaching staff and negative feedback has been a serious contributor to her travails this year.

IMO what she needs is some serious positive feedback and turn her loose ....she can fit into any system ....use her talents to their fullest and that by and large is the right coaching.

 

[Martic]

I know that there is a post on Diamond but I want to talk about her in terms that focus on just her play and do not get into innuendo and aspersions about her attitude etc.

As noted on the preceding thread, the offensive system is part of the problem; the LV's post-centered offense does not make the best use of her skills (and we can add several others on the team who are similarly disadvantaged). However, Holly has shifted in more recent games to a more up-tempo style (at least in stretches) and has been working on spreading the floor more than in earlier point of the season). Nonetheless, Diamond has remained an inconsistent performer.

So, while the system is a part of the problem (i.e. trying to fit a group of players who are round pegs into square boxes), some of the dilemma also lies with Diamond, who remains a Diamond in the rough. She has the physical tools, size, speed, body control, strength, grace, creative flare needed to be an elite player. The talent is clearly evident but it has not been polished and chiseled into a form that delivers value game in game out. So, often she tries to, as the saying goes, write checks, drawing on her talent, that she can’t cash because her skills are not sufficiently polished.

I think some of these struggles likely have to do with the chronic injuries she has been battling. She is now moving better but it has hard to recoup lost practice time.

But we were are today, Diamond misses too many open jump shots (you can't blame the system for that); yes she has a beautiful stroke and great elevation on her shot but, if it doesn’t go in, well the team does not get style points. She is not a consistent mid range jump shooter though there is no obvious reason why she should not be deadly except for a lack of work.

On that point, Diamond has the ability to make difficult, off balance shots. But, she has apparently not put in the practice time needed to become proficient at making those kind of Steph Curry shots. It is totally true that she often has to take such shots because she gets the ball with the shot clock about to expire (and the team is expecting her to make the bail out shot). That is a system problem but, on the other side, she has ability to break a defense's back by making that kind of shot; and if you want to be the go-to player on this team, those are the situations where you need to deliver. Great players make great plays; good to average come up short trying to make great plays. It is a clear dividing line.

Given the team post oriented offense, the LVs don’t have a lot driving lanes but when Diamond does gets to the rim, she often misses.

She does not think fast enough on the court. I mean yes, she does see opportunities to make an amazing pass on some occasions but on many others, she does not see the double team or anticipate that a defender will shift over to help. There is the ole saying that great players have three options in their head whenever they have the ball; in general, it seems that Diamond is not understanding the game in that way; I think that is one key dimension that separates a player with potential from greatness.

I am not making these observations in the spirit of an anti-Diamond rant. I really appreciate her effort on defense and the offensive spark she brings to the team. But owing to a combination of factors, coaching, systems, injuries, pressure to perform, etc., Diamond is far from playing at all AA level or even being someone who looks likely to have a successful professional career.

With her abilities (and aspirations), that level of performance is a serious case of underachieving. Diamond wants to be a star, and given her capabilities that is exactly what she should want; But that raises expectations as well; and you handle the pressure of expectations by developing your game

My advice to her (if I had her counsel) would be to not listen to her dad or others who say, "You're the best and the coach was terrible for not making you the centerpiece." Instead embrace that you did not play at a level that warranted that role and work like hell to change that for next season.

This season she has not been prepared, mentally or physically (in a polished, skill sense) for the role of being a difference maker; but next year is a new opportunity to turn potential into reality and to chisel a rough Diamond into a priceless jewel.

but alas we would rather spout doom and gloom and berate her rather than having patience.

 

[teacherdean]

I have had great respect for your insights and posts over the years and you have some valid points in this post.However ,if you haven't noticed Diamond's contributions have slowly ebbed as the year has progressed.I submit that it is not just fitting into the "system " but she has been counselled by the head coach to fit into the system and she has also been influenced by nay sayers to the point she is going overboard to try to please said naysayers and has completely lost confidence in herself .Sad to say that I believe that the coaching staff and negative feedback has been a serious contributor to her travails this year.

IMO what she needs is some serious positive feedback and turn her loose ....she can fit into any system ....use her talents to their fullest and that by and large is the right coaching.

I agree the demise of Diamond's skills and contributions is not all just Diamond. We keep kicking her around like she is the difference between winning and losing but the issue is much deeper than that. I think she is making every effort to do as she is being coached but it is just not working. I think she is so frustrated and she has become a head case. A lot of times she screws up because she tries way to hard and then she gets down on herself. You can see it in her face. To me, the team as it is now, is not fitted for Diamond's skills. Right now I agree with a poster under another thread, that said it might be best for Diamond, if the coaching staff stays as is, to go to Europe play for a year and gain eligibility for the WNBA draft. For her to fit in and be who she really is there has to be changes in this program. I do not see any changes coming any time soon.

 

[madtownvol]

I have had great respect for your insights and posts over the years and you have some valid points in this post.However ,if you haven't noticed Diamond's contributions have slowly ebbed as the year has progressed.I submit that it is not just fitting into the "system " but she has been counselled by the head coach to fit into the system and she has also been influenced by nay sayers to the point she is going overboard to try to please said naysayers and has completely lost confidence in herself .Sad to say that I believe that the coaching staff and negative feedback has been a serious contributor to her travails this year.

IMO what she needs is some serious positive feedback and turn her loose ....she can fit into any system ....use her talents to their fullest and that by and large is the right coaching.

Thanks for the compliment. If you have time and interest, look at the box scores from past games. I think you will see that Diamond has been up and down sine got into the line-up from injury. In the games she scored a decent number of points, she was putting up a lot of shots.

So, I don''t know first hand what the coaches are instructing her to do. I think early in the season, she was rusty and impeded by the shin splints. As the seasons has gone on, I agree that there seems to be a crisis in confidence and she is making some rudimentary errors, like dribbling off the ball of her foot, that defy explanation.

I agree that there is not a single cause for her and the teams struggles and that a lot of the blame should lie with the coaches.

But, I also think that in the world of sport, it is too easy to get caught in psycho-babble where everything becomes a function of players determination, confidence, will etc. By analogy, if you haven't trained and you lack the right genetic profile, all the will in the world won't let you run 2:12 marathon or bat 400 over the course of a season or any other sporting benchmark of excellence.

Right now, if Diamond was to say, define her role as being blue collar player-- tough defender, crash the boards, get clean-up baskets, she could excel at the role on talent alone. But, to be able to take over a game, that takes another level of skill. And she has a lot of work to do.

 

[alexvol]

Thanks for the compliment. If you have time and interest, look at the box scores from past games. I think you will see that Diamond has been up and down sine got into the line-up from injury. In the games she scored a decent number of points, she was putting up a lot of shots.

So, I don''t know first hand what the coaches are instructing her to do. I think early in the season, she was rusty and impeded by the shin splints. As the seasons has gone on, I agree that there seems to be a crisis in confidence and she is making some rudimentary errors, like dribbling off the ball of her foot, that defy explanation.

I agree that there is not a single cause for her and the teams struggles and that a lot of the blame should lie with the coaches.

But, I also think that in the world of sport, it is too easy to get caught in psycho-babble where everything becomes a function of players determination, confidence, will etc. By analogy, if you haven't trained and you lack the right genetic profile, all the will in the world won't let you run 2:12 marathon or bat 400 over the course of a season or any other sporting benchmark of excellence.

Right now, if Diamond was to say, define her role as being blue collar player-- tough defender, crash the boards, get clean-up baskets, she could excel at the role on talent alone. But, to be able to take over a game, that takes another level of skill. And she has a lot of work to do.

I submit that trying to be a blue collar player and just fit in has resulted in her travails this year.And yes I have consulted all box sores and have watched every game this year .....some two and three times.And ,pscho-babble definitely has had a hand in many athletes success /failure.

 

[MDVolFan14]

Interesting thread. A lot of great points. Here is one thing to really consider about DD.... Her talent is beyond measure no doubt about that but in the past three years you have to wonder has she really been coached?

Her talent really showed as a Freshman at UNC in a more up-tempo and wide open system but Coach Hatchell was not there all year. She played her freshman with injuries and still did enough to get FoY and a nomination as a Naismith candidate but they didn't win anything (ACC nor NCAA title). That UNC team lost 10 games that year much like this Lady Vol team is doing now.

Then she transfers, misses an entire sophomore season and goes into the Olympic practices and championship over this past summer wearing a boot. More injuries. A lot of folks in VolNation have questioned Warlick's coaching abilities with the talent that is on this team. Once again she appears to be on a team with suspect or bad coaching.

Now let's compare her to Bree Stewie up in Storrs. They both came out of HS as PoY. Stewie goes to a system, a juggernaut with a "COACH" in Geno who has developed some of the best women's players in Women's Basketball including Stewie. Stewie's progression has been steady and awesome under Geno. As great as Stewie was out of HS, if she went to a program with little coaching, I don't think she would be as great as she is now. She'd be good but not great, IMO..

Now roll back to DD. She is still raw in terms of actually being coached. I would bear to say that if she played under Geno, Pat, Muffett, Tara, Kim M. and even Dawn, I think we would see a lot more mature player. A player that has grown into her talent, and a player who's BB IQ has grown as well.

She is a "Diamond in the Rough" right now, which I think is appropriate. Talent like her's still needs to be coached and I bet if you asked her, my guess would be she'd say she was starving for coaching. This team with this talent, playing this badly at their ages.... We can't put everything or an equal share of the blame on them. These kids need to be coached and molded so that their talents are realized and we are not sitting around thinking about what could have been.

IMO, this is 60-70% on Warlick and her staff and 40-30% on these kids because I would challenge anyone to show me a college team, men or women, other than maybe UNLV 90-91, that was able to be successful without coaching and just the players and their talent winning? UConn is well coached. Duke Men are well coached. Baylor women, Lady Vols under Pat, ND women, Stanford women, SC women, just to name a few are well coached.

I think that because of what she did at UNC two years ago, there is this expectation that she would be even greater and that is false, IMO. As one poster put it, she looks as if she still thinks she can do what she did as Freshman and she can't. It's a different system and while she sat out the game kept moving. Add to that adjusting to a completely different offense with different players, it's tough. She is a junior it terms of years but a sophomore in terms of basketball who missed an entire season. Keep that in mind.....

 

[FrozenLVFan]

We heard a lot about both DD and Mercedes getting better and stronger last year, but it certainly didn't help DD's game. And while we rail at CHW's offensive system, I wonder what the asst coaches are doing in daily practice to help players work on things like footwork, boxing out, passing drills, etc. Complaints about coaching, or lack of same, fall on the whole staff.

 

[MDVolFan14]

We heard a lot about both DD and Mercedes getting better and stronger last year, but it certainly didn't help DD's game. And while we rail at CHW's offensive system, I wonder what the asst coaches are doing in daily practice to help players work on things like footwork, boxing out, passing drills, etc. Complaints about coaching, or lack of same, fall on the whole staff.

Apparently not much from the rest of the staff.... I think that unless you have a very strong personality from day one or proven success (championships) as a coach and staff, I think that most coaching staffs with talent like this probably do more catering to them then coaching them out of fear of losing them (transferring out) and being firing for losing a lot of games.

 

[Hoya Saxa]

Interesting thread. A lot of great points. Here is one thing to really consider about DD.... Her talent is beyond measure no doubt about that but in the past three years you have to wonder has she really been coached?

I wonder if she is open to being coached. When she chose UNC over Tennessee and UConn, she was quoted (and I paraphrase here) as saying that UNC would allow her to play her style of basketball, and the coaches at the other schools would not. From watching her play this year, it would appear that she would rather play a one-on-one style of basketball, rather than play within a team concept/system. In Holly's defense, it is impossible to coach a player who is not receptive to instruction.