Elena Delle Donne Named POY

[CaliforniaBasketball]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/basketball/2008-02-14-prep-notes_N.htm

Congrats Elena

[connboy]

Congratulations Elena! A well deserved award; can't wait to see you play at UCONN.

[ClayKallam]

This is not a knock on Elena DelleDonne, who is a superb player, but rather about criteria.

DelleDonne played about half the season for Ursuline, maybe less. Should she be eligible for Player of the Year?

The other candidates -- Jasmine Dixon, Glory Johnson, Nneka Ogwumike, just to name three -- all played full seasons. Shouldn't that count for something?

Also, why is the award announced now? The season is far from over.

[CaliforniaBasketball]

This is not a knock on Elena DelleDonne, who is a superb player, but rather about criteria.

DelleDonne played about half the season for Ursuline, maybe less. Should she be eligible for Player of the Year?

The other candidates -- Jasmine Dixon, Glory Johnson, Nneka Ogwumike, just to name three -- all played full seasons. Shouldn't that count for something?

Also, why is the award announced now? The season is far from over.

I agree. Was kind of shocked because she did miss a nice part of the season when she was ill and her team isnt in the top 25 I believe but hey, she's a fine player and person. I think Dixon had to be highly looked at, even SHCP's Rogers led them with a strong force, Ogwumike has Cy-Fair playing great basketball

[glenn]

This is not a knock on Elena DelleDonne, who is a superb player, but rather about criteria.

DelleDonne played about half the season for Ursuline, maybe less. Should she be eligible for Player of the Year?

The other candidates -- Jasmine Dixon, Glory Johnson, Nneka Ogwumike, just to name three -- all played full seasons. Shouldn't that count for something?

Also, why is the award announced now? The season is far from over.

Clay ... you and I just helped choose the McDonald's All-American team, which is being named on Tuesday. I think the answer to your question is "logistics." To get all the candidates in order, and the voting done, it's almost impossible to do all-star teams and POY awards based on a season alone. Plus, there is no clearinghouse of stats and information where anyone can compare the performances of players around the country. Thus any award is a "body of work" award.

[hoops4all]

If these honors are based on season long performance, how can Caroline Doty be names honorable mention when she did not play a game all year. I will not say Doty is not All American worthy but if you start to honor kids who did not play all year, sad sign of the times we live in,

[pgcop]

as glenn said body of work, which encorporates more than just this hs season or this past spring summer, they could have given edd this award 2 years ago. if she would have played this seasonand the past 2 spring summers I believe her play would have only confirmed the award. lastly their are not too many players that are able to sit year out of basketball and come back at the top of their game, one that comes to mind is michael jordan. congrats edd

[Hoopsking]

Congrats to EDD.

[ClayKallam]

I would agree that the body of work definitely applies, which includes both summer and high school.

EDD, though very skilled and very talented, isn't, to my mind at least, head and shoulders above Glory Johnson, Nneka Ogwumike and/or Jasmine Dixon. In fact, some might say one of those three is better; others might not. But those three didn't miss any time this high school season, or this past summer (EDD was injured and took a break then as well), or the summer before (EDD was injured).

Again, this comes to a criteria kind of thing. Should the others get more credit because they played all the time? Or does that matter? If injuries don't count at all, then Caroline Doty is probably first-team all-American. If they count for some, should they impact the voters when they compare EDD to Dixon, Ogwumike and Johnson?

I understand about the logistics of naming the McDonald's team, but I don't know why USA Today had to name its Player of the Year now. It seems to me they could easily wait a month to do it -- or at least a couple more weeks.

[intelligenthoodlum]

Most likely--to the IH--Elena was named POY this early to beat the traffic. If/when one of these other three girls catch fire during her playoffs and deliver some real heat, it may not be as easy to just flat-out give the award to Elena...

[ILLINOIS SPEED]

I am suprised as well that USA today would name this award at this point in the season.

Clay- Would it really have hurt them if they waited 2 more weeks and is there anyway to get the records of the three other girs you mentioned and their stats for THIS season?

If the player of the year is for 2007-2008 season then it should be based on what these kids have done during THIS SEASON. If the award says Player of the year from 2005-2008 then EDD should get it? :D

[gaelite]

How about April Sykes I have not heard a word from any of you she had a GREAT summer. Can't comment on her high school season but high school should not count as much in my opinion because of the level of competetion.

[connboy]

If we are talking about someone having a great summer then Tiffany Hays's name has to be mentioned. Who on the 2008 list had a better summer then she had?

[glenn]

Just to be clear, this was not USA Today's award. It is the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), which has its convention in conjunction with the Final Four. I trust, just like McDonald's, there are logistics to the award. As far as anyone knows, this was leaked out, as opposed to announced.

[ILLINOIS SPEED]

Thanks for letting us know it was not USA TODAY...

[gaelite]

You are right Tiffany did have a great summer but without April she does not have that kind of year. You will see in college that April has all the skills I am not saying Tiffany does not different type players. Do we know who does the voting at the WBCA is it coaches or a board.

[frankiebaby]

I don't think it really matters what any other girl would have done late season EDD would have still been the winner. Great player for gone conclusion. Only other scenario would be to have a co-poy but thats not likely.

[BballFanaticInMS]

In response to the question about April Sykes...She's having a fine season with East Oktibbeha High. She has led her team to their best year ever, and a top 10 spot in the overall state rankings. This is a major accomplishment considering they are a very small school playing in our state's smallest classification. They have played a lot of bigger schools that have very good teams.