TAYLOR PROVIDING THE MINUTES ON MYSTIC ROSTER
The Asia Taylor that arrived at Louisville wasn't 100%. Far from it. Other injuries basically had her playing below the capabilities she always knew she had. Jeff Walz continued to believe...knowing that the high school star he recruited and brought to campus had the potential. Finally, it came to pass. A senior season that was a bit of a redemption tour for her...after having to sit and watch her team go to the Final Four in 2013...drew enough interest to where she was selected in the third round of the WNBA draft and ended up with the Minnesota Lynx.
It was a valuable season as far as gaining experience. The playing time was limited for a rookie on a solid and veteran roster. Last year, the Connecticut Sun needed a reserve to finish out the season and Taylor answered the call.
Sydney, Australia was the next stop. A chance to be one of the big fish on a hard knocking and competitive team that played in a hard-scrabble and competitive league. Now completely healthy and still possessed with the goal to play in the WNBA again, Taylor had a huge season for the Sydney Flames and caught the eyes of Washington Mystics head coach and GM Mike Thibault and owner Sheila Johnson. They had already acquired Elena Della Donne for the roster and were looking to build a complement of players around her. Based on her play in Sydney and reputation for hard work, Taylor got the invite to be a free agent for the Mystics. Last night the Mystics played their final exhibition game...against the powerful Minnesota Lynx. Della Donne sat out the contest...resting a minor groin strain suffered in practice. Emma Meesseman and Kristi Tolliver still haven't arrived from Europe...where they are trying to win the Russian Premier League title for their squad...so the Mystics were without three of the main players expected to lead the Mystics this year. They suffered a 74-59 loss to the visitors.
Taylor did not draw the start but came off the bench and led the reserves in minutes played (18) and points (6). In the previous exhibition, Asia led the squad in scoring (13) in a win over the Indiana Fever.
Keeping pushing, A-Tayy. From Columbus to Louisville to Minnesota to Connecticut to Sydney to Washington sounds like a businessman's nightmare trip...but, for #31...it's a pursuit of a dream.
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MULKEY LEAVING OKLAHOMA
It is about 6'9" freshman center Nancy Mulkey (no relation to Kim). She's decided that one year of being a Sooner is enough and has been granted her release from Oklahoma WBB.
A question posed to me last night about Louisville's interest in her gave me cause for thought. Height is always good. Good height, though, is better.
Mulkey, in 33 games, averaged 3.8 pts., 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. She's a work in progress and could probably use a season of intense coaching and teaching to utilize her height.
The guess here is that she ends up at a mid-major or lower where she can get minutes and flourish against a group of MAAC or Missouri Valley Conference type of competition.
6'9", though. It does make one wonder...
paulie
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I went out of my way to watch one of OU's games last season just to see Mulkey. As I recall, she played quite a bit without asserting herself much. Not very athletic and very slender. Got pushed around in the post.
ReplyDeleteShe could probably dominate at the mid-major level. If she decides to stay Power Five she needs to spend that off year in the weight room.
Along those lines, I'm hoping that we see a bigger, stronger Shook next season. Although she did a good job banging inside with Mercedes Russell in the UT game.
Shook getting stronger is a key. Walz should pass on Mulkey.
DeleteCurtis "not a racist, just a realist" Franklin
Interesting take on transfers:
ReplyDelete“I think this is the new normal in women's basketball,” said ESPNW women's basketball college basketball writer Mechelle Voepel. “It's been that way, really the last few years it's been very noticeable.
“This year, you look at for instance, the national championship team had two super, high-profile transfers on it. Next year, Connecticut is going to have really high-profile transfers.
"I don't think it's anything that is specific to any program or conference or region of the country. It's more reflective of the mindset of today's players and also the world we live in now in terms of social media and how they view their situation and how quickly they want things to change if they're not happy.”
Paulie
Can't argue with any of that. Most of today's high profile players (women and men) have been told how good they are since they were eight years old, have been the unquestioned stars on their high school and (more important in today's environment) AAU teams, and have had their whole world revolve around them. Then reality sets in at the D-1 level.
DeleteShould also have commented on Asia Taylor. She is now my favorite WNBA player and I sure hope she makes it onto the Mystics final roster. After everything she's been through, she deserves it.
ReplyDeleteAmen!
DeleteNick O.
IMHO,There's a big difference between high school & D-1 College bb teams in terms of talent.Some of the kids are way over there heads in terms of skill level.
ReplyDeleteI am very happy and hopeful for Asia Taylor. I always liked her attitude and enjoyed watching her run the floor.
ReplyDelete