That's a pretty nice honor for Sabrina.
http://registerguard.com/rg/sports/...ational-freshman-of-the-year-by-espn.html.csp
http://registerguard.com/rg/sports/...ational-freshman-of-the-year-by-espn.html.csp
Sabrina Ionescu named national freshman of the year
- Thread starter observer22
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As mentioned before when it comes to rating/ranking players, eventually the proof is between the lines at the college level. I think Sabrina settled some of those discussions with her freshman season ...
Glad to see her continuing to excel. I was not sure she would find it as easy in college. Because she was a big fish in a small pond in High school. Good for Sabrina ! Keep working to get better.
I won't disagree that she was in a small pond, but I thought it was pretty easy to tell even then that she was as good as the hype. If you put a whale in a swimming pool, its still a whale! (yes i know a whale isnt actually a fish but you get the point) Good for her though! I'll always root for her success
She was always a force and that seems to have also translated to the next level.
Very impressive freshman season for her, big congratulations, what an incredible award! And I love their young Oregon Ducks team, fun to watch. Looks like she definitely made the right decision to choose Oregon over the others.
True. But if you noticed like Payton Manning she would just kill you when the games were highly in MM favor. Then become far more human in games against teams in the final rounds such as SMS, Chaminade, etc.....
She did accomplish a lot. Olympic Gold, AAU Nike Championship, Gatorade Player of year, McDonald All American, Open state champion runner up etc...
But she really proved a bit more to me when she dominated the McDonald All American game and was voted MVP. That was playing best with and against the best. That was a sign that she might do well early on as a collegiate athlete.
hahaha if you're an athlete and someone uses Payton Manning as a comparison in a negative way, I would say you're doing pretty well.. I would take being the Payton Manning of my sport any day
actually, she got hot in the 4th quarter and OT. did you see her play in hs in person?
I don't think it was that small of a pond at all. Kelly always had Cal Stars top players on her teams with her, they always played good competition and their league was decent not the best but decent. She did fine in the big games especially in light of the fact that she was the key component that all teams tried to stop...usually unsuccessfully. Great player and its showing in college. I know she is fast enough but always questioned whether she could hang with the quickest little PGs in college because she doesn't have the quickest foot speed and the MM system doesn't allow for a lot of man to man matchups. But no matter she has proved that she is and will be among the best.
I agree she did get hot "late" But the (Chaminade) game was over by then, even with the powerful late surge MM had. And yes, I did have the pleasure to see Sabrina play a few games in high school
I knew there would be a few taking my comment as far to the left as they could. I was not and never have been a person who doubted or disliked Sabrina or her present and future accomplishments. I have crossed paths with her a time or two and she was very humble and respectful.
The Payton Manning comparison is by no means a knock because Payton Manning will go down as one of the best quarterbacks ever. But where they are similar is they are so good that they totally kill the easier competition. But both become more human once stiffer competition happens. And because Division 1 level college is stiffer competition she is showing, as she did in the McDonald All American game, that she can excel there as well. She has a chance, if she keeps getting better, at perhaps performing better in more of the big games than Payton Manning did, and that's saying a lot.
But we already know she will kill consistently when the games and competition is easier. So she like every athlete no matter the level has higher goals to reach. Good luck to Sabrina in reaching all the goals she, her coaches, and team(s) set for her.
Congratulations again to Sabrina !
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First time I saw her play was against Mitty in Lafayette when she was a freshman and she was a stud then and that was a pretty big game.
re-read my post. I was referencing your comment that she "dominated" the McDonald's All America game. I watched her closely and she clearly was having to adjust to the quickness of her opponents on the perimeter. she won the MVP by knocking down a bunch of 3's down the stretch.
of course she's one of the best high school players I ever saw, and clearly the best in the history of MM. her college success doesn't surprise me, but I'm sure she's been working hard to be where she is at the next level.
i think that is the beauty of her game and ability. She will figure out what she needs to do to succeed despite any physical limitations she may or may not have....huge IQ..Larry Bird did it.
