Women’s college basketball transfer portal winners and losers: Audi Crooks, Iowa, Texas
Count Oklahoma State, Iowa and TCU among the teams who capitalized most from the transfer portal.
www.nytimes.com
The Athletic likes our portal gains
- Thread starter Whtnhawk
- Start date
www.nytimes.com
The Hawkeyes were able to lock down 1 of the best scoring shooting guards and then picked up a really solid bench guard that does a lot of things right. There is nothing wrong with what they have done so far. They need Forward with some size that can be the 3rd Center if need be. I still think we need a legit 3 option either on the bench. Right now we seem to be wanting to fill that position with minutes from Stremlow, Whiting and Houston.Women’s college basketball transfer portal winners and losers: Audi Crooks, Iowa, Texas
Count Oklahoma State, Iowa and TCU among the teams who capitalized most from the transfer portal.
If this team played tomorrow the biggest weaknesses by far are at the backup 5 and guard/wing depth. The forwards are probably fine with Journey and McKenna and you're not spending a bunch of money to keep them on the bench. Some of this of course depends on who they are able to bring in. If Jan is able to land a quality PF instead of a wing, she could move Journey or McKenna to the 3 spot assuming they show the ability to hit from long range.
Hays needs to improve significantly to avoid a huge dropoff when she enters the game and if she can't fix her FT problem (35% in conference play) and defense she shouldn't be out there at all. She has the entire off season to improve, and lots can happen between freshman and sophomore year but she couldn't be considered a quality backup in any way today.
Whiting backs up the 2-3 spot. Stremlow or Carnegie can slide over to the one to spell CCW, but that leaves only one player to back up 3 positions. That's not going to work.
I believe they are focusing their resources on a forward. My guess is that would be the next commit.
I'm certain our coaching staff does not agree with your take on Layla Hays - thankfully.
Last edited:
Are you arguing that she was a quality backup this year? If so I'm not sure what you saw to believe that was the case.
Hays was not very consistent or effective last season. This is a statement you can make for probably 80% or more of college freshman Centers…..and it applied especially to Hays who played in a small Alaska high school before flying in to Iowa City. Development is almost always the key for tall players. TBD.
She. Was. A. Freshman.
She was only a freshman this year, give her a chance.
Layla has a ways to go to be a true asset on the floor, How much can she progress this off-season I don't know but I do trust Jan's track record of developing post players.
Exactly, and my statements in no way suggest that she won't improve next year. Jan is obviously betting on that. There's just no way to know how much, and she was easily the weakest link of any players in the rotation this year and certainly of the players returning. With that said, bringing in someone who can step in if necessary to fill that spot is key if significant improvement isn't made. She was an adequate rebounder, but beyond that this season was a huge struggle.
Just a reminder of how her conference slate played out:
FG% 40% worst on team
FT% 35% worst on team
TOV per 40 4.4 worst on team
PER 4.0 worst on team
Rebounds per 40 9.4 4th best on team
Points per 40 12.2 7th best on team
I'm talking about today. She will undoubtedly improve. How good will she be next year nobody knows.
Let’s talk about good she is next year, next year.
Hays can only improve her athleticism and quickness so much. Counting on her being able to slide in front of driving guards or making a quick backside play? Yeah, they need to add a player here. It is what it is.
We all hope she's great next year. Unfortunately hope is not a plan nor an effective strategy.Let’s talk about good she is next year, next year.
I hope we can find a post coach able to develop a young player from a small school like Megan G. Hmmmm
Journey and Jan both want Journey playing the 3.
The apparent obstacle for Hays going forward is getting significant playing time so long as Heiden remains injury free. I don’t have the stats but it seems self-evident that progress accelerates with additional game time. Monica Czinano e.g. going from a frosh 5mpg to 28mpg as a sophomore (and a noticeable improvement in FG% REBs, etc.). It’s hard to see Hays getting even half that mpg next year.
I imagine there will be a big leap in her game after a full year of S&C + a full offseason under Jan.
Yeah we've never seen our posts improve from the time they were freshmen through the next three years. Hays is going to make some people on here look stupid before she graduates. Hopefully it's not me.
Last edited:
I would love for Layla to do that, and hope for it. My timeline of thought is next November, however, as opposed to 2028-29. Big difference. And the specific thing I commented on was quickness and athleticism. Not impossible, but also there is a long way to go for that type of transformation.
So, is Hays going to make the comment stupid in 6 months?
Those were different times without the portal and we're not talking about 2 or 3 years down the road. We're talking about next year. Layla wasn't ready for the 2 deep this year. We don't know if she'll be ready next year and if Ava misses any time that's a huge concern. My original comment was that if you were to evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of the team today, Layla at the backup 5 along with a lack of depth at the guard spot would be the greatest weakness. Someone mentioned possibly grabbing a forward that could also potentially back up the 5. IMO that could be a wise investment given the current state of Layla's development. I don't know why some people consider that a controversial take.
Oh, I thought Layla should be judged on this year only and not her future potetnial.
Seems like some folks forgot about recruiting and development and only want the TCU buy teams yearly pro model!
I didn't really have a preference. Jan obviously feels like she has a future or she'd probably be gone. If there is a player in the portal who can help next year at the 5 while Layla continues to develop her game then I'd see that as a plus. Wouldn't you?
You started out bagging on Deal, now bagging on Hays, both freshmen that will grow and develop. How good were you in HS as a freshman against seniors, did you improve as you got more teaching and experience? You act like there is no growth cycle. Give these kids a break!
There is a lot of nuance to that conversation. I think, if Iowa wants to recruit top 20 players out of high school, they need some greater measure of success, and probably, upperclassmen with that same elite talent in order to keep the roster management functional, and ultimately sustainable. To get there, to that place where you can bring in elite high school talent the current roster "purge" sort-of had to happen. Potential success then leading to better recruiting.
This is all assuming Iowa wants to compete at the elite levels. I think if middle of the pack is okay with the program and fans, they could probably stick with a more organic, developmental approach. Not sure if that's what the program wants. Maybe, but this era will swallow a program quick if they don't play this portal game.
It is so weird to me how many people here act like there's infinite money and/or many great players to be had that want to come with the money available. People act like Iowa City is an easy place to recruit to. It isn't.
It's one thing to hope for a few more good players. It's another thing to act like the coaches have failed or this roster isn't incredibly well constructed.
Snow. No diversity. Very hard to get to. Boring. Chat and LaSondra seem to be doing great things in combating one HUGE aspect of the recruiting problem
Also, there are very few tall quality forwards in the portal. You want one to come. Then I hope you have a few hundred thousand to hand Jan
The Athletic rates what Jan has done very highly, but some people in here actually seem to be only focusing on roster deficiencies.
Tell me the last time a First All SEC player transferrred to the Big Ten, much less the Midwest.
Well done, Jan. I hope there are more good players to come, but the two additions so far--and the retention of Chat, Strem, Ava, Journey, and Layla--is amazing
It's one thing to hope for a few more good players. It's another thing to act like the coaches have failed or this roster isn't incredibly well constructed.
Snow. No diversity. Very hard to get to. Boring. Chat and LaSondra seem to be doing great things in combating one HUGE aspect of the recruiting problem
Also, there are very few tall quality forwards in the portal. You want one to come. Then I hope you have a few hundred thousand to hand Jan
The Athletic rates what Jan has done very highly, but some people in here actually seem to be only focusing on roster deficiencies.
Tell me the last time a First All SEC player transferrred to the Big Ten, much less the Midwest.
Well done, Jan. I hope there are more good players to come, but the two additions so far--and the retention of Chat, Strem, Ava, Journey, and Layla--is amazing
IMO, when you lose the continuity of the roster, you will lose the fans of the program, you just can’t continue buying a team yty or fans will lose interest. We shall see what happens. As I’ve said before, I believe this is the end of college sports.
Yeah. You don't have to like it, but the world has changed and it's now a semi-pro league. Do you want to win? Recruiting and development are now secondary to developing a team through elite recruits and the portal. Michigan won a national championship with 5 new players. UCLA won a national championship with 5 transfers in the rotation. Iowa will be starting 2-3 transfers next year. It is simply the way of the world.
Oh cry me a river. I didn't bag on Deal and I couldn't care less about her now that she's a badger. I never said either one wouldn't develop into a better player. Don't be an azz.
Who said this was easy??? I think Jan has done a great job of assembling talent.
I get it. You don't like it. Now go stick your head in the sand. You'll feel better.
No. Youre entitled to an opinion. You're not entitled to making shat up about what I've said about these 2 players.
