Thanks for the update, Bill..
I thought that Bickle might well be at 6'2" now. based on the photos of her standing next to Egbo and DeCosta. She has impressive size and we know that her skill set and basketball recognition is very high.
I don't know about her defense out there, but I could see her playing at either the SG or SF spots, and even capable of filling in occasionally at the PF slot when Mulkey decided to go to a "small" lineup. She missed her senior year due to an injury, so she has to have some time to get into game shape.
Egbo is interesting in this regard. She posted very recently that the 6'3" (plus another 3/8") had now been updated to the latest measurement that had her at 6'4". That information was in a post somewhere in the Lady Bear Basketball posting on this board. It did not appear to be wishful thinking, but I don't recall whether or not she cited the source for the measurement.
Cox, we know, has varied between 6'4" and 6'5" measurements, but her wing span is a major factor in her success in blocking shots and in rebounding. I am not sure what Egbo's wingspan is. Having watched her in a couple of All Star Games, I am more impressed than I expected to be with her athleticism and physicality. She also had a good skill set, but one that needs a lot of the kind of work that Bill Brock is noted for. Whether it is 6'3" as Baylor now says, or 6'4" as Egbo has recently claimed, it does not change the fact that she is likely to be in the regular rotation at the post position, and I now think that she is likely to provide legitimate help there, and that will help Brown and Cox to stay fresh for the late stages of games.
I like Smith a lot, as I think that she is physically imposing at 6'3" and sturdy, and that her skill set is very good and likely to improve as she settles in at Baylor. She can shoot from out on the floor, and can battle in the interior. She is a prototypical power forward, and her presence will be felt as the season goes along.
I watched DeCosta several times out here in Northern California. She glides around the court, has some instincts for the game and some skills that are pretty rare, and is very athletic. She may be 6'3", but she also has an impressive wing span and and impressive vertical leap. What she does not seem to have, yet, is shot making ability on a consistent basis, though I have seen intimations of it in the high post area. I have read that she has a good stroke from the arc, but in five or six games I have not seen her attempt many, and I think that only one has been successful.
In high school she got most of her points in the deep paint, and that will be harder to come by against the size that she will encounter in college. She had two or three of her shots either blocked or altered in the McDonald's All Star Game. She does finish around the rim pretty well, but this, too, will require some adjustment. She is deceptive as a rebounder, is unselfish, and can pass the ball more effectively than one would expect from a superstar at her position. I have seen some impressive passing from her in almost every game I have watched.
At times she does not go all out while on the floor, and this is something that an introduction to Baylor Lady Bear basketball culture may correct, but it is ingrained right now. Still, she is an extraordinary talent and I think that she will flourish in her time at Baylor. I just want to see her shoot with more consistency out on the floor, and I think that that will eventually come. I think that she will be a great favorite with Baylor fans.
Grayson was unknown to me until the two All Star games she participated in. Those kinds of games do not often favor team oriented, highly structured players. They more often high level pick up games, and that favors players who aggressively look for their shots and who do not defer to players who might have better looks at the basket. This is particularly true of guards. It is also true that a player can have a hot hand, as Amber Ramirez did at the McDonald's game three years ago, and this can lead to elevated judgments about productivity once they join their preferred college program.
Grayson impressed me as being a very mature guard with impressive skills and the judgment about how to properly use them. Her shot making and the accompanying skill set left little to be desired, and she seemed to play with control and pace that one does not always see in those kinds of games. She is going to have a favorable impact on this program, perhaps this season, but certainly as a career player. She plays smart and she plays tough, and is willing to take whatever role is assigned to her.
Having said that, both Morris and Landrum have shown that they can perform at a high level and Mulkey favors experience. I expect Grayson to get minutes at both positions, and she may stake a claim to replace Landrum at the SG slot, and be able to slide over and spell Morris at the point. That very much remains to be seen, as Landrum is potentially one of the deadliest shooters from the arc in the history of the program, and she can defend. We don't know how Ursin will impose herself on the program this year, but I would not count her out at the SG slot, either. Grayson will have plenty of competition for minutes at the guard position.
