DWBB: Summer of 2025

jtelander said:
Would Skinner's arrival be expected to have a negative impact on Oluchi's minutes? Also, I wonder if coming off the bench rather than starting has been a factor.
New subject...what are Duke's academic requirements for an incoming transfer? I've read that a player has to get at least 50% of course credits at Duke to be accepted as a transfer (unless a graduate transfer). Is that correct? Does that imply that only freshmen and sophomores (and grad students with eligibility) are transfer candidates?
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Re: Skinner's, all the guards share the available slots, but with Richardson leaving, there should be a starting spot open, and I'd think Oluchi would have had the inside track to win it. Hard to say what Oluchi's objectives are, but the most probable explanation is as simple as a bag of money. Oluchi is a borderline WNBA player at best, so if she's going to make a lot of money playing basketball, she's going to want to lock it in now. I just hope she doesn't make as bad a decision as Hailey Van Lith made in going to LSU. Making money is nice, but you still have to be treated well to enjoy your life.

Yes on the academic requirements. As far as I know, those restrictions still apply. It's hard for us to take in rising juniors and seniors, unless a player has had a redshirt year and has two years of eligibility left in their fourth year.
 
jtelander said:
Would Skinner's arrival be expected to have a negative impact on Oluchi's minutes? Also, I wonder if coming off the bench rather than starting has been a factor.
New subject...what are Duke's academic requirements for an incoming transfer? I've read that a player has to get at least 50% of course credits at Duke to be accepted as a transfer (unless a graduate transfer). Is that correct? Does that imply that only freshmen and sophomores (and grad students with eligibility) are transfer candidates?
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dudog84 said:
100% agree with Kedsy & Bluedvlfan1. It's why in the last 10 years I have probably watched less than 5 full games of DMBB (which would have been inconceivable to me before then) and have gravitated to DWBB.

That said, this is only 1 player. We still have Ashlon & Co. No disrespect to Louann and Jenessa, but their leaving was understandable if they wanted to see any game time at all. Though unless they are transferring to Stanford, I don't understand why they wouldn't get a Duke degree because they are not going to the WNBA. I had athletic dreams at that age, many of us did, and though I talked to Duke coaches as a freshman I knew it was time to move on.

Oluchi might make the WNBA (I'd say it's 50-50), and I'd also argue Kara is teaching her more pro skills/systems/techniques than most other programs. As I alluded to last night, what most disturbs me is her recent statements in pressers. I wonder what her (former) teammates think.

Final (maybe) thought: She was the 3rd leading scorer and got the 5th most minutes on a team that is going to be a consensus top-5 team next year. What the hell do these kids want?
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Celeste Taylor made the WNBA and Oluchi is a similar player but even faster. I think her odds are better than 50/50. But that's not the point.

This is the third time in the past 10 years that the cornerstone of Duke's woman's team has transferred away (Azura Stevens after the 2016 season; Celeste Taylor two years ago; and now Oluchi). This one hurts the most because (a) she was my favorite player on the team, too (though, to be fair, so were Azura and Celeste when they were on the team); (b) her incredible speed, hustle, and rebounding made the difference between us being a middle-of-the-pack ACC team with a Sweet 16 ceiling and being ACC champs and knocking on the door of the Final Four; and (c) we're on the cusp of becoming a national power again and this is a major setback.

I think you nailed it with your final paragraph above. I just don't understand.
 
Kedsy said:
Celeste Taylor made the WNBA and Oluchi is a similar player but even faster. I think her odds are better than 50/50. But that's not the point.

This is the third time in the past 10 years that the cornerstone of Duke's woman's team has transferred away (Azura Stevens after the 2016 season; Celeste Taylor two years ago; and now Oluchi). This one hurts the most because (a) she was my favorite player on the team, too (though, to be fair, so were Azura and Celeste when they were on the team); (b) her incredible speed, hustle, and rebounding made the difference between us being a middle-of-the-pack ACC team with a Sweet 16 ceiling and being ACC champs and knocking on the door of the Final Four; and (c) we're on the cusp of becoming a national power again and this is a major setback.

I think you nailed it with your final paragraph above. I just don't understand.
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In my opinion, Celeste leaving didn’t benefit her in any way, nothing really about her game improved from being at Ohio State. But that’s the risk you take, I guess.

Oluchi was making great progress here, her decision making improved from last year. Sometimes still not great, but better. Her athleticism masked a lot of defensive lapses scheme wise. Wherever she lands, I hope to see improvement in that area. If not, I think her chance is limited at the next level.

Sometimes players don’t have knowledgeable people about the basketball world in their corner. People that can think bigger picture. They hear “promises” and see dollar signs and go running.
 
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Kedsy said:
Celeste Taylor made the WNBA and Oluchi is a similar player but even faster. I think her odds are better than 50/50. But that's not the point.

This is the third time in the past 10 years that the cornerstone of Duke's woman's team has transferred away (Azura Stevens after the 2016 season; Celeste Taylor two years ago; and now Oluchi). This one hurts the most because (a) she was my favorite player on the team, too (though, to be fair, so were Azura and Celeste when they were on the team); (b) her incredible speed, hustle, and rebounding made the difference between us being a middle-of-the-pack ACC team with a Sweet 16 ceiling and being ACC champs and knocking on the door of the Final Four; and (c) we're on the cusp of becoming a national power again and this is a major setback.

I think you nailed it with your final paragraph above. I just don't understand.
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Stephens was the pre NIL era and was entirely different. Taylor too kinda.

I think in this era, you gotta win over your players with both coaching and money to keep them. And despite what I see some of
You claiming above, the truth is Kara does not yet have any track record of placing players in the pros, even if she might get there. So if a South Carolina or UConn is offering good money to transfer for example, it could make a lot of sense to go.
 
From what I’ve heard, one of the biggest complaints of WNBA coaches and vets is rookies come in and don’t know how to “play”. They don’t have an IQ high enough for pro actions and sets. They don’t know pro vocabulary. Kara runs a pro style offense, she uses pro style vocab. So yes, is the offense stagnant at times, sure, but I see Kara’s vision, over time to make these players pro ready once they leave her.
 
Kedsy said:
This is the third time in the past 10 years that the cornerstone of Duke's woman's team has transferred away (Azura Stevens after the 2016 season; Celeste Taylor two years ago; and now Oluchi).
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I think it is a pretty big stretch to call Oluchi a "cornerstone". She's far less important in the scheme of things than either Azura or Celeste were at the time they left, as both of the latter were pretty clearly the top talents on the team at the time. I'd argue that in team terms, Oluchi was at best the third most important player on the team, and probably not even that. I would put both Ashlon Jackson and Toby Fournier ahead of her for sure. Possibly Delaney Thomas and/or Jadyn Donovan, as well.

Don't get me wrong, on a team that plays 8-10 deep on a regular basis, losing a regular rotation player like Oluchi is a big deal. But she's not the heart and soul of the team, even if she is a major fan favorite.
 
Phredd3 said:
I think it is a pretty big stretch to call Oluchi a "cornerstone". She's far less important in the scheme of things than either Azura or Celeste were at the time they left, as both of the latter were pretty clearly the top talents on the team at the time. I'd argue that in team terms, Oluchi was at best the third most important player on the team, and probably not even that. I would put both Ashlon Jackson and Toby Fournier ahead of her for sure. Possibly Delaney Thomas and/or Jadyn Donovan, as well.

Don't get me wrong, on a team that plays 8-10 deep on a regular basis, losing a regular rotation player like Oluchi is a big deal. But she's not the heart and soul of the team, even if she is a major fan favorite.
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One can fairly debate the issue of which player or players were the most important or most valuable for the Duke women's basketball team this season. Even if you don't believe she was a "cornerstone" for this team, however, I would say, based on having watched virtually every game and having attended several in person, that she could fairly be characterized as the most reliable "catalyst" -- the player who consistently brought the energy and fearless competitiveness to the court that often provided a winning edge for the Blue Devils in tough games. I hope that Coach Lawson and the staff can put together an enticing package and persuade Oluchi to return to Duke next year, because IMO she brings unique qualities to the team that would significantly enhance Duke's prospects for continuing to improve on the upward trend that we're all excited to witness.
 
This is hardly breaking news, but Emilee Skinner is very good on both O and D. Starter for USA women in the Nike Hoop Summit, right now, USA/Peacock.
 
gumbomoop said:
This is hardly breaking news, but Emilee Skinner is very good on both O and D. Starter for USA women in the Nike Hoop Summit, right now, USA/Peacock.
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Nike Hoop Summit WBB: Team USA 90, Team World 78 (recap, box score, highlights)


Emilee Skinner (white jersey #7) started and was one of five Team USA players in double digits: 13 pts (5-7 FG, 1-2 3PT, 2-2 FT), 3 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl.
 
loran16 said:
Do they? They have severe financial issues.


God that would be such a depressing transfer
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The money that pays these players comes from donors who specifically donate to the sport of their choosing. Brenda wouldn’t be surviving in this current climate if she didn’t have money to give.
 
I thought Skinner was one of the top players for USA in the Nike Hoop Summit. She played with more poise than some of the others. They don't publish + and - values, but I'd bet hers were excellent.
 
I wonder if there is any real possibility that Oluchi will change her mind and stay. After all of the wonderful things she said about her teammates and her coaches, it boggles my mind that she would choose to leave, especially to play for somebody like Brenda Frese
 
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