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Nneka - CompSci87 - 06-30-2016

Nice article about Nneka:

http://www.excellesports.com/news/ogwumike-nneka-sparks-wnba/


Re: Nneka - CompSci87 - 06-30-2016

In other Nneka news, she set a pro career high today with 38 points on 13/14 shooting and 12/14 free throws, plus 11 rebounds, 5 blocked shots, and 3 assists. The 84-75 win over Atlanta takes the LA Sparks to 15-1 for the season so far.

http://www.wnba.com/video/nneka-ogwumike-sparks-highlights-063016/

Re: Nneka - 81alum - 07-01-2016

Such a special talent.

And so inexplicable that she was not chosen for the Olympic squad.  Has anyone offered any kind of explanation for why the WNBA's best player would be left off the squad?

Re: Nneka - CompSci87 - 07-01-2016

(07-01-2016, 09:30 AM)81alum link Wrote:Such a special talent.

And so inexplicable that she was not chosen for the Olympic squad.  Has anyone offered any kind of explanation for why the WNBA's best player would be left off the squad?

I haven't seen any attempt at that. Fans and press have mostly been exercised about Candace Parker being left off. A few (and Parker herself) have also called leaving Nneka off a snub. The committee policy is not to comment on such issues.


Re: Nneka - Jskass - 07-01-2016

With the exception of Candace Parker (against whom they clearly had an issue), they basically went with all the former Olympians and added Griner and EDD. Seemed like a mindless approach.
As I have expressed elsewhere, I sure hope they get it together next time, or you could see a very strong Nigerian team!

If you take a look, though, at the list of 25 who tried out I'd wager a lot of money that the second 12 would get at least the silver medal if they were allowed to compete also in Rio. Maybe even the gold over the top 12, whose average guard age is something like 35.

Re: Nneka - Leftcoast - 07-01-2016

Lately the women's basketball Olympic squad has edged toward being a victory lap for older players.  When the team begins to be pushed more we'll see the gentility and tenure approach fade. 

If it comes to that, root for the Nigerian squad!

Re: Nneka - Spiny_Norman - 07-01-2016

I think the issue is that Nneka is not a UConn alum - http://www.usab.com/womens/national-team/roster.aspx

Re: Nneka - 82 Card - 07-01-2016

Geno needs to go. The team is just his pets. How believable is it that there are no top players from the west and only one from Tennessee who graduated 15 years ago? 

Re: Nneka - DC 86 - 07-01-2016

(07-01-2016, 03:21 PM)82 Card link Wrote:Geno needs to go. The team is just his pets. How believable is it that there are no top players from the west and only one from Tennessee who graduated 15 years ago?

No doubt that the national team tends to be static in player selections and that Nneka would be a great addition.

But the paucity of players from the west coast is far from unbelievable. The last team from the west to win the national championship was Stanford in 1992. Over the last 30 seasons (1987-2016) Stanford is the only team from the west to even reach the championship game. There have been scattered final four appearances by pac-10/12 teams over the years but the balance of power has clearly shifted away from the west.

Re: Nneka - fullmetal - 07-01-2016

1. Is there sufficient top-level talent in junior women's basketball that can feed more colleges than just the traditional powers?

2. Is there sufficiently good coaching spread out among college programs to utilize that talent?

Re: Nneka - winflop - 07-01-2016

(07-01-2016, 05:04 PM)fullmetal link Wrote:1. Is there sufficient top-level talent in junior women's basketball that can feed more colleges than just the traditional powers?

2. Is there sufficiently good coaching spread out among college programs to utilize that talent?

I think it really depends on how you define "sufficient"?  There are certainly many more top notch teams than there were even 10 years ago which would indicate expansion of talent in both players and coaching.  If you compare to 20 years ago when Tennessee was dominating the game, it's light years different.

Re: Nneka - CompSci87 - 07-01-2016

http://www.wnba.com/news/nneka-ogwumike-sparks-shining-070116/

Re: Nneka - Jskass - 07-02-2016

I love how the UConn board (1) thinks the Olympic committee has selected fairly (despite the fact that, for example, a condition of Geno's coaching the team was that Taurasi and Bird would be on the team -- odd given their ages and the fact that you could make a strong argument AGAINST Sue Bird this time and (2) doesn't stop raving about Tina Charles' offensive production this year. Nneka's with her but has to split the scoring with Candace -- something Charles doesn't do.

Re: Nneka - fullmetal - 07-02-2016

12 players: 5 from UConn, 2 from LSU, 1 a piece from Minn, Tenn, Delaware, Baylor, and Louisville.

Geno isn't picking for best available talent, he's picking for his system and betting that his system is better than the international women's game.  Not hard to do given the boost Title IX gives to the USA in international women's sports.

I wonder what would happen if USA Basketball had a selection by trials where you could put together a "non-camp-selected" team and compete for the right to represent the USA.  Having said that, it's hard to play against a team with that much frontcourt power (6'8", 6'6", 6'5", 2x 6'4").

Re: Nneka - DC 86 - 07-03-2016

UConn has won the last 4 NCAA championships and 10 of the last 17, mostly in dominant fashion. One can argue about individual selections, but 5/12 players on the Olympic team doesn't seem at all disproportionate. I agree that continuity and career achievement are being weighted too heavily, but that is the luxury of being so far ahead of the rest of the world in this sport.

Re: Nneka - fullmetal - 07-03-2016

I'm not sure Olympic selection should be based on collegiate careers, unless you mean that WNBA experience means far less than college basketball/raw athleticism does.  That may be the state of the international women's game right now. 

By the way, that Olympic roster features Elena Delle Donne, 6'5", Delaware '13.  Yup, she was the freshman who transferred from UConn back to Delaware (after two days! see link below).  She certainly proved herself outside of Geno's shadow.  Ah, and there's a faint Stanford connection in the article too...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/sports/ncaabasketball/prized-recruit-chose-delaware-over-powerhouse-connecticut.html?_r=0

Re: Nneka - JJJ - 07-03-2016

(07-03-2016, 03:14 AM)fullmetal link Wrote:I'm not sure Olympic selection should be based on collegiate careers, unless you mean that WNBA experience means far less than college basketball/raw athleticism does.  That may be the state of the international women's game right now. 

By the way, that Olympic roster features Elena Delle Donne, 6'5", Delaware '13.  Yup, she was the freshman who transferred from UConn back to Delaware (after two days! see link below).  She certainly proved herself outside of Geno's shadow.  Ah, and there's a faint Stanford connection in the article too...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/sports/ncaabasketball/prized-recruit-chose-delaware-over-powerhouse-connecticut.html?_r=0

Didn't see Muir's name in there the first time through. Good catch! 8)

Re: Nneka - DC 86 - 07-03-2016

Of course Olympic team selection should not be based on college performance, I was merely positing that obviously UConn has had an immense number of talented players over the last two decades, thus it isn't surprising that they are the most represented college on the Olympic team. 5/12 players from another program would be unusual and probably indicative of some bias at work, but doesn't seem aberrant for UConn.

Re: Nneka - TheFarm07 - 07-07-2016

In what I believe is her best performance of the season, Chiney had a perfect night shooting going 8-8 from the field and 5-5 from the FT line, finishing with 21 points and 7 rebounds to help her Connecticut Sun upset Minnesota in OT tonight.

Re: Nneka - 2006alum - 07-08-2016

Thanks for the update! Missed that at the time, but great to see Chiney working her way back into starting-lineup shape (and performance!). Gotta say, I'm mystified she's still starting out on the bench...