thanks for including the link Pointguard. They almost got over the line yesterday too! So close and yes Jaz is a ripper!

Agree, she should be going up the draft boards from her performances over the past week.
She may well be the long term Opals replacement for Whitcomb once she calls time on her career.

She's pretty much the same player she was a year ago, but her team being stronger helps of course. Look forward to seeing her in the tournament this year.

Her highlights tape for that game is worth a watch. Some elite passing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgE8sue3TvA

Like all these college kids, I'd wait to pump them up until we see them at pro level.

She's done really well. I don't mind people talking about her, she's playing great. Though her coach shouldn't still be around (and Jaz herself was on the team when a lot of the stuff was going down including that infamous team meeting).

Players like Shelley and Amoore will definitely make it to pros (WNBL/Europe/WNBA, whatever metric). It's the next ones like Woolley or Hollingsworth that will be of interest to see if they play more than NBL1 level after coming back. Tess Heal is developing into as good a SG as her cousin.

There's plenty of talented players over there doing more than just taking up a DP on a WNBL side and not playing. The quality is improving across the board.

Tess heal has dominated in the wcc since the beginning but I'm not sure she is wnbl level. Struggled at fiba u19s.
I think Juffermans who many have said is the next big Australian centre will also be exposed as she moves up the ranks from louisville to pro.

Alot of the tier 2 kids going into college will end up having better wnbl careers than some of those who were ranked higher.
Woolley is a good example but there are quite a few others.

Deeble as example was the no1 pg prospect for 2003 but hasnt looked comfortable at all at Wake.


This year also showed how badly the u19 selectors got it wrong.
We didn’t see any of

Twidale
Ananiev
Crawshaw
Jacobs
Hassett who just signed for Virginia tech after dominating juco.

definitely on the radar of Aussie national squads, WNBL teams and other pro teams. Proved she has it vrs no. 22 from Iowa - which is a lot more than what others can say. If I was wnbl team - I'd be making that phone call.

It is a travesty that players like Amoore and Shelley are not part of an extended Opals squad. Just because they are in college does not make them any less capable.

Given a shot, there is every chance a player of Amoore's calibre could actually make the Paris team, but alas, the brains trust at BA did not believe she was worthy enough (let alone getting me started on some other that also missed out on the squad!).

It is a travesty that players like Amoore and Shelley are not part of an extended Opals squad. Just because they are in college does not make them any less capable.

Given a shot, there is every chance a player of Amoore's calibre could actually make the Paris team, but alas, the brains trust at BA did not believe she was worthy enough (let alone getting me started on some other that also missed out on the squad!).

Amoore absolutely should be in the squad now, I suspect they will make it difficult for her though because she didn't go to the COE, she will have to force their hand through performance in the WNBL and/or WNBA.

People think Amoore/Shelley will come into the wnbl and just dominate?

I expect Amoore will immediately be a starter and probably a good one.

Amoore is next level.

Shelley is very good too.

Will they dominate in the WNBL. I suspect Amoore would TBH. She is the best PG talent since Timmsy. She can do it all.

People do realise the jump from college and playing against other 18-22 yr olds to wnbl and playing against anybody from 18-35 yrs old with years of experience is massive??

And those talking about her making the opals have no concept of international basketball.

Just like the jump from NBL1 to NBL/WNBL is massive.

The best college players go straight into the WNBA and often do well. Amoore is clearly one of the best College players so i don't see why she can't be very good in the WNBL from day 1.

She certainly has the ability to be impactful in the WNBL in season 1.
A ticket to Paris after proving nothing vs pros is a very different story though.

It's sad that she hasn't been at Opals camps. That's the main thing that bugs me about it all.

Skills are one thing, but when you are 5'6 it's far from a given that what you can do in college will translate to the highest level. She's a streaky shooter. How does that go when she's shooting over even taller & quicker defenders? WHo can she defend at the next level? Right now these are unknowns.

Very similar to heals career I reckon.

How can you say anyone is not good good enough when they have not been given a chance? Why do they need to prove themselves at pro level before they get a chance to prove themselves at Opals camp?

On the men's side, Mills, Delly, Bogut and Longley (by way of examples) all got a shot before turning pro. Why should the women be any different?

Amoore has shown skills and capabilities at the college level that the Opals desperately need. Why she has not been given an opportunity is baffling.

That's the issue that has been with the current Opals decision makers - none of the next-gen talent in college has been given any opportunity to prove their worth at all in camps or similar over the past couple of years which is very disappointing.

Shelley has proven herself at a higher level opals/ U19's.

Agree with Weedy being on the same trajectory as Heal. I hope I’m wrong as I like Amore but just can’t see it happening.

I think it would be important to include Amoore in extended squads or training camps. Point is such an important position, regardless of size. To me she's a similar comp to Reid, with a better 3. She didn't take the WNBL by storm but look at her now

Without saying these players need to be starters for Opalsimmediately, absolutely shouldn't be ignored just because they haven't come through traditional pathways. Shelley too.

Whitcomb and Madgen are near the end which leaves as pgs or cgs

Tier 1 atm?
96 Reid
96 Wallace
98 Rocci
99 Conti
00 Shelley
01 Heal
01 Amoore
02 Melbourne
03 Swain

Tier 2 atm?
00 Goodchild
01 Ellis
01 Palmer
01 Scanlon
01 Poa
02 Henderson
03 Deeble
04 Loughridge
Etc

Will they dominate in the WNBL. I suspect Amoore would TBH. She is the best PG talent since Timmsy. She can do it all.

Kristi Harrower says "hold my beer"

lol... how could I forget Harrower!

They should absolutely have these players in extended squads. Gives them a taste and helps coaches understand where they fit going forward. Nobody is saying give them a ticket to paris, but they shouldnt be excluded completely from contention.

Absolutely but Sandy would prefer to pick players with experience. Not one to go with youth with the Olympics only a few months out.

Since Jaz has a thread now ...
2024 WNBA Draft Riser: Nebraska's Jaz Shelley

9? That's a bit high for any Australian on the list.


Based on what they have done so far, would have thought something like this

Borlase - #11
Amoore - #13
Shelley - #17
Puoch - #19

Long term I see Puoch surpassing most if not all.
i don’t think Shelley or Amoore stay long in the wnba.

Big claim regarding Puoch. I'm always left wanting to see more when I’ve watched her play. In reality I’m often disappointed after the hype surrounding her.

Big claim regarding Puoch. I'm always left wanting to see more when I’ve watched her play. In reality I’m often disappointed after the hype surrounding her.

Understandable, got to get away from chambers first.

Jazz is too good for the WNBL she will Make the WNBA for sure. She is such an underrated player.

Puoch looked very green in GF2, can understand why she was subbed back out so quickly.