We hardly knew you, Chelsea...

[HoopMatron]

who was selected in the Chicago Sky expansion draft this morning.

I knew she would be the one. Dang.

For the full roster, here it is:
http://www.wnba.com/news/sky_expansion_051116.html

I can't believe the Sky drafted a retired player -- Stacey Dales-Shuman!

HoopMatron

 

[Purple Reign]

I Thought She was an Untouchable

I am surprised. I was for sure it was going to be Kristen Haynie, considering she was from the area and an expansion team always needs one franchise player to build around.

Chelsea was a huge contributor to the success of this franchise. And though she was only here one year, she will be missed. You just can not replace a shut down defensive, lock down two guard.

 

[DWalkfan22]

first I find out my phone bill is $700 and now they take Chelsea! It's safe to say, today is not a good day. I'm goin to miss Chelsea, she's a great defensive player. See ya when the Sky come to town! I'm goin to miss u kid!!
(sk2 buddies)

 

[StevenHW]

Part of HoopMatron's post:

...I can't believe the Sky drafted a retired player -- Stacey Dales-Schuman!

Since Stacey's retirement a few years ago, she has been working as a reporter for ESPN and ABC Sports. I am wondering if the Chicago Sky talked her out of retirement?

 

[RDub21]

I was happy when we got Chelsea with our second round pick and was really surprised to see how well she gelled in with our system and team. It will definitely be hard to replace her athleticism, defense, and heart, but hopefully Coach Whiz will find a way.

For the rest of the picks, I thought that they would have a "better" draft than that. Deanna Jackson and Jia Perkins should have good years on the Sky. Other than that, I hope they have some big free agent signings coming up and a nice draft to make that team competitive.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I figured it would be Haynie too because despite the influx of PGs coming in the draft next year, they would be snagging one like PR said with relatively local ties and one with a year of experience. But it does make sense seeing who Chicago did pick up, that they really didn't have as strong a need for point guard behind Powell anymore with them picking up Keisha Brown, and Perkins and Newton are also good ball handling off guard types.

From an armchair scout perspective, I'll be paying a little bit more attention to UCLA backcourt mates Blue and Willis, and maybe a later round pick up of Zolman out of Tennessee to fill the hole created by Newton's departure.

But man, am I depressed today.

 

[6th]

I expect that the Monarchs protected Haynie. I had hoped it would be Chelsea that they protected. Stupid move - IMO.

 

[NothinButHoops]

For sure it's a sad day...Newton played like a vet all last year. I'm glad we still have Haynie...her game is yet to evolve. Lets hope for the best for our Newton...Nobody can take away the fact she is a WNBA Champion. Not bad for a first year rookie!

 

[kennadog]

Dang! But...good luck to you Chelsea and thanks for the championship season memories.

 

[VF21]

So apparently the VF21 curse continues...even to the Monarchs.

 

[Rockmeister]

So apparently the VF21 curse continues...even to the Monarchs.

 

[VF21]

Newton was my favorite player on the Monarchs, the first time I had ever picked one.

Now what happens? She follows in the footsteps of Vlade... and Doug... and...
well, I think you get the idea.

Me picking a favorite player has become the kiss of death.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I don't think it's a stupid move. It wasn't the move I figured they would make and always was a damned if you do (give up your first round pick, heir apparent to Ticha) damned if you do (give up your starting 2 guard all Rookie team selection) decision to begin with.

You're not going to find players like Newton or Haynie any time soon. But protecting Haynie makes the most long term sense if you have to lose one of them, simply because of her position and the fact that you get that rare combination of skills in a PG, good court awareness, tremendous defensive abilities, and a shooter's mentality.

The move elevates Kara to the starting job, Whiz now just needs to find another off guard and maybe one who can shoot a little bit more and can play passable defense.

 

[raybrun]

Is Kristen a really a fulltime player? Is Tisha returning?

I am still in shock over the decision to let Chelsea go instead of Kristin. Somehow, I had thought that there are some medical reasons that keep Haynie from going fulltilt every game for a 30-some game compressed season. That is the kind of physical capacity we will need eventually if she is the heir apparent to Tish. I have to assume that the Monarchs know best on the medical risk part of things. They confirmed that they think she is good-to-go with this decision anyway. Or was Wiz's logic that he does not really know if Tish is signing and he does not want to get caught without a true PG?

I am very disappointed. I had hoped the Sky would bite on an offer for our first rounder in lieu of picking her. Of course, if I was in their shoes, I would have a hard time gambling on a no.12 pick when I can get a sure thing stopper like Newton.

I just hope a combo package of using two first rounders can move us up far up enough to get an impact 2 guard. With the Chinese women still around, we don't need two more first rounders, just one real good one to backup Lawson.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I think they do expect Ticha to return. I don't think Haynie will have a problem as long as she does not decide to overtax her body. Her not playing year round this offseason should be a good thing. Her medical condition does not preclude her, I don't think, from going full out for 34 games. The kid broke down because her body really had a hard time going full out for the boatload of games she played to the very end of the collegiate season and then hitting the W circuit and the unique stresses that brings.

The more time I have to consider it, the better I am getting at accepting it. We're going to be ok. Lisa Willis at UCLA or even Nikki Blue there might be worth keeping an eye on. Zolman at Tennessee has become intriguing to me. Low first round might be too high for her, but she intrigues me nonetheless.

 

[MichiganHayniac]

I think Haynie can handle playing full time in the W. although playing year round may not be for her. Judging from what she played in college she should be able to handle the minutes. For her entire career at MSU she avg. 32.4 min. per game. Watching her play in person for 4 yrs. she always played full-tilt even before they found out she needed extra caloric intake. I think MBF is right about her physical break down during the season. She played nearly an entire 40 min. for 37 games for MSU and then went directly to the Monarchs with no break. I think she will make adjustments to diet/conditioning to keep her stamina up. In the past she has been able to play her "leave it all on the floor" all out style for big min. for an entire season just not 2 seasons back-to-back. I don't see any reason why she wouldn't be able to play a full WNBA season.

I have mixed feelings about losing Chelsea. I think the team will miss her talents, maturity, & determination. I imagine it was a very hard choice for Whiz, but in the long run I think it would have been a lot harder to replace a decent point guard. To a certain extent--he can teach a lot of the defensive skills that Chelsea had so much of.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

.....I have mixed feelings about losing Chelsea. I think the team will miss her talents, maturity, & determination.....To a certain extent--he can teach a lot of the defensive skills that Chelsea had so much of.

MichiganHayniac, I think you hit the nail SQUARELY on the head on both counts. We weren't going to find kids as precocious as either Chelsea or Kristin period, but we were going to lose one of them unless Chicago took Whiz' deal for his extra draft pick, which I think we all kinda knew was not likely to happen either.

But your point about the defensive skills being teachable, I think is what what had to ultimately drive his decision. Because from what he's said about Haynie during the season, she's still a defensive work in process for him and from the mic'ed up comments I heard from him during the Finals, he yank her out of games on the occasions when she did not do what he wants her to do defensively. But as a point guard and floor leader and the on ball defensive skills she does have, that's hard to let go.

We were screwed either way, and it would have been just as depressing either way. How damaging this is remains to be seen, we need to get at least to draft day to assess whether or not he adequately replaces Newton.

 

[GeorgeofSacramento]

This was a tough, heartbreaker of a call for the team, but I think the strategy was obvious. The Monarchs are where they are today because of Ticha and Yo. We know there's only so much more time these players can give to us, so it's important to find and groom their successors.

Kristin's had some bad plays and has shown her inexperience, but she also has brought energy to the floor. Her D has improved throughout the season and will continue to get better. She has shown, at least on the college level, that she can lead.

 

[HoopMatron]

Another thing I think Haynie has going for her is that she pushes Ticha. Coach has an option if Ticha begins passing up the easy shots now. Haynie can fill in while Ticha gets the message. I think having Kristin as an option definitely pushed Ticha in 2005, and it was her best season ever, IMO.

I'm sure going to miss Chelsea, though. She is not only a great basketball player, but she's wonderful off the court, too.