[stopandpop]

Coaches decide who gets to be on the court. It's their career and their prerogative.    

Through those decisions, KP is telling Eschmeyer these things:
1) We have more confidence in Stephenson on the court than you.
2) Our assessment of you is that you can compete against below average competition. You aren't good enough to warrant a lot of minutes against average competition (Gonzaga, Colorado St), so we are currently playing you about 5 mins in those games.
3) Based on our performance so far, we know we aren't really a great team. We were in very close games against Gonzaga and Colorado St., and just lost to FGCU. Regardless of our team's performance, we still don't think it makes sense to give you more opportunity.

I don't think any of that is debatable, as those things are all on display for everyone to see. 

The rest of this is debatable.

Giving her attention and reps in practice matters. Giving her specific coaching feedback matters. Telling her how important she is to the team and the future of the program matters. However, the above list is what the coaches really think of her. 

It's highly likely that come March there's another Power Four team out there with a coaching staff that's already recruited Alex who would love a 6' 5" post with her skill set. It's also highly likely that team has more NIL money than Stanford. Maybe that team is Michigan. Or Louisville. So, if you're Alex, and things don't change by mid-season, is this how you're thinking?


- I know what my coaches think of my abilities, and it's not a pretty picture.
- All the players ahead of me are back next year.
- Before Stanford, I was on the 2024 USA Women's U17 National Team, but at Stanford I'm playing behind Stevenson.
- This other(s) Power Four basketball program really wants me and I would start there.
- I would also make $200K+ (?) more per year there.
- I am so outta here.

Or, is she thinking:
- I need to trust my coaches, double down on my efforts, and beat out the players ahead of me.
- I love Stanford, the school, my coaches, my teammates.
- I want a Stanford degree.
- I am going to see this through.

Of course both are possibilities. It really depends on each individual and what they value. We can play the negative-not game: "just because a player is dissatisfied doesn't mean she is going to transfer". Or we can look at it at face value: Kate is risking losing a very talented player. Unlike at other schools, at Stanford she is irreplacable. For me, this continutes to be a big-time head scratcher.

Coach Paye has more confidence in Stevenson (and we can add Lepolo here), because they know how to run the Princeton offense the way Coach wants them to.  Give Stevenson credit for hustling rebounds and loose balls, but is severely challenged in terms of scoring.  Lepolo consistently brings the ball up court and works efficiently in running the Princeton, but like Stevenson, scoring is a challenge.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I see a big disconnect between what Coach Paye has said:  "We want to compete for national championships" (initial press conference) vs. who she has been counting on to get the team to that level.  Too many Div. I coaches over the past six decades (following WBB), have told me that real learning and growth takes place on the court. 

No one is questioning that Coach Paye is the leader and the face of the program.   She's doing what she believes is best for the development of the team.  

I sure hope that we see Eschmeyer (who is one of the keys to Coach Paye's mission), becoming the player everyone hopes she can be.

[stopandpop]

Coaches decide who gets to be on the court. It's their career and their prerogative.    

Through those decisions, KP is telling Eschmeyer these things:
1) We have more confidence in Stephenson on the court than you.
2) Our assessment of you is that you can compete against below average competition. You aren't good enough to warrant a lot of minutes against average competition (Gonzaga, Colorado St), so we are currently playing you about 5 mins in those games.
3) Based on our performance so far, we know we aren't really a great team. We were in very close games against Gonzaga and Colorado St., and just lost to FGCU. Regardless of our team's performance, we still don't think it makes sense to give you more opportunity.

I don't think any of that is debatable, as those things are all on display for everyone to see. 

The rest of this is debatable.

Giving her attention and reps in practice matters. Giving her specific coaching feedback matters. Telling her how important she is to the team and the future of the program matters. However, the above list is what the coaches really think of her. 

It's highly likely that come March there's another Power Four team out there with a coaching staff that's already recruited Alex who would love a 6' 5" post with her skill set. It's also highly likely that team has more NIL money than Stanford. Maybe that team is Michigan. Or Louisville. So, if you're Alex, and things don't change by mid-season, is this how you're thinking?


- I know what my coaches think of my abilities, and it's not a pretty picture.
- All the players ahead of me are back next year.
- Before Stanford, I was on the 2024 USA Women's U17 National Team, but at Stanford I'm playing behind Stevenson.
- This other(s) Power Four basketball program really wants me and I would start there.
- I would also make $200K+ (?) more per year there.
- I am so outta here.

Or, is she thinking:
- I need to trust my coaches, double down on my efforts, and beat out the players ahead of me.
- I love Stanford, the school, my coaches, my teammates.
- I want a Stanford degree.
- I am going to see this through.

Of course both are possibilities. It really depends on each individual and what they value. We can play the negative-not game: "just because a player is dissatisfied doesn't mean she is going to transfer". Or we can look at it at face value: Kate is risking losing a very talented player. Unlike at other schools, at Stanford she is irreplacable. For me, this continutes to be a big-time head scratcher.

Coach Paye has more confidence in Stevenson (and we can add Lepolo here), because they know how to run the Princeton offense the way Coach wants them to.  Give Stevenson credit for hustling rebounds and loose balls, but is severely challenged in terms of scoring.  Lepolo consistently brings the ball up court and works efficiently in running the Princeton, but like Stevenson, scoring is a challenge.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I see a big disconnect between what Coach Paye has said:  "We want to compete for national championships" (initial press conference) vs. who she has been counting on to get the team to that level.  Too many Div. I coaches over the past six decades (following WBB), have told me that real learning and growth takes place on the court. 

No one is questioning that Coach Paye is the leader and the face of the program.   She's doing what she believes is best for the development of the team.  

I sure hope that we see Eschmeyer (who is one of the keys to Coach Paye's mission), becoming the player everyone hopes she can be.