BUatbirth said:

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12au said:

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IowaBear said:

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This… the obsession with her is rather odd. Mid ball player imo.

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She raises the floor of our backcourt, which is barren right now. She's not elite but I think she'd help us.

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But at what cost? I bet it's not a small amount.

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I guess I don't understand the mentality of "X player costs too much". How do we know how much a player costs? It's just speculation w/o concrete data from my vantage point. If you have some info that indicates a specific price then it's worth discussing. I'm more interested in the question: Would this player help our team?

IowaBear said:

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This is my thought. This girl isn't even an upgrade over what Andrews and Walker brought.
BU has to upgrade the guard position zero doubt about it. But there's going to be cheaper/better options. Williams at least looking at her stats looks incredibly inefficient

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Andrews and Walker were good. It's hard to upgrade over them. We are looking to replace their level of production. Sure, we'd love Latson, but it's hard to get those players.

Williams was in a bad offense at UA. Someone had to chuck em up. I think she's a decent playmaker whose shot could improve with better shot quality. I think she has a solid IQ too. Defense might be an issue, but I think I've seen some intensity occasionally.

There might be better options out there, but I don't know who they are quite yet. Of course there will be more portal entries as teams get eliminated.

12au said:

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BUatbirth said:

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12au said:

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IowaBear said:

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This… the obsession with her is rather odd. Mid ball player imo.

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She raises the floor of our backcourt, which is barren right now. She's not elite but I think she'd help us.

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But at what cost? I bet it's not a small amount.

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I guess I don't understand the mentality of "X player costs too much". How do we know how much a player costs? It's just speculation w/o concrete data from my vantage point. If you have some info that indicates a specific price then it's worth discussing. I'm more interested in the question: Would this player help our team?

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I also wonder how that 28% at three is spread out. If it is hit and miss (one game 10% and the next 50%, for example) averaging 28% or has she shown the tendency to be consistently game after game +- 5% or so from this figure. If the latter, it would be a great improvement over what we saw this year even compared with some that were shooting a slightly higher percentage but were wildly erratic game vs. game. The FT percentage would be a great improvement, obviously.

I think any comments from here that argue NIL are pointless. We have no knowledge to be firm in statements in this area. You many also have situations, whether with this player or others, that NIL may be less of a factor for a player depending on the team offering and the staff and team they would be joining. In other words, a player would turn down more somewhere else to come to a place they see as a better environment and opportunity. Kind of like during my career, you could offer me $1M to go work in NYC or offer me $150,000 here.......I ain't going to NYC.

12au said:

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BUatbirth said:

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12au said:

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IowaBear said:

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This… the obsession with her is rather odd. Mid ball player imo.

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She raises the floor of our backcourt, which is barren right now. She's not elite but I think she'd help us.

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But at what cost? I bet it's not a small amount.

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I guess I don't understand the mentality of "X player costs too much". How do we know how much a player costs? It's just speculation w/o concrete data from my vantage point. If you have some info that indicates a specific price then it's worth discussing. I'm more interested in the question: Would this player help our team?

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So, pay whatever it takes to get her? Her "value" is what CNC determines it to be. If her ask is in line, and she wants BU, then she'll be here.

IowaBear said:

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If we're hoping to take that next step as a program we're going to need better than Andrews and Walker. That's not a diss at either. Both were solid players for BU. But you go deep in March because of guard play. Our guards in the CNC era just haven't been talented enough. This girl is no different. Maybe I'm harsh. But I'd rather Walker or Andrews than this girl. 36% and 28% are horrible no matter how you spin em. High volume shot taker whose incredibly inefficient is a bad combo.

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To take the next step we need more talent period--at any position. I think Williams could be a useful player, but you're right we need elite talent on the roster.

We've landed 2 elite transfers in the CNC era: Blackwell and Vonleh. Need to get more of that type of player. Or land one out of HS. It's gotta happen at some point.

DLB and Bella (who admittedly struggled down the stretch) are talented pieces. I said in another thread BU needs to build around them. I'd Williams comes in that's fine as long as she's not taking near as many shots as she did at AZ. DLB and Bella should lead the Lady Bears in shot attempts in 25/26 unless of course BU lands an elite Guard or Post.

Not sure how you got from point A to point B here

12au said:

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Not sure how you got from point A to point B here

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Common sense? You said if a player helps the team, get them. That's not realistic…especially at BU. You don't blow your whole NIL budget on one player, especially when there are multiple needs. I'd argue a solid post is more critical. So, Nicki and staff will determine her "value" based on budget and other needs of the team.
That's just reality in the current recruiting environment. If she will take what CNC will pay to get her, great.
I'll add that who is following who on IG means little. It's the first act, who is interested in who. Players are following multiple programs. If $$$ is the main goal, they want a bidding war to start. Many of these players have representatives negotiating for them. It's crazy.

Yeah DLB was elite. And if we got Bella in the portal right now I'd put her in that group.

I think a big part of the struggle for Bella down the stretch was that she had be a playmaker on offense. She's best when in the finisher role. Either a catch and shoot three or a layup. It will be interesting to see what her offensive game looks like next year.

BUatbirth said:

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12au said:

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Not sure how you got from point A to point B here

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Common sense. You said if a player helps the team, get them. That's not realistic…especially at BU. You don't blow your whole NIL budget on one player, especially when there are multiple needs. I'd argue a solid post is more critical. So, Nicki and staff will determine her "value" based on budget and other needs of the team.
That's just reality in the current recruiting environment.

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I'm confused how you got "pay whatever it takes" from my post

12au said:

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BUatbirth said:

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12au said:

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Not sure how you got from point A to point B here

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Common sense. You said if a player helps the team, get them. That's not realistic…especially at BU. You don't blow your whole NIL budget on one player, especially when there are multiple needs. I'd argue a solid post is more critical. So, Nicki and staff will determine her "value" based on budget and other needs of the team.
That's just reality in the current recruiting environment.

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I'm confused how you got "pay whatever it takes" from my post

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My gosh….. Would you pay "whatever it takes" to get her? You said if they help the team to get them. It's a rhetorical question.

SHM on portal entries that tack on "might stay with program", like FSU's Latson. It's "pay me more", or "what I'm worth or else" which cuts into NIL funds needed to replenish other vacated positions.

BUVA said:

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SHM on portal entries that tack on "might stay with program", like FSU's Latson. It's "pay me more", or "what I'm worth or else" which cuts into NIL funds needed to replenish other vacated positions.

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Exactly

Ah, I see where we got signals crossed up.

I said:

I'm more interested in the question: Would this player help our team?

This question is more for people posting on this forum. I did not posit this question as one CNC is asking when making roster decisions. Nor did I assert she should pay "whatever it takes"

I got a little frustrated b/c some of the discussion about Jada Williams centered around her commanding top dollar. I would like to see evidence of that before we cast her aside totally as a potential addition. If someone has basketball reasons to not want her then that's fine.

Ok…fair. I'm not sure if we will ever really know a players ask. I assume that our budget is somewhat limited…as to NIL. If Jada has a large ask…then I'd pass. I think we can get a solid player for less…allow more $$$ to attract a quality big. I feel that's our greatest need. So far quality bigs are far fewer and highly valued by several top programs. I think that's where the bulk of whatever we have will go towards.

blackie said:

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12au said:

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Kind of like during my career, you could offer me $1M to go work in NYC or offer me $150,000 here.......I ain't going to NYC.

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I suspect most folks including myself would do the math and say, "Hmmm, 6 years in NY equals $6,000,000. Forty years here equals $6,000,000. Think I'll grind out 6 years in NYC and come back here to live the rest of my life in luxury and ease".

geewago said:

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blackie said:

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12au said:

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Kind of like during my career, you could offer me $1M to go work in NYC or offer me $150,000 here.......I ain't going to NYC.

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I suspect most folks including myself would do the math and say, "Hmmm, 6 years in NY equals $6,000,000. Forty years here equals $6,000,000. Think I'll grind out 6 years in NYC and come back here to live the rest of my life in luxury and ease".

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Not for me. The players we are talking about, it is probably only a one-year thing, two at the most, so multiple years doesn't come into play. I just used my personal example that for many, not all, and perhaps even not most, the $$$ is not the end-all, be-all. Life is more than that. I had great opportunities to go to places I really didn't want to live for a lot more than I was making where I was.....no hesitation to turn it down. The people I was working for and with meant more as well as the culture where I worked. I suspect there has to be some of that in the college athletics world as well......for those that have the kind of head on their shoulders that you would want in your program and as your teammate.

Looks like Jada is on a visit to Iowa right now

and also to add i believe i did this in one of the other posts is say that her and Bella were both on the same AAU team before she went to Cali. I think she is a 3 level scorer that has a lot of untapped potential at this level. She fits what we want our guards to do in terms of her skill set so it definitely makes sense why she should come here.

MrGolfguy said:

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I'd love to have Kneepkens at BU

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I would love a backcourt rotation of
5'7" PG Jana VG,
6.0" G. G. Kneepkens(19.3 PPG/5R PG/5 APG and 1 SPG)
5'11" G Kailey Woolston (on BYU Mission this season) 13.3 PPG/3.4 RPG/2.3 APG and 1 SPG)
5'7" PG Rachel Rose 50.0% FG, 40.0% 3 Ball, 4.8 A /TO ratio
5'8" G Ines Goryanova

Great lineup…pull up the ladder, I'm on board with this
I'm betting on Ines being the sniper we want

I will be interested to see Ines play. She was a good prospect with a very good shot when we signed her. Hopefully she can come back strong from her injury.

Bear3 said:

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I will be interested to see Ines play. She was a good prospect with a very good shot when we signed her. Hopefully she can come back strong from her injury.

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....and stay uninjured! I can't help but think players who incur such injuries have a real mental challenge to not have the fear of another injury lingering in the back of their minds and thus affecting their ability to ever get back to where they were.

blackie said:

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Bear3 said:

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I will be interested to see Ines play. She was a good prospect with a very good shot when we signed her. Hopefully she can come back strong from her injury.

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....and stay uninjured! I can't help but think players who incur such injuries have a real mental challenge to not have the fear of another injury lingering in the back of their minds and thus affecting their ability to ever get back to where they were.

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I can count on one hand the women players who have had knee surgery and came back at the same level as before their injury. Rachell Allison was not the same player after her knee operation, Aijah was not the Aijah she was before, Lauren Cox 2020 was not the same Cox 2019. It took Christy Wallace several years before she looked like the Christy Wallce we enjoyed watching her play, The only Baylor I can think off who was about the same was Stephanie Blackman in 2005.
I begged Kim to give Lauren Cox more time and red shirt her. That conversation went south when Juicy said if Lauren red shirted she was going to red shirt as well. No way Kim was going to give up both for a year !!
Lauren seems to be back in form doing very well overseas. Paige Buckers seems to be in top form right now but I fear they are the exceptions. OH, Ya Carrington was very good for us after her surgery - I have to give Kim credit - she brought her along at the right pace so that she was full speed by NCAA Tournament

BUVA said:

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blackie said:

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Bear3 said:

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I will be interested to see Ines play. She was a good prospect with a very good shot when we signed her. Hopefully she can come back strong from her injury.

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....and stay uninjured! I can't help but think players who incur such injuries have a real mental challenge to not have the fear of another injury lingering in the back of their minds and thus affecting their ability to ever get back to where they were.

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I remember when Shanay Washington hurt her knee, sat out, and came back the next year with a brace. Early on, she fell under the basket and her face--she knew she was done. So sad, as she had so much potential.

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OH man I was 10 feet away - You could hear the pop !! - Sickest I ever felt in my life !!
What a lot of people do not know is that was her 5th knee injury - two on the left three on the right.

Yes! This is also a concern with Jana….

You can also add Rori Harmon to that list. This year she has not been player she was prior to injury.