WNBA Draft...Observations and commentary...C-J Squad -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

PLUM #1 OVERALL PICK

The 2017 WNBA Draft has been completed. Three rounds, 36 players and 12 teams. Kelsey Plum, Ms. Everything for Washington, was the first pick and goes to San Antonio...who will definitely appreciate her shooting and leadership skills. Even though San Antonio wasn't in dire need of a point-guard, her addition will give new head coach Vickie Johnson some viable options. The Stars also added forwards Nia Coffey (Northwestern) and Schaquiila Nunn (Tennessee) in the draft. Already possessing a pretty strong front line, it'll be interesting to see how these two fit into the schematics. 

Surprising to me was the overall third pick Evelyn Akhator (Kentucky)...who will go to the Dallas Wings. Sure, she was essential for Matthew Mitchell's squad her senior season...but Courtney Paris and Aerial Powers weren't that bad for the Wings. Dallas also got two South Carolina standouts in guards Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis in the first round. With Skylar Diggins already on the roster, that could be one tough-to-beat back court. 

UK's Makayla Epps wasn't called until the third round, which was a bit surprising as well. She was the Cats "to-go" the last three seasons. The word is she was considered by some to be a disciplinary risk by some.  Headed to Chicago, she'll play for Pokey Chapman and will be one of seven guards on a roster that has Courtney Vandersloot and Cappie Pondexter. 

No Louisville WBB players were selected in the draft. It's possible Briahanna Jackson and Taylor Johnson could still receive invites to camps as free agent, walk-ons...time will tell. Cortnee Walton has no WNBA aspirations...but she could be covering the season one day as a sports reporter. 


Asia Taylor is listed on the Washington Mystics roster and we'd love to see A-Tayy get a chance to play in the WNBA again. We'd love to see her play with Elena Della Donne. Shoni Schimmel is on the New York Liberty roster. Angel McCoughtry is listed on Atlanta's roster (along with 20 other players!). Angel announced in early January that she was going to take some time off and rest this season. That narrows it down for Michael Cooper when it comes to choosing a roster, right? 

The ACC had seven players selected in the three rounds. Brittany Sykes and Alexis Peterson (Syracuse), Kai James and Leticia Romero (FSU), Lindsay Allen (Notre Dame), Adrienne Motley (Miami) and Oderah Chidom (Duke). 

Not an overly impressive class, honestly...after you get past Plum and the South Carolina trio. I do like Brittany Sykes' potential (gee, do you wonder why?) and will be watching to see if Alexis Peterson can light it up in the big league like she did for "Q".  

We'll follow the Louisville gals throughout the year and hope that B.J. and T.J. get a camp invite and do well. If not, there is money to be made in Europe and Australia...just ask Jazz Covington or A Tayy...  

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COURIER-JOURNAL GIRLS ALL-STATE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

Jaelynn Penn, Sr. Butler
Seygan Robins. Jr. Mercer County
Lindsey Duvall, Sr. Bullitt East
Princess Stewart, Sr., Franklin County
Macey Turley, Jr., Murray
Jordan Brock, Sr. Harlan
Ally Niece, Jr. Simon Kenton
Blair Green, Jr. Harlan County
Grace Berger, Jr., Sacred Heart
MacKenzie Coleman, Sr., Metcalfe County

Coach of the Year -- Chris Souder  Mercer County

Two future Cards...not bad. 


paulie
xxxxx

SHONI TRADED TO NEW YORK....TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

SHONI SCHIMMEL TRADED TO NEW YORK LIBERTY

Former Cardinal WBB great Shoni Schimmel was traded from the WNBA's Atlanta Dream to the New York Liberty yesterday for a second year pick in next year's WNBA Draft Monday.

Schimme, a fan favorite on the roster...along with Angel McCoughtry...had recently come under fire from the Dream's head coach Michael Cooper for reporting to training camp out-of-shape..an issue that also upset Dream management. Cooper, however, indicated that the conditioning had nothing to do with the trade. 

"The way we are being structured and want to go, anybody could have been traded. This was about dynamics on the team. We wanted to put something on the floor that the fans can appreciate and will play with a high energy on offense and defense." Cooper commented. 

Nice try, Michael, but no cigar. So, you're saying that Angel, or Tiffany Hayes might have been trade bait? That the fans don't appreciate Shoni...who wowed the WNBA in the All-Star game? Fess up, pal. It was all about the conditioning and a plethora of guards on the Dream's 2016 roster. Moving Shoni to point guard may or may not have been a viable strategy but at least call this what it is. A power play from a coach who failed to get the Dream to the WNBA Playoffs in the 2015 season. A maneuver to try and save your job.

Meanwhile, Shoni's new coach, Isiah Thomas, sees the potential. 

"Shoni has demonstrated she can shine on a big stage and I am confident that with the leadership on our staff and our team she will thrive as a member of the New York Liberty playing in Madison Square Garden. Shoni is a good fit for our style of play and her long range shooting will really allow us to spread the floor on the offensive end. She takes pride in giving back to the community and she shares the same core values that the other members of this team do."

Tanisha Wright and Sugar Rodgers started for the Liberty in their first exhibition game of the season...a loss to Chicago. 

Shoni joins a team that went 23-11 in 2015 and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals...losing to the Indiana Fever 2-1 in the series. The Fever went on to fall to 2015 WNBA Champs Minnesota.

So...it's goodbye Georgia Peach and hello Big Apple for #23. We hope the change is acceptable to the palate and that Shoni shines brightly in Manhattan. 

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ASIA AND JUDE

Two other WBB Cards are also involved in the preseason WNBA contests and they faced each other the other night. Asia Taylor (Indiana Fever) and Jude Schimmel (Dallas Chicken Wings) met in a May 1st game. The Fever took the contest 108-90

Jude had five points in 24 minutes...Asia 13 points in 14 minutes. 

Both teams played without its top stars. Dallas played without returning starters Skylar Diggins, Karima Christmas, Courtney Paris and Odyssey Sims. Indiana was without Tamika Catchings, Marissa Coleman, Shenise Johnson, Erlana Larkins and trade acquisition Devereaux Peters.

paulie
xxxxx

For the Atlanta Dream...this season has been a nightmare -- Friday Cardinal Couple

WHAT IN THE WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS IS GOING ON HERE?

If you haven't been following the Atlanta Dream very closely this summer...well, I can't say that I blame you. Things down south are going south for Angel and Shoni's team.

Alice Cooper wrote a song years ago called "Welcome To My Nightmare". It's probably on head coach Michael Cooper's playlist. 

A drubbing last time out from San Antonio where Michael Cooper came up with the brilliant idea to not start either Angel or Shoni. Granted, both came of the bench and Shoni racked up 12 points and seven assists...Angel added 14 in 20 minutes. They started in the WNBA All-Star Game...Coop.

Maybe it's reality check time. Your benching All-Stars? 

The Dream also traded the only All-Star center the franchise has ever known in Erika de Souza. An original member of the franchise. Who's next... Angela Taylor? Going to peddle Tiffany Hayes off to the Sun? Angel to the Liberty? Shoni to Seattle? 

Maybe it's a youth movement...sure, fine...we get that...Maybe the eye is on tanking the season and being in line for "Stewie" when they hold the next WNBA draft next spring. Maybe you owe a little something, something to your fans, though?

The fans are not showing up or buying season tickets to see Damiris Dantas or Roneeka Hodges. The fans aren't walking in that building to see Cooper's defense. They want Shoni, Angel and three balls. They want to be entertained.  

Atlanta is 7-11 and has lost their last three. Up next are powerhouses Minnesota and Phoenix. The top two teams in the West. Get out the aspirin...

Let's be brutally honest here. This is Angel's team. Turn her, Shoni and Tiffany loose in the second half of the season. Let them play the game the way they play in All-Star games. 

Cooper prides himself in being a defensive specialist. So, your giving up 100+ to San Antonio? Without Danielle Adams? In legal terms...the defense rests. 

There has been speculation that the KFC YUM! Center wouldn't mind hosting the Dream for a summer while renovations occur at Phillips Arena. That could be a fun summer here for women's basketball enthusiasts. Atlanta states they are open to all options for the Dream. It would be a great dress rehearsal to see if Louisville could support a full-time WNBA franchise. 

And maybe the new franchise could trade for Shoni and Angel. 

Loyal fans attend games no matter what the record of their team is. Attendance increases when your team is doing well. I really hope Atlanta can turn it around. They have 16 games left to do so. They are five games out of first place...behind the surprising New York Liberty. There's still time...but is there the motivation to do it?

I guess we can dream....

paulie
xxxxx

Sunday Cardinal Couple -- A great "Sho" in the Desert

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Shoni's 29 highest ever point total in WNBA All-Star game

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Shoni up to her old tricks in her All-Star debut.

The Umatilla Thrilla...our Louisville rookie who doesn't even start for her own team, put on a record-breaking performance...scoring 29 points to help the East beat the West 125-124 on Saturday in the first WNBA All-Star game to go to overtime.

Nailing huge shot after huge shot in the fourth quarter and overtime, including a behind-the-head flip over 6-foot-8 Brittney Griner, Schimmel gave the fans a great show. After all, it's what she does and who she is.

WNBA...meet "Sho-time".

Schimmel averages 7.1 points in limited time for Atlanta, yet she was voted in as an All-Star starter because of the huge nationwide and Native American following she has. With 17 family members and her brothers wearing "Rez Ball Rules" t-shirts, cheering her on...Schimmel earned MVP honors.

"Being Native American, it's a huge accomplishment to go out there and be in the WNBA. To have the fans look up to me and to a role model not only for my siblings but also the Native American fans, the Native American people. It's huge. I take on my shoulders because I enjoy it."

Tamika Catchings, an All-Star for a record-tying ninth time, made a layup with 6.9 seconds to go to give the East the lead and then knocked the ball away from Skylar Diggins on the defensive end to seal the victory. Diggins finished with 27 points and seven assists, leading a furious West rally to force overtime.

Brittney Griner, of the host Mercury, scored 17 points, including the third WNBA All-Star dunk, for the West.

Shoni took the MVP honors...the first rookie to do so in the WNBA...and also shared the secret of her success...

"It was awesome, just to be able to go out there and play my game, have fun," Schimmel said, "feel free to go out there and play 'rez ball.'"

Schimmel earned her "Sho-time" nickname at Louisville. It hasn't really carried over to the Dream yet. She was drafted eighth by the team and has only started twice. She's just the third reserve player ever to start a WNBA All-Star game, according to STATS. Any grumbling about her inclusion vanished in an electric second half and overtime, when she scored 24 points.

Maya Moore scored 24 for the West. Tina Charles had 19, Chiney Ogwumike 15, Catchings 14 and Angel McCoughtry 13 for the East.

Diggins, the WNBA's No. 2 scorer, had six of the West's last eight points in regulation, capped by a layup off a turnover with 26.3 seconds to go to tie it at 112-112.

The East came out flat in the overtime. 

Griner opened with a layup and Moore's 3-pointer put the West up 124-117 with 1:59 to play.

But Katie Douglas sank a 3 to cut it to 124-120 with 1:15 to go, then Schimmel made her seventh trifecta of the afternoon with 41.9 seconds left to cut the West lead to 124-123.

Catchings' driving layup and Diggins' turnover finally put an end to the frenetic contest.

Maybe Michael Cooper, who coaches the Atlanta Dream and also coached the winning East squad finally gets it. If a play-off trip is where you want to go...start the "Sho".  Cooper, a defensive specialist during his days in the NBA, is sitting on a powder keg.

Maybe he needs to have a friendly chat with Jeff Walz (who was in Phoenix for the game). Fans come to see offense. With Angel and Shoni on his roster, he has more offensive firepower than most WNBA squads. He needs to use it.

The season will continue. On this special Saturday, though...the best of the best got together for one incredible game and the newest kid on the block took home all the marbles. 

(Parts of this article are from The Huffington Post) 

-paulie