Aya Abdeen helped me track down that article I was referencing about the Phoenix Mercury putting more emphasis on scouting over in Europe. I linked it in the article and will link it below as well for anyone who wants to read it.
Thanks for sharing and great callout on the need for a scouting team/specialist. I think I have seen 2 trends this season: tactical evolution and rise of overseas talents. Feels like we’re falling behind on both.
Outside EuroLeague and EuroCup, Turkish League is the most competitive. Then there is WNBL, Spain, French, Italy leagues. Next season, Fenerbahce has Meesseman, Gabby Williams, Jonquel Jones, Dom Malonga, Iliana Rupert, Mo Billings, Julie Allemand, and a new SG if Kayla McBride doesn’t return. USK Prague has Janelle Salaun, Pauline Astier, Valeriane Ayayi, Brionna Jones, Bridget Carleton. Other teams in EuroLeague & Turkish League also have pretty good rosters, giving players in those leagues plenty of opportunities to compete against WNBA-level players.
I would say even the Lynx have been active, Cheryl Reeve was courtside watching Turkish League games last season. And in terms of player, Veronica Burton was a stand out in WNBL last season, so her current success doesn't look all too surprising to me.
I know coaches are always easy to scapegoat but the lack of offensive identity and hierarchy feels like an indictment on the coaching staff. We have the talent to be flexible when the game plan isn’t working, but if there’s no cohesive game plan to begin with then the team comes into games without direction, and it’s particularly noticeable down the stretch in these losses where we lose a big lead. It’s also easier to have your bench ready to play their role if their role is actually consistent. If we’re only giving the bench garbage time minutes in weird and inconsistent intervals then it isn’t reasonable for us to expect them to come on the court and know how to contribute when their number is called (in some cases every third game it feels like). Loving the insight as usual, thanks for you work this season!
I’ve actually been wondering about the offensive hierarchy on this team for a while, as I saw some podcast where people talking about the Storm having a hierarchy problem much earlier in the season, back when we were inconsistent but not losing this much. On top of that, I think we also barely have any offensive sets outside of pick-and-rolls. There isn’t much off-ball movement, just everyone standing in the corners, no secondary actions, no cutting. We often end up in isolation and hero ball situations, and there are so many possessions where the ball just sticks with one player. Some have pointed out that we seem to be a team that takes the most difficult shots in the league.
The fact that we seem to get the worst whistle in the league doesn’t help with the isolations either. If we can't shoot well, we absolutely need to drive, but I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen Gabby get fouled without getting a call. I recall Dick Fain joked that she might need to take flopping lessons, because there’s really no reason she should be averaging less than 2 free throw attempts per game.
It seems to me that Skylar frequently shoots when she should have passed. Jewell did this last year, too. The players do depend on Nneka's shots, don't you think?
I think it’s related to the hierarchy issue, but i noticed Wheeler more. In a lot of games, I’ve honestly wondered why Wheeler was the one handling the ball in crunch time and driving in isolation, those plays weren't very effective. She took contested three (when we are down two) or tough drives (while not being an efficient driver with just 50% on layups overall) in late games. In those moments, I really wish she would be used more as a catch and shoot option instead since she can shoot.
Jeff, excellent points as usual. Any interest in the GM job? You might have to quit your AAU gig, but hey…
Broader question: The league is clearly maturing and “professionalizing” in the current era, leaving the mom-and-pop days behind. Is the Storm ownership group up to the task of adapting and competing in the evolving era? Analytically? Financially? I have no evidence, but my gut says we were ahead of the curve in the past, but at risk of drifting behind the new curve. Are they willing to make tough decisions, because this offseason is gonna be nothing but that?
Eric, Really good question and really valid point. Win or lose, this team is not fun to watch. They do truly look lost and miserable. Bad roster construction and terrible coaching. They don't deserve to win the way they play. With so many exciting, young teams with overseas talent and innovative coaches in the league, The Storm look old, tired, and not relevant. It's very sad. I guess more will be revealed.
Thanks, MLD. It has been painful to watch this team in-game, and the postgame pressers are even more excruciating. It’s been a joyless season pretty much from the jump, and also disingenuous, as there hasn’t been much truth spoken about the season, outside of this space. When they laid that egg on opening night, and insisted “that wasn’t us,” I sensed the delusion about this team was forming.
This is a big and important question that's been on my mind, and you've done a good job of putting it into words.
We don't have-and shouldn't expect- a lot of transparency into what goes on behind the scenes in the front office and ownership. Are they analytical and holding themselves and each other accountable, or do they think everything is just hunky-dory?
I've never seen a more fidgety coach. What was wrong with her? And I can't think of any other coach in the league who would have been less assertive in an interview. Really awful.
She's going through a divorce. I think most players are going through some physical ailments, but I don't think she has any major injury; otherwise, she wouldn't be playing.
Aya Abdeen helped me track down that article I was referencing about the Phoenix Mercury putting more emphasis on scouting over in Europe. I linked it in the article and will link it below as well for anyone who wants to read it.
https://sports360az.com/how-phoenix-mercury-went-to-europe-to-build-depth/amp/
Thanks for sharing and great callout on the need for a scouting team/specialist. I think I have seen 2 trends this season: tactical evolution and rise of overseas talents. Feels like we’re falling behind on both.
Outside EuroLeague and EuroCup, Turkish League is the most competitive. Then there is WNBL, Spain, French, Italy leagues. Next season, Fenerbahce has Meesseman, Gabby Williams, Jonquel Jones, Dom Malonga, Iliana Rupert, Mo Billings, Julie Allemand, and a new SG if Kayla McBride doesn’t return. USK Prague has Janelle Salaun, Pauline Astier, Valeriane Ayayi, Brionna Jones, Bridget Carleton. Other teams in EuroLeague & Turkish League also have pretty good rosters, giving players in those leagues plenty of opportunities to compete against WNBA-level players.
I would say even the Lynx have been active, Cheryl Reeve was courtside watching Turkish League games last season. And in terms of player, Veronica Burton was a stand out in WNBL last season, so her current success doesn't look all too surprising to me.
I know coaches are always easy to scapegoat but the lack of offensive identity and hierarchy feels like an indictment on the coaching staff. We have the talent to be flexible when the game plan isn’t working, but if there’s no cohesive game plan to begin with then the team comes into games without direction, and it’s particularly noticeable down the stretch in these losses where we lose a big lead. It’s also easier to have your bench ready to play their role if their role is actually consistent. If we’re only giving the bench garbage time minutes in weird and inconsistent intervals then it isn’t reasonable for us to expect them to come on the court and know how to contribute when their number is called (in some cases every third game it feels like). Loving the insight as usual, thanks for you work this season!
I’ve actually been wondering about the offensive hierarchy on this team for a while, as I saw some podcast where people talking about the Storm having a hierarchy problem much earlier in the season, back when we were inconsistent but not losing this much. On top of that, I think we also barely have any offensive sets outside of pick-and-rolls. There isn’t much off-ball movement, just everyone standing in the corners, no secondary actions, no cutting. We often end up in isolation and hero ball situations, and there are so many possessions where the ball just sticks with one player. Some have pointed out that we seem to be a team that takes the most difficult shots in the league.
The fact that we seem to get the worst whistle in the league doesn’t help with the isolations either. If we can't shoot well, we absolutely need to drive, but I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen Gabby get fouled without getting a call. I recall Dick Fain joked that she might need to take flopping lessons, because there’s really no reason she should be averaging less than 2 free throw attempts per game.
It seems to me that Skylar frequently shoots when she should have passed. Jewell did this last year, too. The players do depend on Nneka's shots, don't you think?
I think it’s related to the hierarchy issue, but i noticed Wheeler more. In a lot of games, I’ve honestly wondered why Wheeler was the one handling the ball in crunch time and driving in isolation, those plays weren't very effective. She took contested three (when we are down two) or tough drives (while not being an efficient driver with just 50% on layups overall) in late games. In those moments, I really wish she would be used more as a catch and shoot option instead since she can shoot.
Jeff, excellent points as usual. Any interest in the GM job? You might have to quit your AAU gig, but hey…
Broader question: The league is clearly maturing and “professionalizing” in the current era, leaving the mom-and-pop days behind. Is the Storm ownership group up to the task of adapting and competing in the evolving era? Analytically? Financially? I have no evidence, but my gut says we were ahead of the curve in the past, but at risk of drifting behind the new curve. Are they willing to make tough decisions, because this offseason is gonna be nothing but that?
Eric, Really good question and really valid point. Win or lose, this team is not fun to watch. They do truly look lost and miserable. Bad roster construction and terrible coaching. They don't deserve to win the way they play. With so many exciting, young teams with overseas talent and innovative coaches in the league, The Storm look old, tired, and not relevant. It's very sad. I guess more will be revealed.
Thanks, MLD. It has been painful to watch this team in-game, and the postgame pressers are even more excruciating. It’s been a joyless season pretty much from the jump, and also disingenuous, as there hasn’t been much truth spoken about the season, outside of this space. When they laid that egg on opening night, and insisted “that wasn’t us,” I sensed the delusion about this team was forming.
This is a big and important question that's been on my mind, and you've done a good job of putting it into words.
We don't have-and shouldn't expect- a lot of transparency into what goes on behind the scenes in the front office and ownership. Are they analytical and holding themselves and each other accountable, or do they think everything is just hunky-dory?
I've never seen a more fidgety coach. What was wrong with her? And I can't think of any other coach in the league who would have been less assertive in an interview. Really awful.
Her behavioral tics are legendary. She doesn’t seem to have any self-awareness around how she presents and how it might undermine her message.
Behavioral tics? I need to watch more closely obviously. 🤔🧐
It was nice to see Diggins apologize for her boorish behavior at the previous postgame presser.
Is Diggins nursing an injury? She seems to be so in and out.
She's going through a divorce. I think most players are going through some physical ailments, but I don't think she has any major injury; otherwise, she wouldn't be playing.