WNBA vs NBA Part 1; Seattle Storm's 'Big Three'

[Poe]

I think one of the bigger reasons for the lack of popularity for the WNBA is because of the lack of familiarity with it's players. So in an attempt to help change that, I'm starting a WNBA vs NBA series of write ups where I compare WNBA players of particular teams with similar NBA players.

 

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to make any statements about these players regarding their level of play, nor am I trying to say one is better than the other. I'm just comparing a player of one league that is similar to a player of another.

 

BTW, the "adjusted stat" is the statistic I added which shows the numbers these players would produce if they played 12 minute quarters in the NBA instead of the 10 minute quarters of the WNBA.

 

 

 

So anyway, on with the comparisons. The following is comparing the best players of the Seattle Storm with various NBA players. I might also add Camille Little and Tanisha Wright sometime later.

Sue Bird

NBA Comparison: Steve Nash

 

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2010 Statline: 12.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.8 steals in 32.2 minutes

Adjusted: 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 2.2 steals in 38.7 minutes

 

 

Sue Bird is currently the league leader in assists this season, and is 2nd in all time assists. She is a 7 time All Star, and is one of only seven women to win an Olympic Gold Medal, an NCAA Championship, and a WNBA Championship.

 

Along with her terrific passing ability, she has the versatility to make shots from anywhere on the court, on or off balance. Though she is not quite as incredible of a shooter that Steve Nash is, nor does she have the ability to manipulate defenses at the same level, her overall skillset plus the killer instinct to make big plays happen when her team needs it the most, makes this a worthy comparison. But unlike Nash, she affects the game at both ends of the court, with the cunning ability to read offenses as they develop and get her hands in the passing lanes.

 

 

 

Lauren Jackson

NBA Comparison: Dirk Nowtizki

 

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2010 Statline: 22.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.9 steal, and 1.4 blocks in 32.7 minutes

 

Adjusted: 26.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.08 steals, and 1.7 blocks in 39.3 minutes

 

 

Lauren Jackson is a 6’5’’ big woman born in Australia, and has the widest arsenal of moves the WNBA has ever seen for a player of her position. To go along with her 2 MVP awards (2003, 2007) and a DPOY (2007), she is also 4th all time in scoring, 5th all time in rebounds, and 3rd all time in blocked shots. She is a seven time all star, and also won a WNBA championship with her teammate Sue Bird in 2004.

 

Offensively she can create damage from all areas on the court. She can score with her back to the basket with a variety of post moves, penetrating to the rim, flaring on pick and rolls, and crashing the offensive rebounds. What compares her game the most with Dirk Nowtizki’s however, is not just her scoring ability, but also her very impressive range that extends up to the NBA three-point line.

 

She doesn’t have a reputation for banging down low as much as her finesse, but she does grab her fair share of rebounds. Something that sets her apart from Dirk though, is her defensive play with great positioning and a high number of blocks throughout her career.

 

 

Swin Cash

NBA Comparison: Caron Butler

 

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2010 Statline: 14.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 33.5 minutes

 

Adjusted: 17.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.72 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 40.2 minutes

 

 

Topping off the ‘big three’ of the Seattle Storm is Swin Cash, who was the All Star Game MVP in 2009. Along with her teammate Sue Bird, she is also one of several women to have won a Gold Medal, an NCAA Title, and a WNBA Championship throughout her career, with her two WNBA championships (in 2003 and 2006) being with the Detroit Shock.

 

While her teammates Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson spread the floor with their shooting game, she compliments their abilities with her driving game, where she’ll find ways to get to the rim at the slightest opening. She can also score in the post, and can step out to the three-point line to drain her silky smooth jumper. She is a hard worker on both ends of the floor, constantly moving without the ball offensively and grabbing boards at every opportunity. Though her defense can easily be overlooked by her numbers, she is actually a very good defender as well, where she is often times seen guarding the best opposing offensive player. She does a great job cutting off drives with her quickness and forcing her opposition into more difficult shots.

Edited July 29, 2010 by Poe

[Poe]

Any comments would be appreciated...

[Mr. J Thunder]

Very nice i agree, they all very good players. Jackson when healthy is one of the best in the WNBA and she's proving it again this season, along side Bird and Cash, i think of them as the WNBA's "big three" Can't wait to see what's to come.

Edited July 31, 2010 by Mr. J Thunder

[deestillballin]

I toatlly agree. BUT I think Swin cash is in more of comparison to Kevin Durant. Both are a best and a BIG asset to their team. A

 

Swin Cash = beast. Man when she is gunning she is gunning

[Poe]

Thanks for the comments guys

 

 

And dee, personally, I don't see much of a comparison between Durant and Cash. Durant is a player that has had a dangerous outside game ever since he came into the league, whereas Cash didn't develop a consistent three until about her 8th or 9th year. Durant is a player you can't give an inch of space to knock down the jumper, which differs from Cash's driving game, who won't shoot the three unless she's wide open... which makes Caron Butler a better comparison.

 

Also, comparatively Cash is a better passer than Durant, and averages more assists per 36 minutes despite a much lower USG% (usage percentage, which is the percentage of team plays ran for a player). On the other hand, she averages about the same number of assists as Caron Butler in almost the exact same USG%. Actually, almost all of her per 36 minute stats are nearly identical to Caron's.

 

And besides, Durant is a superstar in the NBA, and Cash is only the third best player on her team. Not to take away from how good of a player she is, her team is stacked. She plays an important role and the Storm wouldn't be quite as good without her, but Durant is the center piece of his team. She compares much better to Caron who is also the third best player on his team behind Dirk and Kidd.