I think I would go with Olivia Miles since she's the best PG in the Draft and she's a strong rebounding guard besides being a superb passer and a very good scorer, too. We do need our PG of the future and it may not be Nika Muhl. At least they would be good competition for each other while learning under Skylar assuming she resigns. If Sky doesn't resign then there's no question that we need Miles. I was disappointed to hear that she's a poor defender but that's a skill that can be learned with hard work. FlaúJae is another intriguing prospect who could be a very good PG or combo guard. Azzi Fudd is the best outside shooter but she's a shooting guard not a PG. I think we have to go with the best PG available.
Lauren Betts is the best rebounder of the group in terms of season averages. Obviously, being 6'7" helps that. Olivia Miles has been the best rebounder among the guard prospects. The team's rebounding could change just based on having a new Head Coach who might implement different strategies on offense and defense.
Purely from the excitement factor standpoint, I would be happy with Johnson, Miles or Fudd. Although I think the likeliest to be picked is Miles if she’s still there.
Teira McCowan is a perfect Betts comparison. In her draft everyone expected McCowan to go #1 but we see how things have gone with her career. I hope Storm stick with picking up a SG or PG if they don't think Nika will play backup to Sky.
I would say Johnson or Miles with leaning more towards Johnson. Having a two way athletic guard who can score and shoot the three so efficiently is gold. Yet, the PG is a pivotal position to a team’s success. Would it be easier to develop defense and 3 pt shooting (Miles) or passing (Johnson) Jeff, what do you think? Also, why did Miles leave Notre Dame ( a program with championship pedigree)to go to TCU for one year? Thanks
It's a great debate. Would you include Fudd in there if she's on the board still? Or are you higher on both Miles and Johnson? It would have been fascinating to me if the Storm had moved up to #1 or #2 because I truly wonder who they would have as their #1 overall on their big board. But I am thankful they stayed at #3 because I'm very confident they'll be able to draft a talented player. Even in a "worst-case scenario" and let's say Azzi Fudd and Olivia Miles are taken #1 and #2, they would still have Flau'jae, Awa Fam, Lauren Betts, and Taniya Latson to choose from, and I feel that's pretty much their "worst" set of options.
If it came down to a decision between Olivia Miles and Flau'jae Johnson, I'm honestly not sure who I would choose today. As I wrote in the article, I think Johnson is probably the most complete two-way player of the guard group. Flau'jae and Olivia are both better attackers to the rim than Fudd; Johnson is a better outside shooter and a better defender than Miles. But a good point guard is more important than a great shooting guard. I would need to watch even more game tape of Flau'jae, but I don't think they would try to convert her to a point guard. I think she's a more natural 2. I remember in Jewell's early years, they toyed around with the idea of trying to convert her into a point guard, but it didn't really work out.
Specific to your question about whether it'd be easier to get Miles to improve her 3-PT shooting and her defense versus Johnson's passing, I would definitely say Johnson's passing. However, Miles isn't just any old passer. She is one of the most remarkable passers I have ever seen. I also think there is a high probability that Flau'jae's 3-PT shooting will come down to earth. She's shooting nearly 60% from beyond the arc, and there is no way that continues throughout the season. But I do think she could still stay around 40% which in itself is very impressive. Ideally, Miles can improve her shot some and finish the season shooting 33-36% from long distance, and Johnson finishes 38-42%.
If I were Talisa Rhea and had to make the decision today between the two. I'm having a meeting with Coach Raman and the rest of the front office staff, and I would figure out where everyone stands. Do we believe one player is clearly more talented than the other? If they believe Flau'jae is the more talented player overall. Let's say they score her a 92 overall. What do they score Olivia Miles? Is it like 84 or 88? Does the positional value of the Point Guard make up for the higher score of Johnson? If it's 88 to 92, it probably does or at least it might. But if it's a 92 versus an 82, then it wouldn't.
There are several other factors as well. Do they want to bring Skylar Diggins back? If the answer is yes, then it'd probably make sense to take Johnson if they valued Miles and Johnson evenly. I'm pretty confident Gabby Williams will re-sign with the team, and Jordan Horston should be back. I am high on both players, but their biggest weakness is their outside shooting. Let's say Olivia Miles finishes the season shooting below 30% from 3-PT range or even low 30's (30-32%), then you would have 3 guards/wings who all struggle with three-point shooting. That seems like a recipe for disaster. In that sense, it would make more sense to go with Johnson or Fudd if she were still on the board.
But what if they want to move on from Skylar? I thought Diggins played well, but I also thought she wore down as the season went on. If the WNBA increases to a 48-56 game season (I expect it'll go above 44 with the new CBA), how is Skylar going to hold up as she turns 36, 37, etc? That's where a Miles pick makes more and more sense.
Lastly, there are other factors. Like Fudd, Olivia Miles missed a season with a torn ACL. Is there an injury concern? Flau'jae has a separate rap/music career. Is there any concern that her attention could be taken away from basketball, or any concern that she might decide to quit her basketball career earlier than expected? Obviously, that's something you probably learn more about with player interviews ahead of the draft.
On the Miles leaving Notre Dame for TCU, I think it was a combination of 2 or 3 things. It seems like she had some issues with Hannah Hidalgo. They both played point guard, and both wanted the ball in their hands. There seems to be some contention between the two, maybe even beyond basketball. I also believe I read or heard Miles talk about the offense that's run at TCU, maybe helping her adjust to more of a professional style offense, or maybe just playing to her strengths, and that was something she was interested in. TCU beat Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament last year, and I think they might be ranked higher than the Fighting Irish currently, so it's not like Miles transferred to a team that doesn't have a shot of winning anything.
What a great response, Jeff. Thank you for all the detail and important questions you posed. Lots to consider and think about. I’m going to need to watch more college ball! And it really does depend on what happens with Skylar. Very exciting time for the Storm. I’m thrilled with a new coach, 3rd pick and hopefully a happy locker room who has fun playing together.
It's truly difficult to say because I don't think I've seen enough from any of them to say for certain that one is clearly better than the others. They all have redeeming qualities. Olivia plays one of the most important positions in basketball, is an elite passer rivaling the all-time greats in that area, rebounds well for a guard, gets to the rim, and can hit the three (even if she's the weakest of the 3). I think Flau'jae is the best athlete of the 3 which I do think is important when it comes to the pro game. I think Johnson is the best two-way player (offense and defense) of the 3. She is also probably the most complete offensive player of the 3 because she can create her own shot, attack the rim, hit the 3 and the midrange. Azzi Fudd is an elite shooter. Seattle needs 3-point shooting because players like Gabby and Jordan are sub-part outside shooters. So Fudd is a definite fit and fills a hole the team has. She's a better defender than Miles. But she doesn't create her own shot as well and is the weakest of the 3 in that regard and driving to the rim. Fudd also has the extensive injury history.
Seattle may have their choice made for them if Dallas and Minnesota take 2 of the 3. But there is also a chance 2 out of the 3 are still available if Awa Fam goes in the Top 2 picks. If the Storm don't have a long-term solution at point guard, they should probably take Miles if she is there. But if they address PG in Free Agency, maybe they could lure Veronica Burton to Seattle or bring back Jordin Canada. Or they could always try to draft another PG later in the draft Rori Harmon, Kiki Rice (probably won't be there), Iyana Martin (Spain prospect) are all PG options they could do with their 2nd pick. If they address it either later in the draft or Free Agency, then they could opt for Azzi or Flau'jae instead.
I think I would go with Olivia Miles since she's the best PG in the Draft and she's a strong rebounding guard besides being a superb passer and a very good scorer, too. We do need our PG of the future and it may not be Nika Muhl. At least they would be good competition for each other while learning under Skylar assuming she resigns. If Sky doesn't resign then there's no question that we need Miles. I was disappointed to hear that she's a poor defender but that's a skill that can be learned with hard work. FlaúJae is another intriguing prospect who could be a very good PG or combo guard. Azzi Fudd is the best outside shooter but she's a shooting guard not a PG. I think we have to go with the best PG available.
Who’s the best rebounder of these options? The Storm’s lackluster rebounding this last season was incredibly frustrating to watch.
Lauren Betts is the best rebounder of the group in terms of season averages. Obviously, being 6'7" helps that. Olivia Miles has been the best rebounder among the guard prospects. The team's rebounding could change just based on having a new Head Coach who might implement different strategies on offense and defense.
Purely from the excitement factor standpoint, I would be happy with Johnson, Miles or Fudd. Although I think the likeliest to be picked is Miles if she’s still there.
Teira McCowan is a perfect Betts comparison. In her draft everyone expected McCowan to go #1 but we see how things have gone with her career. I hope Storm stick with picking up a SG or PG if they don't think Nika will play backup to Sky.
Miles and Malonga would be a really fun combo
I somehow forgot about FJ, a lot of lottery mock drafts I’ve been looking at haven’t even listed her. I think either her or Azzi would be my go to.
I would say Johnson or Miles with leaning more towards Johnson. Having a two way athletic guard who can score and shoot the three so efficiently is gold. Yet, the PG is a pivotal position to a team’s success. Would it be easier to develop defense and 3 pt shooting (Miles) or passing (Johnson) Jeff, what do you think? Also, why did Miles leave Notre Dame ( a program with championship pedigree)to go to TCU for one year? Thanks
It's a great debate. Would you include Fudd in there if she's on the board still? Or are you higher on both Miles and Johnson? It would have been fascinating to me if the Storm had moved up to #1 or #2 because I truly wonder who they would have as their #1 overall on their big board. But I am thankful they stayed at #3 because I'm very confident they'll be able to draft a talented player. Even in a "worst-case scenario" and let's say Azzi Fudd and Olivia Miles are taken #1 and #2, they would still have Flau'jae, Awa Fam, Lauren Betts, and Taniya Latson to choose from, and I feel that's pretty much their "worst" set of options.
If it came down to a decision between Olivia Miles and Flau'jae Johnson, I'm honestly not sure who I would choose today. As I wrote in the article, I think Johnson is probably the most complete two-way player of the guard group. Flau'jae and Olivia are both better attackers to the rim than Fudd; Johnson is a better outside shooter and a better defender than Miles. But a good point guard is more important than a great shooting guard. I would need to watch even more game tape of Flau'jae, but I don't think they would try to convert her to a point guard. I think she's a more natural 2. I remember in Jewell's early years, they toyed around with the idea of trying to convert her into a point guard, but it didn't really work out.
Specific to your question about whether it'd be easier to get Miles to improve her 3-PT shooting and her defense versus Johnson's passing, I would definitely say Johnson's passing. However, Miles isn't just any old passer. She is one of the most remarkable passers I have ever seen. I also think there is a high probability that Flau'jae's 3-PT shooting will come down to earth. She's shooting nearly 60% from beyond the arc, and there is no way that continues throughout the season. But I do think she could still stay around 40% which in itself is very impressive. Ideally, Miles can improve her shot some and finish the season shooting 33-36% from long distance, and Johnson finishes 38-42%.
If I were Talisa Rhea and had to make the decision today between the two. I'm having a meeting with Coach Raman and the rest of the front office staff, and I would figure out where everyone stands. Do we believe one player is clearly more talented than the other? If they believe Flau'jae is the more talented player overall. Let's say they score her a 92 overall. What do they score Olivia Miles? Is it like 84 or 88? Does the positional value of the Point Guard make up for the higher score of Johnson? If it's 88 to 92, it probably does or at least it might. But if it's a 92 versus an 82, then it wouldn't.
There are several other factors as well. Do they want to bring Skylar Diggins back? If the answer is yes, then it'd probably make sense to take Johnson if they valued Miles and Johnson evenly. I'm pretty confident Gabby Williams will re-sign with the team, and Jordan Horston should be back. I am high on both players, but their biggest weakness is their outside shooting. Let's say Olivia Miles finishes the season shooting below 30% from 3-PT range or even low 30's (30-32%), then you would have 3 guards/wings who all struggle with three-point shooting. That seems like a recipe for disaster. In that sense, it would make more sense to go with Johnson or Fudd if she were still on the board.
But what if they want to move on from Skylar? I thought Diggins played well, but I also thought she wore down as the season went on. If the WNBA increases to a 48-56 game season (I expect it'll go above 44 with the new CBA), how is Skylar going to hold up as she turns 36, 37, etc? That's where a Miles pick makes more and more sense.
Lastly, there are other factors. Like Fudd, Olivia Miles missed a season with a torn ACL. Is there an injury concern? Flau'jae has a separate rap/music career. Is there any concern that her attention could be taken away from basketball, or any concern that she might decide to quit her basketball career earlier than expected? Obviously, that's something you probably learn more about with player interviews ahead of the draft.
On the Miles leaving Notre Dame for TCU, I think it was a combination of 2 or 3 things. It seems like she had some issues with Hannah Hidalgo. They both played point guard, and both wanted the ball in their hands. There seems to be some contention between the two, maybe even beyond basketball. I also believe I read or heard Miles talk about the offense that's run at TCU, maybe helping her adjust to more of a professional style offense, or maybe just playing to her strengths, and that was something she was interested in. TCU beat Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament last year, and I think they might be ranked higher than the Fighting Irish currently, so it's not like Miles transferred to a team that doesn't have a shot of winning anything.
What a great response, Jeff. Thank you for all the detail and important questions you posed. Lots to consider and think about. I’m going to need to watch more college ball! And it really does depend on what happens with Skylar. Very exciting time for the Storm. I’m thrilled with a new coach, 3rd pick and hopefully a happy locker room who has fun playing together.
Jeff, if you had to choose right now, what is your ranking of the three guards for the Storm?
It's truly difficult to say because I don't think I've seen enough from any of them to say for certain that one is clearly better than the others. They all have redeeming qualities. Olivia plays one of the most important positions in basketball, is an elite passer rivaling the all-time greats in that area, rebounds well for a guard, gets to the rim, and can hit the three (even if she's the weakest of the 3). I think Flau'jae is the best athlete of the 3 which I do think is important when it comes to the pro game. I think Johnson is the best two-way player (offense and defense) of the 3. She is also probably the most complete offensive player of the 3 because she can create her own shot, attack the rim, hit the 3 and the midrange. Azzi Fudd is an elite shooter. Seattle needs 3-point shooting because players like Gabby and Jordan are sub-part outside shooters. So Fudd is a definite fit and fills a hole the team has. She's a better defender than Miles. But she doesn't create her own shot as well and is the weakest of the 3 in that regard and driving to the rim. Fudd also has the extensive injury history.
Seattle may have their choice made for them if Dallas and Minnesota take 2 of the 3. But there is also a chance 2 out of the 3 are still available if Awa Fam goes in the Top 2 picks. If the Storm don't have a long-term solution at point guard, they should probably take Miles if she is there. But if they address PG in Free Agency, maybe they could lure Veronica Burton to Seattle or bring back Jordin Canada. Or they could always try to draft another PG later in the draft Rori Harmon, Kiki Rice (probably won't be there), Iyana Martin (Spain prospect) are all PG options they could do with their 2nd pick. If they address it either later in the draft or Free Agency, then they could opt for Azzi or Flau'jae instead.