Georgia Amoore is very good at creating separation to get off a shot, but she is currently shooting only 32.6 percent from three (compare that with Crystal Dangerfield, who shot 41 percent from deep as a senior), and at a little over 5’ 5” tall, I have doubts about how she will do on the defensive end when she gets to the WNBA. I can’t see Seattle picking her at 4 with Aliyah Edwards and Cardoso still on the board.
I kind of like the idea of Dallas doing a deferral pick, but 5 seems very early for Carla Leite. The French guard prospect who has got a lot more buzz, and who I expect to get drafted earlier than Leite is Leila Lacan.
I can’t see Taiyanna Jackson, a less mobile, comparatively slow-footed big, being selected before Kamilla Cardoso.
And finally, I can’t see a 6-foot tall post like Liatu King, who hasn’t attempted a three in four years, sneaking into the first round ahead of Reese, Osborne, Pao Pao, and the like.
All fair critiques but once again we are boom/bust drafters, especially considering the limited league space and team dynamics. We aren't very high on Cardoso in the sense she will be a franchise defining center- Hard hard disagreement that she is faster (top end or laterally) than Jackson, who is still very raw and has a much higher ceiling as we see it (prob a lower floor, but once again draft strategy) Understand the critique of King and we usually don't like non-floor spreaders either but her efficiency and strength is excellent and is also very raw in her maturation process. As for GA, her efficiency, like Clark, will improve drastically when there are other scoring and shooting options on the court. Defending Tech is relatively easy considering they really only have to viable scoring options. If Seattle goes Edwards, we won't be shocked, but we slightly prefer Amoore at this point in our analysis. Thank you for the thoughtful commentary!!! Solid points and well-reasoned! Cheers!
With regard to Cardoso’s mobility, I think she moves up and down the court like a gazelle. She will regularly beat the defense down the court, establish position under the basket, and create easy scoring opportunities just with her ability to run the floor. On defense, I am impressed with her ability to drop quickly from the top of the key, keeping step with an opponent driving towards the basket, in order to block her shot. I believe she did this on more than one occasion in the game earlier this year against Notre Dame. And I remember last year, in the game against UCLA, when she started out near the basket, pursuing Kiki Rice as she was attempting to gather in an outlet pass from Charisma Osborne and proceed to the hoop on the opposite end of the floor. She runs past Aliyah Boston, catches up with Rice as she’s gathering in the pass, and blocks her shot on the opposite end of the floor. To my eyes, she’s very gazelle-like, at least in her vertical movement, which is a term that I would never apply to Jackson.
With such a loaded class there was bound to be some players left on the outside of the first round. Still high on Kitley, just not sure where she translates best on the next level. Same can be said for Cardoso. I firmly believe AR will be back for another season, and frankly, she needs it. While she has a super high motor and fantastic rebounding prowess, her offensive game isn't W-level. I still like Sherrod and Osborne but again preferred others when weighing team needs and best available. Also, it's such a guard heavy top of class, there will be some really nice value picks early to mid-second. Looking like a draft that we look back in 10 years and it's produced a lot of high/mid level professional talent.
Georgia Amoore is very good at creating separation to get off a shot, but she is currently shooting only 32.6 percent from three (compare that with Crystal Dangerfield, who shot 41 percent from deep as a senior), and at a little over 5’ 5” tall, I have doubts about how she will do on the defensive end when she gets to the WNBA. I can’t see Seattle picking her at 4 with Aliyah Edwards and Cardoso still on the board.
I kind of like the idea of Dallas doing a deferral pick, but 5 seems very early for Carla Leite. The French guard prospect who has got a lot more buzz, and who I expect to get drafted earlier than Leite is Leila Lacan.
I can’t see Taiyanna Jackson, a less mobile, comparatively slow-footed big, being selected before Kamilla Cardoso.
And finally, I can’t see a 6-foot tall post like Liatu King, who hasn’t attempted a three in four years, sneaking into the first round ahead of Reese, Osborne, Pao Pao, and the like.
All fair critiques but once again we are boom/bust drafters, especially considering the limited league space and team dynamics. We aren't very high on Cardoso in the sense she will be a franchise defining center- Hard hard disagreement that she is faster (top end or laterally) than Jackson, who is still very raw and has a much higher ceiling as we see it (prob a lower floor, but once again draft strategy) Understand the critique of King and we usually don't like non-floor spreaders either but her efficiency and strength is excellent and is also very raw in her maturation process. As for GA, her efficiency, like Clark, will improve drastically when there are other scoring and shooting options on the court. Defending Tech is relatively easy considering they really only have to viable scoring options. If Seattle goes Edwards, we won't be shocked, but we slightly prefer Amoore at this point in our analysis. Thank you for the thoughtful commentary!!! Solid points and well-reasoned! Cheers!
With regard to Cardoso’s mobility, I think she moves up and down the court like a gazelle. She will regularly beat the defense down the court, establish position under the basket, and create easy scoring opportunities just with her ability to run the floor. On defense, I am impressed with her ability to drop quickly from the top of the key, keeping step with an opponent driving towards the basket, in order to block her shot. I believe she did this on more than one occasion in the game earlier this year against Notre Dame. And I remember last year, in the game against UCLA, when she started out near the basket, pursuing Kiki Rice as she was attempting to gather in an outlet pass from Charisma Osborne and proceed to the hoop on the opposite end of the floor. She runs past Aliyah Boston, catches up with Rice as she’s gathering in the pass, and blocks her shot on the opposite end of the floor. To my eyes, she’s very gazelle-like, at least in her vertical movement, which is a term that I would never apply to Jackson.
Where’s Cardoso? Reese? Sherrod? Osborne? Kitley?
You were so high on Kitley
With such a loaded class there was bound to be some players left on the outside of the first round. Still high on Kitley, just not sure where she translates best on the next level. Same can be said for Cardoso. I firmly believe AR will be back for another season, and frankly, she needs it. While she has a super high motor and fantastic rebounding prowess, her offensive game isn't W-level. I still like Sherrod and Osborne but again preferred others when weighing team needs and best available. Also, it's such a guard heavy top of class, there will be some really nice value picks early to mid-second. Looking like a draft that we look back in 10 years and it's produced a lot of high/mid level professional talent.