RebKell's Junkie Boards

[bullsky]

http://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/news;_ylt=Ag.oFIIUj3OGEVYpWLdzLi52vrYF?slug=ap-wnbanotes&prov=ap&type=lgns

[BCBG25]

Oh boy, whoever planted the seed, I'll cut you.
I was there for Becky's early years, other fans will vouch for me, Leilani is coming up in a situation that is NOTHING like the one Becky came up in.
Lightning doesn't strike twice. Nevertheless, I like the kid and hope she sticks around until it's her turn to go into the doghouse.

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I'll change this tagline again when FFO resigns.

[toad455]

if that's the case, she'll likely be traded in 2010 for Maya Moore who'll injure herself during the offseason and doesn't play in 2011.

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LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

[BCBG25]

[bullsky]

We need a name for her followers.

Leilanians? Leilanise?

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JENNASMITH13.com

2009 WNBA Draft Net - Contributor
Fine In '09 Blog - Contributor

"We will play defense for 94 feet of the court.
We are going to have an up-tempo style and
We are going to make people fear the Fighting Illini."
-Illinois Head Coach Jolette Law

[bballfan2005]

I like "Leilanians".

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Ticha "Piggy Bank" Penicheiro is back for all you nonbelievers!

[thesixthwoman]

[JayhawkNYC]

[R U DUN]

Leilanista's?

Leilanish?

[Shades]

[BobScoutingReport]

I think it is very premature to start to declare Mitchell "the next Becky." For one thing, she is very different than Becky. She handles better and runs the offense like a true point guard should. Her biggest negative is that she can be abused defensively as Penicheiro showed when NY lost to the Monarchs. Mitchell made Ticha look like an all-star that day. Against the Dream, she ran the offense well but was too hesitant to seize on openings to the basket, instead just re-setting the offense and killing off the posession. The Liberty won that game because Thorn was inserted at point and the Liberty then had a more balanced offense. Thus I would rate her three starts as one excellent (vs Houston), one poor (vs Sac), one fair (vs Atlanta).

If Mitchell was 5-7 with average WNBA built and her skill set, I suspect she would be one of the best PG's in the league. Unfortunately she is built slight (Hammon is built strongly) at 5-4 with limited defensive quickness. It would be awesome if a player like Mitchell could be a star in the league. That would show young girls with less height and less physical gifts that if you work hard and develop the proper skills, you could make it in the WNBA. Unfortunately, basketball is not "fair" and thus the league has had a serious shortage of quality point guards.

Hopefully, Mitchell can still improve some with experience but her physical limitations are likely to continue to hold her back. Right now I would rate her as an adequate back up (where the opposition does not key on you as they do a starter). She is fun to watch as she looks like "the little kid playing against the big girls."

[LibWNBAFan]

In fairness to Mitchell, Ticha did make a number of jumpers that she has not made consistently over the course of her career, even though many point guards leave her uncovered. Though I am sure it is fair to say that being guarded by Mitchell gave Ticha additional confidence. And Ticha did overwhelm her on a few drives. Mitchell had problems with Latta and her strength advantage at times also.

The Liberty have an odd dynamic at several positions. Like, if you could combine the best of Moore and Mitchell you would have the game's top point guard. At the two if you could combine the best of Thorn and Carson you would have an amazing shooting guard. That could be said for a number of positions on the Lib, except Christon. But if you gave McCarville the length of Davenport or Jackson the shooting ability of Kraayeveld and the experience on D, then you would have two complete players. The Lib substitute freely in part because they don't have players with that complete package of skills, and they always need to search for just the right combo in order to be successful.

Finally, it is not surprising to me that it takes the people with the scouting backgrounds to give Thorn some credit. The move of Thorn to the point in the closing minutes was a huge factor, and she played very well with the added responsibility.

[root_thing]

The whole Leilani comparison to Becky is based on the mania and disproportionate adulation that comes with being small and cute. It is not about a comparison of their basketballs skills.

In terms of a name for her followers -- and I'm one of them -- Leilanians rolls off the tongue easiest, but Leilaniputians is the cleverest in terms of the immediate imagery it inspires. Of course, the whole Trekky thing with Leilanians can also bring to mind a race of little basketball playing aliens -- that's fun too.

[KeiraNY]

THANK YOU!!!! But I'm sure we'll be repeating this over & over throughout the entire season

It's all about the short & cute factor, nothing else peeps!!



[quote="root_thing"]The whole Leilani comparison to Becky is based on the mania and disproportionate adulation that comes with being small and cute. It is not about a comparison of their basketballs skills.

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I want to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee -- Joe DiMaggio

"There is a destiny that makes us brothers. None goes his way alone. All that we send into the lives of others, comes back into our own" -- RIP Guiding Light 9/18/09.

"the great & the least, the weak & the strong, the rich & the poor, in sickness & in health, in joy & in sorrow, in tragedy & triumph...you are All My Children"

MAJOR kudos to Crystal Chappell & Jessica Leccia. Long live Otalia!!!

[kwnyc]

[thesixthwoman]

[LibWNBAFan]