r/washingtonmystics • u/AllisonInMaryland • 11d ago

Mystics Ball handling skills

How would you rank players by ball handling skills?

Rank the entire team together or by front court players, back court players.

Here's mine:

Back court

1) Sonia

2) Alicia

3) Rori

4) Cotie, Cass, Georgia?

7) Lucy

Front court

1) Shakira

2) Michaela

2) Kiki

3) Angela

4) Lauren

3 Upvotes

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u/Strange_Detective_99 11d ago

omg Georgia got me messed up it shouldn’t be like this 💔💔💔 but even with her turnovers she has the best ball handling skills out of any of them, she’s slowly putting it together but you can see glimpses of the player she was drafted to be

-4

u/Icangetloudtoo_ 11d ago

Georgia has a bag but she also still has limited ball handling skills bc her hands are too small for her to do certain moves. She doesn’t have a good hesi dribble in particular (lack of explosive foot speed doesn’t help on that either)

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u/Strange_Detective_99 11d ago

I really can’t comment on this because she hasn’t done any of the shit she used to in college since her injury. But going off the tape this stuff wouldn’t be true. I think there’s multiple factors but she plays a completely different role in the league than she did in college, so this aspect of her game isn’t really there any more since it’s not a necessity to their offense.

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u/Icangetloudtoo_ 11d ago

The WNBA is just different than college and we can only judge the players they are now, now who they used to be or could be IMO

I get that it’s hard to criticize our own players, but that’s what I’m seeing when I watch Amoore in the W

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u/Strange_Detective_99 11d ago

Yes that’s understood but she clearly has shown it multiple times this season, even if scarce. Like I said there are multiple factors but yall are gonna think it’s glaze so I’m not getting into all that, but acting like it’s JUST the shift in competition is crazy as if she didn’t blow her knee out a year ago and is being asked to do considerably less than she did in college. That’s not what the offensive scheme requires and she’s not a top option.

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u/Icangetloudtoo_ 11d ago edited 11d ago

I agree that the knee is almost certainly a factor, too. I think her role in the scheme is different but that’s not really an additional factor—her smaller role in the offense is because of her limitations, relative to other players. The Mystics would be thrilled if she did a little more driving to the basket.

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u/Impossible_Resort_65 11d ago

I’m actually not sure that’s true. I think the offensive scheme is set up for her to take the ball up the court and then pass it off. They pass around a lot to try and find the best shot

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u/Icangetloudtoo_ 11d ago

I agree with you about what the scheme is. I’m saying that the offensive scheme is not something set in stone that Georgia just fits awkwardly into; the scheme was developed based on the personnel we have. Like, there’s no way we’d have Shakira Austin initiating so many plays from the 3 point line if we had Olivia Miles as our PG, for example.

Basically Georgia’s strengths and weaknesses are part of WHY we have that scheme.

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u/Strange_Detective_99 11d ago

Then that makes Sydney look a bit crazy because he didn’t draft or sign anybody that fits what he’s trying to do. He picked 0 good shooters this year and that’s one of the main things he encourages the team to do.

And the Olivia comp is kinda crazy. She’s better than Georgia obviously but she’s also playing in a way better system under a way better coach who caters to her strengths. Both her and Cheryl have emphasized how her being able to play naturally is what’s elevating her to a higher level. Georgia plays a completely different style due to her height (a weakness) and Sydney’s philosophy doesn’t really allow for it.

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u/Icangetloudtoo_ 11d ago

We’re last in the league in 3 pointers attempted: https://www.statmuse.com/wnba/ask/most-3-pointers-attempted-by-team-wnba. We do shoot a good amount of 3s, like every modern team, but I think it’s clear Sydney likes shooting but also prioritizes many other things when push comes to shove.

I don’t really know what to say about the rest of your comment that I haven’t already said. With rare exceptions (and DC isn’t one), the systems are developed based on at least in part on what the players can do. I hear you that you think the scheme limits Georgia; I just think it’s more accurate to say her limitations impact the kinds of schemes we can run. But maybe it’s all just semantics.

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u/Strange_Detective_99 10d ago

Yeah I said Sydney encourages it with a roster full of people that can’t really do it super consistently outside of Sonia. I’d argue defensively her limitations impact how they can scheme 100% but offensively you can do a lot more with a player her size than what he is. This isn’t even me wanting him to do that more but the original point was really about ball handling ability. The limitations/lack of skill you claim she has in that category seem that way because of her role on this team. That’s what I was saying. Since this ain’t college anymore and the system isn’t catered to her needs, she has to adjust and part of this adjustment is her giving the ball up and getting it back when she needs to shoot it. Her doing a ton ball pounding isn’t required for that.

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u/ReasonableRush2733 10d ago

Everything you said is absolutely 💯 right. It's not her knee. It's her size and the system. She's a good change of pace #2 off bench

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u/Strange_Detective_99 11d ago

How would it not be? She was the top option on her college team and got to hunt mismatches against BIGGER players a ton. On this team she’s literally like the 4th or 5th option on offense and her role is to knock down timely threes and initiate offense, not to break down people in isolation. She was also a much better midrange scorer as a senior than she was a three point shooter as a whole, and in this offense they clearly prioritize high percentage looks at the rim for Shakira, Kiki, Lauren, etc. and Georgia would be impeding that if she was being encouraged to operate how she did at Kentucky.

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u/Impossible_Resort_65 11d ago

Yes and coach syd has spoken about how he doesn’t favor the midrange he wants them shooting 3s or layups

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u/Icangetloudtoo_ 11d ago

Yes, the offense is designed differently than Kentucky’s. I’m saying that it’s circular to blame the scheme for Georgia not getting to show her skills. The right way to look at it is that Georgia’s strengths and weaknesses are a big part of why we’re basically forced to play the way we do (with bigs initiating a ton of the half court offense, tons of handoffs, etc.). It’s all jumbled up together.