Kate Martin was a lock, and she will get good minutes. Coach Nat personally worked with Kate last season with the Aces, and she picked Kate to come with her to the Valks from the expansion draft.
I would've preferred Toure over Talbot. I still don't understand the fascination with Talbot. I've seen her play for a few seasons now, and she doesn't really stand out. Seems like a slightly taller, more experienced but less energetic version of Kate Martin. She's a good 5th option on an experienced team with stars as Talbot doesn't make many mistakes. But that's also because her usage rate is low. On offense, she's similar to Reggie Bullock - a 3pt spacer.
Sounds like a rookie head coach looking for familiarity/stability over high motor. Major bummer. Seems like WNBA could use some new blood/electricity. But, ultimately, the 12-woman roster with no G league is bullshit.
I’ve been wondering recently if the WNBA could have something like Ignite, but with two teams. Not sure foreign players would forgo their national teams to be in a G league, but it might be a start and good for some players.
No 1 on Nakase’s public list of player priorities is “competitiveness” so it’s hard to conclude one way or another. The tiny roster size is indeed bad.
If Nakase's main priority is competitiveness, I can see how she decided on these 12 players. All of them will play hard, have good bball IQ, will play the right way and be unselfish.
The problem is -- to be a playoff team in the W, you need some elite talent that gives you the edge over other teams. It could be a player with elite speed, elite shooting, elite size, etc. Playing the right way, being scrappy, playing hard will only get you so far. I keep going back to the 2019-2020 Warriors season as reference. That team without KD, Steph, Klay -- they played hard, they tried to play the right way and execute Kerr-ball. But without superstar talent, the ceiling is low.
It's similar to the Dubs team that lost yesterday to the Wolves. The Dubs played hard, scrappy. They tried to play the right way. But the Wolves have elite talent that you need to double-team, or they will score. Ant commands a double-team. Randle commands a double-team. When Finch ran some action for either of them, the Dubs defense had to scramble and help -- resulting in open looks for Conley, McDaniels, Rudy, Naz, etc.
On the other hand -- without Steph - the Warriors didn't have anyone to scramble up the defense. The Wolves weren't double-teaming Jimmy, and Jimmy couldn't make them pay. As a result, the Wolves just stayed home on their guys, and the Dubs struggled to generate open shots. Buddy couldn't get enough time and separation to get good-quality shots.
Same principle applies to the W. That's why the starters couldn't score much against Phoenix Mercury last Sunday. It's much harder to generate good-quality shots without some elite talent to scramble the defense.
In the expansion draft, I was hoping the Valks would poach and gamble on players with higher upside. On the Lynx, Diamond Miller was the #2 overall pick in 2023 and has talent, length and athleticism. She got injured and didn't play much her rookie season. She didn't play much last season as she was still recovering from her injury and the Lynx had found a winning formula without her. In a way, Diamond Miller's situation is similar to Kuminga's. Underutilized, but lots of potential. These are the types of players I hoped the Valks would gamble on in the expansion draft.
From the Las Vegas Aces, Liz Kitley is a very skilled 6 ft 6 center. She was a rookie last season and didn't play because she was recovering from ACL surgery from March 2024. She has a high ceiling. But Valks picked Kate Martin. I've watched Kate Martin since her Iowa days (as a supporting player to Caitlin Clark). Kate is a solid role player, but she's a high-floor / low-ceiling 3-and-D player. From the Los Angeles Sparks, Valks could have picked Li Yueru - a skilled, 6 ft 7 center from China who seems to be more talented than Lauren Betts and Kiki Iriafen. But they picked Stephanie Talbot.
So from the expansion draft, it looks like Coach Nat and GM Ohemaa opted for "safe" (high floor / low ceiling) players. Players that will play hard, play the right way, positive personality, but limited upside. Yes, I do think the Valks were too conservative in the expansion draft.
Game thread up!
I found it! (Well, it kinda fell in my lap, thanks universe!)
Leite/Vanloo/Zandalasini presser from May 8:
https://youtu.be/k_4O7axTD0s?feature=shared
Disappointed about Amihere, Touré too. Now for the season!
Ditto
I would’ve preferred Touré over Martin, because the team needs more scoring. But I guess there’s different kinds of politics involved.
Kate Martin was a lock, and she will get good minutes. Coach Nat personally worked with Kate last season with the Aces, and she picked Kate to come with her to the Valks from the expansion draft.
I would've preferred Toure over Talbot. I still don't understand the fascination with Talbot. I've seen her play for a few seasons now, and she doesn't really stand out. Seems like a slightly taller, more experienced but less energetic version of Kate Martin. She's a good 5th option on an experienced team with stars as Talbot doesn't make many mistakes. But that's also because her usage rate is low. On offense, she's similar to Reggie Bullock - a 3pt spacer.
Sounds like a rookie head coach looking for familiarity/stability over high motor. Major bummer. Seems like WNBA could use some new blood/electricity. But, ultimately, the 12-woman roster with no G league is bullshit.
I’ve been wondering recently if the WNBA could have something like Ignite, but with two teams. Not sure foreign players would forgo their national teams to be in a G league, but it might be a start and good for some players.
Question is could the league afford it?
No 1 on Nakase’s public list of player priorities is “competitiveness” so it’s hard to conclude one way or another. The tiny roster size is indeed bad.
If Nakase's main priority is competitiveness, I can see how she decided on these 12 players. All of them will play hard, have good bball IQ, will play the right way and be unselfish.
The problem is -- to be a playoff team in the W, you need some elite talent that gives you the edge over other teams. It could be a player with elite speed, elite shooting, elite size, etc. Playing the right way, being scrappy, playing hard will only get you so far. I keep going back to the 2019-2020 Warriors season as reference. That team without KD, Steph, Klay -- they played hard, they tried to play the right way and execute Kerr-ball. But without superstar talent, the ceiling is low.
It's similar to the Dubs team that lost yesterday to the Wolves. The Dubs played hard, scrappy. They tried to play the right way. But the Wolves have elite talent that you need to double-team, or they will score. Ant commands a double-team. Randle commands a double-team. When Finch ran some action for either of them, the Dubs defense had to scramble and help -- resulting in open looks for Conley, McDaniels, Rudy, Naz, etc.
On the other hand -- without Steph - the Warriors didn't have anyone to scramble up the defense. The Wolves weren't double-teaming Jimmy, and Jimmy couldn't make them pay. As a result, the Wolves just stayed home on their guys, and the Dubs struggled to generate open shots. Buddy couldn't get enough time and separation to get good-quality shots.
Same principle applies to the W. That's why the starters couldn't score much against Phoenix Mercury last Sunday. It's much harder to generate good-quality shots without some elite talent to scramble the defense.
Yes, I agree it will be a problem. But isn't this the fate of an expansion team? Or are you thinking there are elite players that GSV passed on?
In the expansion draft, I was hoping the Valks would poach and gamble on players with higher upside. On the Lynx, Diamond Miller was the #2 overall pick in 2023 and has talent, length and athleticism. She got injured and didn't play much her rookie season. She didn't play much last season as she was still recovering from her injury and the Lynx had found a winning formula without her. In a way, Diamond Miller's situation is similar to Kuminga's. Underutilized, but lots of potential. These are the types of players I hoped the Valks would gamble on in the expansion draft.
From the Las Vegas Aces, Liz Kitley is a very skilled 6 ft 6 center. She was a rookie last season and didn't play because she was recovering from ACL surgery from March 2024. She has a high ceiling. But Valks picked Kate Martin. I've watched Kate Martin since her Iowa days (as a supporting player to Caitlin Clark). Kate is a solid role player, but she's a high-floor / low-ceiling 3-and-D player. From the Los Angeles Sparks, Valks could have picked Li Yueru - a skilled, 6 ft 7 center from China who seems to be more talented than Lauren Betts and Kiki Iriafen. But they picked Stephanie Talbot.
So from the expansion draft, it looks like Coach Nat and GM Ohemaa opted for "safe" (high floor / low ceiling) players. Players that will play hard, play the right way, positive personality, but limited upside. Yes, I do think the Valks were too conservative in the expansion draft.
And are 2 preseason games + (short?) training camp enough opportunity to gauge competitiveness?
If competitiveness is indicated by hustle, then the team, which is showing us lots of hustle, by definition is showing competitiveness.
Don’t know about Zandalasini, ,Talbot, or Salaun, or Rupert.
But they were chosen instead of Touré and Amihere, both players who can shoot/score.
Is Talbot one of the players who came already with a contract?
Yes, LAS signed her to a $125,000 extension for 2025 before GSV took her in the expansion draft.
Thnx
Not sure if she has an existing contract... but Talbot was picked from the expansion draft-- from Los Angeles Sparks.