RebKell's Junkie Boards

[Nixtreefan]

Very complicated, but intriguing.

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"White privilege is unseen by white pompous asses"
Feelings, nothing more than feelings...

[Shades]

[ClayK]

There are some issues involving the Olympics that might affect Ionescu's decision.

As I understand it, it works like this:

There are two basketball teams for the 2020 Olympics, the USNT and the 3-on-3 team.

Logic would suggest that the players who are chosen for the 3-on-3 team would be the last cuts from the USNT, but apparently USA Basketball has a points' system for making the 3-on-3 team -- and those points have to be accumulated in 3-on-3 competitions. (I don't understand all I know about this, so I'm not sure if the points are only from international play, or come from USAB events as well.)

In any event, if Ionescu goes to the WNBA this summer, apparently she would not be able to add to her point total for 3-on-3, and thus would not go to the Olympics in 2020. Being an Olympian is big for the shoe companies, so Ionescu apparently would get a much nicer shoe contract (I have no idea how much) if she's an Olympian in 2020 than if she's a top pick in 2019.

Bottom line is that the financial penalty for staying in school is less than it would be because of the bump in the shoe deal for being an Olympian, and that might tilt the scales.

Of course, from Ionescu's point of view, she has to be confident that USAB will not change the rules for Olympic 3-on-3 qualification and that she won't get hurt/play poorly and not wind up on the team anyway (I'm not sure if the points overrule everything, and if she gets hurt, say, and doesn't play for Oregon but is healthy for the Olympics, whether she still goes.)

Then again, if Oregon insures her senior season, as they did for Marcus Mariota several years ago and probably are doing for Justin Herbert this year, then that makes the financial risk even less -- though again, I don't know what that insurance entails. Is it only for career-ending injuries? What if you miss two years?

Or her WNBA team might allow to play in the 3-on-3 tournaments she needs to play in to qualify for 2020.

Tough decision for a 21-year-old ... but of course she will have good guidance (not me, of course).

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Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

[Richyyy]

Turn pro and play well enough in the WNBA and Ionescu still has a decent chance to be in the proper team for 2020. Plum and Clarendon certainly didn't establish themselves as anything close to permanent fixtures during the Worlds, Chelsea Gray didn't show up for no obvious reason, who knows what kind of shape Diggins-Smith will be in, and then we're down to the likes of J.Thomas, Sims or K.Mitchell.

The succession plan behind Bird is still very much an open question, it just got sped up a little by Whalen decomposing/retiring a little earlier than anticipated.

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Independent WNBA coverage: http://www.wnbalien.com/

[J-Spoon]

On the flip side Ionecu might still be in the running for an Olympic team spot. It looks like there is a spot at the back up pg position, and maybe even an additional guard wing spot. Plum has a slight edge with her World experience but is a certainty. Diggins-Smith and C. Gray are probabably still in the conversation but A WNBA season and a season over-seas might be better preparation for Ionecu to grab that last spot and as the youngest and possibly the most in the mold of future starter at the position I could see team USA passing over the others for their heir apparent to Bird. Maybe not? But I could see a player like Ionecu having the confidence to think she is a serious contender for the 12th spot in 2020

(Must have been typing the same time as Richyyy).

[ClayK]

I think the issue is a pretty much sure trip to the Olympics -- with all that implies -- on the 3-on-3 team, or rolling the dice with the big girls.

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Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

[Shades]

[myrtle]

[ClayK]

Yes Shades, I altered my opinion due to updated information ... I would hope that I wouldn't stick to a position regardless of additional info.

And yes, the Olympics aren't until 2020, but the points' system for qualification for the 3-on-3 team will be affected by events that take place in the summer or 2019. And if Ionescu is in the WNBA, presumably she won't be able to accumulate any more points, and thus would not be on the 3-on-3 team because other college players would pass her by.

But all that said, I don't think it's a done deal either way, for Ionescu or any of the other eligibles. It's a complicated, potentially life-altering decision, and has to be made while going through an emotionally draining season and a year of classwork.

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[canadaball]

Question: Seems USA will have separate teams for the Olympics, but can other countries have players on both regular team and 3x3?

[GlennMacGrady]

Having a national championship and POY awards on one's resume must be worth something in terms of overseas pay, endorsement contracts and maybe even the Olympics. Therefore, it's likely that Ionescu's decision to declare for the draft will be affected by whether she wins POY awards and whether Oregon wins the national championship this season.

On this theory, Ionescu should surely declare if Oregon wins the national championship and she wins one of the major POY awards this season.

Conversely, if neither happens this season, the probability that she declares might decrease, because she'll have less competition for POY awards as a senior and Oregon should be relatively stronger against much of the field (UConn, Notre Dame, MSSt, Louisville) next season.

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http://www.youtube.com/MagicBusBasketball

[ClayK]

[Richyyy]

Most overseas contracts are only for that season anyway, two at the max. Very quickly your price tag is going to be based on what you've proven you can offer in those overseas seasons. Of course, if cash is the overriding factor - as ClayK has implied at various points - her overseas earning potential would be significantly higher as a Romanian than an American...

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Independent WNBA coverage: http://www.wnbalien.com/

[Nixtreefan]

Yep she could be on one of those unlimited budget teams.

_________________
"White privilege is unseen by white pompous asses"
Feelings, nothing more than feelings...

[canadaball]

[quote="Nixtreefan"]Yep she could be on one of those unlimited budget teams.[/quote

A foreign passport (see Sloot, Prince, Tolliver etc) means much more than ethnicity.Sabrina has played for USA basketball; thus her attractiveness to overseas teams limited to ability alone. Bears repeating that, despite her great passing, she has played against no quality guards (Stanford second stringer Anna Wilson shut her down), and might be one of the slowest guards around. Those putting her on the same level as past college sensations are way premature.

[Richyyy]

She hasn't played for the USA at full senior level. At this point recent history would suggest FIBA would probably still let her switch.

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Independent WNBA coverage: http://www.wnbalien.com/

[canadaball]

[Richyyy]

Why should it being USA Basketball make any difference? The most recent example of a player being allowed to switch - even after playing in a senior FIBA competition - was Jonquel Jones, who played for the Bahamas and is now Bosnian. By comparison, Ionescu has only played for the US at lower/younger levels. FIBA ignores its own rules when it feels like it.

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Independent WNBA coverage: http://www.wnbalien.com/

[ClayK]

Playing in the Olympics, though, shuts the door completely.

Again, as I understand it, being an Olympian adds enough value (in shoe contracts and otherwise) to offset the financial advantages of being a Romanian citizen, in Ionescu's case. But being an NCAA champion and/or Player of the Year does much, much less in either situation.

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Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

[canadaball]

[Richyyy]

[WNBA 09]

Any WNBA draft related info in here? Just a thought ya know with the title and all that's what id expect.

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3-Time WNBA Champion-3-Time National Champion-4-Time Olympic Champion....And Yes DT "We Got Confeti" lol

[toad455]

[Shades]

The draft is being held on April 10 at Nike Headquarters, same location as last year.

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Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned

[toad455]