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A blog on UConn women's basketball.

Friday, May 13, 2016

UConn alums lead the way in WNBA again

Most of the WNBA rosters have been updated on the official site to reflect the final cuts and once all of the rosters are announced, UConn will lead the way with a total of 14 players on WNBA rosters, five more than any other school.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the UConn contingent is that eight of the 11 players on the Huskies' 2012-13 team will not only be in the WNBA this season but they were first-round picks.

I did some checking and the eight players from one team ties the record. The 2000-01 squad had eight future WNBA players who saw game action (Svetlana Abrosimova, Ashley Battle, Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, Kelly Schumacher, Diana Taurasi and Tamika Williams)  and nine eventual WNBA players on the roster because Jessica Moore was being redshirted and did not play a game. The 2002-03 Tennessee squad also had eight future WNBA players (Tasha Butts, Shyra Ely, Tye'sha Fluker, Gwen Jackson, Kara Lawson, Loree Moore, Ashley Robinson, Shanna Zolman) while Candace Parker sat out the 2004-05 season otherwise there would have been eight WNBAers on that team as well.

The 2012-13 team's eight first-round selections did break the mark of seven from the 2000-01 team for most coming from one team

2012-13
1-2016 Breanna Stewart
2-2016 Moriah Jefferson
3-2015 Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis
3-2016 Morgan Tuck
6-2014 Stefanie Dolson
7-2014 Bria Hartley
11-2013 Kelly Faris
11-2015 Kiah Stokes

2000-01
1-2002 Sue Bird
1-2004 Diana Taurasi
2-2002 Swin Cash
4-2002 Asjha Jones
6-2002 Tamika Williams
7-2001 Svetlana Abrosimova
14-2001 Kelly Schumacher

Here's a look at the UConn products on current WNBA rosters
Atlanta: Tiffany Hayes
Connecticut: Kelly Faris, Morgan Tuck
Minnesota: Renee Montgomery, Maya Moore
New York: Tina Charles, Kiah Stokes
Phoenix: Diana Taurasi
San Antonio: Moriah Jefferson
Seattle: Sue Bird, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Breanna Stewart
Washington: Stefanie Dolson, Bria Hartley

Among based on the Los Angeles Sparks roster on the site, among the cuts today were Jasmine Lister, who spent the last two seasons as a graduate assistant at UConn.

Finally, the WNBA released its annual poll of the league's general managers and it shouldn't be a shocker to see former UConn stars leading in several categories as Maya Moore is listed as the best finisher, Tina Charles has the best post moves and is the second-best rebounder, Sue Bird is listed as being the best passer and having the highest basketball IQ while Diana Taurasi is the best shooter, toughest player and tied for being the best leader.

Who is the most underrated player in the WNBA?1. Emma Meesseman = 17%
T-2. Alysha Clark, Alex Bentley, Briann January, Jantel Lavender, Candice Dupree, DeWanna Bonner, Tanisha Wright, Tiffany Hayes, Kayla McBride, Elizabeth Williams = 8%
Which player is the best finisher?
1. Maya Moore = 42%
2. Angel McCoughtry = 25%
T-3. Nnneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Diana Taurasi, Elena Delle Donne = 8%
Which player is the best at getting her own shot?1. Diana Taurasi = 42%
T-2. Angel McCoughtry, Elena Delle Donne, Maya Moore = 17%
3. Candace Parker = 8%
Which player is the best rebounder?1. Nneka Ogwumike = 33%
T-2. Courtney Paris, Tina Charles = 25%
T-3. Rebekkah Brunson, Sancho Little 8%
Which player has the best post moves?
1. Tina Charles = 42%
2. Candace Parker = 17%
T-3. Crystal Langhorne, Elena Delle Donne, Sylvia Fowles, Kelsey Bone, Nneka Ogwumike = 8%
Which player is the best passer?1. Sue Bird = 50%
2. Lindsay Whalen = 25%
3. Courtney Vandersloot = 17%
4. Diana Taurasi = 8%
Which player is most dangerous in the open floor?1. Angel McCoughtry = 67%
T-2. Cappie Pondexter, Elena Delle Donne, Maya Moore, Riquna Williams = 8%
Which player is the most athletic?
1. Angel McCoughtry = 42%
2. Nneka Ogwumike = 33%
T-3. Candace Parker, Jewell Loyd, Maya Moore = 8%
Which player is the best pure shooter?1. Diana Taurasi = 33%
2. Elena Delle Donne = 25%
3. Allie Quigley = 17%
T-4. Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus, Tricia Liston = 8%
Which player is the best leader?T-1. Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings = 33%
2. Maya Moore = 17%
T-3. Lindsay Whalen, Sue Bird = 8%
Who is the toughest player in the WNBA?1. Diana Taurasi = 42%
2. Tamika Catchings = 25%
T-3. Briann January, Lindsday Whalen, Maya Moore, Tanisha Wright = 8%
Which player has the best basketball I.Q.?
1. Sue Bird = 42%
2. Diana Taurasi = 33%
T-3. Candace Parker, Lindsay Whalen, Penny Taylor, Swin Cash, Tamika Catchings = 8%
Which player is the best at making her teammates better?
1. Tamika Catchings = 50%
T-2. Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird = 25%

SPECIAL HONOR FOR SAMUELSON
According to a tweet by Mater Dei High School coach, the school will retire Katie Lou Samuelson's No. 33 in a ceremony on Wednesday.

Samuelson scored more than 2,000 points in her three seasons at Mater Dei and set single-season program records in scoring average, 3-pointers made and free throws made and attempted.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Joe said...

"When the best want to get even better, they go to UConn!"

8:46 AM 

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