The Difference Between A’ja Wilson and Russell

[lvfan35yr]

wison's physicality is what sets her apart from russell.hopefully russell will get more physical cause if she did she would be almost unstoppable.

 

[mlindsay]

Russell has had to deal with her foot issues when she first came to UT, which was unfortunate for her. She was arguably the #1 overall prospect for 2013 (some said DeShields, some said Davis), while Wilson was arguably the overall #1 for 2014 (some said ND's Turner). I'm glad to see her finally healthy and able to play to her true potential last season and thus far this year.

However, in Wilson's 3 years of play at USC, she's had to share responsibilities on the team with an SEC player of the year, five (5) 1st-team All-SEC picks, a 2nd-team All-SEC, and two (2) SEC All-Defensive team selections, all NOT named A'ja Wilson. Russell has spent her 3 years playing with three (3) 1st-team All-SEC picks, one 2nd-team All-SEC, and that's it. And in Wilson's first 2 years at USC, the offense has gone through Mitchell, not her. And yet while saying all that, Wilson is still on pace to set the career program record in points (only 384 points shy, currently), already easily owns the career record in blocked shots, and should finish in the top three all time in rebounds....

Your point?

The difference in program's is there were never a Chamique Holdsclaw, Candace Parker, Glory Johnson, Tamika Catchings, Izzy Harrison, Basharra Graves, Shyra Ely, Gwen Jackson, Kelly Cain, Nicky Anosike (all players who have played the 4 or 5 at UT and I can name a lot more) at SC therefore those players performing at SC (The Tiffany Mitchell's and others you've named who received honors) sets the precedent for SC.

Russell has to chase the record books of some of the best players to play the women's game at her position who hails from her university. Wilson doesn't because she's the first to do it at her University.

That's a huge difference.

Wilson is a great player but to continue comparing her and Russell is ridiculous. They are two different players with two different styles being asked to do different things for their respective teams.

 

[Chitownvol1129]

Russell has had to deal with her foot issues when she first came to UT, which was unfortunate for her. She was arguably the #1 overall prospect for 2013 (some said DeShields, some said Davis), while Wilson was arguably the overall #1 for 2014 (some said ND's Turner). I'm glad to see her finally healthy and able to play to her true potential last season and thus far this year.

However, in Wilson's 3 years of play at USC, she's had to share responsibilities on the team with an SEC player of the year, five (5) 1st-team All-SEC picks, a 2nd-team All-SEC, and two (2) SEC All-Defensive team selections, all NOT named A'ja Wilson. Russell has spent her 3 years playing with three (3) 1st-team All-SEC picks, one 2nd-team All-SEC, and that's it. And in Wilson's first 2 years at USC, the offense has gone through Mitchell, not her. And yet while saying all that, Wilson is still on pace to set the career program record in points (only 384 points shy, currently), already easily owns the career record in blocked shots, and should finish in the top three all time in rebounds....

She is a great player, but having those school records is like having Vandy Football records...a big so what.great numbers but not a legacy of great players to compare them too

 

[LurkerExposed]

Your point?

The difference in program's is there were never a Chamique Holdsclaw, Candace Parker, Glory Johnson, Tamika Catchings, Izzy Harrison, Basharra Graves, Shyra Ely, Gwen Jackson, Kelly Cain, Nicky Anosike (all players who have played the 4 or 5 at UT and I can name a lot more) at SC therefore those players performing at SC (The Tiffany Mitchell's and others you've named who received honors) sets the precedent for SC.

Russell has to chase the record books of some of the best players to play the women's game at her position who hails from her university. Wilson doesn't because she's the first to do it at her University.

That's a huge difference.

Wilson is a great player but to continue comparing her and Russell is ridiculous. They are two different players with two different styles being asked to do different things for their respective teams.

Your point in your earlier post seemed to me was that Wilson was able to flourish more than Russell, because Russell was surrounded by more talent that required equal sharing of opportunities, while Wilson was not so much - she was able to "carry the load" more, which then enabled her to be more productive....

My counter-point was that, while that may have been true on paper - Russell has played with more highly rated prospects out of high school than Wilson has - in reality Wilson's teammates have been the more productive in games, and have earned more accolades both offensively and defensively that comes from in-game production as opposed to prep recruiting ratings. The successes from game production have been shared more by Wilson's teammates than they have by Russell's.

But what cannot be explained away was the fact that Mercedes has dealt with a real substantial injury issue the first half of her career, and now that she seems to have fully recovered and is healthy, her stats over last season and this are more in line with the type of numbers Wilson has put up during her career.

So we may never know of a fair comparison, due to Russell's foot issues. Dawn Staley is not a type of coach that relegates players at some positions to be facilitators for players at others, as you have implied. They have instead been more like most HC's philosophies in WCBB: distribute the ball, put players in optimal positions to take high-percentage shot attempts, and go with the hot hands that are working.

Wilson has simply been a physically imposing player that is comfortable demanding the ball, and is proficient at completing at the basket. She's a scoring machine, either from the field or at the free throw line. The minute that Staley and USC acquires a similar type player that plays along the perimeter, then the ball will go more to them.

Before her injury, transfer Lindsey Spann was the 2nd-leading scorer for the Gamecocks, and she took the 2nd-most shot attempts, after Wilson. Since she's been out of the lineup, Jennings - the 3rd-leading scorer who's really stepped up recently - has been getting the opportunities, almost as many shot attempts as Wilson has been getting. It doesn't matter what position the player plays, it only matters who steps up and wants to contribute for the team offensively....

 

[LurkerExposed]

She is a great player, but having those school records is like having Vandy Football records...a big so what.great numbers but not a legacy of great players to compare them too

They were my attempt to illustrate that despite what I feel is the fact that Wilson has had to share more in-game production with teammates at USC than what Russell has had to with hers at UT - in counter to mlindsay's assertion - Wilson has still been able to produce a college career at an all-time program record level; that IMO this was and is because that between Wilson and Russell, Wilson has been more assertive in demanding the ball and being the "go-to" player for her team, and has been more proficient at doing so.

But again, this is NOT because I think Russell is the lesser player, but more the unfortunate result of Russell dealing with her foot issues that have stunted her career while at UT. As I have already stated above, now that Russell seems fully healthy and is no longer encumbered by her physical issues, her production last season and thus far this one seems more in line with Wilson's production, and what Lady Vol fans expected from her when she came to Knoxville...

 

[teacherdean]

I apologize for going off on Chitown, it was undeserved and I should have ignored the effort to upset me when I did not have an agenda or mean any harm. If you disagree say so but leave the crap off.

 

[ladyvosl23]

I don't think Wilson will mind having to play defense. She's been a regular on the SEC All Defensive teams, and I think she was SEC DPOY at least once.

I suspect that Wilson will spend more time guarding Mercedes if Jennings struggles early. SC could also play Jennings less and give more minutes to Harrigan since she can probably defend Nared better, but she's not as much of an offensive threat.

I think the SC game will be decided by the battle of the guards. The frontcourts will for the most part likely be a wash.

Wilson could not guard jamie beyong the 3 point line period defensive player is mostly due to her being under the basket and russell will eat jennings for breakfast, come back for lunch and then wait for dinner and desert, please

 

[SCspur]

Wilson could not guard jamie beyong the 3 point line period defensive player is mostly due to her being under the basket and russell will eat jennings for breakfast, come back for lunch and then wait for dinner and desert, please

We will see. It is a different year and different team on both sides of the ball. One thing for sure Nared can't guard Wilson as much as Wilson can't guard Nared so we'll see who wins that battle. As for Jennings and Russell if you keep going off what she did at Kentucky 2 years ago versus what she's doing for a far better team in SC then you'll be very surprise come Jan 14. Jennings has improved in all areas of her game and plays far better defense than she did at UK.

 

[wikileaks]

We will see. It is a different year and different team on both sides of the ball. One thing for sure Nared can't guard Wilson as much as Wilson can't guard Nared so we'll see who wins that battle. As for Jennings and Russell if you keep going off what she did at Kentucky 2 years ago versus what she's doing for a far better team in SC then you'll be very surprise come Jan 14. Jennings has improved in all areas of her game and plays far better defense than she did at UK.

Jennings looks much better offensively at South Carolina than she did at Kentucky. I don't see too much of a defensive improvement, not that she was bad defensively at Kentucky. I see a big improvement in her offensive game. Staley has done a good job with her in that aspect. It will be interesting to see when Jennings, and Russell matchup against each other. I don't think she can score over Russell. She will have to use her quickness to try and get around Russell if she wants to win that matchup IMO. Otherwise I think Russell will own that matchup. :twocents: